Charlie don't surf

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I spent the last few days in the town of Baler. Baler was made "famous" in Apocalypse Now. It was about this beach that Robert Duval decreed that "Charlie don't surf" Though not sure the fame really took off. You have to really want to get to this town. Its an 8 hour bus ride from Manila of which the last 4-5 hours is over a 1 lane dirt/gravel road through the mountains. Most Filipinos don't even know where or what the town is. But its beautiful. Its a small fishing/farming town with the mountains coming almost right up to the beach. Its also very secluded. I think there were only about 5 tourists in the whole place and one guy was there for 4 months studying rats for his PHD.

I went there to learn to surf. And I'll say I made some improvements but I'm not a surfer by any stretch of the imagination.
(Filipinos love to sing and love karaoke. that comes as I sit in the internet cafe and everyone sings... its kind of cool at times, and scary at others)
Anyway by the last day there I was surfing on my own, well going out into the water and getting beat up by waves, and trying to catch them. Its harder than you think.

But the town was alright. We (me and the other surfers, one of whom I met in Banaue) spent our nights sitting around the table with the locals, Baler Boys as they are called, passing the bottle of Ginebra around. That is some vodka/gin alcohol that is cheap but not bad. It was on the last night staring off the sea wall that I wondered. What is it about the ocean and dark empty beaches that makes one think about the world and how small we are in it? I didn't ponder too long, it was my turn at the bottle.

On other interesting thing happened to me in Baler. It also happened to Ben who was the other single guy. Saturday morning about 8AM I'm trying to sleep and there is a knock at the door. I try to ignore it but whoever it is knocks again. This time I get up to be greeted by the town whore. She is saying something about walking on the beach or something. I don't know. I just mumbled, I'm going back to bed and closed the door. Not a pretty site, she made me nervous all weekend.

So now I'm preparing to leave the Philippines for Australia. I'm not really ready to leave the Philippines. Its really nice here, everyone should visit. It reminds me so much of Thailand, its scary. But I guess its time to leave, though I'm sure I'll be back, there is still so much to see and do.

PS ⦥uro;“ they serve beer with ice and red wine chilled in Manila. I guess when room temperature is around 30C (almost 90F) that is acceptable.

PPS -- Manny ⦥uro;œPacman⦥uro; Pacquiao defeated Erik Morales by TKO on Sunday morning. It was a huge national event and Manny is now a national hero.

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Comments

[Monte]

I can't believe you pass on the whore! Nilsson would be very disappointed in you. Sounds like your having a great time. Take care! Mont

[Zach]

you missed some of the best sites!!
when you go to Baler you gotta hit up the Mother falls on the other side of San Luis (the twon before baler). Most the locals know where they are and you can hire a trike there at a relitivly good price. As well as the Bayan tree (its the oldest and biggest in Asia) over in Maria (the next town over). bolth are great places for pictures and just to see.