Boarding Gate 101

The circular altar of the Pacific War Memorial in Corregidor has been inscribed with this poignant tribute to those who have fallen defending the island: Sleep, my sons, your duty done...for freedom's light has come.  Sleep in the silent depths of the sea, or in your bed of hallowed sod  Until you hear at dawn the low, clear reveille of God. The altar is under a dome that has an oculus on which light will fall onto the altar during the day. January 2010

A fossilized skull of an ancient animal (a tiger?) showing its long sharp canine teeth, at St. Louis Zoological Park May 2010

Flying over Alaskan snow-capped mountains and glaciers, aboard a Delta Airlines 747-400 from Detroit to Nagoya to Manila. May 2010

One of the 12-inch mortars that survived the Japanese invasion during World War II, in the fortress island of Corregidor, Philippines.  The island, also known as The Rock, is located about 48 kilometers from Manila. It is part of the harbor defenses of Manila Bay during the war protecting the capital.  There were 23 batteries of cannons and mortars in the island. This particular installation is called Battery Way , composed of 4 12-inch mortars. January 2010

The marble sculpture Perseus with the Head of Medusa , in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York. It was carved by Italian Antonio Canova, in 1804-06, and is a replica of the one  done by the sculptor on display  in Vatican .  March 15, 2011

The belfry of Cagsawa Church, the most visible reminder of the power of Mayon volcano , which looms at a distance. The Baroque-styled church, built in 1724, was buried under ash when Mayon erupted in 1814, leaving only the belfry and parts of the wall.  Cagsawa is located in Daraga town, Bicol in the Philippines. April 30, 2012

A beach in Caramoan, Philippines.  April 28, 2012 For more about my trip to Caramoan, go  here .

Statues of Buddha lined up inside a room, at the Wat Pho complex in Bangkok, Thailand. Wat Pho is also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. It was founded in 1781. May 20, 2011

Located at midtown Manhattan, the St. Thomas Church in Fifth Avenue is the seat of the Episcopal Archdiocese of New York. The church was built in 1914, in French High Gothic style. May 23, 2010

The historic town of Vigan, with its well-preserved old colonial buildings, is the best example of Spanish-era architecture in the Philippines. The old town site was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999. December 2008

A red Ferrari F430 on display outside Pavilion Kuala Lumpur during the 2012 F1 Malaysian Grand Prix weekend. March 25, 2012

A student painstakingly reproducing a painting in Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York March 15, 2011

Fans of the Scuderia Ferrari unfurled the team's flags to support the racing team during the 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang. April 4, 2010

The skyscrapers of Manhattan, at night. The tallest one is the 1200-foot tall Bank of America Tower - the third tallest building in New York. May 23, 2010

A bus streaks past the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore. April 1, 2010

The roof of the Suria KLCC mall, located at the foot of the Petronas Twin Towers, as viewed from the skybridge of the tower 170 meters above ground. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia March 2009

The ubiquitous  tuktuk , a motorcycle-based auto rickshaw, in Bangkok, Thailand. May 20, 2011

The original torch of the Statue of Liberty, on display inside the Liberty Museum. It was replaced in 1984 during the major renovation of the statue. The Statue of Liberty is a UNESCO World Heritage site. March 14, 2011

Paul Cézanne's still life Milk Can and Apples (oil on canvass, 1879-80), at the Museum of Modern Art, New York May 23, 2010

My friends walking along a sand bar - named White Island -  in Mambajao, Camiguin, Philippines April 10, 2010

Built in 1924, the Tivoli Theater was included in the National Register of Historical Landmarks for its architecture and history.  The theater is one of the main attractions of Delmar Loop, the entertainment district of University City and St. Louis. May 22, 2010

The neo-Gothic St. Patrick's Cathedral in Fifth Avenue. It is the seat of the archdiocese of New York. May 23, 2010

Pablo Picasso's cubist painting Girl Before a Mirror (1930) at the Museum of Modern Art, New York.  May 23, 2010

St. Louis Cardinals playing against Houston Astros in Busch Stadium, St. Louis. May 12, 2010

An Egyptian mummy in its cask at St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis, Missouri February 28, 2011

The Esplanade - Theaters on the Bay is the center for performing arts of Singapore April 1, 2010

The iconic Guggenheim Museum, with its rotunda shape and a spiral ramp that curves around the building, was completed in 1959. It was the opus of world-famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It is located in Fifth Avenue, New York.  May 23, 2010

A trifecta of Royal Malaysian Air Force MiG-29s flew over the Sepang Circuit, during the 2010 Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix April 4, 2010

Stalactite formation - called Stage Curtain - in Meramec Caverns , Stanton, Missouri. The cavern used to be the hide out of notorious bank robber Jesse James. May 3, 2010

The Singapore skyline at night, with Marina Bay in the foreground. April 1, 2010

The neo-classical Fullerton Hotel, Singapore April 1, 2010

The Petronas Twin Towers, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 451.9-meter buildings were the world's tallest from 1998 to 2004. April 3, 2010

The crater lake of Mount Pinatubo , which erupted in 1991. After the eruption the caldera got  filled with rainwater and transformed into a lake.  January 31, 2009

An eagle swoops in to grab chunks of meat thrown overboard by the boatman, in Langkawi, Malaysia March 22, 2012

Marble sculpture of a reclining Pan, circa 1535, attributed to Italian Renaissance sculptor  Francesco da Sangallo St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis, Missouri,  February 28, 2011

Flying over Siberia aboard a Delta 747-400, from New York JFK en route to Manila March 16, 2011

A tourist stands on a rock jutting out of the freshwater Kayangan Lake , in Coron , Philippines. The lake, which is sacred to the Tagbanua tribe who lives in the island, is reputed to be the cleanest in the Philippines. November 23, 2008

A sphinx, portraying the female pharaoh Hatshepsut. She was the fifth  pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty, ruling between 1508-1458 B.C. [ 1 ] Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,  March 15, 2011

The Gateway Arch , St. Louis, Missouri. The 630-feet tall structure is the tallest monument in the United States. March 7, 2011

A prang of Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) towers over Chao Phraya river, in Bangkok, Thailand May 20, 2011

The majestic Mayon Volcano - with its perfect cone - on a cloudy day in Legazpi City, Philippines.  The  2,463-meter high volcano is the most active in the Philippines, having erupted most recently in 2010.  April 30, 2012