San Diego, California and Vicinity

San Diego Skyline
We have visited San Diego three times since 1960. It is one of my favorite California cities, because the climate reminds me of the Philippines. A friend grows bananas, guavas and avocados in his backyard. It is not only a nice city to visit but also to live and retire if you could afford the housing in the area. Three of our family favorite places in the San Diego area are the Zoo, Legoland and Sea World. It is also a convenient starting place to visit Tijuana, Mexico. Be careful if you decide to visit Tijuana, Mexico for pickpockets etc. We love San Diego and will never get tired of the city.
The Zoo
The Coronado Bridge

Here's a short video of the sites and sounds of this beautiful city.


Note: This No. 12 (Part 1) of the series of articles on the places that the Katague family had either visited or resided in the US since 1960.

San Luis Obispo, Hearst Castle and Vicinity

Macrine and I had been to the Hearst Castle in San Simeon twice in the late 1970's. There are five tours one can take, but if it is your first time, Tour #1 is highly recommended by the National State Park officials. It is about 41 miles from San Luis Obispo, where most tourist stay overnight to return the next day for another tour.
The Garden
Hearst Castle is a National Historic Landmark mansion located on the Central Coast of California, United States. It was designed by architect Julia Morgan between 1919 and 1947 for newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, who died in 1951. In 1957, the Hearst Corporation donated the property to the state of California. Since that time it has been maintained as a state historic park where the estate, and its considerable collection of art and antiques, is open for public tours. Despite its location far from any urban center, the site attracts roughly one million visitors per year.

Hearst formally named the estate "La Cuesta Encantada" ("The Enchanted Hill"), but usually called it "the ranch". The castle and grounds are also sometimes referred to as "San Simeon" without distinguishing between the Hearst property and the adjacent unincorporated area of the same name. The history of this castle is fascinating and interesting. For details read the Wikipedia.
The Pool-edged with Gold

Now for information about San Luis Opispo, just recently listed as one of the top ten and best cities to live in the United States.

San Luis Obispo (pronounced /sæn ˈluːɪs ɵˈbɪspoʊ/; Spanish for St. Louis, the Bishop) is a city in California, located midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on the Central Coast. Founded in 1772, San Luis Obispo is one of California’s oldest communities. The city, referred to locally as "SLO", "SLOtown", "S.L.O" and "San Luis", is the county seat of San Luis Obispo County and is adjacent to California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly). As of the 2006 Census Bureau estimate, the city population was 42,963 (down 2.8% from 2000). One of Macrine's nephew graduated from Cal Poly in the late 1980's.

The City in 1876

Earliest human inhabitants of the local area were the Chumash peoples, who settled in the vicinity circa 5,000 to 10,000 years BC. One of the earliest villages lies south of San Luis Obispo, and reflects the landscape of the early Holocene when estuaries came farther inland and sea levels were higher. These Chumash people exploited marine resources of the inlets and bays along the Central Coast and inhabited a network of villages including sites at Los Osos and Morro Creek.

San Luis Obispo once had a burgeoning Chinatown in the vicinity of Palm St. and Chorro St. Laborers were brought from China by Ah Louis in order to construct the Pacific Coast Railway, roads connecting San Luis Obispo to Paso Robles and Paso Robles to Cambria, and also the 1884 to 1894 tunneling through Cuesta Ridge for the Southern Pacific Railroad. SLO's Chinatown revolved around Ah Louis Store and other Palm Street businesses owned and run by Chinese business people. Today, Mee Heng Low chop suey shop is all that remains of the culture, although a revitalized Chinatown development is being planned. A display of some of the unearthed relics from this period can be seen on the first floor of the Palm Street parking garage, which was built over the location where Chinatown once stood. The San Luis Obispo Historical Society (adjacent to the Mission) also contains rotating historical exhibits.

San Luis Obispo was also a popular stop on both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1 with the rise of car culture. Due to its popularity as a stop, it was the location of the first motel, the Milestone Mo-Tel.

