EXCURSIONS INTO THE PHILIPPINES

[Karl Welteke]

Barrio Barretto Images, 22-06-01 to 12-31, I consider News

Various pictures I took in the last half year of 2022 in Barrio Barretto, of things that raised my interest or were noteworthy. Barrio Barretto has the best and longest beaches in Olongapo and Subic Bay and the nightlife has picked up again. No nightlife pictures are provided; I very seldom go bar hopping anymore, 81 years young now! Many US Military retirees live here, like me. Many international tourists also come here.

I uploaded 56 images to Photobucket, Philippines including my walking, No 2 Phil. Event group by years, 2022 SB.OC.BB.Zam, if you are interested, click here:
When the album opens, click on the first picture or the one you would like to view, then click the icon “i” and that will add the title and description of the image.

app.photobucket.com/u/PI-Sailor/a/147b8009-0545-441f-8a82-29f7ffcfea9c

Uploaded 19 images for a short version into an album on Facebook and shared it with: RUMP,NAVFAC SB, click here:

www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10225599464087127&type=3

For this forum presentation it is only 5 images.



Zg176. Abra Street gets concrete and better drainage, the job, half length of the street is completed now. I met the SBFZ Chairman on Abra Street, he was handing out rice. Mr. Paulino, before this job he was the Mayor of Olongapo.



Zg177. The bankrupt hospital has a new owner and we hope it will have an emergency clinic, because there isn’t one in Barretto now.



Zg178. Baloy Long Beach view, that floating bar run aground, was damaged, is repaired now and is in operation now.



Zg179. A new business, where the VFW used to be, opposite of the ex Marmont Hotel; the entertainment business has picked up since the virus from Red China is gone.



Zg180. A view from my house, this is last section of Jolo Street getting concreted. The road at right is the Del Pilar Street where the VFW and the ex Marmont Hotel used to be; it got concreted about a year ago.

[Karl Welteke]

Manila Visit 2023, April 5th, Ermita

Manila images between Pedro Gil Street and the Manila Metropolitan Theatre. I like to visit Manila sometime; to me the trips are interesting. I consider these Manila trips adventure trips. I went there for the Gala performance of the film documentary of Unsurrendered 2: Hunter’s ROTC Guerrillas at the Metropolitan Theatre. I stayed at a hotel nearby and shot these pictures of this interesting City.

If you are interested I posted all 39 pictures in these two venues:

-Uploaded 39 images, low resolution, into this Photobucket album, Philippines including my walks, Manila Subalbum No 2:
app.photobucket.com/u/PI-Sailor/a/8fb72100-8051-4c51-91a0-e24589ea4446?field=TITLE&desc=asc When the album opens, click on the first picture or the one you would like to view, then click the icon “i” and that will open the title and description of the image or images.

-Uploaded 39 images, high resolution, into this Flickr album, Manila Group 1 collection:
www.flickr.com/photos/44567569@N00/albums/72177720307349154

-Here is a short version with 16 images in Facebook:
Posted a short version of 16 images to Facebook and shared with: US Expats in the PI, RUMP, US NAVFAC SB, SB Expats,
www.facebook.com/karlwilhelm.welteke/posts/pfbid0Ux8tESW14rEHfF5wVTT7sLSnEsaBPsjuShFGwMXYZdofRhSddwe6XY9gSSdfe1yjl

For this Forum presentation I chose only these 8 images:

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No. 02: -#00 to #02 images show the bus schedule to Manila from Olongapo and back plus the Google Earth map where the pictures were shot. I wanted to use the bus; I had not used the bus service since 2019 because of the virus from Red China disrupted everything in our life. Note the buses via SCTEX run only in the morning. And they run to all points in Manila again, thank you Lord. I took a regular Aircon bus and it went via the Olongapo Road to San Fernando, then via NLEX and Skyway from Balintawak.



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No. 03: -#03 to #06 images show the Soliaridad Enterprises book store on Padre Faura Street. A good friend had told me about this store specializing in history books among other titles. And indeed they had them but I bought only one because of my budget. I will visit this store again with a bigger budget. I bought a book: “Hang the Dogs” by Bob Couttie. That subject is special to me! I was in Balangiga with President Duterte when the bells returned and he gave a nice speech. Also I knew Bob Couttie and had several discussions with him about Phil-US Histories, he had resided in Olongapo.



