Here we are in Manila, Philippines. This is a beautiful water courtyard of the New World hotel. The hotel is actually in a district of Metro Manila called Makati.

A beautiful 5-star hotel. There is a shopping mall nearby also. Not cheap. But we'd definetly recommend the hotel when you're in town.

This is a picture of a tourist area not far from Manila, called Hidden Valley. There are examples of old bamboo work by locals, and displays of WWII hardware, and a beautiful water fall where you can get cooled off.

Very nice place to visit. Hidden Valley should be on your docket when visiting the Philippines.

Here at Hidden Valley is a display of a WWII military airplane. This one looks to be a U.S. Thunderbolt. These planes were used mostley by the U.S. Navy, on Navy land airports and aircraft carrier squadrons.

The "water buffalooo". A nice ride by water buffalo in the area of Hidden Valley. Bumper-to-bumper traffic in the U.S., where you're this close the back-end of the car in front of you, doesn't seem to bad all of a sudden.

The business end of the water buffalo, and the trolly we rode in on. What a ride! The engine just purred.. kind of..

Here in Hidden Valley we have locals showing tourists how bamboo baskets are made the traditional way.

Interesting. The traditional way in the U.S. is to order from Japan.

In Hidden Valley is this wonderful water fall. At the base, the water flows at ankle height and there are tables to sit at and eat at. People can come and have lunch near the water with their feet in the water, cooling them down. A wonderful feeling and area.

The Philippines, being so close to the equator, can be hot most of the year. This water, plus the jungle canope, makes a cool, wonderful experience.

We had a great time, and I'd definetly recommend stopping for lunch.

This view is at the Hidden Valley lunch area, with the waterfall behind the camera. Lot's of sitting areas, and the stream goes way back into the jungle.

Here is our little lunch group. Adelina and myself, along with Adelina's aunt Luz, and niece Mai, who live in the Philippines and was nice enough to show us around.

Another picture of our group having a cool lunch at "the valley".

After lunch, we had a chance to get up close and personal to the water fall, and get a few pics. Water was cool and great. So was lunch and the area.

This contraption, my friends, is jeepney. It is public transporation, like a bus in the U.S. Got to love it. They are all over the bigger cities.

More WWII gear at Hidden Valley. This is a Japanese tank on display.

A sign on the path. Adelina homes. Looks to be the 11th phase.

I didn't know that Adelina was a land baron back in the homeland!

Here we are visiting with a cousin of Adelina, Connie, who is on the right of the picture, next to me. Very nice home they have and they were very gracious to invite us to their home.

Besides Adelina to my right, is Adelina's Aunt Luz, and her niece, Mai.

Along the road we stop at a fast food place for burgers, Filipino style. Now THIS is GOOD service. An employee provides customers with shoulder massages while they eat. PRICELESS!

I've been disappointed with fast food here in the States ever since.

We headed to Subic Bay and the Baatan penninsula. This is where a lot of fighting in WWII happend and where General MacArthur was evaculated on orders from President Roosevelt.

Ultimately, the allies, thousands of U.S. Marines and Navy personnel, as well as thousands of Fillipino conscripts, were captured by the Japanese.

These prisioners were marched 100 miles to POW cames in the north, in the march known as the Baatan death march. Many prisoners were weak, wounded, or otherwise impared and dropped along the way; and were shot by the Japanese.

Adelina's father was part of the U.S. Army and was captured here also. He was part of the death march and almost died along the way. His story is a tale for another time, but very interesting.

Here is a pic of the modern street that was part of the road that consituted the path of the march. Hallowed ground!

Another picture in another location of the road that was part of the Baatan death march, where so many suffered and died. May the Lord bless all of them!

This pic of Adelina is inside our room at the Travelers Hotel, in Subic Bay. Subic Bay used to be a U.S. military base, but was closed in the the '80's.

The Philippines is now turning it into a tourist area with water sports, hotels, and casino's.

This is in the city of Antipolo. A good look at how "regular" people are doing life along a busy city street. Lot's of little street stands everywhere, with sellers selling everything.

Considering that there is a large population for poor people in the Philippines, this is a good way to sell goods. You get access to people directly and it doesn't cost much for a store.

