WAR IN IRAQ

WAR IN IRAQ

Saturday, July 27, 2024

 







Ma. Luisa Legaspi C and Her High School Class '63   (Update)



STC HS’ 63, College ‘67 BSBA




Hiroshima, Okinawa, Iwo Jima, Saipan, Guam, MarianaSolomons, Guadalcanal, Rabaul, Majuro, Kwajeilein


Pacific Cruise From Japan to All WWII Battlefield Islandsphotos: 
To commemorate the end of WWII 65 years ago on Sept 2, 1945, enclosed an album of a cruise. The actual battle photos were from the US Navy AP and are mostly B/W. The rest of the photos are the cruise itself in 2002. I always, and will respect our veterans by these photos. The ultimate sacrifice was shed for us and the reminder is the free Pan Pacific and the Philippines. More importantly, we must always remember our greatest generation and appreciate all they have done to insure 

SEATTLE SOJOURN AT THE NUPTIALS OF THERESA AND BILL




















April 1967: Blessing of the Rings Graduation Ceremonies STC Class of 1967, Marissa graduated Summa Cum Laude BSBA. I believe music reinforces the efficiencies of the brain's connections, it is also true that being wise is inherited from good stock. Although, the selection process is eternally perplexing, the myriads of likes and dislikes filter our personalities to no end. However, never mind that, as I believe that the merging of our lives was that of fate and destiny in the cosmic design inherent in all living things. Whether or not you believe it to be true, I dreamt of her 15 years before we met, the street where she lived and the likeness of the child that she was. The music alone is a gift, music alone shall live never to die in our hearts.

It doesn't matter how much you study, HALF of your intelligence is down to your genes, scientists claim
  • Genes account for more than half the differences in intelligence between people
  • As well as genes, environmental factors such as parenting and nutrition are key 
  • The new findings will fuel the 'nature versus nurture' debate over cleverness

Genes we are born with account for more than half the differences in intelligence between people, a study has shown.
The new findings will fuel the 'nature versus nurture' debate over what makes us clever or dumb.
As well as genes, environmental factors such as parenting, nutrition and exposure to chemicals in the womb are also thought to have a significant effect.




Well, when I was a young man never been kissed
I got to thinkin' it over how much I had missed
So I got me a girl and I kissed her and then, and then
Oh, lordy, well I kissed 'er again
Well I asked her to marry and to be my sweet wife
I told her we'd be so happy for the rest of our life
I begged and I pleaded like a natural man
And then, whoops oh lordy, well she gave me her hand



 
Somewhere in the South Pacific
Travel does renew the spirit of your mind
The population of Ephesus has been estimated to be in the range of 400,000 to 500,000 inhabitants in the year 100 CE, making it the largest city in Roman Asia and one of the largest cities of the day.




FATHER'S DAY EULALIO LEGASPI



Pacific Cruise From Japan to All WWII Battlefield Islands

Click to see above album

Every now and then I return to a theme from our origins I first launched what seems like years ago, one which our parents survived the trials of the depression and the tribulations of WWII. That theme is that we are mired not merely in a financial crisis, like the depression, but in a full-blown war in Afghanistan, similar to the times of our parents, when they were called to fight two wars simultaneously. One provoked and one that was just a case of stopping some bullies from ravaging weaker countries. . So they fought, gave their lives, freed countries, defeated Imperialism, beat back barbarianism, watched their friends die, liberated death camps, came home, then went back to rebuild those countries they left in war-torn shambles. Our parents' generation may not have invented the notion of sacrifice, but they certainly perfected it, and from 1941 to 1945 they took it to the highest and most costly human level possible. So the next chore for this hardened, proud generation was building a great country here.

Muse APO DELTA 1966      ST. THERESA  GRADUATED  CLASS  1967  BS BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION   WITH  TOP  HONORS ........  SUMMA  CUM  LAUDE

Dewey Blvd below: The jetty potruding to Manila Bay is the future Cultural Center, on the other side of Dewey is the Manila Naval Station (MNS) where we lived from 1965 to 1966. the headquarters of the Philippine Navy was relegated to a small block of land south of the Manila Yacht Club. The original plan was to reclaim the site of the cultural center(CC) to replace the location of the MNS by the Central Bank. Imelda Marcos, saw this valuable real state and confiscated the plan for her project the now CC. The yacht club remained, the Navy base (MNS) was transferred to Fort Bonifacio.  


