Filipino Traditions on New Year's Eve and Day

Twelve kinds of round fruits should be in your table by midnight to bring good luck and prosperity to the Household

When I was growing up in the Philippines, my parents will tell us kids that on New Years Eve and Day, we should do the following for good luck. Doing these things will help insure that the coming year will be a happy and prosperous one. Many of these traditions and superstition are of Chinese influence, I believe.

1. Turn on all lights so that the coming year will be bright.

2. Make as much noise as you can to scare away evil spirits.

3. Debts must be paid off. Fill you wallet with fresh peso bills.

4. Open all doors, windows, cabinets and drawers to let good fortune in.

5. Scatter coins around the house, on tabletops.... inside drawers...

6. Clean everything including your body by taking a long bath, the closets and the whole house.

7. Wear polka-dots, preferably black and white. Anything round signifies prosperity.

8. Jump twelve times at midnight to increase your height. (Observed by Filipino children.)

There are five things related to food that we must do for good luck as follows:

1. Prepare 12 round fruits, one for each month of the coming new year ( see photo above).

2. Have a very round grape in your mouth at the stroke of midnight.

3. Eat a native delicacy made from sticky rice to make good fortune stick in the new year.

4. Eat long noodles (pancit) for long life ( definitely of Chinese origin). We should eat pancit also during our birthday.

5. Don't eat any chicken or fish. They are associated with the scarcity of food.

Then on New Years Day we should not clean anything, otherwise we might sweep away the good fortune. In addition we should not spend money at all. Our being thrifty that day will help us manage our money very well for the whole year. Do you have any New Years Eve tradition in your family? Please share!

Happy 2015 to All of You,Relatives, my dear readers and FaceBook Friends!

25. Places in the US that I had Visited-Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Another city that I visited because of an American Chemical Society Meeting was Philadelphia, Pennsylvania way back in the mid 1980's. Again, Macrine was not able to join me, because of conflict on her work schedule. I did enjoy walking and window shopping at South Sreet and Society Hill. I also saw the famous Liberty Bell and Independence Hall and The Statue of Benjamen Franklin. I did enjoyed my 5 days visit of this historic city.

Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania, sixth-most-populous city in the United States and the fifty-first most populous city in the world. In 2008, the population of the city proper was estimated to be more than 1.54 million, while the Greater Philadelphia metropolitan area's population of 5.8 million made it the country's fifth largest. The city, which lies about 45 miles (72 km) southwest of New York City, is the nation's fourth-largest urban area by population and its fourth-largest consumer media market, as ranked by the Nielsen Media Research.

It is the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. Popular nicknames for Philadelphia include Philly and The City of Brotherly Love, from the literal meaning of the city's name in Greek (Greek: Φιλαδέλφεια (/pʰilaˈdelpʰeːa/, Modern Greek: /filaˈðɛlfia/) "brotherly love", compounded from philos (φίλος) "love", and adelphos (ἀδελφός) "brother").

A commercial, educational, and cultural center, Philadelphia was once the second-largest city in the British Empire(after London), and the social and geographical center of the original 13 American colonies. It was a centerpiece of early American history, host to many of the ideas and actions that gave birth to the American Revolution and Independence. It was the most populous city of the young United States, although by the first census in 1790, New York City had overtaken it.

Philadelphia served as one of the nation's many capitals during the Revolutionary War and after. After the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, the city served as the temporary national capital from 1790 to 1800 while Washington, D.C., was under construction. Here's a tour of the city and the Amish country of Lancaster. PA. It will be worth your time to view this video, if you have not been to Philadelphia and surrounding area.


Philadelphia is central to African American history. Many of its larger suburbs such as Chester, Pennsylvania; Wilmington, Delaware; Camden, New Jersey; and Trenton, New Jersey (sometimes included in the New York metropolitan area) have African American majorities. This community has been large since before the Great Migration, and despite area civil rights gains, continues to be affected by poverty and high crime. The area, in common with most of Pennsylvania, also has a very large population of Italian Americans.

Note: This is No.25 of a series of articles on places that I had visited in US since 1960.

