The Historical Mount Samat

Mount Samat is a mountain in the Town of Pilar, Province of Bataan, Republic of the Philippines that is the site of the Dambana ng Kagitingan or "Shrine of Valor".
Along with the island fortress of Corregidor, Mount Samat was the site of the most vicious battle against the Japanese Imperial Army in 1942 during the Battle of Bataan.
The mountain is now a war memorial. A huge white cross stands as a mute but eloquent reminder of the men who died there. It also acts as a tourist attraction with a war museum nearby that has a wide array of displays from paintings of the Philippine heroes to armaments used by the American, Filipino and Japanese forces during the heat of the battle.

Mount Samat is a parasitic cone of Mount Mariveles with no record of historical eruption. The summit of Mount Samat is 9.2 km (5.7 mi) NNE of the Mariveles caldera. Mount Samat itself has a 550-metre (1,800 ft) wide crater that opens to the northeast. The Mount Samat Cross is situated near the edge of the crater rim. burat

Historical significance
At the start of World War II in 1942 after suffering heavy losses against the Imperial Japanese Army all over Luzon, the Filipino and American soldiers retreated to Bataan Peninsula to regroup for a last valiant but futile stand. After four months of fighting, the 78,000 exhausted, sick and starving soldiers under Major General Edward P. King surrendered to the Japanese on April 9, 1942 known as the fall of Bataan. It is the single largest surrender of U.S. soldiers in history and Mariveles, a town in the Bataan province, was their last stronghold after which, together with the Philippine soldiers, they were led on to the 80-mile (130 km) march to Capas, Tarlac known as the Bataan Death March.
The Mount Samat National Shrine shrine was erected as a fitting memorial to the heroic struggle and sacrifices of those soldiers who fought and died in that historic bastion of freedom.

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Las Casas Filipinas de Açúzar

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is a tourist attraction and heritage park in Bagac, Bataan, Philippines.^[1] Built by José "Gerry" Acuzar, owner of the New San Jose Builders, the park features a collection of 27 Spanish Colonial buildings and stone houses (bahay na bato in Tagalog), planned to resemble a settlement reminiscent of the period. These houses were carefully transplanted from different parts of the Philippines and rehabilitated to their former splendor. It also has restaurants, a beach and a pool. In Las Casas, there are also horse rides.
 Sitting on a vast property close to the sea, Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is a heritage resort where 18th to early-20th century Philippine houses, or casas, from several parts across the country have been rebuilt and clustered together to resemble a colonial-era Philippine community. There are mansions, stone houses, and even wooden houses on stilts, replete with cobblestone streets, sidewalks, and even bridges.
the resort owners have scoured the archipelago for such decaying structures, disassembled them, and then reassembled them -- brick by brick, plank by plank, as they say. Not that this endeavor, apart from being business-driven, has been spared from criticism from some sectors who argue that they aren't actually preserving them because the houses have been uprooted from their original locations, however. But personally, I think most of these structures would have rotted away nonetheless because of our people's collective lack of appreciation and concern for history.

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10 Worst Airports in the World

Airports are not often associated with having fun — they’re simply a place for you to wait in order to make a flight. But some airports have separated themselves from the pack, and not in a good way. The worst airports in the world are known for their smelly bathrooms, long lines, and rude staff. Take a look at the 10 worst airports in the world, and if possible, try to avoid them.


Source: Tango21961 / Wikimedia Commons
1. Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International

This airport is known for its long immigration lines, unannounced gate changes, and expensive food and drinks, according to CNN Travel. That’s all made worse by the fact that this outdated facility is understaffed, and only 59 percent of the Brazilian airport’s flights arrive on schedule, Forbes reports.

Source: Dmitry Avdeev / Wikimedia Commons
2. Chicago Midway International

Chicago’s Midway International Airport is ranked as the nation’s worst for on-time departures. “It isn’t a bad place to hang out, with a new food court and a frequent subway connection to downtown Chicago, but any airport is the worst airport if you’re stuck there and you aren’t getting on a plane,” Frommer’s writes.

