The Philippines

Where Asia Wears A Smile

It was one of the most interesting trips of my life. Kind of put the passion back in it. Embarked from Guam with Menie and Danny, two friends that grew up in the Philippines. After a couple of weeks, I even ventured out on my own for one week.

The Philippines is an archipelago of 7000 islands, complete with tropical rain forests, mountain highlands, active volcanos, great beaches, and wonderful tropical waters great for scuba diving. With a total population of over 70 million people some parts seem crowded. Metro Manila alone has a population exceeding 10 million. But once out of Manila things thin out and agriculture is a way of life for most people.

The Philippines would be considered poor by western standards. I found a country with very friendly people, a rich culture, and an educated population. Most people can understand three languages and just about everyone, including in the small villages, can understand some English. Most signs and restaurant menus are in English as it is their language of commerce.

I understand why General Douglas MacArthur made sure he did return. I bet he had fun in the Philippines too.

You can take several pictorial journeys to the places listed above. You will return to this page after each journey. Don't be in a hurry as the images for the next page are downloaded while you view the current page. Some images have loaded already while you have read this.