24. Places in the US that I had Visited-Boston, Massachussettso

I attended another American Chemical Society Meeting in Boston, MA way back in the late 1970's. This was another city, that Macrine was not able to join me because of her job status. So without Macrine, my fellow FDA employees toured the city and surrounding vicinity before and after our meeting sessions. I did enjoy the historic monuments and antique homes and mansions and partake Maine Lobsters in one of the city famous seafood restaurants. We visited Faneuil Hall, a well-known stop on the Freedom Trail, sometimes called "the Cradle of Liberty" because of its role in the American Revolution. Boston is the city in America that is almost an extension of Europe.

Boston is the capital and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. Boston city proper had a 2009 estimated population of 645,169, making it the twentieth largest in the country. Boston is also the anchor of a substantially larger metropolitan area called Greater Boston, home to 4.5 million people and the tenth-largest metropolitan area in the country. Greater Boston as a commuting region includes six Massachusetts counties, Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Plymouth, and Worcester, all of Rhode Island and parts of New Hampshire; it is home to 7.5 million people, making it the fifth-largest Combined Statistical Area in the United States.

Boston shares many cultural roots with greater New England, including a dialect of the non-rhotic Eastern New England accent known as Boston English, and a regional cuisine with a large emphasis on seafood, salt, and dairy products. Irish Americans are a major influence on Boston's politics and religious institutions. Boston also has its own collection of neologisms known as Boston slang.The city has a number of ornate theatres, including the Cutler Majestic Theatre, Boston Opera House, Citi Performing Arts Center, the Colonial Theater, and the Orpheum Theatre. Renowned performing-arts organizations include the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Ballet, Boston Early Music Festival, Boston Lyric Opera Company, OperaBoston, and the Handel and Haydn Society (one of the oldest choral companies in the United States). The city is also a major center for contemporary classical music, with a number of performing groups, some of which are associated with the city's conservatories and universities. There are also many major annual events such as First Night, which occurs on New Year's Eve, the annual Boston Arts Festival at Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park, Italian summer feasts in the North End honoring Catholic saints, and several events during the Fourth of July period. These events include the week-long Harborfest festivities and a Boston Pops concert accompanied by fireworks on the banks of the Charles River.

Because of the city's prominent role in the American Revolution, several historic sites relating to that period are preserved as part of the Boston National Historical Park. Many are found along the Freedom Trail, which is marked by a red line of bricks embedded in the ground. The city is also home to several prominent art museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. In December 2006, the Institute of Contemporary Art moved from its Back Bay location to a new contemporary building designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro located in the Seaport District. The University of Massachusetts campus at Columbia Point houses the John F. Kennedy Library. The Boston Athenaeum (one of the oldest independent libraries in the United States), Boston Children's Museum, Bull & Finch Pub (whose building is known from the television show Cheers), Museum of Science, and the New England Aquarium are within the city.



Boston has been a noted religious center from its earliest days. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston serves nearly 300 parishes and is based in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross (1875) in the South End, while the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, with the Cathedral Church of St. Paul (1819) as its episcopal seat, serves just under 200 congregations. Two Protestant faiths are headquartered in Boston: Unitarian Universalism, with its headquarters on Beacon Hill, and the Christian Scientists, headquartered in Back Bay at the Mother Church (1894). The oldest church in Boston is King's Chapel, the city's first Anglican church, founded in 1686 and converted to Unitarianism in 1785. Other notable churches include Christ Church (better known as Old North Church, 1723), the oldest church building in the city, Trinity Church (1733), Park Street Church (1809), First Church in Boston (congregation founded 1630, building raised 1868), Old South Church (1874), and Mission Hill's Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (1878).
Here's a video on the sites and sound of this beautiful and historic city.


Note: This is No. 24 of a series of articles on the places that I had visited in the US since 1960.

Thanking the Lord for his Blessings Today on my 81st Birthday

Me and Wife Macrine Celebrating My 74th Birthday in the Philippines

Today I turn 81 years old. After completing my Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Illinois in 1964, I worked for the Federal government(FDA) for 12 years. I had also worked for 22 years in the private industry here in the US. I considered myself successful in my chosen career. On a personal level, I have been married for over 58 years to the same woman ( Macrine Nieva Jambalos from Boac, Marinduque). We have four successful children and six grandchildren.

I retired from FDA in October, 2002. My last position in FDA was the Chemistry Team Leader of the Division of Anti-Infective Drug Products, New Drugs Chemistry, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Silver Spring, Maryland.