LIFE  AFTER HIGH SCHOOL


Live in France, Travels extensively (67 cruises to date) After 38 years, husband retired working as a Civil engr. with the State of California, managed their Marsh Mill  property Enjoys music  (played piano from age (4)  Now I reside part time in France in a thousand years old house in a medieval quarter of an ancient citadel below



My French Retreat: The foundation was built on top of the escape tunnels of the old original Chateau as early 1160 and now the sealed tunnel / dungeons below the house. There maybe a connection to the other garage across the street as the cement slab was built on top of a gravel pit to fill up another tunnel connecting to the house. It was common during the olden days. Also the proximity of the house from the church may suggest that it was a part of the original ancient village around the church.
Caves and tunnels have always been part of human life. We've grown more adept at shaping these underground shelters and passages over the millennia, and today we dig for hundreds of reasons. We excavate to find both literal and cultural treasures, digging mines and unearthing archaeological discoveries. We use caverns for stable storage, for entertainment, and for an effective shelter from natural and man-made disasters. And as the planet's surface becomes ever more crowded, and national borders are closed, tunnels provide habitat. Collected below are my dungeons in France







Home sweet home: While there is nothing fantasy-themed about the outside of his house, underneath is perhaps the finest example of a man cave ever created
There is even a Library in the master bedroom - where model sailing ships are displayed.


Far over the misty 
mountains grim

To dungeons deep and caverns dim

We must away, ere break of day,

To win our harps and gold from him!
The Captain's Table, opposite us Judith and Wayne my warm immediate friends 

The Captain's Table, opposite us Judith and Wayne my warm immediate friends
The captain's table is the best place to eat, and to be seen at during your cruise. But there is a fair bit of mystery about how you can be invited to dine with the captain. As with many cruising enigmas, there is more than one way to get to dine at the top table. Once you're there what can you expect, and how should you behave?
Get to know your hosts
They will know many details from your booking form, and may pick couples or people who sound interesting, so giving a good first impression is vital. Those picked may have been a loyal cruiser with that line for many years, but that is certainly not a rule. People who simply fit the bill for a particular night (bright young things, old dependables, former navy crew etc.) may be chosen. To see album click below.  gallipoli movie gallipoli campaign




The mythological founder of the city is Hercules (Heracles), commonly identified with the Phoenician god Melqart, who the myth says sailed through the Strait of Gibraltar to the Atlantic, and founded trading posts at the current sites of Cadiz and of Seville.The city was known from Roman times as Hispalis.



Hagia Sophia Mosque in the background. Hagia Sophia, i.e. (the Church of) Holy Wisdom, now known as the Ayasofya Museum, is a former Eastern Orthodox church converted to a mosque in 1453 by the Turks, and converted into a museum in 1935. It is located in the Turkish city of Istanbul. It is universally acknowledged as one of the greatest buildings of the world and sometimes considered the Eighth Wonder of the World. Its conquest by the Ottomans at the fall of Constantinople is considered one of the great tragedies of Christianity by the Greek Orthodox faithful.


Modern Jerusalem view from Mt. Olives near the garden of Gethsemane. According to the 1947 UN Partition Plan, Jerusalem was supposed to be an international city, not part of either the proposed Jewish or Arab state. During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, West Jerusalem was captured by Israel, while East Jerusalem (including the Old City) was captured by Jordan. Upon its capture, the Jordanians immediately expelled all the Jewish residents of the Jewish Quarter, most of whom from families that had been living there for centuries. Many synagogues were destroyed, and the Jewish Quarter was bulldozed. The ancient Jewish cemetery on Mount of Olives was desecrated. In 1950 East Jerusalem, along with the rest of the West Bank, was annexed by Jordan. However, the annexation of the West Bank was recognized only by the United Kingdom, which did not recognize the annexation of East Jerusalem. East Jerusalem absorbed some of the refugees from West Jerusalem's Arab neighborhoods that came under Israeli rule.








Right Photo. In 1982 the Falkland Islands were invaded by Argentina, precipitating the two-month-long undeclared
 Falklands War between Argentina and the United Kingdom, which resulted in the defeat and withdrawal of Argentine forces. Since the war there has been strong economic growth in both fisheries and tourism. The inhabitants of the islands, who are of mainly Scottish descent, are British citizens, and support British sovereignty.

Next Right Photo. Rocamadour was a dependency of the abbey of Tulle to the north in the Bas Limousin. The buildings of Rocamadour (from ròca, cliff, and sant Amador) rise in stages up the side of a cliff on the right bank of the Alzou, which here runs between rocky walls 400 ft. in height. Flights of steps ascend from the lower town to the churches, a group of massive buildings half-way up the cliff. The chief of them is the pilgrimage church of Notre Dame (rebuilt in its present configuration from 1479), containing the cult image at the center of the site's draw, a wooden Black Madonna reputed to have been carved by Saint Amator (Amadour) himself. The small Benedictine community continued to reserve the use of the small twelfth-century church of Saint-Michel, above and to the side






alcony of our hotel Amalfi Coast. The area is known for its rugged terrain, scenic beauty, and picturesque towns. The Amalfi Coast is listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site. The Amalfi coast is renowned for its diversity; every town has its own character and interesting sites.All the landscape seems to swoon In the happy afternoon; Slowly o'er his senses creep The encroaching waves of sleep, And he sinks as sank the town, Unresisting, fathoms down, Into caverns cool and deep! Walled about with drifts of snow, Hearing the fierce north-wind blow, Seeing all the landscape white, And the river cased in ice, Comes this memory of delight, Comes this vision unto me Of a long-lost Paradise In the land beyond the sea.Pau was the capital of the former province of Béarn. The site, on a slight elevation overlooking the valley of the mountain river called the Gave de Pau, where it was crossed by a ford, controlled access to an easy passage into the Pyrenees, used annually for the seasonal pasturage of flocks of sheep in the high meadows (now represented by a hiking footpath GR 65 that runs about 60 km south to the Spanish border). Access to the pass partly accounts for Pau's strategic importance. later.








