Out and About Manila Part 3: Fort Santiago and Jose Rizal Museum

I've always had a knack for old cities and structures. I guess much of it has to do with being an old soul lost in a digital jungle. There's a certain enigma that draws me to places that hold so much history in its walls. I like it when the air breathes stories left untold and secrets that will forever be locked up in memory. I initially asked my uncle for a tour in the entirety of Intramuros but hopping from Pasig City to Divisoria to Manila Chinatown to Manila Cathedral ate up way too much time, he decided to bring us instead to the infamous 16th century citadel within the walls of Intramuros: Fort Santiago and the Jose Rizal Museum that it housed within its brick barriers.

Out and About Manila Part 2: Manila Chinatown

Chinky-eyed and thrifty. These two perfectly define me so I guess it wouldn't be a complete surprise if I had an ounce of Chinese blood in my veins. My maternal grandmother's side of the family has a one syllable three letter family name. Majority of the family is chinky-eyed too with eyes tending to thin out as we smile or laugh. Alas, no one knows how to speak Mandarin. Lost in translation perhaps? I don't know really but I'll stop these random bits of whatnot and get this introduction over and done with. In my previous post, I mentioned that we had this little jaunt around some of the sights and places to see in Manila. This is part two. Behold Binondo aka Manila Chinatown!

Out and About Manila Part 1: Binondo Church

I was born in Manila but growing up and living in Cebu left me curious about my birthplace. There was so much of it that I haven't seen. I wanted to experience it and breathe history and culture sans the pollution. There was this craving that I had to feed otherwise my mind would explode with questions and what ifs left unanswered. Unlike others, I prefer old city charm and culture whenever I travel. Call me weird or old-fashioned but I'm an old soul lost in a digital jungle. So when my dear uncle (Hi Tito Bob!) asked me where I wanted to go, I screamed Chinatown and Intramuros without batting an eyelash! This was the first stop to our trip. Behold the Binondo Church.

Bloggers United #BU9xSMART

How does one tick an item off of their bucket list? Do you simply cross it out or will you make a diary entry out of it? I'm full on sentimental so diary entries and photos will have to come with little mementos too. I'm happy to announce that I've finally ticked an item off and brought home some souvenirs. Last Saturday marked my very first Bloggers United experience and boy was it epic! Living in Cebu meant having to hop onto a plane which wasn't really feasible at the time. This year however, the stars aligned. Not only did I get to attend but I scored tickets for myself and my sister thanks to a contest hosted by the generous BU team. So pardon the fangirling, the extreme gushing and the humongous photo dump. An epic diary of last week's Bloggers United experience is coming your way!