A surprise visit from my two sisters-in-law ( Jean Maeda and Charro Levine)on my birthday lunch today. Thank you for the Greek food and bottle of champagne and for the visit, Jean and Charro.

Today reminds me also of the 101 things in my bucket list that I have previously posted in my hub at Hubpages.com. This hub received more than 5000 views the last 5 days this week. With this number of views, my total views in my hubs is now over 13,000. I am so delighted with this development. It inspires and motivates me to continue writing.

This hub is not really a wish list since I have already done most of the things in the list (except numbers 7 and 43). Does this mean, I am ready to die? Not Yet I hope, I have still a lot of blogging to do. I hope you keep on sending your comments. Your comments energizes me, whether it is positive or negative.

I hope the following list will inspire you to write your own list. There is no order of priority in the list, but my twelve favorites are numbers 1, 3, 13, 24, 26, 32, 42, 47, 65, 79, 86 and 101

1\. Write your autobiography and memoirs or write for a Writing site .
2\. Join a medical mission to a third world country (Philippines recommended)
3\. Create a web site or start a blog
4\. Create a YouTube or Vimeo video
5\. Try eating three exotic fruits (durian, tamarind, passion fruit and others)
6\. Go wine tasting and visit at least 10 wineries in the Napa Valley, California
7\. Join a tour to one of America's top ten Breweries
8\. Eat raw oysters, escargot, seafood paella or any dish that you have not eaten before (maybe a balut or dinugu-an)
9\. Take up Yoga or Tai Chi
10\. Watch a Foreign Film, an Opera or a Play
11\. Have a really Expensive Meal with your Loved One (Chez Panis in Berkeley, CA)
12\. Go to the Casino without Gambling. Just eat a buffet lunch or dinner
13\. Visit Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks
14\. Learn how to play a musical instrument
15\. Join a church or community choir
16\. Join a Walking tour of China Town in San Francisco or Visit the de Young Museum
17\. Play duplicate bridge on line just for fun and not for gambling
18\. Attend a Broadway Show in New York City or in San Francisco
19\. Go to a jazz club at the French Quarter, New Orleans, LA
20\. Visit the Rock of Gibraltar and Tangier, Morocco
21\. Join a Cruise to the Bahamas, Alaska or at Baja California
22\. Visit at least one Mayan Ruins in Mexico(Chichen Itza and/or Tulum Ruins)
23\. Attend a Tennis Academy for one week at Rancho Bernardo, California
24\. Visit at least five National Parks/Monuments in US
25\. Try something you have not done before, perhaps sky diving, deep sea fishing or a helicopter ride
26\. Visit St Peter's Square, the Vatican and have an audience with the Pope
27\. Visit the White House and the National Monuments, Washington, D.C.
28\. Visit Gettysburgh, Pennsylvania, Civil War National Cemetery
29\. Visit Dutch and Amish Country in Southern Pennsylvania
30\. Learn how to snorkel or Scuba Dive
31\. Learn a new dance, perhaps a Cha Cha, a Tango, a Rumba or a Quick Step
32\. Attend a professional ice hockey game
33\. Write a music parody
34\. Write an acrostic poem
35\. Ride a mechanical bull in (Sugar Land, Texas)
36\. Go Fire Walking in Hawaii
37\. Attend a Professional Football Game
38\. Visit Disneyland and Ride a Roller Coaster
39\. Swim with the Dolphins or with the Manatees or walk in a semi-dormant volcano
40\. Go whale watching in Hawaii
41\. Visit a Zoo (San Diego Zoo highly recommended)
42\. Visit a Botanical Garden (Longwood Gardens in PA or Buchart Gardens in Victoria Island recommended)
43\. Taste Ludong-the most expensive fish in the Philippines
44\. Milk a cow or a goat
45\. Go Butterfly and Bird Watching
46\. Watch sea turtle eggs hatching and running toward the sea
47\. Visit Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
48\. Visit Death Valley National Park, California
49\. Visit The Everglades National Park, Florida
50\. Visit Yosemite National Park, California
51\. Visit at least one out of the "Seven Wonders of the World"
52\. Witness a meteor shower, a comet or a lunar eclipse
53\. Visit Niagara Falls and Take a Picture of the Falls at Night
54\. Visit the Alhambra and its Gardens in Granada, Spain
55\. Visit Big Ben and the House of Parliament, London
56\. Visit the Coliseum in Rome and/or Saint Francis de Assisi Church, Italy
57\. Visit Corregidor Island, Philippines
58\. Visit at least one out of the "Seven New Wonders of the World"
59\. Visit a Museum in US (J Paul Getty Center in LA, Art Institute in Chicago or the Museum of Modern Art in New York City)
60\. Visit all of the Smithsonian Museums in Washington, D.C.
61\. Live in a Foreign Country for at least 4 months (Philippines recommended from November to February)
62\. Visit Historic Williamsburg, Virginia and Virginia Beach
63\. Climb up to the Statue of Liberty or the Lincoln Memorial
64\. See the Empire State Building and take a bus tour of New York City
65\. Visit the Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California
66\. Attend the National Cherry Blossoms Festival in Washington, D.C.
67\. Attend a Mardi Gras in New Orleans, LA
68\. Attend the Moriones Festival in Marinduque, Philippines
69\. Learn How to Play Bridge or Hongkong Mahjong
70\. Learn how to Grow Orchids and other tropical plants
71\. Have a "High Tea" at the Empress Hotel, Victoria Island, BC, Canada
72\. Own your own Beach House or a small Island
73\. Kick negative habits and Mild Addiction (smoking, alcohol, computer or Facebook)
74\. Learn how to be a Good Listener
75\. Learn how to accept criticism
76\. Discover your family tree and traced your ancestry and genealogy
77\. Go to mass and communion every day for at least one year
78\. Meditate for at least 20 minutes every day for at least one year
79\. Get a whole body reflexology massage
80\. Visit a planetarium (Chicago Planetarium recommended)
81\. Sit in A Jury
82\. Have your portrait painted
83\. Get your Palms read
84\. Eat a pistachio ice cream and leche flan
85\. Eat gateau le sans rival and mercedes de brazos cake without being guilty
86\. Watch a salmon spawning run
87\. See a Cirque de Soleil Show in Las Vegas, Nevada
88\. Have a timeshare vacation exchange in Puerto Rico and Cancun, Mexico
89\. Visit Aruba and surrounding areas
90\. Visit Malaga, Marbella and Costa del Sol, Spain
91\. Take a long train ride (may be the Orient Express or the Skunk Train)
92\. Write your own 101 things to do before you die (at least 25 items)
93\. Sing Karaoke in front of people without blushing
94\. Write a song or a poem on a subject close to your heart
95\. Visit Ground Zero Monument, New York City
96\. Visit a volcano (Hawaii Volcano National Park recommended)
97\. Learn a new language, take music lessons or a music appreciation class
98\. Bathe in a hot spring or sulfur spring in Marinduque or some other place in the world(Bath,UK)
99\. Treat yourself and your love one to an expensive vacation (maybe at Bellarocca)
100\. Learn How to say "NO" without feeling guilty.
*last but not least*
101\. Make a difference in at least one person's life

