escape from Frank

 

         We're among the luckiest people from Manila last weekend.  While typhoon Frank was raging all over Metro Manila and other southern provinces (Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao), we were basking in the sun in Bauang, La Union.  Bauang is known as the beach capital of the north.

 

         One of the venues we considered for our office's teambuilding activities is Cebu.  We ruled it out when we learned that we couldn't bring along our families or companions.  It is customary to bring family on our teambuilding exercises.  It would have been catastrophic if we went there. 

 

         Our group stayed in a private vacation house called The White House.  It stands next to the currently non-operational (abandoned) Cresta Ola Resort.  To get to The White House, look for Paringao National High School from the national highway and then turn left.

 

         Bauang is quite limited though it's a first-class municipality.  I didn't see any commercial bank when we went to market early on Saturday.  If one is looking for a fastfood restaurant, go to San Fernando, La Union. 

 

         The city of San Fernando is less than ten minutes away from The White House.  We also had to go to San Fernando that Saturday afternoon to buy additional food and supplies.  There were more choices there than in Bauang.  And of course, the banks were all there.  I cannot understand why there are two branches of Landbank (that I saw) in San Fernando and none in Bauang.

 

         The sun was shining brightly when we left Bauang at past seven last Sunday.  A cow in front of Cresta Ola blocked our van.  One of my officemates said that it wasn't a good sign. 

 

         We were already in Pangasinan when we learned from a contact in Manila North Tollways Corporation that Manila and Clark, our next destinations, were being hit by the typhoon. 

 

         It wasn't until we were in Tarlac that we met strong winds and rain.  We stopped by Tiang Tita in Bamban, Tarlac to take an early lunch and seek shelter from the rain.  I don't know if I am just picky but I didn't particularly like the place.  Anyway, we left the place at noon and we were in Clark by 12:20pm.  By this time, it had almost stopped raining.  It rained harder when we were touring the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport.  We thought that we would be stranded there.  But it was perhaps the safest place for us that time.  By 2:30pm, we were already shopping at Parksons Duty Free Shop.  Thankfully, one could only use cash this day to pay.  Otherwise, I might have overspent with a credit card because there were so many cheap items that I wanted to buy.

 

         There was no traffic from Clark and we reached home by 5:30pm.

 

 

         sayong

         06-25-08  5:40pm