Off to Cebu

after the wonderful, wonderful trip to bohol, we took the ferry boat off to cebu. that's where our flight back to manila will be. the whole trip was originally planned to be in cebu but most of the people i'll be with cancelled last minute, we opted to go somewhere else.

i haven't been to cebu so this should be exciting as bohol although i did expect the place to be sort of manila like. lots of buildings and noisy cars. the ferry from bohol left in the afternoon so there was really little time to visit places and we've got a singing engagement in the evening too - a mass service.

first thing we did when we got there was to look for a ride. we were told we could get a cab or if lucky, a van that we could rent. half of the day is consumed already so we're expecting cheap rates. and yes, we were able to get a van. and to our surprise, the driver himself is a confessed choir member who belted josh groban songs.

first stop is a church. ate vel wanted us to see the place and it's huge alright. it's basilica de sto niño. the oldest church in the philippines. a little history about our country. it was said that magellan, a portuguese explorer, arrived in our country thinking it was the land of spice (morocco). he met rajah humabon who he had given the image of sto niño (baby jesus). that's the place where it all happened. of course, i expected something like a big ship displayed there but that's too much asking already. hehehe. what i got instead was a view of magellan's cross.

and not far away, they buit a monument of what have had happened. from magellan's coming to the battle with lapu-lapu where magellan died to the evolution of early filipinos converting to christianity. it's all there.

the gate's closed though but we were able to find "ways" to get in. lol! we're tourists alright.

next was just the next block. it's a really old house. not creepy if you see it. and it contains old stuff like what people used to have from chairs, tables, plates, water container, everything that one uses in a house. really thankful for the family who managed to save all of these things for everyone's benefit. we were told that the government does not support the maintenance bills so they get the funding from tourists and their own savings.

btw, see those flowers over there? would you believe they're made out of fish scales. yep. you've read that right. they're big ones so that meant they came from big fishes. i wonder what though. 

although the tour was really limited, i had fun. we only had like around 3 hours to roam around coz' we still need to meet friends for a practice. the mass celebration starts 7pm so we headed to the place where we agreed to see each other. i was thinking of going to the market to check stuff to bring back to manila but not possible anymore. o well...

when we got there, there was still mass going on so we waited outside. i got hungry and thirsty so i was a little complaining. hahaha. the mass went well. people were clapping their hands so that meant us smiling till our lips reach our ears :D

and to end our trip in cebu, food trip again. we had to leave early and did not join our friends because we need to rest a little as our flight is scheduled just a few hours away. mine was earlier so i have to leave like around 2 in the morning only to fall in a really long line. i did make it though. it's just that the line was already out of the main door.

btw, i don't eat sinigang (soup with  a really sour taste) but this made me consume it all.

anyway, that summarizes my fun-filled trip.