As my favorite quote says: "The time that you have touched the life of others is the time that you have really lived".

I am sure most of you reading this list have already done number 10 and 101. How many in the above list have you done? I hope the above list will inspire you to write your own bucket list.

I am thanking God for all his blessings today and for the future years ahead . To those friends and relatives who sent me their Birthday Greetings, My million thanks. Yesterday ( 12-20-15) in the Philippines, I received more than 70 birthday greetings in my FB timeline. As of this writing date, I have another 30 BD greetings from my FB friends and relatives here in the US. Again, Thank You All and have a Merry Christmas, a Safe and Prosperous 2016!

23. Places in the US that Macrine and I had Visited-New Orleans, Louisiana

Macrine and I visited New Orleans in the late 1970's during an American Chemical Society Meeting. We stayed at the Hyatt Hotel just across the Louisiana SuperDome and Convention Center. During the day, I attend the meeting , but after 5PM we were free to enjoy Bourbon Street and the French Quarters. We also took the bus tour of the city and surrounding areas. We attended a jazz concert. We saw the raised cemetery plots( above-ground tombs), antique homes and shoppes. It was a week to remember. Although, it was not Mardi Gras when we visited the city, there was always a long line during lunch and dinner time. We did enjoy the hurricane rum drinks and the ethnic dishes ( Creole).

