Amoloza-Williamson trip to the Philippines

Jaydee, Pauline and Teddy walk past the site of the original Oliveros home, where Jaydee’s mom, aunts and uncles were raised. The family moved down the street in 1985 to the current home where Lola Pinang, Ninong Mel and Ninang Emma Zarraga, Tito Obet, Tito Erwin and Tita Midi live.

* Lolo/Lola translate into Grandfather/Grandmother
Ninong/Ninang translate into Godfather/Godmother
Tito/Tita translate into Uncle/Aunt
Please visit the family tree to understand the how Jaydee is related to her relatives.

Ninang Emma prepares food for the Fiesta (Dec. 27). Throughout the visit, Ninang Emma made sure that we always had plenty to eat. During the town fiesta, she cooked food for over 100 people who stopped by the house to celebrate with family and friends.

Jaydee’s uncle, Tito Obet, challenges Pauline to a dance competition.

Jaydee’s relatives make weekly trips to the family moseleum to visit the grave of Jaydee’s grandfather, Lolo Pedro. Families will often build small buildings to protect the graves of loved ones. Sometimes the families come to change the flowers or to light candles, other times they come with boxes of food for a picnic and other times they just come to talk to Lolo.

After the cemetery we went to the market, which has hundreds of shops offering everything from shoes to fresh produce to the latest DVDs. We found copies of the Last Samurai and Lord of the Rings part 3 already available (for under a dollar).

These gas lamps are made from recycled meat tins (e.g. Spam).

Leche Flan Recipe
In a shallow metal tin (about 2 inches deep), dissolve 1 heaping tablespoon of granulated sugar in 1 tablespoon of water. Using metal tongs, hold the tin directly in the flame of a gas stove. Roll the sugar water across the tin until it carmelizes to a honey brown color. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, gently stir 8 egg yolks, 1 can of sweetened condensed milk and 1 can of evaporated milk until thoroughly mixed.

Pour about 1.5 inches of the mixture into the metal tin. Put the tin into a double boiler and steam until firm (about 45 minutes).

On December 26, we took Jaydee’s grandmother Lola Pinang to visit her sisters in Alaminos, the town where she was born and raised. The sisters are Lola Mamer, Lola Pinang and Lola Nene. Many of Jaydee’s relatives still live in Alaminos and continue to grow fruit in the family coconut grove.

Teddy and her mother, Lola Pinang, eat lunch at Lola’s cousin’s house. The house was built of Mohagany from trees that the cousin planted during the early 1970s. Twenty five years later she was able to cut the trees down to build a new home. The rafters were left exposed because she didn’t want geckos to move into her attic and keep her awake at night with their chattering.

The house that stands there now is 2-stories, but it was made from the wood used in the original house.

Teddy and Tito Obet show us how to make beaded necklaces from leaves found in the family coconut grove. In adition to coconuts, the family also has papaya, cassava and ginger plants.

Tita Remi gives Carol a manicure back in Tanauan.
The cost of a manicure and pedicure in Tanauan: $3
The cost of a manicure and pedicure in St. Louis: $45

Mike gets fitted for his Barong Tagalog shirt for the wedding reception. The elaborately embroidered shirts are made from pineapple fiber.

Jaydee asks for Lola’s blessing by saying, “Mano po” and raising Lola’s hand to her forehead. In the background is a shrine to Jaydee’s grandfather, Lolo Pedro Oliveros.

Jaydee and Brian renewed their wedding vows on Dec. 31, at a reception attended by Jaydee's family and family friends. The groom wore a Barong Tagalog. The bride wore her dress. The reception was held at a pavillion at the foot of Mount Makiling. The whole family helped pull the reception together. Tita Yoly and Ate Anna baked the cake. Tito Pepe sang "Sunrise, Sunset" (and the uncles and cousins sang a chorus of "Fried rice, pansit"). Hazel and Hannah danced. And Pauline was a combination bridesmaid/flowergirl who gave the bride away.

