One girl was dragged by another girl on a cobblestone street

Girl being dargged by friend — Girl being dragged along

Intramuros is one of the few places in Manila where one can still sense the atmosphere of the “old Philippines.” During the Spanish colonial period, this fortified city housed the governor-general’s residence, and within its high stone walls stood orderly rows of churches, monasteries, and government offices. But much of it was reduced to rubble during the Battle of Manila in World War II. As Japanese and American forces fought brutal street battles, civilians were caught in between, paying an enormous and tragic price. As a traveler, it feels presumptuous to call this history “interesting”; the wind that moves through these streets carries a heaviness that cannot be ignored.

And yet, the city has reclaimed its everyday life. Between the reconstructed stone buildings, tricycles buzz past, and children burst into laughter in the corners of narrow lanes. The cobblestone streets, said to be original, produce a crisp sound underfoot that is strangely satisfying. In the photograph, one girl is pulling the handle of a suitcase while another sits on top of it. The scene looks like a frame from an old film. The girl being pulled is laughing; the one doing the pulling is silent. Together they clatter along the cobblestones, the suitcase rattling as they go.

Intramuros on Google Map

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