tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18461300815517246282024-03-13T07:46:02.692-07:00tlctoursGustafson Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18269415292406298886noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1846130081551724628.post-69418892258876370292009-11-28T05:36:00.000-08:002009-11-28T05:46:11.797-08:00tlc Tea<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SxEpenf3HTI/AAAAAAAACZU/AKefoDM5IuY/s1600/tlc+Tea+020.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SxEpenf3HTI/AAAAAAAACZU/AKefoDM5IuY/s320/tlc+Tea+020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409150233424108850" border="0" /></a>Boil chunks of ginger with a few cloves and some cinnamon bark in a pot of water. It's lovely for a sore throat or just a refreshing tea. It's great piping hot, tepid or ice cold. We just keep a pot on the stove and add water/ginger/spices as needed.Gustafson Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18269415292406298886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1846130081551724628.post-27664337246346845552009-01-03T02:22:00.000-08:002009-01-03T07:16:10.863-08:00<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV8-ABGmX0I/AAAAAAAABpU/_14Ax_CdqE0/s1600-h/Dhave%27s+Day+Two+042.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287012657573289794" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV8-ABGmX0I/AAAAAAAABpU/_14Ax_CdqE0/s320/Dhave%27s+Day+Two+042.JPG" border="0" /></a>We packed really quite a lot into the day today, beginning with a trip to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">petroglyphs</span></span>--thought to be 5,000 year-old carvings into the stone near <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Angono</span></span>.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV-APu_ROnI/AAAAAAAABq0/riuPY7SHFs8/s1600-h/petroglyphs.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287085495356045938" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 323px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 222px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV-APu_ROnI/AAAAAAAABq0/riuPY7SHFs8/s320/petroglyphs.bmp" border="0" /></a>The two main images are of women in birth and of probably myth-size sea turtles. But what I like to point out to people in terms of Philippine heritage is the way that people are portrayed alongside nature and mystery, not in conquest as we might expect, but in even surprising <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">peacability</span></span>. Characteristically Filipino.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV8-AcktI1I/AAAAAAAABpc/dno41X0_PJ8/s1600-h/Dhave%27s+Day+Two+065.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287012664947319634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV8-AcktI1I/AAAAAAAABpc/dno41X0_PJ8/s320/Dhave%27s+Day+Two+065.JPG" border="0" /></a>On the way to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Balaw</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Balaw</span></span> restaurant, one of my favorite places to visit, we <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">stopped</span> at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Blanco</span></span> Tree for a bird's-eye view <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Laguna</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">de</span></span> Bay and the surrounding area.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV8-Ale2mSI/AAAAAAAABpk/itnkqldAPRY/s1600-h/Dhave%27s+Day+Two+066.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287012667338692898" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV8-Ale2mSI/AAAAAAAABpk/itnkqldAPRY/s320/Dhave%27s+Day+Two+066.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />In addition to all the cultural adaptation that has gone on in the Philippines over the last five hundred years or so, from this high up you can see the geographical change the island has undergone over the last several thousand.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV8-BG0jrqI/AAAAAAAABps/nN6K7Tqks4s/s1600-h/Dhave%27s+Day+Two+072.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287012676288097954" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV8-BG0jrqI/AAAAAAAABps/nN6K7Tqks4s/s320/Dhave%27s+Day+Two+072.JPG" border="0" /></a><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Balaw</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Balaw</span></span> was built by a national artist named Perdigon <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Vocalan</span></span> who combined culinary delight with interior design and the fine arts to create a dining/viewing experience that is of a kind. His joy in an almost ridiculous plurality in close proximity (maybe most <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">characteristically</span> portrayed by a tree growing out of rock) is a contemporary pair with the 3,000 B.C. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">petroglyphs</span></span>.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV9T4XrUoPI/AAAAAAAABp8/RQHcGyk36Yk/s1600-h/Dhave%27s+Day+Two+084.