16 Sept 2012 Lapu Lapu

16 Sept 2012 Lapu Lapu Sunday Grant takes me, Violet and her cousin Charina 17 to the spot where, in 1521, Spanish invader Ferdinano Magellan was killed by Lapu Lapu, chief of Mactan Island, and his tribesmen. There is a monument and plaques commemorating the event. Also there is a big wall painting showing Ferdie and his men wearing pantaloons and being slain in the shallow waters of the beach. One of the plaques informs us that one of Ferdies ships, the Victoria under the command of Juan Sebastian Elcano, sailed from Cebu on 1st May 1521 and anchored at San Lucar of Barrameda on 6th September 1522. This completed the first circumnavigation of the earth. Can anyone tell me where Barrameda is?

Here at one of the small market stalls I buy a lovely present for Faye. We also go to a mall where I buy some little presents for Ruby and Amber. Finally Violet leads us to a fresh seafood shop where she chooses and buys 4 kilos of live crabs. Back at Green Gate she cooks them along with mixed vegetables wrapped in palm leaf and red (purple) rice and we have a delicious lunch. This place is heaven. After a lazy hour chatting after lunch, I have my daily swim. I have kept my promise to myself and Anne and increased the distance each day, by 100m. Today I swim 500. Is this OK Anne? This evening I am collected by Jens and his friend Clive and we go for a quiet drink in a bar suggested by Clive. Clive comes from Tewkesbury, worked for MAN in Germany for 37 years and now lives on Mactan Island where he loves to dive, often with Jens. In the bar, we cannot hear ourselves talk, but the music is good, a 6 piece band with three singers one of whom, a girl, has an amazing voice. A great evening but I drink one beer too many for me. Fortunately I am fully in control and do not fall out of the car when we return to Green Gate. However one of the staff girls asks me if I am drunk, I don't know why she asks, I am fine and perfectly incoherent. I think I'll go to bed now, goodnight. John