The Wednesday Walkers made the journey out to San Narciso, and we shared a beach adventure. Swan and I enjoyed breakfast together on the Mope Resort beachside pavilion as we awaited the group’s arrival. Oh, and reader Scott reminded me that Mope = My Outta Pocket Expenses. The Aussie sponsor has a nice sense of humor!
Our breakfast perchThe Mope menu. We shared the pancakes with eggs and toast.The Mope pool that neither of us usedSwan never misses an opportunity to dispense some sweetness to the kiddies.The Wednesday Walkers have arrivedHeading out on the beach roadNone of us know what might lay ahead.Here’s a cute little place we passed. The stools ought to be facing the other way, though, so you can enjoy the beach view.Off the pavement and onto the sandIt’s been a while since we’ve done a group hike on the beachIt was nice, but a little on the warm sideTen Toes On The Nose. Back when I was a beach bum in California, we called it “Hang Ten”Looks like the dogs are keeping a watch on their master.Walking in the sand makes each step a tad more difficult, kinda like one step feels like two.And the beach wasn’t always flat, causing some sideways slippage in places.Islands in the streamLooking for an escape routeHow do we get there from here?Michael says follow me! It got deeper a couple of steps further in.Swan is short, and she doesn’t swim. I held her hand as we crossed. What came up to my waist was almost to her neck. We made it, though.Gary, also a non-swimmer, wasn’t so fortunate. He slipped and fell into the current. Michael grabbed his arm before he was washed away.So we found ourselves at this abandoned beach resortScott took a rest on the porchThings didn’t work out for Shyrel when she tried sitting on this bench.The caretaker (the guy with no shirt) wasn’t too friendly towards us trespassers. He told us the gate to the road was closed. I gave him a bag of cookies for his trouble, and magically the gate was opened.On the road againOut in the countrysideAnd then we hit the river. I’d been seeing ships like that one coming and going throughout the visit.We couldn’t tell what the ship was doing there. Discharging loads of water over the side, but why? The riverside roadThe highway crossingA wet valleyWe went this way because it “felt” like the right directionBath time and sweets dispensation
So, one of the locals told us to turn right. We did, and reached the end of the road. A local there said there was no way through. Scott, Swan, and I retreated back the way we came. The rest of the group continued marching forward.
The path I took wound up on the highway. I was surprised to see we had reached San Felipe.Walking the highway back to San NarcisoAnd then this trike pulled up and offered us a ride. We didn’t say no.The plan had been to meet up at Joe’s Dawgs. We arrived just a few minutes earlier than the other contingent of Wednesday Walkers.The orange line is the route the others took. It did involve a shallow river crossing, but they had no problems otherwise. Scott and I conceded we should have gone with them.Two of those weird ships passing in the sea.
After lunch, I walked back to Mope with Swan and Michael. Michael retrieved his car and left to pick up the group at Joe’s. My driver was waiting when we arrived. I checked out of my room, and we headed for home.
We stopped at the Subic marketplace and picked up this week’s supply of candy
When we arrived home, the power outage was still ongoing, but it was restored a few minutes before the scheduled six p.m. end. I decided the rooftop was The Rite Spot for me to spend my Wednesday evening.
The view when I arrived at The Rite SpotAnd after the sun departedSpaghetti with meat sauce is a Rite Spot specialty.Swan’s family from Subic joined us for dinner
And so ended another day in the life.
Here’s how I emptied my wallet:
Driver: 2000 pesos
Charity: 2300 pesos (candy)
Tips: 400 pesos
Breakfast: 500 pesos
Alcohol: 600 pesos
Lunch: 400 pesos
Trike: 150 pesos
Total for October 16: 6350
I mentioned the other day that you don’t see down-and-out expats on the streets of Barretto. Sadly, that’s not true everywhere. One of the Facebook groups I follow posted this photo today:
I wish him well, but he doesn’t look long for this world. I’m sure what led him here is a sad story indeed.
