Manila. Makati - city in the capital
Wow: Manila the capital of the Philippines is just one of 16 cities that form the Metropolitan Region. It so happened that we were only in one of the cities of the conglomerate in Makati, so we have not 'seen the capital'. Makati population is 16th in the country, its population is slightly more than half a million residents. But if talk about importance it is, perhaps, one of the first not only in the Philippines but in Asia. It is a modern financial, commercial and economic centre, there are world famous research institutes here.. But we learned all this from Wikipedia later, and at the time of our travel we were surprised by modern architecture and lux hotels, because we imagined Manila a little different way - well, like on that old photo for example..
Puerto Galera. Coral palisade Varadero. Dive site Coral Cove
From the book "Puerto Galera. Roads of corsairs", episode 2.
There is northern part of the Gulf of Varadero, Coral Bay. There is a namesake dive hotel o the shore, small reef under water, consisting of hard and mostly soft corals (whole fields of them).
Puerto Galera. What local people make a living by. The Village Of Sabang
From the book "Puerto Galera. Roads of corsairs", episode 5.
Life in Sabang depends on diving which is the main income here, not divers come here rarely. Coastal bay is spacious, all kinds of boats and small ships abound here.
Puerto Galera. Visiting carnivorous lilies. Diving site of Sabang Point
From the book "Puerto Galera. Roads of corsairs", episode 7.
There is theeef in the Eastern part of the Bay of Sabang. There are corals and a great variety of different crinoidea – sea lilies here. They are not plants as could seem at first glance, they are carnivores, one of the classes of echinoderms, one of the oldest species of fauna on our planet – their prints were found in ancient marine sediments, beginning from Ordovician period, about 500 million years! This time is enough for evolution, look how various they are..
Puerto Galera. Roads of corsairs
The Muelle Bay in the Northern part of the large Philippine island of Mindoro and it locates at the crossroads of sea routes. Since the 16th century Spanish merchant ships often came here and for sure the Chinese traded here before the arrival of the Spaniards. Moro pirates robed over surrounding seas, they is known for their eagerness to fight and bloodthirstiness, that is why Spaniards had built several watchtowers and kept warships there.
We were here in February 2015 only a few days, so we don't pretend for completeness of the description of these places, we will tell you just about what happened to see.
Puerto Galera. On the underwater slope of the hill. Dive site The Hill
From the book "Puerto Galera. Roads of corsairs", episode 1.
There is inner bay, the water is warm and not waves. There is a great place for a first test dive. We saw not a lot here under the water but something. We've found active cuttlefish there, for example, also we met some nudibranches..
Nudibranch Goniobranchus Alius
Puerto Galera. On the bottom in the home bay. Dive site Dry Dock
From the book "Puerto Galera. Roads of corsairs", episode 3.
There is a bay opposite the La Laguna Dive Resort, we've approach it by a boat less than in a minute.
Dive
Puerto Galera. About the vicissitudes of fate. Dive site Sabang Wreck
From the book "Puerto Galera. Roads of corsairs", episode 4.
The bay is opposite the village Sabang. There are many small boats in the sea, raw of the crowded hotels and restaurants are on the shore. There are three submerged boats at a depth of 16-18 meters here. It sounds funny: long before three unknown boat were here at the coast of Mindoro, they just run around coastal waters, and no one take attantion on them. After they finish their cariers, they were submerged and now everybody would like to see them! :) So we too walked around. Not for nothing, sometimes we meet really unique creatures, look at this:
Trigla or flying gurnard
Puerto Galera. Secrets of the sunken ships. Dive site Alma Jane (Anthony's Wreck)
From the book "Puerto Galera. Roads of corsairs", episode 6.
There is the ship hidden under the water at the Western part of the bay opposite the village of Sabang. This is the Filipino (or may be Japanese) cargo ship that sank in 2003. It is quite large (about 15 meters) standing on its keel at a depth of 30-33 meters and slowly overgrown with soft corals and sea lilies. Its hold is open, it is possible to dive in. Perches roam inside and around, as well as large sweetlips, platax.. As well as divers :)
Puerto Galera. Electric comb. Dive site West Escarceo
From the book "Puerto Galera. Roads of corsairs", episode 9.
There is the strait between the large islands - Mindoro and Luzon. There are always currents here and it was very cold that time. But we have suffered for the sake of underwater beauty..
Puerto Galera. Through the wall. Dive site Hole in the Wall
From the book "Puerto Galera. Roads of corsairs", episode 8.
North-East Cape of the island of Mindoro. We dived at North side of it. Hard corals at the bottom lined as large pedestals, but there is a narrow tunnel between them and the main attraction here is to squeeze through it. So we all did it one by one. And then we wandered around admiring the flowers of soft corals..
Penang Island. Island which is palm's namesake
The island of Penang was named as the Malay name of the Areca palms that grow here in abundance. The center of the same name state, occupying the island and the adjacent coast of the Malay Peninsula, called Seberang Perai. Both parts are connected by two bridges. No word about the continental part, because we have traveled only the island, where we spent 10 days in January 2017. We have had Spa treatments there- swimming and sunbathing.
Penang Island
Penang Island. Crossroad of sea routes
Old George Town: wharves, Armenian street and street-art
From the book "Penang Island. Island which is palm's namesake", episode 4.
13 Jan 2017
The 101 bus from Batu Ferringhi beach does to the city piers. There are three of them here at least and perched pile constructions around each, Chinese live in them, and almost every house is a small shop, mainly gift-shop, and rarely snackbars. Local people around too busy with their own affairs and don't care about many tourists who constantly hustling under the windows - children play, elders fix their bikes or fishing nets, work in the shops.. And there are drawings on the walls of buildings - contemporary urban street-art. However, we didn't see all that were mentioned in the guidebooks, but we are not particularly looking for all, we just took some pictures by the way.
Penang Island. When you tied to lie flat..
From the Batu Ferringhi beach to Penang Island by bus
From the book "Penang Island. Island which is palm's namesake", episode 3.
11 Jan 2017
Tired to lie on the beach? You can see sights of large George Town, it's not difficult to do. There is bus stop near the gate, buses 101 and 102 go to the town. We went to the area of large shopping centers Kompar and 1st Avenue Mall Penang George Town. The ticket costs 2.7 ringgit (prepare coins, there is no change in the bus), the journey takes 45 minutes. At first we drove along the beach of Batu Ferringhi, then we drove along punched in the coastal cliffs winding road and reached the suburban area of Tanjung Bungah (resort area with many hotels, but the beaches here, they say, a bit dirtier than ours) and then we drove through of George Town having frequent stops. Drivers move jerky here, hold on the handrails, if you do not get seats :).
Penang Island. Music place. Hard Rock Hotel
From the book "Penang Island. Island which is palm's namesake", episode 2.
9-19 January 2017
Great hotel is beautiful, comfortable. It was named somehow else before, but it was bought by Hard Rock Cafe International, Inc. They had built additional residential block, restaurant and Hard Rock Cafe.
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