AP

Courtesy photo

Chicken Adobo is a Philippino dish.

Sources: Time, The World Book Encyclopedia, Local Colors, Cooks.com.

She doesn't love you, no, no, no

On the other hand, Americans who came of age in the 1960s might remember Imelda Marcos best because she nearly destroyed the Beatles. When the Fab Four toured the Philippines in 1966, they skipped a breakfast with the Philippine first lady because of a miscommunication. The Philippine press reported that the Beatles had "snubbed" Marcos, and protests and riots broke out. The band barely made it out of the islands alive.

It's gotta be the shoes

Many Americans who came of age in the 1980s know of at least one famous Filipino -- Imelda Marcos.

When Imelda and her dictator-husband Ferdinand Marcos fled the country in 1986, the couple left so fast that Imelda forgot her shoes -- all 1,060 pairs of them. The discovery of 2,000 shoes in the closets of Malacanang Palace came to symbolize the material excesses favored by the Marcoses while many ordinary Filipinos wallowed in poverty. (According to Time magazine, Imelda Marcos also owned 15 mink coats -- which she needed for those harsh South Pacific winters -- 508 floor-length gowns, 888 handbags and 71 pairs of sunglasses.)

Dangerous geography

The Philippine archipelago lies along the Pacific Ocean's "Ring of Fire," where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common. Active volcanos include Mayon Volcano, Mount Pinatubo and Taal Volcano. The country also lies within the typhoon belt of the western Pacific and about 19 typhoons strike per year.

Some 20 earthquakes are registered daily in the Philippines, though most are too weak to be felt. The last great earthquake was the 1990 Luzon earthquake.

In December 2006, a typhoon and earthquake caused a mudslide in southern Leyte province that killed 1,100 people.

Struggle for independence

The Philippines was ruled by far-flung empires for nearly 400 years. Spanish explorers laid claim to the archipelagoes in 1865. Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States in 1898, following the Spanish-American War.

Just when the Americans were ready to give the Philippines its independence, Japan invaded the islands in 1942 and drove the Americans out. Less than three years later, American forces led by Gen. Douglas MacArthur defeated the Japanese. The Republic of the Philippines was established in 1946.

In 1972, President Ferdinand Marcos declared a state of martial law. He was deposed in 1986.

Today, the Philippine government consists of a president who serves a six-year term, a Senate and a House of Representatives.

The people

The Philippines are home to more than 90 million people. The ancestors of present-day Filipinos migrated from Indonesia and Malaysia. The official languages are Filipino and English. The Filipino language is a version of the ancient Tagalog language that was spoken before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century.

The Republic of the Philippines is an island country in the southwest Pacific Ocean that consists of more than 7,000 islands. And if that weren't impressive enough, the Philippines is also the featured country of the 2008 Local Colors Festival.

Filipino dancing, food and culture will be on display during the 17th annual international festival Saturday at Elmwood Park. More than 70 other countries will participate in the Parade of Nations, which kicks off the daylong event at 11 a.m. (See schedule highlights.)

Filipinos living in Roanoke have been longtime supporters of Local Colors, according to festival organizer Pearl Fu.

"They've been involved since the beginning," Fu said. "They've given their all. They've been enthusiastic. The festival will showcase the Philippine culture and the Spanish influence."

The Philippine presentation will be highlighted by a dance called the Jota Quirino, an energetic dance that developed during Spain's 333-year dominion of the islands. Quirino is the name of a Philippine province on the main island of Luzon. The dance marries Spanish and Filipino cultures, from bamboo castanets to colorful 19th-century costumes.

The food also blends the Spanish and native flavors. Chicken and pork adobo, lumpia shanghai (Philippine spring rolls) and rice will be available at the Philippines booth. For dessert, there's the sweetened rice dish called biko and cassava cake. Wash it all down with mango and melon juices.

Chicken Adobo

1 whole chicken (cut into eighths)

1 whole garlic (chopped)

olive oil or vegetable/corn oil

1 tsp. ground black pepper

4 whole black pepper cloves

3 dried bay leaves

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup vinegar

**7UP/Sprite

**1 whole lemon (cut into 4)

Remember to wash your chicken very well. We recommend using the lemon to scrub all over the chicken parts and rub some salt into it as well.

Heat oil and add all of the garlic, and cook until garlic is lightly browned. Add chicken and saute until the chicken is beginning to tenderize.

Add ground black pepper, whole black pepper cloves, bay leaves, soy sauce and vinegar, and let simmer for 25-35 minutes or until chicken is done.

Make sure to add more vinegar or soy sauce until it suits your taste (should be a bit tangy). When chicken is tender, add some 7UP if you want a sweeter taste, and let simmer for 5 more minutes.

Serve over rice.

-- From cooks.com