A friend and I had scheduled to watch two more movies at the Cinemanila, which was held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). Since the movies won't start until about half past 12, I decided to bring my camera to revisit Baclaran Church.

Baclaran Church, which is really the National Shrine of the Mother of Perpetual Help, is located along Roxas Boulevard in Manila. I haven't been to this shrine since I was a teenager, although mom brought us there a lot of times when my brothers and I were kids. In fact, we must've been there one too many times because when I went back this year, the first thing I did was to look for familiar details: the decorated walls, the marble basins by the door, the steps at the back of the church, and so on.

Like a friend who must've been waiting for me, Baclaran Church was almost bereft of people when I went there. Oh there were the usual devotees, I guess, but I didn't expect it to be that..."empty" and clean. That's the reason why I had an easy time going around the grounds, familiarizing myself with the church that was very much a part of my growing up years.

I had definitely grown up because there were details that I never saw or appreciated before unlike now. And judging from the stolen shots of the folks herein, there's definitely a lot to appreciate about in this haven in the middle of a mad, mad city!

Baclaran Church hardly aged. Except for a new building adjacent to the church, She's as young and welcoming as ever. Even the perfectly blue sky (no Photoshop required) seemed to say so!