Among San Luis Obispo's historical buildings is the former San Luis Obispo Carnegie Library, located at 696 Monterey Street. The San Luis Obispo Carnegie Library was built in 1905 with a grant of $10,000 from Andrew Carnegie, who funded the establishment of 142 California libraries in the early 1900s. The Romanesque style building was designed by architect W.H.Weeks of Watsonville, California and was built by contractor Joseph Maino of San Luis Obispo. As one of numerous California public buildings designed by W. H. Weeks, it shares features with Carnegie libraries in nearby Lompoc and Paso Robles. The San Luis Obispo Carnegie building served as the city library until 1955, when a new public library was built at the corner of Palm and Morro Streets. It has been home to the San Luis Obispo County Historical Museum since 1956. The Carnegie Library building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.


Note: This is no. 11 ( Part 1) of a series of articles on places that the Katague family had visited or resided in the US since 1960.

Memories of a Forgotten War-Spanish-American War in the Philippines-1899-1913

Are you a history enthusiast? Have you heard of the Spanish-American War in the Philippines? If not, here's your chance to learn a little bit of this forgotten war.

The following is a summary of the documentary made by an international team of Filipino and America media artists and below is the trailer of this film. A must see movie if you are a history enthusiast. This war must not be confused with the World War II of the Japanese-American War in the Philippines, 1941-1945.

In the decade following the Spanish-American War, more Filipinos were killed by US troops than by the Spanish during the 300 years of colonial rule. More than 1 million Filipinos died between 1899 and 1913. This experimental documentary about the Philippine American War of 1899 combines archival photographs and turn of the century film, digital video and 16mm footage to create memories of a forgotten history. A contemporary Filipina-American narrator weaves this complex history through historiography, experimental documentary and intercultural cinema. Shot on location in the Philippines and edited in the US, the film was produced by an international team of Filipino and American media artists.

Review Summary
While in Manila in 1997 to research her Filipino genealogy, Filipino-American college professor Camilla Benolirao Griggers discovered that the Philippines and its inhabitants at the end of the 19th century were subjected to extraordinary acts of military aggression and barbarism at the hands of the United States, which history later recognized as the Philippine-American War. Astounded, Griggers and Filipino avant-garde filmmaker Sari Lluch Dalena co-directed and co-produced the 2001 historical documentary Memories of a Forgotten War as a means to provide greater exposure to a misunderstood and relatively obscure event in world history. Beginning with her discoveries about her American G.I. grandfather's abandonment of her Filipino grandmother -- and her mother, then a child -- at the end of the Philippine-American War, Griggers compares this interpersonal betrayal with the larger context of the betrayal that the citizenry of the Philippines endured when the island nation was sold from the Spanish government to the United States. Upon learning of the transaction, Filipinos -- who were led to believe their nation would finally be independent -- started a revolt that would be bloodily quashed by U.S. military intervention. Due to some unbelievably successful propagandistic efforts on behalf of the United States, the truth about the events of the war were mostly forgotten by citizens of both nations. Griggers and Dalena include historically produced reenactments -- some produced by Thomas Edison, a vocal supporter of United States' actions -- as well as some the co-directors produced as counterpoint. Memories of a Forgotten War was a selection to a number of film festivals throughout 2002, including New York Asian American Film Festival and the Hawaii International Film Festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide

10 Things I am Thankful For on 10-10-10 at 10:10 PM

Thank You Lord For Everything

Thanksgiving Day is still about six weeks away, but today on this rare occasion of 10-10-10 at 10:10 PM, I am saying my thanks to the Lord:

1.Thank you Lord, For giving me a reasonably good health at age 76. With the exception of some minor aches and pains, diabetes, and high blood pressure, I am still enjoying life and its challenges with the current snow bird life style that my wife and I are practicing annually.

2.Thank you Lord, For my loving wife and best friend, Macrine Nieva Jambalos after 53 years of marriage

3.Thank You Lord, For my oldest son, Diosdado Dodie and wife Ruth Carver and their three children, Philip Winchester, Alexandra ( Alix) and Marina

4.Thank You Lord, For my oldest daughter, Dinah Katague King and husband David Everette King and their two children Ian King and Elaine King

5.Thank you Lord, For my youngest son, David Ernst III who takes care of our house here in US when we are in the Philippines

6.Thank you Lord, For my youngest daughter Ditas Macrine Katague and husband Nick Thompson

7.Thank You Lord, For my youngest granddaughter, Age 7, Carenna Katague Thompson

8.Thank you Lord, For all my relatives, brothers, sisters, brother and sister-in laws all over the world, in the Philippines, US, Australia and Canada

