Pondering about Life: My Birthday Staycation in Pampanga!

One of the mid-depth pools at Rhosean's Garden Resort, Pampanga.

You just can't miss it!

Located beside more popular and modern resorts like Villa Alfredo's and Villa Antonina's in the resort village of Barangay Baliti, Rhosean's Garden Resort is the rustic and forgotten place that used to enjoy all the attention from vacationers until it got tired from all the competition and stopped developing. With its nine pools and extensive accommodations for groups of all sizes and budgets, it's safe to say that it was the resort to beat back in its heyday and the model for its more famous neighboring resorts.

Price list and check-in/-out times.

At 2:00 in the afternoon, we checked into a villa named "Christian" (which gave me a slight thrill since it's my best friend's name), which was good for 10 people (and we were only six people). The price originally ran for Php3,200.00 a night, but the resort had a rainy day promo so it could be booked for Php2,800.00. My mom, a sly fox, haggled down the price to Php2,500.00 just for the heck of it-- and was mildly surprised when the manager assented. What a sweet deal!

(Note: The price for the accommodation does not include the "entrance fee" for swimming.)

Our villa, Christian.

The things I loved above the villa: it was absolutely spacious and the two units of window-type AC did a good job in cooling the place. The refrigerator was in peak working condition. With our room came an outdoor patio overseeing the kiddie pool, and a huge space under the trees where you can put a grill and start a barbecue.

However, there were also a lot to be disappointed about the villa. It was totally unmaintained. The small bathroom was obviously not used for a long period of time that when my brother let the water run on the shower area, little roaches scampered all over in panic. The toilet's flush was so poor that it didn't do its job at all. One of the wall-mounted lamps had its cover undone so its wires were exposed. Guess we got what we paid for. *shrug*

Due to the nature of our check-in time (2:00 PM), we weren't able to do any swimming. By mid-afternoon, we've all gone to my uncle's wake to pay our respects. My Uncle Tony was someone I remembered to be gentle and smiling. We didn't see each other often, since we lived about 200 kilometers apart, but when I was younger he and his wife (my Aunt Lita) used to come to Pangasinan every summer and bring along their four sons to come and play. As time passed and we all got a little busier, the visits got more seldom. From how my cousins and aunt describe him, he was a cool husband and a strict dad, and I know he will be sorely missed.

RIP Uncle Tony. (Some parts blurred for privacy.)

After the wake, we all got extremely hungry. The Kapampangans are known to be really good cooks and the province is known for being big on food, so being a foodie myself I was excited to sample some of the local cuisine. And what better way to do so than by eating in one of San Fernando's most famous buffet restaurants!

BALE CAPAMPANGAN

Bale Capampangan.

With its reasonable pricing and rather pretty exterior, Bale Capampangan is one of the go-to's of Kapampangans in need of something heavy and fulfilling, like a buffet. 

This wooden walkway leads to the restaurant. If you look down into the small pond below, you'll see plenty of koi. 

A small selection of cakes and pastries ala carte.

Delicatessen and gift shop.

Upon entry into the restaurant, we were greeted by the selection of various Kapampangan food they had on display on top of huge clay jars and fashioned driftwood, some of which I haven't had the opportunity to try before. It was a delight to look at! I really thought that the way they presented their food was very catchy and unique!

After settling down into a (rather low) table in a (rather darkly-lit) corner, we treated ourselves to a massive taste-testing. My sister really loved the sisig na puso ng saging. My mom sang praises for the buro, steamed Filipino vegetables, and pata. The dishes that I thought were noteworthy were: buro, lengua, chicken barbecue, bistig damulag, and roast pork.

I wasn't able to hide my disappointment, though, when I was not able to find my favorite comfort food among the selection. "Excuse me, kuya," I said as I stopped a passing waiter. "I can't seem to find the pork sisig anywhere." I thought I detected a hint of pity in his eyes as he looked back at my rather tearful ones, unsure of how to break the news to me that it was unavailable that night. WHAT? But that's one of this province's specialties-- how could they not serve that?

I shuffled back to our table as I carried with me three things: (1) my plate full of yummy goodies (though none of which is sisig), (2) my desperate craving for sisig, and (3) my unreasonable childish disappointment for not having any sisig. I happened to pass by a lonely booth manned by kuya who was busy chopping lechon kawali. As I'm also a huge fan of lechon kawali, I piled some onto my plate and topped the chops off with sarsa. Still thinking of sisig, I absentmindedly bit on one crunchy piece of the lechon when I was-- figuratively-- knocked off my seat.

It was, without a doubt, the absolute BEST lechon kawali I have ever had in my entire life!

Upon closer inspection, I saw that its meat was lean and the fat layer was very thin, almost absent. It tasted as if it was seasoned with a lot more than just salt and pepper. Compared to the other dishes in the buffet which were borderline salty, the lechon tasted just right. And the skin was ever so crispy! The dish was so excellent in my palate that all cravings for sisig were gone in less than a minute! On my trips back to the buffet spread, I found my plate always with more lechon than any of the other viands. I loved this Kapampangan version of it!