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-#07 to #09 images cover three hotels, since I had not stayed in Manila I wanted to have a closer look at hotels at this area. I had a reservation in the EURO Hotel for a standard room for 1,600+ pesos and had stayed in the Cherry Blossom Hotel before. I found the Cherry Blossom Hotel is still closed. These two hotels are located directly north and south of the Robinsons Place Mall. The Midtown Inn is located on the Padre Faura St.
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No. 10: -#10 to #15 images were shot just outside the Metropolitan Theatre or just inside the entrance where at least 2 plaques are and image #15 shows the inner courtyard of the Metropolitan Theatre. The reason I was here was for the showing of the film documentary of Unsurrendered 2: Hunter’s ROTC Guerrillas.

No10:


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-#16 to #21 images are of the entrance are to the Arroceros Forest Park, a Judicial Building and the Universidad of Manila all near the Metropolitan Theatre and the LRT Central Station.
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N0. 22: -#22 to #26 images turned out to be a great surprise to me. When I stumbled across this historic item in the dark I didn’t recognize it. Only after I started reading did I realize it was a Piece of Me, My History. It was a piece of The Wall, and yes the moment it fell that Feeling of Euphoria will dwell in my heart for ever. At the time I was still active duty in Subic Bay, just before my retirement and I was glued to the TV to watch the communist regime and state crumble in front of my eyes. That service of my 30+ years in the Navy was in part to stand up against communist tyranny and shine the light of freedom to the world. I hope some other ones will do fall also before I die. The front plaque describes why it got here. The 2 plaques in back describe the wall and its crumbling in German and English.



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No. 29: -#27 to #30 images are of the Martial Law Memorial near the Manila City Hall. Image 27 shows the west end and one can see that the important west end plaques is gone. Does anyone know why? In 2012 I was there and took a set of pictures of this important Filipino Memorial. Images # 28 & #29 are images of the west end plaque and again zoomed in. This was then in place, 2012 and that is what it said. Image #30 is the south side of the Martial Law Memorial facing towards city Hall.


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No. 31: -#31 image is the view if the Andres Bonifacio Memorial and the Manila City Hall.



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-#32 to #34 images are views from the Robinsons Place Mall across the Pedro Gil St. of Manila and even has views of the EURO Hotel where I stayed.
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No. 36: -#35 to #38 images are of the Victory Liner Caloocan bus terminal and show the ticket lines and the massive crowed of travelers. It was a bad experience. But I’m retired and can handle it. Here is the experience:

-7am to 8am from hotel in Ermita to bus terminal in Caloocan. First surprise, the LRT did not run and is closed for 4 days, starting today. Today is Thursday, the 6th of April Easter week. But jeepney and bus traffic on Taft and on Rizal was not bad. One surprise in Caloocan the one construction site for many years is now a SM Mall.

-8am to 11am in priority ticket lane, got ticket at 11am but no bus number or departure time.

-11am to 12pm noon can’t tell when what bus will leave, hopped on a San Fernando Bus which departed without conductor and all the payment and checking tickets had to be done before departure. 12pm departed.

-12pm to 3 pm on road to San Fernando, bus used Harbor express way to the NLEX. From the NLEX intersection to San Fernando exit 2 1/2 hours, bumper to bumper traffic stop and creep on.

-3pm to 5pm from San Fernando to Layac with a Bataan Transient bus. At San Fernando the Victory liners to Olongapo didn’t let me on, too full with standing passengers. Took jeepney to SM and Robinsons to catch transportation there. Caught a Bataan Transient bus to Layac.

-5pm to 6:30pm caught Victory Liner at Layac to Olongapo and jeepney to home in Barretto. Arrived home 6:30 pm, so 11 and ½ hour from Manila to home in Barretto, a record for me! Hey, the victory liner in Layac accepted my original ticket from Caloocan to Olongapo and I did not have to pay more. This bus had left Cubao at 1 pm that afternoon.


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-#38 image is the last picture, that bus just dropped me off. I had jokingly told the conductor I want a ticket to Death March Marker #68 and asked him where it was. He didn’t know and I said Layac. On this picture is my bus and the Death March Marker #68 and I had told the conductor, now you know where it is. Hey Bob Hudson, did you and your wife repaint this Death March Marker also? It looked repainted from the last time I had a look at this marker, thanks Bob and spouse. Bob lives in Bataan and over a decade now he has been looking after the Death March Markers, another friend of mine.

