Day 3...September Cebu

Today is our last day in Cebu City but before heading towards the airport after our hotel check out, we go first to Mactan Shrine, Lapu Lapu City thru Grab booking.

Mactan Shrine is a large open area where you can see the Mactan Shrine and read over the Mactan battle depiction. You will really remember Cebu from history for this Battle of Mactan when Ferdinand Magellan and his crew attacked Mactan Island and Lapu-Lapu and his men fought back and defeated them. It is believed that this place is where the battle took place and that the shrine was made in the area where Ferdinand Magellan died during the battle.

I noticed that most of the visitors in that area that day are foreigners in groups with their tour guide, probably relaying the history that had taken place in the area. Cebu is truly where fighters with great courage are born of.

I know that there is more of Cebu and not just its city. Three days may not be enough and actually it is the most relaxed province travel I had since I am with my mother. We needed to travel in a slow pace and in return I am just making the most of what is…the most important is that at least we have more time spent together. It really takes time, treasure, effort to plan and travel.

I will definitely go back to Cebu again and learn and explore more of this province. Thank you Cebu City, for a taste of your goodness, rich heritage, works of art, and your love of nature.

;D

September Cebu...Cebu Tops and Sirao Garden

Cebu “Tops” is actually on a mountain top, Busay Cebu. The road going to Cebu’s highlands is steep, narrow, and winding but our driver seems not minding and very familiar with the road. There is an entrance fee but at that day time seems to have very limited guests coming in. They said that the “Tops” is best at sunset until night.  

  

          

The “Tops” is a viewing deck where you could see the whole of Cebu city. It also has its interesting concrete circle architecture with tables and chairs for family picnic dining area. We do have a few shots there before finally going to our ultimate Busay destination, the Little Amsterdam of Cebu.

They have called Sirao Garden as the Little Amsterdam of Cebu. There are lots of colorful and beautifully arranged flowers inside like the sunflower. They have also placed many Bali-inspired photo accessories and background. In fact, I enjoyed taking Nanay’s picture with these beautiful backgrounds. It is a little bit crowded though at that time as people are posing and snapping pictures everywhere. There are also long lines towards the gigantic hand statue but it is worth the wait. I also enjoy the weather at that time and how the wind just blew in and around the place. So relaxing, not to mention the calming effect of the blooming flowers and the mountain horizons that has brought my eyes.    

I really wanted to stay more but we need to go. Kuya driver told us that there is one more Sirao Garden in that place but I could feel that Nanay wants to go already besides we still have one more major tourist attraction to visit…the Taoist Temple.  

The Taoist Temple is located in Beverly Hills Subdivision of Lahug, Cebu City. It is a place for Taoist meditation, built on hillside and so needs to climb almost a hundred steps from the gated entrance before reaching the temple. It was not easy for me to put my feet on every step up but Nanay still manage to put a few more steps going up. I thought initially that she will wait in the car but not as our curiosity find its way to step up towards the top and get to see and observe the Taoist Temple. Thank God that Nanay is still strong and manage to walk a long mile.

An almost five to six hours Busay tours including the Taoist temple, we decided to eat along Larsian, the “Dampa of Cebu”. We ordered fresh lapu lapu for sinigang and barbecue with lots of “puso” rice. Puso rice is a rice wrapped and boiled n a triangular casing made of woven coconut leaves.  After eating our sumptuous meal, we proceeded to the pasalubong area as the next day will be visiting first the Lapu Lapu Shrine in Mactan before heading to the airport back to Manila.

This pictures are at the Heritage of Cebu Monument, our last site stop for the day before our drop off at Cebu Cathedral to end the day with a mass...Thankful for the safe and wonderful sites of Cebu City.  

Next…Mactan Shrine

Day 2 September Cebu...Temple of Leah

Day 2.  The whole day of our second day in Cebu City is dedicated to just tour Cebu city by car. An eight (8) hour private car charter thru Klook advance booking made us possible to tour Cebu city with ease and comfort specially with Nanay. I have most of my Cebu city wish list “must-see” in our own pace because of the private car. I also appreciate the lobby guard from One Central hotel wishing us to enjoy the tour while also noting the car plate number as soon as we hop inside the private car as if telling us, “Mam, you will be monitored and we will be waiting for you to comeback safely.”

