1. Places in the US that Macrine and I had Visited-New York City and Vicinity

Place #1: New York City and Vicinity



Macrine and I have been to New York City a number of times. My first visit was in 1960. I remember visiting the Empire State Building, Times Square, Central Park, and China Town. Since then, We have been to the city, to see a Broadway Play, attend a conference( American Chemical Society), visit relatives, a little shopping and sight seeing ( Statue of Liberty). Our impressions of New City is that it is a nice place to visit, but even if you gave me a million dollars, we will never live there! Here's a short video of the sights of the City via Frank Sinatra.


New York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over global commerce, finance, media, culture, art, fashion, research, education, and entertainment. As host of the United Nations Headquarters, it is also an important center for international affairs. The city is often referred to as New York City or the City of New York to distinguish it from the state of New York, of which it is a part.

Located on a large natural harbor on the Atlantic coast of the Northeastern United States, the city consists of five boroughs: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. The city's 2009 estimated population approached 8.4 million, and with a land area of 305 square miles (790 km2). New York City is the most densely populated major city in the United States. The New York metropolitan area's population is also the nation's largest, estimated at 19.1 million people over 6,720 square miles (17,400 km2). Furthermore, the Combined Statistical Area containing the greater New York metropolitan area contained 22.2 million people as of 2009 Census estimates, also the largest in the United States.

New York was founded as a commercial trading post by the Dutch in 1624. The settlement was called New Amsterdam until 1664 when the colony came under English control. New York served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790. It has been the country's largest city since 1790. As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York City, making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world.

Many districts and landmarks in the city have become well known to outsiders. The Statue of Liberty greeted millions of immigrants as they came to America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Times Square, iconified as "The Crossroads of the World", is the brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway theater district, one of the world's busiest pedestrian intersections, and a major center of the world's entertainment industry. Anchored by Wall Street, in Lower Manhattan, New York City vies with London as the financial capital of the world is home to the New York Stock Exchange, the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies.

The original Manhattan Chinatown attracts throngs of tourists to its bustling sidewalks and retail establishments. World-class schools and universities such as Columbia University and New York University also reside in New York City.

Additional Personal Note: Before September 11, 2001, Our daughter gave us a tour of her office in the World Trade Center. I was really impressed with the Twin Towers, thus the bombing of the Twin Tower on 9/11/01, I consider a personal loss.

Twin Tower Of WTC (March, 2001)

Macrine and I have also been to several cities in New Jersey and Long Island visiting friends and relatives since 1960. It will be boring to list all these places in this blog.

This article is Number 1(Part 1) of a series that I have written on places that Macrine and I had either resided or visited in US. (Part 2) have been posted just recently listing the places that we have visited outside the US such as Canada, London, Rome, Marbella, Spain, Morrocco, Cancun, Mexico, San Juan, Puerto Rico and excluding all the Hawaiian Islands which will be included in this series. Let me know if you enjoy this series or found it informative

Chapter 7: Prominent Descendants of Epifania Morente of the Nieva Clan of Marinduque

Lucresia Kasilag-National Artist for Music, 1989

This is a continuation of a series of articles written by Rene Nieva on the ancestral roots of the Nieva clan of Marinduque.

EPIFANIA MORENTE : GREAT MORENTE HERITAGE AND PROMINENT DESCENDANTS: The Morentes were able to trace back their roots to a prominent family in Spain that may have some French connection since Spain was just below France in the map of Europe. Maybe the Morentes, and thus we Nievas who are the Morente's co-descendants, may even have some royal blood (we wish) flowing in our veins because the Morentes have their own family crest.

Epifania or Maning was the oldest of the four Morente children. Following her were Catalina, or Ninay; Juan; and Juancho, who both settled in Mindoro. The Morentes themselves became political leaders in Mindoro, with Juancho becoming governor at one point. Juan married a woman (name unknown) and among their more outstanding descendants were bankers Jesus Pineda and businessman Chit Pineda.

Catalina married a Roces (first name unknown) from the prominent Roces family of Manila who were in the movie houses and publishing business as well in politics. They had only one child, a daughter named Asuncion, a versatile musician who studied and later taught both piano and violin. She married a civil engineer named Marcial Kasilag who was then a district engineer covering the Marinduque and Mindoro provinces.

