Laurtour: Phinally in the Philippines

Welcome to the Philippines!

It only took me 32 years to make the trip half way around the world to visit the homeland of my mom, and host to the famous flashy Jeepney transportation system!

Uncle Teodie and Auntie Najla have been the most gracious and generous hosts.

My cousins Carmichelle, Lauren, and Tedrick are all pretty amazing too!

I love taking pictures of food! This is our Filipino feast complete with chicken adobo (closest to me in the boat on the left since the rest of the family are vegetarian).

I'm not the only one who likes to photograph food!

We've been exploring historical and cultural sites around Manila. At fort Santiago, National Hero, Jose Rizal, was imprisoned before being executed for crimes against the state. His writings revealing the torments imposed on the local Filipinos spread the revealing and shameful truth of the nation's struggles during Spanish colonization.

San Augustin Church, built in 1587, is the oldest stone church in the country and the only surviving structure of World War II.

Funny to see construction materials stored in such a grand stairwell of the San Augustin monastary, a building that hosts a vast collection of Catholic art and artifacts.

Labyrinths of vaulted arcades showcase enormous paintings and retablos.

Spoliarium by Filipion artist, Juan Luna, is considered a National Treasure, having stunned European art crowds by winning the highest medals at the 1884 Madrid Exposition. It was amazing to take in the massive scale of this over twenty foot wide painting.

More food. Lumpia (another of my favorite filipino foods), puso ng saging (heart of banana- and a new one for me this trip), some green vegetables, and of course the asian staple, rice.

The fruit tower of papaya, mangosteen, mangos, dragon fruit, green citrus, and orange citrus.

An intimate look at the mangosteen's sweet and sour white meat and the bitter but high in antioxidant pulpy red fiber.

A Little Bit on the National Hero, Jose Rizal

Within Fort Santiago, the Rizal Shrine displays a mural depicting the life and execution of Jose Rizal.

At Rizal Park a larger than life sculpture once again shows his execution.

His writings have had the greatest impact, but Rizal was also a skilled sculptor, is credited with the discovery of a variety of local fauna, spoke over 7 languages, and was a practicing medical doctor.