GOLDEN NILE:   Nowadays I don't frequent the clubs on Fields Ave too often.  But, I finally got around to visiting the long awaited Golden Nile on lower Fields Avenue. I have read endless complaints about this club on the local bulletin boards.  I have to disagree with the critics. I found the club to be great.  Absolutely some of the best looking girls I have seen in Angeles.  The staff is easy to connect with when compared to other mega-clubs.  Some also complain about the drink prices which are about $2 for a rum & coke.  Come on guys many of the smaller clubs on Fields are charging $1.75.  Count me in for the extra quarter.  You can be sure the next time I find the energy to stay out and visit the clubs on Fields, the GOLDEN NILE will be on my list.

What can I say about this one? 

"One in every crowd."

Typical Angeles Door

Goes no where....

Says DO NOT ENTER.....

and  PULL to open

Only in the PI.

Is that like a runaway market?

The SKY BAR is a new 24-hour bar located on the roof top of the ABC Hotel. This is a great place to take a date to watch the sunset or to just relax.  They do have a small staff of girls to entertain the customers that come without a date.

Lewis Grand after dark as seen from the Sky Bar

Great view of SM from the Sky Bar

SUNSHINE BAR has opened on Perimeter Road between The Phoenix Hotel and Zapata's Mexican Restaurant.  It was a little too warm the night I visited, but they appear to have plenty of air-conditioning, so it may just take a while to find the right settings.

HAPPY ROCK has reopened under new management.  On the day of the grand opening there were 3-4 Filipino males sitting out front acting like "door boys."  That put me off so I figured I'd wait a day or two until I checked it out.  Still haven't been in because they constantly have Filipino guys sitting outside. Not sure what the interior concept will be, maybe macho dancers???

WILLIE PIGS  has moved from next to Cheers (in the VFW area) down to a space between Zapata's Mexican restaurant and the Phoenix Hotel.  Willie's was a popular diner in it's previous location due to the food being good value for the price.  I believe he will do even better this close to the action.

TEQUILA REEF Is on track to open before the end of February. As with any building construction in the Philippines, there have been several setbacks with the original contractor (now off site) running out of funds because he had emergencies on another project, and a problem with the temporary electric meter being unable to handle welding. Virtually everything required to open has either been contracted or is sitting in storage waiting for installation.  90% of the staff has been hired and is in training in Margarita Station.

CITY STARTING TO ENFORCE SETBACK?  The Anchorage Inn recently removed the front of their building.  Too early to tell if this is part of the city's move to enforce the setback ordinances or if the Anchorage management just wanted to open up their dining area.  In any event, the regular customers (mostly HASHers) never missed a drink.  Many just moved their chairs while the wall was being torn down.  Other businesses have been given notices they must remove frontages that encroach on city property.  This happened a few years ago, but the city backed off when hit with the problems of establishments like Champagne, Typhoon, and many of the businesses on the north side of Fields Ave which would be required to remove 6-12 feet from the front of their businesses (some of which are barely that big).

SEAIR will begin Clark to Bangkok flights in May or June 2009.  They will be flying an Airbus 320 and prices should be comparable with Cebu Pacific.  IMO this will be better for most people since SEAIR has an office on Clark and they do not have the credit card problems most EXPATs and tourists have with Cebu Pacific.

Photo by CRAIG HAMMERSLEY

The 14th International Balloon Festival  will be held on Clark from 12-15 February 2009.  In addition to balloon flights there will be a variety of aviation events from parachuting to remote controlled aircraft air shows.   For more information see http://www.philballoonfest.net/  If you are planning on being in town that weekend I suggest you secure your hotel rooms ASAP.

Photo by CRAIG HAMMERSLEY

WILCON BUILDING SUPPLY has opened next to McDonald's in Dau.  Almost the size of the WILCON in San Fernando, this store has a great selection with prices on many items only a fraction of what ACE Hardware charges. Before you buy any tools, lighting or building supplies you should check out this store.  But, bring a bag lunch with you because check out isn't fast.  Expect 12 to 15 people to handle your receipt in the 15 to 20 minutes after you pay.  Several will be equipped with different rubber stamps and acting very important.  Then, when you think all is done, the guard (in a silly looking paper hat) acts like he is checking your receipt against the stuff  you bought  and then he will frisk all the employees assisting you with taking your purchases to the car.  Security at Fort Knox is not this severe!

