subject: A Natural Preserve Of History: Philippines And Its History Laden Environment [print this page] Philippines as we all know is an archipelago which has a tremendous amount of history driving its present. Once a trading vantage point, Philippines has seen many strifes and wars to drive its way to what it is today and it is a country which believes in keeping the past intact in order to draw inspiration from it and look inwards whenever the need be. Philippines is akin to a time machine which has tried to keep its past as alive and lively as possible.
There is no better representative for this symbolism than the capital city of Manila. Numerous cheap flights to Manila make sure that there are effortless ways to reach the country. Once there, the numerous bylanes and cross ways of Manila would see you appreciating the old world charm and a rustic polish embalming the city in more ways than one. The biggest example of this is the preserve of Intramuros which dates back to the Spanish era in Philippines and after the local government renovated it many years ago, it is one of the biggest tourist draws of the country.
The Saint Agustin Church in Intramuros is a testimonial to the Spanish rule which engulfed the country for many years. The structure as we see today was preceded by two other structures which were destroyed by natural calamities as well as an attack by external forces, more noticeably by Chinese pirates. It was withstood the test of the times and was despoiled by British forces in the 18th century. The embellished carvings on its entrances and the Mexican arches which earmark the structure have enthused many a tourist who have exhausted numerous camera rolls while photographing them.
Approximately 500 Kms. from Manila is another city which seems caught up in its past. Iloilo which is one of the biggest provinces in the Western Visayas region of Philippines is home to many churches and cathedrals which have faced the wrath of rummaging pirates but have lived to tell the tale. One such prime example is Miagao church. The limestone structure was declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO some years ago and has withstood numerous ransacking attempts by the Sulu Pirates against the erstwhile Spanish rule.
All in all, Philippines has a lot to explore beyond its pristine and angelic beaches and waterfronts. There has been an honest endeavor from the Tourism Ministry to brand these cultural power houses as tourist attractions and have been hugely successful in doing that. Travel Agencies have started marking these places in their itineraries and have started educating tourists about the endearing sights these places have to offer. In short, make sure that you include these places along with the regular beach fronts before you board your seat on one of those many manila flights booking.
