Paco Park (Paco, Manila)

I’m a real Manilena. I was born and raised at the heart of Manila. There’s no other place I know deeply but Paco, Manila. It may not be the best neighborhood but this is home for me. My families are here. My favorite malls are nearby. For me this is the most convenient place on earth.

And Paco’s best place must be the Paco Park. I remember going here way back in college. During one of our long breaks. We’d stay on the park, walk on the walls and study. It’s a quiet place.

Paco Park is a historical site in Paco. It used to be a municipal cemetery and its where our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal was was interred after his execution in Bagumbayan. It’s circular in shape and used to be the cemetery of the wealthy with a church at the very heart of it. It’s now popular on weddings with garden-themed reception because you can do the reception right outside the church. It was awesome. :)

Lately, I’ve been frequenting the place because of the church. I used to go to Paco Church but since Paco Church is big and most of the people go there, I find it crowded. There are times when the place is too crowded that I can’t concentrate on the mass, that’s also why I don’t do Sunday churches anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I may not attend mass every single Sunday but I am a Catholic. I practice my religion the best way I can and I love my God and show my love the best way I can.

And so when The Companion asked me to attend mass at Paco Church ans said yes, I’m so glad I did. :) Because the place is perfect for me. The church is small and there are only enough people inside the church. I can hear the sermon well and I can concentrate on the gospel.

So why am I blogging about it? Because I realized that this little corner of mine has been promoting travel to other places in the Philippines but I never once mentioned the handful of places to visit in Manila.

There has been a hiatus about that Dan Brown book that mentioned Manila as the “gates of hell”. Though I cannot fully contest the truthfulness of the mentioned scene in the book, I can at least say that Manila is still beautiful. Anyway, this is my home. I should know.

So expect a couple more of this. My staycation posts are a start. And by the way, when I say Manila – allow me to extend it a bit farther by including the whole Metro. :) Let’s explore Manila shall we?

Top: Thrifted | Shorts: Vintage | Flats: CMG | Watch: Esprit | Hair: Goody Spin Pins | Lippies: Cover Girl

xoxo,

Reigne