Hello !!!! I have come to the end of my journeys for 2010. This has turned out to be more of an experience than I had ever imagined. I am coming down to the last 3 days here in Manila. I will be coming home after an amazing almost 4 month journey around the world and back. To recap.. Manila on Aug 4 until Sept 18, home to Philly for a few days.. then vacation to Greece with stops in Paris on the way and the return home...(Sept 23rd to Oct 12th) and then back to Manila from Oct 16th to this Saturday.

I don't know where to start. Life is so wild and crazy... I have made some wonderful new friends here in the Philippines that are both Indian and Filipinos. I have seen some amazing places, spent some wonderful times with friends both old and new, have worked my ass off like never before and yet found plenty of time to live life to the fullest all along the way.

Some highlights.. competed on a international volleyball team (came in 4th of 6th), an international 4 person bowling team (came in 1st of 6th and only by 7 pins !!!!! Way to go Hemi, Jeff and Raoul) went to Zambales on the China Sea, The Peoples Park in the Sky and Enchanted Kingdom, lived many Sunday's at "The Spa" Thank you Erick D... lived in a 5 star hotel where I even became one of their "Guest of the Day"... interview and picture.. and if you can treat a person better than they did before... they treated me like a king and queen even more after being their guest... This is a place that everyone knows my name. Went on a great vacation to Paris, Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos with best friends.

I met so many great people and some of them will be friends going forth. There are so many experiences that I can never explain or describe.. but know that my life has been changed forever on some level.

Now to try to catch you up on the last week or so and bring this blog to a close for now. More on that later.

Last weekend the folks at work wanted to go out on an outing and they wanted to make it special for me. We took a jeepney (finally got to go on one - google it and you can read and see all about it) to Tagaytay City to the People's Park in the Sky. You can also google this as well. This place was built for President Reagan and Nancy on their visit to the Philippines in 1984. The trip never came to be and the place was never finished. Today it stands unfinished, in ruins from neglect of doing nothing to it.. to making it tourist friendly. I remember the day Ferdinand Marcos was overthrown.. Today Imelda is in her early 80's and is technically a Congresswoman in one of the provinces in the north (lives in Manila in some mansion), her daughter is also a congresswoman, her son Ferdinand Marcos Jr is a National Senator (and major pain in the side to the current President Ninoy Aquino. The government is still trying to find the wealth, jewels, land, property and belongings of the Marcos clan that was stolen during his reign as dictator. I walked around and took some pictures of the place and view trying to see what it must have looked like back in 1984. You can see the tile where the pool is before it was filled in with dirt, you can see what was the pool house which now sells concessions, they had these beautiful pillars with round sconces and some are still there today in tact. The view is breathless from the 2 tiers of what was outdoor patios. Parts of the main building is closed down due to dangerous ceilings caving in as well as water and weather damage over the years.

When I say the folks from work, I mean to say it was a total of 24 of us.. mostly Filipinos, 4 Indians and 3 Americans.. mostly voice people and 1 guy from data. After spending some time at the Peoples Park in the Sky, we went to Leslie's for lunch. This was an open air restaurant that was huge and packed. The view was breathtaking over looking the volcano within a lake within a volcano.. We had a great lunch of all kinds of foods.. tried beef marrow, and also this shrimp sauce that went with this pork dish. Then we were off to Enchanted Kingdom which is a good size (I think the largest in Philippines.).. also can google this for more info. We rode the rides, got wet on the rides, got wet in the rain, and kept going back for more fun on the rides. It was one long day that started at 5:30 AM and ended back at Market Market by jeepney and then taxi to the hotel by 10 PM that night.

The folks I work with have turned out to be friends that I will have forever. They have truly taken me in as a friend and colleague. They have taken care of me in so many ways and always had the concern that I was having fun and a good time!.. I am not sure if they have ever met anyone like me... and I am so sure.. that I have not met anyone like them. I could name them all by name and all have a story I have gotten to know.

One of the best things in my life is the people that I have met through out my life. The people I have met here in Manila through work, living at the Shangri La Hotel not to mentions the folks in Europe on vacation, has been one of the most enriching experiences of my life.

The hotel.... I have to share some funny / crazy stories. Being a long term guest living in a 5 star hotel, is like living as a king and queen in your own palace. When I say that they know your name, I mean almost everyone from day 2 will constantly greet you my name. Good Morning Mr Thomas, Good Evening Mr Thomas... people from the men that greet you at the car, to the people working the door for security, the people working inside the door at the lobby, to the restaurant people, the front lobby staff, even to the young ladies working the elevators not to mention the K9 handlers of the bomb sniffing dogs to the dogs that work every day 12 hour shifts keeping us safe. I have treats I give 2 of them every morning when I return from work. I had such service that every evening after work for dinner, I didn't have to ask for my carrot and orange juice mixed (freshly squeezed) and my decaf cappuccino... they just brought it to me, they would bring my newspaper to me, I even had folks bring me my food to the table or help me carry my plates from the best buffet known to mankind. The staff here was the best ever known to the world.

