One of the more popular landmarks in Cebu City is the Magellan's Cross. A simple monument situated beside the Basilica del Sto Niño. Many of us have seen the photographs of the cross in various angles, whether its online, on postcards or other travel books-it is still different when you're staring at it in person.

The shrine was built in a simple manner, with the cross housed in a small chapel where one can take photographs, light a candle and say a short prayer. The ceiling of the chapel is covered with murals that depicts Magellan and his exploration party making a landing on the shore of Cebu and meeting with some of the natives, the cross planting and the first mass held in the Philippines.



The original cross, according to the sign located beneath it says "This cross of Tindalo wood encases the original cross planted by Ferdinand Magellan on this very site April 21, 1521." Just a few days before the fateful crossing of the path with Lapu-Lapu on Mactan Island.


History tells us that the cross was planted when Ferdinand Magellan made the first successful conversion to Roman Catholicism, of the first batch of Filipinos who will embrace the faith up to this day. They were Rajah Humabon and his wife Queen Hara Amihan and along with a few hundred of their followers.



The shrine wasn't that grandiose but the importance of it cannot be neglected, as I remember in grade school when my teacher taught us about our early history, Magellan, Lapu-Lapu, Magellan's cross and so on, I only hear and read about it at that time. However this time, I was right there, at the site of where the actual event took place and as a big follower of history, It was just right being there and seeing with my own eyes, the very cross (even though it only encloses the original) that my history teacher have taught me early in my elementary days.

The Fort San Pedro was first erected with logs in 1565 upon orders by Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. While the time when the actual construction of the stone fort remains in question, there are claims that suggests it began in 1630. Regardless, the Fort San Pedro currently claims the title of being the oldest and smallest fort structure in the Philippines. The Spanish built the fort as a mean of defending the city from bastion of hostile Muslim raiders who are against the rule of the Spanish colonizers, with the over all construction getting done by 1738, a little less than 200 years after it was first conceived.

The fort is triangular in shape, according to a 1739 report that was addressed to then Spanish King Philip II and was made of mortar and stones. The three bastions were called Ignacio de Loyola, San Miguel and Concepcion.

During the course of History the fort became under the Americans after the Spanish-American War and was used as a barracks by the Americans before it became a school for a lot of Cebuanos in the few years leading to World War II.


During World War II, the fort was used as living quarters of Japanese living in Cebu city until it became a hospital for the wounded during the war. It became a short lived military camp after WWII until Cebu Garden Club took over its operations.


Present day, the local government of Cebu takes care of the fort by naming it as a historical park with a museum that houses well preserved Spanish documents and artifacts as well as a garden that exhibits different kinds of plants.

Fort San Pedro is found in San Roque, Cebu City. A mere walking distance from Pier 1 of the Cebu City port and another landmark, the Plaza Independencia.



I was able to visit the fort after my trip from Bantayan Island. Upon disembarking from Pier 1 of the city port I decided to take a short walk before I get a cab - a walk which in turn took me to the Fort itself.


I had a wonderful time walking around the small fortress, looking at its old structures, the solid rock walls, visiting the museum and just imagining the scenes that used to happen in the courtyard, behind the walls when those skirmishes are happening during the old times. In a way it took me further back in time.


It's a wonderful opportunity as well, to learn from history while visiting landmarks such as the Fort of San Perdro. I'm glad that such place was preserved rightfully to serve as a reminder of our rich and colorful past.

This was my second time around to go to Sagada, right after our trip to Batad Rice Terraces in Banaue we headed straight to Sagada-which is another 3 hour drive from Banaue.
With our body and legs battered by the hike to Tappia Falls we arrived in Sagada at about 11:00 pm, found a nice place called George Inn that gives a wonderful view from its window on our room on the third floor.


The next day we woke up at around 6am, had our breakfast at about 7:00 am at Yoghurt House.


After fueling our gas tanks, still feeling a bit tired from the previous long day at Banaue, we started our cave connection ( Lumiang Cave – Sumaging Cave). On the entrance of the cave, a horde of wooden coffins can be found all humped over another stretching from the bottom of the cave’s mouth up to the rocky ceilings – positioned peacefully and bringing an eerie feeling of unfortunate circumstances once disturbed.

There was a coffin with a hole in it, large enough for a human skull to take a peek. It feels weird looking at it, thinking that it was once a live human being walking and feeding and talking like us, but right now it firmly rests there with its soul in the other world.

Inside the cave, the five of us plus our guide then another group of people are in the cave as well, producing a short queue on the tiny opening at the start where one has to use a rope to get down. While waiting for our turn Don exposes his “chemical gas” that almost rendered our guide unconscious.

Inside the cave was a maze of rocky passageways requiring body contortions, balance and the reliable lamp light, without it, the cave will turn into one pitch black world.



Pools of cold water greets you inside, flowing along rock formations whom the local guides refers to as the king (as it forms like a penis), queen, pig pen, chocolate cake, elephant trunk and so on (you’ll know why when you see it trust me)



We took a dip into one of the cold pools found inside. The cold water meets your skin like needles the first few seconds after you go under it but as time goes and your body adjusts to the cold water it feels like therapy feeding your skin with energy.




After 15 minutes we got back on our trail and were met upon by more cool rock formations and crossed small pools of water again.



And here’s Don when he’s not farting inside the cave.
One by one we climbed up about 6 feet using a rope heading to the exit of Sumaging cave.




We stayed at Sagada until the next day then headed back to Manila, it was a long trip that started friday night to Banaue, went Tappia falls, then to Sagada, went caving, foodtrip, pictures and then back to the maddening real world in the city. Something to look forward to again, because the life on the road forever awaits you.

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