WOW: Coming Home

Our Home, in storage at Sue and Tom's backyard in Sumner, Washington

“If you come home as happy as you leave, you have had a good vacation”, especially if that is the second coming home! When we left Seattle for Manila Feb 24, I was coming home a Balikbayan (returning resident). I had lived in the Philippines for 54 years before migrating to the United States 8 years ago (yes, that makes me 62!). Coming back to Seattle on May 26 was another coming home, especially since I entered the country as a US citizen for the first time.

Then Merry Jo asked me what my top 10 things are about the 3-month visit to the Philippines as a tourist with a hometown advantage! Here they are:

sprawling Divisoria Market

Shopping. The largest shopping mall in the world outside of China, the Mall of Asia (MOA), is not the only reason the country is a shopping mecca. A very large shopping district called Divisoria near Chinatown has a wide range of local and imported goods at a fourth of their prices in malls. In more accessible Greenhills, they are at a third. I was ecstatic (Bill was satisfied) after 11 hours in 3 Divisoria malls and another 6 in Greenhills.

Ecotourism. An archipelago of 7,107 islands, the Philippines offers some of the best dive spots (Tubbataha Reef, Coron, Donsol, etc.) and beaches (Boracay, Bohol, Pagudpud, etc.) in the world. And whether in the Old Seven Wonders or the New Seven Wonders lists, she is in both: The Ifugao Rice Terraces (Banaue, Hapao, Batad) and the longest Subterranean River in Palawan..      

 Historical Tourism. Magellan discovered the Philippines in 1521. Named after King Philip, the islands were ruled by Spain for 300 years. Intramuros (within walls) is the old Manila fortress city and Vigan in Ilocos Sur is where Spanish homes are preserved, largely untouched by war. It is interesting to note that the University of Sto. Tomas is older than Harvard University! After the Spain’s defeat in the Spanish-American War, she became an American colony for 50 years. Corregidor, Subic, and Clark are landmarks of the American rule and WWII. 

dental tourism

Health/Wellness Tourism.  But the Philippines excels in a new kind of tourism. I had two crowns made at Smile Asia in MOA where 3 pretty dentists take turns at amazed clients. Each crown cost me $150 ($800 in the US)! My doctor’s visits also cost me a mere $25 per appointment, even lower than my medical insurance co-pay (with a max of 4 visits).  I made about 10 visits to specialists for a small fraction of what I would have shelled out in the US. Sleek spas and varied wholesome wellness programs are also much more affordable.

Educational Tourism. There are also many universities, colleges, and special schools in the country. And since English is the medium of instruction, the schools draw a lot of Asians to their curricula. One such example is the Asian Institute of Management that ranks well among the top graduate schools in Asia. The University of the Philippines, established according to the American educational system, is also another popular school for Asians.

Emma, Didi and us at a cultural show

Entertainment Tourism. Nightlife in the country is exceptionally vibrant. With the country having become the call center capital of the world, many offices are open 24x7. Shops, restaurants, and pubs are thus open well into the early mornings. 20M people in Metro Manila and 95 M in the country make for a very large market so international concerts (Justin Bieber Live!) and events (International Fireworks competition) are frequently held in the country. Golf courses and casinos are also best value places to go to!

Access to Asia.  If these are not enough, the country’s proximity to great destinations in South East Asia also makes it a great base for budget tours. HK, Macau, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, Bangkok, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, and Tokyo are just around $50 in promo fares. So Bill and I plan to make our next stay 6 months to cover more of the country and the rest of Asia.

  Food.  Local food is a fusion of Spanish, Chinese and American cuisine. But there are so many expats in the country that almost all kinds of cuisine are easily available. Besides, seafood is abundant and cheap. Whether it is fine dining, international chains, holes in the wall, or special weekend markets, food is always good, plenty and cheap.

tricycles abound

jeepneys take you to remote places

 Transportation and Accommodation. The country is now bustling with domestic tourism because of cheap airfare from smaller carriers. There are several international airports aside from Manila. Roll-on-roll-off systems allow buses to cover the archipelago from north to south. Metro Manila is covered by mass transit systems and bus lines. Side streets are accessible via colorful jeepneys (legacy of the American jeep from WWII) and ubiquitous tricycles. An entire range of accommodations are also available from 5-star hotels to B & Bs, hostels, and homestays.

our condo in Makati

despedida with friends

People. But it is the warmth and hospitality of the Filipino people that is legendary. It is not only the fact that almost anyone can speak English that makes anyone’s stay comfortable, but also they seem to have an innate desire to please. It is party mood every day and almost any excuse is enough to meet and share a meal. 

