Many are Invited but Few are Chosen

...and in the end, it was Jacob the Pure, Angelo the Pious, and me.

Hello. I am Obi the Putrid.

Armado ng kaprasong papel at naghihingalong bolpen, we braved the streets of Metro Manila... Byernes Santo ng 2011, for our annual church hopping!

This year, we were able to do 16 churches... 15 on foot! Labinglimang simbahan, alay sa Lumikha. Isang simbahan, alay sa kaibigang namayapa.

Tara lets!

* 8:37AM

Church #1

Sto. Domingo Church (Our Lady of the Rosary, La Naval de Manila), QC
- Eager beaver ako. 9AM pa ang usapan eh.

* 8:50. KFC - Sto. Domingo
(Kain na lang muna. "Break-fasting" in KFC.)

* 9:16. Gelo the Pious arrives
(...and so did Jakob the Pure, after being late bigtime. Nangumpisal muna bago kami tumulak ng lakad.)

* 10:25AM

Church #2

Lourdes Church (National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes), QC

* 10:49AM

Church #3

Santa Teresita Parish Church, QC

* 11:22AM

Church #4

UST Church (Santissimo Rosario Parish), Manila

* 11:31. Water Break at Ministop UST
- Si Gelo ay umupak ng agahan, at magiliw namin siyang pinanood ni Jakob.

* 12:08. PRC - University Belt
* 12:20. CEU Mendiola!!
(Alma matter! Wave of memories! Nagkaron lang ng LRT 2 pero halos walang nagbago. Mabaho pa din yung estero ng Mendiola bridge. Tsaka I find it ironic na nagpatayo sila dun ng arko na ang pangalan ay Peace Arc. Pweh!)

* 12:28PM

Church #5

St. Jude Church (National Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus), Manila
- Gulaman break ako.

* 12:44PM

Church #6

San Beda Church (Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat), Mendiola
- Nakita namin si Fuhrer. Pati na din ang mga paborito kong kapit-school na Holy Spirit at La Concolacion. Kung san mas magaganda ang mga tibo kesa sa mga syota nila. Haha!

* 12:58PM

Church #7

San Sebastian Church (Basilica Minore de San Sebastian), Quiapo

* 1:08PM

Church #8

Shrine of the Holy Face of Jesus, Quiapo
- By this time, there were literally THRONGS of Nazareno devotee wandering around! Minsan tuloy ang hirap mag-focus sa pagdadasal dahil kelangang maging extra vigilant with my valuables.

* 1:25. Quiapo Underpass
(It was crawling with devotees. Ginawa na nilang tambayan ito to pass the blistering heat outside. Ambango bango! Haha.)

* 1:28PM

Church #9

Quiapo Church (Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene), Quiapo (doh!)
- Hindi kami nakapasok dito. Sinarado na yung mga gates at umaapaw na hanggang labas ang mga deboto.

* 1:38PM

Church #10

Sta. Cruz Church, Manila
- Nostalgic din itong simbahan na to para saken.

* 1:51 - Dasmarinas Street, Binondo

* 1:59PM

Church #11

Binondo Church (National Shrine of San Lorenzo Ruiz), Binondo
- Ube fire truck!!!

* 2:07. Lunch Break @ McDo Binondo
(Finally, time to sit down and rest! Late na kami sobra dumating ng Binondo. Nung mga nakaraang taon, lagi kaming a little past 12PM lang tumatama ng Binondo. Kaya perfect na lunch break spot dito. The combo of Jakob being late + the swarm of Nazarene devotees na nakasabay namin maglakad + the dilly-dallying incurred talking about the numerous photoshopped Bonoan-David pictures all over Sampaloc made us 2 hours late from the usual itinerary.)

* 2:55. Resume Walk
(Sa Jones Bridge kami dumaan sabay pasok sa pwet ng Intramuros.)

* 3:14. Over Jones Bridge
(Madami akong nakuhaan sa parteng ito gamit si Mimo the Crappy Cam.)

* 3:24. Plaza Mexico, Intramuros
(Dito namin tinagpo si Lolo. Isang malaking rebulto sa Plaza Mexico na parang si Abraham Lincoln. Marami daw squatters na nakatira dati dito sabi ni Kath. Pero ngayon malinis na ang paligid. Good job.)

* 3:30PM

Church #12

Manila Cathedral (Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception), Intramuros
- Sarap ng aircon nung simbahan pagkatapos mong magpawis sa kalalakad. Perfect recipe para sa Pulmonya!

* 3:43PM

Church #13

San Agustin Church, Intramuros

* 4:10. Break Break Break. 7/11 - Kalaw St.
(Gatorade ang pinampalipas ko ng ilang minuto ng pahinga. Sabay hubo ng sapatos.)

* 4:32PM

Church #14

Ermita Church (Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Senora de Guia), Manila
- Ang simbahan ni Gelo the Pious.

* 4:57PM

Church #15

Malate Church, Manila
- Ang simbahang ni Cheng. Galing dito, nag-taxi na kami papuntang Forbes.

* 5:18PM

Church #16

Santuario de San Antonio, Makati
- Binisita namin yung himlayan ng abo ni Mark. Ito ang aming usual last stop before calling it a day.

Photos uploaded on Multiply:
Click Here!

Acknowledgements:
* Gelo and Jakob... next year ulet!
* Kath... ang aking text mate!
* McDo at Ministop... for our tambay needs!
* Mga namamanata sa Nazareno ng Quiapo... nabuhay ang dugo ko sa baho niyo (I need the boost)!
* Manang Gulaman... napawi ang cravings ko!
* The Man Upstairs... try as I can to offer this to You, it was never enough to what you offered for us!

