 For our non-diving day, we chose an excursion to the neighboring island of Culion |
 By banca, Culion is around 1 hour away from Coron Town |
 Smooth sailing across Coron Bay to Culion |
 As we arrive at Culion, a big storm hit the island and it was showery all afternoon |
 The quai at Culion where our boat dropped us off |
 The banca boat we took from Coron to Culion |
 Shortly after taking over the Philippines, the US established a leper colony in isolated Culion |
 A similar leper colony had already been established at Molokai in Hawaii |
 Loyola College, Culion (Palawan) |
 Culion Sanitarium and General Hospital |
 Leprosy was finally eradicated in Culion in the late 1990's |
 Rev. Fr. Felipe Milan, chaplain of the Culion Leper Colony 1916-26 |
 Culion Museum & Archives (M-F) |
 Culion Sanitorium |
 Leonard Wood Memorial for the Eradication of Leprosy |
 Major General Leonard Wood, US Army |
 As a doctor, Gen. Leonard Wood took interest in Culion while Governor General of the Philippines 1921-1927 |
 No city in the Philippines is complete without a Jose Rizal memorial |
 A large house in Culion |
 Large green canopy of a tropical tree in Culion |
 The first Spanish missionaries arrived in Culion in 1622 |
 The colonial church of Culion was built around 1740 in the old Spanish fort |
 The Church of the Immaculate Conception was enlarged in 1933 to accomodate the growing leper colony |
 Immaculada from the original church facade was maintaned |
 The Church of the Immaculate Conception, Culion |
 Church bell of Culion dating from the American period |
 Interior, Cuilion Church |
 Interior of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Culion |
 Culion Church |
 Altar, Culion Church |
 Madonna and Child, Culion Church |
 Stained glass window, Culion Church of the Immaculate Conception |
 The Church of Culion with Agila hill in the background |
 Culion Church |
 Parola, remains of the 1740 Spanish fort beside the Culion Church |
 Ruins of the Spanish fort at Culion |
 The Spanish built the Parola fort at Culion to defend against Moro raiders from the south |
 In Memory of the Unborn - Culion |
 In Memory of the Unborn - Culion |
 The church of Culion on a small hill above town |
 Agila, the large hill behind the Culion Town |
 A giant Philippine medical emblem on Agila hill above Culion |
 View from the Spanish fort, Culion |
 View from the Spanish fort, Culion |
 We told our boat to wait for a couple of hours while we explored Culion |
 Culion (Palawan) |
 Tin roofs and palm trees, Culion (Palawan) |
 Nipa hut painted blue, Culion |
 Flowers with raindrops, Culion |
 Jesus is Lord over Culion, Palawan |
 North coast of Culion Town |
 What looks like a small hotel between Culion church and the port |
 Municipal Health Office, Culion |
 Legislative Building, Culionn (Palawan) |
 Park in Culion with Pitogo Plants, discovered in Culion in 1936 by an American doctor |
 The Pitogo Plant is believed to have existed since the time of the dinosaurs |
 Plaque with details on the Pitogo Plant (Cycas wadei) |
 M/V Asuncion XI at the Port of Culion |
 Port of Culion and Crown Prince Construction Supply & General Merchandise |
 One of the many piers protruding from Culion Town |
 Many houses in Culion are built over the water on stilts |
 Flowers on a hillside in Culion |
 Unfortunate and very agitated caged monkey |
 More flowers, Culion |
 The stairs leading up to Agila Hill are to the right of this villa |
 Dennis and his favorite color, yellow |
 Dennis' favorite color |
 Ca. 300 steps lead up to the statue of Christ at the Agila viewpoint |
 Pausing for a rest |
 View from Agila Hill, Culion |
 Coron island in the distance to the east of Culion Town |
 Statue of Christ overlooking Culion, Agila Hill |
 View of Culion from Agila Hill |
 Over-water settlement along the north side of Culion |
 Wooden pier leading to a new-looking nipa hut, Culion |
 Statue of Christ over Culion |
 Thankful to have survived the climb on this warm day |
 View of Culion Town from Agila Hill |
 View from Agila Hill |
 Chindonan Island northeast of Culion Town |
 The eagle of the Philippine medical emblem on Agila Hill, Culion |
 The view is well worth the hike |
 Stairs leading back to Culion Town |
 Culion Town waterfront |
 Rooftops, Culion Town |
 Many houses are built on stilts over the water of the sheltered cove on the south side of Culion Town |
 Stilt village on the southern waterfront of Culion Town |
 Thatched nipa hut on stilts, Culion Town |
 I don't think I'd want to go through a typhoon in one of those huts |
 Cat with blue and green eyes, Culion |
 Fishermen's huts with their outrigger banca canoes, Culion |
 I was hoping our boatman would sail around the huts on the south side of Culion... |
 ...but he said the water was too shallow for his boat |
 Fishermen's huts built on stilts over the sheltered waters around Culion Town |
 Stilt village on the Culion waterfront |
 We had a pleasant stay in Culion |
 Resting on the cruise to Kayangan Lake on Coron Island |
 ...not my usual position while traveling... |
 Arriving in the late afternoon back at Sea Dive in Coron Town |
 Dennis and the boat boy from the Culion trip |
 Banca boat captain who took us on a day trip to Culion |