National Museum

After around 18 years, I was finally able to make it back to the National Museum and tour the exhibits. It was Mitch's idea. She said since I didn't grow up here in Manila and didn't know the sights, I might as well start crossing items off my list. So off to the museum we went.

I had fun looking at the San Diego shipwreck exhibits. Nothing much save metal and ceramics and pottery survived centuries being under the sea. But what little survived thrilled me. No, I did not get excited over the plates. I don't think anyone could be excited by that. I was excited by the various sizes of cannons. To think these cannons were used in the past to fire the cannonballs I saw was interesting. For some reason I imagined being there, aboard the San Diego.

And then of course this little imp of details starts telling me the San Diego wasn't engaged in broadside firing. It only fired once and then it rammed the Dutch ship it was facing. That brought me up short. As much as I would like to hear the thunder of cannons, I don't think I'd enjoy the ship I was on mooching the other ship. Unless of course it's a boarding action for close-quarter combat.

But I digress. The point it, the museum's fun. Nice place too. The building used to be a government building and had to be rebuilt after the war. Imperial Navy soldiers decided to use the building to resist the American liberation. The Americans responded by pouring artillery shells on the place. The Imperial units in the building were destroyed. So was the building too, judging from the photos.

More to this in the future.