Intramuros Under the Midday Sun Part 1

I give a relatively narrow definition to the term "adventure";  it means trying out something new.  Using this meaning, I can describe my trip to Intramuros, yesterday, Sunday as an adventure.

I have been to Intramuros quite a number of times: for educational trips, for weddings, as a tourist, and even as a bum.  What is so different this time was my goal: the Noli Me Tangere based paintings of Leonardo Cruz(?), and the means I took in getting to that goal.  The second of the two formed the adventure part.

Preliminaries, the anxieties: The Noli Me Tangere paintings were being shown at the Fort Santiago.  Where exactly in that place, I don't know.  They might be in the dungeons or at the Rizal Shrine, a more logical possibility.  The main question, however, was "Is there an access to the paintings on a Sunday?" If the answer to the question is a "NO" then I wasted a @#!* lot sa time.  To stop this from happening, I decided on two things:

(1) fulfill my Sunday obligation as a Catholic in Intramuros,

(2) see the other parts of Intramuros, particularly the Muros part (walls, for all of you who are too young to undergo the required six units of Spanish in college) which I have not thoroughly explored in my previous visits.

Another thing that bothered me was how to get there.  There are two ways: One that I am used to: the Cubao jeepney way.  It will take me right to the street leading to Fort Santiago.  Problem: This will involve three rides and therefore, too expensive and because I will be so near my goal, I might feel too lazy to accomplish #2 of Plan B above.  The second is through a lone bus ride that will bring me to SM Manila. From there I can walk my way to Intramuros.  A favorable choice because it involved less money and I will be forced to exercise.

I decided to leave my place at 9:30 AM.  I wanted to be at SM Manila at 10 o'clock, in time to its opening so I can pay our electric bill.  This proved to be quite a wrong decision which repercussions hit me literally right on the head just 2 hours and 30 minutes later. 

I was in SM at around 10:15.  I paid the bill and had a quick wee wee in a c.r. my finding of which involved a mini adventure.  And the second part ensued:  Walk, walk, walk, walk, and more walk. 

(1) the Underpass.  Impressions: broken tiles, slimy floor and walls.  At least there is nary a smell of human waste. 

(2) Sidewalk of the road between golf course and the City Hall, and National Museum. Impressions: humid, very humid, dizzyingly humid.  I felt saddened by the state of the Gomburza statue.  I also felt some fear because for the first time in my life I saw adults sniffing rugby. Kids + Rugby = acceptable.  Adults + rugby = a BIG NO. A number of times, I was tempted to hail a jeepney that I reckon would take me inside Intramuros.  Fear vs. stinginess.  Stinginess won.

The adventure continues in just a few ...