December, 2,2007

  I first started to type November.  It is hard to believe it is already December; it’s still shorts and swimming weather here.  The weather gods are smiling these days.  We were spared the terrible typhoon weather that terrorized parts of the Philippines and Vietnam: but are now enjoying the clear, dry weather that tends to follow in the aftermath.  No AC needed.  The breezes and low humidity want open hatches, doors, and portholes.  We have a huge, HUGE, RED covering over the front deck and that shades the boat.  It is wonderful weather for doing anything and chores are being done up and down the pier.  Yesterday I did laundry and maybe today will wash out some of the storage boxes on the decks that tend to grow moldy from the humidity.   Mostly I took the day off  and went for a 3 hour  walk to, and through the Olongapo City Cemetery.  That left me mentally awakened but physically pretty pooped, but after an indulgently too long shower I revived enough to enjoy dinner at Aresci.  Bob and Audrey Silvers had called about 5:30 asking us to join them for dinner.  Aresci’s is the favorite Italian/Mediterranean restaurant just down the waterfront from the Scuba Shack.  We’d never eaten there, but will again.  Anyway, during dinner Bob or Audrey mentioned the coup in Manila.  “What coup?”   I guess that answers the question, “Can the country they are visiting undergo a coup attempt and Ruth and Randal don’t know?”  Sadly, it’s not such an odd occurrence here.    Shoot’m ups and overthrow politics are not so unusual as one would hope.  I much prefer hanging chads.  I don’t even know if it made the news in Roanoke.  Obviously Randal and I missed it living a mere 3 hour bus ride away. 

Philippines to charge plotters of quashed coup attempt
Xinhua, China – Nov 30, 2007
Philippine military on Thursday quashed a short-lived coup attempt when 30-strong renegade soldiers, led by Trillanes, surrendered inside the Manila …
Philippines Lifts Curfew After Coup Attempt; Police on Alert Bloomberg
Coup attempt flops Inquirer.net
Army foils coup attempt in Philippines Independent
Xinhua – Christian Science Monitor
all 1,315 news articles »

Olongapo City Cemetery

I took over 100 photos during my walk.  I almost wish I could send them all.  Not that they are all so great, but it might be the only info on the web about the cemetery.  It is owned by the City of Olongapo and Father Mike, a long-time local priest told me I might find some info at City Hall.  We met him last week while we were eating in the Scuba Shack.  Father Mike, who had become a friend of  Dave and Dorothy, has a small sailboat that he keeps here at SBYC.  He also offers a mass here once each week.  I was going to go one time to ask about the cemetery, but since he was at the Scuba Shack eating with our Canadian friend Bob we were introduced and I asked him then.  The weather being perfect, I finally took my walk back there and found some of the best views around the area.

On my way to the cemetery I met Gilbert, our former boat helper, going home after his half day. He now works full time for Ray Wolfe.  Gilbert is expecting his first baby any day now.  I asked Gilbert about the cemetery.  His grandfather is buried in the cemetery.  Gilbert said the cemetery started on top of the hill and has worked its way down to the road’s edge.  There are steps that lead up the hillside.

  Street level.

  I don’t know what the official infant mortality stats are, but there were too many markers like these where you can see for yourself that they are too high. 

  Lots of graves too close together for me to walk since I didn’t know if walking on them was acceptable .  I only walked where I found paths.

  There were several influences here, Catholic and Chinese.

I have more photos showing the view at the top, but don’t want to overload this email so will send a part 2.