December 1997 River Jordan above, notice the scarcity of water as it flows to the Dead Sea. 


Saipan is full of memorials of WWII. Bombing and bombardment of Saipan began on June 13, 1944. Fifteen battleships were involved. Seven modern fast battleships delivered 2,400 sixteen-inch shells, but to avoid potential minefields fire was from a distance of 10,000 yards or more and crews were inexperienced in shore bombardment. The landings began on June 15, 1944. More than 300 LVTs landed 8,000 Marines on the west coast of Saipan by about 09:00. Careful Japanese artillery preparation—placing flags in the bay to indicate the range—allowed them to destroy about 20 amphibious tanks, but by nightfall the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions had a beachhead about 10 km wide and 1 km deep. The Japanese counter-attacked at night, but were repulsed with heavy losses. On 16 June, units of the U.S. Army's 27th Infantry Division landed and advanced on the Aslito airfield. Again the Japanese counter-attacked at night. On 18 June Saito abandoned the airfield.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park right photo, is a large park in the center of Hiroshima, Japan dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima as the first city in the world to be nuclear bombed. There are a variety of monuments and buildings in the park, each dedicated to a different aspect of the bombing.  
Right photo. Ready to go back to the ship. The Shin-Yokohama district, where the Shinkansen station is located, is some distance away from the harbour area, and features the 17,000 capacity Yokohama Arena, the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum, and International Stadium Yokohama which was the setting for the final for the 2002 FIFA World Cup held




Slab of stone, where they believed, the body of Jesus was cleaned prior to burial. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was built by Constantine I the Great during the fourth century, after he became christian, and turned Christianity to the official religion of the Roman empire. In the year 326, Constantine I sent his mother, Helena, to seek the Crucifixion location in Jerusalem. Helena found the place and also found the remains of the cross itself. In that same place, 7 years later, Constantine I founded the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the year


FIJI, AMERICAN SAMOA ,  NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA. VENICE below,  the sea meets the mountain


VENICE in October 2011 a tour aboard ship. 







Tahiti, Papaeti, American Samoa and Fiji in October 2011 a tour aboard ship. 




NEW ZEALAND FOJRDS in October 2011 a tour aboard ship. 

















































Ma. Luisa Legaspi C and Her High School Class '63   (Update)



S









Saipan is full of memorials of WWII. Bombing and bombardment of Saipan began on June 13, 1944. Fifteen battleships were involved. Seven modern fast battleships delivered 2,400 sixteen-inch shells, but to avoid potential minefields fire was from a distance of 10,000 yards or more and crews were inexperienced in shore bombardment. The landings began on June 15, 1944. More than 300 LVTs landed 8,000 Marines on the west coast of Saipan by about 09:00. Careful Japanese artillery preparation—placing flags in the bay to indicate the range—allowed them to destroy about 20 amphibious tanks, but by nightfall the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions had a beachhead about 10 km wide and 1 km deep. The Japanese counter-attacked at night, but were repulsed with heavy losses. On 16 June, units of the U.S. Army's 27th Infantry Division landed and advanced on the Aslito airfield. Again the Japanese counter-attacked at night. On 18 June Saito abandoned the airfield.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park right photo, is a large park in the center of Hiroshima, Japan dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima as the first city in the world to be nuclear bombed. There are a variety of monuments and buildings in the park, each dedicated to a different aspect of the bombing.  
Right photo. Ready to go back to the ship. The Shin-Yokohama district, where the Shinkansen station is located, is some distance away from the harbour area, and features the 17,000 capacity Yokohama Arena, the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum, and International Stadium Yokohama which was the setting for the final for the 2002 FIFA World Cup held










































Montauban (Montalban in Occitan) is a town and commune of southwestern France, préfecture (capital) of the Tarn-et-Garonne département, 31 miles (50 km) north of Toulouse. The town, built mainly of a reddish brick, stands on the right bank of the Tarn River at its confluence with the Tescou


The

The Library of Celsus, whose façade has been carefully reconstructed from all original pieces, was built ca. 125 B.C.E. by Gaius Julius Aquila in memory of his father, and once held nearly 12,000 scrolls. Designed with an exaggerated entrance -- so as to enhance its perceived size, speculate many historians -- the building faces east so that the reading rooms could make best use of the morning light. An underground tunnel, marked by the simple figures of a woman, a heart, and a price, leads from the library to a nearby building believed to have been a drinking establishment or