[Karl Welteke]

Pasig Potrero River Bridge, SCTEX July 2023 Problem

SCTEX has been secured July 2023 for traffic (Subic to Clark) because the heavy rains are causing safety concerns; the Pasig Potrero River water is lowering the river bed around the bridge pilings. This day was a Sunday and the rains have slowed in Pampanga, so, I went to have a look. These pictures were shot on the excursion.

For this presentation I use 5 images only! Some parts of the images descriptions are based on the album image descriptions!

49 pictures are also uploaded in high resolution in this Flickr album, and in the other Luzon Albums #1 collection, click here:
www.flickr.com/photos/44567569@N00/albums/72177720310136848

Uploaded 49 images to my FB account as an album in low resolution, click here: www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10226483317182902&type=3



Zg423. (-Images #00 to #02) are a Google map as to where the bridge is; the name of the bridge as engraved at the bridge and your 81 year young guide. For the purpose of these image descriptions, let’s accept that the bridge runs on a north-south axis! I happen to love wearing that Army shirt, besides most Filipinos respect the Military.



Zg424. (-Images #16 to #23) are pictures of my approach to the bridge; I had entered SCTEX about ½ Km or less north of it. I was walking on the east lanes and the west lanes a truck came by and moved thru some road blockage and he was going on the proper side, heading south. Note: some numbered pictures are not shown, because I did not use all for this presentation. Notice, there is no crack in the road as 2013 pictures show!



Zg425. (-Images #30 to #32) are 3 close-up images, looking down to the Pasig Potrero River from the east lanes of the bridge. It seems the iron sheeting; perhaps put in place to stable the river bed level was not good enough. I speculate they have to something similar in the near future, but better and stronger.



Zg426. (-Images #34 to #44) are views down the Pasig-Potrero River from the in-between space, between the west and east lanes of the Pasig Potrero River Bridge. There are two vista shots to the west. 8 shots are of the bridge pilings, important; they are the pilings under the west lanes because I was shooting from the east side. For these descriptions I will number then #1 to #5 piling sets and the run from south to north!!!
-Image #35, looking down to #2 piling set from a slightly south angle, looking at its south side! Much of the river bed at the piling base level is washed away.



Zg427. (-Images #45 to #48) are a round of shots, left to right, from the west lanes of SCTEC, on the Pasig Potrero Bridge, and mostly in the upriver direction.

[Karl Welteke]

Bacolor got buried by the lahars in 1995

Bacolor got buried by the lahars of Mount Pinatubo several meters, the whole area became a desert. Many people died in Bacolor and the people were told to abandon their town. This flooding by lahar blocked the traffic to Bataan and Zambales for weeks. It was a nightmare for the people and government as a big struggle to go on with life. I was able to witness the situation. These are mostly 1995 images. Look in the www for “Bacolor flooded by lahar”!

This forum presentation has only 6 images!

24 images have been posted as albums in these two venues, if you are interested:

Uploaded to FB as an album, click here:
www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10226494052811286&type=3

Uploaded to Flickr as an album, 24 images and put in album collection “More Luzon Albums”, click here:
www.flickr.com/photos/44567569@N00/albums/72177720310164280




Zg728. (-02) this is a Bacolor town and area map, it is a section from a 1:50000 map. It is marked-up with names used in this album.



Zg729. (-07) this is the Bacolor Cockfighting Arena, partially buried by the Mt. Pinatubo lahar and it still stands today, just east of the east Megadike and just north of the Olongapo-Gapan Road.



Zg730. (-12) this is the beginning of the new Olongapo-Gapan Road in Bacolor in 1995; it is at the same place only a few meters higher now. The new official name of this road is Jose Abad Santos Ave, a true Filipino Hero! Notice the Bacolor Church at right in a distance.



Zg731. (-16) A view of the Bacolor area north of the Olongapo-Gapan Road that is the way it looked then. It has come back to life now! I don’t have a picture but I saw a Mercedes Car lifted up high and pushed against the roof and the lahar under it kept it there.



