Virginia, USA: George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate

Mount Vernon near Alexandria, Virginia, was the plantation home of George Washington, first president of the United States. The estate was owned by the Washington family (beginning with George's great-grandfather John Washington) since 1674. It was inherited by Washington when his half-brother died in 1752.

The highlights of any visit to the estate are the wooden mansion built in the Palladian style, its construction personally overseen by Washington between 1757 and 1778; and the family crypt where George and Martha Washington are buried.

When you purchase your ticket, whether online or at the ticket counter, a time to enter the mansion line will be printed. Make sure to be in line at your designated time. During spring, summer and holidays, you might have to wait for two hours before you can enter the line (so best to purchase online and arrive a few minutes before your line up time). It's also best to visit in the afternoon since most school tours happen in the morning.

Unfortunately, taking photos is not allowed inside the mansion. The house had been restored to how it would have looked in 1799, the year Washington died. But everywhere else, it is encouraged. Among the interesting items inside the house are the key to the Bastille given to Washington by the Marquis de Lafayette, and the chair used by Washington during his presidency. Make sure to see the spectacular view of the Potomac River behind the house.

Mount Vernon is open 365 days a year. Depending on the season, it opens at 8 or 9 a.m. and closes at 4 or 5 p.m. Tickets cost US$17 for adults, US$8 for ages 6-12, US$16 for 62+ and free for children 5 and under.

How to get to Mount Vernon
Take the Metro Yellow Line to Huntington Station. Exit at Huntington Avenue and take Fairfax Connector Bus No. 101 (Fort Hunt Line) at Huntington Station. It's a 20-minute ride to the gate of Mount Vernon.

Driving directions to Mount Vernon are available in their website. You may also opt to join the Grayline Bus Tours from Washington, DC which includes other DC attractions.

USA: Around Washington, D.C.

Since I'm in Washington, DC, I might as well write my long overdue post on America's capital city. Washington, DC, is a city with so much history, so many activities and things to see, do and eat, it would take several days to explore even just the highlights. On top of the list would be the memorials and iconic landmarks that the city is most known for.

You can opt to tour on your own. My family did that when we first visited in 1993. And we got to see many off the beaten track attractions including Ford's Theatre were Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, the US Mint and a tour of the White House (which unfortunately is not available at this time). In fact, we arrived just in time for the famous DC cherry blossoms which I'm waiting for as we speak.

But there are convenient tours that take you to all the major sights. And I got to try one during my last visit two years ago courtesy of a family friend who worked at a local hotel. If you book with your hotel, the tour company can pick you up there which is very convenient and brings you to the Old Post Office Pavilion where the tour starts. Our first stop was at the US Capitol for a photo. From the Capitol, we walked through some of DC's landmark buildings such as the US Treasury Department and parks and squares on the way to the White House. Security was tight that day because of the visit of the Israeli Prime Minister.

Part of the tour was a cruise along the Potomac River where we got to see more of DC. It also serves as a lunch and snack stop since they sell sandwiches and drinks on board.

After the cruise, we visited the various memorials beginning with the National World War II Memorial. It was opened quite recently in 2004. The frontage actually offers a really nice view of the Washington Monument across the street.

The World War II Memorial is one of several memorials which honors the role of the Philippines in US history. It features 56 granite pillars each with the names of the 48 states and 8 territories of the US during the war. Major battles in the Philippines are also memorialized including Philippine Sea, Leyte Gulf, Luzon and Manila.

While walking around, I got to see Senator Bob Dole chatting with veterans.

We then proceeded to the Jefferson Memorial built on the shore of the Potomac River Tidal Basin. An elegant neoclassical building, it ranked fourth in the American Institute of Architect's list of America's Favorite Architecture. The White House ranked second and the Washington National Cathedral was third. Other DC buildings also in the list are the US Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington Monument, the US Supreme Court, Library of Congress, National Gallery of Art and Daniel Burnham's Union Station among many others (six of the top ten and 17 of the total 150) making Washington DC a truly iconic city.

Another relatively recent memorial is the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. At the time I visited in 2011, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial was being constructed nearby Roosevelt's and was opened a few months later. So that's one memorial I plan to visit during this trip.

We then visited the Korean War Veterans Memorial (the Philippines is also listed among the countries that sent troops during the war). We then proceeded to the famous Lincoln Memorial. And yes, expect the crowds!

Our next stop was the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the main feature of which is a wall containing names of US service members who were killed in action (KIA) or missing in action (MIA) in the Vietnam War. Relatives and friends of those who died often visit the memorial to get name etchings as a memento.

We then visited Marine Corps War Memorial, more popularly known as the Iwo Jima Memorial. It honors members of the US Marine Corps who died in defense of the US since 1775. This is why among the campaigns listed is the Philippine Insurrection (notice the corner). But I do hope they change that to Philippine-American War. The memorial is just outside the walls of the Arlington National Cemetery. And you can opt to proceed there after.

So many things to do in DC, and this is just one of them. Another thing you can do is explore the National Mall (no its not a shopping mall but a vast public open space) and the museums of the Smithsonian. But that's for another post.

