Hardship Posting

The last two days have sun lots of sun, torrential rain and humidity in that order, with the daily brownout.

Another of Lynn's friends came by to visit yesterday, and she gave them quesadillas and fruit with chili powder. I think some mischief has rubbed off on her, because she tells them "it's not hot" and loves to see her friends reactions to the spicy fruit.

Today, instead of a random, short brownout, the municipality gave notice that the lights would be out from 8 am to 5 pm! We got up early to breakfast and shower and get on the road to Paete, a local town, before the lights went out. It sucks to get ready in a hot room w/out air conditioning, and at least while on the way to Paete in the Jeepney, the air would cool us down. {More on Jeepney's later on. And "Tricycles" too.}

As soon as the electricity was cut, we made a run for it. We left our cool, but rapidly warming house and made our way to the main road to catch our ride. Two jeepney rides and one tricylce ride, and we were in Paete.

Paete is basically just another town, and their main industry in wood carvings. We shopped a bit and settled in to one store, as it just started to POUR rain for about an hour.

We bought our foods and waited under a rickety awning for our Jeepney back to Pagsanjan. Soaked, we arrived and stored our stuff, and went to the next town, in the other direction, Santa Cruz.

The only reason to go to Santa Cruz today is Star Mall. Like every mall in the PI, it has it's own generators, therefore air conditioning. Plus they have a movie theatre, where we caught the latest release, The First Power (1990), with Lou Diamond Phillip. I would have declined that movie and seen the other, but I was tricked. The title as possessed by Evil, and the poster only showed 2 red eyes. Oh well..

Two more Jeepney rides and we're home!!! 6pm. and still no juice.