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287036715449753842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV9T4XrUoPI/AAAAAAAABp8/RQHcGyk36Yk/s320/Dhave%27s+Day+Two+084.JPG" border="0" /></a>Then we took the Philippine's famous <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">jeepney</span></span> to the market in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Taytay</span></span>.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV8-BbcUa2I/AAAAAAAABp0/tgcEWj3vTIk/s1600-h/Dhave%27s+Day+Two+076.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287012681823578978" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV8-BbcUa2I/AAAAAAAABp0/tgcEWj3vTIk/s320/Dhave%27s+Day+Two+076.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />If you visit the Philippines and don't ride one of these noisy, crowded, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">polluted</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">polluting</span> means of public transportation--how are you going to claim your credentials as a tourist?<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV9T4nXB6cI/AAAAAAAABqE/oNNfLc7_dfE/s1600-h/Dhave%27s+Day+Two+086.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287036719659608514" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV9T4nXB6cI/AAAAAAAABqE/oNNfLc7_dfE/s320/Dhave%27s+Day+Two+086.JPG" border="0" /></a>The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Halvorsens</span></span> were anxious to learn everything they could about their adoption country, and the local market is full of all kinds of curiosities and living character.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV9T4zJdoGI/AAAAAAAABqM/jJ8ieWPhF4E/s1600-h/Dhave%27s+Day+Two+087.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287036722823929954" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV9T4zJdoGI/AAAAAAAABqM/jJ8ieWPhF4E/s320/Dhave%27s+Day+Two+087.JPG" border="0" /></a>Deborah gave a great tour of all the fruits and vegetables we eat at various stages of ripeness. Lot's of--"No, really?"--s.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV9T5C9liUI/AAAAAAAABqU/2Vw5yzr3Nsk/s1600-h/Dhave%27s+Day+Two+091.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287036727069083970" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SV9T5C9liUI/AAAAAAAABqU/2Vw5yzr3Nsk/s320/Dhave%27s+Day+Two+091.JPG" border="0" /></a>And just up the street from <em><u><strong>the little children's home</strong></u></em> now, is a full-fledged shopping mall (SM), with all the Western goodies that make you feel at home.Gustafson Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18269415292406298886noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1846130081551724628.post-29732319216642784592008-06-12T20:35:00.000-07:002008-12-09T00:00:10.792-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SFHsCPXGkCI/AAAAAAAAA_E/InLmWhwkULk/s1600-h/Butterfly+Farm+-+Close-Up.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SFHsCPXGkCI/AAAAAAAAA_E/InLmWhwkULk/s320/Butterfly+Farm+-+Close-Up.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211205767071698978" border="0" /></a>The Butterfly Farm in Antipolo is one of our favorite places to take visitors to our area.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SFHsr1jgbNI/AAAAAAAAA_k/w9Mx4UqH84U/s1600-h/Butterfly+Farm+-+Darren.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SFHsr1jgbNI/AAAAAAAAA_k/w9Mx4UqH84U/s320/Butterfly+Farm+-+Darren.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211206481698909394" border="0" /></a>We went today to celebrate Senon's birthday and took the older children in the home.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SFHsDMHRqoI/AAAAAAAAA_U/rOqxG-kRvYU/s1600-h/Butterfly+Farm+-+Group.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SFHsDMHRqoI/AAAAAAAAA_U/rOqxG-kRvYU/s320/Butterfly+Farm+-+Group.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211205783379880578" border="0" /></a>Here's the whole <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">tlc</span> gang, those of us who went, (left to right): Joy, Johanna, Nika, Deborah, Michelle, Marisa, Senon, Jay, Helen, and Dennis.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SFHsC7UvQnI/AAAAAAAAA_M/A2uEwDYx08U/s1600-h/Butterfly+Farm+-+Auden+2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SFHsC7UvQnI/AAAAAAAAA_M/A2uEwDYx08U/s320/Butterfly+Farm+-+Auden+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211205778872943218" border="0" /></a>Our boys are endlessly entertained in the butterfly aviary.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SFHsDv-o2iI/AAAAAAAAA_c/T9QQ0v_47S0/s1600-h/Butterfly+Farm+-+Nika.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/SFHsDv-o2iI/AAAAAAAAA_c/T9QQ0v_47S0/s320/Butterfly+Farm+-+Nika.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211205793007327778" border="0" /></a>There's a smattering of other birds and animals, from eagles to a bear cat, a cassowary and monkeys.Gustafson Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18269415292406298886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1846130081551724628.post-29601725603913857352008-02-18T01:33:00.000-08:002008-12-09T00:00:11.839-08:00<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/R7lTFKULcvI/AAAAAAAAA1Y/3WfGNUOz-O0/s1600-h/DSC00566.