Peacefully nestled on top of a picturesque elevated landscape, the Shrine Hills of Davao City, the largest metropolis of the Philippines, is a must-experience destination, not only special for religious pilgrims but also suitable for adventurous tourists alike.
Officially known as the Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague, this enormous complex rests majestically on hectares of land encompassing various white structures, and flourishing green spaces as part of the overall development of this sacred place.
It's impossible to feature the entire development here, however we shall only focus on a small environmental beauty nurtured within this holy estate.
Join me as we’ll investigate Catalina Garden, a thriving oasis of nature consisting of a beautiful park, seminar hall, and restaurant.
The atmosphere was perfect, absolutely a tremendous blessing to have explored this lush environment on this wonderful day - sunny weather, bright blue skies with a few clouds, plus the prevailing temperature that wasn’t too humid. With my photo devices ready, it was an awesome occasion to document plenty of visual memorabilia!
As I slowly approached the entry gate of this marvelous site, the active odors of green leaves, fallen branches , cultivated soil, and the fragrant scent of flowers, greeted me. Like a warm embrace, Mother Nature already knew how to welcome me.
However, my ecstatic feelings didn't last long. As I strolled closer to the garden’s shaded interior, slight traces of what seemed to be a dilapidated bungalow caught my attention. Yet, upon closer inspection, the crumbling facade revealed a different story. It wasn't built for residential purposes, but rather its eroded walls showed a large empty room littered with cobwebs, dirt, and old kitchen supplies.
“Oh, I see. This was probably where the restaurant was stationed,” I wondered. “Its ruin was a pitiful sight. The business owners must probably have planned to have this structure completely demolished for future constructions.”
The immediate surroundings at the exteriors also portrayed the same scenario. A rusty bench. Broken stone chairs. A damaged footpath. Uncut grass. There were obviously no signs of periodic maintenance.
On the other hand, the park appeared to be well-developed and cleaned. Evergreen plants. Blossoming flowers. Flourishing shrubs. Trimmed grass. Healthy coconut trees.
After walking further, I caught a glimpse of an elongated building with a green gable roof, sporting a triangular section at its middle.
After walking closer to it, it was actually an elongated empty space designed to accommodate people who organized various events, meetings, and conferences. It was their seminar hall.
Again, my heart sank and my excitement was short-lived when I discovered the same dilapidated conditions. Damaged ceiling panels. Layers of paint peeling off. Broken cement elements. There were no tell-tale indications of repairs.
Though the existing architecture was surprisingly disappointing, the park’s massive attractiveness definitely compensated for it. At least, I was still joyful that the park’s natural characteristics had overpowered the poor quality of the constructed edifices.
Despite lacking proper architectural conservation, Catalina Garden still didn't fail to impress. With additional efforts, care, and design expertise, I hope to fully experience a much better environment on my next visit.
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Architect | Environmentalist | Adventurer
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