Slab of stone, where they believed, the body of Jesus was cleaned prior to burial. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was built by Constantine I the Great during the fourth century, after he became christian, and turned Christianity to the official religion of the Roman empire. In the year 326, Constantine I sent his mother, Helena, to seek the Crucifixion location in Jerusalem. Helena found the place and also found the remains of the cross itself. In that same place, 7 years later, Constantine I founded the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the year


FIJI, AMERICAN SAMOA ,  NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA. VENICE below,  the sea meets the mountain












ST. THERESA HIGH SCHOOL CLASS 63 GRADUATION PARTY  VENUE  AT  MARISSA'S HOME AT 69 SIERRA MADRE QC AND  OTHER EXCURSIONS APRIL 1963







 










































 


  


 

 


 
 



 
 



  



  


 
 



 
 











Montauban (Montalban in Occitan) is a town and commune of southwestern France, préfecture (capital) of the Tarn-et-Garonne département, 31 miles (50 km) north of Toulouse. The town, built mainly of a reddish brick, stands on the right bank of the Tarn River at its confluence with the Tescou


The

The Library of Celsus, whose façade has been carefully reconstructed from all original pieces, was built ca. 125 B.C.E. by Gaius Julius Aquila in memory of his father, and once held nearly 12,000 scrolls. Designed with an exaggerated entrance -- so as to enhance its perceived size, speculate many historians -- the building faces east so that the reading rooms could make best use of the morning light. An underground tunnel, marked by the simple figures of a woman, a heart, and a price, leads from the library to a nearby building believed to have been a drinking establishment or













Ma. Luisa Legaspi C and Her High School Class '63   (Update)



STC HS’ 63, College ‘67 BSBA




Hiroshima, Okinawa, Iwo Jima, Saipan, Guam, MarianaSolomons, Guadalcanal, Rabaul, Majuro, Kwajeilein



To commemorate the end of WWII 65 years ago on Sept 2, 1945, enclosed an album of a cruise. The actual battle photos were from the US Navy AP and are mostly B/W. The rest of the photos are the cruise itself in 2002. I always, and will respect our veterans by these photos. The ultimate sacrifice was shed for us and the reminder is the free Pan Pacific and the Philippines. More importantly, we must always remember our greatest generation and appreciate all they have done to insure our freedoms ...ASC








ABOVE












 









April 1967: Blessing of the Rings Graduation Ceremonies STC Class of 1967, Marissa graduated Summa Cum Laude BSBA. I believe music reinforces the efficiencies of the brain's connections, it is also true that being wise is inherited from good stock. Although, the selection process is eternally perplexing, the myriads of likes and dislikes filter our personalities to no end. However, never mind that, as I believe that the merging of our lives was that of fate and destiny in the cosmic design inherent in all living things. Whether or not you believe it to be true, I dreamt of her 15 years before we met, the street where she lived and the likeness of the child that she was. The music alone is a gift, music alone shall live never to die in our hearts.

It doesn't matter how much you study, HALF of your intelligence is down to your genes, scientists claim
  • Genes account for more than half the differences in intelligence between people
  • As well as genes, environmental factors such as parenting and nutrition are key 
  • The new findings will fuel the 'nature versus nurture' debate over cleverness

Genes we are born with account for more than half the differences in intelligence between people, a study has shown.
The new findings will fuel the 'nature versus nurture' debate over what makes us clever or dumb.
As well as genes, environmental factors such as parenting, nutrition and exposure to chemicals in the womb are also thought to have a significant effect.



Well, when I was a young man never been kissed
I got to thinkin' it over how much I had missed
So I got me a girl and I kissed her and then, and then
Oh, lordy, well I kissed 'er again
Well I asked her to marry and to be my sweet wife
I told her we'd be so happy for the rest of our life
I begged and I pleaded like a natural man
And then, whoops oh lordy, well she gave me her hand



 
Somewhere in the South Pacific
Travel does renew the spirit of your mind
The population of Ephesus has been estimated to be in the range of 400,000 to 500,000 inhabitants in the year 100 CE, making it the largest city in Roman Asia and one of the largest cities of the day.


FATHER'S DAY EULALIO LEGASPI




LIFE  AFTER HIGH SCHOOL

Live in France, Travels extensively (67 cruises to date) After 38 years, husband retired working as a Civil engr. with the State of California, managed their Marsh Mill  property Enjoys music  (played piano from age (4)  Now I reside part time in France in a thousand years old house in a medieval quarter of an ancient citadel below



My French Retreat: The foundation was built on top of the escape tunnels of the old original Chateau as early 1160 and now the sealed tunnel / dungeons below the house. There maybe a connection to the other garage across the street as the cement slab was built on top of a gravel pit to fill up another tunnel connecting to the house. It was common during the olden days. Also the proximity of the house from the church may suggest that it was a part of the original ancient village around the church.
Caves and tunnels have always been part of human life. We've grown more adept at shaping these underground shelters and passages over the millennia, and today we dig for hundreds of reasons. We excavate to find both literal and cultural treasures, digging mines and unearthing archaeological discoveries. We use caverns for stable storage, for entertainment, and for an effective shelter from natural and man-made disasters. And as the planet's surface becomes ever more crowded, and national borders are closed, tunnels provide habitat. Collected below are my dungeons in France






Home sweet home: While there is nothing fantasy-themed about the outside of his house, underneath is perhaps the finest example of a man cave ever created
There is even a Library in the master bedroom - where model sailing ships are displayed.


