Pagsanjan, Laguna

TOWN: Pagsanjan
PROVINCE: Laguna
NEAREST CITY: Manila.
REGION: Southeast Asia.
TEMP: Hell

What can I say about this place. It is a town in the middle of a tropical rainforest, next to the islands largest lake and a river on the other side. The claim to fame is that this was the place where "Apocoplyse Now" was filmed. The vietnam war movie was as much as about the vietnam war as it about Colonel Walter E. Kurtz's slow descent into insanity. (Probably caused by the hummingbird sized mosquitoes that bite grow due to the lake and river.) I hope to avoid that madness. We apply DEET repellent, butI think that just makes them angry, so we just swat like crazy. After a few days,the local food starts toget into our system and we are not as tasty as the day we arrive.

You would think that the locals would be used to the weather, but even they say it is hot. Mnay ladies walk with umbrellas to block the sun, and also the sudden thunderstorms that appear almost daily. Then it just gets Humid. Or, rather more humid.

The other claim is fame is the appearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Some filipinos were suprised to hear that she is Mexican. Some knew, but not everyone does.

Did I mention it was hot? Today is very hot, and the afternoon rain is coming, so I am off the the sanctuary of my air conditioned room. The only thing that ruins it is the occasional blackout,which happens every day. Luckily they only last about 10 minutes.. maybe half an hour.

Somewhere, I hear the flight of the Valkries.......