Notice the various public and taxi tranportation vehicles around.

Here we are in Tarloc. Tarloc was the location of the Filipino Catholic Bishop. Adelina's cousin, Marivic (back row, to my right), knew the Catholic Bishop, Bishop Soc, and took us to meet him.

We had a lunch with him at his residence. A very nice and gracious man.

In this picture, besides myself and Adelina and Bishop Soc, is Marivic in the back left of picture and Marivic's niece to the back right. In the foreground of the picture to the left of the picture as you view it, is Aldia, Adelina mom's sister.

Here is a picture of Adelina's cousin, Marivics' living room. She had a beautiful home and was very gracious to open it up to us. Adelina's aunt, Aldia, is on the sofa.

Here we all are having dinner at Marivic's home. We had food offered to us everywhere. The Filipino people are so friendly and you can count on being offered breakfast, lunch, or dinner, everywhere you go, when visiting family.

We are on our way to Mount Sumat. Mt. Sumat is where a lot of WWII fighting happened. On our way, we saw a group of monkies along the side of the road. They posed for a pic.

Say cheez, dudes.........

Here we can see Mount Sumat in the distance. As mentioned above, there was a lot of WWII fighting in this area. The Philippines government put up this big cross on the hill. Also, you can't tell from the picture, but the monument is big enough to have people inside, and is an obervation platorm.

There are WWII armaments there as museum pieces to see, and informaton on the walls of the momument about the battles; especially the Baatan engagement and death march.

Closeup to the Mt. Sumat WWII monument in the Philippines. A solumn place indeed.

One of the many weapons on display at Mount Sumat WWII monument. Here is a Japanses infantry machine gun. Many Allies faced the business end of guns like these. Many are not here to tell about it.

On the building of the WWII monument on Mount Sumat, is information in Tagalog and in English of the Baatan battles and Baatan death march.

Relief monument on Mt. Sumat showing the difficulties and challenges the Allies faced during the Japanese invasion of WWII.

As mentioned in earlier pictures, the big cross on Mt. Sumat is an observation tower. This picture shows the view down the front from the observation deck. Prior pictures show the cross from the front looking up. So here is the opposing view.

Here we are inside the observation cross. The view is looking to the right side of the cross "arm", as you look at the cross from the front. Lot's of windows to view, and plenty of space.

As we come back from Mt. Sumat, we see a number of scuptures and momuments along the road, mostly at busy town intercetions.

These show military engagements, or, just examples, of battles and strife that the solders endured during the Japanese invasion of these islands in 1941-1942.

Here is the plaque at the monument in the prior picture, discussing the sacrifice of the men and women of the 38th Infantry Division.

Yes, there were U.S. Army women in the Phlippines when the U.S. deployed troops there before the start of the Pacific war. They were captured too, just like the men.

Here is an example of a urban street in the Philippines. This is the Subic Bay area. One of Adelina's cousins, Chona, lived up the road a-piece.

Here is a picture from Chona's balcony in the Subic Bay area. Chrona is the woman on the right. Next to Adelina is Adelina's aunt, Aldia, and her cousin, Marivic.

Inside Chona's home, Adelina has a picture with Chona's daugher. You can tell that she is the daughter of Chona, they look so much alike.

Keep in mind that this picture was taken in 2010, and kids grow up fast. This girl is a teenager now and taking her own pictures.

Close to Chona's home, Chrona's inlaws have a private beach area they own. Huts and fire pits they rent out. They reserved one for us and the family and we had a big beach party.

Filipino's like to sing Karaoki, and a portable machine was available. Being guests of course, we had to indulge.

I did a great rendition of "I Am Woman"....

Partying at the beach in the Subic Bay area. We had a wonderful time and everyone was terrific!

We stayed the night in a hotel in Subic Bay. Here is a picture with all our new found friends and relatives that were partying with us and traveling with us in various places.

Don't ask me to say all the names... but I can say they were all great people.

Back in Manila. We've seen Adelina's coursin Marivic in many pictures thus far. She helped us alot when we visited and even lent us her car and driver.