Far over the misty 
mountains grim

To dungeons deep and caverns dim

We must away, ere break of day,

To win our harps and gold from him!







In the south entree of the site you see a proclamation of the visit that was brought by Eleonore d'Aquitaine her son Richard the lionheart, then Count of Poitiers. After Henry II fell seriously ill in 1170, he put in place his plan to divide his kingdom, although he would retain overall authority over his sons and their territories. In 1171 Richard left for Aquitaine with his mother, and Henry II gave him the duchy of Aquitaine at the request of Eleanor. Richard and his mother embarked on a tour of Aquitaine in 1171 in an attempt to pacify the locals. Together they laid the foundation stone of St Augustine's Monastery in Limoges. In June 1172 Richard was formally recognised as the Duke of Aquitaine when he was granted the lance and banner emblems of his office; the ceremony took place in Poitiers and was repeated in Limoges, where he wore the ring of St Valerie, who was the personification of Aquitaine.

Montaigut, France


ROUEN TODAY WHERE JEAN D'ARC WAS BURNED AT THE STAKES

As through a leafless landscape flows a tribulet. 
                                              above  Taken May 2005 Portugal Cruise..................... ....Sweet the memory is to me........ Of a land beyond the sea, Where the waves and mountains meet, Where the merchants with their wares, And their gallant brigantines .......Sailing safely into port ...
The Annunziata dei Catalani (late 12th-13th century). Dating from the late Norman period...above picture in.....

Rocamadour below photo, is named after the founder of the ancient sanctuary, Saint Amator, identified with the Biblical Zacheus, the tax collector of Jericho mentioned in Luke 19:1-10 , and the husband of St. Veronica, who wiped Jesus' face on the way to Calvary. Driven out of Palestine by persecution, St. Amadour and Veronica embarked in a frail skiff and, guided by an angel, landed on the coast of Aquitaine, where they met Bishop St. Martial, another disciple of Christ who was preaching the Gospel in the south-west of Gaul. After journeying to Rome, where he witnessed the martyrdoms of St. Peter and St. Paul, Amadour, having returned to France, on the death of his spouse, withdrew to a wild spot in Quercy where he built a chapel in honour of the Blessed Virgin, near which he died a little later.This account, like most other similar legends, does not make its first appearance till long after the age in which the chief actors are deemed to have lived.










Messina and Taormina – more beautiful places to see but what stands out is the visit to a jewelry factory of amber, corals and other stones.  We were first treated to wine and juices, coffee, tea, you name it, delicious native pastries and cheeses and nuts then on to jewelry shopping.  I was amazed, I thought that by now the ladies will be out of money with all the shopping in the past and also at the Ship’s stores.  But nobody can resist the fine workmanship and Giorgio’s claims that their prices are cheaper than the stores in town (??) and we still get 10% discount on top of that. Anyway, buying we did and I too spent for some jewelry I really don’t need but couldn’t resist (who knows when I’ll be there again-what an excuse) and as usual had to be last to board the bus.  Giorgio has this rule of me being the last on line, last in the stores and last in the WC (quite a problem in this trip, too few and have to pay at times), takes out all the fun of sharing experiences with the group, I feel left out with all the happenings.  We went to the museum and stadium (?), past several more souvenir shops, ate gelato and saw another town devastated by another volcano but this time, nobody died because we were told the lava did not have sulfides in it (H2S, SO2, SO3,... 


PICTURE LEFT WAS TAKEN 40 YEARS AGO IN OAKLAND ON MY FIRST DAY IN THE USA, NEXT LEFT IS  THE SINGLE MARISSA AT HOME IN QC BEFORE HER GRADUATION BALL STC 1967....BELOW WITH JUN, MARLO AND ROLLIE  AT A PLAZA IN MESSINA, NEXT PICTURES DEPICTS 38 YEARS INTERVAL AND THEN THE PORT OF DUBROVNICK........06/07.............ASC

Rocamadour below photo, is named after the founder of the ancient sanctuary, Saint Amator, identified with the Biblical Zacheus, the tax collector of Jericho mentioned in Luke 19:1-10 , and the husband of St. Veronica, who wiped Jesus' face on the way to Calvary. Driven out of Palestine by persecution, St. Amadour and Veronica embarked in a frail skiff and, guided by an angel, landed on the coast of Aquitaine, where they met Bishop St. Martial, another disciple of Christ who was preaching the Gospel in the south-west of Gaul. After journeying to Rome, where he witnessed the martyrdoms of St. Peter and St. Paul, Amadour, having returned to France, on the death of his spouse, withdrew to a wild spot in Quercy where he built a chapel in honour of the Blessed Virgin, near which he died a little later.This account, like most other similar legends, does not make its first appearance till long after the age in which the chief actors are deemed to have lived.








