3836 These are the dancers performing the headdress folding dance. They are just about to tie them up and put them on.
3856 These are the ladies doing the ‘Sunrise’ dance. D don’t know the official name but their headpieces look like rising suns so that’s their name. The lead dancer is currently up on the poles.
3816 The duet dancers. They were clearly the best dancers in this show.
3912 This is the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial. The tall structure going up into the tree is the chapel. On either side of the chapel are the Walls of the Missing. The one to the right is the Navy/Marine Corps, the one to the left is the Army and the Army Air Forces.
Typhoon Haiyan has become what the BBC is calling ‘one of the strongest typhoons in history’. It’s currently hitting the Philippines southwest of Manila. The track it took from formation through Yap and on to the Philippines was exactly where we would have gone on our original track. We would have sailed east by southeast from Manila to enter the Pacific Ocean near Leyte Gulf and then turned to the southeast, exactly where the storm traveled. It was packing sustained winds of almost 200mph when it made landfall in the Philippines with gusts going much higher. All this makes our captain and the HAL front office look like absolute geniuses to alter our course to the south and run by the typhoon at a distance of about 230 miles to the southwest of the storm. This put the strong winds and swell at our stern where the forward motion of the ship lessens and to a great extent negates the effect of those elements on the motion of the ship.
Nov 2 – At Sea. I have a feeling that we’re going to need today to get ready for our assault on the Philippines. It’s going to be hot and humid and we have two long days planned. Manila is a new place for us so there will be a lot of touristic pressure to see and do the area.
Nov 3 – Manila, The Philippines. This is another new country for us and so here’s the requisite background. The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is a sovereign island country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. The Philippines is the 73rd largest independent nation and has over 115,831 square miles of land. There are over 7,000 islands in the archipelago and is divided into three areas, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Manila is the capital city. It has a population of over 98 million people making it the 12th largest country in the world.
Because it’s made up of so many islands and covers quite a lot of ocean, various areas were settled by different groups of mainly Austronesian peoples. Some were Malay, others Hindu and still others Islamic. At one time, areas of the Philippines were ruled by a collection of Sultans, Datus, Lakans and Rajahs. These cultures blended over time and with the later influx of Chinese, bringing elements of their culture, the pre-European culture firmly established.
With Magellan’s landing in 1521, the Spanish era began. Twenty years later Ruy Lopez, another Spaniard arrived and gave the archipelago its name Las Islas Filipinas in honor of Philip II of Spain. The first step in Spanish colonization was taken in 1565 when Miguel López de Legazpi arrived from Mexico, then called New Spain, and started the first Spanish settlement. It was to remain a Spanish colony for over 300 years, 1565 to 1898. Manila became and important port and the starting point of the Manila-Acapulco galleons. Silver mined in Mexico and Peru was traded for Chinese silk, Indian gems, and the spices of the Spanish East Indies.
As the 20th century dawned the nation entered a turbulent period of insurrections (or revolutions, depending on your viewpoint) and wars starting with the Philippine Revolution. The resulting Philippine Republic didn’t last for long. This was followed by the Spanish-American War (which we all know) and the Philippine-American War (what?) after which the US became the dominate power in the area. This era was interrupted by the Japanese occupation during WWII. After the war, the Treaty of Manila made the country independent. We’re mostly aware of the tumultuous history of the area since then. They have battled with various revolutionary groups over the years, some communist, some Islamic, as well as problems in their own government, the Marcos’ and others.
The influence of Spain and the US has produced a blend of Eastern and Western cultures. There’s a definite Spanish influence on names here although there’s no clear link between ancestry and name. People with no Spanish ancestors commonly use Spanish names. The use of English is a remnant of US influence.
The City of Manila, where we’re docking, is located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay. It has about 1.5 million residents and is the second largest city in the Philippines. Only Quezon City has a larger population. These 1.5 million people all live in less than 15 square miles. It is the most densely populated city in the world with 177,000 inhabitants per square mile.
