I first saw Mehrangarh Fort as the imposing thick walled fortress at the backdrop of the scene in the film “The Dark Knight Rises”. As one of the build-up parts to the climax of this classic film; Bruce Wayne is seen escaping from the pits of his imprisonment – finally ascending out of a hole from the ground. The thrilling high of that moment is made more spectacular by the presence of a magnificent mountain lustrous with sun rays and where the impressive fort stands solidly and undaunted by the passage of time.

City by city, as we make our way through the heart of India from Kolkata to Varanasi to Agra and New Delhi and into the state of Rajasthan where Jodhpur became our second stop next to Jaipur, we have walked the fabled steps of numerous historic forts. Mehrangarh Fort upon first glance from a far distance, still overwhelmed me with its sheer size. Even if it appears almost similar to the Rajput style architecture of Amer Fort in Jaipur; golden, shiny and adorned with an abundance of windows, Mehrangarh Fort still dishes a unique character of its own.

Built in the 1460’s by Rao Jodha - who was considered as the founder of Jodhpur and at that time; the chieftain of the Rathore clan, the knifing hill of Bhaurcheeria was where the first bricks were laid out, because of its strategic location overlooking the vast settlements below. Numerous gates and winding roads leads visitors inside, where a number of palatial rooms, galleries and museums housing historical artifacts belonging to past rulers of the many kingdoms that lay domination over Jodhpur, are housed.

Getting Lost to Imagination

So far, the forts we have visited had this tendency to pull me into an episode of extended imaginings as if – each wall partition of a fort’s wall was narrating a story to myself. Mehrangarh Fort is no different, as the plentiful intricate carvings, architecturally gifted temples and sprawling courtyards seen inside, gave me the impression of being involved in a setting to many a fascinating stories etched through many centuries.

Each step I made produced a thud eerily similarly sounding – as I assumed, to the marching stomps of the soldiers who defended and fought within and outside the walls of this fort. One of the well-known one was Kirat Singh Soda, a valiant warrior whose memory was eternalized in a Chhatris – a raised dome-shaped pavilion and important characteristic of Indian architecture, situated on the left side of Mehrangarh fort.

Everywhere I direct my gaze, I seem to summon an absorbing picture, whether from the rows of windows to the steps of the stairs to the brick walls and elegant ceiling arts. The interior of the fort and the pockets of temples inside dishes a splendid visual banquet. Further strides outside the upper grounds of the fort led me to rows of olden cannons – which at one time was the bad-ass weaponry meant to pulverize the incoming enemies at the barren land below the fort.

Hookah-smoking holy men and young kids playing melodious traditional tunes create a connection to the past when such types of people spent their time inside the walls of the fort – while they await the next wave of attacks from their enemies.

Gazing at the Blue City

The one experience that stood out in my experience inside the fort was when I walked over the walls near the cannons and I finally laid eyes on the famed blue city of Jodhpur. It felt surreal seeing it in person as opposed to previously watching it on films such as Darjeeling Limited and the Tarsem Sing’s film The Fall.

Known as the Sun City, the city’s blue-colored houses creates another level of charm to its already extraordinary setting. The panoramic scene from where I was standing summoned my wonder into notches higher. As I survey the surroundings; from the desert sand dunes far away to the city below me, I was able to view a couple of our earlier destinations; the Umaid Bhawan Palace and the Ghanta Clock Tower.

From motion pictures to real-life, nothing gets better than this. I must have told myself that instant at how fortunate I was in witnessing and experiencing this place and its environs. Truly, good karma found a way to bring me to where my heart once desired.

Jaswant Thada Temple

Stepping outside of Mehrangarh Fort, a narrow tree-lined path led me and Aileen to another attractive looking temple also situated atop an adjacent hill. Glistening with white marbles, elaborate arches and architectural details, the Jaswant Thada temple was built upon the order of Maharaja Sardar Singh in 1899 to honor the passing of his father, Maharaja Jaswant Singh.

Encircled by a spacious garden, pockets of gazebos and a man-made lake, this small temple appear in total contrast from the magnanimous allure of Mehrangarh, but nevertheless fashions a different attraction of its own.

As The Dark Knight Rises introduces Mehrangarh fort as the place where Bruce Wayne gained his freedom, the real life fort itself is where the bloods of multitudes flowed in order to retain their own. It is a fitting moment that as we walked away, I looked up at the beautiful blue skies reigning over Jodhpur at that time, and under my breathe I recited a prayer thanking the heavens for making me a free man to pay a visit to such spectacular landmark.

Check out the rest of my India series here.