New Orleans has many major attractions, from the world-renowned French Quarter and Bourbon Street's notorious nightlife to St. Charles Avenue (home of Tulane and Loyola Universities, the historic Pontchartrain Hotel, and many 19th century mansions), to Magazine Street, with its many boutique stores and antique shops.
According to current travel guides, New Orleans is one of the top ten most visited cities in the United States; 10.1 million visitors came to New Orleans in 2004, and the city was on pace to break that level of visitation in 2005. Prior to Katrina, there were 265 hotels with 38,338 rooms in the Greater New Orleans Area. In May 2007 there were over 140 hotels and motels in operation with over 31,000 rooms.

A 2009 Travel + Leisure poll of "America's Favorite Cities" ranked New Orleans first in ten categories, the most first-place rankings of the 30 cities included. According to the poll, New Orleans is the best U.S. city as a spring break destination and for "wild weekends," stylish boutique hotels, cocktail hours, singles/bar scenes, live music/conerts and bands, antique and vintage shops, cafés/coffee bars, neighborhood restaurants, and people-watching. The city also ranked second for gay friendliness (behind San Francisco, California), friendliness (behind Charleston, South Carolina), bed and bath hotels and inns, and ethnic food. However the city was voted last in terms of active residents and near the bottom in cleanliness, safety, and as a family destination.

The French Quarter (known locally as "the Quarter" or Vieux Carré), which dates from the French and Spanish eras and is bounded by the Mississippi River, Rampart Street, Canal Street, and Esplanade Avenue, contains many popular hotels, bars, and nightclubs. Notable tourist attractions in the Quarter include Bourbon Street, Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, the French Market (including Café du Monde, famous for café au lait and beignets) and Preservation Hall. To tour the port, one can ride the Natchez, an authentic steamboat with a calliope, which cruises the Mississippi the length of the city twice daily. The city's many beautiful cemeteries and their distinct above-ground tombs are often attractions in themselves, the oldest and most famous of which, Saint Louis Cemetery, greatly resembles Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.

Also located in the French Quarter is the old New Orleans Mint, a former branch of the United States Mint, which now operates as a museum, and The Historic New Orleans Collection, a museum and research center housing art and artifacts relating to the history of New Orleans and the Gulf South. The National World War II Museum, opened in the Warehouse District in 2000 as the "National D-Day Museum", is dedicated to providing information and materials related to the Invasion of Normandy. Nearby, Confederate Memorial Hall, the oldest continually operating museum in Louisiana (although under renovation since Katrina), contains the second-largest collection of Confederate memorabilia in the world. Art museums in the city include the Contemporary Arts Center, the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) in City Park, and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art.

New Orleans also boasts a decidedly natural side. It is home to the Audubon Nature Institute (which consists of Audubon Park, the Audubon Zoo, the Aquarium of the Americas, and the Audubon Insectarium), as well as gardens that include Longue Vue House and Gardens and the New Orleans Botanical Garden. City Park, one of the country's most expansive and visited urban parks, has one of the largest (if not the largest) stands of oak trees in the world. There are also various points of interest in the surrounding areas. Many wetlands are in close proximity to the city, including Honey Island Swamp. Chalmette Battlefield and National Cemetery, located just south of the city, is the site of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans.

New Orleans is almost synonymous to Hurricane Katrina(2005). New Orleans was catastrophically impacted by the failure of the Federal levee system during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. By the time the hurricane approached the city at the end of August 2005, most residents had evacuated. As the hurricane passed through the Gulf Coast region, the city's federal flood protection system failed, resulting in the worst civil engineering disaster in American history. Floodwalls and levees constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers failed below design specifications and 80% of the city flooded. Tens of thousands of residents who had remained in the city were rescued or otherwise made their way to shelters of last resort at the Louisiana Superdome or the New Orleans Morial Convention Center. Over 1,500 people died in Louisiana and some are still unaccounted for. Hurricane Katrina called for the first mandatory evacuation in the city's history, the second of which came 3 years later with Hurricane Gustav.

Note: This is No.23 (Part 1) of a series of articles that the Katague Family had visited in the US since 1960.

22. Places in the US that Macrine and I had Visited-San Antonio, Texas

I attended an American Chemical Society Meeting in San Antonio in the mid 1980's. Macrine was not able to join me because of her new job as a visiting nurse. At that time the Tower of Americas was still on the planning stage. I stayed in the Victorian Hotel next door to the Alamo. All our meetings were in the Convention Center, just a walking distance from my hotel. I enjoy the River Walk and the River Rides. San Antonio reminds me of Venice, Italy. I love San Antonio and would not mind visiting it again.