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168253395517797106" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/R7lTFKULcvI/AAAAAAAAA1Y/3WfGNUOz-O0/s320/DSC00566.JPG" border="0" /></a>What we're calling <strong><u><em>tlc</em></u> Tours</strong> here is not (just) places we go and things we see with adoptive families when they come here; it is an important part of what we do in adoptive services. When you adopt a child from a foreign country, the time you spend there is not vacation, but sacred time.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/R7lTH6ULcwI/AAAAAAAAA1g/cCpiLVcb2rU/s1600-h/DSC00564.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168253442762437378" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/R7lTH6ULcwI/AAAAAAAAA1g/cCpiLVcb2rU/s320/DSC00564.JPG" border="0" /></a>Barbara and Geoff are great friends of Paul and Tracey, who adopted from us at the end of last year. We had a really great time together when they were here, so when Geoff and Barbara started making plans to pick up Levi, Paul and Tracey told them to look us up--even though their little one isn't from <em><u><strong>the little children's home</strong></u></em>.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/R7lTK6ULcyI/AAAAAAAAA1w/i-ed8Dr7ZJA/s1600-h/DSC00582.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168253494302044962" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/R7lTK6ULcyI/AAAAAAAAA1w/i-ed8Dr7ZJA/s320/DSC00582.JPG" border="0" /></a>We took them for a walk down on the pier in Manila...<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/R7lTIqULcxI/AAAAAAAAA1o/nzGaRDv14vE/s1600-h/DSC00573.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168253455647339282" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/R7lTIqULcxI/AAAAAAAAA1o/nzGaRDv14vE/s320/DSC00573.JPG" border="0" /></a>...caught a bit of local color...<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168253498597012274" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/R7lTLKULczI/AAAAAAAAA14/IDUAetE9mKY/s320/DSC00589.JPG" border="0" />...took in some of Philippine history...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This is Benigno Aquino, who instigated the revolution against Ferdinand Marcos in 1986. Any culture, any experience the family can gain during their time here will be an invaluable resource for answering questions as their child grows up.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/R7lT3KULc0I/AAAAAAAAA2A/ysBF6HX5DdI/s1600-h/DSC00586.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168254254511256386" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/R7lT3KULc0I/AAAAAAAAA2A/ysBF6HX5DdI/s320/DSC00586.JPG" border="0" /></a>We came away feeling like we'd not only made new friends, but participated in a miracle.Gustafson Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18269415292406298886noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1846130081551724628.post-48282896142447526292007-02-26T01:06:00.000-08:002008-12-09T00:00:12.565-08:00<div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/RePlGRFuU_I/AAAAAAAAAbA/Qs5CCpI3ddQ/s1600-h/Tacloban+-+Nipa+Huts.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5036120704159732722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/RePlGRFuU_I/AAAAAAAAAbA/Qs5CCpI3ddQ/s320/Tacloban+-+Nipa+Huts.jpg" border="0" /></a>Hello TLC Family,<br /><br />When Darren, Deborah, Aubrey, and Auden came to visit us in California we talked about the interesting places to visit in the Philippines. Darren encouraged me to write about my hometown - Tacloban City - because it is historical.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/ReKjjhFuU8I/AAAAAAAAAaQ/R2lM2EhG1UE/s1600-h/Tacloban+-+Fruit.jpg"></a>For those of you planning to visit the Philippines, read on.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/ReQflBFuVDI/AAAAAAAAAbs/6JqxwcYY3Dg/s1600-h/Tacloban+-+Fruit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5036185004115121202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/ReQflBFuVDI/AAAAAAAAAbs/6JqxwcYY3Dg/s320/Tacloban+-+Fruit.jpg" border="0" /></a>Darren told me that Sam's favorite historical figure is General Douglas MacArthur. During World War II Gen. MacArthur landed in Tacloban City and by doing so helped to liberate the Filipino people. The beach where he landed is called Red Beach because of the bloodshed.<br /><br />General MacArthur stayed at my great-grandfather' s house which is called the Price Mansion; there you can take a tour and they will show you the room where he stayed.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/ReKjtBFuU-I/AAAAAAAAAag/yHrkw_iQzR4/s1600-h/Tacloban+-+Waves.jpg"></a>Places to visit in Tacloban:<br />1. San Juanico Bridge - longest bridge in Southeast Asia<br />2. Santo Nino Shrine - collection of art by Imelda Marcos<br />3. MacArthur Memorial Shrine4. Price Mansion<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/RePlVBFuVAI/AAAAAAAAAbI/j48L1blwLzU/s1600-h/Tacloban+-+Waves.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5036120957562803202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/RePlVBFuVAI/AAAAAAAAAbI/j48L1blwLzU/s320/Tacloban+-+Waves.jpg" border="0" /></a>5. The beach, the beach, the beach!<br />6. Marabut Marine Park Beach Resort - amazing snorkeling, kayaking<br />7. 17th Century Basey Church<br />8. Sohoton Caves - see stalactites, stalagmites<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/ReKjdhFuU7I/AAAAAAAAAaI/-DbWr1xQ1u0/s1600-h/Tacloban+-+Food.jpg"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/ReQfHRFuVCI/AAAAAAAAAbk/EmWvazsRCHQ/s1600-h/Tacloban+-+Food.