Many are Invited but Few are Chosen

...and in the end, it was Jacob the Pure, Angelo the Pious, and me.

Hello. I am Obi the Putrid.

Armado ng kaprasong papel at naghihingalong bolpen, we braved the streets of Metro Manila... Byernes Santo ng 2011, for our annual church hopping!

This year, we were able to do 16 churches... 15 on foot! Labinglimang simbahan, alay sa Lumikha. Isang simbahan, alay sa kaibigang namayapa.

Tara lets!

* 8:37AM

Church #1

Sto. Domingo Church (Our Lady of the Rosary, La Naval de Manila), QC
- Eager beaver ako. 9AM pa ang usapan eh.

* 8:50. KFC - Sto. Domingo
(Kain na lang muna. "Break-fasting" in KFC.)

* 9:16. Gelo the Pious arrives
(...and so did Jakob the Pure, after being late bigtime. Nangumpisal muna bago kami tumulak ng lakad.)

* 10:25AM

Church #2

Lourdes Church (National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes), QC

* 10:49AM

Church #3

Santa Teresita Parish Church, QC

* 11:22AM

Church #4

UST Church (Santissimo Rosario Parish), Manila

* 11:31. Water Break at Ministop UST
- Si Gelo ay umupak ng agahan, at magiliw namin siyang pinanood ni Jakob.

* 12:08. PRC - University Belt
* 12:20. CEU Mendiola!!
(Alma matter! Wave of memories! Nagkaron lang ng LRT 2 pero halos walang nagbago. Mabaho pa din yung estero ng Mendiola bridge. Tsaka I find it ironic na nagpatayo sila dun ng arko na ang pangalan ay Peace Arc. Pweh!)

* 12:28PM

Church #5

St. Jude Church (National Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus), Manila
- Gulaman break ako.

* 12:44PM

Church #6

San Beda Church (Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat), Mendiola
- Nakita namin si Fuhrer. Pati na din ang mga paborito kong kapit-school na Holy Spirit at La Concolacion. Kung san mas magaganda ang mga tibo kesa sa mga syota nila. Haha!

* 12:58PM

Church #7

San Sebastian Church (Basilica Minore de San Sebastian), Quiapo

* 1:08PM

Church #8

Shrine of the Holy Face of Jesus, Quiapo
- By this time, there were literally THRONGS of Nazareno devotee wandering around! Minsan tuloy ang hirap mag-focus sa pagdadasal dahil kelangang maging extra vigilant with my valuables.

* 1:25. Quiapo Underpass
(It was crawling with devotees. Ginawa na nilang tambayan ito to pass the blistering heat outside. Ambango bango! Haha.)

* 1:28PM

Church #9

Quiapo Church (Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene), Quiapo (doh!)
- Hindi kami nakapasok dito. Sinarado na yung mga gates at umaapaw na hanggang labas ang mga deboto.

* 1:38PM

Church #10

Sta. Cruz Church, Manila
- Nostalgic din itong simbahan na to para saken.

* 1:51 - Dasmarinas Street, Binondo

* 1:59PM

Church #11

Binondo Church (National Shrine of San Lorenzo Ruiz), Binondo
- Ube fire truck!!!

* 2:07. Lunch Break @ McDo Binondo
(Finally, time to sit down and rest! Late na kami sobra dumating ng Binondo. Nung mga nakaraang taon, lagi kaming a little past 12PM lang tumatama ng Binondo. Kaya perfect na lunch break spot dito. The combo of Jakob being late + the swarm of Nazarene devotees na nakasabay namin maglakad + the dilly-dallying incurred talking about the numerous photoshopped Bonoan-David pictures all over Sampaloc made us 2 hours late from the usual itinerary.)

* 2:55. Resume Walk
(Sa Jones Bridge kami dumaan sabay pasok sa pwet ng Intramuros.)

* 3:14. Over Jones Bridge
(Madami akong nakuhaan sa parteng ito gamit si Mimo the Crappy Cam.)

* 3:24. Plaza Mexico, Intramuros
(Dito namin tinagpo si Lolo. Isang malaking rebulto sa Plaza Mexico na parang si Abraham Lincoln. Marami daw squatters na nakatira dati dito sabi ni Kath. Pero ngayon malinis na ang paligid. Good job.)

* 3:30PM

Church #12

Manila Cathedral (Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception), Intramuros
- Sarap ng aircon nung simbahan pagkatapos mong magpawis sa kalalakad. Perfect recipe para sa Pulmonya!

* 3:43PM

Church #13

San Agustin Church, Intramuros

* 4:10. Break Break Break. 7/11 - Kalaw St.
(Gatorade ang pinampalipas ko ng ilang minuto ng pahinga. Sabay hubo ng sapatos.)

* 4:32PM

Church #14

Ermita Church (Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Senora de Guia), Manila
- Ang simbahan ni Gelo the Pious.

* 4:57PM

Church #15

Malate Church, Manila
- Ang simbahang ni Cheng. Galing dito, nag-taxi na kami papuntang Forbes.

* 5:18PM

Church #16

Santuario de San Antonio, Makati
- Binisita namin yung himlayan ng abo ni Mark. Ito ang aming usual last stop before calling it a day.

Photos uploaded on Multiply:
Click Here!

Acknowledgements:
* Gelo and Jakob... next year ulet!
* Kath... ang aking text mate!
* McDo at Ministop... for our tambay needs!
* Mga namamanata sa Nazareno ng Quiapo... nabuhay ang dugo ko sa baho niyo (I need the boost)!
* Manang Gulaman... napawi ang cravings ko!
* The Man Upstairs... try as I can to offer this to You, it was never enough to what you offered for us!