Zg732. (-20) In this picture you can clearly see why the traffic to Bataan and Zambales stopped and you can see exactly where this was because the Bacolor Cockfighting Arena is visible and it stands there today, although partially buried. The DPHW is building a temporary bridge over the Pasig Potrero River which is now flowing in the Gugu Creek bed but spilled over the banks and destroyed Barrio Cabalantian.



Zg733. (-21) A view of Bacolor Town proper south of the Olongapo-Gapan Road that is the way it looked then. It has come back to life now! We see the famous church that is buried up to the upper windows, which serve now as doors. In the future I will make a separate album of the church and other lahar albums. But I’m a busy man and it took 28 years to post this album!

[Karl Welteke]

Kalaklan Rv. to Maquinaya Rv. Subic Bay Beach & HWY Stretch, 2023

On the 22nd of Sep. 2023 I walked this stretch both on the beach and the highway, going back and forth. I wanted to document this stretch of geography which many of us are familiar with but never had the time to have a closer look. The imprinted date & time on the picture is wrong, operator error!

I have a hard time deleting pictures, so this forum presentation still has 20 images (reduced in size). The original album has 245 images and the Facebook album has 77 images. URLs are in back.

These picture descriptions are for group of pictures and I let them all stand!

-Images #000 to #013 are pictures shot on the 22nd Sep. 2023 of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ) Kalaklan Bridge, -River and the National Highway that goes passed the bridge.


-Images #015 to #025 are pictures shot on the 22nd Sep. 2023 of the Barangay Kalaklan Community Garden, located between a Kalaklan River concrete wall and the National Highway which runs parallel at the mouth of the Kalaklan River.



#045 Pic:
-Images #026 to #045 are pictures shot on the 22nd Sep. 2023 of the Kalaklan Point Navigation Light area. The light has been modernized since we left the Subic Naval Base in 1992.


#049 Pic:
-Images #046 to #063 are pictures shot on the 22nd Sep. 2023 of a stretch of Subic Bay Beach from the Kalaklan Point Navigation Light area thru and passed the former Senator Gordon Family property and back. Of course I asked the Gordon property maintenance man for permission.


#067 Pic:
-Images #064 to #073 are pictures shot on the 22nd Sep. 2023 of the first big bend on the National road going passed the Kalaklan Point Navigation Light area. As you can see the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are working with a defunct drain culvert under the road by placing two new ones and are securing the road embankment better. The area had been a trouble spot for years and it is being corrected now. Images #68 and #69 are older and show the defunct culvert that is abandoned and buried now.


-Images #074 to #081 are pictures shot on the 22nd Sep. 2023 of the of the stretch of National Highway from the Kalaklan Point passed two more road bends which the 2nd is a very sharp bend. We are going passed the Gordon Family cemetery Plot, (bay-side of road), and the Olongapo Cemetery main, prewar, entrance. Then the road goes passed the entrance of the PREDA Center, hill side of the road.


#082 Pic:



#085 Pic:


-Images #082 to #089 are pictures shot on the 22nd Sep. 2023 of the very sharp bend on the National Highway just under the PREDA Center. Apparently the DPWH sees a need to secure the embankment better and replace the open drain ditch (hill side of road) with underground piping. Maybe those underground pipes will make the road wider, my speculation. The day the DPWH started this project the vehicle lines formed very long and a friend of mine took 3 hours to drive to SBFZ, our former Naval Base.


-Images #090 to #094 are pictures shot on the 22nd Sep. 2023; they show that I continued my walk along the National Highway to Zambales until I saw the entrance to the Ocean View Beach Resort and used this shortcut to descend to beach of Subic Bay.


#119 Pic:

-Images #095 to #121 are pictures shot on the 22nd Sep. 2023; they show a new development in the beach area between the Ocean View Beach Resort and the Gordon Property. This is along the beach of Subic Bay. This new community has one main dirt road, running parallel to the water’s edge, wide enough for vehicles but does not go completely thru the community. There is at least on parallel dirt alley and a few cross alleys. But this community is built up pretty crowded and worse the houses are built to the bay’s water edge and the beach is gone. I was disappointed! The name of this community is now “Bantay Bayan Lower Kalaklan” (Olongapo).


#132 Pic:


#153 Pic:

-Images #122 to #153 are pictures shot on the 22nd Sep. 2023. This set of pictures is about the Ocean View Beach Resort. It still exists but it looks rundown, the Good Old Days of many Sailors and Marines hitting the beaches for liberty are gone. I walked to the edge of the Halfmoon Creek that divides Ocean View Beach Resort from the main Halfmoon Beach area but got some distant shot to it.