The city was taken over by Brunei and was mostly Islamic by the time the Spanish arrived. Manila, the "Pearl of the Orient", became a key link in the trade routes in the Pacific. I didn’t know this but Manila was the second most devastated city in the world after Warsaw during the Second World War. In 1948, President Elpidio Quirino moved the seat of government of the Philippines to Quezon City, a new capital city just outside Manila. During the dictatorship of President Ferdinand Marcos, the region of the Greater Manila Area was created as an integrated unit with the enactment of Presidential Decree No. 824 in 1975. On the 405th anniversary of the city's foundation in 1976, Manila was reinstated by Marcos as the capital of the Philippines for its historical significance as the seat of government since the Spanish Period.
It’s a dual-personality culture when it comes to language. Tagalog is the vernacular language although to avoid offending other people it’s now called Filipino. Tagalog in its Manila incarnation is the lingua franca of the entire country because it’s used on TV and radio and by Filipino entertainers. Conversely, English is the language used in most schools and businesses. Many ethnic families speak their national language at home in addition to Filipino and English for public use.
Most residents of Manila are Christians, mostly Roman Catholic, and another result of the long Spanish rule.
We were greeted at the pier by a dance troupe with band. The instruments were the familiar ones we’ve been seeing since Brunei. Their opening dance was unique in that the dance demonstrated how the ladies and men tie their headdresses. I’ve never seen that style of dance before and it was thoroughly enjoyable. The next dance I’m calling the Sunrise Dance because the ladies wore tiaras that looked like a rising sun. It started out with five of them all dancing in unison on the ground. After a couple of minutes four ladies formed a separate group and the single lady danced to where two men were standing with two bamboo poles, one across each of their shoulders. The men with the poles took a knee and she stepped onto the poles as though they were twin balance beams and the men hoisted her up as they stood. As the dance continued, she performed all the arm movements while the men walked around the other five dancers shifting her feet from one pose to another on the bamboo poles. It was a great demonstration of balance.
I had to leave the dancing before it concluded to join up with our tour around Manila. It’s an all-day venture that emphasizes both the old and new of the city.
Our first stop on the tour is the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial. I’ve been to quite a few memorial cemeteries around the world and this was one of the most interesting from several standpoints. The entrance is to a large traffic circle that has streets branching out into various sections of the park. A short way from the circle is a square with a fountain at the center. Across the square is a long grass mall that leads to the main memorial. The main memorial is circular but open on the mall end and the side directly opposite. That’s where the chapel is located. The circular open halls that form the two sides of the circle are known as the Wall of the Missing. In these hallways are marble tablets that list the names of the 38,286 missing in action and presumed dead from the war in the Pacific. The list includes 21 Medal of Honor recipients (There are an additional 8 in graves at the site.) Their names are marked with a bronze inverted 5-point star exactly like the one that’s suspended from the ribbon of the medal. Some names are marked with a small bronze wreath. These are the names of men whose remains have been recovered, identified and returned for burial. The left side as you face the chapel is dedicated to the Army and Army Air Force (Yes, the Army Air Corps, in the early 40s, was renamed the Army Air Force prior to becoming the United States Air Force just after the end of the war.) the right side is dedicated the Navy and Marines.
At the ends of the hemicycle walls are four rooms displaying 25 mosaic maps that illustrate significant campaigns in the War of the Pacific. They are some of the best maps of their type I have ever seen. Very informative. I found maps of the battles in which both Diana’s and my father participated, Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal and Bougainville (A battle in the Northern Solomons Campaign).
Some of the memorial walls are interesting, one in general and one in specific. The general interest wall lists the names of the five Sullivan brothers (Albert L., Francis H., George T., Joseph E. and Madison A.) who died together in the sinking of the same ship. There are 28 Sullivans listed on the wall. The names are listed alphabetically by last name and then first name so the brothers are not listed together but since they were the only Sullivans from Iowa, they are easy to identify. The wall with specific interest to me lists a Longenberger from Pennsylvania, Curtis T. a corporal from the 30th Bomber Squadron of the 19th Bomb Group. My great-grandfather’s name was Curtis and I’m wondering if this Curtis is a distant relative after whom he was named. I have to see if I can find out when I get home.
