This year’s sojourn began on a rainy Thursday night. Twenty one students and four faculty crossed the Pacific for a 14 hour flight to Taipei; a brief layover and two hours later, we landed in Manila close to noon on Saturday, 15 February.
A lunch in the Intramuros district of Manila brought us into the heart of the old city, a walled-enclave that witnessed the country’s colonial history under Spain (approx. 400 years), the United States (about 50 years), and Japan (about 4 years). We saw ruins of old garrisons, walked through underground tunnels that confined US and Filipino prisoners-of-war during World War II.
The day ended with a buffet dinner. Exhausted, jet-lagged, and too full to eat, we nonetheless managed to sing and dance our way to wish Ruby, Aaliyah, and Xochitl, the happiest of birthdays!
Convent & Stuart Hall Travel 