Metro Cebu – The Queen City of Smile 0
Metro Cebu located in the island of Cebu is the second city cluster in the Philippines, and it is comprised of Cebu City, Danao City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City and Talisay City. I’ve been a constant visitor of Cebu. My grandparents live in Cebu, and it was where my mom grew up. I am always delighted that even though Metro Cebu has undergone big steps to becoming an economically competitive city. It still has those ethnos-cultural destinations good for domestic and foreign tourists to visit. They are taken care of by the government of Cebu and proved their significance in the history of the Philippines.
I am a Roman Catholic but visiting this Taoist Temple in downtown Cebu feels like it is a sanctuary in the middle of a big city. It is commemorated to preserve the teachings of Lao-Tse in 600 B.C.. The temple sits atop a hill where it is accessible by the foot through an 81-step stair that symbolizes the 81 chapters of Taoism scriptures.
Personally, climbing to the top of an 81-step-long temple will be tiresome to do, and when the temperature rises high, the 81 steps feel like 190 steps. However, reaching the temple itself offers a great view of Cebu and offers visitors the opportunity to light joss sticks and have their fortunes read. The Taoist-inspired temple really amuses me that such magnificent structure exists in the middle of a very busy city. It is truly a place of relaxation and solitude.
Aside from this splendid Taoist landmark, Cebu is also the home of Fort San Pedro. This fort is the smallest tri-bastion fort in the country and served as the center for Spanish settlement in the Philippines. I understand that the fort had a significant role for the colonizers of the Philippines and like how other forts are. It is used for defensive purposes and contain cellars that serve as “jail” for the enemies of Spain during their colonialism in the Philippines.
One part of the fort is torn apart, and the walls were destroyed, which shows an evidence that during World War II, the Japanese army used it as a fortification against the allied forces. On that same spot, there is an old cannon that seems to have been preserved since the mid 16th century. In fact, other cannons which are similar to the one I saw were scattered all over the fort.
If you wanted somewhere to sit and have some time to sit and talk with your family and friends, visit Tops. I usually go there with my family at least one afternoon every time I visit Cebu. It is 2,000 feet above sea level and offers a stunning view of Metro Cebu, Bohol and Olango. They offer kiosks for daytime picnics and evening parties. If you wanted to visit there, make sure that your car is in a good condition because climbing up the 2,000 feet mountain will be very steep in some parts of the road.
Image: Glenn
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