There are 17,097 headstones, 16,933 Latin crosses, 164 Stars of David. Of these graves, there are 3,740 graves of Unknowns. Most of the markers are carved in Italy from Italian marble but a few were done in Ramblon in the Philippines. As with all the Memorial Cemeteries, it’s a solemn and melancholy place. It’s impossible not to be moved by the silent rows of headstones. In this cemetery, the headstones are arrayed in curved rows that radiate out from the main memorial and match its curve, each successive row having a slightly wider arc.
The chapel is located in the southern open end of the walls. It looks more like a large memorial column than a chapel. On the front façade of the structure is a relief sculpture showing Saint George standing on the slain dragon at the bottom, above him are three ladies representing Liberty (holding a raised torch), Justice (holding scales) and Country (holding a scroll inscribed “Patria”). Atop this trio is Colombia, identifiable by her crown, holding a child representing the future. Inside the chapel is an altar with Alpha and Omega carved into the front. Atop it is a Cross flanked by a pair of 3-candle candelabras. One the wall behind the altar is a mosaic of a lady, garbed in white, scattering flowers. Above her is a dark cloud with rays of sunlight radiating down on her. In the air are three white doves, two up by the cloud, one descending toward the lady. The inscription at the bottom says, “To Their Memory Their Grateful Country Brings Its Gratitude As Flowers Forever Living.” done in gold tile.
It’s hard to say that you enjoyed a visit to a memorial cemetery but this one is impressive and very informative.
From the memorial to WWII, we headed downtown to a park that commemorates one of the galvanizing moments in Philippine history, the execution of José Rizal. As described on his memorial plaque, Dr. José Rizal was a “Filipino physician, propagandist, writer and patriot.” His “martyrdom fanned the flames of the Filipino Revolution of 1896 and inspired the Filipinos in their resolute and epic fight for freedom.” The park has a monument with a statue of Rizal at the front of the park. Off to the left and behind this monument is a memorial plaque on the spot where he was executed by firing squad. Nearby is a small monument to three priests who were executed by strangulation and who were convicted of treason, as was Rizal.
Another display in the park is a white statue showing a seated woman with a girl at her knee on the right side and a man, clad only in a cloth wrapped around his waist and hips, kneeling with his head bowed and in his left hand. It’s titled “The Filipino Mother” in Spanish. A flagpole west of the Rizal Monument is the Kilometer Zero marker for distances to the rest of the country. If you do an about face at the front of the park you’ll see the superstructure of the MS Amsterdam, that’s how close we are to the old part of town.
About 100 yards northwest of the execution site is a historical walled city that comprises the Intramuros District of Manila. A group of dancers dressed in black and gold with headdresses of yellow feathers welcomed us to the old walled city. They were accompanied by an all percussion band, this time using various sized of regular drums. In the northern part of the walled city is Fort Santiago, one of the oldest Spanish Stone fortresses in the country. Before the Spanish arrived, this area was the headquarters of Rajah Soliman the Hindu leader of Manila. Later the Spanish fortified the area and it was continually improved while they remained in control. Inside the fort is the barracks where Dr. Rizal was held during his trial. They have embedded bronze footprints on the path he walked as he left the fort to be shot.
The moat, walls and front gate of the fort are still intact. The north side of the fort is guarded by steep cliffs coming up from Pasig River. Some of the structures in the fort are still mostly intact. The Baluarte de Santa Barbara that overlooks the approach from the river was built in 1592. It has a magazine and vaults. On top is a large flat space for the mounting of artillery. It is aptly names as Saint Barbara is the patron saint of artillerymen. At the base of the baluarte are the Casa de Castellano (House of the Commandant) and the barracks for the men who manned the cannons. These were added in 1609. The US Army’s headquarters were built inside the fort’s walls in 1904 and the Japanese used it as a powder magazine and storage areas as a dungeon during WWII. 600 decomposing bodies were found here after the war ended in the Philippines.
After spending some time in the fort, we headed to the Legarda House. Built in 1937 in what was then one of the most fashionable areas of Manila, this was one of the first art deco houses to be built here. It’s an interesting place with quite a history. They imported much of the furnishings from Europe. Their fine china was Meissen from Dresden Germany. They have some of it on display on the walls of the dining room. This china was used when future president, William Howard Taft visited during his assignment as first commissioner of the Unites States to Manila. Our hostess told us that when the Meissen dishes were used the children had to stay up and wash the dishes because the servants were not allowed to touch them. We’re eating lunch here in the home’s dining room. Not on the Meissen but on very nice period china from Sevilla Spain.
