Taoist Temple, Cebu

First stop on our first day in Cebu was the famous non-Catholic shrine in the city, the Taoist Temple. Situated inside a posh subdivision, the Beverly Hills as they call it (Whut? You read it right, Beverly Hills!), this temple can be reached thru habal-habal from the main road. Good thing Erwin worked in Cebu for quite a time, he then served as my personal tour guide around as he's familiar with the landmarks too. Aha! One thing that's remarkable with this architectural shrine is that they allow non-believers to visit and explore more of the Taoist religion. I can't deny my admiration of every structure and design in each of the corners inside. There were dragons everywhere! Though the 80+ steps going up could be really tiring and fat burning, it has also a great view of the skyline and is way perfect for soul reflection, as the place is very peaceful and quiet. I got this chance to see what it's like inside a Chinese temple. Just like those in TV, it has one big altar with a lot of red incense placed by believers who had uttered their prayers. Once inside, people must really observe silence and pay great homage to the sacredness of the place. I chose not to go inside anymore for 2 reasons. First, I wear short shorts which is strictly a no no inside, and second I just let Erwin have his moment to pray. Outside we found more of the Chinese Pagoda, the souvenir shop with lots of lucky charms and relics, the fish pond and wishing well, and of course, the breathtaking view of the city. Indeed, a nice place to reflect and relax. More of my Cebu adventures to be posted soon!

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