* Jaydee and Brian were married on Sept. 6, 2003

Brian and Jaydee released a pair of doves as a symbol of their love. The birds promptly fell to the ground and were shoved back in their cage.

The jeepney is the most common form of public transportation. The exteriors are a mobile gallery of popular culture icons, featuring everything from tributes to The Little Mermaid to the Chicago Bulls. Passengers hop in and out of the back of the Jeepney. The cost of a ride depends on the length of the ride (about 10 to 50 cents).

Jaydee exits a jeepney at the People's Palace in the Sky, in Tagatay. The palace was originally built by Imelda Marcos as a private retreat. It has since been opened to the public and offers an amazing view of the surrounding valleys, mountains and the Taal volcano. Taal is a lake inside of a volcano inside of a lake (which is inside of the Philippines inside of the Pacific Ocean etc.)

Manila Bay continues to be a major port of commerce. The boat on the right took us on a day trip out to the former military base at Corregidor Island. The Philippines were attacked hours after Pearl Harbor. Corregidor was the last military stronghold before the U.S. and Filipino troops surrendered.

Carol and Mike pose with a Filipino World War II veteran who was stationed at Corregidor and happened to be on our tour.

The monument at Corregidor overlooks the South China Sea.

Jaydee, Mike, Jerry, Teddy and Carol stand on a terrace overlooking one of the many scenic views.

Our tour guide explains the history of Intramuros, the walled city inside of Manila. Originally created by the Spanish to keep Filipinos out, the fortified city is a lasting monument to imperialism.

The walls surrounding the city are over 14-feet thick.

Inside Villa Escudero, carabao pull wagon-loads of people. Villa Escudero used to be a large plantation. Now it is a relaxing weekend resort.

One of the featured attractions is the lunch buffet in the middle of the river. Guests wade barefoot through the shallow river to get lunch and sit at tables below the waterfall.

Jerry, Teddy, Jaydee, Brian and the family played mahjong frequently. Mahjong is a game similar to gin rummy, but with tiles instead of cards.

At the end of the afternoon, the Villa Escudero staff comes together to perform a collection of Filipino dances from the different islands.

People gather around a statue of Jose Rizal inside the walled city, on the anniversary of his execution. Rizal was a doctor, philosopher, sculptor, painter and writer whose first novel, Noli Me Tangere, helped spark the independence movement. On Dec. 30, 1896 Rizal was executed by firing squad.

Jerry's family in Pagsanjan. His older brother, Tito Boyd, his niece Maria Cecelia, Jerry, and his sister Tita Emmi.

Many of Jaydee's cousins came to the wedding celebration. (Back row) Hans Magrare, Carlo Oliveros, Melvin Zarraga, Brian, Jaydee, Kuya Allan Oliveros, Mellord Zarraga, Benedict Oliveros, Carlo Oliveros, (Front Row) Hazel Magrare, Pauline Oliveros, Lola, Paulo Oliveros, Ate Anna Oliveros, Camille Oliveros, Hannah Magrare

Jaydee and Brian try to dance on a small rectangle of newspaper in a dancing version of musical chairs. After the reception, the family gathered at the house and played games to celebrate New Year's Eve.

Jerry, Teddy, Jollibee, Carol, Brian and Jaydee gather outside after eating at Jolly Bee's, a popular Filipino fastfood restaurant. Jollibee is also featured on signs across the country encouraging Filipinos to be green, clean and drug free.

On Dec. 16, 2003 Brian, Jaydee and Jaydee's parents were met at the Manila airport by many of Jaydee's relatives. For the next several weeks we stayed in Teddy's hometown, Tanauan—about 60 kilometers south of Manila. The photograph above is a typical example of Tanauan's busy commercial streets crowded with jeepneys, tricycles and pedestrians.

Jaydee's family lives only a few blocks away from their church, St. John the Evangelist. This is the church where Jaydee's parents and most of her aunts and uncles were married, and where the children were baptized.