In 90 days, we had 42 days of reunions, 26 days of tours, and 20 days of ‘work’. But you may say I am biased because the Philippines is my second home. Perhaps later Bill will also consider it his.

despedida with family

despedida with family and friends

despedida with family

Next Stop: Glacier National Park, Montana

OLA: Reliving WWII in the Philippines

sunset over the Bataan Peninsula from Battery Grubbs in Corregidor Island

monkeys by the road in Subic

At the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898, Spain ceded the Philippines to the US.  The US then built three major military bases in the country: Subic Naval Base in Zambales, Clark Air Force Base in Pampanga, and Fort Mills in Corregidor. The islands became a major battlefront in the Pacific during WWII. For a Filipino-American couple like Bill and me, this piece of history takes on a significance of more than double proportions. This was how we relived WWII in my home country.

During Bill’s first visit to the Philippines early in 2009 after our wedding, I took him to Subic and Clark.

my friend's  home, a former officer's house in Subic

Subic Base, now a major ship-repair, supply, and rest and recreation facility of the US Navy, was the largest overseas military installation of the United States Armed Forces after Clark Air Base.  Since the bases turnover to the Philippine government in 1991, it has become an industrial park, a tourist resort, and a residential haven.

One of my friends who is also married to an American now lives in a great former officer’s home for a mere $50,000 long-term lease. She works for the Chairman of the Subic Bay Development Corporation which manages the area. The tourist duty-free shops still operate and offer many a bargain, the beaches still look very inviting, and the hills offer good jungle trips.  Regularly, planeloads of Asians are brought to its casinos for a gambling weekend.

Clark International Airport

Goddess of Peace facing Japan
a similar one is in Corregidor

When we went to HongKong, we departed from the Clark International Airport. Unlike Subic, it looked like Clark was dying. But, since the plan to build a major airport (the bus trip to and from Manila was 1 ½ hour-long) had materialized, it has had a rebirth, especially with the base's extensive facilities and land (14.3 sq mi with a military reservation extending north at another 230 sq mi). The base was a stronghold of the combined Filipino and American forces and was a backbone of logistical support during the Vietnam War. In fact, Bill was able to fly a plane with a trainer of a Clark flying school.

an Aeta hut at The Villages

a cow being butchered in the fields

We had a few hours before boarding our plane, so we hired a van to take us around. At the time we found some areas to explore. We discovered a lonely Goddess of Peace memorial from Japan and an empty Expo Center, a former project of President Ramos. But since then Clark Freeport Zone has grown. It was our tour of the Villages, home of the native Aetas in the surrounding hills, that became a highlight. We witnessed wedding rituals, including a cow being butchered.

empty Centennial Expo

Coming back from HongKong, we stayed in Clark for the night, and my girlfriends picked us up. We first had the famous pizzaninis at C! and then took the SCTEX, the new interchange connecting Subic and Clark, and proceeded to Montemar Beach Resort in Mariveles, Bataan, where one of them is a member., It is a beautiful exclusive beach resort from where we were even able to watch the Pacquiao-Mosley fight.

km 00 of the Death March in Mariveles

On Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Four months after, Bataan fell to the Japanese.  75,000 Fil-Am soldiers were forcibly transferred to the POW camp in Capas, Tarlac. The 60 mi Death March resulted in very high fatalities inflicted upon prisoners and civilians alike and was later judged by an Allied military commission to be a Japanese war crime.

Las Casas Filipinas in Acuzar

It started in Mariveles near Montemar and markers are regularly placed on the road retracing the infamous route. On the way there, we paid tribute to Filipino heroes at Mt. Samat, the huge cross on top of the mountain, a memorial to those who suffered in the march.  In Acuzar, a town before Mariveles is Las Casas Filipinas (Philippine Houses) by the sea, a neat cluster of restored ancestral Filipino homes brought there piece by piece. 

water bikes in Montemar

hydrofoil and tramvias in Corregidor

On our second trip to the Philippines, I took Bill to Corregidor Island at the mouth of Manila Bay. This is why the Americans were prompted to make it an ‘impregnable fortress’.

