We were joined by the Booklovers Club and Backpackers Club.
It was an hour 15minute boat ride to the tadpole shaped island of Corregidor.
Corregidor was also called The Rock because of its rocky shore and its heavy fortification.
We were assigned to bus#5. The bus was called Tranvia and it has 7 rows which can seat 5 people per row.
Rowena ,our tour guide was so hilarious and she made the tour so fun and un-boring.
Our first stop was the Battery Way. We learned from Rowena that a battery may consist of guns, mortars , rockets or missiles grouped together as a unit in a fixed fortification.
We stayed here for about 15 minutes which was not enough to get decent photos.
Next stop was another Battery- Hearn. This 12 inch gun has a ranged of 29000 yards and it can fire in all directions. It was really huge.
The Mile Long Barrack is not really a mile long but it was commonly called Mile Long Barracks. This fortified building where American officers and enlisted men were billeted also served as Gen. McArthur's headquarter
The Eternal Flame of Freedom is a steel sculpture located at the rear of the Pacific War Memorial. It reminded me of the eternal flame near JFK's grave.
The white dome is the Pacific War Memorial. The center of the dome is open in which light falls directly to a circular altar. At the rim of the altar inscribed the words "Sleep, my sons, your duty done, for Freedom's light has come; sleep in the silent depths of the sea, or in your bed of hallowed sod, until you hear at dawn the low, clear reveille of God ".
The Spanish Lighthouse is located at the highest point of the island where visitors can have a breathtaking view of Corregidor, Manila Bay, Bataan, Cavite and South Philippine Sea.
The Malinta Tunnel said to have been constructed for 10 years (1922-1932) served as protection from artillery and air attack. Since it was located beneath the Malinta Hill, it became ideal as a bomb proof shelter for Filipino and American soldiers defending Corregidor. It also served as headquarters of Gen. McArthur and office of the Philippine Commonwealth Government under President Manuel Quezon.
It has 13 lateral branches in the northside and 11 at the southside. One lateral was used for hospital, another for supply storage , another as headquarters of American generals.
The tunnel was dark pitch. But with the help of light from our handphone and camera flash we were able to walk through until we reach the end of the tunnel. We can not imagine the condition of the personnel who lived there during the war. It was eerie.
We had buffet lunch around 1230pm. Our last stop was San Jose Chapel and Gen. Douglas McArthur's park where a larger than life bronze statue of the general was erected in his memory.
We were back at the Corregidor dock by 240pm and by 4pm we were back at Manila Bay harbor.
It was indeed a memorable trip for the Shutterbugs, Backpackers and Booklovers.
