Intramuros—A Lively Piece Of Spain In Manila

Intramuros and its entrance 

Sitting on a bus that will pass through to Intramuros, I felt so excited. 

It was the first day of my two-day escapade in the City of Manila, and Intramuros was my first stop. 

I was expecting to see a quiet historical place, so quiet I’m expecting to hear my footsteps echoing, bouncing back and forth to the hundred-year-old brick walls around me. 

When I stopped in front of the yard of the iconic Manila City Hall, I realized something: on that spot; it doesn’t seem polluted, a contrast of how Manila is often depicted as a heavily polluted and stressful city.

That spot has fresh air, and strong cold winds that will freshen up your mood. 

Manila City Hall, its facade and yard 

I continued to observe my surroundings. While walking to the entrance of the Walled City, it was past 6 pm already, and the entrance marked with the signage “Intramuros” was pretty dark. 

I already have my camera waiting to capture anything that might be an excellent shot for me. 

Here are my shots at the famous entrance of Intramuros with The Bayleaf in the background. 

Walking inside, I was not disappointed but slightly underwhelmed when I saw that there is a barangay inside, lots of people, lots of vendors, which of course resulted in all these garbages on the side of the road.

As I try to find the prominent and celebrated Manila Cathedral-Basilica, I passed through all these stalls and eateries that offer Filipino cuisine. 

I closed my eyes and carefully listened to my surroundings. The place was alive as if the place has never been quiet for the last hundreds of years after it was built. 

Random European-styled buildings inside, uniform to the rich and long history of the walls that covers it from the already modernized city of Manila

Finally, I was standing in front of this breathtaking Cathedral-Basilica, so iconic that it was named as The Mother of All Churches, Cathedrals, and Basilicas in the entire Philippine archipelago.

Manila Cathedral-Basilica at night 

Unfortunately, its doors have been closed already for visitors as it has only limited time to accommodate the public. 

So, I started walking around and stumbled upon this café beside the church called Belfry café and ordered a Latte regardless of my condition of being lactose intolerant. 

Your frustrated photographer and writer with his coffee inside Belfry Café

After a few minutes of strolling around, I have looked for a place where I could eat something. 

While waiting for my order, I started observing the spot where I’m in. 

It was full of people and I realized I shouldn’t really feel underwhelmed that there were neighborhoods inside the heritage site (aside from the trash at every corner of the streets) because Intramuros, regardless of its long history and significance to the history of our country, was meant to accommodate people; it was meant to be a place with communities inside. 

And these communities in the present-day Intramuros keep the place breathing; it keeps the place alive: full of people, full of culture, full of history, and full of energy. 

Here's yours truly outside La Cathedral Cafe

Walking out of the historic site, I realized that I very much enjoyed the place. And as I smiled reminiscing all these new memories I have, I know, if it wasn’t for the people inside: the vendors, the servers, the baristas, the tourists together with their laughs, smiles, and whispers that come with them, I doubt I will enjoy the place this much. 

I then stopped a jeep en route to F.B. Harrison Street, my temporary shelter for that night, and have my well-deserved rest and continued exploring the city the next morning.