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Travel Photography
USS Hoel (DDG-13)
My career in maintenance was launched aboard The USS Hoel in 1979, she became my home and “center of higher education” for many a year … and what a home she was …. many a fond memory of lighting fires, blowing down the mains and getting underway for some serious sea time on this ship … indeed, I’m a “Tin Can Sailor” !
Palawan Water Monitor Lizard (bayawak)
The “Water Monitor”, is the largest lizard found in the Philippines, growing up to 2-1/2 meters, and is a cousin of the Komodo Dragon. It is locally known as “bayawak” and is sometimes called a “chicken lizard” because it may feed on chicken eggs or chicks …
Jay-R and Jeng “the wedding”
The wedding … was very nice … Jeng, a good friend I had the opportunity to work with on a recent project I worked on for Shell in the Philippines … the only lady I have ever met that could eat more than me and stay slim at the same time !
TPN Moderators Pick (September 20th, 2008)
The problem with choosing between Winnie Ho’s photograph and Mark Jones’s photograph is the drama between the two. Winnie’s is a more dramatic backdrop and so one is definitely drawn to that, but both are technically excellent. I can’t say that one is better than the other …
Ninoy Aquino Day
Ninoy Aquino Day is a public holiday in the Philippines observed annually on August 21. It marks the anniversary of assassination of former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. Returning to the Philippines after three years of self-imposed exile, Aquino was shot in the head and killed on August 21, 1983 …
Dragon Boat Races
A dragon boat or “dragonboat” is a very long and narrow human-powered boat now used in the team paddling sport of dragon boat racing which originated in China in pre-Christian times. While competition has taken place annually for more than 20 centuries as part of folk ritual, it emerged in modern times as an international “sport” in Hong Kong in 1976 …
El Nido Motor Bike Ride
On the way you have five (5) beaches you can stop at, though these are only accesable off the main road … you have two (2) waterfalls, a Hot Spring and the Ille Cave excavation site … “history books are being heavily edited from this cave excavation” …
Pilipino Haircut
Pilipino Barbershop in the Barangay of WaWa … it cost 40 Peso, though I gave 100 Peso … been here several times … the walk there is worth the price of the haircut alone …
Spanish Colonial Churches of the Philippines
A choirloft was added to the reconstructed church in 1845 by Fray Vicente Velloc, who built the Nagcarlang cemetery and its underground crypt … pilgrims flock to this church to pray before the images of St. Bartholomew and San Diego de Alcala known for their miraculous healing …
Bird’s Nest of El Nido
Edible-nest Swiftlets (Collocalia fuciphaga) abound in El Nido. The nests of these birds are found in the crevices of the limestone cliffs and are the main ingredient of the health enhancing bird’s nest or nido soup. It is these nests that gave the place its Spanish name, El Nido …
Philippine Cutud Lenten Rites
The San Pedro Cutud Lenten Rites is a Holy Week re-enactment of Christ’s Passion and Death which takes place in Barangay San Pedro Cutud, City of San Fernando, Pampanga in the Philippines …
UNDAS (day of the dead)
This one caught me off-guard … I found it to be somewhat of a “carnival” atmosphere at the cemetery … I mean you could buy pizza next to one grave stone and then six (6) grave stones to your right you could get a coke …
Sunsets of Manila Bay
For 250 years, from 1565 until 1815, Spanish galleons laden with the riches of the Orient– sailed annually from Manila Bay bound for Acapulco … In April 1942 US minelayer Harrison dumped boxes of Filipino coin, to the value of 5 million, into Manila Bay at a depth of 18 fathoms to avoid them falling into Japanese hands …
Philippine Sabong (cockfighting)
Cockfighting in the Philippines is called “Sabong” … it is one of the Philippines’ national sports … there are illegal and legal cockfights (Even the Philippine boxing hero Manny Pacquiao has a cock called “Pac-Man”) …
Penalosa Exhibition Fight / Mr. Roach
Known as “La Cucaracha” and “The Choir Boy”, Roach turned pro in 1978 and spent most of his career as a Lightweight journeyman fighter …
The Philippine Jeepney
The word jeepney is usually believed to come from the words “jeep” and “knee” because of the crowded seating, passengers must sit knee to knee. Hence, the word jeepney “wiki” … now you know “the rest of the story” …
Manila American Cemetery and Memorial
This is a must see, no matter what country you are from, or what your beliefs may be … freedom comes at a very high price to all … and this becomes very evident the second you enter the gates of this spectacular memorial …
Faces of China
China Holiday from December 2006 / January 2007 … spent Christmas in Shanghai (fantastic) then went down to Shaoxing, where I lived for a few years, which is famous for it’s canals and yellow rice wine, though the canals had been drained for repair! …