On the last day of 2008, we went with some other senior missionaries down to the Old Manila neighborhood. This is where the Spanish settled in the Philippines back in the 1500s. They built a fortress with high, thick walls. Inside they built up a city. Later, England tried to conquer the Philippines, and eventually, as part of the settlement of the Spanish-American War, the country was "sold" to the United States (in 1900 or so). The Intramorus was used as a military base by the Americans, and later the Japanese. and eventually, when the Americans were recapturing Manila, many of the buildings were destroyed by bombs. Today the area is reconstructed and used as a visitors' park. We spent perhaps two hours wandering through the beautiful, Old Spanish buildings and ruins.
This is one of the main gates into Fort Santiago. (Sister Roundy is with the Spencers, a new couple.) There are several similar gates from the Intramorus leading out to the river or to the streets. Originally these were guarded by soldiers.
Fort Santiago is built next to the Pasig River. This is one section that shows the contrast between the Old Manila and the new.
Many of the old buildings have been left in their dilapidated condition. With the jungle foliage, it makes an attractive scene.
This is the gate from the Pasig River into the main fort area. When the Japanese conquered Manila, they used this gate to bring American and Filipino prisoners from the boats in the river into the dungeons under the court yard.
Notice the brass footsteps in the pavement. These represent the path of Dr. José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (the Filipino national hero) tracing his trail from his prison cell through the fort out into the outer court yard where he was publicly executed by the Japanese. It so happened that we were there the day after a national holiday celebrating Dr. Rizal. 
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