Excursion Day: Day 8 "Second Excursion"

August 20^th, 2018 

For my 8th day, actually the time for my assistant week. But the school had off day for today and tomorrow because today was Nino Aquino Day and tomorrow was Eid Al-Adha day for the Muslim. So this day we decided to surrounded the the building of San Carlos University, South Campus. Of course with our lovely buddy Reggy. He help us to made tour campus and observed the campus. From the campus tour I could see and knew the facilities in here, there many place that I couldn’t see before, like the students playground, Basket ball field, food station, canteen, Laboratory, Handicraft Sewing Laboratory, clinic and also there was a rooftop of the building. On the rooftop you could see little garden then from the rooftop you could see Cebu City as a beautiful City. Then we met Dr. Rita in her office to talking about Eid Al-Adha tomorrow, because we are Muslim so we had to celebrate it by praying at the mosque. Because we still unfamiliar with the city so it was hard for us to find the mosque by ourselves. Then Mam Rita and Reggy ready to look for the mosque. With the google map also asked the people around the road helped us to find the mosque because Mam Rita and Reggy also didn’t know where the mosque. That day was hard day to found the mosque but finally we could found it in the corner of passageway. We were so grateful to find the mosque so for tomorrow we could just came and praying because we’re already know the way.

The buildings of USC South Csmpus

The rooftop of the building of USC South Campus

Students Playground

Inside the Cultural Center, Rudolf Rahmann Hall 

Then we’re back to the campus and prepared ourselves for the city tour. Yeah actually today Mam Rita said that we had city tour that had been cancelled before with the agency travel tour at 1 pm. So we back and after prepared ourselves the travel agency picked up us in the campus. We met the guide, Miss Jessica. She we’ll guided us for the tour city. We picked by big car or that was mini bus actually, it must be great trip.

The first place we visited was the Heritage of Cebu Monument. So Miss Jessica explained to us about the monument that the Heritage of Cebu Monument is a representation and illustration of sculptures depicting significant and symbolic events in the history of Cebu. From the monument you could see beautiful character of statue that actually Rajah Humabon and his followers to Christianity and also the local revolution against the Spanish rule like Lapu-Lapu Statue and other historical statue. The monument just would hypnotize you because the artistic and the detail of the statue was awesome.

The Heritage Monument 

After that our next destination was Yap Sandiego Ancestral House. It was located cross of the Cebu’s heritage Monument. Yap Sandiego Ancentral House is one of the oldest houses in the Philippines. When you came in to the house you could see how old the house and also there also the guide for explained us abou the house. This house was built in the late 17^th century, the ancestral house has remained in its original state even though it already shows weather-beaten but unyielding structures made of molave and coral stones due to time. The guide said that the houses was preserved and carefully restored by using coral stones glued with egg whites, molave, balayong and terracotta. The owner of this house firmly stand never to sell the house no matter what the offer is, even the generation who held it now was still go there every weekend. The house was consist 2 floor and the houses was filled with contemporary and ancient artworks, antique pieces and Cebuano made native furniture. There were also life-sized statue, religious icon and images of saints found on the 2^nd floor. Amazing house right? It even stand for 10 generation.

Yap Sandiego Ancestral House

 Aside from the famous Yap Sandiego Ancestral House, move to the next destination in Cebu City that equally popular and prominent heritage house, famous by the name Jesuit House or Museo de Parian. The museum was located on the left side of the road from Heritage Monument. The Museo de Parian is possibly one of the oldest houses in the country and was built centuries ago. The first time I saw the place of Jesuit house I thought the tour agency must be wrong to took us there because in the first floor just looked like the house used as a warehouse but actually when you came in to the house was different. The guide of this house showed us amazing thing of this house meanwhile he show us each part of the house he also explained to us about the history. Some I got what he explained and some I still could not understand may be I have to look for the information first about the Jesuit House.

