tourist guide na talaga

I became Anna from NZ's (Crissa's friend) tourist guide. As I have always been taking my cousins when they're in the country/city to visit, I'd say this one is taking it a level higher since: 1) Anna is a friend of a friend, meaning we never knew each other existed before yesterday; and 2) it was only I who accompanied Anna to Intramuros since Crissa had to work.

First, we had lunch (Anna, Crissa, Jane and I) at Bubble Tea and go through the getting-to-know phase before the real deal. I was actually hesitant to go to Intramuros since it's raining really hard and since Anna would be doing a walking tour around Intramuros, I reckoned she might not be able to enjoy touring around that much. But I had no choice... I had to do it especially since Cathy aka Miss Intramuros 2008 (accdg. to Crissa) had commissioned her friend Xiao to take us on a walking tour.

And so our journey begins... Crissa suggested that we take the cab from Megamall, but I insisted on taking the MRT then just hailing a cab somewhere nearer Intramuros so as to save some pesos. That was what we exactly did... wrong decision since the MRT is unusually packed at that time of the day... maybe it was because of the heavy rains. We got off the Taft station and tried getting a cab along EDSA cor. Taft, but that was the worst decision yet since I had subjected Anna to the aromatic smell of Manila on a rainy day. I was embarrassed for my country. I was too embarrassed that I suggested that we take another train ride and just try getting a cab somewhere nearer Intramuros (more like a place that doesn't smell as bad). After a gazillion minutes, we managed to get a cab to the tune of P100... we had to take it already or subject ourselves again for a gazillion more minutes under the rain.

At looong last, we arrived in Intramuros. We met with Xiao, the walking tour guide. He was really good. He explained to Anna the history and significance of Intramuros to our culture and history as a nation and at the same time, I got to learn some trivia about the place and history as well. I've been to Fort Santiago a number of times- field trips, watching stage plays, ushering stage plays- but I never really appreciated Fort Santiago til now. After the FS tour, we went to the Manila Cathedral then to the San Agustin Church. The Manila Cathedral was just a reconstruction of the church since it was already destroyed during WWII and during a strong Manila quake way, way back. It was actually the San Agustin Church that awed me since it was the same church it was hundreds of years ago. I was also awed by the trompe-l'œil painting on the ceiling of the church. Inside the church were the remains of the Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the founder of Manila. Also, remains of the elite and the rich were also housed in the Church since it was once believed that if they were buried in the church, they'll be closer to God. I could go on and on and on since I love history myself... but I have to stop.

Fortunately, the travel back to Ortigas was a breeze- it wasn't raining too hard and the trains weren't as crowded. We met with my sisters in Shangri-la mall, had dinner then took Anna home. So that was the end of a verrrry exhausting day...

I just have to share this~ nakita ko si Toni Gonzaga and jowa (talagang jowa eh) sa Shang. So ang payat niya... inspired na naman ako magpapayat... hanggang inspired magpapayat lang naman ako lagi e... blech.