3. John F. Kennedy International

New York City’s airport has made Travel + Leisure’s list of ugliest airports. “Today JFK is resolutely hellish; arriving passengers are often greeted with endless blank corridors and stairways,” Travel + Leisure says. What to look for at this airport? Keep an eye out for the newer JetBlue terminal, as well as Terminal 1, which may be old but isn’t as bad as some of the others.

4. N’Djamena International

Users of this airport in the tiny Republic of Chad in Africa have said that there are multiple bugs all over, according to USA Today. Travelers have also complained about the airport’s open-bag security check held outside, which only helps to draw in more bugs around the infested airport. If you can’t avoid it, bring bug spray.

5. Paris Beauvais Tille

The French airport opts for the basics and very little else. “It’s rated as one of the world’s worst airports by SleepingInAirports.net because of its lack of seating and services, and general half-tent, half-warehouse atmosphere,” according to Frommer’s. “It lacks a rail link to Paris and closes overnight, so hope that your flight doesn’t get too delayed, or you may be camping out on the lawn.”

6. London Heathrow

Sadly, this London airport has also made Travel + Leisure’s ugliest airports list. In fact, the airport is described as “four shopping malls that have been smashed together.” Terminal 3 is the worst, distinguished by a system in which passengers are corralled into a central seating area and not permitted to pass through security to their gates until departure time.

7. LaGuardia

Those hoping for easy transportation should look elsewhere. According to a USA Today article, the airport isn’t connected to any meaningful transportation, only a slow bus. Check-in areas are small, security lines are overflowing, Wi-Fi isn’t free, and it’s hard to get cellphone reception. If that’s not enough to sway you, it’s also dirty and crowded.

8. Ninoy Aquino International

“Beleaguered by ground crew strikes, unkempt conditions, soup kitchen-style lines that feed into more lines and an overall sense of futility, NAIA brings the term ‘Stuck in the 1970s’ to a new level,” CNN Travel says. Despite overcapacity issues, Terminal 1 seems particularly crammed, and Terminal 3, which is new, is only occupied by minor carriers at the Manila-based airport.

9. Jomo Kenyatta International

Nairobi’s airport was built to support about 2.5 million passengers but now averages about double that, according to Frommer’s. In 2005, the Kenyan government announced plans to expand the airport but hasn’t accomplished that goal yet. Travelers describe this airport as hot, ugly, dirty, and confusing, as well as filled with scam artists.

10. Tribhuvan International

“For a small airport in a pretty country, Tribhuvan has it all: the interminable weather delays of Boston Logan, the shoddy restroom maintenance of a Glasgow sports bar, the departure board sparsity of McMurdo Airfield and the chronic chaos of a kids’ soccer match,” according to CNN Travel. Also, print out your ticket. CNN Travel reports that those who didn’t have a printed version had to argue their way in to catch a flight at the Kathmandu, Nepal, airport.

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Top 100 Airports According To Passengers Choice(2012-2013)

