Hey guys!
I hope you’re doing well. Life has been well with me lately, and I had the chance to travel solo once again. Due to a past traumatic experience concerning traveling alone, I put off my solo traveling goals. I’m grateful to God for all the blessings that He has bestowed upon me, allowing me to travel while working these days. My supposed weekend trip to Luzon turned into a whole week due to an unexpected turn of events. Yet, I chose to dance with the rain and explore new places. That means romanticizing every little thing I had and every moment I've experienced.
I used to wait for the right time to do the things I love and see the places I long to go. But then, I realized life is meant to be lived and enjoyed, whether we get it all figured out or not. Unexpected detours aren't always a bad thing; sometimes, they lead to the best decisions and lessons we can ever have. After staying in Manila, I actually headed straight to Baguio City, another city in the north that I've fallen in love with, but that's for another blog post to be written. Here, relive with me the highlights of my brief affair in Manila that made my heart flutter!
🎵 SB19 Simula at Wakas Concert
On May 30th, I went to Manila to attend Day 1 of the Simula at Wakas Concert of SB19. If you’re not familiar with them, SB19 is hailed as the Philippine Pop Kings due to their massive popularity and the inspiration they brought to the country’s pop music industry. The concert was held on May 31st at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan. I’ve attended the group’s WYAT concert in Cebu, but I know it will take some time for them to perform back in my hometown since they’ll be occupied with their world tour this year. Hence, I took an executive decision to attend their #SaWWorldTour concert.
It's always a bliss seeing the boys perform. I had a blast dancing and singing with other fans. The vibe is just so good, and the energy is just so positive. I'm also happy for the boys and their success, and it's great to know that they keep being humble despite their massive popularity. I wish them the best, and hopefully, I get to attend their concert again.
🏛️✨🎨🖼️ Intramuros Day Tour
Initially, I thought of staying somewhere in Bulacan, but my friend Shon advised me to book a hotel in Manila instead for easy access and for me to check out the metropolis with ease. Shon has been living in Manila for years, so he knows the place better than I do. True to his advice, I had an easier time navigating the city after the concert. I stayed in a business hotel on EDSA, where I got to hail rides with no worries. There’s so much to explore in Manila, but being there, I had my eye on one place—that’s Intramuros, which is a historic walled area within Manila.
Ever since I was a little girl, I've always wanted to explore Intramuros. There's something about historical sites that excites me. I always loved History as a subject in school, and learning more about the Philippines is something I hold dear. Wherever I travel, I try to take the opportunity to learn about the place by visiting local museums and talking to locals.
The photos above were taken outside the iconic San Agustin Church, which was massive! I wanted to explore the church and take photos inside it, but a mass was ongoing while I was on tour. I didn't want to disrespect the church and the churchgoers, so San Agustin is still on my list of places to visit in Manila. Keeping Manila on my travel list for 2026 btw!
If you're wondering who's the guy in the photo, that would be kuya pedicab driver, who also served as my tour guide. I wasn't able to take his name. 😅 My bad! I was just calling him kuya the whole time, which means older brother in our language. Kuya is a pedicab driver who grew up in Intramuros. While I was strolling around the walled city, he asked if I wanted to avail his day tour, which means I’d get to go around the city through his pedicab. I couldn't say no because Intramuros is massive! My feet were already aching after walking around for a couple of hours. A pedicab is like Thailand's tuk-tuk. He would also serve as my tour guide. All that for only 500 PHP, which is more or less 5 USD.
While on tour, it was refreshing to listen to kuya's story. Growing up in the impoverished area of Intramuros, he had been exposed to various challenges, including crime, drugs, and food insecurity. He also confessed to not being able to go to school. If I remember it clearly, he only studied until the third grade. They were so poor that his parents had to prioritize their food and leave their education behind.
Still, he told me it didn't stop him from striving hard. Despite not being able to go to school, his knowledge about local history is remarkable. He told me he only learned from the professional tour guides by listening and following them around while they were giving tours. As time passed by, he was able to memorize facts from them. His unofficial lessons have now made him a local tour guide. Kuya's story is a story of resilience, but I know he deserves so much better. I hope every child will have the chance to study with ease, and every family won't have to suffer from hunger.
While we were roaming around, I saw a sorbetero (ice cream vendor) selling sorbetes, that colorful “dirty ice cream” being sold on the street. Nah, they are not literally dirty. It's just how they are called since the ice cream vendors sell them on different streets with their bells, signaling potential customers that they are around with their sweet goods. I had the regular ice cream in a sweet cone, while I got kuya tour guide what Manileños call ice cream bread, which is a soft bread with ice cream as its filling.
I went to visit so many museums within Intramuros, I honestly couldn't name all of them now. 😅 Sorry, ✌ I was just living every moment that I was there, absorbing every new bit of knowledge shared with me. I love the artworks and architecture that surround the place. Of course, I had to take lots of photos!
