ERICJAZ FOODIES: A LATE NIGHT FORT SANTIAGO VISIT

Monday, April 6, 2026

A LATE NIGHT FORT SANTIAGO VISIT

Hello! How's everybody????

I know, I know that I haven't been writing and posting for the longest time. Please believe that it's not because I don't like writing in ERICJAZ FOODIES anymore or that I have lost interest in documenting my pathetic life...

But as Terry Mckay said in the movie "An Affair to Remember" -- "...if one of us didn't show up, it would be for a darn good reason."

I don't really want to dwell on it (as it could be reserved for another blogpost) but for now, let's just have party party tugs tugs! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Promise though that I will try harder this year not because I just want to, but more on I HAVE to. I feel that ERICJAZ FOODIES was in a way, therapeutic, and it also helped in bringing me simple joys during trying times. So yeah, ERICJAZ FOODIES will always be here and vice versa.

Anywho, last Christmas my boys and I were deciding what to do for Christmas day, but after our usual family duties, it was already night time. Sooooo oh no! Where to go???

The Yub remembered that since we had such a fun time when we visited Manila years before, he recommended to do it again.

"But it's night time???" I beautifully asked.

He answered "And that's what will make this visit different!"

So even if we initially had doubts the night was indeed so unforgettable and fun. We were all so happy to have visited Manila when it was cool, less people, and in the evening.

Just goes on to show that even in darkness there is a purpose and beauty in it... we just have to believe.

NAKS!

Leaving at 7:00pm!!!!!!!

There was a minor discussion if we should eat then go to Intramuros afterwards.

Syempre EATING won! He he he he!

And after a loooong time, we are back to one of our original favorites...

LAU CHAN!!!!!

(Check out our earlier blogpsots about LAU CHAN... HERE!!!! )

So we got our usual favorites...

Sate Soup....

Yang Chow fried rice!!!!

Noodles and Balls!

Veggies!!!!

We were not able to take pic I think of the fried wantons....

Oops! There it is! He he he he!

Yummmmm!

Egggzoitedddd!

Let's EAT at LAU CHAN! He he he he he!!!!!!!!

After dinner, we went na to INTRAMUROS and was able to park at their carpark which would close at 9:00pm...

By "close" they meant they wouldn't accept new guests but we could leave even by 10pm.

Since it was already late, and the guards were not authorized ot accept cash, they advised us to go on Klook to make online payment.

After a short walk....

WE'RE HERE!!!!!!

FORT SANTIAGO!!!!

I love how my boys are very interested in history and would always take time to read descriptions.

Inside!!!!

We all immediately fell in love with the warm romantic lights amidst the cool Christmassy night breeze in INTRAMUROS.

It was great too that since there were only a few people in the park, it felt like we owned the place!!!!!

The beautiful INTRAMUROS at night got the boys into such a good mood that they agreed to lots of pictures.

Hmmmm... In this pic lang we found Mati to be so formal and delicate with his pose. Ha ha ha ha ha!

AYAN! SUPER MACHO POSES NA!

Agggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, syempre alaskado sya samin. Ha ha ha ha ha!

Andrei checking out Jose Rizal's jail cell while awaiting his execution.

The Yub and Mati waited patiently for Andrei.

While waiting, Mati practiced his macho poses. Ha ha ha ha!

Yes... It's going to be our thing for the whole night. Alaskado namin talaga sya. Ha ha ha ha!

Goin up!

At the second level, we also saw the lone white marble cross.

"The white marble cross at Fort Santiago is a memorial marking a mass grave located beside the dungeons. It honors approximately 600 victims, whose decomposing bodies were discovered there following the 1945 Battle of Manila."

WOAH.

After paying respects to the mass grave, the boys visited the Imake History Fortress filled with Lego models of Manila buildings.

The boys studying the lego buildings on display.

Hopefully they add more because Manila buildings are beautiful structures even in miniature.

After the HISTORY FORTRESS, the boys were so excited to go down to the dungeons.

There is a narrow entrance where it may be hard for PWDs and Senior Citizens (like me) BUT if there's a will there's a way. He he he he he.

The dungeons played an integral part in the Manila massacre because this is where they kept prisoners.

Some rooms are tighter than others.

Can't imagine how prisoners were all crammed up awaiting their tragic fate.

Soooo eerie to think that people were actually tortured here.

Going through the damp and dark tunnels I was secretly hoping to catch a spirit picture. Ha ha ha ha ha!

Would you believe that most prisoners did not die from torture or execution? They were all so cramped that they died from suffocation and heat exhaustion.

Moving on!!!!!

We all transferred to Falsabraga Media Naranja to enjoy the cool breeze and view.

"The Falsabraga Media Naranja is a semi-circular platform added to Baluarte de Santa Barbara in Fort Santiago between 1725 and 1749."

"It served as a supplementary defense of the bastion from its riverside."

"In fortifications, a falsabraga or faussebraye is an outer rampart parallel and much lower to the main wall. Owing to its semi-circular shape, the platform was named Media Naranja, which literally translates to half an orange."

(Intramuros.gov.ph)

I'm not sure how this is at day time but we surely enjoyed how we almost got the area to ourselves at night. (Almost... yihiiiiiiiiiii)

The Yub stayed behind while we checked out the Baluarte De Santa Barbara.

I think the night time made this wide open space better because it got all romantic with the warm lights.

"The Baluarte de Santa Barbara in Fort Santiago was first constructed as a wooden platform at the mouth of the Pasig River in 1593 and rebuilt in volcanic tuff with storage vaults and powder magazines in 1599. The Spanish takeover turned the area from a palisaded settlement into a medieval fortress city surrounded by stone walls and a moat."

(Intramuros.gov.ph)

After a lot of muni muni time, we decided to go down.

We made silip at the RAJAH SULAYMAN theatre too!

Not as majestic as THE COLOSEO buuuuut... the walls were just clamorous of history!!!!!

I was actually hoping to catch a photo of a ghost!

We were nearing the exit but also went up to see the Medio Baluarte De San Francisco.

Too bad it was dark BUT I find this structure the strongest, figuratively and literally.

"From Intramuros.gov.ph, this rampart was built to fortify the defenses of Fort Santiago from attack from the river and land. Canons facing all outward directions were originally installed at its top."

LIKE WOAH!!!!!!!!!!!

Nearing the exit gate.

It was just US by the iconic FORT SANTIAGO entrance that we just have to have a pictorial. Ha ha ha ha!

Here's US!

Mati and Andrei!

Andrei with this cat who wanted to be in the pic, like seriously! He won't leave!

Mati by his lonesome!!!

Then me and the Yub!

After the famous FORT SANTIAGO entrance, there was still a bit of walk in the par to get to the exit.

Again, we valued to have visited late at night because place was cool and we were able to take romantic pictures in the (almost) empty area. Yun lang some areas as closed (museum) and parking is only up to 9:00pm.

I remember as we were heading out, a Karen was arguing with a guard to let them park even if it was already 10:00pm. In the end, wala, they still weren't allowed to enter no matter how much cussing and demanding she made.

Di ba, it's free naman to be nice? Really wonder why some people can't have it within them.