Boracay, Philippines .

Roy was a great tour guide.  He drove us over much of the seven mile long, one mile wide island.  He told us there were two types of weather on Boracay……hot,  and hot and rainy…..we would have enjoyed a bit of rain to cool things down. 

 Boracay is a small island in the central part of the Philippines Archipelago.   It is almost identical in size to Anna Maria Island (7 miles long and about 1 mile wide).   It’s famous for its white sand beaches and crystal clear water, both of which were spectacular!  Also spectacular was the greeting we received as we disembarked the ship.   There was more drumming, dancing and the presentation of a necklace to passengers.   

We love the welcomes we’ve been getting!

Similar to our first Philippines stop of Curimao, this was a port that required the use of tenders.   It seemed as if the tendering operations were much smoother today, and we were off the ship quickly.    

We hired a young man named Roy to show us around the island for a couple of hours. Roy’s vehicle was the most common type of transportation around the island, a large motorized tricycle that was actually designed to accommodate up to six adults.  

We enjoyed our time touring with Roy and were able to see a majority of the “very tropical” island.  At the end of our two hours Roy dropped us off at White Beach which is approximately 2 1/2 miles long and quite popular.  

Puka Beach…….a small beach on the north end of the island.  It was mostly being enjoyed by local families.  

Another picture from Puka Beach.  Beth tells me my hair is growing out nicely.  It’s been about 10-12 days since it was cut.  It’s about the length she cuts it to.  

Hole in the Rock!

More of the Hole in the Rock….none of us!

“Very tropical” means very hot!  It felt like we were back in Florida during the middle of the summer.  Both the temperature and humidity were in the 90’s.  We were both glistening (actually drenched) with sweat.  We found a bit of relief at Jonah’s Fruit Shake Shack, which has been cooling off hot tourists and locals since 1983.

Even if it was only temporary, Jonah’s provided some much needed relief from the heat!

Feeling somewhat revitalized by the fruit shakes and some time sitting under one of the huge trees along the beach front, we enjoyed walking the length of the beach back to the ship.  The pictures below were all taken along White Beach on our walk back.

Amazing water!

It was a bit cooler in the shade!

Very white sand and very wide beach

Stopped for refreshments along the walk

Looking back at White Beach  

How hot and humid was it?   I had to empty the backpack and put it on the balcony to let the sweat it had absorbed dry out.   Now that’s hot, hot, hot! 

Manila, Philippines

 

A warm welcome to Manila!

Day 2 of our Philippine adventure was spent in, and around the capital city of Manila.  As with the previous day, we were enthusiastically greeted at the port by dancers and drummers who seemed genuinely happy to see us.  Manila is huge, so we decided that a guided tour would be our best option.   

We selected a tour that would give us a glimpse of the city as well as some time outside the city.  We first stopped at the monument dedicated to the Philippines National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal.  

In front of the Dr. Jose Rizal Memorial in Manila.  I sent a picture of it to my good friend Dr. Fred Angeles who is Filipino.  He knew immediately where I was and even used the words “Our National Hero”.  He also told me that in a round about way, and through a marriage,  that he is almost distantly related.   Dr. Angeles is not only a great surgeon, he’s a celebrity!

Dr. Rizal, who was an ophthalmologist, was the inspirational leader in the Philippines attempts to breakaway from Spanish rule in the 1890’s.  While the movement was ultimately successful, Dr. Rizal did not live to see his dream come true.  He was executed near the spot of the monument in 1896 at the age of 35.  Our tour guide gave us a good analogy when he told us that Dr. Rizal is to the Filipino people what George Washington is to Americans.   

The November 1 national holiday actually spills over to November 2, so as we made our way out of the city we once again dealt with traffic that we were told was “heavier than normal”. Our destination was the resort area of Tagaytay Ridge.  The ridge is perched high up above an active volcano, that sits inside another volcano, which is surrounded by a very large lake.  To the best of our recollection, this is the first time we’ve ever seen a volcano inside a volcano, surrounded by a lake.  Although it was somewhat cloudy, we enjoyed the view and a nice lunch at one of the resort hotels.  As we made our way back to the ship we felt somewhat like celebrities.  We had a bus caravan with a police escort.  The escort wasn’t for security purposes, but to assist the bus drivers as they navigated the holiday traffic. 

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On the way to Tagaytay Ridge we made a couple of stops. This is a historic pipe organ in a Catholic Church (80% of Filipinos identify as Catholic) What makes the organ unique is that the 900+ pipes are bamboo

The church alter. There was an organist playing the organ.  The acoustics in the church made it sound great. 

The fresh fruit at the fruit and flower stand was very colorful and inviting. 

Smoke rising from the volcano that’s inside a volcano and surrounded by a lake. 

We were framed on Tagaytay Ridge!

There are thousands of these old converted military vehicles in Manila that are packed with folks trying to get from point A to Point B

Manila was interesting to see.  It’s a combination of everything, from extreme prosperity to extreme poverty living side by side.  Approximately 40% of all Filipino citizens are living below the “poverty line”.  We were reminded of how fortunate we are, and the opportunities we have to make the world a little better for those less fortunate. 