We started our trip towards Cebu’s Taj Mahal…Temple of Leah in barangay Busay in Cebu City. It was told that Temple of Leah was owned by Adarna family and built as a symbol of the undying love and ceaseless devotion to Leah Adarna by his husband. With an entrance fee of P50, you could see how this 5,000 sqm land area with seven storeys high built because of love and devotion. The nine-foot bronze statue of Leah is its main element with a brass plaque on its podium signed by Teodorico Adarna that says “Beloved Wife and Mother: Leah V. Albino-Adarna was chosen Matron Queen of her Alma Mater the University of Southern Philippines. This bronze statue portrays her composure and regal bearing when she was crowned. May the beholder discern her innate beauty, poise, and gentleness.”

“May the beholder discern her innate beauty, poise, and gentleness”. Wow! It is possibly these features of her that captured his heart and love her timelessly and physically manifesting that timeless love by building this architectural design that can withstand time. Daydream while inside the temple and feel the love!

Next...Sirao Garden

September Cebu City Travel

Today is Mother’s Day year 2020. Finding an inspiration and timing to write, even just a few about my travel, is not so easy for me. Sometimes I blog, sometimes not at all. In honor of Mother’s Day and since we are still in Enhanced Community Quarantine in Manila as well as Cebu City, remembering and documenting about Nanay’s and I recent travel in Cebu City last September is as easy as pie.

Bohol is my mother’s hometown…and Cebu City is just an hour or two Ferry ride. Nope, we did not travel from Bohol but from Manila which is only an hour and 30 minutes flight. Being with Nanay is a breeze for me since she knows the Visayan dialect and I know that she can well relate to the Cebuanos. I am just surprised knowing that this travel inside Cebu City is also her first time. Our Cebu travel is just three days two nights stay. Of course, I have a list with the itinerary in and around Cebu City but I also need to make it more relaxed as I am travelling with a Senior Citizen, my Nanay.  

Day 1. We arrive at Mactan-Cebu International Airport at around 8:30am. I made an advance booking thru Klook noting our flight details and our hotel destination. There has been an advance info on the name of the driver and the car detail but there was a last-minute change that made me think twice of truly trusting Klook for our first time travel in Cebu City. I really do not want to play so rigid but I need to be safe than sorry. I still trust God that our travel will be guided and protected, I need to surrender because I will be enjoying the stay.

Our almost an hour ride to the hotel was an ease as Nanay has a Visayan conversation with the driver. It also made me comfortable hearing their exchange of stories living in and out of Visayas. While on the way to hotel, I am already familiarizing myself with my Cebu City goggle map on the phone. It really helps to already see with your own eyes your google map location-destination  especially if walking around Cebu downtown is part of the plan.  

It is still early to check in at the hotel and so we left our bags in the hotel to walk around Cebu downtown and find the Sto Nino Basilica. I thought, Cebu downtown is just like Manila downtown area but it is far from it as the streets are well kept and clean. I also feel comfortable walking from and along its streets than Manila downtown. Thanks for google map again that I can easily check on the streets and way to Basilica. There are also jeepneys around but I am not familiar yet with the coding.  I initially memorize the number codes I saw while we are walking so we could already ride a jeepney back to our hotel.

We attended the noon mass at Basilica and it is just great way to start our travel in Cebu City. We lighted candles and bought souvenirs from the church store. Nanay bought a life size green rosary that lights up in the dark. There are also photos displayed in a patio towards Sto Nino relic that depicts events related to the Christianization of the Philippines through the image of Senor Santo Niño de Cebu. I love Sto Nino as He always reminds me to be humble and be childlike…and to worry less.

We ride a jeepney back to the hotel but as soon as I saw a familiar street, we got off and walk back to our hotel. We rest first in the hotel and had our dinner in the nearby mall.

Next...Day 2