The City of San Antonio (pronounced /ˌsænænˈtoʊni.oʊ/) is the second-largest city in the American state of Texas and the seventh-largest city in the United States, with a population of 1.4 million. The city is the seat of Bexar County. Located in the American Southwest and the northern part of South Texas, San Antonio is the center of Tejano culture and Texas tourism. The city is characteristic of other Southwest urban centers in which there are sparsely populated areas and a low density rate outside of the city. It was the fourth-fastest growing large city in the nation from 2000 to 2006 and the fifth-fastest-growing from 2007 to 2008. The San Antonio–New Braunfels metropolitan area has a population of nearly 2.1 million based on the 2009 U.S. Census estimate, making it the 28th-largest metropolitan area in the U.S and third in Texas.

The city was named for the Portuguese St. Anthony, whose feast day is on June 13, when a Spanish expedition stopped in the area in 1691. Famous for Spanish missions, the Alamo, the River Walk, the Tower of the Americas, the Alamo Bowl, and host to SeaWorld and Six Flags Fiesta Texas theme parks, the city is visited by approximately 26 million tourists per year according to the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau. The city is home to the four-time NBA champion San Antonio Spurs and the annual San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, one of the largest in the country.
San Antonio has a strong military presence—it is home to Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base, and Brooks City-Base, with Camp Bullis and Camp Stanley outside the city. Kelly Air Force Base operated out of San Antonio until 2001, when the airfield was transferred over to Lackland AFB and the remaining portions of the base became Port San Antonio, an industrial/business park. San Antonio is home to five Fortune 500 companies and to the South Texas Medical Center, the only medical research and care provider in the South Texas region.

Here's a scene from the movie "The Alamo". I love the violin solo in this scene.


San Antonio is synonymous to the Alamo. It is a must visit for all tourists to the City. More than 2.5 million people a year visit the 4.2 acre complex known worldwide as "The Alamo." Most come to see the old mission where a small band of Texans held out for thirteen days against the Centralist army of General Antonio López de Santa Anna. Although the Alamo fell in the early morning hours of March 6, 1836, the death of the Alamo Defenders has come to symbolize courage and sacrifice for the cause of Liberty. The memories of James Bowie, David Crockett, and William B. Travis are as powerful today as when the Texan Army under Sam Houston shouted "Remember the Alamo!" as it routed Santa Anna at the battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. The Alamo has been managed by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas since 1905. Located on Alamo Plaza in downtown San Antonio, Texas, the Alamo represents nearly 300 years of history. Three buildings - the Shrine, Long Barrack Museum and Gift Museum - house exhibits on the Texas Revolution and Texas History. Visitors are welcome to stroll through the beautiful Alamo Gardens. Just a short distance from the River Walk, the Alamo is a "must see" for all who come to San Antonio.

Note: This is No.22 of a series of articles of the places that I have visited in the US since 1960.

21. Places in the US that Macrine and I had Visited-Ocean City, Maryland

The proximity of Ocean City from our residence in Colesville, MD(less than 2 hours drive), made it a pleasure for taking one week of summer vacation to this popular beach town in Maryland. This was the time when I was still working for FDA. We rented a one bedroom condo owned by a co-worker in FDA. It was a relaxing week and we got to see the surrounding vicinity including the wild horses of Assataugue Island and drove up north to Bethany Beach, Delaware.



We enjoyed the board walk and the beach and feasted on Maryland Crabs. Eating Maryland crabs is hard work if you are used to eating Dungeness crabs of San Francisco. But the Maryland crab's meat is sweeter and tastier than the Dungeness meat which reminds me of the crabs in Iloilo, Philippines where I grew up. If you like to play golf, Ocean City is the place for you. Here's a video about the sights and sounds and things to do in Ocean City.


Ocean City, sometimes known as OC, or OCMD, is an Atlantic Ocean resort town in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. Ocean City is widely known in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is a frequent destination for vacationers in that area. The population was 7,173 at the 2000 census, although during summer weekends the city hosts between 320,000 and 345,000 vacationers.