9. Thank You Lord, For all my relatives and friends all over the world

10.Thank You Lord, For the success of my small business venture Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort and Conference Center in Boac, Marinduque, Philippines

Here's a "Thank you Lord" for your listening pleasure at Posted on 10-10-10 @ 10:10PM

Los Angeles, Disneyland and Vicinity-10/10/10

Macrine and I at the Huntington Beach Pier, 2010
We have been to the Los Angeles area more than a dozen times since 1960. Like New York, my personal opinion is that it is a nice place to visit, but even if you gave me a million dollars, I will never live in the area. Why? the Smog, the overcrowded freeways and just too many people. But as far as tourist attractions, the area is one of the best in US with Disneyland, Catalina Island and the surrounding beaches such as Huntington Beach, Santa Monica and of course Hollywood and Beverly Hills.

Even in the most remote corners of the world, the name Los Angeles is known. As one of the most popular cities in this country, LA draws millions of tourists every year, catering to the unique desires of each one with unparalleled diversity and countless entertainment options. There truly is something for everyone around this city. Take a tour through the world of the rich and famous in Beverly Hills, find the classic California surfing lifestyle at Huntington Beach, or follow the White Rabbit down the rabbit hole into the funky and eclectic world of Venice Beach. Appease your inner child by visiting attractions like Disneyland and Magic Mountain, or summon your inner performer by visiting Universal Studios and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. While picking the right destination for activities may be difficult, one sure thing is that there will never be a lack of options. Los Angeles is almost synonymous to Disneyland in Anaheim. We have visited Disneyland three times since 1960. It is a must see for both adults and the children of all ages. Here's a short video for your enjoyment.




Here are a few suggested tours besides Disneyland for you to consider if you happened to be in the LA area.
Newport Landing Whale Watching
1. One of the most unique ways to spend any day is by taking to the sea to watch whales and dolphins in their sparkling natural habitat. Newport Landing offers multiple whale watching tours departing daily, year-round, from Newport Beach, and individuals, groups and school classes are welcome to enjoy this breathtaking experience. Gray whales, giant blue whales (the largest animal on the planet), finback whales, and several other species of whales, 6 different species of dolphin, sea lions, and more are all viewable from their large specially made for whale watching ship.
2. Escapes Sightseeing and Food Tours
See famous sites in Hollywood and dine at the hottest restaurants. All this can now be accomplished with TOURific Escapes' Hollywood Sites & Bites Tour. The four-hour tour kicks off at iconic landmarks around Hollywood. Experience major attractions like the famous Hollywood Sign, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the site of the Academy Awards. Next up is a trip down Hollywood Boulevard, swinging by trendy Melrose and down The Sunset Strip, probably LA’s most famous attraction. Along the way, you’ll dine at some of LA’s best restaurants. Some are hidden gems known only to Foodies and locals. Don’t miss this TOURific adventure.
Another Side of Los Angeles Tours
3.Whether you're visiting Los Angeles or you're a local, Another Side of Los Angeles Tours is a great way to see all the sites that LA has to offer and in a very unique way. This LA tour provider is famous for their Segway Tours covering the best spots around LA including Beverly Hills--probably the most popular tour--and Another Side of Los Angeles Tours also offers studio tours, golfing tours, shopping and LA spa tours along with general sightseeing tours. For the ultimate Los Angeles experience, try the Ultimate Hollywood Tour which cruises through Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, the Farmers Market, swings by Hollywood Mann's Chinese Theatre, takes a stroll on the Walk of Fame, rolls down Sunset Strip, drives through the Avenue of the Stars, and checks out amazing Hollywood homes.
Cruise Newport Beach
4. Whether visiting Los Angeles or living there, a cruise exploring the beautiful waters of Southern California is a treat for anyone. Cruise Newport Beach offers affordable sunset cruises and brunch cruises, as well as evening cruises and Latin themed cruises complete with margaritas and live Latin music. This Los Angeles cruise company also offers ship rentals for events like bachelor parties, company parties or holiday gatherings.
.Go Los Angeles Card
5.The Go Los Angeles Card offers free general admission to over 35 Los Angeles attractions, including Universal Studios Hollywood, the Los Angeles Zoo, California Science Center, Los Angeles City Tour, LEGOLAND California, and the Hollywood Wax Museum.

