Thurs, August 13th: Subic Bay

Much like Wednesday, Thursday had laid out a considerable amount of traveling in front of me, so this traveler was up and moving at an hour even his mother could be proud of. After saying goodbye to the sweet old hotel owner and promising not to do anything stupid with my money (outside of paying $75 bucks for a 20 minute boat ride on a vessel that could barely be labeled a boat), I was off. I hopped into a motorcycle for the ride back to town, then caught a bus for my return trip to Manila.

Once back in Manila, my tummy a-started a-rumbling, so I set out on a quest for lunch. What haven't I eaten in a while?, I thought. Answer: Korean food. Now, you can all laugh all you want, but I seriously hadn't had good Korean food in months and hadn't had any whatsoever since the school semester and its lunches ended a month earlier. I also hadn't seen loud, obnoxious simpletons making asses of themselves on television (also known as Korean TV) for several weeks, so I was able to feed that hunger as well. Completely full on Korea, I moved onward to Subic Bay.

But first, I had to get out of Manila. To get to the bus station required another cab ride. Too bad I happened to find the most expensive cab in all of Manila. Somehow my 15 minute ride cost more than my earlier 45 minute rides from the airport. That's what I get for choosing the "nice" cab that came with windows and something more recent than a record player for music (I kid, I kid). Seriously, take the crappy looking older cabs. Ohhh, and that 3 hour bus ticket to Cubic Bay? A fuck ton cheaper than the cab ride. Just saying.

Subic Bay was unique. But first I had to wade through the muck that was Olangapo. Olangapo and Cubic Bay were similar to the set up in Moalboal and Panagsama Beach, where you arrive in the dumpy town and then get the hell out as fast as possible. Dank, dirty, with nothing to do. You know how I know? The locals all walk over to Subic to hang out/do stuff. They don't even stick around. Exactly. After passing over "Shit River" (my guidebook said that's what it's affectionately called, though I didn't see any shit in it, just lots of garbage) and through the Gated entrance, I was in Subic Bay Freeport Zone (the official name for the area). What did it look like you say? Ummm, in a word, Oshkosh. Disappointed? I was too. Though I shouldn't have been surprised, given the area was started/built/run/controlled by the US military up until 15 or so years ago. Literally, it was like I had fallen through a hole in the earth and popped up in Oshkosh. Nicely paved wide roads, lots of park/green space, little 1 or 2 mini mall structures, traffic signs, as well as terribly American architecture. In other words, nothing like the areas of the Philippines I had previously seen. It felt exactly like a quiet, peaceful and as a result, terribly boring American small town.

As I arrived in the early evening, I had no chance of seeing any of the forests before dark, so I just wandered around the area looking for a hotel. I laughed when I stumbled upon a Korean Catholic Church as well as a hotel that was self described as "catering to Koreans" with its Korean restaurant and Korean signboards. There really is no escaping Korea, no matter how hard I may try. I should probably just give up trying at this point. You win Korea, you win. I also laughed when a peddler tried to sell me Viagra while I was walking the beach. That would make damn near a baker's dozen worth of times where I was offered Viagra or similar products. I must look really desperate and in need of serious help. Please, please, please, don't answer that. Eventually, I found a hotel that had a children's playground on the premises. Now, I'm not saying it was the sole reason I chose the hotel, but it didn't hurt. Sadly, it was a bit small for me. Once settled in, it was off for dinner, then bed. I clearly classed up the Italian restaurant attached to my hotel upon my entrance. The other patrons? Suits, ties, dress shoes and clean. Me, not as much. Dirty smelly t-shirt with armpit sweat stains and presumably sweat stains on the back from lugging around the backpack all day? Check. Unwashed, sweaty, greasy hair? Check. Cracked, old sandals and funk-emitting monstrous feet? Check and check. God, I love vacation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbuxXEpwF8M

Pics: Album 1, Pictures 185-190