Hola! Buenos días everyone! I would like to share the experience when we go to Simala Shrine Church in cebu. Simala Shrine is popularly known as The Monastery of the Holy Eucharist and is situated in Barangay Lindogon, Sibonga, Cebu. It is almost 5hrs travel from my place depending on a traffic.
Me and my family went there by just commuting. First we ride a modern Jeep to go to Pacific mall to ride a taxi bound to South bus and when we arrive at south bus. We went to a small Grocery store to buy some snacks because we know that it would take so long to arrive in Simala. Right after we buy snacks my mom paid for the ticket so that we could ride a v-hire and thankfully we are able to ride the last trip of v-hire bound to simala.
It is 12 Noon when we finally arrived at the place and it was all worth it because the place is so beautiful and is sacred at the same time. There's a lot of people too as it is one of the tourist spot her in cebu.
There's a long line ahead if you want to kiss the patron. My mom decided that me and my papa will stay at the line so that She and my sister will go to buy flowers that we could offer in the patron. It was so hot the time and i told my papa that he could go and find a cooler place to stay because i will be only the one to stay in the line, but he refused to so that we both stayed in the line and waited for my mama and sister to come. Minutes have passed when my mom and sister cameback from buying flowers and they bought roses, they said that's the only flower left that they could buy from the vendors.
After almost 10 minutes in line we finally get inside and removed our shoes right away because it is needed to be removed. While we are inside i noticed some letters that is put in like a cabinet some are saying thank you for healing them because when they were sick and they go there and pray for healing. Some are leaving their wheelchair and other things that they don't use anymore because because they are okay and finally healed. There are some too that asking for guidance as they were taking their board exam and the other where posting a letter and it is said thank you because they passed the exam, they even leave their pictures with diploma and the pencils that they use when they are takin the exams. Upon reading and seeing all of those, i got teary eyed and Felt mixed emotions, overwhelmed and feel happy for them.
After an hour we finally able to kiss the patron and stayed there for a while to pray and after that we went outside to buy a candles, we bought 4 and it cost 50+ each. We light it together and put it in the candle rack.
On our way out in the church we saw a huge sculpture of the patron and took a picture of it.
Right after we go out the church i saw a vendor that sells random things such as necklace, bracelets, rings oil and many more. It is so affordable and i bought a bracelet for 5 pesos only and i chose pink as it is my favorite color and it has an I love Simala text too. It is so cute for me and i want to buy more but i don't have a coin already so i bought 1 only.
We are so hungry because we arrive there 12 noon and stayed there for almost 3 hours. My mama and papa told us that we will eat in SM mabolo which is 2 hours travel from simala and we agreed, we ride a motorcycle to go to the v-hire terminal and when we arrive there we saw a chicharon and i told my mama if we can buy it, we asked for a price and the seller said that it is 3 for 100 so that we buy 6 and we pay for 200. After that we go to the van to ride and wait for a few passenger so that we could go. When we are 12 passengers already the driver get our fair so that we could go.
The traffic is so heavy and i got dizzy inside the van but still i continue eating the chicharon haha. During the entire travel I kept on thinking about the letter that i saw when we were inside the church, it really touched my heart and thankful because they overcome the challenges that they were facing. They are so courageous and strong enough to fight with the guidance of the person above.
When we arrived in the SM Mabolo we go to the food court right away because we are starving already, my mom and dad fall in line to buy food for us while me and my sister find a seat for us and we are able to see it even there's a lot of people in the food court so we just waited there. Minutes have passed when my mom and dad finally came with our food, it so so mouth watering. We got rice, pork lechon, beef soup, leche flan and soft drinks.
After we are done eating we just stayed at our place for a while and decided to walk around the mall after, my sister told us that we choose anything we want. My papa chose cargo shorts while my mom chose a blouse. I didn't chose any because i didn't like any and it's a bit expensive haha. We go to the counter and pay for it. It's almost dark when we decided to go home, we went outside and look for a jeepney that the route is to liloan and we ride it.
It was such a very long and tiring day for me but it was all worth it. I saw the beauty of Simala church with my family and i can tell that it build a really strong bond for us. I am so grateful for it.
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