Kiangan Shrine [of Valor]

Hump day, midweek, Wednesday, whew!

And just like yesterday, we had a gloomy sky. I was just glad it didn't rain, or my laziness would have doubled, lol! Anyway, I was reminded of our little adventure at the Kiangan Shrine last week and thought I'd ramble about it today.

Coming from Cagayan, we crossed the provincial borders and arrived at Kiangan around noon. The hubby made a quick search earlier that day on which spots are a must-see in the said town, and the Shrine came up, along with a few caves, and a lake. We chose the former, thinking we'd kick off our shoes and enjoy the grass. And that's what we did there, but that wasn't all.

From the gate, the place is already inviting.

After paying the entrance fee (about a dollar per person), we were allowed to drive all the way up to park just after the welcome signage. We loved what we were seeing already!

Tucked not so far away from the town center, the Shrine offers a refreshing and relaxing ambiance, with the beautiful landscape (dense forest, green grass, spacious grounds, trees, and such).

It made us wonder why it is called the Shrine (of Valor), and there we learned it was a place dedicated to those who fought during WWII (Filipinos and American soldiers), and where they commemorate the surrender of General Yamashita and the liberation of the Philippines from Japanese occupation. A historical park, I say.

So we strolled a bit. Our LilGuy was happy.

But it was so hot that day, and Yongi couldn't keep his mouth closed. He was breathing heavily at some point.

So we spent time where the sun couldn't burn us, lol. We sat on the grass and enjoyed the freshness of the air and the tranquility of the place.

Meanwhile, the hubby was a bit more adventurous; he climbed the stairs all the way to the top of the Shrine.

But then he didn't stay up there longer, saying he felt nauseous. He took this shot from there before he came down to where we were.

The park also housed a museum, which we visited after the relaxing time on the grass and a stroll, but we will ramble about it in a separate post, as we captured plenty of pictures inside.

Here are some more photos of the place taken before we left.

We had a lovely time and were so glad our LilGuy was allowed on its grounds. Should there be a chance for a second visit, we will surely take it!