Asuncion and Marcial in turn had six children. First was Octavio Kasilag, who married Caridad Versoza. Second was Lucrecia or King who never married but dedicated her life to music. She later became Dean of the Philippine Women's University and President of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and in 1989 was named National Artist for Music.

Third was Natividad or Naty, who married Macario Peralta, a feared guerilla leader in World War ll who later became Secretary of National Defense. Fourth was Wilhelmina who married a Dr. Ochoa (first name unknown). Fifth was Marcial Kasilag, Jr.. And sixth was Pedro Kasilag who was a well-known pianist.

Juan Morente had married (name unknown). He had two children, Asuncion and Purificacion. Asuncion was wed to Esteban Abada who became a Senator. Another daughter, Purificacion, married stock brokerage pioneer Anselmo Trinidad. Among their children was Josefina or Josie, who was known for her beauty and brains. She went to UP for her undergraduate studies and then took up post-graduate studies in Sorbonne in Paris, France. She joined the Department of Transportation and Communication where she rose to Deputy Secretary and at one time Acting Secretary.

Interestingly, she married one of the descendants of Calixto Nieva, Eduardo Lichauco, through one of Calixto's children. Dionisio. Dionisio married Salud de Santa, and among their children was Alicia. Alicia married a prominent Chinese-Filipino businessman named Luis Lichauco, and among their children was Eduardo. Thus, Josie Trinidad-Lichauco was the only one among the descendants of Calixto Nieva and Epifania Morente where the two founding father and mother of the Nieva clan re-connected with each other.

14. Places Outside the US that Macrine and I had Visited-Cuernavaca. Mexico

Place #14: Cuernavaca and Acapulco and Vicinity, Mexico


Macrine resided/visited in Cuernavaca for 30 days in the summer of 1982. As part of her post graduate training in Spanish,she signed up for a 30-day-live-in language immersion program in one of the language schools of the city. She flew from San Francisco to Mexico City and a representative of the school drove her to the residence of her host family in Cuernavaca.

For 30 days she was not allowed to speak English, but only Spanish, unless it is an emergency. This was one of her best experiences in learning the Spanish language. At the end of the 30 days, she spoke Spanish like a native Mexican or Castillan. She needed this experience to be certified as a trilengual( Spanish, English and Filipino) Public Health Nurse for the Contra Costa County Visiting Nurses Association, her employer at that time.

Two days before graduation the class of 20 spent one day and one night experiencing the sights and sounds of Acapulco, Mexico, which is not too far from Cuernavaca. From Acapulco, they flew back to San Francisco via Mexico City, where I picked her up. It was the best 30 days she spent without me all hovering over her. Macrine told me this is one experience she will cherish in her memory forever.

Cuernavaca was nicknamed "city of eternal spring" by Alexander von Humboldt in the 19th century. The city is located in a tropical region but its temperature is kept fairly constant in the 70's F. It is located on the southern slope of the Sierra de Chichinautzin mountains. In the morning, warm air flows from the valley below and in the late afternoon, cooler air flows down from the higher elevations. This climate has attracted royalty and nobles from Aztec times. Most of the Aztec emperors called Cuernavaca their summer residence. Foreign princes, archdukes and other nobles have been attracted to this place because of its flowers, sun, fruits, fresh-water springs and waterfalls. The Shah of Iran had a house here as well as the sculptor, the late John Spencer, relative of Princess Diana.

Cuernavaca (Spanish pronunciation: [kweɾnaˈβaka]; Classical Nahuatl: Cuauhnāhuac is the capital and largest city of the state of Morelos in Mexico. Established at the archeological site of Gualupita I by the Olmecs, "the mother culture" of Mesoamerica, approximately 3200 years ago. It is also a municipality located about 85 km (53 mi) south of Mexico City on the D-95 freeway.

The city has long been a favorite escape for Mexico City and foreign visitors because of this warm, stable climate and abundant vegetation. Aztec emperors had summer residences there, and even today many famous people as well as Mexico City residents maintain homes there. Cuernavaca is also host to a large foreign resident population, including large numbers of students who come to study the Spanish language.

The name "Cuernavaca" is derived from the Nahuatl phrase Cuauhnahuac, and means "surrounded by or close to trees." The name was eventually Hispanicized to Cuernavaca because the Spanish could not pronounce the Nahuatl name. The coat-of-arms of the municipality consists of a tree trunk with three branches with foliage, and four roots colored red. There is a cut in the trunk in the form of a mouth, from which emerges a grey swirl.