Rocamadour below photo, is named after the founder of the ancient sanctuary, Saint Amator, identified with the Biblical Zacheus, the tax collector of Jericho mentioned in Luke 19:1-10 , and the husband of St. Veronica, who wiped Jesus' face on the way to Calvary. Driven out of Palestine by persecution, St. Amadour and Veronica embarked in a frail skiff and, guided by an angel, landed on the coast of Aquitaine, where they met Bishop St. Martial, another disciple of Christ who was preaching the Gospel in the south-west of Gaul. After journeying to Rome, where he witnessed the martyrdoms of St. Peter and St. Paul, Amadour, having returned to France, on the death of his spouse, withdrew to a wild spot in Quercy where he built a chapel in honour of the Blessed Virgin, near which he died a little later.This account, like most other similar legends, does not make its first appearance till long after the age in which the chief actors are deemed to have lived.















December 2012 Hawaii
Taken May 2005 Portugal Cruise...Sweet the memory is to me Of a land beyond the sea, Where the waves and mountains meet, Where the merchants with their wares, And their gallant brigantines ..Sailing safely into port















0Right photo.The prosperity of the city of Dubrovnik has always been based on maritime trade. In the Middle Ages, as the Republic of Ragusa, also known as a Maritime Republic (together with AmalfiPisaGenoaVenice and other Italian cities), it became the only eastern Adriatic city-state to rival Venice. Supported by its wealth and skilled diplomacy, the city achieved a high level of development, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries.







New Zealand, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, Iguazu Falls, Venice, France, Italy






Old Quebec is a historic neighborhood of Quebec City, the capital of the province of Quebec in Canada. Comprising the Upper Town (FrenchHaute-Ville) and Lower Town.





Immediate Family in the USA


A THOUSAND YEARS OLD FRENCH HOME ON OUR 44th YEAR The house was a part of a Medieval Fortress established during the time of King Richard the Lion heart of England. After Henry II fell seriously ill in 1170, he put in place his plan to divide his kingdom, although he would retain overall authority over his sons and their territories. In 1171 Richard left for Aquitaine with his mother, and Henry II gave him the duchy of Aquitaine at the request of Eleanor. Richard and his mother embarked on a tour of Aquitaine in 1171 in an attempt to pacify the locals around the area of Montaigut Together they laid the foundation stone of St Augustine's Monastery in Limoges. In June 1172 Richard was formally recognized as the Duke of Aquitaine when he was granted the lance and banner emblems of his office; the ceremony took place in Poitiers and was repeated in Limoges, where he wore the ring of St Valerie, who was the personification of Aquitaine. In the south entree near the house, you can see a proclamation of the visit that was brought by Eleonore d'Aquitaine her son Richard the Lionheart, then Count of Poitiers. Upon the death of her husband Henry II on 6 July 1189, Richard I was the undisputed heir. One of his first acts as king was to send William Marshal to England with orders to release Eleanor from prison; he found upon his arrival that her custodians had already released her. Eleanor rode to Westminster and received the oaths of fealty from many lords and prelates on behalf of the king. She ruled England in Richard's name, signing herself "Eleanor, by the grace of God, Queen of England". On 13 August 1189, Richard sailed from Barfleur to Portsmouth and was received with enthusiasm. Eleanor ruled England as regent while Richard went off on the Third Crusade. Later, when Richard was captured, she personally negotiated his ransom by going to Germany.










FLORENCE  ITALY



CADIZ SPAIN






FIJI, AMERICAN SAMOA ,  NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA. VENICE below,  the sea meets the mountain























MY ARTS TEACHER MS Viduya_Marita



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Lourdes Gacad. Lourdes.

2002 Somewhere in the Pacific Atoll of Kwajalein. Of the 29 atolls, 27 are accessible by small plane (Air Marshall Islands). Majuro and Kwajalein atolls, the two population centres are serviced by both Air Marshall Islands and Continental Air Micronesia Jet Aircraft. Kwajalein Atoll is in the heart of the Marshall Islands. It lies in the Ralik Chain, 2,100 nmi (2,400 mi; 3,900 km) southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii at 8°43′N 167°44′E. Kwajalein is the world's largest coral atoll and comprises 93 islands and islets, it has a land area of 1,560 acres (6.33 km²),[1]:12 and surrounds one of the largest lagoons in the world, measuring 324 mi² (839 km²) in size.
The two most significant land masses are Kwajalein Island in the south, and the linked islands of Roi-Namur in the north. By the start of World War II, the Marshalls (South Pacific Mandate) were already an integral part of the Japanese perimeter of defense. Its facilities were being utilized as outlying bases for submarines and surface warships, as well as for air staging for future advances being planned against Ellice, the Fiji Islands, and Samoa.