#161 Pic:


#163 Pic:



-Images #154 to #170 are pictures shot on the 22nd Sep. 2023. After leaving Ocean View Beach Resort and reaching the highway I followed it towards Barretto and went passed the electric transformer station and the main Halfmoon Beach which is now an inflatable Island resort called Zamba. This area after we left for some time was referred to as Kale Beach but many people call it the Halfmoon Beach area again. Some old business like the Halfmoon Hotel and the Nipa Hut restaurant are long dead but some new businesses have opened.


#172 Pic:


#183 Pic:

-Images #171 to #184 are pictures shot on the 22nd Sep. 2023. These pictures are of my continuous walk along the National Highway in the Barretto direction. First the road ascends to Dumlao Beach, and then goes passed H. De Pasipika Resort, and then Adamos 101 Beach. I continue down to Skipper Christian Beach, after I got a picture of the gate I returned to Adamos 101 and descended there down to the beach.


#199 Pic:


#208 Pic:


#211 Pic:

-Images #185 to #214 are pictures shot on the 22nd Sep. 2023. These pictures are along the beach after I descended down to Adamos 101 Beach. First I walked south, passed Dumlao Beach, to Halfmoon Beach, and now called Zamba Resort. I turned back there and walked all the way to Sierra Beach, Maquinaya River and the Inflatable Island Resort. The rain caught up with me, I looked for shelter and then caught a tricycle home. There are views of the bay of Subic Bay.


#215 Pic:

-Images #215 to #237 are pictures shot on the 24th Sep. 2023. So, 2 days after the rain stopped my walk on the 22nd Sep 2013. I walked to the new Subic Peal Resort Hotel and continued where I stopped 2 days ago. From the Pearl Hotel I walked along the National Highway towards Olongapo all the way to Skipper Christian Beach. I turned back there and entered Sierra Beach. On the way I took pictures of the new Subic Pearl Resort Hotel, the new Inflatable Island Resort, the new gas station, the old Maquinaya River, the new Ulticare Medical Center, the Subic-Water pumping station, the old Abra Street, the Savers Appliance Store, the entrance to Sierra Beach and Skipper Christian Beach and all geography in between.


#238 Pic:


#241 Pic:



-Images #238 to #250 are pictures shot on the 24th Sep. 2023. So, 2 days after the rain stopped my walk on the 22nd Sep 2013. I entered Sierra Beach, took these pictures including views of the bay of Subic Bay. The local beverage distributer is operating out of here and took some picture and I decided to give you a picture of the local beer consumption in 2023.

URLs to albums:
Uploaded to Photobucket, 245 pics, Philippines including my walks, No2 Phil Events by year, 2023 BB, OC, SB, Zam. Album Group:
app.photobucket.com/u/PI-Sailor/a/c855de0e-5201-4ba0-a445-b22358a1a17c?field=TITLE&desc=asc
When the album opens, click on the first picture or the one you would like to view, then click the icon “i” and that will open the title and description of the image or images.

Posted in Facebook and shared with: USNAVFAC, I remember US NavSta SB, I lived in SB NACSTA & NAS CUBI, SB EXPATS, Barretto Resident Association, SBH3, WESTPAC Sailor, Raging Main, Retired Sailor, RUMP, BB Bars,
Post URL: www.facebook.com/karlwilhelm.welteke/posts/pfbid02Y6B57PrUtG2gREfMsK3cJ69YJ5btnXQ9rGpeWfhrnJLVkpmsuGDVoDetQN39Nrn2l
Album URL: www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10226823793614600&type=3

[Karl Welteke]

SCTEX Bridge, Pasig Protero Rv. Update, 2023-09-27

Walked to the SCTEX Bridge, Pasig-Protero Rv. on 2023-09-27 to get an update on the repair work caused by the Pasig-Protero Lahar River. I attached 7 images in low resolution to this reply. The numbers referred to in the photo description refer to a total of 92 images in my Photobucket account:

Posted about 92 images into this album, Philippines including my walk, Central Luzon, Pampanga:
app.photobucket.com/u/PI-Sailor/a/73014601-eaff-4263-8a4e-2040fc0dfa6d?field=TITLE&desc=asc

