I concur with The Scarlet Letter author Nathaniel Hawthorne when he wrote, “Mountains are Earth's undecaying monuments.” As proven by my travel recollections, images of the highlands usually conjure an impression of pristine time and wonder. It is as though the mountains were the first to rise from the sea as the Earth gradually transformed into a habitable world.

Although I've visited Intramuros multiple times—excluding the time I was baptized at the Manila Cathedral—I've never gone on a thorough loop exploring its every nook and cranny. Once, I biked to Papakape, an artisan coffee shop inside Fort Santiago. Another time, I indulged in the flavors of several spirits and whiskey at the Destileria Limtuaco Museum, while at other times, it was on a date to Museo de Intramuros or attending a friend’s wedding at San Agustin Church. I’ve never really explored the whole of Intramuros like a curious tourist before.