Rizal Park Tour

Hi there! June is already here time flies by so fast.

It is time for a new post :D.

I went to Rizal Park also known as Luneta National Park last May 13, 2017. This park is named after the National Hero of the Philippines, Doctor Joze Rizal. It has been a while since I visited this place. The last time I visited here was around 2002. Rizal Park was originally a marshy patch of land. A small town once stood here called Bagumbayan (Nuevo Barrio Spanish) which dates back to 1601. 

I started walking along this path. Riding your bicycle inside the park is prohibited by guards but walking with your bike is allowed. I would have preferred to ride my bike though.

As you turn on the left you will see the relief map of the Philippines. The relief map has a horizontal scale of 1:18:300 and has a vertical scale of 4,600. 

This monument can be found not far from the relief map of the Philippines. It is a symbol of Binhi ng Kalayaan (Seed of Freedom) and represents the heroes who planted golden seed of bravery and love for the Philippines. If you go further from this monument there is a garden but it is off limits to the public as of the moment because regreening is being undertaken. This is just one of the gardens inside Rizal Park.

The National Museum of Anthropology that I visited last time is also connected to Rizal Park. Though I believe people are not permitted to go through this side.

The 40 foot bronze statue is Lapu Lapu who was a ruler of Mactan in Visayas and he was the first native to resist Spanish colonization and is considered a hero by Modern Society. The tower behind him is the Torre de Manila dubbed as a photo bomber by many. The tower can also be seen behind the monument of Jose Rizal.

This is another garden inside the park. Unfortunately it is not yet open to the public. The guard told me it will open the next day. 

The Monument of Dr. Joze Rizal is near the flag pole. I still have to cross another street to get there. This park is really big.

The park also has a train. You can ride it for Php 50.00 (1.01 $)

You can see bust sculptures of Filipino heroes lined here.

Many chess enthusiasts play in this plaza.

Just beside the chess plaza you will see the Japanese Garden. The entrance here is Php 10.00(0.20 US dollars). 

The area after the entrance looks nice. The gong at the end adds more effect to the scenery.

I decided to take a short break. Walking with your bike is a bit tiring. I forgot to mention that I added a bag carrier on my bike. Carrying backpacks while riding is not comfortable in the long run.

You can see a bridge on the far end. Things will get more beautiful as I go through this passage.

This is my favorite area inside the garden. For me the bridge is the main attraction in the garden.

Another view of the bridge. 

I am baffled about this shrine. 

Upon closer inspection, the tablet seems to have the image of a woman. On the bottom of the image it says "from Hiroshima"

There is a marker here for the 13 patriots who sacrificed their lives during the Spanish period. Their names are listed on the marker. May they always be remembered for their bravery.

The exit to the garden.

 Okay. Next Stop is the Chinese Garden. The entrance fee for this garden is the same with Japanese Garden's.

There is a veranda at the center

 This garden also has its bridge. This one has its own charm though I prefer the Japanese bridge more.

 There is also a Chinese pavillion.

 A statue of Confucius. Confucius was a Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher of the spring and autumn period of Chinese history

 The structures in this garden are well made.

This is a marker for the execution site of Gomburza. Gomburza is the combined surnames of the Heroes and Catholic Priests: Mariano Gomez; José Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora. Their executions have a profound effect on the 19th century Filipinos. 

This is a marker for Dr. Joze Rizal's execution site.

 Lastly, the whole tour will not be complete without visiting Dr. Joze Rizal's monument.

As I walk away from the park I encountered lots of pigeons. They are not scared of people and will not fly away unless you chase them away.

So that's it guys. I hope you enjoyed the tour. This place has lots of historical value and you will learn a lot. The Philippines has lots of heroes who fought and died for it and as a part of the next generation We too should do our part to help our country.

Please join me again on my next adventure as I pedal around the Philippines. Thank You!