Note: This is No.10 ( Part 1) of a series of articles on places that the Katague family have either resided or visited in the US. Posted on 10/10/10 at 10:10 AM today!

Philippines Credited for One Novel Prize Winner

Which country has the best brains? Over the past week, the Nobel prizes have been awarded in chemistry, medicine, peace, physics and literature.

The awards are an annual ritual celebrating human intellectual endeavour that began in 1901. They were set up by Alfred Nobel, a Swedish inventor and arms manufacturer, who requested in his will that his fortune be used to create a series of prizes for those who confer the "greatest benefit on mankind". Biochemist Dr Frederick Sanger, won it twice.

Over the intervening 109 years, more than 500 prizes have been awarded. But which nation can claim the most winners?

We have trawled through the archives to produce a definitive list of the nations with the biggest brains.

A clear winner would be the United States which comes out top overall, as well as in five of the six categories. The UK is next, with 117 Nobel medals. However, France, which bumps along in fourth or fifth, is clearly ahead when it comes to literature.

But there are a total of 69 countries or territories whose citizens have picked up the prize, from St Lucia to this week's latest addition, Peru, birthplace of author Mario Vargas Llosa. There are 765 male awardees and 41 female awardees.

The Philippines could be credited for 1 winner with the recent announcement of American Professor Heck-Nobel prize Winner in Chemistry since he is now residing in the Philippines with his Filipina wife-Soccoro.

Notes*:

* The figures include all Nobel Prizes awarded up to and including 8 October 2010
* Prizes are allocated to the country/countries stated on the winner's biography on the website of the Nobel Prize committee (www.nobelprize.org)
* Where the website mentions multiple countries in relation to a prize winner (country of birth; country of citizenship; country of residence at time of award) each of those countries is credited as having won the prize
* Where a prize has multiple winners, the country (or countries) of each winner are credited
* Prizes which were declined by the winner are included
* Prizes won by organisations are not allocated to countries
* The Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel is not a Nobel Prize per se, but it is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences according to the same principles as for the Nobel Prizes and therefore include in the list.

The Philippines is credited for one winner because Professor Heck and his wife currently resides in the Philippines. I am hoping that in the next decade a native born Filipino will be selected as another Nobel Prize winner. PAASE has a lot of PROBABLES. Do you agree?

Source: www.bbc.co.uk/news

Las Vegas Strip and Surrounding Areas

Macrine and I in front of the Mirage Hotel and Casino during a Volcanic Eruption,2009

Las Vegas is our family favorite city for relaxation. Macrine and I have been to Las Vegas more than a dozen times since 1960. Our first trip to LV was in the late 1980's, when I attended an American Chemical Society Meeting. Since then we have visited the city 10 times and our latest visit was just last year. As members of International Interval (II) Time Exchange Program, Las Vegas is the easiest city to exchange any time of the year. Exchanging our vacation resort (our home resort is The Ridge at Tahoe) via II to other cities such as Hawaii or San Francisco is almost impossible. We waited for three years to get an exchange in Maui, two years in San Francisco and finally give up waiting for a vacancy in Paris, France. So if you have not been to Las Vegas, here is a short video tour of Las Vegas and surrounding area.



Here's a Lady Gaga video ( Bad Romance)on her Driving Tour of the LV Strip at Night.



Note: This is No 9 (Part 1) of a series of articles on places that we have visited or have resided in the United States since 1960. Part II will be places that we have visited outside the US.

South Lake Tahoe and Vicinity

South Lake Tahoe, California

Last week Macrine, David III and I spent one week of vacation at our time vacation resort at the 5 star The Ridge Resort, Tahoe in the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. David III played golf everyday and also poker at the three Casinos, Harvey, Harrah and the Horizon. Macrine and I played the slots machine and also went to a lake cruise and dinner. This is our yearly vacation through a time-share program that we purchased in the early 1990's. A detail description of our time-sharing experience is also described in this blog. Use the search gadget in this blog for the article, if you want to know more about time-sharing vacation packages from The Ridge, Tahoe.

