My last couple of days in Manila were supposed to be a whirlwind of sightseeing activities, but I caught a cold. So on the last half-day, I thought I’d take the LRT to Rizal Park and Intramuros, but I sort of underestimated walking distances and my own endurance so I didn’t get to see as much as I wanted. I got off the train near Rizal Park, and didn’t know there was a shortcut through the nearby golf course that led straight into Intramuros, so I ended up walking all the way around the golf course to the western entrance to Intramuros. I probably should have taken up a pedicab driver’s offer for a guided tour so I could just sit and take pictures while someone else did all the hard work, but by this point I was pretty weary of everyone in Manila trying to sell me something, so I stubbornly refused his offer and struck out on my own on foot. It turns out (I knew beforehand, but I didn’t *know* if you get my meaning) that Intramuros is still just a part of the city where people live and work. The Jollibee and Mercury Drug Store are in pretty old buildings, but don’t have any real historical significance on their own. I was already pretty tired and sweaty by the time I got to Intramuros, so I only had enough juice to wander around for a couple of hours before I found myself in front of the Bureau of Immigration and decided to take a taxi back to my hotel instead of taking the train again. Good thing I petered out when I did, because the way traffic was I got back to my hotel just in time to take a quick shower, check out, and catch a ride to the airport.

Giant Map of the Philippines, Rizal Park, Manila

I’m working on an annotated  image that shows where Pili (where I spent most of my time) is in relation to Manila.

Manila Orchidarium

On my way through Rizal Park, I stopped by the Orchidarium. Apparently January isn’t really orchid season so there wasn’t much to see.

Cathedral of Manila, Intramuros

I couldn’t find San Augustin Church, so here’s the Cathedral of Manila. I didn’t go inside because I was self-conscious of my sweat-soaked t-shirt. Probably should have just done the pedicab tour.

Statue of King Carlos IV in Plaza Roma in front of the Intramuros Administration Building

View of the golf course and Manila from the wall around Intramuros

The shortcut I missed >_<

Quick shot of the tarmac as I catch my flight to Taipei

Guess I’ll just have to go back for more pictures, and try not to get sick next time. Taipei pictures coming up next.