Mindanao... Zamboanga City, Philippines: Part 2!

With Christmas Day officially out of the way, would I be able to finally access a Spanish built fort whilst in the Philippines? Yes! Zamboanga City kept me on my toes, the itinerary was fast paced and didn't allow for any wandering thoughts about safety or security. Oh, Mother Mary! Zamboanga City kept on serving gem after gem, not to forget a Barangay or two! Nanyari na, Z!

'The Shrine of Nuestra Señora La Virgen del Pilar' was a walled space of devotion, an open-air church of sorts. The Philippine sun almost crucified me, it was really getting warm during those first moments once I faced the shrine. Mother Mary was definitely judging me, the house down, she was! Constructed around the 1600s, part of the 'Fort Pilar' had an extra wall of protection to ward away any invaders, with such a divine display it was said the 'Madonna' had casted away the British and other invading armies. I noticed that the 'coat of arms' looked like the one that's on the 'Spanish' flag, really? I can't quite be sure and I never asked my tour guide in the moment, so it remains a guess. I did some further reading to find out that the stunning painting of the 'Señora' stands to be a replica after the one in Zaragoza, Spain. I do remember hearing about some commotion regarding the original as those voyages from New Spain were super unpredictable! Did I pray? No, but a bit of quiet contemplation was fine. Mary wore her crown! 

People were showing their devotion left, right and centre, it was like a mini sight of pilgrimage. I thought it was really interesting to see an open air place of worship, fitted with an alter, stone pews and even a carefully decorated garden yonder. It made sense for such a showpiece shrine to exist fronting that former Spanish fort because the Spanish had made themselves a lot of enemies during the 1600s, word on the street was that the Spanish sat scared inside the fort whilst the Pilar Shrine protected them from Moros invading or even the British. At the time of visiting, I noticed that without the modern 'land reclamation' that had taken place, the shrine wall would've met with those harshly controlled Spanish waters. Fast forward to present day, people were just offering their prayers and going about their daily Zamboanga City business. I've never been to Mexico but I was sure getting some Hispanic vibes as my tour headed towards the streets that surrounded Zamboanga City's 'Fort Pilar'. It saw me checking flights! Sigurabong!

'Real Fuerte de San José' or 'Fortaleza del Pilar?' Which of those names did this former Spanish built 'fortification' go by? 'Fort Pilar' seemed like the one to go with, that would be fine. Restored and ready, this once barracks and prison had seen a whole lot of history with those Spaniards plotting their empire games. Present day, this former fort stood as the museum, that is what I was there to see. It was undeniable that the fort had undergone a huge restoration project, it looked brand spanking new! The open courtyard was well formed with a host of white-washed buildings that thankfully weren't operated by any Colonial force. It was a relief to enter the lofty buildings because they were cool and gave some minor relief from the heat of the day. I had to take off my shoes because the original staircases and upper floor stood as a protected area. It was amazing to see many boats and artefacts from the Indigenous Peoples who used to live on their boats, housing a treasure trove. After Cebu, I was happy to see within those fort walls. Yes!

After seeing what marine delights the museum had to offer, it was time for me to explore the lookout points. It was wild to think how strong this former Spanish fort was, it gave the sense they were sitting from their ivory tower whilst a whole empire was being stolen, because they were! That was a long sentence, but I needed to say! Now, this fort had something to do with the Spanish 'pidgin' creole that was becoming the word on the streets that was 'Chavacano'. That Spanish form was being spoken in place of pre-Spanish languages from Indigenous Peoples before they became Filipinos. Much like the fort controlling the visitors to Zamboanga, the growing creole was erasing peoples languages that they had spoke before Spanish sailors had frequented their shores. Now, that is some shady business! In the here and now, both the fort and Chavacano remain integral parts of Zamboanga's fabric, telling two not so different stories. I had to admit the views from 'Fort Pilar' were interesting, I would see the real view later on. Sige! 

During the planning process for this trip, I wanted to ensure that my path crossed with 'Zamboanga City Hall' because I wanted to see that building for myself! Built by the Americans in 1905 and opened two years later in 1907, only acting as a governmental building from 1937. Commissioned by the federal government of the United States, I learnt that this 'city hall' stands as a 'National Heritage Site' within the Philippines. I was astounded to see the ostentatious and brightly coloured floral Christmas decorations, I needed to embrace those designs because they weren't going to vanish anytime soon! I was able to have a look inside that functioning city hall, it stood pretty much in its original state, something of a time capsule. I was informed that this hall was in the process of becoming a museum, the legal functions would be moved to a new premises in the near future. Rizal Park was located across the road from the city hall, giving me a key viewpoint of both icons, it was a handy photo-taking point! Plaza Pershing, I clocked you! 

Taking me to that point of the day, I had visited many places in Zamboanga but did I have a favourite stop? You know, I loved the street outside of 'Fort Pilar' because those seasonal decorations screamed 'Coco!' I also had a lot of time for Plaza Pershing because the bandstand-looking structure served 'Americana' in one way, the modern day shopping centre behind acted as a right juxtapose. I really felt like I was being introduced to a 'hidden gem', I wasn't mad about that! Zamboanga kept throwing surprise after surprise at me, I wasn't mad because as mentioned before, this Philippine city doesn't receive a lot of international tourism. I wanted to showcase places that definitely stay in the cold compared to sites in well known places like Manila and Cebu to name a few. The Mexican feel in Zam really made me think about either a holiday or an extended stay in Mexico because that Hispanic essence had me under a spell! Saving the best for last, I was told that I would be able to see a place with a very 'local' feel to it! 

With each trip to the Philippines bringing me closer to the 'Realness' that I continuously desire to see, I felt that Zamboanga had listened to me good and proper! I was able to experience a 'Barangay/Barrio' for the first time, this was a major breakthrough because I had not felt like venturing on my own during times spent in Manila and during the stop before in Cebu. 'Camino Nuevo' quite literally showed me a 'New Path' with that direct translation! I was able to see a closed in basketball court with many young people who were playing one of their favourite games! I was able to buy some products at the 'Malaysian Import' stalls, I noticed lots of products from my time spent in Malaysia during December 2023. I trusted my guide, he reassured me that 'Camino Nuevo' was a safer Barangay to discover for a foreigner. I had expressed how much I had wanted to walk along a path in a 'Baryo' in the Philippines! As per usual, another 'Drag Race Philippines' reference was about to come alive in Zamboanga City! 

As featured on 'Drag Race Philippines, S3', the 'Sar-sari Store' look was about to be played out in real life! I was able to take a photo of that Filipino shop, the colours were very bright and the stripped back style reminded me of those looks on the Philippine runway! I didn't buy anything from the store but I definitely wanted to know how much a bottle of 'Funador Rum' would set me back? I wanted to know! Now, I wasn't ready when the shopkeeper told me! It was criminal how cheap that bottle of rum was, I would have an actual issue if a bottle costed me that in China! I loved my short visit to the Barangay Camino Nuevo in Zamboanga City, it gave me something to be thankful for seeing! I had experienced a lot of things during that one days mammoth sightseeing experience, that company had done an amazing job with no issues present. Zamboanga had been seen, I knew that this city would be a 'one and done' situation. I needed to find a place to eat, I already knew that a visit down to the 'Paseo del Mar' was needed! 

Pink Beach, Next! 

Desperately Seeking Adventure