Personal Note: Casino Gambling in Lake Tahoe is on the decline due to competition from Indian Casinos in Northern California, such as Thunder Valley, The Red Hawk, Cache Creek and other Casinos in Northern California.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIFORNIA

South Lake Tahoe is a city in El Dorado County, California, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The population was 23,609 at the 2000 census. The east end of the city, on the California-Nevada state line, is mainly geared towards tourism, with T-shirt shops, restaurants, hotels, and Heavenly Mountain Resort with the Nevada casinos just across the state line in Stateline, Nevada. The city extends about five miles (8 km) west-southwest along U.S. Route 50, also known as Lake Tahoe Blvd. The western end of town is mainly residential, and clusters around "The Y" (new intersection October 2008), the X-shaped intersection of US 50, State Route 89, and the continuation of Lake Tahoe Boulevard after it loses its Federal highway designation.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.5 square miles (42.7 km²), of which, 10.1 square miles (26.1 km²) of it is land and 6.4 square miles (16.7 km²) of it (39.03%) is water. Its elevation is about 6,260 feet (1,910 m).

The median income for a household in the city was $34,707, and the median income for a family was $40,572. Males had a median income of $26,352 versus $22,280 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,452. About 9.1% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.7% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over. South Lake Tahoe is located at 38°55′45″N 119°59′4″W / 38.92917°N 119.98444°W / 38.92917; -119.98444 (38.929237, -119.984347).[2] As its name suggests it is located on the southern shore of Lake Tahoe, right next to the Nevada border and the town of Stateline, Nevada.

History

The city incorporated in 1965 by combining the previously unincorporated communities of Al Tahoe, Bijou, Bijou Park, Stateline, Tahoe Valley, and Tallac Village. A post office was established in 1967. In 1991, Jaycee Lee Dugard was abducted from a bus-stop in South Lake Tahoe, aged 11. She was found in 2009 in Antioch, California 18 years later.

LAKE TAHOE

View of Lake Tahoe from the California South Side

Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada mountains of the United States. At a surface elevation of 6,225 ft (1,897 m), it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City, Nevada. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is 1,645 feet (501 metres) making it America's second-deepest (the deepest is Crater Lake in Oregon, being 300 ft deeper, at 1,945 feet (594 m) deep).

The lake was formed about 2 million years ago and is a part of the Lake Tahoe Basin with the modern lake being shaped during the ice ages. It is known for the clarity of its water and the panorama of surrounding mountains on all sides. The area surrounding the lake is also referred to as Lake Tahoe, or simply Tahoe.

Lake Tahoe is a major tourist attraction in both California and Nevada. It is home to a number of ski resorts, summer outdoor recreation, and tourist attractions. Snow and skiing are a significant part of the area's economy and reputation. Mountain and lake scenery are attractions throughout the year. The Nevada side also includes large casinos. Highways provide year-round access from Reno, Carson City, Virginia City and Sacramento.

Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the U.S., with a maximum depth of 1,645 feet (501 m), trailing only Oregon's Crater Lake at 1,949 ft (594 m). Tahoe is also the 16th deepest lake in the world, and the fifth deepest in average depth. It is about 22 mi (35 km) long and 12 mi (19 km) wide and has 72 mi (116 km) of shoreline and a surface area of 191 square miles (490 km2). Washoe Indians used the lake. Approximately 2/3 of the shoreline is in California. The south shore is dominated by the lake's largest city, South Lake Tahoe, California, which adjoins the town of Stateline, Nevada, while Tahoe City, California, is located on the lake's northwest shore. Although highways run within sight of the lake shore for much of Tahoe's perimeter, many important parts of the shoreline now lie within state parks or are protected by the United States Forest Service. The Lake Tahoe Watershed (USGS Huc 18100200) of 505 sq mi (1,310 km2) includes the land area that drains to the lake and the Lake Tahoe drainage divide traverses the same general area as the Tahoe Rim Trail.
Lake Tahoe as viewed from Heavenly Valley Ski Resort during the Winter Season

This article is No.8 ( Part 1) of a series of articles that the David B. Katague family has either resided or visited in the United States. If you are somewhere in Northern California, this is a must place to visit and maybe spent some of your vacation money in the Casinos, enjoy a leisurely cruise on the lake ( summer time) or if your visit is on winter time, visit the ski resort of Heavenly Valley at 9000 ft elevation with a panoramic view of the lake.