Scratching the Surface: The Splendor of the Philippines
I was born and raised in the Philippines, with over seven thousand islands and many different smiles. Since moving to the United States over twenty-five years ago, I have been back several times at different seasons and for different occasions. This time, our trip to the Philippines was planned on a whim due to the passing of my dear older brother. This time, as much as there was sadness and excitement, there was an equally foreboding solid feeling of unpredictable emotions, memories, and reconnecting with friends and relatives. We laid my brother to rest, and it told me that as much as he was no longer with us, he paved the way for my husband to come with me. Since it was a journey of 7,000 miles, we decided to explore the islands even for a couple of days before we headed back to Los Angeles.
We arrived in Manila (the capital of the Philippines on Luzon Island, one of the three largest; Mindanao and Visayas are the other two) on a rainy day in early September, and the flight was uneventful. I truly recommend taking direct flights. It will take approximately 13 hours nonstop. Philippine Airlines has direct flights from Los Angeles. Although the fare is a little more than its other competitors, the convenience of being able to sleep it through is invaluable. Before arrival, we arranged an airport pick-up from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Our hotel, The Conrad, sits by Manila Bay around the Mall of Asia (MOA), and the trip was a few minutes from the airport. It was a luxurious Hilton brand hotel, and the amenities were above average. Our booking included a breakfast buffet with an international flair. More importantly, the view of Manila Bay from the dining area, albeit rainy, was spectacular. Our room overlooked the bay, but you must request this in advance. One of the features of this hotel is its physical connection to the MOA and a mall behind it with great restaurants and shops. You can access it from the ground floor of the hotel, and it is a door away.
While in Manila, we also booked a Gray Line tour of Tagaytay (pronounced Ta-guy-tie: this is the best dissection of its pronunciation that I could come up with), located about 2 hours away from Manila. The traffic in Manila could be unbearable, so be prepared. But for us, it was a smooth ride with no delays. The climate in this region is more relaxed, and it sits on the ridge of an active Taal Volcano surrounded by Taal Lake. When viewed from the vistas of Tagaytay ridge, Taal Lake is magnificent. Its main crater lake is a lake on an island on a lake on an island! Whew! Anyway, please feel free to research this more on the internet.
Needless to say, the experience of stopping along the way to taste the freshly cut Pineapple wedges, fresh coconut water on its shell, and small native bananas called “senoritas” sold on the side of the main highway was a sight to behold. Our tour guide also took us to “Maria’s Coffee,” which sells with pride a product from wild coffee berries that have been ingested and digested by the Civet cat (which dwells in the jungles of the Philippines). According to the coffee’s description, the Civet cat’s digestion has altered the coffee in a “magical” way for a unique aroma and taste on top of providing antioxidants, rejuvenation, and pain-relieving qualities. While it sounds gross to the imagination, it tastes like coffee to me for sure.
The tour also stopped at a place with yet another breathtaking view of Taal Volcano called “Palace in the Sky,” which was planned for President Ronald Reagan’s visit in the 80s but never happened. After former President Marcos and his family were exiled in 1986, the unfinished skeleton of the building became ruins (literally). Still, its access to the fantastic view remained an excellent reason for a photo stopover.
The last stop for this tour was Intramuros, a walled city established during the Spanish Colonial period that gives it at least 300 years of history. While it has many stories dear to the Filipinos, from Spanish colonization, American occupation, Japanese invasion, and liberation, for me, it is a symbol of cultural resilience and the Filipino’s determination to preserve its identity and independence. Thus, as we viewed the Pasig River from Fort Santiago (the oldest Spanish Fortress within Intramuros), its symbolic significance was inevitably felt.
This walled city has ruins of old dungeons and prison cells that housed the country’s national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, and his death march was memorialized by brass footsteps from his prison cell to the Rizal Monument, where he was executed by firing squad for rebellion in 1896 by the Spanish. Around the walled city were several souvenir shops and restaurants. This area of Manila gave a different feel of what it was like living in a Southeast Asian country hundreds of years ago while adapting to the Spanish culture. Roaming around this walled city was reminiscent of my grade school field trips. As we made our way back to our hotel, the torrential rains and heavy street traffic gave me some time to think of how I truly longed to see more of this country in the coming years.