Our Feet Brought Us Back Into The Spanish Era

I woke up today hearing Christian music played over my laptop courtesy of Ate Janette.  And then some series of music usually played at the Basilica del Santo Niño. While listening to this music, we agreed to hear mass at the Basilica that morning right after our breakfast.  But the stream of music never ends with just Christian music, we also played some popular "Bisrock music", it's a genre of music known as Bisayan Rock popularly heard in Visayas and Mindanao. It started to bloom way back 2007.

Here are the two of the Bisrock songs we played this morning:

This song is all about a brokenhearted guy who never loses his hope about his lost love.  He still longs that he can win back the girl's heart.

This song portrays a man telling his girlfriend not to be clingy and needy because they are not yet married. If she will continue doing such thing, the guy might end up leaving her.

After breakfast the adventure begins.

Our first destination is the Basilica del Sto. Niño to hear sunday mass and light some candle offering to Sr. Sto. Niño. It's a common tradition  by Roman Catholics. Then afterwards, we went to the back entrance of the Basilica where the Magellan's Cross enclosed in a small chapel is located. This wooden cross was planted by Ferdinand Magellan when he and his men first set foot in Cebu last April 21, 1521. 

Magellan's Cross

Photos of me and Ate Janette at the foot of Magellan's Cross.

Our second destination is the Fort San Pedro. It is a few meters away from the Basilica. We just went there on foot with our umbrella's on. When we arrive there, I was amazed with the transformation of the plaza in front of Fort San Pedro. From the creepy and  none maintained plaza into tourist friendly plaza where you can see some security guards roaming around the place and assisting tourists. I really love the transformation made by the city government. It really helps attracting more tourist to drop by.

Plaza Independencia

 And then, we arrived at our second destination of the day, the Fort San Pedro. In here, you can see some relics of the tools and stuffs used during the Spanish era revolution. This place is the headquarters of the Cebuano Katipuneros who depended Cebu from being colonized by Spaniards.

At the entrance, old photos featuring the history of Cebu or popularly known before as Sugbu where hanged. It shows how Ferdinand Magellan brought Christianity in the island. It also features the gradual transformation of the Fort San Pedro from the Spanish times until today.

Fort San Pedro Entrance with some local tourist

Welcome sign

Before we could fully enter the Fort San Pedro, we paid Php30 per head entrance fee in order for us to roam around the vicinity. This entrance fee are collected by the Cebu City government for the maintenance of the area.

Receipt at the entrance of Fort San Pedro

Upon entering after paying the entrance fee when you turn at the right wing of the Fort San Pedro, you can see a blind guitar man singing some classic love songs serenading tourists. You can also see a small alley going to the deep well  turn into a wishing well. Before it serves as a source of water by the Katipuneros.

Deep well turned into a wishing well

Right beside it, you can see a small room entrance, displaying some of the relics of the Spanish era. We saw some bolos used by Katipuneros, old flags got by Katipuneros from the Spanish conquerors, then a few letters sent by Andres Bonifacio to the Cebuano Katipuneros. There's also a shirt from one of the Katipunero leader during that time.

Spanish Flag

Andres Bonifacio's letter

 Then you can see a stairs that will lead you to the balcony of the area. You can see some replica of the canyons used way back then, positioned in different area.  Then another there's another room, it is labeled as a room of a squadron leader. And then there is another stair, leading to the watch tower. But unfortunately the custodians restrict the area from visitors. All over the areas, we saw various visitors from local tourist to foreign ones eager to know the history of the place and some are busy taking some souvenir photos.

Here are some of the photos we had awhile ago:

Me and Ate Janette photo taken by one of the custodians

 Fort San Pedro from the inside

Entrance from inside

Canyon replica

Ate Janette making a peace sign

And our last destination for the day was the Park Mall where we ate our lunch. And do some window shopping but while doing some window shopping it started raining so hard that we needed to a buy one take one pair of slippers so that our shoes won't be soak in the flood.

It was a tiring yet enjoyable day with Ate Janette. For sure she will surely miss Cebu. And for me, this is another day added to my most treasured days. :)