Later that same day . . .

. . . which seemed to go on forever due to the endless flight over the International Date Line, we had a reservation to see the MacArthur Suite back at the Manila Hotel. I opted out because I blame MacArthur for what happened to my uncle. There is a wide range of views of MacArthur's conduct in the Pacific. I'm just not a fan. Instead I went swimming in the beautiful pool, where one
had a swim-up bar, a kiddy area, and very loud music. Marcia and I chose the bar. It was happy hour and we had been planning for me to try San Miguel in the pool (stemming from our many conversations about finding hypo-allergenic laundry soap during the weeks leading up to the trip). I like trying local beers whenever I can. This one is pretty good, but avoid the light. It's over-carbonated and too sweet.

The hotel restaurant was very good, being divided up into a whole bunch of buffets representing different Asian cuisines. They also had Italian and western food there, but I spent most of my time in Japan, so to speak, with forays into the Philippines. They sure love their sweets and know how to make a wide variety well. At first I thought I would just eat fruit but my appetite recovered enough to try everything, and since I had lost 40 pounds before the trip (stress diet) I didn't give the caloric content of anything the least thought. And I was right, because ten more pounds came off during the trip, during which I ate anything I wanted. As it turned out, beyond the Manila Hotel restaurant, and mangoes, there was precious little I wanted.

Speaking of fruit, one of the very best things on offer is the little, yellow Philippine/Manila Mango. We totally denuded any fruit bar of this stuff, and found you could buy packs of it dried as well. Don't confuse these with the large greenish-red mangoes we see so many of in the US. Just skip those. The yellow ones are grown in Mexico and are becoming a lot easier to find. The ones from Mexico are derived from the Philippine ones and taste the same. Since I came home I have found dried mango all over the place, and it is all the little yellow ones. Doesn't matter where they're imported from, they're delicious.

http://produceoasis.com/ProductDetailPage.aspx/TabId/272/pid/76/Fruits/AtaulfoMango

That night we showered and packed one bag for the island of Corregidor, where we were to spend two days visiting the various ruins. We had to be out of there by 6:30 AM and went to bed immediately after dinner. Everyone slept well, and I am happy to report Aunt Marion is an excellent roommate who absolutely does not snore! No headphones required.