Curimao & Vigan City, Philippines

 

The Philippines……Day one of four!

After our three days in Taiwan, we set sail (or at least the captain set sail) for the Philippines.  The Philippines are made up over over 7,000 islands and have a population of around 118 million.  The capital city of Manila is the largest city with just under fifteen million residents.  

We will be spending four days in the Philippines, visiting four different islands.  I guess we’ll have to make another trip or two to check off the remaining islands.  

Our first port of call was Curimao.  It’s a relatively small municipality (pop. 12,215), but they gave us a big time welcome with drummers, dancers and souvenir necklaces as we stepped off the ship.   We’ve since learned that we are one of the first ships arriving this cruise season, and sometimes the very first ship of the season. So we have been greeted enthusiastically at every port.  

Curimao is the gateway port to Vigan City, which is about 80 minutes away by bus.  At the last minute we booked a ship tour to Vigan City, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It earned this designation because it’s the most intact example, in Asia, of a Spanish Colonial town (it was founded in the 1600’s by Spanish Conquistadors.).

Heading out on the tour bus.  I wasn’t sure if I should be comforted or concerned by the “Oh Lord Bless Us!” sign.  

As it turned out it was kind of a “hurry up and wait” day.   First , Curimao is a port where it is necessary to take a tender to reach the dock.  The tenders were slow to get started and it was about a 20 minute ride once they finally got going.  

Next, we learned that it was a National Holiday called “All Saints Day”.  Which is similar to Mexico’s “Day of the Dead”.   Families were gathered in cemetery’s along the roadside, many sharing meals, lighting candles and remembering those who had left this earth. I assume Vigan City was busier than normal because of the holiday,  and the roads were packed both ways.

Our tour was called “Vigan City On Your Own”.   We got a little information on the area on the bus, but it was mainly just transportation.   We made a somewhat feeble attempt to tour a bit on a form of a tuk-tuk (motorcycle with a SMALL side car).  The side car could have semi comfortably accommodated two 3-5 year olds, not two full sized adults.  After the first stop we paid the driver for his time and spent the rest of the time roaming around the historic settlement on foot.

Our grandkids, James and Emma are 7 and 3.  It would have been somewhat crowded for them in that sidecar.  It just wasn’t going to work for us!

They were so happy to see us, they were dancing in the streets! 

Wonderful old Spanish Architecture!

The horse drawn carriages added to the ambiance.  

We had worked up an appetite roaming around.  Our guide had shared with us that Empanadas are a traditional food for this region. Casa Jardin was doing a brisk business so we moseyed on in.  

The empanada was made to order and fried, not baked. 

It was huge and delicious!  For the record we spilt it.

After a fun few hours we made our way back to the bus.  We arrived back at the dock only to find the tenders back to the ship were moving slowly.  

This was really no big deal.  It gave us time to reminisce on the day’s adventure.  Besides, we really had no place we needed to be!

Beth took the two great sunset pictures from the tender. The first one is a cargo ship that was docked in the harbor.  The second one is the Norwegian Jewel. 

Kaohsiung, Taiwan……

Strolling the Kaohsiung waterfront.  That’s the music center performing arts building in the background. 

Our final port of call in Taiwan was Kaohsiung, which is located in southern Taiwan.  We’ve seen quite a few cruise terminals around the world.  Some have been really nice, while others resemble dilapidated warehouses.  Without question the nicest one we’ve ever seen is the one in Kaohsiung.  It opened on March 6, 2023 and is spectacular both inside and out.  

The Norwegian Jewel docked beside the new cruise terminal 

Mei-Ling, our wonderful  advisor for all things Taiwan had some suggestions for us.  We took off on foot heading for the Pier 2 Arts Center.  The Arts Center is a collection of old warehouses that have been repurposed into restaurants, shops, breweries and galleries.  The walk was about 2 miles along a waterfront trail with the harbor on one side and buildings that would be an architects dream on the other.  The Art Center was very interesting to roam around.  Thanks to Mei-Ling we even knew to find Sunny Hill Labs, a bakery that give samples of delicious cake and tea.  

We’d walk a long way on a hot day for complimentary cake and tea!

The Pier 2 Arts Studio….a great example of repurposing an older area!

Look closely…..they even repurposed an old water faucet and created art!

There was outdoor art all along the waterfront!

Pedestrian bridge near the Pier 2 Art Center

After enjoying the Art Center we made the decision to head back towards the City Center.  This turned out to be a painful decision…….possibly one of the most painful decisions of our lives!

We decided to get a foot massage.  We’ve had foot massages in different places on previous trips and they have always been pleasurable and relaxing.  Not this time!   This was the real deal, a genuine deep tissue massage administered by two gentlemen,  that although small in stature were strong.  They knew how to use their strength to apply immense amounts of pressure in ways that practically reduced us to tears.  

