I went on a day trip to Corregidor island today. I was supposed to get up at 5.30 am but woke at 3.15 am and couldn't get back to sleep. I got to the ferry terminal at 6.30 as the desk opens at 7am, I had booked a reservation the previous day but that doesn't mean much here in the Phils.
Their systems and proceedures are still in the 19th century but that's another story, anyway to cut a long story short I got my boarding pass at 7.50am.
It was an interesting trip but too touristy for me... you know, board bus at 9.30... stop here for a photo shoot, right everyone back on the bus... 5 mins later... right stop for another photo shoot.
It was very educational though, I learned a lot more about WW2. Corregidor... although it is 26 miles from Manila, it is still in Manila bay... the bay is a very very big horseshoe.
To get to Manila you have to pass Corregidor so you can see why it was such an important island during the war.
The U.S lost the island to the Japanese on may 6th 1942, the americans surrendered and 13,000 were taken as POW's. They won it back again in 1945.
What is usually the most interesting is the little things that happened that you may get to know about. I won't bore you with the details except to write the following....
I want to write this as it will remind me in later years when I look at this blog, one of the guides that was very old, probably in his 80's.... but still all there......told the story of when the Phils was occupied by the Japanese, the hero Japanese fighter pilot did a personal appearance in a theatre in Manila, he went along to listen to him, after the translator had told the pilots story he offered to answer questions in a type of open forum, this guide ( he was a guide then too) asked him what did it feel like as you flew over the horizon to attack, to cut a long story short, he knew that the Americans had known about the attack on Pearl harbour 10 hours before so guessed that they would be ready for them. There had been a fog in the bay which had delayed the Japanese attack so took away the art of surprise, when he (Jap pilot) flew over the airfields he could see lots of planes but he told his men that they would be wooden planes and the real planes would be somewhere else awaiting to attack them. He fired on on one of the "wooden" planes to find out that they were all real planes with engines.. he couldn't believe his luck and he and his men blew up every plane in 20 minutes which left the americans in a pretty bad way. He then found out that although one arm of the US military knew about Pearl harbour they didn't inform the other arm til it was too late. At that time the army and navy didn't see eye to eye and kept the info to themselves. If true this is an amazing thing to happen and the war in Asia could have been different. Sorry about the length of this, I promise not to do it again !!
I have added a video but it won't be "live" for a few hours yet. You don't have to watch it you know !!! ;-)
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5 comments:
Hi Gerard have been reading your blogg daily and find it very interesting. Could you tell me about the people are they overweight as the ones that I see always seem to be small framed people. As the American fast food culture is in full swing there, I should imagine they have or soon will have an obesity problem. Are you still buying take aways each day or have you learnt to open a tin yet. Ha HA. Love Janxxx
Hi Gerard,
Glad your back blogging. Your trip sounds very interesting, you've learned a lot about WW2, and also from a different aspect.
Where is your next visit? Do you feel you've been away almost 3 months wont be long till your half way through your trip. I am very cheery, aint I............
Hope the sun shines over the coming week, don't work too hard.
LOL
Anne xxx (not Mary)
Hi Jan ( skeggie I presume ??) Yes I couldn't agree with you more, the american fast food culture is in full swing and I would guess that we will be seeing a lot more obesity here in the future. Most people can afford to eat in KFC or McD's but there is still lots that can't afford it, that will help to keep them slim. I try not to eat in those places, I have found places that offer steamed veggies so I eat more there.
Hi Anne, my next visit may be a biggie, I may tour Mindaneo for a week or so, this is the island that the Muslims want to seperate from the Phils. This is where the kidnappings etc go on and everyone says don't go there. I know that it's really not that bad but there are parts of the island that I would avoid. I'll try and kep my work to a minimum.
Hi Gerard, very interesting stuff on WW2. Your video on Corregidor Island was very good, gives us an insight into the other side of the world.. I dont know about you going to Mindanao I was reading about it, very Muslim, I would'nt go there if I was you... anyway Keep safe and enjoy the rest of your trips.. Mary
Hi mary, thanks but Mindaneo will be ok. Glad that someone is watching my videos !!
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