Welcome to the Mancuso Family Website!
News!
Oman...The Best Kept Secret in the Arabian Peninsula
Wadi Heaven...
I think I wanna go to Kathmandu... ..
That's what I really reallywanna do.... Well until I got there anyway.
Yemen...yeah Yemen
Its said that Yemen hasn't changed since Noah's son settled there... Its also said its the most heavily armed populace in the world... I'll say its one cool pace to kick around, the first night in town the King's General invited me to his son's wedding!
Kazakhstan and Kyrgystan Rescued!!!
Thanks to my buddy and superbly decent fellow Jose, my original pics of Central Asia are back. Jose brought them all the way back from outside Almaty and dropped them with another friend in Manila... The guy is none other than my personal saviour.
Knee Deep in Sakau
Nothing like a weekend in the cloud forest, kayaking through the Nan Madol ruins and searching for the ultimate Sakau experience...
The United Arab Emirates break
There a few better places in the world to kill a couple days between flights than this place... It is a true melting pot of respectful people, cool architecture and a user friendly city. No wonder so many people are talking about working there...
TIA (This is Africa)
A short time in Southern Africa is all I needed to appreciate how much there is to see below the Equator there. This trip has inspired a total reorganization of the summer plan to include East Africa ...after all Kilimanjaro couldn't have waited much longer...
The Carolina Reunion
After a wearying three months around the world, I was able to visit My Father, Mother and Sister's family in the most relaxing way. No better finale to any trip!
The Silk Road to Edge of the World
Another beautiful summer across the world... It was about rolling with true adventurers who know what real traveling is... About going behind tabloid news and living with true arabian hospitality. And embracing the rich heritage, culture and sophistication of Western Civilization.
And doing nothing for a whole summer... Wooo hooh. :)
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Central Asia |
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Middle East |
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Western Europe |
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Sorry for the lack of usual pics, lost most of them but hope to recover the Central Asia ones soon...
India (Rajastan, Delhi and Agra)
The land of the Maharaja's... Home to the most beautiful building in the world: The Taj Mahal, and an otherworldly camel trip along the Pakistan border with the Bedouin of the Thar desert. Life is good. Awww yeah...
Macau and Hong Kong
A few days of colonial architecture and retail therapy are good enough to induce travelling relaxation vibes... Not the real thing, but a guilty pleasure... :)
The Java Revelation
10 days in Java, Central Indonesia was like an oasis in the desert. The whole Hindu thing is fascinating, and the mainstream Muslim thing is easy enough to respect. Buddha thought so...
Germany Redeemed
The summer capped off with a second crack at Germany. Even though I was working, this time was far more impressive. Wiesbaden is a beautiful city... OK, it didn't hurt that the annual wine festival was that week... :)
South America Reloaded
It was a summer of quan. Having been fascinated by Peru and Bolivia three years ago, I set out to capture the magic. Like last time however, the magic captured me. The Galapagos Islands, Easter Island, Aconcagua, Iguazu Falls, and Rio were the main goals, while I rested in Ecuador, Chile, Uruguay, and Paraguay. There is an undeniable magnetism in these places, and it is hard to leave the same person.
The 2006 Mancuso Family Reunion
Mancuso's came in from all around the world last June to bond. Mancuso's like myself were treated to meeting relatives I had never met. Some had been born in the 15 years since my last reunion and some had just joined the family. The West coast Mancuso's stole the show... There were so many of them and many we hadn't met before, like my Chamorro cousin..! All in all we managed to cruise around Vegas without scaring too many people (a room full of italians in Vegas can cause some people Godfather flashbacks). The next one will be taken taken on by the cousins in Hazelton in 2008, where it all began.
Roots
With our upcoming family reunion fresh on our minds, My brother Dave and I went to Ellis Island to live a bit of our family's history. Its was really cool seeing what our grandparents saw when they set foot in America in search of the American dream. My brother is the greatest guy alive...
The Meeting of Minds and Brothers...
In the middle of my round the world trip, my buddy George and I set out to connect in Philly where he is working on his Doctorate at UPenn. We had only seen each other once since High School but the minute we met up it was like no time had passed at all, the true test of a lifelong best friend. The day the four brothers spent was priceless ...a moment in time you own.
Around the World in 80 Days
Around the world 1 1/2 times in 93 days, to be exact... It all started on Everest last summer when I got the Seven Summit Fever. Though I was forced to postpone Kili and Aconcagua (coming soon) the trail led from Borneo to the Arctic, Russia, the Baltics, Eastern Europe, Central America, the Caribbean, and back through the Pacific. Over 93 Days, 50 borders,and 27 countries later I set my backpack down...For now...:-)
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Mexico, Central America & Caribbean
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Eastern Europe, Scandinavia and Russia |
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The Second Mancuso Reunion in DC
The Golden Land : Myanmar (Burma)
After a rainy week staring into Myanmar from the Chinese border last summer, I decided to make it a dedicated Christmas trip. Wow, what a wonderful holiday it was. Christmas mixed with the Paya Pwe festival of Payatho...pure magic.