Living with less is a common thing for many Filipinos. In today’s YouTube video, The Filipina Pea visits a provincial family to show us their way of life. I see many similar residences in my backcountry walks, so I found hearing and seeing the way things are quite fascinating.
Today’s funny stuff:
It stinks when things are ass-backwardsI prefer the low roadNo shit, Sherlock
I reckon I ought to see what’s been going on in Barretto since I’ve not visited for two whole nights now. Someone has to keep the bars in business, right?
6 thoughts on “Beachy keeno”
The Mope menu looks good!
Swan doesn’t swim, so what was she doing in that swimming pool the other day? I thought she was swimming. I guess I misread.
She’s also a “strangers with candy” kind of person, I see.
It was nice, but a little on the warm side
Pretty much every non-rainy day in the PI.
I’ll never understand how non-swimmers come to live on islands and peninsulas… and never learn to swim. A bit like living in a non-English-speaking country and never learning the local language. Bad investment.
I can understand you and Swan being unable to swim, John. I’m totally non-functional when drinking. I have enough energy and coordination to head to the liquor store and back, and maybe make some food, and that’s about the limit of stuff I can accomplish for the day.
The ex was one of those energized people. Alcohol was like fucking crack or meth for her. I’d be flagging and want to lie down for a pass out, she’d suddenly want to do all the housework, all at once. Unlike us crippled boozehounds I can see her willingly diving into that pool and splashing around just to complain later about how the water wasn’t too her liking, the tiles were slimy, she tasted “Mex-urine” in the water etc.
Kev, that pool wasn’t deep enough to be over her head. She’s not afraid of the water and likes to float and flop around. But yeah, I don’t know why she didn’t take the next step and learn how to swim. I guess it is just a case of bakit pa mag abala. As you know, I grew up in an English-speaking country and never learned the language.
Hello again, Thompson. For the record, I CAN swim, it’s Swan who doesn’t have that skill set. But yeah, why go for a swim and let the beer get hot, right? Mex-urine doesn’t sound tasty, that’s for sure. Still, it is always fun to throw a Snickers bar in the pool and watch the reactions.
“The Edge… There is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over.” – Hunter S. Thompson
Ah, yes: the Carl Spackler “Caddyshack” incident.
Ha! I was trying to remember the name of that movie. Thanks!
The Mope menu looks good!
Swan doesn’t swim, so what was she doing in that swimming pool the other day? I thought she was swimming. I guess I misread.
She’s also a “strangers with candy” kind of person, I see.
It was nice, but a little on the warm side
Pretty much every non-rainy day in the PI.
I’ll never understand how non-swimmers come to live on islands and peninsulas… and never learn to swim. A bit like living in a non-English-speaking country and never learning the local language. Bad investment.
I can understand you and Swan being unable to swim, John. I’m totally non-functional when drinking. I have enough energy and coordination to head to the liquor store and back, and maybe make some food, and that’s about the limit of stuff I can accomplish for the day.
The ex was one of those energized people. Alcohol was like fucking crack or meth for her. I’d be flagging and want to lie down for a pass out, she’d suddenly want to do all the housework, all at once. Unlike us crippled boozehounds I can see her willingly diving into that pool and splashing around just to complain later about how the water wasn’t too her liking, the tiles were slimy, she tasted “Mex-urine” in the water etc.
Kev, that pool wasn’t deep enough to be over her head. She’s not afraid of the water and likes to float and flop around. But yeah, I don’t know why she didn’t take the next step and learn how to swim. I guess it is just a case of bakit pa mag abala. As you know, I grew up in an English-speaking country and never learned the language.
Hello again, Thompson. For the record, I CAN swim, it’s Swan who doesn’t have that skill set. But yeah, why go for a swim and let the beer get hot, right? Mex-urine doesn’t sound tasty, that’s for sure. Still, it is always fun to throw a Snickers bar in the pool and watch the reactions.
“The Edge… There is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over.” – Hunter S. Thompson
Ah, yes: the Carl Spackler “Caddyshack” incident.
Ha! I was trying to remember the name of that movie. Thanks!