Why Retire in the Philippines/Marinduque Vacations: Season of Light-The Mormon Tabernacle Choir with Lea Salonga

Planning to Retire Soon!

If you are planning to retire in the Philippines soon, I suggest you visit several excellent websites on pro's and cons of retiring in the Philippines. However if you want to retire in the provinces, where life is simple, standard of living cheaper, less traffic congestion and pollution, availability of fresh seafood and vegetables compared to the big cities, my island province is the place for you! If this is your first time in my site, welcome. Some of the photos and videos on this site, I do not own. However, I have no intention on the infringement of your copyrights. The photo above is the front yard of Chateau Du Mer- Our Retirement Home in Boac, Marinduque, Philippines

Monday, December 18, 2023

Season of Light-The Mormon Tabernacle Choir with Lea Salonga

Celebrate Christmas with songs and story that embodies the Christmas spirit by watching last 12/12/23 PBS TV show, Season Of Light with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Lea Salonga and Sir David Suchet. Here's the flyer advertisement from PBS:

"Prepare to be enchanted, this holiday season when Lea Salonga and Sir David Suchet join forces with The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra.

Watch the performance filled with timeless carols, treasured Christmas songs and a heartwarming story of heroic service. ( Nicholas Winton)

Tony Award-winning Disney and Broadway star Lea Salonga ("Mulan," "Miss Saigon") and world-renowned screen and stage actor Sir David Suchet ("Agatha Christie's Poirot") add a touch of magic to this year’s special, Season of Light: Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir, making it a truly uplifting and unforgettable holiday celebration.

I watched this 1.5 hour video and I feel enchanted with the carols and specially touched with story of Nicholas Winton who saved more than 600 Jewish Children from the Nazi's by providing them with a British sponsor during the early 1939, the start of the Holocaust in Poland.

It also reminded me with a similar story of how 1200 Jewish families were given safe refuge in Manila at the same time period as the Winton story;

https://www.cnn.com/2015/02/02/world/asia/philippines-jews-wwii/index.html

Lea also sang Peaceful World (Payapang Daigdig) in Tagalog, which brought pleasant memories of our Christmas Caroling Days in Washington DC in the mid 1990's. Speaking of Lea, I have met her in person in Washington DC when her singing career was at its highest peak after her Miss Saigon Role in Broadway and In London Theatre, UK.

https://davidclemente.typepad.com/davids-reflections/2020/12/peaceful-world-a-christmas-carol-of-hope-and-peace.html?fbclid=IwAR1l_vjD4y6JpqasKelEipKtql9Sza3AjoQxG2zEmC9hY7yn1A4xMFUw4cs

Here's a photo of Lea and my youngest daughter Ditas at a party my family attended at the Marriot Hotel (1999) welcoming then former President of the Philippines Joseph Estrada ( 1998-2001) in Washington DC.

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2012/09/lea-salonga-singer-and-actress.html

Here's the PBS video for your viewing pleasure.

https://www.pbs.org/video/season-of-light-christmas-with-the-tabernacle-choir-1dh3zf/

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/christmas-tabernacle-choir/

https://youtu.be/SQyojqPR5cM?si=wArXLLl2gM4RamRM

So what lessons have we learned from the Winston story? To me, its always be kind to others and help others no matter how small or trivial it is not only during the Christmas Season, but also during the whole year round and perhaps the rest of your life. Merry Christmas Again to All!

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Fruit Trees in the Gardens of Chateau Du Mer

The Mango Tree-I have three varieties in my Garden-The Indian, Guimaras and Carabao Mangoes My caretaker/gardener informed me last month that due to the El Nino drought in Marinduque, two of my Durian trees died in spite of his vigilant watering. One of the tree was attacked by insects that looks like a big fly but yellowish in color that sucks the sap of the seedling. The roots of the other tree was attacked by ants residing in the soil. However, my other fruit trees, the rambutans( 2), the lanzones(2) and the jack fruits ( 2) trees are doing well. The above eight fruit trees were given to me by Retired General Recaredo Sarmiento of Boac and Lucena., about three years ago. General Sarmiento is the “atid” of my wife. “Atid” is the colloquial term for brother. Evidently, Macrine's father, the late Bernardo Jambalos was the Godfather of General Sarmiento during his baptism and comfirmation. Gen Sarmiento's hobby is orchard planting, reforestation and farming. The other fruit trees in my garden are guayabanos, cashew, avocados, starapples, duhats, ates, guavas, mangoes( 3 varieties) and papayas as well as several varieties of bananas . Of the above fruit trees, my favorite is the guayabanos, also known as soursop tree known for its anti-tumor and anti-cancer properties . The following are photos of the fruit trees. The Durian photo is from the web. Note that it almost look like a jack fruit tree, except that the leaves are bigger and shiny. My desire is to have a passion fruit tree in the near future. You are welcome to visit my orchard and flower gardens any time, if perchance you are in the vicinity of The Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort and Conference Center.

The Rambutan Tree and Fruits

The Lanzone Tree and Fruits

The Jack Fruit Tree

The Durian Fruit Tree