Manila City| Paco Park

happened on Aug. 30, 2015

 

the tiny park with the tiny church

In my more than 30 years of residency here in the metro, it's quite embarrassing to say that it's my first time to see this little park; to think that it's so near my alma matter - Mapua Institute of Technology.  I'm a late bloomer in travelling!

Last long weekend holiday of August, the family is bored and needed a getaway very badly.  It's has been a very busy school days lately for the kids so they deserved a much needed change of ambiance. 

 

With a limited budget, I thought of just touring around the city since traffic is crazy outside of Manila.  Everyone just wanted to get out of the city for the long weekend.   

 

I've read that entrance fees in the National Museum during Sundays is free so this is immediately on the itinerary.  Then I added this park and an authentic Chinese lunch in Binondo.

 

We started off in this park.  I'm surprised to learn that it's just tucked inside a busy district on General Luna St., east end of Padre Faura St.  Driving to this park made me reminisce of my college days - during flooded days that I have to walk from school to Quiapo to our boarding home.  How time flies!

 

Entrance fee is only 10.00 per person (so cheap for maintenance purpose).  Upon entry, you will already see the whole park.  Again, I'm surprised to see how tiny it is.  Seeing it in pictures for weddings and some shoots made it in a bigger scale to look at.

the marker

at the entrance gate

my precious...

Its history (from Wikipedia):

This park is used to be a municipal cemetery ordered to be constructed in 1807, during cholera break, for the affluent family of Manila.  It was officially inaugurated on April 22, 1822.

During the WWII, this park was used as a central supply and ammunition depot.  It was only in 1966, during Pres. Diosdado Macapagal that it has been converted to a National Park.

Today, it is a popular venue for weddings. 

 

The park:

the cemetery of the affluent

busy gadget mom ^-^

stop and smell the flowers

 

 

The small church:

Then it's ice cream time after...
 

This is a such nice place just to study lessons, hang around, read, think or just kill time.  It's refreshing to learn that there is still some nature found in the middle of the busy city.