Life in the fast lane…
(Left)My eldest daughter Mabellene, (Middle) My wife Amanada, (Right) My youngest daughter Shieryl, and Myself!
My name is Benito Luczon (preferably Ben), I am one of the 4 children of Rosario Luczon and the late Simplicio Luczon from San Ramon, Magsingal, Ilocos Sur. I graduated from St. William’s Institute in1977. After high school I studied in the University of the East for Business Administration. After two years of being in university, I decided to go abroad on a 4 year contract to Libya with a Danish based company called Dan-Farm. I worked there as a warehouse man and received materials and supplies for the company. After 4 years of living there, I returned home to Magsingal. In 1985 I married my wonderful and beautiful wife, Amanda from San Vincente who is the daughter of Macaria Tolentino and the late Juan Tolentino. A year later, Amanda and I started a family with 2 beautiful daughters Mabellene and Shieryl. In 1994, we immigrated to Canada to start a new life. We’ve been living here for 14 years now with family and friends, and it is wonderful!
(Top left) My niece Zara, (2nd to left) My sister Cora, Me, (2nd to right) My sister Imelda, (Right) Imelda's Husband Ali. (Bottom left) Mabellene's bf Kelly, (2nd to left) My daughter Mabellene, (Middle) My daughter Shieryl, (2nd to right) My wife Amanda, (Right) My nephew Raza.
(Top left) My daughter Mabellene, Me, (Right) My daughter Shieryl. (Bottom left) Mabellene's bf Kelly, (Middle) My wife Amanda, (Right) Shieryl's bf Bart.
Pat & Sarah Oandasan - Las Vegas Vacation - 8/28/2008
Pat & Sarah Oandasan (Las Vegas, August 28, 2008)
This photo was taken when Pat & Sara was vacationing in Las Vegas (Nevada, USA) on August 28, 2008. Pat is the wife of Espie Oandasan (Williamites batch 1976) and Sara is their beautiful daughter. They are currently residing in England. You’ll learn more about their vacation in Las vegas and their place in England when they reply to this posting. (TIP: To leave a reply, click the title) Click here to view their Las Vegas vacation photo gallery. Espie and Pat also attended the Class 1976 reunion in Las Vegas on June 28, 2008. Click here to view the photos taken by Espie & Pat when they attended the reunion.
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Espie & Pat Oandasan (Class 1976 reunion in Las Vegas on 6/28/2008)
Sarah Oandasan & Chato Tongson (Williamites Class 1976)
Chato is currently residing in Las Vegas. We’ll hear from Chato when she replies to this posting. (TIP: To leave a reply, click the title)
Pat Oandasan with the Giners in Las Vegas (The Giners from Left to right: Grace, Jewel, Vicky, and Rangi -- Williamites)
Grace, Jewel, Vicky, and Rangi were all graduates of St. William’s Institute. We’ll hear from them when they reply to this posting. (TIP: To leave a reply, click the title)
Ahwahnee Hotel (Yosemite National Park)
John & Amie Padua, Cecille Rosario (Williamites Class 1977), Mike & Joy Ponce Mondragon
We visited the Ahwahnee Hotel at the Yosemite National Park on September 13, 2008 together with Cecille’s cousins from Quezon City, Mike & Joy Ponce Mondragon. To those of you visiting California, this is a great place to see. The photo above was taken inside the Ahwahnee Hotel store. John & Amie Padua recently moved to Yosemite from Las Vegas. John is the Pastries Chef at the Ahwahnee Hotel while Amie is the hotel manager. John is from Lapog (San Juan), Ilocos Sur and studied at St. William’s Institute for a short time in elementary.
The Ahwahnee Hotel is a destination hotel in Yosemite National Park California on the floor of Yosemite Valley, constructed from stone, concrete, wood and glass, which opened in 1927. It is a premiere example of National Park Service Rustic architecture, and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987. (source: wikipedia)
Click here to view the virtual tour of Ahwahnee Hotel that I built for visuale360.
Glacier Point (Yosemite National Park)
Cecille (Williamtes Class 1977), Mike, Joy
We visited the Glacier Point at the Yosemite National Park on September 13, 2008 together with Cecille’s cousins from Quezon City, Mike & Joy Ponce Mondragon. To those of you visiting California, this is a great place to see.
Glacier Point is a viewpoint above Yosemite Valley, in California, USA. It is located on the south wall of Yosemite Valley at an elevation of 7,214 feet (2,199 m), 3,200 feet (980 m) above Curry Village. The point offers a superb view of Yosemite National Park, including Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, and Clouds Rest. (source: wikipedia)
Click here to view the virtual tour of Glacier Point that I built for visuale360.
Mariposa Grove (Yosemite National Park)
Joy, Cecille (Williamites Class 1977), Mike
We visited the Mariposa Grove at the Yosemite National Park on September 13, 2008 together with Cecille’s cousins from Quezon City, Mike & Joy Ponce Mondragon. To those of you visiting California, this is a great place to see.
Mariposa Grove is a sequoia grove located near Wawona, California in the southernmost part of Yosemite National Park, at 37°31′N, 119°36′W. It is the largest grove of Giant Sequoias in the park, with several hundred mature examples of the tree. Two of its trees are among the Twenty Five largest Giant Sequoias in the world.
The Mariposa Grove was first visited by non-natives in 1857 when Galen Clark and Milton Mann found it. They named the grove after Mariposa County, California, where the grove resides.
