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| Paco Park (It must also be wonderful if the fountain is on.) |
One Monday afternoon...
I was with my mom, walking along a familiar path. I have been to this place some eleven years ago. Eleven years is a long time, and I had a hard time recalling how that place looked during that time, and which direction did I take. Given that I have a poor sense of direction, even if it was just a month ago, for sure I will forget.
We walked, until we reached a place that was so quaint that it seemed to not belong in the street that we traversed. The moment we set foot on the gate on that rustic wall, it seemed as if we entered a portal that brought us to the Hispanic times. The silence in the place and the fact that we were the only people inside somewhat affirmed my belief that we have entered another dimension. I imagine people somewhere inside that walled isolation walking in their baro't saya and barong Tagalog.
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| the portal to another dimension |
I was walking ahead as if I owned the world that very instant, still savoring the images that I imagine when something brought me back to reality. A woman was at the booth, waving at us. It was then that I realized that we were not teleported in a magical place. On our left was a woman - a staff, asking us for P 5 entrance fee per head. This was a park, after all - a park that seemed too good to be true amid the hustle and bustle of Manila.
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| I soon found out that we were not alone. |
It is Paco Park, and it is under the care of National Parks Development Committee. This might be the reason why its Hispanic grandeur is magnificently preserved. It used to be a cemetery during the Spanish era, but since the early 20th Century, burial has ceased and the remains have been transferred by the descendants. Paco Park served as a supply and ammunition depot during the Japanese occupation, suffered damages in its original structure, but was restored after the war. In celebration of the centennial year of Philippine independence in 1998, Paco Park was declared a National Historical Shrine.
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| St. Pancratius Chapel inside Paco Park |
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| A classic beauty fits the classic grandeur. |
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| I love this archway and the Spanish colonial architecture. |
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| FYI - posted outside St. Pancratius Chapel |
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| view of the park from St. Pancratius Chapel |
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| burial site of Gomburza |
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| an old tree befitting an old place |
Nowadays, Paco Park serves as a very accessible escape from the busy city. It is very suitable for moments when you need to spend some time alone, isolate yourself from the world, and reflect on your deepest thoughts. Once you set foot on Paco Park's premises, even for a limited amount of time, you'd forget about the present world and will be indulged in this surprisingly peaceful and calm haven within Manila.
Paco Park
Location: San Marcelino St., Paco, Manila
Entrance Fee: P5/head
Schedule of mass at St. Pancratius Chapel (inside Paco Park):
- Sundays and Holidays (10:00 AM and 11:00 AM/5:00 PM and 6:00 PM)
- every 12th day of the month (9:00 AM)
* Paco Park Presents (a concert in the park) is held every Friday afternoon.
ang ganda pala sa Paco park :)
ReplyDeleteOo nga eh, parang ibang dimensyon talaga. Bisita ka minsan. :)
ReplyDeleteang ganda naman po jan, sana minsan makapunta din ako jan..
ReplyDeletesalamat po pala sa pagbisita sa blog ko.
Good night ^_________^
my kind of place! I hate crowded places. the way you narrate it, parang gusto ko na punta dyan everytime I am stressed out from work. ;)
ReplyDeletePunta ka dito. Been back here two Sundays ago, akala ko maraming tao pag Sunday since may misa, pero ok pa rin naman, di pa rin ganun ka-crowded saka ang tahimik. :)
ReplyDelete