It was one October night when my mom told me of her wish of us hopefully spending Christmas in her hometown this year. We were deep in conversation about family and heart matters when she opened up the subject. After that night, I was determined to grant what she desired to give her happiness this holiday season. God thankfully heard my prayers so we were able to travel to Zamboanga City.

We had a simple yet absolutely blissful Christmas. I enjoyed and currently am enjoying the ambiance of my grandfather's home - it's stress-free, and satisfyingly laid-back. It was a great change of scenery as what I have said in this blog post.

On the 26th, my mom planned for us to see what her hometown has to offer. She brought us first to Fort Pilar, a 17th-century military defense fortress built by the Spanish colonial government. The fort, which is now a regional museum of the National Museum of the Philippines, is a major landmark of the city and symbol of its cultural heritage. Outside the eastern wall is a Marian shrine dedicated to Our Lady of the Pillar, the patroness of the city. (source)
Fort Pilar is now an outdoor Roman Catholic Marian shrine and a regional branch of the National Museum of the Philippines. Inside the fort, only the southern structure is still in ruins; inside and outside the fort is a well-maintained garden. The Paseo del Mar, a reclaimed esplanade, protects the fort from the ravages of the sea.