Macrine and her 20 classmates along with their teachers(as Chaperons)spent one day and one night partying and celebrating their graduation from language school. They visited most of the tourist spots in Acapulco including the Cliffs where the divers show their diving skills and fearless activity for the tourists.


Acapulco (officially known as Acapulco de Juárez) is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, 300 kilometres (190mi) southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history. It is a port of call for shipping and cruising lines running between Panama and San Francisco, California, United States. The city of Acapulco is the largest in the state, far larger than the state capital Chilpancingo and as well, Mexico's largest beach resorted city.

The city is best known as one of Mexico’s oldest and most well-known beach resorts, which came into prominence by the 1950s as a getaway for Hollywood stars and millionaires. Acapulco is still famous for its nightlife and still attracts many vacationers, although most are now from Mexico itself. The resort area is divided into two: The north end of the bay is the “traditional” area, where the famous in the mid 20th century vacationed and the south end is dominated by newer luxury high rise hotels.

Note: This is No. 14 (Part 2) and last of the series of articles on places that Macrine and I had visited outside the US since 1960., This is the only place where Macrine was on her own and she had a grand time without me hovering on her back.

We had also resided in four States, California, Illinois, Missouri and Maryland. We enjoyed our stay in the three cities in California,(Modesto, Pinole and Fair Oaks ( eastern suburb of Sacramento). We will always remember our five years in Chicago, Illinois as well as our five years in Kansas City, Missouri. Most of all, the happiest place that we had lived was our 12 years in Colesville, Maryland- a suburb of Washington, D.C. The coldest winter of our lives was of course in Chicago. But the warmest winter of our lives besides, the Philippines was in Pinole, California.

We had also visited thirty(30)* other places in the US( including the Hawaiian Islands)

I have not included in this series ten other places in the US that I had visited in connection with my work activities (business travel) as a Research Chemist for Chevron and Stauffer Chemical Companies and as a Chemistry Team Leader for FDA, Center of New Drugs in Silver Spring, MD.

Part 1 of this series will begin in the next couple of days, Places in the US that Macrine and I visited or resided

13. Places Outside the US that Macrine and I had Visited-Niagara Falls, Canada

Place #13: Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada


On August 9 to 11, 2001, Macrine and I attended the 5th International Reunion of Marinduque International, Inc. hosted by the Marinduque Cultural Society of Canada. The meeting was held at the Delta Meadowvale Resort and Conference Hotel in Ontario, Canada. On our way to Toronto from Bufallo, New York we passed by Niagara Falls both on the US side as well as the Canadian side. We had lunch at a restaurant overlooking the waterfalls and spent more than two hours taking pictures and just enjoying the sights and sounds of the Falls.

In our entourage were 10 members of MI, Inc from the Washington, D.C. area.
Niagara Falls at Night

This was our second time to enjoy Niagara Falls and its surrondings. Macrine and I first visited Niagara Falls in the summer of 1985. We stayed for three days and had plenty of time enjoying the scenic and very rural Canadian country side up North of the Falls. We specially enjoyed the Falls at Night. Here's a short video of the Falls as viewed from both sides. Do not forget to view the related video of the Falls at Night.


Niagara Falls is a Canadian city of 83,184 (as of 2008) residents on the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. Across the river is Niagara Falls, New York. Niagara Falls Ontario was incorporated on June 12, 1903.

The city is dominated by Niagara Falls, a world famous set of two large waterfalls on the Niagara River and benefits from the fact that both falls, the American and Horseshoe, can be best seen from the Canadian side of the river, thus presenting the city one of the major tourist attractions of the world. The natural spectacle brings in millions of tourists yearly. The city permitted the development of a tourist area along the falls and the gorge. This area which stretches along the Niagara River parkway and tourist promenade is particularly concentrated at the brink of the falls and, apart from the natural attractions along the river, includes huge parking lots, souvenir shops, observation towers, high-rise-hotels, casinos and theatres, mostly with colourful neon billboards and advertisements. Further to the north or south there are golf courses alongside historic sites from the War of 1812.

Note: This No. 13( Part 2) of the series of articles on places that Macrine and I had visited outside the US since 1960.

