Sunset in Coron

Sunset in Coron
Coron, Palawan

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

American Cemetery and Memorial


The Manila American Cemetery and Memorial is located in Fort BonifacioTaguig City in Metro ManilaPhilippines.
The cemetery, 152 acres (0.62 km2) or 615,000 square metres in area, is located on a prominent plateau, visible at a distance from the east, south and west. With a total of 17,206 graves, it is the largest cemetery in the Pacific for U.S. personnel killed during World War II, and also holds war dead from the Philippines and other allied nations. Many of the personnel whose remains are interred or represented were killed in New Guinea, or during the Battle of the Philippines (1941-42) or the Allied recapture of the islands. The headstones are made of marble which are aligned in eleven plots forming a generally circular pattern, set among masses of a wide variety of tropical trees and shrubbery.


The chapel, a tall stone structure enriched with sculpture and mosaic, stands near the center of the cemetery. In front of it on a wide terrace are two large hemicycles with rooms at each end. Twenty-five large mosaic maps in these four rooms recall the achievements of the United States Armed Forces in the PacificChinaIndia and Burma. On rectangular Trani limestone piers within the hemicycles are inscribed the names of 36,282 of the Missing who gave their lives in the service of America and who rest in unknown graves. Carved in the floors are the seals of the American states and its territories.
The Memorial is maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission. The cemetery is open daily to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except December 25 and January 1.

Mabuhay Guide Candie Cobiao and myself will be conducting a tour of Manila  tomorrow which includes a visit to the American Memorial Cemetery. For inquiries on the services of the Mabuhay Guides, visit our website MabuhayGuides.blogspot.com or call 8962067.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

AZKALS: Darlings of Philippine Sports

     Historically, football was never really a crowd-drawing sport in the Philippines...

     BUT NOT UNTIL THE AZKALS CAME ALONG!!!!!

     Composed of a motley bunch of young, hunky, if not all gorgeous Philippine half-breeds, the Azkals have captured the imagination of screaming fans (women and gays alike) as well as certified macho Pinoys who have started to taking to football as an alternative sport to replace basketball (if ever).

     Yesterday's convincing 4-0 win over Sri Lanka at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium proves to all and sundry that the Philippine Azkals are not all beauty and brawn... the team members are made of sterner stuff as well. Hell, yeah! they've got talent to boot (pardon the pun). And they plan to make it to the World Cup to represent the country in a sport that was virtually unsupported until they raised the consciousness of Pinoys that basketball isn't the only team sport there is.

     Never mind that most Pinoy fans don't understand the fine points of the game of football... As long as the Azkals keep scoring, the fans keep cheering them on. I give the Azkals credit not for just good looks... they've raised the bar as far as skill and technique are concerned. I wonder if fans would have shown as much support if the team members weren't as good looking...

     Oh well, move over PBA... the AZKALs are in town!!!

Quiapo Church

    The majesty of Quiapo Church is never more evident than on every first Friday of every month when throngs of Catholic faithful converge on the church to venerate the sacred image of Nstro. Padre Jesus Nazareno. Many have made it a personal devotion to ask for favors, pray for good health, request for aid in their needs.


      Although the church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, whose fiesta is celebrated on the 24th of June, the more popular celebration would be the Black Nazarene's "traslacion" (transfer) from the Recolletos church in Intramuros to its present site. Thus every 9th day of January is celebrated with a huge fiesta where throngs of people pay their respects to El Senor. This was initiated by then Archbishop of Manila Basilio Sancho de Santas Justa.

     The Church jas undergone many major changes since its establishment in 1586. It was burned in 1639. destroyed by earthquake in 1863. Then burned again in 1928. Reconstruction was done immediately after with National Artist Juan Nakpil. The Jaime Cardinal Sin initiated its expansion in 1980 to accommodate the millions who visit the basillica each day.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Modest Feast

     Before my friend went back home to New York City, he tendered a luncheon for us, his college friends at a Filipino restaurant located at the ground floor of TRINOMA ( acronym for Triangle North of Manila).


     Kamay Kainan is an unpretentious restaurant that has a moderate price range for its meals. A lunch buffet would cost as little as PhP 450.00/pax. And you can savor all the favorite Pinoy viands you can eat from pinapaitan ( bitter stew of inards) to pinakbet (veggie stew with shrimp paste) and Kare-kare (oxtail in peanut sauce).

     Needless to say, we had a blast chatting away over the great meal and we're looking forward to when our friend Mael comes back to Manila for a little R&R. I guess yo can blame that on the dessert spread of local kakanins: maja blanca, maja mais, ginataang bilo-bilo, mantecado ice cream, sago't-gulaman and saging na saba... oh well...

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Fish Spa

     I had the most enjoyable experience at the FISH SPA at the Manila Ocean Park (behind the Quirino Grandstand) at the Rizal Park in Manila.

     For (Pesos) PhP 120.00 guests are given 20 minutes to soothe their tired feet at the wading pool and the fish (pleco) will nibble on the dead skin of your feet. It's disturbing at first, but one does get used to the feeling of fish getting their fill on your feet.

     The Fish Spa is on the second floor of the Manila Ocean Park. If you want to see the aquariums, you have to pay the entrance fee of PhP 450.00... but that's another story...

Monday, April 25, 2011

HAPPY EASTER!


Just like the risen Lord, I've decided to resurrect my blog..Sometimes there will be a lot to say... other times just images will do...

let's just say... I'm gonna try and re-invent myself and try and turn professional with my blogging... so expect a lot more of me in the coming days

Saturday, December 4, 2010

On Board Again

It's been awhile since I've blogged...

I've been busy with Tours with the Mabuhay Guides... I've also been busy designing productions...

The first production I accomplished was the CCP Dance School's recital this December at the Main Theater on December 12, 2010. Next came the production design for Perry Sevidal Ballet's Christmas recital. This one will be held at the CCP's Little Theater at a prior date... December 6 to be exact. Finally, the last production I designed was that of Elizabeth Seton's

In between the designing and costume checks and fittings and costume runs, I was busy with the Mabuhay Guides tour of significant churches in Bulacan, Laguna and Cavite for the Visita Iglesia with the College of Saint Benilde students. I'll be posting the photos in succeeding blogs to update you all with where I've been and who I went with...

Meantime, it's 22 days till Christmas... watch out for my blogs on the Misa de Gallo and other Filipino traditions...