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5036184493014012962" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/ReQfHRFuVCI/AAAAAAAAAbk/EmWvazsRCHQ/s320/Tacloban+-+Food.jpg" border="0" /></a>Tacloban is 1 hour by plane from Manila. It is a small and cozy town; the people are very hospitable and accomodating. We have fresh and very affordable seafood; most dishes in Tacloban are cooked in coconut milk (ginataan). My brother owns a B&B where the warm Pacific Ocean is only 25 steps from your room! I created an album in the TLC website with some pictures taken in Tacloban when we were there last year.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/ReKjoxFuU9I/AAAAAAAAAaY/Mk8Pt6-e-C4/s1600-h/Tacloban+-+Karla+and+Oliver.jpg"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/RePljxFuVBI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/ObNI0KOXXjw/s1600-h/Tacloban+-+Karla+and+Oliver.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5036121210965873682" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/RePljxFuVBI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/ObNI0KOXXjw/s320/Tacloban+-+Karla+and+Oliver.jpg" border="0" /></a>Enjoy,<br /><br />Karla (-:</div><br /><br /><div></div></div>Gustafson Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18269415292406298886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1846130081551724628.post-81242158731087648112007-02-23T05:48:00.000-08:002008-12-09T00:00:12.775-08:00<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/Rd71nRFuU1I/AAAAAAAAAZA/JaacxGBVk8s/s1600-h/DSC06847.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034731488397906770" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/Rd71nRFuU1I/AAAAAAAAAZA/JaacxGBVk8s/s320/DSC06847.JPG" border="0" /></a>The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Wajus</span> family had talked about going to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Pagsanjan</span> Falls every time they came to get each of their three children, but for one reason or another they had never made it. They are here now, visiting, and more determined than ever to make it to the falls.<br /><br /><div><div><div></div><div>The package tours ask for $98 per person, but we suggested that we could drive them out and probably save them a lot of money. We've never done it before, so we really didn't know what to expect, but it turned out marvelously.</div><br /><div></div><div>We picked them up at their hotel in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Makati</span> at around eight in the morning, and stopped in at our house (next to the baby home) at around nine to pick up the rest of our family. It was a two hour drive (75 km) from our house, but pleasurable and beautiful. </div><br /><div></div><div>The 'standard fare' is P660 per person for the boat ride, but they told us up front that that didn't pay the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">banqeros</span> (boatmen). When we asked how much we should pay them (two in each boat, with two or three passengers) they said, 'Wait to see how hard they have to work before you decide how much to pay them.' And they were incredible. Very considerate and incredibly athletic to haul our happy carcasses up the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">rapids</span>.</div><br /><div></div><div>You can get a little <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">glimpse</span> of some of the local flavor and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">banquero's</span> heroism at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiC-NLXvdV0">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiC-NLXvdV0</a></div><br /><div></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/Rd70uBFuU0I/AAAAAAAAAY4/Doh2pMTSkpo/s1600-h/DSC06825.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034730504850395970" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wwQ1DGbVJ0/Rd70uBFuU0I/AAAAAAAAAY4/Doh2pMTSkpo/s320/DSC06825.JPG" border="0" /></a>The boat ride was one of the most incredibly enjoyable things I have ever done in the Philippines, and our boys loved it. Unfortunately, I don't know that it would be appropriate for a very young baby with new adoptive parents. It was five hours from port to port, supplemented by some heavy 'traffic' in places where the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">rapids</span> are too narrow to allow two-way passage.</div><br /><div></div><div>The one frustration was not knowing how much to pay the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">banqueros</span>. They were champions, to a man. And we hardly wanted to short them. But, frankly, from the pleasure we gave them when we paid P1000 each, I'm pretty sure we overpaid; from the pleasure they gave us, I think we paid about the right amount. </div><br /><div></div><div>One thing I'd definitely want to repeat if we do it again was stopping for lunch at a little 'restaurant' half-way up the river. It was just a little hiking camp, with tents made out of tarps. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Barbecued</span> chicken with rice, though, has never tasted so good.</div></div></div>Gustafson Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18269415292406298886noreply@blogger.com0