🇵🇭 STA MARIA • (Ilocos Sur) Ruined Spanish-Era Cemetery

"The woods cover portions of the area densely, making the ruins to appear as a valuable part of the thick woods and that the thick forest-like setting has been ordered by nature to take care of this delicate testament of the past, of our heritage, and of our history."

I reached the place with no idea what to expect aside from the given fact that it is a cemetery and it was ruined. I was with a man who has inspired me to travel and to blog so well. I have been chasing after his blog for a long time now and traveling with this man this time stimulated the neurochemicals of my Central Nervous System to send a signal to itch my feet, thus urging me to rub these feet by going anywhere it can lead me.

For this cemetery ruins, an ordinary person or tourist would not or may not care about it. Well, the site, in the eyes of a non-traveler may just be so ordinary, but Kuya Estan (I call him sir in person) was suggesting me to see this maybe because he already knew that I have become his disciple, LOL! I didn't hesitate to say no and it was in fact a shame on me that I have a way better access to the ruins but I didn't know about it. 

There was no mark of reluctance within me and I was in fact excited to see this site. As I always say, ordinary person would not care about it but deep inside me, this is such a very important landmark that I should not miss seeing.

Kuya Estan has already seen this before and he was actually showing me the things that I should see here. He was pointing to the old walls of the cemetery and I know it is a thing I must witness.

There are local residents at the area. Some are gathering and eating Tamarind fruits which according to them, tastes sweet.

The trail to the ruins was lonely, very quiet and as I approached the cemetery, it was eerie before my senses. I wasn't afraid, I just feel a strange feeling coupled with excitement.

No I wasn't scared, it just looks eerie but I was actually enjoying this new discovery and that feeling is part of the thrill of the adventure.

Kuya Estan at the entrance arch of the cemetery

The lonely trail to the ruined cemetery 

I know by myself that this place may not attract tourist that much but it is as equally important as other old churches. Yes, ruined which means left and undervalued but in the eyes of Kuya Estan and me, this landmark is an important seasoning for the taste of our rich history and heritage.

I was approaching the ruins already. I've been seeing a massive entrance arch made of bricks covered with a wild vine called cadena de amor that bears beautiful small pink flowers giving additional color to the place with mostly green objects (trees, grasses, vines) and brown too (the ruins).

As I approach the ruins, there is this feeling, something eerie but it was overridden by excitement that I am having deep breathes.

Sigh, what I saw was just amazingly beautiful. Inside the cemetery is a ruined chapel that gave me chills. Uh, I was having goosebumps and I am sure Kuya Estan is not noticing the height of my emotions since I stayed calm although the excitement of seeing a new place is already manifesting in me with trembling hands and big smile.

Look what I found! It was a ruined chapel with huge altar with beautiful architectural details showing a design that can hardly be seen nowadays. It was showing me a craft full of history, rich heritage and great connection to the past!

The ruined cemetery wasn't ordinary at my sight. I have seen several ruins but this one remained so beautiful. It is somewhat located inside a forest, as I consider it because the area where it is located has massive outgrowth of trees!

The woods cover portions of the area densely, making the ruins to appear as a valuable part of the thick woods and that the thick forest-like setting has been ordered by nature to take care of this delicate testament of the past, of our heritage, and of our history.

Maps by Wikipedia

Location Highlighted in Red

I may not give an ample dose of information about this ruined cemetery (on how it was ruined, how it was made and the history behind those brick walls, etc) because I intended not just to research about it.

All I wanted is to write this post based on my feelings and observations about the place and this is how I visited this place with Kuya Estan, these were the feelings, the observations and the surprises I experienced.

Eerie? May look like that but I know deep inside me that this moment was r0cking, simply great and I was happy because my tour guide was the person who has inspired me to travel, to capture, to blog and to appreciate more -- now, I was with him face to face.

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