During World War II, Corregidor played a significant role during the invasion and liberation of the Philippines from Japanese forces. The hydrofoil trip to the island took just 1 ½ hours from the Folk Arts Theatre area in the reclaimed land on Manila Bay.  Colorful tramvias, replicas of the old trollies, took us around the island.

ghost of Mile-Long Barracks

MacArthur's I Shall Return

The skeleton of heavily bombed Mile-long Barracks (the longest single military barracks in the world housing 8,000 soldiers) and the remains of the cross-shaped Hospital which the Japanese destroyed despite war treaties were spectacles of the gruesome battle that lasted five months. And the fitting tributes to the brave soldiers are many…the Pacific War Memorial (with its altar and Eternal Flame), the Filipino Heroes Memorial with 14 murals of Philippine history, and a statue of Gen. Macarthur who escaped to Australia where he declared, ‘I shall return’. Corregidor was retaken 3 years after.

Malinta Tunnel from our room at Corregidor Inn

air passages for a lateral

The Malinta Tunnel Night Tour is the most descriptive of the life of soldiers on the fortress. It is a 2.5-mile network of laterals on Malinta (full of leeches) Hill.  At times bending low to pass through narrower sub-laterals, we experienced utter darkness, felt whiffs of cooler air from the air passages, visited the 1,000 bed hospital that replaced the destroyed hospital outside, and retraced the escape route of Gen. MacArthur, the quarters of President Quezon, the petroleum storage facilities, the quarters, and even the femur bone of a Japanese soldier. 

     

the largest battery in the island

These two trips reminded us again of the closeness of Filipino-American relations. It also gave me memories of my father who fought with Americans and my mother, who was a Philippine-US government scholar to improve the education of the deaf in the Philippines and who learned Japanese to interpret for the Fil-Am soldiers. Taking this trip with Bill, my American husband made it doubly significant. Before the second trip, I became an American citizen. They became more than doubly significant.

OLA: Getting Enchanted in Taiwan!

Juoifen, The City of Sadness, in northern Taiwan

Here are some synonyms of the verb enchant: bewitch, delight, fascinate, charm, captivate, enrapture.

a Taiwanese fair by the sea

We got enchanted in Taiwan for 10 days in 2009 when Bill finally sold his business to plunge into retirement.  We had more time to get enraptured by its charm (the trip to HK was too short). And, although we started our visit with a goal of joining Bill’s friend Alan (with gracious Taiwanese wife Li Hua) and the many expats  teaching English in Taiwan (we even went to a Bluegrass Pub with them), that is where we slowly drifted to a fascination with traveling as a lifestyle!  

the majestic Marble Gorge

Taiwan lies off the southeastern coast of China and the northeastern tip of the Philippines.  The eastern part of the country is made up of five rugged mountain ranges (making it the world's fourth-highest island) and the western plains is home to most of Taiwan's 7M. The Taroko National Park in the rugged region is home to the Marble Gorge, carved by the erosive power of the Liwu River, began 200M years ago as sediment on the ocean’s bottom, still being uplifted by plates about 0.5cm per year. 

large jade market

The area supplies the Taipei Jianguo Jade Market with the kind of jade found only in Taiwan. The market lies underneath the elevated Jianguo Road, stretching for over a kilometer, one of the largest jade markets in all of Asia. Pinglin, on the other hand, is the most famous place for producing tea, with 80% of residents being tea growers. The hills all around are filled with neatly growing tea plants and the Pinglin Tea Industry Museum is the world's largest.

downtown in the city of Sadness

 On the northernmost tip lies Juifen where gold was discovered in 1893. The resulting gold rush hastened its development, but the mines shut down in 1971, and the town forgotten. In 1989, Hou Hsiao-hsien's movie, A City of Sadness, became a big hit. Soon retro-Chinese style cafés, tea houses, and souvenir stores bearing the name "City of Sadness" were built. In 2001, the city again became famous when its downtown was used as a model in the anime movie Spirited Away.