Lunch was served by La Cocina di Tita Moning and it was very good. We had the owner’s, mother’s chicken relleno (literally Stuffed Chicken) and that’s what it was. This was accompanied by paella Valenciana that had more chicken, sausage, shrimp and vegetables in with the rice, baked creamed spinach and sautéed Ubod, a mild white fish. All this was topped off by Tata Moning’s bread and butter pudding with candied Pili nuts. The nuts are made with toothpicks inserted into the candy coating before it hardens. These nuts on a stick are then inserted into the bread pudding in rows, like a uniform forest of widely spaced trees.
They served what was described as ‘native hot chocolate, which turned out to be that slightly gritty but wonderfully flavored Caribbean style hot chocolate. They take a lump of almost pure chocolate and grate some of it into the hot liquid, milk or water. It has to be grated because it’s not easy to dissolve and the smaller the particles the better. If you swirl it in the cup the liquid sticks to the sides and you can see the miniscule particles of undissolved chocolate remaining. They served it with three mini-marshmallows and a cinnamon stick. I stirred the mixture with the stick until the marshmallows dissolved. That lightened the mixture and made it slightly less bitter. It is to hot chocolate as espresso is to coffee, not sweet at all, with a bitter dark chocolate flavor. I love it. A great meal, served elegantly in 1930s style.
One of the most visited places in Manila is the San Agustin Church, also in Intramuros. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a favorite wedding place of notable people. When we arrived, we couldn’t go into the church as a wedding was being conducted inside. Outside, in a white Jaguar with the motor running, another bride was sitting in air-conditioned comfort waiting for her turn in the church. Our guide says that having four weddings a day is common for this church and as many as six might be scheduled on a Saturday.
We were allowed into the cloisters and monastery hallways of the building to view the crowned image of Nuestra Señora de Consolación y Correa and other statues that are mounted on round carts to be pulled through the city during festivals. Actually, there were three statues of Mary and I don’t know which one is the Our Lady of Consolation and Strap? All three have crowns so that hint is no help. Will the real Nuestra Señora de Consolación y Correa please stand up! Each is beautiful in its own way. One has the largest crown complete with stars and is holding Jesus who has an orb with a cross atop. She’s standing on a cloud with small angel faces peering out of it. There’s a golden scepter in her other hand so if I was to give her a name it would be Mary, Queen of Heaven. Purple is the Biblical color of royalty and her robe is purple with gold designs. The second Mary is a tall and slim. She’s dressed entirely in white with a border of gold. She too has a crown but it’s a small, simple affair. On her chest, she has the Sacred Heart encircled by a single strand crown-of-thorns. I’m not completely sure of the meaning of that but I’ve seen it a few times before. It’s obviously related to her being the mother of Jesus and his destiny to be humiliated and then crucified, but I’m not sure of the specific meaning. She’s standing on a cloud that has the base of a tree supporting it. Her peaceful countenance and the simplicity of her garments make her the most attractive Mary of the three to me. My name for her, Virgin Mary of the Sacred Heart.
Eureka!! In looking at my pictures, I finally figured out which one is the famous one. It’s number three. She does have the most elaborate cart. It’s gold, but then they all are, and it has a small, haloed angel at each corner blowing a trumpet. She’s holding Jesus in her left hand but in this case, he’s not holding anything. Both are crowned. The key is that I finally saw what she’s holding in her right hand. It’s one end of a strap that circles her waist! She’s Our Lady of Consolation and Strap. Now someone is going to have to clue me in on the significance of the strap or belt. Both of the other Marys are holding a rosary in that hand. She’s dressed in gold and silver with a short, pure white veil over her longer gold and silver one.
On the way out of the church, I notice a sign proclaiming “450 years – Augustinians in the Philippines” (1565-2015). I guess they like to get an early start on any reason to hold a celebration.
After a warm and humid but still thoroughly enjoyable day, we headed back to the ship. No entertainer tonight, just the Big Screen movie, Man of Steel. I’ve seen it so this evening we’re retiring early as our trip tomorrow leaves the ship at 6:30am
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