57 Carlos Celdran Tour of Intramuros, Manila
Carlos Celdran’s 3-hour Intramuros Tour is one of the few things that I can recommend heartily in the almost-negligible ‘to-do’ section of Manila. It’s not five star, but it is definitely something one must do when in the city. Before visiting this tour, I had been to Fort Santiago in my earlier trips, and had read some amount of history of the place. But there is a difference between reading and seeing it unfurl in front of you in the form of a performance, howsoever poignant the story is. And Carlos has a way to make the story come alive. He and his troop of 4 locals, who carry his bags and costumes and paraphernalia around the tour, and collect money, and look after the guests. But the star of the show is only Carlos. And what a star. Carlos has a way of telling you stories, like an older friend confiding in you and telling you some naughty secrets, all the time turning around looking to see if the teacher is at earshot. Like how the Spanish genes that the pe