a temple for nine turtles in Tainan

In the south is Tainan City, the fifth largest and regarded as one of the oldest cities in Taiwan. The first Confucian school–temple was built there in 1665. The city claims more Buddhist and Taoist temples than any other city in Taiwan. But it was a trip to the nearby Salt Museum and Salt Mountain Resort that gave us a most forgettable (the Salt Mountain itself) experience. But it was our Taiwanese taxi driver who was the saving grace. He stopped the car, got out of his cab, took something out of his trunk, and gave cookies to us when he saw that he had a cup of coffee and that I looked hungry!

first Confucian temple in Tainan

the Bitan Bridge and its pedal boats

Taipei metropolitan area is the political, economic, and cultural center of Taiwan.  Just a short MRT ride away is Bitan in the Xindian District, New Taipei City. It literally means Green Lake, referring to where the Xindian River widens to form the lake. There is a long suspension bridge used only for people on foot and the area is alive with restaurants, carnival activities, and pedal boats.  You will find many interesting scenes on the ride around the lake. 

don't know how they got there but they did!

a mixture of Dutch and Spanish

At the other end of the MRT line is Danshui, originally settled by the Ketagalan aborigines. The Spanish established the mission of Santo Domingo there in the 17^th century. In 1641, they were expelled from Taiwan by the Dutch who built Fort Anthonio, now the main building of the Fort San Domingo museum complex. The Dutch left Taiwan in 1661 following their defeat by Koxinga whose descendants were later defeated by the Qing Dynasty. A very enchanting history is part of Taiwan’s mystique.

National Palace Museum

The Japanese acquired Taiwan in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War. Following the Japanese surrender in 1945, the Republic of China took over the island. After losing Mainland China to the Chinese Communist Party in a Civil War, the ruling Kuomintang resettled the government to Taiwan with Taipei as the capital in 1949, carrying with them an amazing collection of Chinese artifacts. Thus, Taipei’s National Palace Museum is considered one of the world’s best museums! 

Shilin Night Market

Taipei is also famous for its many night markets, the busiest of which is the Shilin Night Market in the Shilin District.  Most night markets open around 4 PM and crowds reach their peak during the late evening hours, operating well past midnight. Bill and I visited a new night market each night. They are meccas for excellent, cheap street food (except for the stinky tofu) and some really nice shopping! You will be amazed with the size of succulent Taiwanese mangoes (like big papayas).

Taiwan's bullet train

We covered most of the island in easy day trips with the world’s most efficient MRT, regular and high speed rail, good highways and lots of bus lines and taxis, and airports from a small hotel near an MRT station! There we were treated to sunny-side eggs cooked to perfection just for the two of us every morning at the breakfast buffet of congee and condiments!

Taipei 101

Taipei 101 is a landmark skyscraper located in Xinyi District, ranked officially as the world's tallest from 2004 until the opening of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010.  Comprising 101 floors above ground and 5 floors, it is a symbol of modern technology and Asian tradition. Thus, it remains the biggest and most visible indicator of our enchantment with Taiwan!

large Taiwan mangoes

Next Stop: Reliving WWII (Bataan and Corregidor)

another scene in Bitan

OLA: Getting Excited in HongKong (HK)!

HongKong Island Skyline at night

the tram coming down from the Peak

Exciting is the word for HK! In five frenzied days we covered Hong Kong Island, Lantau Island, Kowloon, and Macau. There are five things that best describe HK: world’s bests (longest escalator, largest seated Buddha, largest lights/music show), great food experiences (Chinese fine dining and street food, British afternoon and high tea), easy transportation (ferries, MTR, taxis, buses, trains, trams, cable cars), best shopping (variety and good price), and proximity to Macau and Shenzhen!

the Skyworld at the Peak

It was Bill’s first trip to the Chinese city and my umpteenth since almost 30 years ago when I ran a business there for half of every month (the other half in Manila). The changes are simply dramatic! Then Kai Tak International Airport was located such that passengers could not believe how a plane could squeeze past the high-rise buildings as it approached the runway.  The massive HK International Airport is now on Lantau Island and a looong bridge/highway connects the island to the peninsula.

artistry inside Man Mo

The only thing that was familiar to me was Victoria Peak, the highest point on HK Island, but even that has changed.  Now a giant SkyWorld juts upward on the peak to create a 360 degree view. A big Peak Tram hauls huge crowds that line up to ride to the top. The enchantment I felt when I took the ride on the old tram is gone. The Peak is now so commercialized with all the restaurants and food chains and stores and boutiques all over! Besides, it was a foggy day and the view was unfortunately hazy.