The Giant Sequoia named Grizzly Giant is, at between probably 1900-2400 years old, the oldest tree in the grove. In 1932 it was claimed to be the fifth largest (by volume) tree in the world, but other trees were subsequently found to be larger; it currently has a volume of 34,010 cubic feet (963 m3), only the 25th largest. It is 210 feet (64 m) tall, and has a heavily buttressed base with a basal circumference of 28 m (92 ft) or a diameter of 30 feet (9.1 m); above the buttresses at 2.4 m above ground, the circumference is only 23 m. Grizzly Giant’s first branch from its base is itself 2 m (6 ft) in diameter. (source: wikipedia)
Click here to view the virtual tour of Mariposa Grove that I built for visuale360.
Mission Santa Clara de Asis (Santa Clara, California)
Mission Santa Clara de Asis (source: Live Search Maps)
Mission Santa Clara de Asís was founded on January 12, 1777 and named for Clare of Assisi, the founder of the order of the Poor Clares. Although ruined and rebuilt six times, the settlement was never abandoned. (source:wikipedia)
Click here to view the virtual tour of Mission Santa Clara de Asis that I built for visuale360. We were here with Cecille’s cousins, Mike & Joy Ponce Mondragon, on September 10, 2008. The church is located inside the Santa Clara University campus. If you like historical places, I recommend visiting the California Missions.
Carmel Mission, Carmel-by-the-sea, California
Cecille (Williamites batch 1977), Eva(Williamites batch 1976), Tante
Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, also known as the Carmel Mission, is a historic Roman Catholic mission church in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It was the headquarters of the padre presidente, Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuen. It was destroyed in the mid 1800’s, only to be restored beginning in 1884. It remains a parish church today. Carmel Mission is located at 3080 Rio Rd, Carmel By the Sea, CA 93923. For more information, visit the website of Carmel Mission Basilica.
Click here to view the virtual tour of Carmel Mission that was built by visuale360. We were here with Steve & Eva Pascua Tadique on July 7, 2008. (click here to view the photo gallery)
Inn at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach, California
Tante, Cecille (Williamites Class 1977), Eva (Williamites Class 1976), Steve
Tucked between Del Monte Forest and the Pacific shore among groves of tall Monterey pines, The Inn at Spanish Bay offers a luxurious enclave of 269 guest rooms and suites for golf enthusiasts and relaxation seekers alike.
The Inn at Spanish Bay is located at 2700 17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach, CA 93953.
Click here to view the virtual tour outside the Inn at Spanish Bay that I built for visuale360. We were here with Steve & Eva Pascua Tadique on July 7, 2008 (click here to view the photo gallery).
Class 76 Reunion Attendees (Las Vegas, June 28, 2008)
The Williamites Class 1976 had their reunion in Las Vegas on June 27-29, 2008. Rangi Giner, who currently resides in Las Vegas, hosted this event. Here are the attendees from left to right: Catherine Friala, Rangi Giner, Catherine Tolentino, Eva Pascua Tadique, Conrad Utanes (front), Tante Rosario (back), Tina Sumabat, Joel Reyes, Jose Luczon, Espie Oandasan, Paul Tacderas. (Chato Tongson also attended but not in the picture). Click here to view the photo gallery.
Class 1976 Reunion in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA (6/28/2008) -- Left to right: Catherine Friala, Rangi Giner, Catherine Tolentino, Eva Pascua Tadique, Conrad Utanes (kneeling), Tante Rosario (back), Tina Sumabat, Joel Reyes, Jose Luczon, Espie Oandasan, Paul Tacderas
Luxor Hotel, Las Vegas (Virtual Tour)
The Luxor is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The Luxor is among the most recognizable hotels on the strip because of its striking design. The tip of the pyramid contains a fixed-position spot light that points directly upwards — it is the brightest beam in the world. The light is generated using 39 Xenon lamps of 7 kilowatts each. The total light output is rated at 41.5 gigacandela or 30.2 billion lumens.
Click here to view the virtual tour of the Luxor Hotel that was built by visuale360.com. The Williamites Class 1976 Reunion attendees were here on June 28, 2008.
Andretti Winery, Napa, California
May & Ferdie Ponce, Tante
We visited the Andretti Winery on June 14, 2008 together with Cecille’s cousins, Ferdie & May Ponce from Butuan City in Agusan Del Norte, Philippines. Ferdie & May were here to attend the Diabetics conventions of May’s medical specialization.
The finest things in life are often hidden away and that’s the case with the award-winning Andretti Winery.
Nestled alongside a quiet country lane in the heart of the legendary Napa Valley, Andretti Winery exudes Old World Charm as it whisks wine lovers back in time to a slower pace of life. Modeled after a rambling Italian village, the winery conjures up the boyhood home of its namesake, Mario Andretti, the finest race car driver of all time. Andretti Winery is located at 4162 Big Ranch Road, Napa, CA 94558. For more information, visit their website.
Click here to view the immersive virtual tour of Andretti Winery area that I built for visuale360.
Mission Santa Ines Virtual Tour
Mission Santa Ines (photo source: Live Search Maps)
Old Mission Santa Ines is the 19th of the 21 California Missions established by Franciscan priests from 1769 to 1823. The Mission was founded on September 17, 1804 by Father Estevan Tapis, and was named in honor of Saint Agnes, an early Christian martyr of the fourth century. The Old Mission Santa Ines is located at 1760 Mission Drive, Solvang, California 93464. For more information, please visit the website of Old Mission Santa Ines.
Click here to view the virtual tour of Old Mission Santa Ines that was built by visuale360.com.