United States: Baltimore, Charlottesville, Philadelphia, Miami Beach, Key Biscayne, Washington D.C. & Guam

To get to Mexico, I had to pass by the U.S.A. Here are photos from places I visited in the United States including Baltimore, Maryland; Charlottesville and Mount Vernon, Virginia; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Miami Beach and Key Biscayne, Florida; and Washington, D.C. After flying back to Manila, I visited Guam. Here are photos from the two trips which are now in the Ivan About Town FB page.

April 17 - Baltimore, Maryland, USA
May 12 - Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
May 13 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
May 16 - Miami Beach, Florida, USA
May 17 - Key Biscayne, Florida, USA
May 18 - Mount Vernon, Virginia, USA
May 20 - Washington, DC, USA
May 25-26 - Guam, USA
May 27 - Guam, USA
May 28 - Guam, USA
May 29 - Guam, USA

Guam: Agat Mango Festival, Santa Rita Fiesta & more Guam events

As part of the Maila Ta Fan Boka Festival tour, we were introduced to festivals and fiestas in Guam. Fiestas are a result of the Spanish influence in Guam. We got to join the revelry at the Agat Mango Festival and the Santa Rita Fiesta.




At the Agat Mango Festival, we saw some really interesting exhibits of mango varieties. How I wish I could try them out. But they were only for display. But you could see that there are so many varieties of mangoes.


There was one table which featured six ways of enjoying your mangoes. We all know the mangga't bagoong from the Philippines. But they also suggested to pair mangoes with Tabasco (U.S.), soy sauce (Japan), li hing powder (Hawaii), rock salt (Marianas Islands) and kimchi (South Korea). In Mexico, I got to try mangoes with chili powder. Fruits are actually eaten with chili powder in Mexico. Any peculiar mango dips you might have in mind?



The also had contests for the Most Beautiful Mango, Biggest Mango and Most Bizarre Mango. Of course, like in any festival, we had a sumptuous lunch.


During our last day, we dropped by the Santa Rita Fiesta. Aside from the usual cultural performances, the highlight of the day was lunch at the mayor's house. Now that was indeed a feast!


Fiestas in Guam would not be complete without hotnon babui! You guessed it, lechon!





Fiestas would also not be complete without the different kinds of kelaguen made from fish, chicken an beef.




There was just so much food! I let the photos tell the story of how much we had. And that's just half of the dishes they served us.

Guam Fiesta Schedule
Here is a list of fiestas and festivals in Guam. Unlike the Philippines where most fiestas are fixed even if it falls on a weekday, Guam's fiestas are moved to the nearest weekend closest to the feast date of the saint. So the dates below reflect those for 2011. Check with the Guam Visitors Bureau for the dates next year.

January
Tumon: Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores (January 15)
Chalan Pago: Nuestra Señora de la Paz Buen Viaje (January 22)
Mongmong: Nuestra Señora de las Aguas (January 29)
Gupot Fanha'aniyan Pulan Chamoru (Chamorro Lunar Calendar Festival)

February
Maina: Our Lady of Purification (February 5)
Yigo: Our Lady of Lourdes (February 12)
Fiestan Dinana' Minagof (Chamorro Dance Festival)

March
Inarajan: St. Joseph, husband of Mary (March 19)

April
Barrigada: San Vicente Ferrer (April 9)
Agafa Gumas, Yigo: Santa Bernadita (April 18)
Talofofo Banana Festival at Ipan Beach Park in Talofofo
Inarajan: St. Joseph the Worker (April 30)
Fin'nana na Ferian Fina'Hechuran Unai (Annual Sand Sculpture Festival), Matapang Beach, Tumon

May
Merizo: San Dimas (May 7)
Malojloj: San Isidro (May 14)
Agat Mango Festival at Agat Sagan Bisita

June
Tamuning: St. Anthony (June 18)
Ordot: San Juan Bautista (June 25)

July
Chalan Pago: The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (July 1)
Toto: Immaculate Heart of Mary (July 2)
Agat: Our Lady of Mount Carmel (July 16)
Agat: Santa Ana (July 30)

August
Tamuning: St. Victor (August 6)
Piti: Assumption of Our Lady ((August 13)
Annual Gupot Y Peskadot (Fisherman's Festival) at Guam Fishermen's Cooperative in Hagatna
Barrigada: San Roque (August 20)
Agat: Santa Rosa (August 27)

September
Cañada, Barrigada: San Ramon (September 3)
Hagåtña: Dulce Nombre de Maria (September 10)
Talofofo: San Miguel (September 17)
Dededo: St. Andrew Kim (September 18)
Annual Mangilao Donne' Festival in Mangilao
Mangilao: Santa Teresita (September 24)

October
Yona: St. Francis of Assisi (October 1)
Umatac: San Dionisio (October 8)
Guam Micronesian Island Fair
Sinajana: St. Jude (October 29)

December
Dededo: Santa Barbara (December 3)
Hagåtña: Immaculate Conception/Santa Marian Kamalen (December 8)
Santa Rita: Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 10)
Asan: Nino Perdido y Sagrada Familia (December 31)

Note: This familiarization tour of Guam, USA was organized by the Guam Visitors Bureau in cooperation with Continental Airlines. Continental Airlines flies from Manila to Guam and vice versa everyday.

