Paco

My best friend got married here. I thought he proposed too early but I guess I just acted like a jealous friend. I didn't want the fun times to end, not when I was still single and "out there". He and I would always surf together and the reality was it was not going to be like that any longer. Marriages destroy friendships because it's supposed to, especially if the friendship is between a man and a woman. So on the day of his wedding, I made my way to Paco Church and watched as their union came to be and in an instant, my negativity turned into pure happiness for the two. There was something about the church - the trees, the cobblestone steps, the mossy walls, the aged pathways, it somehow had an effect on me and by the time I had left the church, I was already imagining being a ninang to their future child and the 4 of us surfing together in our homebreak.

This is a perfect place for budding photographers who want to explore their creativity. This old cemetery where Dr. Jose Rizal was once buried has a lot of good spots for portrait photography. Some photographers actually use this vintage place for prenuptial photography. If you are a photographer and you consider this place for your next location for your client, make sure to have the right permit for your purpose. The permit can be requested at their office that can be found near the entrance. I cannot remember how much is the permit to do pictorial there right now. However if you're only taking photos of your friends and anything that is not profitable, you only need to pay for the minimum entrance fee.

A couple of ours decided to have their wedding at St. Pancratius Chapel or more commonly known as Paco Park Church. It may be odd to some as Paco Park is actually a cemetery, where remains of martyrs and soldiers from the time of Jose Rizal are buried. However, the place is really beautiful. Within the roundabout and behind the walls lies a quaint old chapel that would charm pretty much and girl who dreams of an intimate wedding. Ours was, however, not intimate at all. We were able to make use of a holding room along the outer wall of the park, which was convenient because it had air-conditioning. With a long list for the entourage and principal sponsors alone, the chapel was filled just with them and a handful of family members. It was quite challenging, but the bridal march alone made the perils of setting-up in the midday sun worth it. The bride walked from the main gate of the park, across the park center and fountain, to the beautiful church and it was beautiful. Surreal even. It turned out to be such a beautiful affair. I'm pretty sure that if only they didn't have so many guests, they would have had even the wedding reception at the park, too.

It's amazing how we, rich or not, can now experience the beauty of Manila's past especially those which are formerly reserved for the elite during the colonial period. One such example is the Paco Park and Cemetery. Found in the heart of Manila, Paco Park used to be an exclusive cemetery where they bury Spanish aristocrats. But for Filipinos, we know this park as the resting place of national heroes such as the famous GomBurZa and of course, Dr. Jose Rizal (but his body was then exhumed and kept somewhere else). Now Paco Park serves as the venue of choice for weddings, debuts, pictorials and of course, lazy weekend recreations. If you don't mind being around buried people, this is a nice place to relax in. Entrance fee is 5.00pesos.

Paco Park is gorgeous - there's just no other word for it. It is a walled oasis of green in the middle of crazy Malate. Its walls have seen so much history - heck, they saw our national hero Jose Rizal right after he was shot. He was buried in the premises and stayed there for years, until his remains were transferred to Luneta. I can spend hours just walking around this place, enjoying the leafy shade of the trees and the breeze. If you're the religious type, there's also a small church here - it is airconditioned, and they have a strict dress code, so be warned. They also hold Concerts at the Park here every weekend, and the entrance fee is just five pesos.

One year while on visita iglesia, this was a stop on my lola's list. For me, once you've seen one church, you've seen them all, but I was very intrigued by Paco Park. It has a unique circular layout, and huge trees sweep their branches overhead to provide shade as you stroll along the paths of its beautiful lawns. Strange how such a pretty place used to be a cemetery. In fact, one can still burial niches lining the walls. The park is open daily from a little after sunrise to just before sunset, which is good because while it's a pleasant spot during the day, the thought of walking around an old cemetery at night isn't exactly appealing. And anyway, there's no point in sightseeing if you can't see anything! By the way, beware of pooping pigeons.

In the middle of the busy Manila City, lies a little gem called Paco Park. Established during the Spanish time, it was meant to be a church with a crypt (in fact the famouse GomBurZa priests are burried here). I was invited to a wedding here a few months ago and to say I was charmed is an understatement! Laid out in a circular shape, it was very cozy and quaint, I loved it! It was also amazing to feel like I wasn't in the City, the air seemed cleaner and it felt cooler inside. There's a tiny church at the end of it which added to the charm of the place. While it sounds a little creepy to have a wedding at a crypt, it was super magical. If you have a free day and is up for a mini-road trip (it's a little out of the way) or a date, transport yourself to Manila's own secret garden.