The Battle of Kwajalein was fought as part of the Pacific campaign of World War II. It took place from 31 January-3 February 1944, on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Employing the hard-learned lessons of the battle of Tarawa, the United States launched a successful twin assault on the main islands of Kwajalein in the south and Roi-Namur in the north. The Japanese defenders put up stiff resistance, although outnumbered and under-prepared. The determined defense of Roi-Namur left only 51 survivors of an original garrison of 3,500.





For the US, the battle represented both the next step in its island-hopping march to Japan and a significant moral victory because it was the first time the Americans had penetrated the "outer ring" of the Japanese Pacific sphere. For the Japanese, the battle represented the failure of the beach-line defense. Japanese defenses became prepared in de

pth, and the battles of Peleliu, Guam, and the Marianas proved far more costly to the US.











e foot-long hotdog came with its special, extra tarty mustard sauce and a hot, crispy bun. We used to park at their drive-in bays after we were exhausted from all-night partying but with enough energy to gobble down sausages and soft drinks.


The Plaza was the favorite venue for all formal school and social functions. Food was not a big factor so long as cozy couples could
have their special table for two.


You shopped at: Escolta, Harrison Plaza (when it was still clean and had the bump cars), Ali Mall, Rustan's in San Marcelino, Aguinaldo's
in Cubao, Quezon City; Shoemart in Makati was a small, split-level affair.


The original Rustan's was the garage of the Tantoco's residential house which was eventually converted into a dazzling shop filled with
eclectic things and collectibles.




Blockbuster movies were: Love Story, Mahogany, 


The

The Library of Celsus, whose façade has been carefully reconstructed from all original pieces, was built ca. 125 B.C.E. by Gaius Julius Aquila in memory of his father, and once held nearly 12,000 scrolls. Designed with an exaggerated entrance -- so as to enhance its perceived size, speculate many historians -- the building faces east so that the reading rooms could make best use of the morning light. An underground tunnel, marked by the simple figures of a woman, a heart, and a price, leads from the library to a nearby building believed to have been a drinking establishment or 






brothel.





You had your hair styled or permed by: Flavio and Carmen, Nomer's, Lita Rio, Grace Lagman, Dick & Lucy, and Kayumanggi. That was the time of Aqua Net stiff, foot-high beehives, French twist and Kiss Me liquid eye liners and Pretty Quik instant facial blotters.

You sang: Bobby, Bobby, Bobby by Jo Ann Campbell, Someday by Ricky
Nelson, And I Love Her by the Beatles, Cherish by the Association, Because by Dave Clark Five, Distant Shores by Chad and Jeremy, Rainy Days & Mondays by the Carpenters, You've Got a Friend by Carol King, Hundred Miles by Peter, Paul and Mary, Evergreen by Paul Williams.


Saved whole month's allowance P50 to watch the Beatles perform live at Rizal Memorial Coliseum in 1965.


It was hip to listen to: Bingo Lacson and Jo San Diego (past midnight) of DZMT, the singing sensations from Ateneo de Manila? RJ and the Riots, The Loonilarks, Joe Mari Chan and the APO Hiking Society and dance to live combo music garbed in cocktail dresses and dark suits.


DZMT was affiliated with the Manila Times and was the only broadcast station that stayed on the air past midnight. Jo San Diego was their
anchor woman (she with the velvety bedroom voice).


And danced at: Manila Hotel's Jungle Bar, Stargazer, Bayside Night Club (with live music by the Carding Cruz band), and the Nile (and the Italian singing group Five n' Fives), Queue Disco, Circuit Disco, Where Else? Altitude 49, Delirium (in Greenbelt) D'Flame, Rino's, andVelvet Slum, Wells Fargo, and Coco Banana.


After graduation, jam sessions were replaced by night clubs and Bayside was the place to go for live bands and non-stop dancing.


 Blvd. (now Roxas Blvd.) and traffic was non-existent in Tagaytay.

















The next morning we had tamales for breakfast hosted by Mrs. Roa who incidentally cut her finger preparing the tamales. Then lechon for lunch and a series of songs from Mrs. Pangilinan, in appreciation for hosting us, the location this time is hazy.The next billet is at Urdaneta High School below. The same as the last night, boys will be boys as  Mr. Toralba and Lazaro kept the peace.



Burnham Park above, where we rented 

roller skates, and then, shared one of these tricycles with a junior, held both her hands, no names please, a boyish romantic encounter. Surely an unforgettable Chance Encounter for a boy of 13,  as she shifted towards me. We cuddled and continued to ride in the cool afternoon fog. 
Ambuklao Dam, newly constructed then, Photo of Bay Area Prep 61 and songs of 1957 TO THE RIGHT.


