SECURING YOUR VALUABLES:  Again in the last month I have received two reports from guys that claimed they lost some money from their hotel security boxes or in-room safes.  One of these was from a hotel where several other people reported similar problems in recent months.  However, almost all the cases involved guys that had consumed so much alcohol they had no real idea of how much they had in their pockets or their safe.  So, no real way to tell if these reports are true, but at least one hotel has reimbursed their guest after he reported it. 

I have ordered some locking bank bags that will be for sale in Margarita Station, but they are not likely to be available before early summer.  I strongly suggest guys coming from the USA pick up one of these bags from an office supply store.  They should eliminate and doubt that someone has been going through your cash or valuables.

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – Twenty-six persons were injured when a Zest Air plane carrying passengers bound for Boracay Island undershot the runway as it was about to land at the Caticlan airport in Malay town, Aklan province Sunday morning.

Except for a passenger who suffered a fractured collarbone, the passengers and a few airport personnel suffered only minor injuries. But the incident forced the closure of the airport for more than five hours.  One passenger, Rowena Versoza, 40, suffered broken bones and a cut to the head. She was taken for treatment at the Aklan Baptist Hospital in Caticlan along with the other injured, said Inspector Lory Tarazona, police chief of Malay town, said in a phone interview. Three of the injured were airport personnel who were hit by debris when the plane crashed against the concrete perimeter fence.

The airport was closed to all incoming and outgoing flights because the plane blocked the 30-meter wide and 950-meter long tarmac. All incoming flights were diverted to the airport at the capital town of Kalibo until the Caticlan airport was re-opened at around 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

Only in the PI:  I was checking on the internet for some information on Hundred Islands and on a tourist website I came across this schedule of events for the area.  Check out the excitement on Feb 8th!

Events & Festivals

In mid-January I was able to break out of Angeles for an over night trip to Subic (Barrio Baretto).  I stayed again in the Wild Orchid.  What a beautiful hotel.  From the spacious lobby to the huge pool, this hotel is hands down the best in the area.  On this trip I had time to enjoy the "Barefoot Bar & BBQ" area located right on the beach.  Somewhere I had picked up the idea that the BBQ was only on the weekend so I didn't give it a try on this trip.  But, looking at the selection, this will lead my list for a dinner on my next trip to the barrio.  For more on this hotel, see http://www.margarita-station.com/hotels/wild-orchid-subic/index.html

They are within a few weeks of having the huge rooms on the 4th and 5th floor finished.  These rooms are huge with nice sized balconies (see photos below).  They were still waiting for some dining table and chairs for the rooms, but they should be available soon.  Not sure where all the people are coming in March, but many of these new rooms are already booked for March.

On my first visit to the Wild Orchid in Subic I thought some of the meals were a bit over priced.  Since then, several of the cheaper eateries have raised their price and the Wild Orchid has lowered theirs.  When the choice comes down the the ambience of the Wild Orchid or one of the run down places on the beach, I'll continue to eat at the Wild orchid.  But, next time I'll go for the private breakfast on the veranda of my beach front room.

After dinner I asked the manager, Bern Smeisser, if he could show me some rooms.  They had a vacant Family room and a Superior room (see photos below).  All the showers have been remodeled in the last 4-6 months, and all the rooms were clean.  I was unable to photograph the standard rooms because they were all full (not a bad sign in the middle of the week), but I was able to peek in one. They standards were a bit small for my taste, but OK if you are on a budget.  The superior compared in price to the tiny beach front room my buddy got at the Blue Rock.

The BLUE ROCK is one of the most popular places on the beach in Barrio Baretto.  A friend of mine on a budget stayed here while I stayed at the Wild Orchid.  The last time I was on the beach I remembered a big difference in the prices of meals at the Blue Rock vs. the Wild Orchid.  This trip one of my friends had the Filipino breakfast with tocino at the Blue Rock and I had the same breakfast at the Wild Orchid.  Both were P230.