Magellan's cross
It was only a 6-minute walk from their hotel to the historic site were Magellan's cross was first erected. While the walk didn't take very long, it was a painful one because of the sun. Remember to bring an umbrella if you plan to walk around the city. People used to living in the northern Philippines and even in Manila may find walking under the sun in Cebu challenging. |
| The endless supply of candles bought for Php 100 only to be offered back to the altar. Probably only to be resold the next day :) |
Magellan's cross had a lot of wooden support all around it that time.
The aged women dancing the sinulog and offering prayers for tourists (for a fee) said that wood was to strengthen the structure and secure the cross while it was still uncertain if the aftershocks from the recent 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit cebu-bohol just a month or so ago was already over.
In his previous travel the stokedtraveler learned that the cross here is no longer the original cross but instead is just a replica. While the sign at the foot of the cross reads that the tindalo wooden cross encases the original cross that Magellan erected, there is no historical evidence that the original cross survived after Magellan's death. There was also no record of it ever being recovered by the succeeding spanish expeditions to the island of Cebu.
The aged women dancing the sinulog and offering prayers for tourists (for a fee) said that wood was to strengthen the structure and secure the cross while it was still uncertain if the aftershocks from the recent 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit cebu-bohol just a month or so ago was already over.
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| Chanting in the local dialect and dancing the sinulog dance |
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| Praise! |
Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño
Going further inside the 18th century basilica, tourists will see more people either praying or just patiently waiting for the mass to start.
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| People gathered for the Holy Mass just outside of the Basilica |
The basilica itself has wooden support too due to the damage done by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake. Two centuries old bells went crashing down when the coral stone belfry collapsed during the quake. It is planned to be restored by 2015 in time for the 450th year of finding the image of the Sto. Niño in the old village that used to occupy the very same land where the basilica was built.
The mass was being done outside in an open area perhaps as a way to ensure the safety of the church goers while structural integrity of the basilica is still being assessed. Due to the large number of devotees, the pilgrim center serves as an extension of the church during regular days but is even more full now because of the restoration work that needs to be done on the basilica.
Inside the basilica there's a long line of people waiting for their turn to get near the image of Sto. Niño - the oldest relic brought in by the Spaniards during the time when Christianity was introduced to the natives of the islands. The stokedtraveler took the chance to see for himself what the image looked like. If anything, it must've really been taken cared off very well because it looks brand new.
Zubuchon
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| The image is on the other side of this enclosure. Just wasn't sure if it would be ok to snap a photo of it |
The stokedtraveler arrived at Zubuchon around 3pm only to find that they were already out of stock with Lechon. He and his friends were told that the next delivery would come in at around 5pm. They really wanted to take this chance to taste the famous Zubuchon so they opted to wait it out at a nearby bubble tea shop.
A little after 5pm, they went back to Zubuchon. True enought the lechon was there on the display and a number of diners were already consuming their orders of lechon. The stokedtraveler and his friends only bought 1/2 kilo for 3 persons. It was more than enough and relatively cheap.
Anthony Bourdain calls it "The best pig in town".
The Kamias shake was the stoked traveler 's best new discovery here in Zubuchon. A perfect match for the tasty lechon cooked with rosemary and other spices.
Their best eater in the group prefers the traditional lechon over Zubuchon while the stokedtraveler has yet to distinguish which really tastes better - Zubuchon or CNT. Unfortunately, his attempt to dine at CNT was an epic fail. CNT's lechon ran out just as it was his turn on the line to order.
On a side note, there were cat-sized rats just outside those glass walls. It was really bothersome to see those will eating. Hopefully, those rats only got big eating from outside the store and not from within the kitchen. Zubuchon should really mind those little/big details in keeping their store clean and pest free.
The Spa at Cebu
Located at the far end of the Ayala Center, the Spa at Cebu offers relaxation at a price one may consider expensive. Thinking it was the same "The Spa" found in Manila, the stokedtraveler thought it was ok to get a 1 hour foot massage for P600/person.
He learns later on that "The Spa at Cebu" is not connected to "The Spa" in Manila. The foot massage was ok but it was just that -- just ok. Their foot massage was conducted just up the stairs in an open space directly facing the spa's reception area. No dedicated room whatsoever. The masseuse did take extra effort to please by giving a free back massage along with the foot massage. At the end of it all, the masseuse did get a good tip but the foot massage itself should probably just be worth half of what they were charged for.
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| They had this really nice gingerbread Christmas Village display at the entrance of the restaurant |
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| Of course a photo of that famous Zubuchon logo right outside their main store |
Anthony Bourdain calls it "The best pig in town".
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| Looking at this photo brings back yummy memories |
Their best eater in the group prefers the traditional lechon over Zubuchon while the stokedtraveler has yet to distinguish which really tastes better - Zubuchon or CNT. Unfortunately, his attempt to dine at CNT was an epic fail. CNT's lechon ran out just as it was his turn on the line to order.
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| Happy (and hungry) diners! |
The Spa at Cebu
Located at the far end of the Ayala Center, the Spa at Cebu offers relaxation at a price one may consider expensive. Thinking it was the same "The Spa" found in Manila, the stokedtraveler thought it was ok to get a 1 hour foot massage for P600/person.
He learns later on that "The Spa at Cebu" is not connected to "The Spa" in Manila. The foot massage was ok but it was just that -- just ok. Their foot massage was conducted just up the stairs in an open space directly facing the spa's reception area. No dedicated room whatsoever. The masseuse did take extra effort to please by giving a free back massage along with the foot massage. At the end of it all, the masseuse did get a good tip but the foot massage itself should probably just be worth half of what they were charged for.
Gelatissimo
The humid weather (even during night time) called for some cool break. Gelatissimo, located just on the ground floor near the garden entrance of Ayala Center, was just the ice cold break the stokedtraveler and his friends needed. There was also a line of people ordering their sweet yet low fat/low sugar gelatto. The best thing about it is that they allow free tastes. One of the stokedtraveler's friends had the luck (and the appetite) to taste almost every flavor out there. The gelatto melted sooner than they wanted but the taste was nonetheless within the stokedtraveler's expectation. A healthier option to ice cream but with the same sweet / creamy taste.
The humid weather (even during night time) called for some cool break. Gelatissimo, located just on the ground floor near the garden entrance of Ayala Center, was just the ice cold break the stokedtraveler and his friends needed. There was also a line of people ordering their sweet yet low fat/low sugar gelatto. The best thing about it is that they allow free tastes. One of the stokedtraveler's friends had the luck (and the appetite) to taste almost every flavor out there. The gelatto melted sooner than they wanted but the taste was nonetheless within the stokedtraveler's expectation. A healthier option to ice cream but with the same sweet / creamy taste.
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