The Poblacion District of Makati is quickly shredding the infamous red light reputation. Thanks to a fast growing number of trendy bars, quirky cafes and a roster of restaurants serving various global cuisine, Poblacion has become a mini traveler’s hub in Makati. Coupled with this development are the existence of hip budget hostels and classy accommodations ranging from 2 star to 5-star hotels.

One of the leading 5-star hotels in the area is the towering 24-storey I’M Hotel standing at the corner of Makati and Kalayaan Avenue.

Do not let the low-key name of this hotel fool you, because once I stepped inside its well-lighted and capacious lobby – my attention was instantly arrested by the lavish set of stunning interior. Every inch of the walls and square meter of the floor space appeared to have gone through a detailed design planning.

My check-in process went smoothly as the friendly front desk staff mirrored the attractive visual vibe of the hotel. The pretty and charming lady gave me a waiver to be signed; “We have an open balcony so we just like you to sign this up”. I joked at her “I have no plans of jumping, so don’t worry”. She smiled back at me as I handed her back the waiver.

As the bellboy ushered me to the elevator and into my one-bedroom suite I finally realized the scope of stellar preparation and scheming that transpired during the construction and finishing phases of the hotel.

In fact, it was more than good. My room – which measures 57 square meters, screams of post-modern movement without stepping out of bounds by remaining within a minimalist concept. The brown wooden floors appeared perfectly bared against a few other well-chosen furniture consisting of; a dark brown dining set for four, a spacious couch, a wall mounted wide screen LCD TV, another table set and a standing lamp. The walls are perfectly adorned by wide framed artworks said to be painted by resident artists.

Because it was conceptualized to echo a living apartment elevated by five-star hotel features, it has also a counter-top sink, a complete set of cooking ware and utensils with a tall refrigerator and a washing machine to boot. I am only describing the living room and adjoining kitchen.

Inside my room another LCD TV is mounted on the wall fronting a king-sized bed covered with a 500-thread white linen and a mound of pillows. The light colored theme of the room is a contrast to the dark marbled wall of the bathroom. Separated by a sliding door, it leads you to the shower room and bathtub bordered with the toilet and the sink by a tall clear glass.

Anything I need to hole up for a few days is right inside my room. I told myself.

Travelers who have been to Japan or South Korea must have been familiar with the Onsen Spa concept. In the Philippines though, it hasn’t much touched the regular consciousness. Enter the first Onsen Spa in the country.

The I’m Onsen Spa is also the largest urban spa in the Philippines measuring 3,800 square meters of floor area and spread over 6 floors of the hotel. Using Japanese-proven carbonated bath technology; one can instantly achieve a super high – of the relaxing kind - right here. Options such as couple rooms, communal beds or en-suite steam rooms and hot tubs as well as VIP and executive rooms are also available.

I invited a friend Milky to also try out the Onsen Spa and the massage. Afterward, she was all too thankful as she describes the treatment she received as “Just what the doctor ordered to cure all of the stress I incurred this week”

Capping off our soothing experience at the Onsen Spa, was a buffet meal at the The Common Good restaurant of the hotel. I’M Hotel currently offers an all-inclusive spa treatment with a buffet meal at a very reasonable rate.

The hotel’s gym also met my expectations because as a gym buff for the last year or so (a ‘moving-on’ therapy that became a daily habit for me), I always look forward to working out even during my travels or staycation in the city. Because of the coziness of the room though, I wasn't able to go for a proper workout during my two-night stay at the hotel.

The swimming pool that made quite a buzz in the Instagram world a few months back. Yes, thanks to its inventive acrylic-bottomed infinity pool, swimmers can do laps and survey the busy Poblacion Street below at the same time.

Giant cage-like lounge areas are decked over and at the side of the pool, giving you a perfect spot to chill after an hour of swimming.

Going Chinese at Empress Jade Restaurant

Aside from the HTML-structured all-day dining hall, I also tried feasting on a few mean tasting Oriental dishes (mostly Chinese) at the hotel’s Empress Jade. Along with another friend I invited – a certified foodie because of her job as a food and beverage consultant, we feasted over dim sum to an array of sumptuous Chinese dishes, including my favorite; the Triple Cooked King Crab with Bee Hoon.

Wondering about my friend’s verdict? – Well, she loved it and gave Empress Jade a high mark.

Having stayed at many fine hotels here and abroad as part of my job as a travel writer, I could say I’M Hotel can hold its own candle against the others.

• Location – check
• Rooms – check
• Onsen Spa – check
• In-house dining options – check
• Swimming pool and gym – check

The check marks goes on and on. I hope the management keep up the good work and maintain the high quality of service so I can continue recommending this hotel to friends looking for a place to stay in this bustling and happy part of Makati.