Memories of our field trip to Bagiuo in 1957. First stop was Angeles, Pampanga, where we toured Clark with Dr. Roa. I remember the doctor riding in a brand new 1957  yellow Chrysler with all the high fins typical of the cars of the late 50’s. The day was not over yet, a jam session in the moonlight at a basket ball court at the school grounds. The seniors and teachers alike did enjoy the ball hosted by the Pampanga High School. I remember the single Ms. Roma Clemente, photo above, talking about her repertoire of dances and how she enjoyed it. Me, I stayed behind, as I do not dance yet, but was busy talking to local high school girls. I found out the beddings belong to them. Thinking this time, how UP Prep can reciprocate. Billets were in a gymnasium with rows of cots and mosquito nets. I do not know where the girls were, but the energy was ever flowing from the boys…as shoes were flying everywhere in the dark, landing safely at the mosquito nets. Above Pictures of the boys in a later field trip  (1960) to Bagiuo and Pampanga High School

CLICK  BELOW  FOR FULL SCREEN








OSCAR VALENZUELA  VALEDICTORIAN


ROAD TO BAGIUO ABOVE, THE KENNON ZIGZAG ROAD




This song is dedicated to all my lady professors and Mr. Rubio, my sincere appreciation for your kindness and knowledge imparted that helped me  for 
the rest of my life.
Ms. Celeste Botor my English & Compo teacher. Ms Rosario Cortez my History mentor.

SEE THE MOVIE BELOW....


RAINDROPS KEEP FALLING ON MY HEAD






























    THE CITY OF ROUEN THE CAPITAL OF NORMANDY WHERE JOAN OF ARC WAS BURNED AT 
THE STAKES. THE TALL SPIKE LIKE A FLAGPOLE WAS WHERE SHE WAS GRILLED ON TOP 
THEREBY DIED 0F ASPHYXIATION QUICKLY.THE PYRAMID BEHIND THE STAKE IS THE 
CHURCH OF ST. JAN D'ARC. THE HALF HIDDEN TURRET AT THE EDGE OF TOWN WAS WHERE 
SHE WAS IMPRISONED.




SOUTH PACIFIC MOVIE

WATCH THE MOVIE ABOVE


























RIP NICK PELAEZ MY DEAR FRIEND

Nick can be persistent in his quest for a girlfriend. We once followed a certain sophomore named 
Kathleen.... . all the way home thru busses and jeepneys with her, and managed to egged a smile; 
all the while serenading her the Irish ditty Kathleen in front of passengers. 
  ON OUR 44TH ANNIVERSARY A MEDIEVAL 1000 YEARS OLD HOUSE IN A
TOWN IN FRANCE ESTABLISHED BY KING RICHARD THE LION HEARTED
 



    THE CITY OF ROUEN THE CAPITAL OF NORMANDY WHERE JOAN OF ARC WAS BURNED AT 
THE STAKES. THE TALL SPIKE LIKE A FLAGPOLE WAS WHERE SHE WAS GRILLED ON TOP 
THEREBY DIED 0F ASPHYXIATION QUICKLY.THE PYRAMID BEHIND THE STAKE IS THE 
CHURCH OF ST. JAN D'ARC. THE HALF HIDDEN TURRET AT THE EDGE OF TOWN WAS WHERE 
SHE WAS IMPRISONED.




SOUTH PACIFIC MOVIE

WATCH THE MOVIE ABOVE































1960: I became aware of my heritage in my junior year at UP Prep
SIXTY YEARS LATER, THE BOY IN HIS SENIOR YEARS  ABOVE. 

Behold, the lone wolf, living dangerously on the outskirts of the tribe. Stretching comfortable boundaries into vulnerable
 horizons. The lone wolf is a periphery keeper tasked with maintaining the delicate infrastructure that makes up the 
bridges between worlds. The lone wolf is a beacon, attracting new knowledge just as resolutely as he gives it away. 
He goes into the wilderness with courage and then reenters civilization with medicine in tow. He is a jostling 
juxtaposition that topples overreaching security with forthright freedom. The only things he fears are cages and 
domestication. Don’t stoop to lower levels of behaviour even if others around you are indulging in it. The only 
person you can control is yourself, not others. Choose integrity, love and wisdom and whoever doesn’t get it, that 
is their problem, not yours. Don’t give up on the best of who you are just to battle those who don’t care…
Honestly… Don’t give it up for anyone. Stay centered and stay you!The one who follows the crowd will 
usually go no further than the crowd. Those who walk alone are likely to find themselves in places no one has 
ever been before.







FIJI, AMERICAN SAMOA ,  NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA. VENICE below,  the sea meets the mountain



New Zealand is home to fifteen named maritime fjords, all located in the southwest corner of the country’s South Island in a region called Fiordland. Fiordland National Park is a World Heritage Area recognized for its outstanding natural environment. It’s home to some of the most breathtaking natural wonders in the world. From deep glacier-carved fjords and lush rainforests to rugged mountains, thunderous waterfalls and expansive glassy lakes. It’s a nature lovers dream.













MEMORIES OF HIGH SCHOOL












 When we were young, we were in a hurry to grow up
The future a dream and now the reality
These were icons of our mind as kids
Now we know and we have learned

Tomorrow, the tomorrow is uncertain
With unknown script
You don't know how
Life can bring it
Because everything is passing
And what will happen tomorrow
Nobody knows.

Now that our wish came true
To become adults, our life is complete
Time is not enough for our dreams anymore

Our childhood is gone…Greek





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