The World's Top 100 Airports in 2012-2013

2013		2012
1	Singapore Changi Airport	2
2	Incheon International Airport	1
3	Amsterdam Schiphol Airport	4
4	Hong Kong International Airport	3
5	Beijing Capital International Airport	5
6	Munich Airport	6
7	Zurich Airport	7
8	Vancouver International Airport	9
9	Tokyo International Airport (Haneda)	14
10	London Heathrow Airport	11
11	Frankfurt Airport	15
12	Auckland International Airport	13
13	Central Japan International Airport	10
14	Kuala Lumpur International Airport	8
15	Helsinki-Vantaa Airport	22
16	Narita International Airport	17
17	Copenhagen Airport	12
18	Kansai International Airport	19
19	Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport	16
20	Abu Dhabi International Airport	18
21	Brisbane Airport	34
22	Cape Town International Airport	27
23	Gimpo International Airport	23
24	Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport	29
25	Lima Jorge Chavez International Airport	30
26	Durban King Shaka International Airport	35
27	Dusseldorf Airport	36
28	Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport	31
29	Melbourne Airport	43
30	Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Intl Airport	24
31	Sydney Airport	20
32	Istanbul Atatürk Airport	57
33	Dubai International Airport	26
34	London City Airport	37
35	London Gatwick Airport	45
36	Denver International Airport	44
37	Cologne / Bonn Airport	53
38	Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport	25
39	Barcelona El Prat Airport	21
40	San Francisco International Airport	39
41	London Stansted Airport	42
42	Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport	52
43	Hamburg Airport	28
44	Haikou Meilan International Airport	64
45	Guayaquil International Airport	56
46	Toronto Pearson International Airport	47
47	Madrid-Barajas Airport	38
48	Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport	59
49	Moscow Domodedovo International Airport	40
50	Vienna International Airport	41
51	Athens International Airport	33
52	Gold Coast Airport	46
53	Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport	55
54	Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport	49
55	Bahrain International Airport	58
56	Oslo Airport	48
57	Billund Airport	50
58	Halifax Stanfield International Airport	68
59	Shanghai Pudong International Airport	32
60	Stockholm Arlanda Airport	51
61	Prague Václav Havel Airport	54
62	Seattle-Tacoma International Airport	71
63	New York JFK International Airport	74
64	Christchurch International Airport	70
65	Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International Airport	77
66	Brussels Airport	69
67	Lisbon Portela Airport	61
68	Doha International Airport	63
69	Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport	62
70	Manchester Airport	66
71	Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport	65
72	Malta International Airport	60
73	Bengaluru International Airport	67
74	Panama Tocumen International Airport	72
75	Muscat International Airport	89
76	Nice Côte d'Azur International Airport	73
77	Adelaide Airport	75
78	Perth Airport	80
79	Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport	76
80	Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport	83
81	Keflavik International Airport	84
82	Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport	78
83	Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau Intl Airport	79
84	Chicago O'Hare International Airport	86
85	Luxembourg Findel Airport	87
86	Raleigh-Durham International Airport	82
87	Charlotte/Douglas International Airport	88
88	Boston Logan International Airport	94
89	Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport	98
90	Berlin Tegel Airport	81
91	Birmingham Airport	95
92	Fukuoka Airport	92
93	Newark Liberty International Airport	96
94	Salt Lake City International Airport	99
95	Dublin Airport	104
96	Geneva International Airport	105
97	Pittsburgh International Airport	90
98	Sanya Phoenix International Airport	91
99	Berlin Schönefeld Airport	106
100	Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport	101

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Philippine's 5 Places That Foreigners Most Visited

The Philippines is an archipelago in Southeast Asia made up of over 7000 islands. Beaches, volcanoes and wildlife are among the attractions that tempt tourists to the country and the most visited places include the urban sprawl of Manila, islands with exotic beaches and sites of outstanding natural beauty.



Manila
The capital city of Manila is the point of arrival for many visitors to the Philippines and has many attractions. The old walled city of Intramuros has a range of museums, restaurants and shops as well as Manila Cathedral and Fort Santiago, which was once a Spanish fort and garrison. Other popular tourist venues include Manila Ocean Park, a modern oceanarium and Malacanang Palace, the 18th-century building that acts as the official residence of the Philippine president. The city has a lively and varied nightlife with bars, restaurants, casino and karaoke cafes. The Malate district is a busy bohemian area.

Boracay
Boracay is a small island north of Panay. It has some of the finest sand beaches in the Philippines, and you can swim, enjoy a beach massage, or try water sport activities in crystal clear waters. Visit the shopping malls after a day at the beach or take your chances with the vendors selling watches, jewelry and sunglasses along the seafront. Boracay is also a place to party. It has countless bars, restaurants and clubs with a range of hotels to cater for the large number of tourists.

Banaue and the Rice Terraces
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Banaue and the Rice Terraces are one of the Philippines' most popular visitor attractions. The terraces were built as an irrigation system on the hills overlooking Banaue over 2000 years ago, and tourists marvel at how the terraces, still in use today, could have been built by the Ifugao tribesmen with only primitive tools. Hotels, bars and restaurants in Banaue cater to tourists, while private homes also take in overnight guests.