In a 50 minute massage session the first 15 minutes are devoted to the neck and shoulder area. I thought when they were working on my shoulders “this is going to be pretty nice”.   Beth’s thoughts were a little different. She was thinking if she could just make it through the neck and shoulder part she could start relaxing when the foot massage started. Turns out we were both wrong!

Beth and Assassin #1

Me and Assassin #2. I thought if I looked like I was happy and enjoying it, he’d take it easy on me…..it didn’t work!

Beth reported that her massage was around 98% torture and 2% pleasure.  She said one time she looked over and I looked so relaxed that I appeared to be asleep.  I told her that I must have passed out!

After about 50 minutes our masseuses bowed, signifying that concluded our torture session and that it was time to pay for all the fun we had.   We paid and gingerly started walking back to the ship recounting our personal experiences.  

Enjoying a post massage snack at 7-11. They’re as common and nice in Taiwan as they are in Japan.  They’re also multipurpose. In addition to the typical things you expect to be able to purchase, residents can pay their bills, have online orders delivered and held for pickup and much, much more 

After it was all said and done our feet and legs did feel great.  We’re not sure if it was because of the massages or if we felt better simply because the pain had stopped.   Either way, since we survived, it’s another travel story to add to the collection.   

Would we do it again?  Given the choice between another authentic deep tissue foot massage or being water boarded…we’d have to think it over.

Our three days in Taiwan were absolutely amazing and trust me, I’d say that even if we didn’t know Mei-Ling….but we’re so happy that we do!

Keelung & Taipei, Taiwan

 

One of many treats we sampled at the Keelung Night Market!

As I had mentioned in a couple of previous blogs, what we’re doing is actually a combination of three separate cruises rolled into one.  The first cruise was Seattle to Tokyo.  The second cruise was Tokyo to Keelung.  When we arrived at Keelung on Monday, October 30, we said goodbye to several couples we had met along the way who ended their cruise in Taiwan.  We are two of about five hundred passengers who are continuing on to Singapore.   We were joined by around 1800 newbies in Keelung.

We loved our first stop in Taiwan so much, and were looking forward to two more days in Taiwan before heading onward.   Because of Keelung being a disembark and embark port we had a very nice long day to explore.  

We wanted to see some of Taiwan’s capital city, Taipei, which was about forty minutes away.  We decided that the most efficient use of our time would be to take one of the excursions offered by the ship called “Highlights of Taipei”.  A more appropriate name for the tour might have been “Just a few of the highlights of Taipei”. The city looked absolutely amazing.  We enjoyed time at the National Museum staring at artifacts dating back as far as the fourteenth century BC.  The museum was huge and has so many items in their collection that many displays are rotated every few months.  

The Taipei 101 Tower.  At one point it was the world’s tallest building.  It’s still in the top ten.  

In front of the National Museum.  It’s much larger and nicer than the picture shows.  

This wine vessel was from the fourteenth century BC. 

Next we headed to the Chaing-Kai-sheck Memorial.  Chaing-Kai-sheck was the President of the Republic of China from 1949 until his death in 1975.  The memorial and the surrounding gardens are amazing.  Equally amazing was the drive from the museum to the memorial.   It would be an understatement to say Taipei is a beautiful city.  The clean, tree lined streets of the city center were a highlight of the tour as well.  

Outside the Chaing-Kai-sheck Memorial.   It has elements of both the Taj Mahal and Lincoln Memorial in its design.  

 

There are 89 steps leading up to the memorial. One for every year of Chaing-Kai-sheck’s life

The National Opera House is on the Memorial Grounds. 

Chaing-Kai-sheck looking out is modeled after the Lincoln Memorial.

Along the drive to and from Taipei we were kept entertained and informed by a really good tour guide.  She was born in Taiwan and interestingly, she did part of her education at the University of Kansas.  She said there is a concerted effort to continue to develop tourism in Taiwan and encouraged us to share our experiences and encourage others to visit.  

We returned to Keelung in plenty of time to take in the world famous Keelung Night Market.  The name is a little misleading, since it opens at noon.  It was mid-afternoon when we arrived and it was already buzzing.   The night market is a collection of street food vendors and shops lining several pedestrian only streets.  Well, they’re kind of pedestrian only”, you do have to keep a close look out for mopeds!  We learned that Taiwan’s population is around 23 million and that there are over 10 million mopeds zipping around. 

The Keelung Night Market!  Keeping an eye out for mopeds. 

We started slow with the street food, but picked up confidence and momentum as we navigated the market. A few things such as the “nutritious sandwich (booth 58), dumplings, noodles and a wonderful frozen treat like ice cream or sherbet.  Anthony Bordain had spent some time sampling some of the food in the night market.  We probably played it a little safer than he did, but hopefully we made him proud.  

Delicious dumplings!

We sailed out of Keelung around 8:00 PM as the light of the Keelung Harbor constantly changed colors.  The kaleidoscope of colors in the sky and reflecting on the water provided a great send off and fitting end to a fun filled day!

Keelung Harbor!