Now the kicker is they even got better... and the folks that knew me but didn't know my name.. knew my name and started using my name with the greeting after I became their Guest for the Day. I was interviewed and photographed for this honor. One funny story that happened recently. This weekend when we got back from Enchanted Kingdom, I went to bed right when I got back to the hotel. I woke up about 4 hours later sicker than a dog. It was quick starting, painful in the stomach, and lasted for about 24 hours.. I didn't eat, go out, or get out of bed except to constantly go to the bathroom. By Monday night I was feeling like I wanted to die.. but had to get up and go to work. I had taken a pill for what was wrong... (my doctor in Philadelphia is the GREATEST DR in the world) and it was working for the most part. I hadn't eaten in 24 hours, hadn't really slept in 24 hours, and generally felt week and tired. But I thought I would get up and get my routine going for my work day.

I don't remember if I had told my routine before but quickly I get up leave the hotel and walk around the park across from the hotel. There are stores and restaurants and office buildings and malls everywhere. So I head out to the right and walk around until I am basically across from the hotel to the Subway Sandwich Shop. I stop and get my sandwich which I take to work for lunch. They they know me and treat me like a king as well. I continue on my way around the circle and stop at Starbucks where I get my coffee before work. They also treat me like a king and queen as well. Of course they know my first name (which they ask for the coffee) unlike everywhere else it is always Mr Thomas or Sir Thomas.

Well this evening I am feeling so sick but I put on my gym shorts, my Ptown yellow t-shirt, and Boston Red Sox ball cap and go downstairs. Well the Philippines celebrates Christmas like no other place on earth. They start almost in September in the malls with music, decorations and all sorts of lights all over the place. Now remember it is still averaging 90 degrees and it is the monsoon season during this time. Well the lobby they decorated this past weekend for Christmas. It is like Christmas threw up all over the lobby and surrounding areas in the hotel. This particular night they had this major celebration for lighting this huge Christmas tree in the lobby. It was a major gala that include singers from the University of the Philippines, The Ambassador of China to the Philippines (The Shangri La hotel chain is Chinese) not to mention all sorts of local and provincial dignitaries. EVERYONE was way dressed up and enjoying this Christmas Gala all over the lobby and front of the hotel. Here I come down looking like a bum, feeling sicker than a dog and I am trying to sneak out of the hotel to get my sandwich and coffee. From the time I got off the elevator and outside to the street there must have been at least 40 people (not exaggerating) that greeted me and tried to get me to stop to talk to me. I could have died. I just wanted to get out and get away.. I was so under dressed, feeling sick.. but you would have thought I was dressed for the gala and one of the honorees. I have had the pleasure to have met the general manager of the hotel a few times, head of security (for other funny reasons) down to Fabian, Henry and Noel who have taken care of me in my room, laundry etc. to all the folks in the restaurant and the hotel staff, and gym as well.

The nice thing about Subway and Starbucks and they knowing me is that when there would be a line at either place, the employees all knew what I wanted, and silently took care of me, and i was out before anyone even knew I was there. If I ever have to open a door besides my own hotel room which even times I had help on that, it would be amazing. I am not sure I even know how to open my own door.. being that of a building or a car.

Well I have done my last minute shopping, I am packed 4/5th of the way. I have 3 more work days, and a lot of goodbyes to say and pictures to take. I am sure I will shed a few tears on the goodbyes, not to mention a few hugs as well. I have had a great time and look forward to coming back in the new year. I am looking forward to returning home to my life, my family, my home and my wonderful neighbors and friends for which with out the generosity of them all, this adventure would have never been possible. To all that helped in one way or another, Thank You so much for what you have done for me, Tim and Molly.

So I leave the hot weather... which I will miss, Saturday for home, Tim and Molly and BellaLuna, the colder weather and the wonderful Holiday season... which I am way behind on the normal things. I can't wait to see everyone and try to spend some normal life times again.

It appears that I will be returning to Manila again in the new year for some time.. not sure exactly when or for how long. When it comes to pictures I have put most of the albums on facebook from all the journeys, vacation hot spots, and here in Manila. I am going to put some pictures here of the this past weekend, and the lobby of the hotel decorated for Christmas. The full album of last Sunday will be on facebook. I will put all the final pictures I will take up until the time I leave on Saturday in one final album on facebook. It will be pictures of mostly people for memories.

So this blog which was kind of crazy how it started was a great idea. I hope you all had a great time reading it as much as I did writing in it. I will bring it back to life again when I start to travel again which will be sooner than late I am pretty sure. I will let you know.

Until then.. I can't wait to see the folks back home very SOON, Good-bye to my friends here in Manila. To all.. live life to the fullest, enjoy every moment you can in all sorts of ways. Life is precious, short, and yours to do with what you will.. so seize the day... and live.

In life..

Craig