Many people in the Manila area that are upwardly mobile, have cars and hourly paid drivers, due to the horrific traffic. Most traffic lights in the greater Manila area, from what I saw, just did't work, creating all kinds of congestion and confusion.

Marivic worked in a high-rise business building as an HR V.P. Here is a downtown view from her office. Nice Marivic!

Another view of downtown Manila from Marivic's office.

Here is Marivic, Ana, one of Adelina's cousin, and Adelina, in Marivic's office.

This pic not only shows some of downtown Manila from Marivic's office, but in the distance is the island of Corregidor. This island was the main command center of General MacArthur during the defense of the Philippine islands during the Japanese invasion.

There is a good WWII museum on the island I understand. We didn't have time to go to the island during our visit. This is the biggest disappointment to our visit. I hope to one day get back and see this island and better understand the situation and sacrifice of those that defended it to the end.

Now this is something interesting to those in the U.S., where most of us are very lucky in the quality of life that all that being a U.S. citizen or resident, as to offer.

Looking down on the city from above, in one area, we see the group of what looks like a housing destruction zone. What it really is, is a area of what the Filipino's call "The Squatters". These are homeless people that coble togehter places to live with anything they can find. They build these (forgive me for saying.. ghetto) areas anywhere they can. Usually by some kind or area with water (could be rain runoff drainage areas).

Can't tell from here, but some of these "houses" are cardboard boxes, with maybe a tin room to hold off the rain.

The local government kind of tolerates these situations, since, if they remove the people, where would they go? There are so many low income Filipino citizens and little government help.

Back at the New World hotel in Manila. Nice place, as I say.

Our hearts are greatful, respectful, and above all, thankful, for being housed here, after seeing the Squatter areas that other people are forced to live in. THANK YOU LORD!

I mentioned earlier that at our Manila hotel, there was big shopping mall adjacent to it. Here I am availing myself of a foot and leg massage at the mall.

Had the opportunity to take a pic of myself in a mirror..... how sweet it is......

In a mall restaurant, Adelina had a chance to visit with one of here relatives. Adelina hadn't been back to the Philippines since she left 30 years prior, so catchup with old friends and relatives was always the order of the day.

Here we've moved to a suburb of Manila, called Makati. It was in Makati that Adelina grew up. It has changed quite a bit since Adelina lived in this neighborhood.

Here is a street right near her old home. Adelina would have walked these streets many times as a youngster.

Here is the property that Adelina lived in as a girl in Makati. But the house itself is different, and so was rebuild or had a signficant, major, overhaul.

This home is just up the street from Adelina's old home. A very good friend of her's (Yoly) lived there and still does! Adelina met with her and they had a great reunion!

We are visiting with Adelina's uncle; her father's brother, and his family. Adelina's brothers didn't have much information on what Adelina's father experienced during the war. But her Uncle did and I had a great opporunity to spend time with him and get information on Adelina's father, and her fathers experiences during the war.

Great visit and great people!

In visiting with Adelina's cousins, who lived in the Makati area near where Adelina lived at a youngster, we had some party time. They gave me a tee shirt of the Philippines.. very nice of them.

These people don't have a lot of money. But they were very generous with what they had and I was blessed every day with them.

Partying with Adelina's cousin's at their place. Great time, great people, great blessings!

As you can imagine, with WWII being so destructive to the Philippine islands, and with war having the habit of destroying pretty much everything (and thus, everything needing to be rebuilt), there are many places in the country where monuments and museums are located.

At the mall across from our hotel is a WWII museum that I was fortunate enough to have time to visit. This picture caught my attention because of the machine gunner in the center of the picture.

He is firing a caliber 30, belt fed, recoil operated, water cooled, submachine gun. This is the same weapon that my father used in fighting the war on the other side of the planet in Europe, during this same conflict.

God bless these solders for answering the call to duty and defending all that we have from the insanity of that time!

Lunch and a few brews with family, niece and nephew. Wonderful people!

Example of residental areas in the city.

This is San Ildefonso Catholic Church. This is the church that Adelina attended as a youngster in Makati. It's a beautiful church and congregation is wonderful.

I felt privilaged to be able to attend worship service at this place and connect with my wife's past.