Weekends in the city are becoming to be very much boring and routinely.
People just go to malls to dine, shop and entertain themselves. And that’s what they do weekends after weekends.

Some people go the distance and travel to a nearby province to spend some time at the beach or someplace quiet.

But what if you’re too tired to drive far from home but you are also uninterested in going to crowded malls?? Is there any other option?

I too was asking that same question. So I did some research and went to Google Maps.
I intensified my quest and found a place where me and my family can have an “Extra-Ordinary Weekend”. That place is no other than Taguig City.

So we did our itineraries, hop into our car and off we go…

Our first stop is…

1.) LIBINGAN NG MGA BAYANI => The Libingan ng mga Bayani or the Cemetery of the Heroes is the final resting place of 33,520 Filipinos who laid their lives for the country during the Second World War.
Dignitaries and personnel of the Philippine military from privates to generals are also buried here. The burial ground is about 142 hectares with lots of trees and open space.
Here we paid our respect to the crosses with no names and to the former leaders of our nation. It teaches my kids how we got our independence and maintained our Filipino tradition and culture.

2.) AANI WEEKEND MARKET => Located in ARCA South Taguig, it’s a marketplace where you can buy organic produce from local farmers. There are also some plants and food stalls in the area.
Good to know that we have a market near our place if ever we need some fresh goods.

3.) BLUE MOSQUE => This religious center located at Maharlika Village, Taguig City, designed by renowned architect Angel Nakpil, is also a socio-civic meeting place for both Filipino and foreign Muslims.
I made it a point to bring my boys here to let them see our Muslim brothers. We went inside and were amazed by how disciplined and organized the people there who devote their time to this building.

4.) ARCHDIOCESAN SHRINE OF ST. ANNE => Built in 1587, this church, is definitely one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. This was destroyed by an earthquake in 1645 and reconstructed in 1848.
It was destroyed again by another earthquake and was rebuilt in 1896 by Fr. Guillermo Diaz. This parish is the perfect symbol for us Filipinos that we can rise to any kind of crisis that come our way.

5.) SIMBORYO => A centerpiece of the Sta. Ana Catholic Cemetery, erected by Filipino labor and supervised by Spanish friars in the year 1700. The dome is made of tiles and the walls of stones.
My son Luigi liked how it was built and took a lot of pictures on his phone. I think we should build more structure like these in our country. It’s perfect for wedding and other major events.

6.) FELIX MANALO SHRINE => Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) is probably one of the most solid and strongest religious group in the Philippines. And they still continuously grow in numbers.
Here is an unveiled marker on the birthplace of Felix Manalo, declaring the site as a National Historical Landmark. The marker is located at Tipas, Taguig City, where the ancestral home of Manalo once stood.

7.) LAGUNA DE BAY => The largest lake in the Philippines with a surface area of 911–949 km² (352-366 sq mi), with an average depth of about 2.8 meters (9 ft 2 in) and an elevation of about 1 meter (3 ft 3 in) above sea level.
The lake is also one of the primary sources of freshwater fish in the country. We stopped by around C-6 road and bought some fresh Kangkong. It is so peaceful and quiet there, like you don’t want to leave the place.

8.) PAROLA => This century-old lighthouse became the secret rendezvous point of the Katipunan as it planned its revolution for Philippine Independence.
The Parola was chosen by KKK Supremo Gat Andres Bonifacio as a meeting place because it was the most accessible channel from Tondo, Manila and from the Municipios along the Pasig River and the Province of Laguna. Another hidden gem of the city of Taguig.

9.) INTEGRATED URBAN FARM => It is an ideal resting spot for those wishing to take a break from the pressures of everyday life. The farm overlooking Laguna Lake integrates different kinds of urban farming setups—from gardens that showcase vertical farming that save space, to wooden rack and pole gardens that wow the eye. Again, every city should have more demo farm like these for healthier food choices.

10.) MERCADO DE LAGO => A little piece of Bali so to speak. Our last stop of our day tour ended here at the floating food park. The place is so serene where they have nipa hut houses by the bay where you can dine in.
Plus you can see the white birds along the lake gazing through. It’s a perfect sight to unwind and relax.

So there you have it. 10 wonderful and educational sites just spent in 1 day in a place that is not so far away from our residence.
Malls are a good place to shop and dine. And nearby provinces is perfect for holidays and long weekends. But there are more to explore rather than malls.
There is some beauty left in Metro Manila. All we have to do is look.