Day six we didn’t do much, and wouldn’t normally sit down the following day to write the blog post but we were super busy yesterday so that didn’t happen.

Day Six we slept in a bit, then headed to the mall to pick up the photos and do a couple of random bits and pieces. Bert picked up some more food for our new friends Mark and Kirstine who are the homeless couple I mentioned in my last post. We’ve learned a bit more about them (very challenging with the language barrier). Kirstine is 19, she and Mark have been together for six years. They have either two or three kids, and their home blew away in the typhoon. It’s unfathomable to think that one moment you can have a home and the next moment it has quite literally blown away.

That afternoon we put photos into albums for the sponsored children, went downstairs for dinner (which had begun the change from Valentines to Lunar New Year), and watched some more TV.

Yesterday was our big city tour day with our guide, Mary. She remembered Bert from his last trip which was nice. We started by heading up to the Temple of Leah. By up, I do mean quite literally - it was near the top of a big mountain. Essentially this rich dude and his wife (Leah) would travel the world, and Leah would buy stuff on her travels. The husband ended up building this temple to put all her stuff in but not until she died. Mary jokingly said Leah was a rich hoarder - but she wasn’t wrong… Leah knew how to shop like it was a career. Not really sure how many dining tables one person thinks they need but hey, clearly whatever number I had in mind was very wrong. You could also see a lot of Cebu city from up there, especially as it was such a clear day.

Next up was Sirao Gardens. Essentially this was a garden with flowers for sale but the owners realised the potential for it to become a photo destination and put in statues and other picturesque settings. I did NOT go up the ladder to sit in the giant hand hanging over the edge for a photo. I’m sure it was safe, but hard pass.

Random fruit trees and a meat store on the drive to Sirao, BBQ’ed corn across the road from the gardens, a couple of pics in the gardens itself, then pics from the way back down.

We then went back up to TOPS. Another large area on the top of the mountain which is essentially a viewing platform of the city combined with a building that had 2-3 levels of eateries. You’d think being at the top of a mountain would be nice and breezy. Somehow there was zero wind. None. Hot sun and no breeze = 33 degrees. They sold water up there which was excellent.

The view from the top, and the three ladies with promise padlocks

Our next stop was to be Magellan’s Cross... we parked across the road at McDonald’s and weirdly, the car was miaowing. Suspicious. Magellan’s Cross was the first wooden cross planted by Spanish explorers in 1521. The original wooden cross in encased in the outer cross structure because people were trying to break bits off and take it home. Then with the recent weather events (I believe the earthquake specifically), they had to close up the dome around it because it was too unstable for people to go in. My photos were taken through the bars of the doors. The candles are thrown in by people each day, then collected at night by prayer ladies who pray and dance on your behalf. We then walked across to Sto Nino Church which had a dress code (that Mary sent to us the night before). Bert pulled some long pants over his shorts and we were all set to go in. This is still an active church so there were quite a few people in there praying. Once we came back out and went to the car we figured we should look for the source of the miaowing. Turns out there were 4 little kittens who had taken up residence in a nook in Mary’s engine well. Thankfully they were unharmed, and the local children living outside the McDonald’s adopted them in seconds.

We went around the corner to the National Museum. It seems the majority of the items in the museum were found when excavating the land for development or from shipwrecks in the area. There was a gallery for one mans artwork that was on loan from him/his family. The dude must have been doing art nonstop because there were probably 100 massive paintings. According to my camera roll though, I just really liked the pots?

TECHNICALLY you could easily reach over and touch them, but it would be a pretty bad idea and not very polite

We chose not to go to the Taoist temple for religious reasons, so Mary took us to the National Monument instead. The monument was huge, and each section of it was a different scene or person which was significant to Cebu in some way. Magellan featured a couple of times (the cross, the first mass, and his death), the first Cebuano president etc. There was a lot.

When we got back to the hotel we saw Kirstine around the corner waving. Bert got her some water and stuff when he popped to 7eleven later because it is so ridiculously hot in the sun. We had a rest, then went down to dinner in the hotel which turned out to be THE official lunar new year celebration dinner. They had a dragon dance with the drums, a type of blessing for the new year, and a variety of Chinese foods and desserts. We were given fortune cookies as well, which we opened out of curiosity as to whether they were “fortunes” or sayings. Mine said “Do good deeds”. Pretty sure I can handle that one. Bert‘s said “Go on a journey by yourself”. I’ve told him he’s not allowed.

Back up to the room, printed more photos of Bert and I around Cebu for the albums, watched more TV, then off to bed!

This morning has already been a production. We came out of the hotel, saw Mark and Kirstine, then got followed by three young girls (like 6yo) for a bit because they were hoping for McDonald’s. They were on the intersection selling cloths with their mums and two babies. I am curious now as to why cloths seem to be the thing that children sell here. It’s interesting though how these children seemed to have no fear about following strangers around by themselves, and sad that this is what they are experiencing, and growing up with as their “normal”. It does make you thankful for organisations like Tearfund though who are able to help children through sponsorship. We can’t help everyone, but at least this is a safe way we can try help.