For our third full day, we chose to hire a guide to take us around to the various spots around Cebu and Mactan that are highlights of the areas. We started off by going to a Guitar Shop in Lapu Lapu. Apparently Cebu is known around the world for making hand made guitars, mandolins, and other string instruments. So we started there with a brief description of the process as we watched some workers. Then we ended in the gift shop, of course, where Carlton decided he needed a mandolin!
 |
| Various faces of guitars |
 |
| Our Guitar guide explaining the differences |
 |
| Part of the process |
 |
| More workers |
 |
| All kinds of guitars available |
 |
| ALL KINDS! |
 |
| And other stringed instruments |
 |
| Color options too! |
 |
| This mandolin is made from coconuts |
 |
| CHEESE!! |
 |
| Guitars everywhere! |
 |
| Maracas!! |
 |
| Need a souvenir? |
 |
| Carlton has his buyer's high. |
 |
| Purchase in hand! |
 |
| Modeling his new toy! |
From here we went on to the Mactan Shrine which is supposed to be the site where Magellan was killed. He was the first European to come to the Philippines and was welcomed by one of the rulers of the islands and proceeded to convert many to Catholicism. One of the rulers, King Lapu Lapu, refused to acknowledge the King of Spain as their sovereign. Magellan launched a naval war against him and his people but was outnumbered. Magellan was killed on this site and his warriors were either killed or driven back to their boats.
 |
| Magellan Shrine |
 |
| Site where Magellan was killed |
 |
| Scene depicting the battle |
 |
| Magellan Shrine |
 |
| Magellan Shrine |
 |
| King Lapu Lapu |
 |
| Plaque on his statue |
 |
| Area where they recreate the battle |
 |
| Tourist pose! |
 |
| Very Kingly indeed! |
After our tour of the Magellan Shrine, Lapu Lapu statue and the site where Magellan was taken down by a poisoned arrow, we headed to our next destination....the Taoist Temple! Beautiful Temple with lovely gardens. It started raining while we were there so everyone else left! We basically had the place to ourselves. So there are several places to pray here and several altars set up but you cannot photograph the altars. So we just took pictures of the buildings which were very ornate!
 |
| Entrance to the Temple |
 |
| Mini building in the gardens |
 |
| Gotta have a dragon! |
 |
| Walking up to the main Temple |
 |
| Tourist pose! |
 |
| More gardens and temples |
 |
| More temples |
 |
| Main Temple and garden |
 |
| View from the grounds overlooking the city |
 |
| More views |
 |
| Another entrance to the Temple |
 |
| Detail of the building |
 |
| More dragons |
 |
| Lots of details |
 |
| Bell |
 |
| Gathering place for events |
 |
| Old fisherman statue |
 |
| Gate between the Temple and residential area |
 |
| Another mini temple |
 |
| More great details |
Our next stop was the Cebu Heritage Monument which is right near the oldest house in Cebu, the Yap Sandiego Ancestral House. The structures depicted in the Heritage Monument are the Basilica del Santo Niño, the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, the Saint John the Baptist Church, the Magellan’s Cross, and a Spanish Galleon. The scenes depicted in the Heritage Monument are the baptism of Rajah Humabon, a procession of the Santo Niño, a Roman Catholic mass, and the Battle of Mactan between Lapu-Lapu and Ferdinand Magellan. The persons depicted in the monument include the late president Sergio Osmena Sr. and Blessed Pedro Calungsod.
 |
| Yap Sandiego Ancestral House |
Our next stop was the Yap Sandiego Ancestral home which is the oldest home in the Philippines at around 300 years old. Although it is a museum-ish now, there is still a family member that stays in the house on weekends. The house is still furnished and we walked around inside to check it out.
 |
| Furnishings of the family |
 |
| Lots of religious artifacts |
 |
| Table set for guests |
 |
| Trick of the mirrors |
 |
| Another trick of the mirrors |
 |
| The "sink: for washing dishes (2nd floor). Open slats allow water to fall to ground below. |
 |
| Our guide, PG, she liked the height difference! |
 |
| Mural painted on the wall in the back |
 |
| Greeter dressed in traditional attire |
Our next stop was the Basila del Santo Nino which is the oldest Catholic church in the Philippines. It was founded in 1565 by the Spanish invaders...er....explorers. I am sure the natives were so grateful to the Spanish for bringing them Catholicism and saving their souls.
 |
| Courtyard area used for various events |
 |
| Church itself with repairs being done after 2013 earthquake |
 |
| Main church |
 |
| Quick peak inside |
 |
| Ceiling in the outer hall |
 |
| Courtyard and gardens |
 |
| Several statues here |
 |
| And a couple fountains |
 |
| Building is made of coral stone |
 |
| They hand out these wraparound skirts if you are not properly attired to enter the church. |
 |
| Magellan's Cross |
The last stop on our tour was to see Magellan's Cross which is housed right near the Basilica del Santa Nino. It was closed for repairs, so this picture was taken between scaffolding and tarps. The cross was planted here by Spanish and Portuguese explorers as ordered by Magellan in 1521. The original cross is encased in this wooden cross to protect it from people who were chipping pieces off for souvenirs.
 |
| Family commute |
 |
| Jeepney |
 |
| Another jeepney |
After our tour was over, we took a walk to the nearby SM mall and did some sightseeing along the way. Jeepney's are a popular way for locals to commute around the city. These were military Jeeps brought over by Americans during WWII and left here. Now they have been extended and painted to be used as shuttles. Some are definitely more extravagantly decorated than others.
 |
| SM Mall - huge!! 5 stories! |
 |
| Trying to show the size of the mall |
 |
| Dinner!! Raw egg cracked on top of sizzling chicken. Tasty! |
