Visita Iglesia 2011

The small snack before we left. Open faced grilled tuna and cheese sandwich. It wasn't supposed to be open-faced but someone got hungry and almost finished off all of the bread!

We left earlier than usual for our visita iglesia and were able to get into the San Sebastian church because the mass hadn't started yet.  The neo-gothic church is even more amazing inside. It's rather dark and solemn but it has such magnificent detail from the altars to the stained glass windows to the ceilings! It was made of pre-fabricated steel to withstand earthquakes but is sadly rusting from inside. Efforts are now under way to save it.

Next stop was the San Beda church and I was able to appreciate the heavenly paintings for the first time since I could actually go near the altar and look around now. The vaulted ceilings all had different paintings I wanted to take a picture of all of them if not for the dirty looks I would surely be getting from people who actually wanted to pray.

 Too bad we couldn't find a parking space in Quiapo church so I just took a picture of the facade.

 Next stop was Intramuros and San Agustin church and its richly gilded altars. So many people were here it felt like a fiesta. Ma approved because it meant that  at least once a year, people were showing up and taking part in their faith.

 Manila Cathedral only had one door open and we gave up trying to get in. We just prayed that part of the station of the cross outside.

 This was one of the stalls selling goods between the 2 churches. This was a 3D version of a sketch the entrpreneurs had made into notebooks, fans, magnets, etc. Very expensive, though at P4,000!

 More traditional food sold outside during these times...Grilled corn and dried squid.

The reason we took so long to get to the other churches...rows of stores selling all sorts of souvenirs! I joked that there was so much temptation on Holy Week!

 St. Scholastica's chapel was closed so we settled for the Santisima Trindad chapel.

 Followed by the Don Bosco church in Makati. Love the shapes formed by the lattice work on the ceiling

 Right beside the church was a row of statues where one could light a candle for P5 and pray for your special intentions. We prayed for Twink's baby and Jon's audition.

 Meanwhile 2 sons of Don Bosco had their picture taken. Jon looks like a giant here.

 Finally, the ultra-modern Magallanes church. We were famished by this time and hurriedly sped into Max's restaurant for a very affordable dinner!