Bohol
Bohol Island draws large numbers of visitors to admire its beaches, its iconic Chocolate Hills, and the Spanish colonial architecture. It is also home to the Tarsier, the world’s smallest primate. Coastal waters around Bohol offer excellent diving among coral reefs, and the island is also home to more than 1400 caves for visitors to explore. Nearby Panglao Island has several beach resorts and it is easy to hop between the islands. You may even see dolphins swimming as you sail between the two.

Tagaytay City
Tagaytay is a popular tourist location for Filipino families as well as travelers from overseas. The volcano island at the center of Taal Lake is one of the most famous natural attractions in the Philippines, while the Enchanted Kingdom is a Disney-style theme park. Other popular destinations in and around Tagaytay City include the Pagsanjan Falls, The Flower Farm and the 18-hole golf course at Tagaytay Highlands.

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Mystery of the Bermuda Triangle

The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the Devil's Triangle, is an undefined region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean where a number of aircraft and ships are said to have disappeared under mysterious circumstances. The triangle does not exist according to the US Navy and the name is not recognized by the US Board on Geographic Names. Popular culture has attributed various disappearances to the paranormal or activity by extraterrestrial beings. Documented evidence indicates that a significant percentage of the incidents were spurious, inaccurately reported, or embellished by later authors. In a 2013 study the World Wide Fund for Nature identified the world’s 10 most dangerous waters for shipping, but the Bermuda Triangle was not among them. Contrary to popular belief, insurance companies do not charge higher premiums for shipping in this area.Triangle area
The first written boundaries date from a 1964 issue of pulp magazine Argosy, where the triangle's three vertices are in Miami, Florida peninsula; in San Juan, Puerto Rico; and in the mid-Atlantic island of Bermuda. But subsequent writers did not follow this definition. Every writer gives different boundaries and vertices to the triangle, with the total area varying from 500,000 to 1.5 million square miles.Consequently, the determination of which accidents have occurred inside the triangle depends on which writer reports them.The United States Board on Geographic Names does not recognize this name, and it is not delimited in any map drawn by US government agencies.
The area is one of the most heavily traveled shipping lanes in the world, with ships crossing through it daily for ports in the Americas, Europe, and the Caribbean Islands. Cruise ships are also plentiful, and pleasure craft regularly go back and forth between Florida and the islands. It is also a heavily flown route for commercial and private aircraft heading towards Florida, the Caribbean, and South America from points north.

History/Origins
The earliest allegation of unusual disappearances in the Bermuda area appeared in a September 16, 1950 Associated Press article by Edward Van Winkle Jones. Two years later, Fate magazine published "Sea Mystery at Our Back Door", a short article by George X. Sand covering the loss of several planes and ships, including the loss of Flight 19, a group of five U.S. Navy TBM Avenger bombers on a training mission. Sand's article was the first to lay out the now-familiar triangular area where the losses took place. Flight 19 alone would be covered again in the April 1962 issue of American Legion magazine. It was claimed^{[by whom?]} that the flight leader had been heard saying, "We are entering white water, nothing seems right. We don't know where we are, the water is green, no white." It was also claimed that officials at the Navy board of inquiry stated that the planes "flew off to Mars."^{[dubious – discuss]} Sand's article was the first to suggest a supernatural element to the Flight 19 incident. In the February 1964 issue of Argosy, Vincent Gaddis's article "The Deadly Bermuda Triangle" argued that Flight 19 and other disappearances were part of a pattern of strange events in the region. The next year, Gaddis expanded this article into a book, Invisible Horizons.
Others would follow with their own works, elaborating on Gaddis' ideas: John Wallace Spencer (Limbo of the Lost, 1969, repr. 1973); Charles Berlitz (The Bermuda Triangle, 1974); Richard Winer (The Devil's Triangle, 1974), and many others, all keeping to some of the same supernatural elements outlined by Eckert.

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