Today, the Ocean City area continues to sprawl westward across the bay and toward Berlin and Ocean Pines. It is part of the Ocean Pines Micropolitan Statistical Area. The resort area now accommodates hundreds of thousands of vacationers a year.
Ocean City now extends just over 9 miles (~15 km) from the southern inlet to the Delaware line. The strip now supports hotels, motels, apartment houses, shopping centers, residential communities, and condominiums. The southern tip houses the Ocean City Boardwalk. The boardwalk is the main shopping district and entertainment area of the town. The boardwalk has many prominent businesses including Fisher's Caramel Popcorn & Thrashers French Fries. Other notable boardwalk businesses are Dollies Salt Water Taffy, the Atlantic Stand & Dumser's Dairyland. The Boardwalk has two amusement parks, Trimpers Rides and The Pier, which was recently renamed Jolly Roger at The Pier, after its sister uptown local amusement park. The downtown neighborhood is marked by Victorian style houses and other older buildings, many of which have been razed in recent years to construct more parking lots, hotels and condos.

The firefighter memorial is located on the boardwalk. Ocean City has a long history of fishing, both commercial and recreational. The town bills itself as the "White Marlin Capital of the World." During the summer numerous charter and private boats fish for billfish, tuna, wahoo, and other game fish. In early August, one of the largest fishing tournaments in the world, the White Marlin Open, is held. Prize money for the largest White Marlin, Blue Marlin, and Tuna can range over 1 million dollars.
Aerial View of Ocean City, Maryland
The town supports a year-round population of about 8,000, with the town itself being a major employer. Summer employment in Ocean City rises many multiples above that level, supported by a large number of college-age and young adults - many native to Eastern Europe and the United Kingdom - attracted by numerous job opportunities. In the summer, businesses and government agencies are augmented with about 100 seasonal police officers, plus extra firefighters and other workers.

Tourism in the winter has picked up pace. Where once even many traffic lights were shut down or bagged up, increased traffic from golfers and Ocean City Convention Center conventions has convinced many seasonal restaurants and hotels to remain open. Many bars and restaurants that close during the winter re-open for St. Patrick's Day.
The Board Walk
The city has erected a memorial to the firefighters who lost their lives on September 11. This memorial is located on the boardwalk, about six blocks from the inlet. The memorial consists of a firefighter statue, engraved brick and stone, and a piece of one of the twin towers that collapsed in New York City.

Note: This is No.21 of a series of articles on the places that the Katague Family had visited in the US since 1960.

20. Places in the US that Macrine and I had Visited-The Napa Valley, California

Macrine and I had driven a number relatives from the Philippines to the Napa Valley several times times when we were still residing in Pinole, CA in the late 1980's. We have been to a few wineries but the top ten we enjoyed most are as follows: Here are the name of the wineries, telephone numbers, address, time of operation and other details, just in case you have the urge for a wine tasting escapade in the Napa Valley. View this video first, before you read my top ten wineries.

1. Beringer Vineyards tel. +1 707.963.4812 2000 Main Street St. Helena, CA 94574
Tasting Room - Yes hrs: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Cost: $ $5 - $20

2. Black Stallion Winery tel. +1 888-BSW-NAPA 4089 Silverado Trail Napa, CA 94558
Tasting Room - Yes hrs: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Cost: $ $10; Reserve $30
Two for One Tasting Coupon!

3. Mumm Napa tel. +1 707.967.7700 tel. +1 800.686.6272 8445 Silverado Trail Rutherford, CA 94573 Tasting Room - Yes hrs: 10:00 am - 4:45 pm Cost: $ $6 to $25
VIP Pass-2 for 1 Tour
The Wine Enthusiast Magazine calls Mumm Napa one of "America's Best Tasting Rooms". noted for outstanding sparkling wines, friendly staff, and photography galleries.

