Travel Throwback: Discovering the History and Natural Beauty of Maragondon

Five years ago... I experienced to have a getaway in the largest town in Cavite - Maragondon. Located in the western part of the province, Maragondon is bordered by Ternate in the north, Naic and Indang in the east, and Magallanes and Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo (Bailen) in the south. In the west, it is surrounded by the town of Nasugbu, Batangas and South China Sea.

Maragondon is known for its historic importance in the Philippine Revolution particularly in the life of Andres Bonifacio. It is the town where the Bonifacio Brothers faced the court and they were sentenced to death penalty. 

The Bonifacio Trial House in Maragondon, Cavite.  It is also the ancestral house of Teodorico Reyes built in 1889. (c) 2013

Life-sized dioramas of the incident where the Bonifacio Brothers in trial. (c) 2013

Maragondon also is a place where the Bonifacio brothers were executed on May 10, 1897 in the mountains of Cavite. Today, the Bonifacio Execution Site is located in the foothills of Brgy. Pinagsanhan nestled within the mountains of the area.

The KKK which also depicts the battles of Andres Bonifacio during the Philippine Revolution. (c) 2013

The Tagalog word "Bayani" symbolizes the heroism of Andres Bonifacio. (c) 2013

Historical marker of Bonifacio Execution Site. (c) 2013

In addition, you may visit the historical Baroque church in Maragondon, the Our Lady of Assumption Church. It was built in 1611 and it is one of the National Historical Treasures in our country. 

The Our Lady of Assumption Church in Maragondon, Cavite. (c) 2013

Aside from its historical significance, the town also features the natural, rural beauty of the countryside. There are many mountains for hiking, beach resorts for excursion and wide rivers and dashing waterfalls. Maragondon got its name from the Tagalog word "madagundong" meaning too much sound because of the big rivers located within the town.

A mountain located near the Bonifacio Execution Site. Others said that it is Mt. Buntis. (c) 2013

The view of Maragondon River from a hanging bridge. (c) 2013

The verdant view of the mountains. (c) 2013

Enjoying the rural scenario with this dried rice plains. (c) 2013

A hanging bridge in Maragondon. (c) 2013

Therefore, my visit in Maragondon is one of the most memorable visits I've ever had five years ago. Aside from exploring the history, I also had the chance to discover my roots as a Caviteno and exploring the natural beauty of Cavite by preserving its rural ambiance and appreciating the historic roots of our province. 

Date of Travel: April - May 2013

Lawton Stopover: A Walk From City Hall to the Post Office

Park n Ride Lawton: The famous stopover of public transportation vehicles going to Manila.

If you are going to Manila from Cavite or in Alabang, the Park & Ride Station or simply called as Lawton is the final stop for passengers. From Lawton, you can ride a jeepney or taxi if you are going to other places in Metro Manila. While waiting for the jeepney, you can see a lot of distinct landmarks such as prime universities, government offices and historical buildings around the area from Taft Avenue to Padre Burgos Street.

Manila City Hall

First, we have the Manila City Hall. It was established in 1939 and the city hall was designed and planned by Antonio Toledo. The trees around the city hall was planted by Mayor Ramon Bagatsing during his administration in the early seventies. The clock tower is the trademark for Manila and its city hall. The architecture is also striking because of its hexagonal tower with red-faced clock and the building floor plan is similar to the shield of the Knight's Templar. Beside the City Hall, there is an underpass road called Lagusnilad. You cannot pass on this tunnel during the rainy days because it was extremely flooded.

Bonifacio Memorial Shrine

Adjacent to the City Hall is the Bonifacio Memorial Shrine. It was designed by Eduardo Castrillo and the monument depicts the highlights of the 1896 Philippine Revolution. In addition, the flags of the Philippine Revolution was surrounded the monument. From the monument, I decided to walk to the hustling yet smooth streets of Lawton to another landmark which is an old theater.

Metropolitan Theater

The Metropolitan Theater is an old theater in Manila which was built in 1931 and closed in 1996. It has an Art Deco design and planned by Juan M. Arellano. It has a capacity of 1670 (846 in orchestra, 116 in loge, 708 in balcony). It was destroyed during the liberation in Manila in 1945 but restored in 1978. Aside from Metropolitan Theater, there are other theaters which was very popular during the Spanish and American period but it was closed as the years passed.

Manila Post Office facing the Liwasang Bonifacio.

From Metropolitan Theater, I walked to Liwasang Bonifacio to visit the iconic Manila Central Post Office Building. Built in 1926 and designed by architect Juan M. Arellano. It is one of the beautiful places in the area because of the wide space, the verdant trees and the gushing bliss of the fountain in front of the post office.

Therefore, these buildings reflect the colorful past of our country. Although the urbanization is growing fast, the historical landmarks in Manila will serve as an identity of being Filipinos in some aspects. These places are actually located in the borders of two districts, Ermita and Intramuros. After I visited these historical buildings in a walking tour along the streets of Lawton, I am ready to go to the next place, the Walled City of Intramuros.

You can read also A Walk in the Historical Fortress, a blog entry that tells about my visit in Fort Santiago.

Date of Travel: February 12, 2012