Epic Videoke (May 2010)

Among my friends, I’ve always been known as a karaoke aficionado. I take pleasure in singing my heart out in front of all my friends, preferably intoxicated. Power ballads and slow romantic songs are my specialties! For me, the ideal party is supposed to have a higher girl-to-boy ratio, crates of ICE cold beer, good company and, of course, the proverbial karaoke/videoke machine.

During my high school barkada’s yearly sojourn to the beaches of our fine, tropical country, I experienced the best ever videoke to date.

We went to Zambales to enjoy its isolated coves. After an entire day’s worth of island hopping, the gang was dog-tired but ready to partake of the provincial Bacchanalian festivities! By the time we returned to our sub-standard accommodations in Pundaquit, I had already drunk an indeterminate amount of beer. Hence, I was in high spirits.

Read about our trip to Nagsasa Cove

Despite the many drawbacks of our rustic cottages, one particular area stood out – the videoke hut. No Philippine beach trip (except for those high-end resorts)  is complete without a videoke night. After getting around P400 worth of 5-peso coins, I started off the night’s debauchery by singing a new found staple of my videoke repertoire, Lionel Richie’s “Hello” – thanks to the popularity of the infectious musical/comedy/drama known as Glee.

The night started slow, with most of my companions still hiding underneath a thin sheath of shyness.

It was one helluva night! A wide variety of alcholic drinks were available, from tequila shots, the omnipresent San Miguel Beer and the few bottles of Beer-na-Beer I bought just for the occasion.

As the night progressed, the inherent shyness gave way to one’s inner yearning to be a rock star (or a pop star). I had loads of fun since I got to sing almost all of my favorite karaoke tunes. From Jose Mari Chan’s signature tunes like “Beautiful Girl” and “Please Be Careful With My Heart”, to those powerful Side A hits “Set You Free” and “Forevermore” – I sang it all!

When one is drunk, one seems to be able to reach the high notes easier (or at least gets the impression of doing so!). That night, I performed by best ever rendition of Cliff Richard’s “Ocean Deep”!

My apologies to Gaita for being a human towel to my sweaty body. An entire night’s worth of merry-making is indeed tiring, that bucket loads of perspiration becomes inevitable. And of course, on behalf of the D2003 family, I sincerely apologize to the 10 or so guests we deprived of a good night’s sleep.

Nowadays, my benchmark for a great videoke night is that epic seven hours we spent on that (once) quiet cottage in Pundaquit!

Photo credits:

Jeric Angeles

Rafa Moreno

Summer Getaway: Nagsasa Cove (June 2010)

Last summer, the D-boys went to Zambales for a much needed beach getaway. We met up at the McDonald’s in front of Trinoma by around 6am and left thirty minutes later. The three-car convoy traversed the entire length of the North Luzon Expressway, the newly-constructed Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTex) and the Subic-Tipo Expressway – a total of three tollways for a single trip up north!

Our trip hit a minor snag once we got to the Subic Bay Freeport. Since the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is a stickler for traffic rules, minor violations such tailgating while crossing an intersection is penalized. Being drivers of the free-wheeling Manila style, our designated man-on-the-wheel, Jave, was flagged down by a vigilant enforcer.

Well, at least all we needed to do was shell out Php 200. There were no lines or red tape, fortunately.

Approximately 2 hours later, we reached the seaside town of Pundaquit – the gateway to famous Zambales getaways of Capones Island, Anawangin Cove and Nagsasa Cove. As soon as we got settled in our, shall I say, Spartan accommodations, I popped open a few bottles of good ole Beer-na-Beer. The cool pale pilsen was soothing, the alcohol a welcome relief from the hours long trip. After a quick lunch, Jeric, our expedition leader hired a boat to take us to our beach sojourns.

We decided not to go to the nearby Capones Island (since we heard it was rocky) or Anawangin Cove (since it was probably crowded at that time). The gang unanimously opted for the farther Nagsasa Cove.

The boats were actually small fishing vessels. So small, in fact, that the width of the boat is as narrow as two-shoulder lengths of an average sized Filipino male. If you are scared of water, take comfort in the fact that life vests are worn throughout the entire length of the trip.

Since a low-pressure area was looming nearby, the sea was quite choppy. My friends and I were actually excited at the start of the ride – until we realized the sheer distance of our destination. The boat ride took an excruciating 1 hour. Sitting on those hard wooden planks burning under the noonday sun was not my idea of a relaxing weekend trip.Thank heavens the beer cooler was nearby. Drinking in a small fishing boat, with sea water splashing at your face, was a refreshingly innovative way to chug some booze.

Despite the discomfort, the journey was worth it once we gazed at the pristine Nagsasa Cove. The water was a strange bluish-green, almost exuding an emerald glow. The grayish-beige sand had a coarse, powdery feel. The sight of the mountains standing like vigilant sentinels around the cove was a majestic view, if you can ignore the widespread deforestation.

The amenities at the cove are not 5-star, mind you. And yet, the rustic splendor that is Nagsasa adds to its charm. In a sense, Nagsasa’s primeval surroundings enables the weary to tourist to experience nature at its best (and man at his worst. I just can’t help but fume at the bald mountains).

With my arse weary from the hour-long trip, I asked our friendly-neighborhood boatman of an alternate overland route to Nagsasa. In fact, the more adventurous beach-goers follow a series of trails across the mighty Zambales mountain range – a 10-hour trek, from what I’ve heard.

I am not a mountaineer. I prefer a flat synthetic track to mountain trails. Hence, when I gazed at the mountains surrounding the cove, I must admit that I felt intimidated by nature’s immense presence – and realized how isolated we were from civilization itself.

We stayed for around 2-3 hours at the beach. We rented a cottage for a reasonable amount, cooked some hot dogs and drank some more booze. My friend and I trekked up the foot of a surrounding mountain to go see waterfalls. We were disappointed after our 15-minute hike since the “falls” was as quite dry, badly in need of “water.” The group left the cove shortly afterward, before dusk set in.