Underground Cemetery & The Legend of the Hidden Tunnel

Courtesy of Laguna Travel Guide

Courtesy of lakadpilipinas.com

Underground Cemetery was actually built as an exclusive burial ground for missionaries and Spanish friars as early as 18th century. It is commonly considered as the only one of its kind because it is the only underground cemetery that exists in the Philippines.

It was built and designed for funeral mass purposes by a Franciscan priest - Fr. Vicente Velloc in 1845 to be exact, - that leads to an underground graveyard construction which is 15 feet below the church.

If you're actually on the place, the first thing you see is a church entrance and as you go beyond the entrance, you will see a burial site, just like a typical cemetery with tombs piled up in storeys. so, basically, it's a church that has an underground graveyard of 15 feet, - which led to becoming known as a cemetery where more privileged missionaries that came from elite Catholic families were buried.

Other historical facts about the Underground Cemetery was that it was also used as a place for secret meetings and sanctuary by Filipino revolutionary leaders and members during the war.

The first tomb was dated 1886. The cemetery is now more than 160 years old. There are only few tombs buried in the underground crypt, so don't expect too much to see under there.

The church is no longer used and masses are no longer held there anymore, except on some special occasions such as Holy Week.

On the other hand, the legend about the existence of a hidden tunnel at the Underground Cemetery still actively exists today among the residents of Nagcarlan regarding their beliefs about the hidden tunnel that is connected to the church altar. They further believe that this tunnel ends its way up to Mt. Banahaw, - considered to be a holy mountain.

But nothing has ever proven about the hearsays and rumors until today.

Entrance going to Underground Cemetery is free. But they have donation box placed at the entrance. You can take photos inside and underground but no flash photos allowed!

A French Quarter Self-Guided Walking Tour (New Orleans)

If you get a chance to spend some time visiting New Orleans, one of the most commonly visited attractions is the French Quarter. The most recommended way to visit this area is by walking, as you can control your own time at your own pace. Besides, it is also much more practical to do rather than driving. Expect your tour to last for at least 3 hours or more, particularly if you spend a lot of times stopping to either take photos or visiting shops ;).

But you can even make it an hour or so since you get the chance to skip some sites you don't feel like seeing. If you are not familiar on where to start, it's highly recommended to get a self-guided walking map by visiting neworleanscvb.com/tours and print it online, or you can get them available at any gift shops or stores somewhere within the area.

Otherwise, there are still a lot of options to choose if you want to learn more about landmarks you're mostly interested at, by the help of a tour guide.

There are a lot of things to see and do at the French Quarter, and at least more than 30 historical landmarks that are highly recommended to see and learn about. If you don't want to miss a thing, taking a professional history tour with a knowledgeable tour guide is recommended as well.

It was a fun experience for me to do the French Quarter self-guided walking tour. I spent an hour and a half because I took short cuts ;). Besides, it feels more convenient and with no pressure and hassles when you do it on your own leisure time.

Just a self-guided walking map was more than enough of help to do a leisure tour like this.

The Atlanta Cruzers Electric Car Tour

Me and hubby after the tour.

If you happened to be visiting Atlanta for the first time, the electric car tour of Atlanta is worth recommending. This would be the best way to see most of the famous landmarks and attractions of Atlanta at a faster pace, particularly if you have limited time for a visit. 

The tour last for 90 minutes and journeys 15 miles throughout Atlanta area. You'll get the chance to see famous attractions like Fox Theatre, CNN, Centennial Olympic Park, and the historic Inman Park, and many more.
During summer, bring anything like water particularly if the temperature soars high during mid day. Some warm jackets also help when you are scheduled for a tour during cooler season. Remember, this is an hour, 30 minutes tour.

The electric car is said to be eco-friendly and can accommodate only 5 guests, with a total of 6 passengers including the driver (tour guide).

By the way, this tour is not only for tourists but for residents of Atlanta as well. It is actually recommended for Atlanta natives including its residents who are interested to further explore and discover those areas that are not yet familiar to them. It is a tour about how Atlanta got its early existence up to how it was being referred to as the Capital of the South.

If you are a history lover as well, you'll get to know more of its eclectic neighborhoods like Inman Park, the Old 4th Ward, the birthplace and home of Dr. Martin Luther King including Atlanta's historical culture and restaurants.

Advanced booking (at least 24 hours) is required. You can either call ahead or order your e-tickets online.

If you're checked in at a hotel in downtown Atlanta, they can pick-up/drop you off before and after the tour.

All other information are reflected on their website. (atlcruzersdotcom)