Gone Native!

Elder Bell bought a barong.

P-Day attire.

FAQ's

Most Frequently Asked Questions ...

Where do you live?

What do you drive?

We live on the 26th floor of this building.  We had a 6.1 earthquake the other day and we swayed for awhile.  Apparently, people on the ground felt it more than we did. We've heard that up high is a good place during a quake.  Convince us. 

  

This is the view out in front of our apartment building.  Always lots going on. 

Here's a view of the same street from our apartment.  They're always mixing it up.

Every single building, facility, and street corner is

guarded in Manila. 

They're in the malls - inside most of the stores.

The grocery stores.

They are at the gas stations and garages.  Everywhere.   

This is the guard outside our building. 

There are more inside.    

But they told me it was against the

rules to take pictures in there.  Hmmm.

There are a couple of ways to enter the building. 

 The entrance on the ground level - when we've run out to the store or are dropped off by someone we've grabbed a ride with. 

Or, most often, this roller coaster ride down to the Basement -

 level 4 basement

(there's one below us!) - where we park. 

An elevator ride to our apartment.

Or stop off at the lobby for mail. 

This was our very first mail.  

Bills.  

For those of you familiar with our home,

you'll notice one thing as soon as you enter our missionary apartment. 

It's bigger than home.  Really.  

Living Room with a view of the city -- Metro-Manila - lots of cities. 

Living/Dining Area. And Kitchenette.

 A touch of home.

The one at home has apples and oranges.

Here - pineapple, bananas and mango.

First bedroom.  Used as an office.

More city view.

Futon available for visitors.

You're invited. 

First bathroom.

First suggests a second?  Yep - bigger than home.

Master bedroom.

Has a long hallway with a mirrored closet. 

And more city views.

Master Bathroom.

Laundry Room.

with a view.

And - brace yourself ...

Maid's Quarters!! 

Another bathroom and space for a twin bed for the maid. 

Our ironing board and luggage are quartered there instead.

And the view from all of those windows ...

We like it here.

Alot

And what is Elder Bell driving ...

while Sister Bell takes pictures?

A Toyota Corolla.

That has gone through an interesting metamorphosis since we've been here. 

Elder B and a very large pole had an encounter.

And so we gave it to the powers that be in the Area Office

and 2 days later ...

Wa -La!!

We're thinking they gave it a priesthood blessing or something.

Can't get service like that at home.

A Day With the Advincula's

We've been treated to another adventure.  This time by Franco Advincula, PEF Coordinator, and his delightful family!
Franco and his wife, Minnie, invited us, along with our friend Jib, to their home for breakfast. 
Franco has told us that his favorite pastimes are cooking and gardening.  So we sat in their lovely garden and enjoyed a feast prepared by him and Minnie. 

Eggs, jerky, rice, tomatoes, special rolls, exceptional hot chocolate, and ... mangos.  How will we ever survive in California without our mangos?

After breakfast and a tour of their garden - banana trees, coconut palms. jackfruit trees, mango trees, and more - we set out on a Manila History Tour.

With their fun-loving and entertaining children, Alia and Gian, we all headed for Intramuros - the Walled City that was old Manila.  Build in the 16th century by Spaniards, it is full of history of the area.  It is now a museum. 

It was built on the Pasig River near where it empties into Manila Bay, making it an ideal location for trade with other Asian countries.  It was occupied by the Spanish for over 300 years. 

Within the Walls of Intramuros, stands Fort Santiago,

where one of the national heroes of the Philippines, Jose Rizal

 was imprisoned before his execution in 1896. 

Rizal was a Renaissance man - novelist, poet, artist, doctor, essayist.  He spoke 10 languages and advocated, peacefully,  for reforms in the Spanish rule, which eventually cost him his life.  

And so, just like Martin Luther King in America, every city in the

Philippines has a street named for J.P. Rizal. 

 His death precipitated the Philippine Revolution. 

Imbedded into the ground in bronze, are footsteps representing his final walk from

 his cell to the location of his execution. 

 We, somewhat irreverently, traced his footsteps.

 He wrote a now-famous poem during his last night in prison that was smuggled

out of the prison by his family in this lantern. 

The city's darkest days were during the Second World War, when it was occupied by the Japanese until the end of the war when the American Forces eventually reclaimed it in the Battle of Manila in 1945.  But it sustained great damage from mortar shells from the American and Filipino troops.  We also saw a short movie that showed American tanks damaging the great gates as they broke into the city.  Some of this gate was saved and some of it has been reconstructed. 

Today the area is a simple, peaceful, quiet tribute to the history of Manila. 

Our adventure ended the way all good adventures in the

Philippines should end --

Eating Halo Halo!!!

Only a 9-year old would think to do this.

Here's a picture of Grandpa for his "Thomas"-loving grandsons!

The word in purple that's hard to read is "Filipino".

Filipino Thomas and Friends