My tour with kuya tour guide came to an end at the bazaar overlooking the newly renovated Binondo-Intramuros Bridge, another icon that made my heart flutter. I felt so happy just roaming around the bazaar, checking out what the locals offered, and admiring the concrete jungle that Manila is. It ain't the ideal sight for most, but I believe beauty exists everywhere.
Intramuros is colorful, historical, and magical—at least that's what it seems to me, a Cebuana who appreciates beauty and history. I can't wait to be back! If you are someone who's traveling to Manila soon, make sure to add the walled city to your list.
🌃𓍙.ೃ࿔*:･ City Night Stroll + LRT Ride
The sky was salmon and lilac when my day tour in Intramuros came to an end. Kuya dropped me off in a bazaar near the Binondo-Manila Bridge. It was a laid-back and wondrous place to have a food trip. Barbecue stalls, fruit juice stands, and various quick meal stores dominated the bazaar. It was perfect for families to spend time in, and it's lovely seeing children roaming around, playing, just being kids. What a sight—to see them not in front of mobile phones and iPads, right?
I was getting hungry and wanted to have a worthwhile dinner. Something warm, delicious, and ideally only in Manila came to mind. Shon suggested going around Bonifacio Global City (BGC), where fabulous restos sprout like mushrooms. It's the perfect place in the Metropolis to grab something to eat, shop, and have some coffee.
The bright lights in BGC and the vibrant energy from people, both young and old, are fascinating. No wonder people love to go there to hang out.
🍣🍱🥢🥢♡ ˏˋ☕ˎˊ˗ MNL Food Trip
I went to Mary Grace Cafe to have my dinner. It was this cozy, family-owned cafe that was popular due to its delicious meals. Mary Grace is Manila-based, so I had to try their infamous meals, including their cheese roll and ensaymada.
I had one of their Perfect Plates options, which includes their house salad, fresh tomato and herb pasta, garlic bread, grilled chicken, and their dessert for the day, which was their luxurious mocha cake. I also ordered their ensaymada and cheese roll, which I had them prepare for to-go. Instead of coffee, I had their decadent traditional tsokolate (chocolate drink made of Philippine chocolate). Everything is so good and exceeds my expectations! No wonder Mary Grace is a beloved Filipino restaurant among many. I can't wait to visit them again when I'm back in MNL.
Traveling anywhere ain't complete without good food, right? I know you would agree with me. There's something joyful in trying out local favorites and checking out what's in store in restaurants. I was in Gateway Mall to grab some lunch and found
Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, a Japanese restaurant. The place is 10/10, the service is great, and most of all, the food is so delicious! I can't get enough of the food I had. Although we have good Japanese restaurants here in Cebu, I still think what Santouka offers is way better.
I had their Shoyu Ramen—my favorite type of ramen—their bestselling maki roll, and pork tonkatsu. These are common Japanese foods and some of my personal favorites. They also gave me the proper tools to do a yabu ritual (a process in preparing your katsu sauce) right at my table. Let's just say my lunch was a blast, and I went back to my condo with a full stomach! I sincerely hope they will open a branch here in Cebu, knowing that they have branches all over the world.
While roaming around Gateway, I also felt like having coffee. Just a coffee girl looking for coffee! Haha. The usual coffee shops like Starbucks and Bo's are within reach, but I wanted to try something different. I spotted
Cong Caphe, a cafe that specializes in Vietnamese coffee, and I just had to grab a drink from them. It helped that their place is Instagram-friendly, giving it a cool vibe unique for a cafe.
Even while I was in Cebu, I've been wanting to try Hungry Homies' burgers, also because one of my favorite Filipino celebrities swore by their delicious offerings. I had to get one of their hamburgers for myself. The problem? I'm staying far from Makati City. Luckily, I have S to rescue me. He said their Makati branch is near his office, and he could easily get one for me. Their cheeseburger became my dinner that night, and I'm beyond satisfied. I hope they open a branch in Cebu soon; I'll go first in line!
There were so many restos I wanted to visit in MNL, but I only had one stomach and my time was limited. I actually planned on visiting Chinatown in Binondo—the oldest Chinatown in the world, popular for foodies. But I was too full, and my bus going farther north couldn't wait. Yep, went straight to Baguio City. My Baguio trip is another adventure to be written, so stay tuned as I try my best to get active in blogging here again.
I thank God for allowing me to travel and for keeping me safe, healthy, and happy to go back home. 2025 is the year when I traveled the most. While writing this, it's been a week since I got back from another island in the Philippines, one of the places that I've always wanted to visit since I was a teenager. And I have another vacation booked somewhere in December before the year ends. I'm in bliss. This isn't always the case for me, and I cherish every moment I get to travel. Not only does it allow me to meet new people, explore new places, and discover good food, but most of all, travelling makes me feel alive. It makes me wonder and reminds me there's so much ahead of me, beyond me, waiting for me. Have you travelled recently? Where did you go and how was it? I hope you had the time of your life!
Til then!
Love lots,
Tin
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