Posted in FB as an album with 34 images (low resolution) and shared with: SBH3, SB Expats, RUMP, SB Bars, SB Forum, Raging Main,
www.facebook.com/karlwilhelm.welteke/posts/pfbid0gjzpJpKTXtQA8Ko1THNNvReatgJpCNu48jP6xSYpcN4mjn88uvCsmu9vrca48zT6l
Album FB URL: www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10226846905952394&type=3

Posted 34 images in high resolution into this Flickr album, and put in the Other Luzon album No1 collection:
www.flickr.com/photos/44567569@N00/albums/72177720311506531


-#05 image is a Google Earth image on which I hand drew my track of this walk.


#31….


#36….


#37…..


#45….

Pictures # 31, #36, #37 and #45…..-#25 to #54 images are close up shots of the situation of the SCTEX Bridge, Pasig Protero Rv. on 2023-09-27 with some views of the river, down river and upriver. The first three pictures are of the posted Mitigation Sign to correct the Lahar River problem causing to the pilings of the bridge. I might take some time before the mitigation is complete.


#00…-#00 to #02 images show my approach to the Pasig-Protero Bridge via the Mega Dike which is apparently used to build a Porac and Angeles Bypass Road.

[Karl Welteke]

Botolan-Tarlac Rd. update, 23-10-18.

The Mt. Pinatubo Lahar on the Botolan side, in the Bucao River, is awe inspiring. The Botolan-Tarlac Road interests me. I have followed the old road, wiped out by Mt. Pinatubo, on foot several times. So it keeps me returning to look and respect the Force of Nature and peoples endeavor to deal with the consequences. On the 18th of Oct. 2023 I had a look.



-#01 image. This is how the old Botolan-Tarlac Bridge over the Baquilan River looked like in 2002; it is a picture of one of my best hiking partners, Joss. This bridge is now buried deep under the Mt. Pinatubo Lahar.



-#02 and#03 are Google Earth images about the Botolan and Baquilan areas of this image presentation, provided for your orientation.



-#04 image is from 2021 and shows the condition, progress then of the Botolan-Tarlac Rd. We are looking from the east side to the west side, the river flows down to the left.





-#05 to #07 show the progress of constructing the Botolan-Tarlac Rd. Bridge over the Baquilan River on the 18th Oct. 2023. The bridge pilings have been raised and the deck construction has started.





#08 and #09 are two pictures of the Baquilan River Mouth area and the #09 image offers a view up the Bucao River towards Mt. Pinatubo which caused all these problems in 1991.



-#10 to #14 images are a round of pictures, counterclockwise, right to left of the area where the Baquilan River merges into the Bucao River. The large area of Lahar between Mt Pinatubo and here at Baquilan is awe inspiring!

If you like to look at all 14 images, they are in these 2 venues:

Uploaded to Photobucket as an album with 14 images: Botolan Area, Zambales albums, icl. Subic Bay, Philippines including my walks:

app.photobucket.com/u/PI-Sailor/a/35ed1f1a-b4eb-449f-8e73-4bbf5e4ceb49?field=TITLE&desc=asc

Note to view the Photobucket album:
When the album opens, click on the first picture or the one you would like to view, then click the icon “i” and that will open the title and description of the image or images.

Uploaded 14 images into a Facebook album and shared with: US NAVFAC SB, Raging Main, WESTPAC SAILOR, I remember SB NAVSTA & CUBI, SBH3:

www.facebook.com/karlwilhelm.welteke/posts/pfbid02LyXALa85awAZxxfjLWgdCgmDQKEsKonUSuX8A81fHFpgFqqxzEd5TJQPxoGWUMcEl

Direct album URL: www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10226979087456849&type=3

[Karl Welteke]

Irrigation, Gen. M. Natividad Mini Dam

I came across the General Mamerto Natividad Mini Dam in Nueva Ecija as I visited site historical places of the Great Raid. This was a reminder that irrigation is an important aspect in the Philippines. The smallest communities have some kind of dam for drinking water and or irrigation. I my wife’s small village I know of 5 dams. Planting rice needs a lot of water.

-#00 and #01 images of two Google Earth maps of the General Mamerto Natividad Mini Dam in Nueva Ecija. I was traveling from the Platero area, where Rangers and Guerrillas staged their attack from to the Cabanatuan American Memorial, the former POW camp where the POWs were freed from.


