THE EASTERN HOTEL

Usually when I plan a trip to a new place I will go to the library to learn a little about it and locate hotels. This was my first visit to Seoul Korea and hadn't planed to stop there, Changed my plans in flight and good old United Airlines permitted the layover without with penalty. So i checked the hotel Info. Desk at the airport and they recommended the Eastern.When the taxi stopped in front I started to change my mind, The driver said "very fine hotel. Why not,so I went in. In all the time that I was there, I didn't see one caucasian but I couldn't ask for better service and the food was great. I did wander a lot about what went on on the top floor. And later wished I hadn't chickened out and had given it a try. Who knows I might have taken up residence in Korea.

THE JEEPNEY

By far the most popular mode of transportation in the Philippines. It is an elongated jeep with two seats running lengthwise in the back. I thought it was the greatest. When I was in a new area I wanted to sit with the driver so that I could see the area a little better. No problem, most people prefer the back. The regular jeep, still popular is called the MACARTHUR jeep.

RUSSIAN EMBASSY

This is the Russian embassy in Makati, Metro Manila. My pensionne was next door. Knowing the history of pensionne in Europe, I wouldn't have gone there, but it was highly recommended by a native I met in the Macarthur hotel (the name has since been changed) where I was staying at the time. By the end of the first couple of weeks it was just like a big happy family. Including add'l visits to the Philippines I stayed there for over seven months until the owner gave me her son's vacated four room apartment, for the same price at another location. It had a large kitchen with a dining area. My permanent guide or his wife would do the cooking.

PAGSANGHAN FALLS

This really isn't much of a waterfall in our standards, probably about the size of the one in Yosemite park here. It is the game they play with it that works so well. Constantly filled with tourists from all over the world. When you arrive in the nearby city it starts. Cab drivers want to take you to the starting point for a small fortune. I was lucky to have my permanent guide (which I highly recommend for first time visitors), we took a cab to a hotel near the river. We didn't rent a room, just a space to change clothes and store whatever luggage we had. The clerk advised us to wear nothing but a T shirt and shorts. The clerk then summoned a boat. Don't ask me how that was done. Two men came up to the back of the hotel in a canoe type boat and away we went.

RIVER FROM PAGSANGHAN FALLS

A beautiful wide and peaceful river. Little did I know what was ahead. If I was an oresman and new what was ahead, I would be at another place looking for other work.

BOAT RIDE

The boat people new their work an it was a beautiful wide smooth river UNTIL we came to the boulders that were side by side and even stacked up clear across the width of the river. One oresman stayed in the back pushing as much as he could with his oar. The poor man in front really had his work cut out for him, pushing, puling and lifting. He must have really needed work.

MORE BOULDERS

Poor guys, will this ever end? The same thing & I made up my mind then that the tip would be 50% of what the fee had been and told my guide to give it to them when we got back to the hotel. Money well spent.

TOLL BOOTH

This was more of a canopy than a booth but the result was the same. The oarsmen took us over, paid the fee and up the river we went.

RICE FARM

This is a mountain with small terraces all down the side, where the farmers plant and grew rice. Rice is a very important product in the Philippines and driving down the highway you can see bags or even piles of rice just laying there. I asked my guide if sometimes rice would be stolen and he said "God help the person who ever tries". I never saw a guard around, it is a puzzle to me because theft appears be to as common there as it is here. Found out later that rice is sacred and thieves are afraid to get involved.

IGOROTS

Just looking around and these colorful ladies saw the camera and asked if I would like to take a picture of them, Of course I take pictures of everything especially if it is unusual. After the picture was taken, they advised me that a fee was involved. Of course I didn't want to give my whole cassette away. The real curious thing was that in this area the adults as well as children regularly wore little more than a loin cloth, the ladies a little something around their shoulders also.

MAYON VOLCANO

This volcano is in a lake and hasn't done severe damage for many years. The last bad eruption was many years ago and all that was left visible was the steeple of the church. As you can see, it must have been quite a large church.

LITTLE ELVIS

One of my favorite things about the Philippines is the singers ability to mimic singers from other parts, ie: Sinatra, Crosby, Como and many others and that isn't restricted to Metro Manila. Even better than that, night club costs are minimal. This club is owned & operated by Hobbits. This one mimics Elvis Presley and does a great job of it and he is almost four feet tall too.