Time to come home. Final day of tour.

Today is my last day on tour.  Len left this morning to catch his flight back to the home of the brave, and I decided to fill in my morning by going to visit the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.  Now I've pasted some information from Wikipedia below.

The Manila American Cemetery and Memorial is located in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City in Metro Manila, Philippines. The cemetery, 152 acres (62 ha) or 615,000 square metres in area, is located on a prominent plateau, visible at a distance from the east, south and west.^[1] With a total of 17,206 graves, it has the largest number of graves of any cemetery for U.S. personnel killed duringWorld War II and holds war dead from the Philippines and other allied nations.^[1] Many of the personnel whose remains are interred or represented were killed in New Guinea, or during the Battle of the Philippines (1941-42) or the Allied recapture of the islands.^[1] The headstones are made of marble which are aligned in eleven plots forming a generally circular pattern, set among a wide variety of tropical trees and shrubbery.^[1] The Memorial is maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission. It is the largest site administered by the Commission in the number of graves and of those missing whose names are recorded on the walls of the memorial. The cemetery is open daily to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except December 25 and January 1.^[1] 

This place is quite spectacular with all the crosses positioned so perfectly around the gardens. The officers that lost their lives in battle who were awarded the Medal of Honor had a star as part of the headstone.  It's amazing to think that over 17,000 soldiers lay in this cemetery.  I'm sure there will be some that say they died for a just cause and there will be others who say, 'what a waste of lives'.  I'm not to be the judge of that.I walked around the lawns and read some of the names of the 17,000 soldiers who lost their lives in the memorial hall and out on the lawns. Amazing seems to be an inadequate word to describe this memorial site.

After the visiting the memorial I went back to Robinson's mall to have one final walk around.  After a brief lunch it was time to get back to the hotel as I had to get my lift back to the airport at 5pm Manila time.  I leave at 8.30pm and should arrive back in Sydney by 6.30am.  

Well, I've had an interesting holiday and learnt a lot about cultures and people.  I think that's what suppose to happen.  I met those that were intolerant, impatient, caring, humble and giving.  I met may families who would have taken me in for the night when I was feeling very ill on one day.  I met those who would beg for money and curse you as you left them empty handed.  

No matter what, I had a great experience and one that I will remember for a long time.

Unfortunately, no photos from today's visit.

Signing off on this tour until the 24 June 2013, I hope you follow me as I take on Eastern Europe with a fellow Australian and my American buddy.  

Until then, safe riding.