#00

#01
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-#02 and #03 images of the General Mamerto Natividad Mini Dam in Nueva Ecija where it dams the Pampanga River for irrigation. The Pampanga River was spilling over the dam because we are in the rainy season. The irrigation canal is wide and carries a lot of water, although I didn’t stop to take a picture.


#02


#03
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-#04 to #09 images are a round of clockwise, (to the right) pictures from the bridge over the Pampanga River, just downstream from the dam. The first shot is towards the east and the last is upriver; the last two shots also show a river water flow measuring device. It seems about every bridge over a river in the Philippines has a device like this installed.


#04


#05


#06


#07


#08


#09

[Karl Welteke]

SBFZ-Mabiga-Hermosa Road 17 Dec. 2023

Drove to the Mabiga Valley and walked the length of the road construction. The construction is going very slow, work was going on though. I followed it to the end of construction near and the road seems to head for it, a place called Palihan. Then I walked back. It was a stretch of about 6 km long. The picture numbers are based on the 135 pics in the PhB album!

A short version with 46 images is available in Facebook:

Posted 46 pics into this FB album and shared with: Raging Main, US NAVFAC SB, Bo. Bars, SB Expats, SBH3,

FB Posting URL: www.facebook.com/karlwilhelm.welteke/posts/pfbid0oyQs1Q9JWEii4rHK7EQNFhy2zHBDuDqP62n7aASgNaazHiN2eYcmRXAaq79PiNkUl

FB album URL: www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10227311596409365&type=3
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The full album with 135 pics is located here: app.photobucket.com/u/PI-Sailor/a/1ea6699d-afdb-4013-afd2-186ca2adee50?field=TITLE&desc=asc

The stretch from the Mabiga Valley to SBFZ I walked 2 years ago and posted that then!


#001 SBFZ-Hermosa Rd. pic. Google Earth image of the area and road construction, the subject of this album.


#004 SBFZ-Hermosa Rd. pic. Map of the area and road construction, the subject of this album.
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#023 SBFZ-Hermosa Rd. pic. Starting the walk up the and over the ridgeline! #023 to #035 images are of the walk crossing the ridgeline between the Mabiga River Valley and the Malte River Valley. There is a small ravine with banana plants to the north and there is a dirt road to a private residence to the south on top of the ridge.
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#037 SBFZ-Hermosa Rd. pic. This is the Malte River Valley, looking east! #036 to #050 images are of the walk crossing the Malte River Valley, crossing the river on the east side of the valley. On either side of the valley are substantial farm to market roads into the valley. On all the view shots we will continue to see Mt. Malasimbo, west of Dinalupihan, the peaks of Mt. Natib of its huge crater walls and the peaks of Zambales Mountains.
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#041 SBFZ-Hermosa Rd. pic. Views of the Zambales Mountains and Mt. Malasimbo from the Malte River Valley! #036 to #050 images are of the walk crossing the Malte River Valley, crossing the river on the east side of the valley. On either side of the valley are substantial farm to market roads into the valley. On all the view shots we will continue to see Mt. Malasimbo, west of Dinalupihan, the peaks of Mt. Natib of its huge crater walls and the peaks of Zambales Mountains.
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#091 SBFZ-Hermosa Rd. pic. Work is going on this ridgeline on this Sunday. #084 to #100 images are of crossing the ridgeline between the Bamban River/Creek Valley and the Bacong River Valley. This ridgeline has a road on top and one on both sides, at valley level, the west and east side. What was unique, today was Sunday and two backhoes and a few dumb trucks where hauling dirt to lower the road level, crossing the ridge and build up the level of the road crossing the rice fields of the Bacong River Valley.
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#108 SBFZ-Hermosa Rd. pic. The road across the Bacong Valley is being build up, looking East, up the next ridge.. #101 to #116 images are of the walk crossing the Bacong River Valley, crossing the river on the east side of the valley. On either side of the valley are substantial farm to market roads into the valley. On all the view shots we will continue to see Mt. Malasimbo, west of Dinalupihan, the peaks of Mt. Natib of its huge crater walls and the peaks of Zambales Mountains.

[westernaus]

MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR to ONE and ALL . May year 2024 bring us all a more stabilize world and less GREED .