Imagine a long marriage of 53 years, the experiences spent together, the struggles overcome, and the gifts exchanged with one another. One man decided to build a temple for his late wife, whom he was married to for 53 years. He aptly called the structure Temple of Leah after his wife's name.
This temple is located in the highlands of Cebu City. It's one of the main tourist attractions when you go to Busay, including Sirao Flower Farm and Tops (a place that offers overlooking views of the sprawling cities of Cebu).
I've only been to the temple a few years ago when my aunt and cousins visited us. I think most locals have never been to the tourist spots near them. This is certainly true for me. I would never have visited many tourist spots in my area if not for the guests I had to accompany.
Temple of Leah has a spacious court with several statues. Near the entrance, there's a statue of the Greek god Hermes or maybe the Roman god Mercury. I'm not sure, although I think they're one and the same. Other statues include a lady carrying a cornucopia of grapes (which I think doubled as a lamp post), three naked ladies side by side in the middle of a fountain, a horse, a lion, and a bird.
The temple's architecture is Greco-Roman, with an overall shape of a rectangle and lots of columns. Going inside, there is a huge chandelier made of intricate clear glass gems. And underneath it, a flight of stairs brings you face to face with a golden statue of the temple's namesake. She's sitting on her gold throne, looking regal. She's wearing a sash and holding a bouquet of flowers.
There isn't really much to do at the temple aside from marveling at the grand architecture and gawking at the statues. There is even a statue of a medieval Spanish soldier with an aroused penis. It always brings playful laughter from the tourists.
There was still some work to be done on the temple when we visited, and I'm sure it's even grander now. Maybe they have more attractions and some things to do. Who knows, I might just go there on a whim. It's only less than an hour's drive from where I live.