Mid-Levels Escalator at Soho

But Man Mo Temple and Cat Street changed all that! The area is great for Chinoiserie and the disappointment soon faded away.  Especially when we got to the Mid-Levels Escalators, the longest escalator in the world, equivalent to about 2,600 steps, half a mile long! At its mid-point is the Soho District with lots of watering holes for Chuppies (Chinese yuppies) and expats. I used to live in a Mid-Level Apartment. How much easier my life would have been if we’d had those escalators then!  

The Symphony of Lights from Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade

the Giant Buddha after 260 steps

That evening we had our first sumptuous dinner at Serenade, a Chinese restaurant overlooking the harbor on Tsim Sha Tsui. We had the best view of The Symphony of Lights, the largest lights/music extravaganza in the world involving the biggest buildings on HK Island! Upon waking up the next day we went to Lantau Island via hover ferry and bus (coming back via cable car and MTR). Besides the new airport, the island is home to five-year old Disneyland, the 30m high Giant Buddha (the biggest seated Buddha in the world) and the Po Lin Monastery with its famous three bronze Buddhas (Past, Present, and Future),   

Past, Present, and Future 

Our second Chinese dinner was at Yu Joy in the Elements with Nini, an old friend, whose daughter is in charge of men’s fashion in Louis Vitton. Upon waking up to another day, we quickly went to fabled Macau! We discovered it is not just a gambling mecca (with only 30 casinos against Las Vegas’ 100, it nevertheless rakes in ten times the revenue)! It is also a World Heritage Site, with many old places of Chinese and Portuguese influences.  And the hydrofoil gets you in and out of there in just 50 mins!

St. Paul Ruins in Macau

Although the highlight of the day was the Tree of Prosperity (a large golden green tree comes up after a golden dome opens up from the floor while a large crystal chandelier comes down to meet it after the golden ceiling opens up). There were even a Bellagio-like lights show and an inexpensive Macanese dinner at Wynn Macau. However, we spent most of the day the visiting World Heritage Sites: The St. Paul Ruins, the Largo Senado, the three oldest churches, the oldest squares, and a temple that had been there even before the Portuguese came, with Taoist, Buddhist, and Confucian Pavilions!

the tri-religion temple in Macau, there before the Portuguese came

HK Walled City Memorial

On our fourth day, near our hotel, we found the HK Walled City Park, a tribute to the section that, until 1993 when it was demolished, bred prostitution, drugs, and crime in HK. The Park is HK’s finest with the Old South Gate, the Chess Garden, the Almshouse, the 6 Arts Terrace, the Zodiac Garden. But I liked the memorial best, a testament to an ugly period. Then we joined Bryn (whom we met in Palawan) and his brother Marc for the famed Afternoon Tea at the Peninsula for which many wait in line for over an hour!

fortune telling booth at Temple Night Market

That night, we started our own version of the HK shopping spree by punishing our legs walking the Temple Street Night Market with its fortune tellers and Chinese opera singers and the endless booths of the Ladies Market. Upon waking up the next day, we quickly looked for the Cotton-On store for a specific shirt/short combination my daughter April wanted. Unfortunately, the design had been replaced. So we tried to complete our ‘mission’ at The One shopping plaza, skipping Kowloon Park.

Wynn Macau Light Show

But, alas and alack, there was no more next day in HK to wake up to!  If we ever get the chance to go back, we will see Aberdeen, the fishing village where you can get a sampan joy ride and dine at the biggest floating restaurant in the world. We shall also be more prepared for the entry requirements for Shenzhen in mainland China, only a little more than 2 hours away by train, where they say the best shopping can be had! HK is truly one exciting destination! You must go there at least once!

the Tree of Prosperity at Wynn Macau

Afternoon Tea at the Peninsula

Next Stop: Getting Enchanted in Taiwan

Dinner with Nini and Anna at Yu Joy