Japan Revisited
After working in Japan all these years I finally decided in November to get some better photos and try out Nikko and Ueno. While visiting the imperial palace I got to see the Emperor and his wife, pretty rare I understand ...cool...Japan just oozes refinement and depth...
Down Under 2004: Australia
My buddy Mitch and I went to Cairns Australia in October to dive the Great Barrier Reef and explore the outback. I gained a lot of respect for the land down under and the hospitality of the people, who I put at the top of the list for "White World".
2004 Mancuso Family Reunion
The official 2004 Mancuso Family reunion was held in DC this year. To quote cousin Dominic: "its pretty scary walking into a room of people who all look like you!".
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Joe Climbs Everest... backpacks Tibet, China and Southeast Asia |
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click above for pics and travelogue..! |
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Wave Zone in Boracay!
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Javid promotes Wave Zone Skim boards in Boracay... Guam wasn't enough! |
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Barry Mann gets Married |
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Way to go Dude! |
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Agnes and Todd Move to LA
The Atlanta Reunion
Lisa and Joe go to Palm Beach & NASA
Joe & Dave go to Ohio and State College
Family Reunions, three of them
The Mancuso's got together three times in the past year. We needed it after the passing of our beloved Uncle Albert. First at the formal reunion in Florida, again over the summer during my visit, and again at Caroline and Sean's wedding.
Mom and Joey go to Europe
Check out our pics under travels...
Mancuso Grandparents Ellis Island Records Located!
Dad found 'em...
Hamilton's First Birthday!
Here's the little dude with Daddy Pitlik. Now there is foreshadowing of an illustrious little league career.
Two Joe Mancuso's on Guam
My father flew all the way from Florida last summer to see Guam.
We spent a week hiking, fishing and eating lots of local foods, but most of all got to spend time together where I call home. Dad liked Guam, and saw it as a quiet and relaxing place. We got out to Talofofo Caves, Spanish Steps, Mt. Santa Rosa, Tumon Beach, Two Lovers Point, and did the Island loop. It was a genuine reunion - Mancuso style.
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Cetti Bay Overlook
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Fishing at Cocos Lagoon with Todd and I. |
The Princeton University Fellowship
(Bottom left): During my fellowship at Princeton University last summer, I had the honor of learning from Dr. Eric Wieschaus, the 1995 Nobel prize winner in Medicine and Physiology. He took the time out to explain his ground breaking work in genetic regulation. I also spent time researching and finding everything I could about Albert Einstein's life in Princeton...from his lecture seat #13 in Palmer hall to his home on 112 W. Mercer Street (Bottom right). I also had the opportunity to meet and work with 50 different professionals from all over the world and cannot express how enriching the whole experience was. Well, I guess I could....it was life changing.
"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and does not marvel is as good as dead and his eyes are dimmed" A.E.Einstein
Sammy: Live...Without a Net!
Sammy Hagar came to Guam last spring to open up the Hard Rock Cafe Guam. The show was a free-for-all (literally), and My buddy Eric came all the way out from Saipan to partake of the excellence. We got there in the early afternoon and camped out. It was my second time to see him and certainly the best. Yeah, Eddie and the boys are good, but who needs them anyway? And how about the weak Sammy double they have now...yeah right...
The Supertyphoon Paka Crisis - Guam (world record winds @ 236 mph)
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Tight Parking |
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Satellite Image of Paka. |
Supertyphoon Paka thrashed Guam for 12 hours on December 15, 1997 with winds of 236 mph, supposedly the fastest wind speed recorded on land. The storms eye made a slow and direct pass over Northern Guam, destroying nearly everything not made of triple rebar reinforced concrete buried five feet or deeper.
It is no wonder why Guamanians are so religious.
The KAL Disaster
A Korean Airlines 747 crashed into the jungle of Sigua Falls on the Southwestern face of Mount Alutom in August 1997. It was a horror for our small island. Once again the spirit of the local people was called on to provide comfort and hospitality to those who suffered the such great losses.
Old News (1968)
Joey Mancuso was hit by a car but is still smiling...30 years later. In fact it has happened several times since and so the scoreboard below will keep track:
Joey -- 3 | Cars -- 0
Sgt Yokoi figures out the war is over
May he rest in peace
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