We also had an opportunity to take a large group to visit one of the Philippine’s main tourist attractions, a trip to Pagsanjan Falls. The trip by the USS Mark to Manila was routine. Then we rode a rickety bus to where the river boats were loaded. Two riders got into “bancas” (canoes carved from tree trunks) and the boatmen struggled up stream, through a lovely rain forest, for about two hours to get to the falls. After a swim by the falls and a trip for the more daring, under the falls, we started back downstream, covering the same distance in about 20 minutes!!! BIG difference!

Ready to Begin the Journey Upstream

Struggling Upstream

Only the brave took the raft under the falls.

Going downstream was easier and much faster.