4. Silverado Vineyards tel. +1 707.257.1770 tel. +1 800.997.1770 6121 Silverado Trail Napa, CA 94558 Tasting Room - Yes hrs: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Cost: $ Varies

5. Domaine Carneros by Taittinger tel. +1 707.257.0101 1240 Duhig Road Napa, CA 94559
Tasting Room - Yes hrs: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm Cost: $ $7.00 and up

6. Domaine Chandon tel. +1 707.944.8844 tel. +1 800-736-2892 One California Drive Yountville, CA 94599 Tasting Room - Yes hrs: 10:00 am 6:00 pm Cost: $ $16 & Members Free

7. Louis M. Martini Winery tel. +1 707.968.3361 tel. +1 800.321. WINE 254 S. St. Helena Hwy St. Helena, CA 94574 Tasting Room - Yes hrs: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Cost: $ $15-$30 Members Free

8. Robert Mondavi Winery tel. +1 707.968.2001 tel. +1 1-888-766-6328 ext 1 or 2
7801 St. Helena Highway Oakville, CA 94562
Tasting Room - Yes hrs: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Cost: $ $15-$30
Complimentary Tasting Offer

9. Sterling Vineyards tel. +1 707.942.3344 tel. +1 800.726.6136
1111 Dunaweal Lane Calistoga, CA 94515 Tasting Room - Yes hrs: 10:30 am - 5:00 pm
Cost: $ 30 Resrve;$35-40 VIP
Discount Passport-$5 off

10. William Hill Estate Winery tel. +1 707 265 3024 1761 Atlas Peak Road Napa, CA 94558 Tasting Room - Yes hrs: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Cost: $ $12-25, members free
2 for 1 Tasting Flight Coupon



Napa County is a county located north of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is coterminous with the Napa, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000 the population is 124,279. The county seat is Napa. Napa County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. Parts of the county's territory were given to Lake County in 1861. The word napa is of Native American derivation and has been variously translated as "grizzly bear", "house", "motherland", and "fish". Of the many explanations of the name's origin, the most plausible seems to be that it is derived from the Patwin word napo meaning house, although local residents will often cite an urban legend that gives the translation as "you will always return".

Napa County, once the producer of many different crops, is known today for its wine industry, rising in the 1960s to the first rank of wine regions with France, Italy, and Spain.

Note: This is No.20 ( Part 1) of the series of articles that Macrine and I had visited in US since 1960.

19. Places in the US that Macrine and I had Visited-Virginia Beach, Williamsburg and Vicinity, Virginia

We visited Williamsburg and Virginia Beach via Our International Interval Vacation Exchange Program in the mid 1990's. One day in Colonial Williamsburgh was not enough. This historic area is a must visit for history enthusiasts and students of US history. It is the biggest living museum in the US.

Williamsburg is well-known for Colonial Williamsburg, the restored Historic Area of the city, and for the adjacent College of William & Mary, established in 1693, the second-oldest university in the United States. Nearby, and established in 1770, the predecessor of the current Eastern State Hospital is considered to have been the earliest mental hospital in the United States.

The Historic Triangle of Virginia, which also includes Jamestown and Yorktown, is among the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with Williamsburg located in the center. The three are linked by the National Park Service's Colonial Parkway, a 23-mile-long (37 km) National Scenic Byway which is carefully shielded from views of commercial development. The toll-free Jamestown Ferry is located at the southern end of the Colonial Parkway. State Route 5, another scenic byway, links Williamsburg and Richmond. Here's a video about this living museum.



Most highway travelers reach Williamsburg via nearby Interstate 64, U.S. Route 60, and State Route 143, each major east-west highways. Commercial airline service is available at Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (20 miles), and at Richmond and Norfolk airports (both 55 miles away). All are located along I-64 and offer limousine service to Williamsburg, as well as rental cars.



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Virginia Beach is the easternmost city of Hampton Roads that make up the core of the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC MSA. This area, known as "America's First Region", also includes the independent cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Suffolk, as well as other smaller cities, counties and towns of Hampton Roads.

Virginia Beach is a resort city with miles of beaches and hundreds of hotels, motels, and restaurants along its oceanfront. Every year the city hosts the East Coast Surfing Championships as well as the North American Sand Soccer Championship, a beach soccer tournament. It is also home to several state parks, several long-protected beach areas, three military bases, a number of large corporations, two universities, and numerous historic sites. Near the point where the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean meet, Cape Henry was the site of the first landing of the English colonists, who eventually settled in Jamestown, on April 26, 1607.

The city is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as having the longest pleasure beach in the world. It is located at the southern end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, the longest bridge-tunnel complex in the world.

Here's a short video taken on the Virginia Beach Board Walk areas. I love this Board Walk (not commercialized) a lot than the one in Atlantic City, New Jersey or Santa Cruz, California.


Note: This is No.19( Part 1) of a series of articles that the Katague Family had visited or resided in US since 1960.