I was awakened about 0530 with the smell of smoke and waited for the fire alarm to go off, then decided this may be from outside so I opened the veranda door and got a heavy whiff of wood smoke and other smells. Off to the right were the lights of a city. We had arrived off Manila Bay. The pilot boat came right out and with our pilot slowly entered the bay while the sun arose over the city and glowed through the cloud of air pollution. We tied up with our veranda pier side and a view of the city, the Coast Guard pier, the ferry pier and the anchorage. On Pier 13 a row of tents had been erected in front of which a high school brass band played and a carnival troupe of musicians and dancers pounded and danced. That was a nice welcome and got most of us warmed up for a pleasant visit. It took awhile to clear customs and immigration and in the meanwhile, family of Filipino crew started appearing, waiting in the assembled tents for their loved ones to get off duty. Arrangements had been made to allow these crew time off and to allow families aboard to see where their loved one works.
 |
| Dawn at Manila |
 |
| Welcoming music |
 |
| The Carnival musicians and dancers |
I had arranged for a very special tour for myself and Julie had opted to go into town with some friends. They went to to the shopping area and looked into batik clothing (made from pineapple) and other unusual items of clothing and material.
For me, the activities started with a short bus ride of about 12 blocks thorough heavy traffic to the Sun Ferry Terminal where I boarded a passenger ferry for the 26 mile, 1 ½ hour trip to the island of Corregidor, off the Bataan peninsula. After shooting through the anchorage of Manila Bay (itself awash in history) the sun came out and we arrived at the rock to a bright and hot day. We were met by a small bus with open sides and bench seats which ground its way up the hill from our landing to the old MP barracks, now a small hotel. There we had a fine Filipino lunch overlooking the landing and an old parade ground. After lunch a friend and I walked the grounds taking in the old railroad grade, a tunnel entrance, gun emplacements and marveled at the shell holes in the rocks and concrete. We toured the island stopping frequently to walk the sites, visiting topside hill with its ruins of Mile Long Barracks, Cine Corregidor (movie theater), officer quarters and family quarters, as well as post war construction sites of the Eternal Flame of Freedom, the Pacific War Memorial and the museum. We viewed the parade field and the Spanish Lighthouse. There were gun emplacements to see and a visit to the largest US WWII gun, still in place. The bomb crater next to it I testimony of its significance. The Japanese burial ground was a stop. We walked the memorial garden for Filipino fighters and leaders. The walk through the famous Malinta tunnel where the embattled defenders held a gallant stand was a culmination of the experience. For information and more photos visit these sites:
 |
| Malinta Tunnel |
 |
| Mile Long Barracks |
 |
| Mile Long Barracks - Topside |
 |
| Cine Corregidor (theater) |
 |
| Eternal Flame of Freedom memorial |
|
 |
| At the Pacific War Memorial--tribute to Filipino and American soldiers |
 |
| American gun w/bomb crater behind |
 |
| Main corridor, Melinta Tunnel |
 |
| "Mac", who did return |
 |
| Guns at Japanese burial site |
 | |
| Malinta Tunnel; North Entrance |
By dark I had returned to the ship and Julie and I felt tired enough to dine aboard and retire early so as to hit the adventure trail tomorrow.
The photos I post are only a few of the many I have taken; a fair warning to those upon who I inflict my videos and slideshows. These can be enlarged by double clicking on them or right click and enlarge.
No comments:
Post a Comment