Jassan ("hassa-an") is actually a small town, with a proper city square (with touches of Spanish influence evident in the civic architecture) and a market, and I would guess a population of about 2,000 people. Epril's village could almost be defined as a "suburb" of Jassan. Jassan sits on the coast between two rivers, with little fishing villages to the north and south, across the rivers. Epril lives to the south of town. The houses are about 50% cement and 50% wooden/bamboo. Most of the cement houses don't have the finishing touches that their Thai counterparts usually do (a coat of cement and paint on the outside, porches, proper slate roofs, et. cetera), but the wooden houses are much more impressive and overall the village seems better-tended than what you would find in Thailand. Epril lives back from the main highway about half a mile, and the little lane that she lives on is filled with the homes of her relatives.
Our first plan of the day was a trip to the beach. We piled about 12 people into the van (built for 8) and headed further north out of town. (On the way, Epril and older sister Susan pointed out several American-owned, beachfront vacation homes. It seems that expatriates dot the landscape even this far out into the country.)
We got to the beach we wanted to go to, but it really wasn't a beach. Instead, it was a restaurant which had constructed large cement "tide pools" out in the water at the foot of a steep rocky slope. Unfortunately, the waves and tide were such that the ocean was rolling in right over the outer cement jetty, flowing over the tide pool with incredible force, and crashing with a big kaboom against the inner wall where we were standing. Anybody swimming in there would be killed in short order. (I looked down at little 7-year-old Dimple standing next to me, and she had this look on her face like, "Boy, I can't wait to go swimming!")
Anyway, that wasn't going to happen, and we piled back into the van and headed back south down the coast.
One of the "pool resorts" in Epril's
village. This one also has a nice
little hotel on the grounds, where I
stayed on Sunday night.There is a unique entertainment concept in the Philippines, which I'll call a "pool resort." I've only seen 4 examples, and they all were based on the same thing, although I am sure there are other variations: They go out into the jungle and find a nice little valley with a river in it. Over this river, they build a whole series of very attractive pools out of cement and incorporating the native rock into the design as well. The pools are large enough to hold hundreds of people, and have slides and diving boards, steps and fountains. Around the pool, they build restaurants, salas and grass huts and benches and shady places to sit. They play some music, and turn it into a little party area. It is really quite a lovely place to spend a day... especially with a family with lots of kids. Within 3 miles of Epril's village, I saw 4 such places.
Anyway, we left the beach and went to one of these pool resorts, and had a nice afternoon swimming and eating and chatting. I had been teaching Epril little bits of Thai during our time together so far, and little Dimple has been listening in. I taught Epril that you say hello in Thai by saying "sawatdee khap", and later I heard Dimple running around to all her little friends saying "sawa teacup!!!"
In the afternoon, the driver of the van, and Epril's father (who is a friend of the driver) went out and brought a whole roasted pig — which I had reserved the day previous — called "lechon baboy" in Tagalog. It was almost 100 pounds, and cost 3,300 pesos (2,500 baht, $75). Then, we held Epril's going-away party.
At first, it was just family and myself. Epril and I sat in the front room and ate our food, while the rest of the family gathered around the big pig and ate. Then (they must have been lined up for blocks outside), every relative and friend of Epril's came filing in for their share of pork. I didn't think it was possible, but every bit of that pig was eaten.
In addition, I had brought 50 chocolate bars with me from Thailand, and those were given to the kids for desert.
After dinner, all the men gathered outside on the front porch of Epril's house to drink beer, and they invited me to join them. I sat down, and they poured me a glass of beer... but it only was about one-quarter of the way full. So, I obligingly knocked back the little bit that they gave me, and set my glass back down on the table for some more. All the men looked at me like I was crazy. I realized that Filipino men portion out and consume beer the same way that we foreigners portion out and consume whiskey.
There was one young guy named Miguel who apparently was assigned to be the bartender and he wouldn't be drinking. He looked at all the older men for help. (Apparently it is his job to make sure that nobody gets too drunk... and someone like me pounding beer like it was whiskey was confusing.) The other men seemed to make little motions that he shouldn't pour me another beer yet... but 5 minutes later, I was duly handed another one-quarter glass of beer.
I tried to drink it more slowly this time around... but seriously, when you are drinking beer by the shot, slowly is a relative term. In 30 seconds, I set my glass back down on the table.
Anyway, this went on for about 30 minutes or so, with the men becoming more and more concerned that I was going to get rip-roaring drunk on them. Epril finally came out with ice cream for me, at which point the men decided that was a great excuse for me to go back inside and get me away from the beer. That was okay by me since drinking beer "filipino style" was more frustration than it was worth.
At about 10:00 or so, I rode in the van with Epril, Epril's father, Dimple, and baby Doreen about halfway out to the main road where there was yet another pool resort, but this one had some hotel rooms. Epril, Dimple and I went for a late night swim, and then I was left alone so that Epril could have one final night sleeping next to her family before we left the next day.
For me, I stopped by the bar and brought 2 bottles of San Miguel beer and took them back to my room... and I drank them at exactly the right speed.
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