Romalaine

Bataan Death March

Coming home from our overnight vacation in Morong, we passed some markers dedicated to the war heroes that perished in the infamous Bataan Death March.  In April 1942, the Japanese forced some 80,000 Philippine and American soldiers to march from Mariveles in Bataan to Camp O'Donnell in Capas, Tarlac via San Fernando, Pampanga.  Around 10,000 perished.  This atrocity was later adjudged to be a Japanese war crime.

In the words of my uncle Jay, "the blood-drenched crosses were strewn all over the place, a mute testimony to the orgy of horrors committed by the yellow sons of Nippon..."

It is good to revisit the past, so the sins may never be repeated.

Rest in peace, defenders of our shores.

Westwind

It was a long drive to Morong, took us around 5 hours to get there through Subic Bay.  Our destination was Westwind Beach Resort which my colleagues found from one of the travel websites.  Our group spent something like P2,000 per head for an overnight outing; this budget included 2 meals for the duration of the stay.  Accommodations and food were pretty basic, but the warmth of the staff made our stay very enjoyable.

Our room had 4 bunk beds and two pull out beds for a total of six beds, each good for 2 people.  In theory, the 24 m2 room could take up to 12 people, but that would have been really cramped.  Luckily we only had 7 men packed in the room, which was doable, since we only slept for around 4-5 hours.

The infinity pool wasn't big but good enough for the group.  We did a lot of night swimming, and the mini jacuzzi area was a big hit with the ladies.  The beauty of the place though is the beach--fine grey sand, very clean, devoid of rocks and debris, clear waters, gently sloping to around 5 feet deep.  I was quite amazed that something like this was just at the northern tip of the Manila Bay.  Maybe I'll be back with the family!

Coralview Beach Resort

Our lazy drive to Bataan brought us to the Coralview Beach Resort.  We had wanted to check out the facilities of some of the better resorts for our summer vacation, and it seems that this one is a good candidate.  Easy drive, decent facilities, and reasonable rates.  I can't wait for summer to come!

Westnuk Beach

The Bataan drive with Tito Tony landed us in WestNuk Beach in Mariveles, the name being presumably coined from the "Westinghouse Nuclear" Plant nearby.  The beach is on the property of the National Power Corporation and was relatively well maintained for government property.  Admission is less than P100 per person, which makes it a favorite for summer visitors, but the lodging facilities are quite old and worn.  Sand has a nice beige hue and the beach is relatively clear of rocks and debris.  Getting in and out is not bad, but there is a short drive on bad roads (roughly 2 kilometers).  Summertime is coming!

Fortune Hong Kong Seafood Restaurant

Coming back to Manila from Bagac, Anton and I were famished.  We found ourselves checking our GPS for places to eat and the first thing that popped onto our screen was Fortune Hong Kong Seafood Restaurant in Balanga.  Of course we made a beeline for the restaurant!

It was a seafood specialty store, so we had crispy squid, polonchay and braised fish and tofu. Food came to us piping hot!  It was almost 2:30 pm and we were the only ones in the restaurant, so it felt like the chef was cooking just for us.  We spent around P400 per person.  Not bad at all. 

It seems that the Fortune chain is all over Central Luzon.  From the menu, I understand they have branches in Angeles, Tarlac & Dagupan; the Legend restaurant at the reclaimed area in Pasay City is a sister restaurant.

Anvaya Cove

It was a windy day in February, just perfect for our long drive out of town.  First on our agenda for last weekend's road trip was Anvaya Cove, a residential enclave developed by Ayala Land.  I'm always on the lookout for nice properties to purchase, and this seems like a nice place to set up a vacation house.

The community is lined with houses clearly espousing the tropical island look and feel.  I developed an instant liking to the place, which is easily accessible via SCTEX through the Subic Morong gate.  The community has both a beach club and a golf club, and lots and condominiums are currently being sold.  Relaxing views.

The only drawback with vacation homes is the number of times we get to use it a year's time. If the house is seldom used, it turns out to be a very expensive investment decision.  Love the place, but let me sleep over it...