The buildings inside the Intramuros compound are truly relics of a bygone era. One of these is a particular wooden building named the Ilustrado Building, with sliding windows much like how they were done way back. This was the site of just one of the many churches inside Intramuros at that time. The church was dedicated to Our Lady of the Divine Shepherd and was built in the late 1800s.
The original church structure was, like more structures in Manila at that time, was destroyed in the bombing of Manila in 1945. The rest of the building remains though, but the church has since moved to Quezon City. There is a passageway beside the building which leads to a small parking area, no doubt for tourists. This building has now been turned into a souvenir shop for tourists.
I was in the thinking that they were probably selling antiques here but imagine my surprise to see a man chiselling one of the figures just outside the building. Of course they do not claim to sell antiques in the first place. At least the man can still ply his trade and I know that it is completely hand made.
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