*clears throat* We all loved the lechon kawali, so it was a good thing we brought scores of carvedilol with us. As for the tanggal umay, Bale Capampangan also has a fruits table and dessert table where you can build your own halo-halo or saba con hielo.

Keep 'em coming, kuya!

I loved this so much!

Looking around the interior of the restaurant, I realized that it was designed to look like a big hut. They also have high ceilings, a flowing water wall on one corner, murals, and a grand piano with a pianist.

Over-all, I thought we had a pleasant dining experience and would love to come back should they decide not to withhold the pork sisig from craving customers (Just kidding!). Water refilling time was okay, too. Customer service was okay, I guess. The lechon kawali made up for any misgivings, anyway.

Bale Capampangan's rates and operating hours. Image from their Facebook page.

~*0*~

The morning after, September 6th, was the day that the Lord has made. My mom woke up a little earlier than all of us because she will be attending my uncle's interment, wished me a happy birthday, and left strict instructions not to burn the barbecue. By 8:00 AM, I managed to light the grill and let the steaks cook while my sister, brother and cousin took the little princess with them for a morning swim, mindful that the pools were not heated and probably could give them all pneumonia. Looking at the pools and facilities, I could say that they were not well-maintained and in dire need of extensive upgrades-- but boy, were they still beautiful.

Drat, I charred the liempo a little bit.

Outside our villa, early in the morning.

POOLS

Rhosean's Garden Resort has nine pools, as previously mentioned. The closest pool to our accommodation was the kiddie "umbrella" pool. They also have a deep "dolphin" pool and another kiddie "Nemo" pool, a kiddie pool with a rather weird-looking dinosaur guard, an Olympic-sized indoor pool, two mid-depth pools (one of which has Rhosean's signature double slide), a wade pool and a jacuzzi. The only thing missing was a wave pool-- but who needs it when you have the whole resort all to yourself?

POOL #1: The kiddie "umbrella" pool meters across from our villa.

POOLS #2-3: The jacuzzi and shallow pool.

POOL #4: The deep pool with the double slide-- guarded by some reptilian friends.

The water turned green because of the treatment they dumped on it, according to a custodian. It made some other guest's skin itch.

*rawr*

Pathway to the double slide pool.

There's a (well-kept) mini-playground and a (unkempt) mini-zoo garden near this pool.

Tons of insects and mosquitoes prevented us from having a closer look at the figures.

POOL #5: Supposed to be a kiddie pool, the now non-functional pool is guarded by an emaciated-looking dinosaur.

POOL #6: Our favorite, right beside Noah's Ark. The perfect depth and temperature for lounging around.

Noah's Ark. We were scared to go up, and it looked kind of dirty.

All around Noah's Ark, guests can find concrete animals with attached karitelas perfect for kids and photo-ops.

POOL #7: The Olympic-sized indoor pool. We'd have loved it if the water weren't as cold as melted ice. It's located inside a huge gymnasium where it shares the space with a party hall for rent.

POOLS #8: The kiddie "Nemo" pool.

Lastly, POOL #9: The deep "Dolphin" pool, with a maximum depth of 6 feet.

OTHER FACILITIES

An outdoor function hall.

Another much-wider venue for rent, located inside the same building as the indoor pool.

A little grotto for when swimmers (or party-goers) want a quick breather.

Cottages and villas.

Basketball court.

I admit, I've felt guilty for not attending my uncle's burial, and the fact that I was not there to lend a shoulder to those who were mourning made me bite my nails in anxiety. At around eleven in the morning, my mom came back and over my birthday lunch composed of barbecue, cake, sausages, fried chicken, meat pies and gabi ice cream from Wiggie's I made her reassure me. 

"You might not be present during the burial but you were there during the wake, and that's okay. You might think your presence during that time was completely insignificant but you are wrong because your thoughts toward the dead and the bereaved are what matter the most. The most precious thing that you currently possess is your life, and celebrating it despite certain circumstances will never ever be wrong. Mourn and at the same time be happy, because the world is run by Someone who is more powerful than grief and death."

And so, for the entire day before heading home, I laughed, swam, ate and drank with the people who had always made my simple life bearable and beautiful. My dad, friends, and other close family members may not have been present to spend my day with me but I knew they were all wishing me well.

And so, I thank you, God, for another fulfilling year and for many more to come! Thank You for all the blessings, strength, and guidance. Thank You for the love, family and friendship. Thank You for life itself, the most precious thing that I have control over. And with my gratitude comes a promise-- to always  serve You in all the works of my hands and be a blessing to others.

Happy birthday to me! Thank you for joining me in my crazy journey! Here's to more travels for all of us! XOXO

P.S. Here are some photos of me posing with a two-gallon container of gabi-keso (taro-cheese) flavored ice cream made in Bataan worth Php400.00 from Wiggie's San Fernando, Pampanga.