12. Places Outside the US that Macrine and I had Visited- Baja California, Mexico

Place #12: Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico


In 1994 during the weekend before the American Chemical Society(ACS) Meeting in San Diego, Macrine and I took a sightseeing excursion to Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico from San Diego. There are two ways to visit Ensenada from San Diego. One is by bus and the other by sea. We took the sea route ( about 70 minutes). There was plenty of time for shopping and sightseeing. The tour took only about 11 hours total. We purchased a few Mexican souvenirs( Indian blankets) and enjoyed a typical Mexican lunch. I did not show any symptoms of sea sickness in the incoming sea trip, but at the return trip, the sea was choppy and I throw up. I swear, I will never take another cruise because of that experience, inspite of Macrine's urging to take another cruise ( perhaps to Alaska during summer).

Ensenada (full name: Ensenada De Todos Santos, which means "Cove of all Saints" in English), or Port of Ensenada for its port, is the third-largest city in the Mexican state of Baja California. It is located 116 km (about 70 miles) south of Tijuana. The city had a 2005 census population of 260,075, with the municipality having 413,481.

Ensenada is also the municipal seat of Ensenada Municipality, one of the five into which the state is divided. Ensenada is locally referred as La Cenicienta del Pacífico (The Cinderella of the Pacific).
Located in the Bahía de Todos Santos — an inlet of the Pacific Ocean — Ensenada is an important commercial and fishing port as well as a cruise ship port of call. There is also a navy base, an army base and a military airfield, which functions as an airport of entry into Mexico.



The city is backed by small mountain ranges. Due to its location on the Pacific Ocean and Mediterranean latitude, the weather tends to be mild year-round. Although the winter rain season is short and the area is prone to prolonged droughts, Ensenada sits in the heart of a wine country that is widely regarded as the best in Mexico and the Americas with the Napa Valley in California. It is said that the first vitis vinifera made it to the Peninsula (specifically to the San Ignacio Mission) in 1703, when Jesuit Padre Juan de Ugarte planted the first vineyards there.



Note: This is No.12 (Part 2) of a series of article on places that Macrine and I had visited outside the US since 1960.

11. Places Outside the US that Macrine and I had Visited-Ontario, Canada

Place #11: Toronto and Vicinity, Ontario, Canada



On August 9 to 11, 2001, Macrine and I attended the 5th International Reunion of Marinduque International, Inc. hosted by the Marinduque Cultural Society of Canada. The meeting was held at the Delta Meadowvale Resort and Conference Hotel in Ontario, Canada. We spent half a day, touring the downtown area of Toronto and had lunch in a friends house in Mississauga, Ontario. I wish we had more time to see Toronto. The three days was not enough since during the day, we attended all the sessions discussing preparation for our next Medical Mission to Marinduque. Here are two videos on 10 things to do and interesting places in the city of Toronto, Capital of Ontario, Canada.



Toronto (pronounced /təˈrɒntoʊ/, colloquially /ˈtrɒnoʊ/ or /təˈrɒnoʊ/) is the provincial capital of Ontario, and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America. Toronto is at the heart of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), and is part of a densely populated region in Southern Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe, which is home to over 8.1 million residents—approximately 25% of Canada's population. The census metropolitan area (CMA) had a population of 5,113,149, and the Greater Toronto Area had a population of 5,555,912 in the 2006 Census.

As Canada's economic capital, Toronto is considered an alpha world city by the Globalization and World Cities (GaWC) study group and is one of the top financial centres in the world. Toronto's leading economic sectors include finance, business services, telecommunications, aerospace, transportation, media, arts, film, television production, publishing, software production, medical research, education, tourism and sports industries. The Toronto Stock Exchange, the world's eighth largest in terms of market value, is headquartered in the city, along with the most Canadian corporate headquarters of a major Canadian city.

Toronto's population is cosmopolitan and international, reflecting its role as an important destination for immigrants to Canada. Toronto is one of the world's most diverse cities by percentage of non-native-born residents, as about 49% of the population were born outside of Canada. Toronto is consistently rated as one of the world's most livable cities by the Economist Intelligence Unit and the Mercer Quality of Living Survey. In addition, Toronto was ranked as the most expensive Canadian city in which to live in 2006. Residents of Toronto are called Torontonians.

I have a sister, a nephew and several relatives residing in the Toronto area.

Note: This is No 11 (Part 2) of a series of articles on places that Macrine and I had visited outside the US since 1960.