First, he showed us the ground floor. There was transformed into mini museum called Sugbo Gallery. The gallery showcase maps of old Cebu and some photo of Cebu in the past. The gallery has also a mini museum that showcase some artifact and porcelain that are believed to be brought by Chinese traders during the Ming Dynasty. Then the guide show us another part of the house, we were went up to the 2^nd floor. There you’ll see like a commonly house but with different impression because the house was old house but still artistic. You’ll see household furnishing, bedroom in the style of centuries ago, the typewriter, there’s also a kitchen with the old stuff, porcelain from the clay. Nice to saw all of the part in Jesuit House even though that partly of the history I couldn’t understood yet.

Inside The Jesuit House

Me, Nia and the Guide of the Jesuit House

UNILA and UNRAM

The time was still running and our trip today was not ending yet. Next place was went to Cebu Taoist Temple, it is located in private subdivision the Beverly Hills Subdivision, in Lahug, Cebu City. When you go there you’ll see the stairs followed from the concept of the Great Wall in China, the big dragon replica, the old bell, beautiful flowers and many other.

 The building of Cebu Taoist Temple built by the group of Chinese. Cebu Taoist Temple is open to both worshipers and non-worshipers from 8 am to 5 pm. The devotees usually pray to the Gods to grant their wishes. There were also procedure while we there like we couldn’t took a picture of some spot place especially inside the temple and prayers room. Although there was not much to do in the temple. I could enjoy strolling around the temple, watching the view, taking some pictures of awesome place and relaxing by enjoy the beautiful scenary from the hill of the temple. That was very satisfied my eyes.

The Gate of Taoist Temple 

Now Miss Jessica invited us to historic romantic place, that was Temple of Leah. Temple of Leah, dubbed as “Cebu’s Taj Mahal,” is a grand gesture of love from a husband to his late wife. But unlike the Taj Mahal, which is mausoleum, Temple of Leah was a shrine holding the memory and tresures of Leah Albino-Adarna, late wife of Teodorico Soriano Adarna.

Temple of Leah was opened since 3 years ago for public. And the construction started in 2012 and is still on going. The Temple of Leah located on top of the hill in barangay Busay in Cebu City. Temple of Leah is seven storeys high. The gate opens to a driveway that leads to the main courtyard, with granite, various Grecian statues adorn the corners and different part of the building. Then there were two golden lions stand guard on both sides of the main stairs. The main point of the temple was the brass plaque on its podium signed by the Teodorico says “Beloved Wife and Mother: Leag V. Albino-Adarna was chosen Matron Queen of her Alma Mater the University of Southern Philippines. This bronze statue portrays her composure and regal bearing when she was crowned. May the beholder discern her innate beauty, poise and genteelness”.

You’ll find gorgeous view of Cebu City from the hill of Leah Temple. Many visitors were came to enjoy the view which was local people and foreigners even there were food traders for the visitors. Great trip till now also the guider was so kind, they even took a pictures of us and bought us snacks and our drinks. Feeling tired but it was gone when you saw the thing that may I could not if I’m not join the SEA-Teacher program.

Temple Leah from the outside

Inside the building of Temple Leah

View from the outside building of Temple Leah

Our last destination was the wonderful one. That was Sirao Flower Farm or well known as Sirao Garden. Actually the guide, Miss Jessica not really explained about the Sirao Garden. When we were there we just can say “WOW”, the garden look like the Amsterdam in Netherland, thus is why the Sirio Garden was called “Mini Amsterdam”. Sirao garden located in a mountain barangay just few minutes from JY, Lahug, Cebu City. There were beautiful flowers, fascinating rows of colorful flowers line up in large and spacious fields. Variety of flowers like sunflower, Celosias, Chysanthemum, daisy and aster are among the flowers that were planted there. When I saw variety beautiful flowers plus the gorgeous view of the mountain, it’s like I take deep of my breath and I just mumbled How Great Our Creator (The Almighty God). Since that was our last destination we took a lot of pictures to reminded the place.

Well, the city tour today was awesome. It was spoiled my eyes and made other experience in my life. I couldn’t say how grateful I am for got the chance to join SEA Teacher program this year. It was became my first step for my other dreams.