…but better than nothing. Barely.
The plan originally was that Pearl and I would spend most of the day together. Then she got a call that her cousin, who is also employed at her food stand, was injured in a motorcycle accident. The car wash next door was having a big anniversary party and her business was supplying the food for that event. So, she needed to go to work and make sure everything was in order. No problem. I walked her there and she asked me to come back later in the day to join her. I agreed.
After the goodbyes, I walked across town to the only BPI ATM. As I feared, it had no cash left to dispense. So, in the afternoon I took a Jeepney into Subic town. There is an actual BPI branch there with two ATMs. Got my wallet refilled and headed back to Barretto. About 40 minutes round trip. ATM fee is 250 pesos and my transportation was another 30. It looks like regular trips to Subic for cash will be my new normal.
It was about 3:30 when I got back to the food stand. Pearl had gone home for a shower, but I sat outside with a guy I know and we shot the shit. Some blowhard from the UK was flapping his gums and talking some kind of crap about Yanks, but I’ve learned just to ignore assholes like that. Luckily, I could barely hear him. Unluckily, the reason why was that I was seated near a speaker blasting loud music for the party next door. Ah well.
Pearl eventually arrived and joined me on the patio. The guy I’d been chatting with bought me a beer.
Red Horse is a very popular beer with the locals. It comes in a large 500 ML bottle. It also contains 7% alcohol volume. My usual beers are 3% (Zero) or 5% (SML). I was surprised that the taste wasn’t bad at all. My friend suggested that I could get the same bang out of three Red Horse as I do from six of my regular beers. Hence, it would be a more effective way to reduce calories. I’m going to have to do the math on that, but I’m skeptical.
The party continued on and the music got worse. They brought in four very unattractive baklas to perform. Actually, they just sang karaoke style. Loudly and poorly. I hung out with Pearl as long as I could stand it, but I finally had to bail. She needed to stay at work, so I went home alone.
And now it is Hash Monday once again. What a life, eh?
Better that sort of drama than other sorts. I hope the cousin’s okay.
How about the Filipino bar Salomeh ? you tried that
How about the dive shops – any business ?
Kev, I’m with you on that–the less drama the better. Cousin was back last night.
Harry, I’m not a diver so I can’t say definitively how business has been, but without tourists probably not good. I have noticed the dive boats going out at Mango’s and Arizona a couple of times while I was there eating, so they are open.
I’ve been curious about Salomeh but never been inside. Don’t want to go there alone. It’s not in Barretto and the curfew and alcohol restrictions have been much tougher on the Subic side of the river. Don’t know if it survived or not.
With this Omicron who knows when tourists will get back..shame Subic diving was good because it didnt attract the hordes of Chinese like Puerto Galera. Salomeh used to be quite a nice little strip bar, I went once and there was another foreigner there. Used to be a nice family who ran a wood carving business just before Subiza as well. Happy days..
Harry, what has been interesting to me to see is that Subic is becoming a popular beach destination for Filipino family tourists. The hotels and beaches here are packed on weekends. That doesn’t help the bars much and I haven’t noticed many Filipinos in the dive shops.
If and when Salomeh reopens, I’ll try and find the courage to visit. We’ll see. That wood carving place is still there but I haven’t seen it open in months. Everything changes.