We were just driving, you know? Windows up, aircon blasting 😅gotta stay cool, you know? We were driving somewhere in Panay. Honestly, I wasn't paying much attention to where we were going. My friend was driving, and I was just chilling and enjoying the ride.
Then I saw this little sign on the side of the road that said Cultural Heritage of the Philippines. I don't know what it was, but something just told me we had to stop. Without any hesitation, I said, "Hey, pull over!" Pull over! I yelled again, probably a little too enthusiastically.
My friend gave me that "Are you serious?" look, but she's used to my random impulses by now. She pulled over, and I got out to see what the deal was. (She remained seated inside the van). And that's when I saw the Panay Church.
Okay, 🙏church🙏 doesn't even begin to describe it. It was HUGE, like something out of a movie. And old, so old. The walls were made of these coral blocks, all stacked together. You could see the centuries etched into them. It wasn't like any church I'd ever seen before. It was beautiful, in a way that only really old things can be. And hey, this is the famous Panay Church. The Panay church was built in 1884. It stands on the site of an earlier church dating back to 1774. It is known for housing the largest Catholic Church bell in Asia. (copied from information online)
Right outside, there was this massive bell. I mean, it was HUGE. It was mounted on this stone structure. It looked like it could have weighed a ton. I couldn't help but wonder what it sounded like when it rang. I haven't seen such a gigantic bell in my whole life.
I walked around to the side, and I noticed the way the stone wall met the brick accents. It was such a cool contrast. It was so simple, but it added so much character.
I walked inside, and wow. It is so big.
The altar took my breath away. It was a massive ornate structure, all in shades of white and gray. There were also statues of saints standing in tall alcoves. It was so peaceful, so serene.
But what caught my attention the most was the long bench along the side. Its appearance suggests a remarkable age. I can't help but touch it.
I walked around, and I started reading these little plaques they had posted. One of them said something about Paseo de Evangelizacion 1566. I had no idea what that meant, but it sounded important. Then I saw another one about Miguel Lopez de Legaspi sending pepper to King Philip II. Pepper? It was such a weird, random detail, but it made me feel connected to the past in a way I hadn't expected.
I kept exploring, and I found this old well, the Fuente de Vida. I don't know what it means. I will check my translator after posting these. It was just a well, but it made me think about all the people who had used it over the years, all the lives it had touched.
And hanging right there, next to the well, was this weathered wooden bucket. It was so simple, but so perfectly rustic. I could just imagine people drawing water from the well with that bucket, generations ago. The wood that made up the well was also weathered.
Near the well, I also saw this weathered bird bath.
And then I saw the Museo de Santa Monica. The wood. Oh my gosh, the carved wooden doors were absolutely mesmerizing. And then there was this little wooden bird carving, just hanging there on the wall. The intricate details, I could have stared at them for hours. Knowing the craft of carving, I'm impressed with this beautiful woodwork.
There was a wedding going on, so I couldn't go upstairs. I heard there are a bunch of bells up there, on top of the church, but they weren't letting anyone up because usually people want to ring them. Maybe next time.
I didn't go inside the museum either because my friend might be bored waiting for me, but just seeing it, just being there, it was like stepping back in time. It was like all of a sudden, I could feel the history all around me.
When we finally drove away, I felt different, you know? Like I'd seen something real, something important. We hadn't planned to stop in Panay. It was a total accident. But it was a happy accident. It was a reminder that sometimes, the best things in life are the things you don't expect.
😘Thank you for reading😘