Guam: Shopping at DFS Galleria & Guam Premier Outlets (GPO)

Guam is a duty-free territory. So that means branded merchandise and many other products are cheaper in Guam than the rest of the U.S. and a lot of countries. Those who've been to the U.S. also know the sales tax which can go as high as 12 percent. Guam does not have a sales tax. Which gives another reason to shop in Guam.



For the prestigious brands and designer goods, the best place to get them would be at DFS Galleria Guam. We actually had a chance to shop there and some of the affordable brands were cheaper than other places. Of course I didn't bother to enter those really expensive branded stores. But I'm sure those who can afford them will find a lot of bargains there. You can check out the brands at DFS Galleria Guam here.

Guam Premier Outlets was another place we got to visit. I suggest you visit Ross first to have a point of comparison with other stores. Most of the time, Ross comes out cheaper. Sometimes they don't. There are also items which you may not find in Ross which are available at the brand stores. Here's the GPO store listing.

You can also check out Micronesia Mall which I got to visit during my previous trip to Guam. Here's the mall map and store listing of Micronesia Mall. It's actually owned by Lucio Tan. SM isn't far behind with the Agana Shopping Center which I have yet to visit.

If you're looking for a place to shop without having to fly all the way to the U.S., keep Guam in mind.

Note: This familiarization tour of Guam, USA was organized by the Guam Visitors Bureau in cooperation with Continental Airlines. Continental Airlines flies from Manila to Guam and vice versa everyday. Time to book that shopping trip now!

Guam: Lina'la' Cultural Village, Two Lovers Point & more Guam attractions

Guam is not just about shopping, food and the beach. There are some interesting things to see while in Guam. As part of the Maila Ta Fan Boka trip, we also visited several Guam attractions.



One of the places we visited was the Lina'La Cultural Village, where the group was given a preview of the living Chamorro museum that will open sometime this year.


While the exhibits which would showcase Guam's history were not yet finished. The actual Chamorro Village was almost done. In fact, we witnessed ceremonies for placing the nipa roof on the last house. The village aims to recreate how a Chamorro community looked like before the arrival of the Spanish colonizers, with villagers to complete the living exhibit. The villagers would also speak only in Chamoru.


Lunch was by the beach beside the village. Like always it was a feast of grilled meats and kelaguen!


In the afternoon, we proceeded to Two Lovers Point, one of the most picturesque views on Guam. The story behind Two Lovers Point is about quite tragic. The parents of the girl were a wealthy Spanish aristocrat and a daughter of a great Chamorro chief. They had arranged for her to marry an influential Spanish captain. Upon finding out, the girl ran to a secluded shore in the northern part of the island where she met and fell in love with a young warrior from a modest Chamorro family.

The father found out about this and demanded that she marry the captain at once. She ran off to a high cliff above Tumon Bay to meet her Chamorro lover. They were pursued by her father, the captain and soldiers.

Caught in between the cliff and the pursuing group, the lovers tied their long hair together in a knot, looked into each others eyes and kissed, and jumped from the cliff in full view of the girl's father who could do nothing but stare in anguish.

Two Lovers Point has thus been a popular place for lovers to leave locks (in the same way that the lovers locked their hair in a knot) and throw away the keys over the cliff as a sign of lasting love for each other. The rest of us go there for the great view!


Later in the afternoon, we got to visit the historical center of Guam's capital Hagåtña. Among the sites located there is the Latte Stone Park which is a showcase of latte stones that served as pillars of ancient Chamorro houses. some of the stones in the park date back to 500 A.D.


Then there's Plaza de Espana, the ruins of the former Governor's Palace during the Spanish colonial period. Like Manila, much of Hagåtña was destroyed during the liberation of Guam in World War II. Beside it is the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica. The current structure dates back to 1959, with the older church also destroyed during the war.


The day before we left, we made a brif visit to Underwater World, an indoor aquarium. Perfect place to visit especially if you have kids with you.


During our last day, we were able to convince our driver to stop at one of the sites of the War in the Pacific Memorial. Memorial Day was approaching so the grounds had hundreds of American and Guam flags to commemorate the event. I was also able to get a stamp for my U.S. National Park Passport.


In the southern part of the island are some of Guams old towns. There are old forts, villages and other historical structures. I got to visit Merizo in a previous trip where the old convent and bell tower still stands, the Malesso Kombento and Kampanayun Malesso.


Another popular attraction in the southern side of Guam is Talofofo Falls. Hopefully I get to see more of Guam in the future.

Note: This familiarization tour of Guam, USA was organized by the Guam Visitors Bureau in cooperation with Continental Airlines. Continental Airlines flies from Manila to Guam and vice versa everyday.