"It seemed like I really can't move on with the beautiful surrounding as I joined the queue. This sanctuary is a tourist destination itself. It's as comely as a beautiful virgin lady."

[TANAY, RIZAL, PHILIPPINES]▬ The creep of the morning light was oblivious as we reached Sitio Aguho, a highland village under the jurisdiction of the town of Tanay in Rizal province. It was a cold Saturday morning of March, one weekend of slaying the dragons of chaos to regain the worth of the soul that is peace of mind. A giant gate cloistered a serene 13.5-hectare property of rolling hills, fresh air, 10 thousand tall mahogany trees and organic farm—but one thing is the phoenix.

[TANAY] ▬ THE CREEPING LIGHT STARTS TO REVEAL THE GIANT BRONZE STATUE.

▬ Before the Right Time ▬

WE REACHED THIS PLACE JUST BEFORE THE sun spewed some light so I had really no idea how this place looks like. Then there was this crowd build-up from nowhere. More and more people came so the crowd continues to grow. And yes, these people are going to one destination just waiting for the right time to come.

Most of the people here are pilgrims, some are riders doing a weekend ride while one person is just a curious lad—that's me. Well I'm neither a pilgrim or a rider this time. I'm not here for a religious purpose. As I always say, I travel because I want to learn and this place considered by pilgrims as sacred ground for their Roman Catholic faith is yet another beautiful subject to understand, discover and enjoy. So yes, I'm here as a curious traveler who wants to discover and learn new things.

[TANAY] ▬ IN FRONT OF THE TALL MAIN GATE

The right time here is 8 AM. It is that time of the day pilgrims are allowed to march to the 71-foot tall giant statue we're seeing from our present location that seemed to be rising from the dark ash then the light revealed its shiny bronze color.

▬ A March to the Lady on a Hill ▬

FINALLY, THE SECURITY GUARD HAS SIGNALED US that it's now alright to approach the lady on the hill. But before that, a mandatory briefing was conducted to the first batch of visitors (I'm included) in one of its gathering facilities.

[TANAY] ▬ SEEING THE STATUE ALONG THE WAY

[TANAY] ▬ I ZOOMED THE CAMERA AND HERE IT IS, CLOSER.

[TANAY] ▬ SNAKY ROAD TO THE STATUE

[TANAY] ▬ CROWD AT THE ENTRANCE GATE TO THE LADY

[TANAY] ▬ WE'RE GETTING CLOSER.

We followed a trail that led us to the top of the hill where the lady is standing with halo crown and the infant Jesus carried by her left hand.

The trail alone is already a satisfying encounter where line of tall mahogany trees, citrus plants, sunflowers and other trees conflate to bring out a peaceful and breathtaking setting. With me are some senior citizens who ignored the direful joint pain just to fulfill the desire of their faith. One I've met is more than 80 years old.

The trail, made easier by concrete stairs, was filled with a queue of pilgrims ascending to the top of the hill. This is a big relief for the elderly marchers.

It seemed like I really can't move on with the beautiful surrounding as I joined the queue. This sanctuary is a tourist destination itself. It's as comely as a beautiful virgin lady.

▬ Pilgrims vs Tourists ▬

REACHING THE TOP OF THE HILL, I realized this place is not limited to pilgrims. It is for both pilgrims and tourists. As I reach the top, about 90% of the multitude had their photos taken using their smartphones, tablets and digital cameras. Selfie sticks are very present.

[TANAY] ▬ UNDER THE CLEAR BLUE SKY

[TANAY] ▬ THIS COUPLE IS TAKING A PHOTO OF THE GIANT VIRGIN MARY STATUE.

[TANAY] ▬ A GIANT SCULPTURE OF VIRGIN MARY AND A CHILD

[TANAY] ▬ MOST OF THEM ACTUALLY QUEUED FOR A PHOTO-OPP ABOVE THE GROUND.

[TANAY] ▬ MY VERSION OF SELFIE WITH THE GIANT LADY ON A HILL.

[TANAY] ▬ CLEAR BLUE SKY

▬ A Beautiful Descent ▬

FROM THE TOP, THERE'S ANOTHER TRAIL GOING down. Once again, the trail view never disappoints. The view on the other side of the sanctuary is equally satisfying. As I left the hill where the giant Virgin Mary statue was perched, another set of multitude came.

[TANAY] ▬ ANOTHER SET OF MULTITUDE IS CREEPING IN.

[TANAY] ▬ VIEW FROM THE EXIT TRAIL

[TANAY] ▬ I'M HOOKED TO THE BEAUTY OF THE 13.5-HECTARE PROPERTY.

[TANAY] ▬ JUMP SHOT PARA SA EKONOMIYA.

All of the foregoing is just a touch of the whole narrative and stories that happened here. This post focused only on the the giant Virgin Mary statue where I wrote my observation and insights.

There are more to explore and learn inside this expanse of paradise. There is this spot here called as "Breasts of God." Breast? We will dig deeper so join me in my mission to unlock new learning on the next blog episodes to come. What is the significance of this so-called breasts of God in this sacred ground? ▬ to be continued...

► BLOG SERIES: "FACES OF PILGRIMAGE SITES - TANAY AND QUIAPO"

| Episode 02 |

This is the second episode (Episode 02) of this travel drama blog series (travel blogserye) entitled "Faces of Pilgrimage Sites - Tanay and Quiapo". To follow the flow of the story, you may read the earlier published episode and watch out for the upcoming episodes. You can also follow our social media accounts for the latest updates.

INDEX: INSIDE THIS BLOGSERYE - STORIES/TOPICS INCLUDED IN THIS SERIES

[UP NEXT] ▬ WATCH OUT FOR THE NEXT EPISODE (EPISODE 03).

► FOOTNOTES, DISCLAIMERS, ACKNOWLEDGMENT, ETC

[1] This post is filed under the category "Markers and Monuments".

[2] The stories here happened on 14 March 2015 in Tanay and Quiapo.

[3] All maps I used on this post are the works of Eugene Alvin Villar and Mike Gonzalez published on Wikipedia. Source: 1 | 2