Lanzones Fruit Festival, Camiguin

During our wonderful stay at Action Geckos on the island of Camiguin in Mindanao in October 2012, Jacky and I were lucky enough to experience the Lanzones Fruit Festival. 

It was quite simply a breathtaking combination of vibrant colours, stunning costumes and creative dancing. 

Filipino festivals are renowned for their vitality and the Lanzones Festival certainly didn't disappoint.

Camiguin island, Southern Philippines

In order to rest for a few days after undergoing my second bout of heart surgery, Jacky and I flew south to Mindanao, which has itself been in the world news during the past week due to the terrible devastation caused by Typhoon Bopha.

Approximately 2 and a half hours to the north by ferry lies the unspoilt and beautiful island of Camiguin. After making the crossing on a boat which proved eventful due to the black smoke belching from the engine that filled the cabin for about 15 minutes, we were lucky enough to rent a beachfront cottage at the awesome resort of Action Geckos. For the next 5 days it proved to be a fantastic place to relax and explore Camiguin from. The dining area, where they served delicious homemade food, even looked out directly onto the glistening sands of White Island, which was itself only a 15-minute ride away by pump boat. 

As elsewhere throughout the whole of the Philippines, the locals on Camiguin always love to sing.

Coming of Age

Five days ago was my 47th birthday. For all kinds of reasons, it was a massive personal milestone for me to have reached. On 2 occasions during the past 2 years I had serious doubts as to whether or not I would actually make it this far. Looking at a photo of myself taken just 4 months ago, it's little wonder that my body almost shut down completely 6 weeks after it was taken.

102 kilos (16 stone) in August 2012

Avoiding a second potentially fatal heart attack by a matter of just a few hours has turned out to be the biggest blessing in disguise that I could ever have hoped for. The second dose of angioplasty that again saved my life wasn't much fun, yet once again I was lucky enough to benefit from the services of an excellent cardiologist and surgeon. Since then, the health care I have received here has been pretty much second to none. In addition, the whole experience definitely woke me up from my carefree attitude of complacency and made me realise that there are certain long-term sacrifices that I will need to make with regard to diet, health, fitness and lifestyle during the years ahead. 

They are changes to my life that I've embraced with a feeling of gratitude that I've been granted a third chance to get my health back on track. It's not always easy to be consequential and there are definitely aspects of my old lifestyle that I still miss - the breakneck speed travelling around the world was very rewarding on a personal level, whilst indulging in chocolate, ice cream, biscuits, crisps, milkshakes and the odd burger also had its moments too. But having succeeded in getting fit again and slimming down quite considerably in the process, it's not a lifestyle that I ever want to go back to.

When people say they feel born again, it's invariably because they claim they have found God. I've had no such revelation. Instead, I simply feel that I'm getting closer to finding me and right now that feels pretty good and makes me optimistic for the future. 

     84 kilos (13 stone 2 pounds) in December 2012

Big Bird in Asia - Part 7 - Corregidor island

The last trip that David and I made together was out to the historical island of Corregidor which lies 50 kilometres to the west of the Filipino capital. 

Shaped a little like a giant tadpole, Corregidor (or 'The Rock' as it became known) assumed huge significance throughout the Second World War due to its location at the entrance of Manila Bay.

From December 1941 until May 1942 the U.S. military bravely defended the island in the face of 

the Japanese onslaught in the form of continual aerial, naval and artillery bombardment. This ensured its legendary status as the final remaining Allied outpost in the Filipino archipelago.

General Douglas MacArthur was successfully evacuated in March 1942 under the cover of darkness, but not before uttering his famous words "I shall return".

There was considerable Allied suffering during the 5-month siege, so it was not without controversy when a Japanese war memorial was erected after the war to commemorate and honour the bravery of the Japanese soldiers who died in battle there.

One returning Allied war veteran is said to have been so angry upon seeing the memorial when re-visiting the island that he removed the inscription "brave soldiers" with his penknife. 

The memorial forms part of the Japanese Garden of Peace, which also houses some of the battery guns used to defend the island.

The memorabilia on display includes a Japanese flag from the time of the occupation.

Part of the trip includes a sound and light show in Malinta Tunnel which re-enacts some of the decisive events that took place there. As the location of General MacArthur's military headquarters, it developed a huge strategic importance to the attacking Japanese.

The network of tunnels was reinforced with concrete walls, floors and overhead arches, all of which provided a furnished bombproof shelter for the hospital. However, with mounting Allied casualties from the relentless Japanese attacks, over 1,000 helpless wounded troops were being treated there in May 1942, when it became clear that the tunnel could no longer be protected. The Americans consequently surrendered, thereby rendering the whole of the Philippines under Japanese control. 

When Corregidor when retaken by the U.S. military in 1945, Japanese soldiers who were trapped inside Malinta Tunnel refused to surrender. Instead they chose to commit suicide using explosives, thereby partially destroying the tunnel complex.

The Middleside Barracks were destroyed by Japanese bombs in December 1941.

Battery Way was constructed between 1908 and 1914.

It housed 4 coastal defence mortars, each of which was designed to destroy enemy naval vessels in Manila Bay by firing armour-piercing shells.

By the end of the First World War, however, advances in naval gunnery and ship design had rendered these weapons largely obsolete. The mortars were easily vulnerable to attack and by the time the Japanese landed on Corregidor, only one of the guns remained in use.

