Exploring Asia: the Philippines, Malaysian Borneo, and Tigers in India
Mabuhai, or "long live", from the Philippines! From Japan, we headed 2,011 miles to the Philippines, an archipelago consisting of more than 7,000 islands and islets lying 500 miles off the coast of Vietnam. We ate sushi and wagyu beef enroute... And it was delicious! The Philippines is divided into three major island groups: Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao and the country takes its name from Philip II who was king of Spain during the Spanish colonization of the islands in the 16th century. Because the Philippines was under Spanish rule for 333 years and under U.S. tutelage for an additional 48 years, the country has many cultural affinities with the West. Following India, it's the second most populous Asian country with English as an official language. Landing in Cebu, Philippines. When we landed on Mactan Island, immigration authorities met us at the plane and we were greeted with lavender hand towels, necklaces, and a police escort. The motorcycle police went ahead