Palawan, Philippines

We had an amazing time in Palawan.  It's hard to describe just how beautiful this place is.  Hopefully these pictures will give you some  idea.

Our first night in Palawan.  We were invited to the major's dinner party because Mary Ann's Cousin Ike plays for the band!  Very Cool!

Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro in the northeast to Borneo in the southwest. It lies between the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea. The province is named after its largest island, Palawan Island, measuring 450 kilometres (280 mi) long, and 50 kilometres (31 mi) wide.^[3][4]

View from the front of our room

This is the place to stay when in Palawan!

With family at the Crocodile Farm

Meet my six year old friend!

Entrance to seafront restaurant Badja

Purely by coincidence, we each had napkins that matched our shirts!  What are the odds?

Incredible food!

Scene from a Palawan market store

He was a bit shy!

They loved the camera!

They made those sling-shots themselves.

View of our boat #41.

Mary Ann being helped on the boat.

20 min boat ride to the Underground River.

Monkeys ?

30 seconds later...the first monkey I have ever seen in the wild!

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located about 50 km north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. It features a limestone karst mountain landscape with an 8.2 km. navigable underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. It includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and several large chambers. The lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences. The underground river is reputed to be the world's longest. At the mouth of the cave, a clear lagoon is framed by ancient trees growing right to the water's edge. Monkeys, large monitor lizards, and squirrels find their niche on the beach near the cave.

Entrance to the Underground River.  The Underground River may be one of the official 7 natural wonders of the world soon!  Voting is going on right now.

Proof we got on the boat!

Very strange rock formations throughout the cave

On our way back out

Our Boat Man.  He rows this boat 8 hours a day!

Pictures don't do justice to the beauty of this place!

My beautiful Wife!

Future site of our vacation home.

We walked about 100 feet through water.  I almost slipped and fell had it not been for a 95 pound guide girl that saved me!

Star Fish were everywhere on Snake Island!

Water temp was about 80 degrees on Snake Island.

There are no snakes on Snake Island.  It gets its name for the shape of the shoreline.  Seen from above, the Island looks like a snake.

One of four different color Star Fish we saw that day.

Our Hut on the Island

Very peaceful place.

I hope you enjoyed these pictures of Palawan.

Cavite City, Philippines

We had a wonderful time in Cavite.  The local people are all so friendly and eager to help in any way they can.  Take a look at some of the photos from our trip below.  These pictures are a good example of daily life here.  The average wage of the people we spoke with is only about 8 dollars a day.  Despite this seemingly low wage people here seem happy and content with their life and what they have.  These are hard working people that always find a way to earn a living!
Here is a brief history of Cavite:
Cavite is named as the Historical Capital of the Philippines. It is the cradle of Philippine Revolution, and the birthplace of Philippine Independence.

Cavite got its name from a Tagalog word kawit (which means hook) owing to the hook-shaped land on the Old Spanish map. The land was formerly known as "Tangway" where Spanish authorities constructed a fort from which the city of Cavite rose. Archeological evidence in coastal areas show prehistorical settlements. According to local folklore, the earliest settlers of Cavite came from Sulu or Borneo. In the 17th century, encomiendas or Spanish Royal land grants were given in Cavite and Maragondon. Jesuit priests brought in settlers from Mollucas. These settlers, known as "Mardicas," set Other settlements grew and by the turn of the century, Cavite towns were already trading with one another. Traditional industries began to thrive as Manila's commerce grew. In 1872, Filipinos launched their revolt against Spain. Three Filipino priests—Jose Burgos, Mariano Gomez and Jacinto Zamora—were implicated in the Cavite mutiny when 200 Filipinos staged a rebellion within Spanish garrisons. On August 28, 1896, when the revolution against Spain broke out, Cavite became a bloody theater of war. Led by Emilio Aguinaldo, Caviteños made lightning raids on Spanish headquarters, and soon liberated the entire province. Aguinaldo commanded the Revolution to its successful end: the proclamation of the Republic of the Philippines, on June 12, 1898 in Kawit, the first constitutional republic in Asia, and third established overall, after the Lanfang Republic in 1777, and the Republic of Formosa in 1895.

Cavite proudly stands as a place with a glorious past. Its warm and friendly people, whose ancestors came down with a noble cause, manifest industry and patience in various skills and professions, openly receptive to the entry and exchange of culture and technology that are of value to the province.

This is Aling Letty.  She has owned and operated the small neighborhood store you see behind her since 1967!  Very convenient when you need creamer for your coffee or want a beer!

Mussels & Oysters.  Cavite - home of Tahong and Talaba.

He is preparing a coconut for me!

My first time drinking coconut juice right out of the shell.  Awesome!

He is preparing a cake called Bibingka.  Hard to describe how good it is!

This tricycle rider insisted I take his picture.  

No words needed to describe what this cat is thinking!

She is selling local Sea Salt.

We made a new friend at the market.  She followed us everywhere.

It's OK to sample your own food!

This market in Cavite opens at 5:00 AM.  Come early, and get the best and freshest selection.

You can get any cut of meat imaginable here.

Here is my wife preparing a Philippine delicacy, Balut.  Balut is an egg with the embryo still intact.  It's one of the few things I did not try even though most people I spoke with love it! 

You can buy rice of different qualities everywhere.

This guy is selling Fish Balls.  Fish fried in rich batter and rolled into balls.  

You can buy one cigarette at a time if you like.  No need to buy a pack!

This picture is a great example of how outgoing and friendly the Filipino people are. 

This basket looks like it's not too heavy.

Wrong!

This lady came down the street of our house every morning.

Every morning around 7:00AM you would hear "Taho."  Grab your Paso's and run outside to get your fresh and warm Taho. Taho is a tasty drink made from soy that has the consistency of yogurt.

See you tomorrow!

I was standing on the street corner with my camera in hand.  When he saw me he waved hello.  Cool!