San Fernando, La Union

San Fernando, La Union:

Our jeepney ride arrives early so we head out to the bus depot to go north. After 2 pit stops and 1 transfer, we are in San Fernando about 6 hours later.  From the bus terminal, it only takes is a 5-8 minute tricycle ride that fits 3 bags and 3 people to get to the resort that Nori and her sisters have been talking about (Sunset Bay Beach Resort).  "http://www.sunsetbayphilippines.com/index.htm"

There was a little mix-up on our arrival date…but as professional as they are, they put us in a super deluxe suite for the night for the same price as our regular room.











The suite was on the second floor overlooking the pool and beach beyond. Great view that is almost as nice as my sister’s place (just teasing).

                                              Sunset from the patio bar and restaurant.

Looking from the beach!






There were a good mixture of Filipinos, Aussies, Germans, Japanese, British and I was the only Yank if you don’t count Nori except Larry and his Filipino wife from Dallas who live close by.  Among the other guest and foreigners that live in the area and just come to eat or have a beer and conversation we have met super people. I have befriended and exchanged e-mail or FB info with several good people for meeting/visits in the future.

The staff is so friendly that you just want to take them home with you (especially the cute ones).








                                                                 My first Red Horse beer and one of the cute ones (Melody)


The restaurant has an international menu to cater to the many different cultures that stay there. The food has officially been approved by my personal chef Nori, so that speaks loudly of the quality, cleanliness, and variety. We shall return! I got that from someone famous but substituted “we for I”.  This is a test!

Almost every evening, Bernd (German that lives close by) and I meet at the bar at 5 PM for a couple of beers and in-depth conversation and we are often joined for conversation with Warren (Aussie manager) and sometimes Brian (Aussie that lives close by as well). At breakfast we usually meet and talk to Sebastian (Romanian/Canadian who lives in Montreal) with his wife Jemma (Filipina) and 2 boys. On the beach we have met up with Barrie (UK) and his Filipina wife Tessie. All of these folks are a fantastic and we enjoyed our time with them tremendously. I even met an ex-German pilot (Wolfgang of course) who did some training in El Paso 18 years ago and before the German Flying Wing came to Holloman AFB just 5 miles from our home. Sebastian told us that the best beach ever is in Cuba but unfortunately it’s not open to Americans fully….maybe in my life time.

Our daily activities vary from day to day but include eating, ocean swimming, pool swimming, drinking, visiting family, window shopping and e-mail / blogging while cooling off.

We visit Nori’s sister Merly almost daily at their home or once at the huge Palengke (3 blocks square).

 All of Merly’s children are grown up and working overseas. Junior who is Merly’s husband and 4 grandchildren live there as well. Junior is retired and they have a family run sari sari store.

A sari-sari store is a convenience store found in the Philippines. The word sari-sari is Tagalog meaning "variety". Such stores form an important economic and social location in a Filipino community. It is present in almost all neighborhoods, sometimes even in every street. Most sari-sari stores are privately owned shops and are operated inside the shopkeeper's house. Commodities are displayed in a large screen-covered or metal barred window in front of the shop. Candies in recycled jars, canned goods and cigarettes are often displayed while cooking oil, salt and sugar are often stored at the back of the shop. A small window is also present where the customer's requested commodity is given. Benches and sometimes tables are also provided in front of the sari-sari store. A shade is placed above it which is also used to cover the large window when the store closes.
The sari-sari store allows members of the community easy access to basic commodities at low costs. In the Philippines, following the concept of tingi or retail, a customer can buy 'units' of the product rather than whole package. For example, one can buy a stick of cigarette for a peso (0.02 US dollars) rather than a whole pack. This is convenient for those who cannot buy the whole package or do not need much of it. The sari-sari store also saves the customer extra transportation costs, especially those in rural areas, since some towns can be very far from the nearest market or grocery. The store also serves as a secondary or even primary source of income for shopkeepers.









Merly and Juniors private pump and well for water.










Local fruit called Remas.



















Local bird for you bird watchers to identify. The first person to correctly let us know it's proper name will be the winner and will receive a prize when we return.








Before we knew it our last day in paradise had arrived and we had to say our farewells to the 3^rd shift staff that we would not see the next day. Barrie offered to take us to the bus station so we did not have to jam in the local tricycle and I accepted. How often has any American been chauffeured by the British….it only comes once and we were so grateful of Barrie to offer his friendship. Acts like this is what makes Sunset Bay Beach Resort and it patrons so special that money can’t buy. Love of mankind! YES…..We highly recommend this resort over any other in the Philippines.

Since we went to the bus terminal, we got great seats up front with a good view. As we headed south to Pasay City (Manila proper) to get a private car to Clair’s house again in Laguna our adventure begins.

The bus system is not like greyhound back in the US. After the bus starts down the road, the conductor comes around and asks where you get off (any place on the way before the final destination) and based on your stopping point, he then issues you a punch ticket with the amount owed. He talks to each passenger and issues the same. He then comes around and collects the fee and makes change. The driver makes small stops picking up new folks along the way before we hit the highway. When we go through small towns, venders with baskets of different foods and drinks get on the bus to sell to passengers. The driver usually gets anything free that he wants for letting the venders on the bus. As we travel, passengers get on and off at their destination on the side of the road. There are busses that have air conditioning and they cost more than those without A/C. On a 6 to 8 hour trip there usually are 2 break stops along the way.


After arriving in Pasay, and on the way back to Clair’s house we made a quick stop a SM to get rotisserie chicken and pork ribs to go for diner. The next day…we are off to the airport to go to an RCI resort north of Laoag (pronounced Lawog)(northern Luzon). We only had time to do laundry and re-pack for our next 2 trips back to back and a quick call to wish my dad a happy 83^rd birthday.