Battery Hearn gun emplacement was captured almost intact by the Japanese when Corregidor fell. It was repaired by the Imperial Army and subsequently used to defend the island against the Allies.

However, it was completely neutralized by U.S. aerial bombardment in January and February of 1945.

Billeting up to a maximum of 5,000 soldiers, Topside Barracks were one of the longest barracks ever constructed.

The Pacific War Memorial was built to honour the Filipino and American soldiers who fought against the Japanese.

The central structure is a rotunda with a circular altar directly under the dome's oculus, thereby enabling its illumination during daylight hours.

The memorial stands on the highest part of the island and it was completed in 1968 at a cost of 3 million US dollars.

Exhibits in the museum include a photograph of U.S. troops once more hoisting the Stars and Stripes after recapturing the island in 1945.

Battery Crockett was completed in 1908 and its main armaments were two 12-inch disappearing guns.

Both guns were knocked out of action when the Japanese scored a direct hit on the gun emplacement in April 1942.

As the storm clouds closed in on us once more, our trip to Corregidor came to an end, and sadly so did David's 3-week trip to Asia along with it.

As David prepared to fly back to Ireland in order to dry off, we drank one more beer to his health.

It was an incredible experience from start to finish Big Bird and a real pleasure to spend so much time with you again. Slainte! 

Big Bird in Asia - part 6 - Pagsanjan Falls & Tagaytay

For David's last weekend in the Philippines we decided to really push the boat out. 

Quite literally as it turned out.

To protect ourselves against the elements during our trip upriver to Pagsanjan Falls, we donned our rain capes, lifejackets and safety helmets.

Our lead boatman needed all his experience to navigate the many hazards enroute.

Despite his size, he was incredibly strong and athletic.

Our anchorman at the back was presumably his father.

Due to the heavy rains, which had swollen the river level to its absolute limits, we were the only visitors as we ventured into what felt like virgin jungle.

The scenery all around was breathtaking. 

The experience was almost magical from start to finish.

Despite having 3 passengers on board the dugout canoe (including two monstrously heavy heffalumps by Filipino standards) our oarsmen nevertheless succeeded in pulling us against the current through the rocks and rapids.

In 1979 Francis Ford Coppola used this actual river to shoot scenes from Apocalypse Now and at times it almost felt as if we were on the set.

Due to the rising water levels, we were not allowed to continue on to the main falls, which were closed due to safety concerns. 

However, Talahib Falls enroute provided a spectacular backdrop.

Having arrived at our destination, two raftsmen suddenly appeared.

After inching their way towards us via a rope, we then boarded their raft to enable them to take us directly under the deluge from above. Feeling the full force of the waterfall on our safety helmets and shoulders was unbelievable.

Having taken an hour to reach the falls, the return downstream journey, known locally as Shooting the Rapids, was considerably quicker. 

As with our upstream journey, we were expecting Martin Sheen to appear between the palm trees on the river bank at any moment.

This time the elder of the two boatsmen was up front, negotiating each of the 14 rapids will admirable skill.

Local families were enjoying the elevated water level as it gave them easier access to the river to do their washing.

Having arrived safely back on land, Arnel negotiated his way through the trikes in good time to enable us to head across Taal Lake to visit what is said to be the smallest active volcano in the world.

We got a taste of the forthcoming weather on the boat ride over. The spray was so intense that I could barely keep my eyes open.

After the perpetual rain, the landscape all around us during our upward climb was incredibly lush.

Ongoing volcanic activity ensures that the geological formations on view are composed of chemically-induced vibrant colours.

After reaching the volcano's rim, relief can be found in the form of a luxury toilet, commonly referred to  in the Philippines as a Comfort Room or C-R for short.

Female hustlers along the path on the rim do their utmost to encourage trekkers to hit golf balls which they provide you with (at inflated prices of course) out across the lake and into the water below. David and I were far more interested in admiring the incredible view.

It's a sheer drop over the cliff edge, but David still braved the danger to see it for himself.

The colour of the ground was amazing. It was like looking at a picture of the earth around Uluru in Australia. 

Hot fumes visibly emanate from the fissures in the rocks down below.

There have been 33 recorded eruptions at Taal since 1572.

During one of the largest recorded eruptions in 1574, the local town was buried beneath a layer of ash and mud 2.2 metres thick. 

The current shape of the volcanic cone was determined by the devastating eruption of 1911 which claimed around 1,500 lives. 

The explosion was so powerful that it was heard by people right across an area measuring 600 miles in diameter.

The blast scattered ashes over an area covering 2,000 square kilometers.

The main crater, which itself contains a lake, is picturesquely situated on an island in the middle of Taal Lake, both of which are visible from the cone's rim.

As we headed back down the volcano, the heavens opened once more.

I sought what little refuge I could under my rain cape on the pump boat.

However, all of my efforts were in vain.

As I began to resemble a drowned rat, David attempted to keep my spirits up.

As he did so, the weight of my rain cape grew increasingly heavy and I soon felt the need to bale out the water that was rapidly collecting between my legs.

In trying to dispose of it as self-effacingly as possible, it nevertheless looked as if I was wetting myself.

As we headed back to Manila, with Arnel doing his utmost to avoid the landslides now on the roads, we stopped for one final view of the lake and volcano in the fast fading light.

There was to be no let up in the inclement weather the following day, but David and I were nevertheless determined to brave the elements one last time and enjoy a final excursion to the island of Corregidor together before he returned to Europe.