The day after we got back from Puerto Galera was the last day of our eldest daughters visit to the Philippines, so we decided to visit the Museo de San Agustin (she could’t recall ever going to Intramuros, except when she was little). I’ve sketched at the museum before (see sketch No. 2682) – it’s an amazing place. The first of these sketches is of a church bell with the inscription saying that to “facilitate evangelisation, the missionaries persuaded the natives to settle themselves in big communities…to have them “bajo la campana” or “under the bell,” that is, around the church in an area where they could hear the bell”. The second was done at the Belfry Cafe next to Manila Cathedral.

Sat-4-Jan-2025