A Late Post: Lablab in Corregidor!

This is so unrelated to fashion (but I'll post my outfit for this trip at the end), but I still want to share this surreal and informative experience I had, with you.

Last Valentine's day while you're all in hotels or restos or wherever-- dining or having some good quality time with your loves or families, I was in a far off island north of Manila Bay. Yes, I spent V-day in Corregidor. Most of you must have heard about this place, but never really had the time or the guts (?) to go there. I do encourage all of you to go.

See the history of Corregidor HERE.

So we started our journey at a dock at CCP. There's a nice ferry (Sun Cruiser) there that will take you to the island. Travel time will only take 1 hour. We paid P1,900 each for a day tour inclusive of a tour guide and a lunch buffet. A pretty good deal if you might ask.

The Sun Cruise office where we got our tickets and food stubs.

The super colorful Wow Philippines jeepney that will take us to the dock. And I was very surprised to see that almost 98% of the passengers are Japanese. Lol.

That behind me is the ferry that took us to the island. The Sun Cruiser II.

The ferry is super clean. And the seats are comfy.

They even have a viewing deck!

Suprisingly--that day--most of the tourists are Filipinos. It made me happy. According to the guides most visitors are foreigners. What a shame. But I do understand why most people prefer to go to sunny Boracay than the eerie Corregidor. But I do hope people will finally try to be more interested in our history and visit these places. I'm a history buff so it was heaven for me. :)

So after an hour here we arrived on the very quiet island of Corregidor. People cannot stay here. People who lives here are all employees. I wouldn't want to live there either. I'd probably go nuts after a few days.

Getting off the ferry. We were greeted by armed soldiers (don't know why haha, maybe because there are a lot of foreigners), and how cute is Kuya in his WWII costume!

We got on Bus #5 with an english speaking guide. It's an open tram, I love it. They also have a bus with a Nihonggo speaking guide. Yes, there were a lot of Japanese tourists. And as we near the end of the tour they get more and more death stares from other passengers! I wanted to laugh.


First stop: SAN JOSE CHURCH.




Next stop: GEN. WAINRIGHT MEMORIAL PARK.

Memorial for the nurses and other non-soldiers who sacrificed their lives for freedom.

Next Stop: The different BARRACKS bombed .

Top barracks

Next Stop: BATTERYS (no not batteries and not the energizer one, these are the big big guns as in canyon they used against the Japanese) and ARTILLARY CAMPS.

Battery Grubbs (that's the name of a general or top ranking soldier)

Battery Hearn

Underground tunnel! Sweet.

Huge gun!!!

Next Stop: A 100+ YEAR OLD HOSPITAL. Creeeepy. And it is shaped like a cross.

Our tourmates

Writings on the wall. :)

I was the only one who was brave enough to climb those stairs. Lol.

Old flagpole. There's a sign at the top of the arc saying 1904 in roman numerals.

Next Stop: OLD THEATER, PACIFIC WAR MEMORIAL & MUSEUM.

Our guide said the movies shown here before have no sound! Imagine that.

What the inside of the museum looks like.

I was quite drawn to this photo and the woman here. I find her really beautiful. I wonder where she is right now.

Next Stop: OLD SPANISH LIGHTHOUSE. Beautiful.



Next Stop; LUNCH!!! I've never been this hungry in my life. Lol. (free buffet comes with the package!)

The food was okay (I ate a lot) and the view was amazing. :)

Buffet table.

Next Stop: LORCHA DOCK (where McArthur departed for Australia)

And while everyone was busy taking their pictures taken with McArthur. I found my own secret sweet spot. I super love it. My friend said it reminds hm of Central Park, NY.


Next Stop: HEROES SHRINE (designed by the same person who did the Edsa Shrine--you'll see the similarity!)

Db similar? Hehe.
Anyway, that woman statue is to honor all the Filipina women.

Panoramic view of the shrine. (taken from my Olympus tough 6000 cam)

Taken from a photo inside the mini-museum there. That, in that wicked gladiator sandals is Maria Aurora Quezon. Daughter of Pres. Quezon. Ain't she fasyon?:)

Message: "Dedicated to the Filipinos who knows how to die for love of freedom and liberty".

It was really surreal. Makes me think of all the fallen heroes and those who successfully fought for our country during those times. I salute them.

Next Stop: JAPANESE MEMORIAL GARDEN (yes they also have a memorial in the island. For all those who died here. Filipinos are so forgiving.)

Pretty.

That historical shot was taken when the Japanese took over one of the largest Battery in the island.

Last Stop: MALINTA TUNNEL (where hundreds of soldiers--even our own President--took refuge during the war).

Kuya is sooo cute in his vintage 1940's uniform!:)

Beginning of light and sound show.

Sample of what you'll see inside. Complete with narration from a veteran ABS-CBN news reporter. (forgot the name)

Show ends with a flag ceremony.

END OF TOUR

Wearing: Studded cropped blazer, striped top from HK, Pinkmanila studded shorts, H&M hobo bag & Cotton-on gold flats.

It's so worth it. Aside from the historical tour they have a lot of activities you could try like tree top adventure (yes! just like in Subic), swimming at the beach, forest trekking, etc. etc.

And I'm coming back soon to stay overnight and participate in their ghost hunting activity!!! Yey!