Subic City (Subic Bay)

[QUOTE=X Man]Oh WW, do I detect a some angst? I'm terribly sorry for not knowing the answer to your "stupid question". I think I asked the same question a while back, but I don't remember the answer.

X[/QUOTE]

I read first time Olongapo thread today as earlier I had assumed it is all about the city but it is everything of this area including Subic, Subic Bay, Barrio Barretto, Baloy Beach... The jeepney discussion have been ongoing there.

Same goes for Vision Thing's question about bars. There are plenty of reports about bar scene in there.

Yea, that is kind of odd. We have two threads for these two areas which could and should be grouped as one, yet for the entire Mindanao area we have only "Davao".

Jackson is pretty good about starting new threads, I wonder if he'd care to combine the "subic" "olongapo" threads".

X

[QUOTE=White Whale]I read first time Olongapo thread today as earlier I had assumed it is all about the city but it is everything of this area including Subic, Subic Bay, Barrio Barretto, Baloy Beach... The jeepney discussion have been ongoing there.

Same goes for Vision Thing's question about bars. There are plenty of reports about bar scene in there.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Thai Traveler]The Subic City jeepneys terminate in Olongapo at the Victory Liner Bus Station. From there you take another jeepney to the Main Gate. So there are two fares. The cost is very reasonable.[/QUOTE]

I took the blue jeepney from Bo. Barretto to Olongapo costing me 10p. I walked couple of blocks pass the bus station and took yellow jeepney (cost 7p) marked with Sta. Rita - Gate. Then walked 300m to Rizal Highway through SBMA main gate, turned left and walked another 500m to get the restaurant. When returning I took Victory Liner bus from Olongapo to Barretto costing me 6p. Only penalty with this travel arrangement is time spent but during daytime I seem to have plenty of it. Other option to save time could be jumping off from blue jeepney in security gate intersection and order a taxi somewhere from there. Also internal taxi fares are high. From main gate to Pier 1 it was 80p

Sakura restaurant was closed during afternoon so I went to Korean Japanese restaurant couple hundred meters further to have my sashimi.

[QUOTE=Vision Thing]Thinking of a long weekend in the Subic Area in a few weeks and while there seems to be many hotel reviews lately, there's not much on the bar scene.

Yes, I've RTFF and apart from a great report from about 18 months ago, not really much else here.

Any updates, tips, thoughts?[/QUOTE]
If I were you I would go for it! Since Mo (of Kokomo's fame) moved his operations from AC to Barretto, the bar scene has gotten much better and more competitive!

[QUOTE=X Man]Jackson is pretty good about starting new threads, I wonder if he'd care to combine the "subic" "olongapo" threads".[/QUOTE]
Tried to suggest a 'Barretto' thread a while back since that is where most of the action is but got no response, oh well.

[QUOTE=Mattrick]If I were you I would go for it! Since Mo (of Kokomo's fame) moved his operations from AC to Barretto, the bar scene has gotten much better and more competitive!

Tried to suggest a 'Barretto' thread a while back since that is where most of the action is but got no response, oh well.[/QUOTE]Thanks guys for the help. I, too, found the Olongapo thread the day after asking my question, but figured the problem was that I was just another typical geographical-challenged Yank.

Will report back what I find as a noob in that neck of the woods.

Is it as wet as Manila appears to be?

Guys from my generation remember Barrio Barretto.

But starting point was Subic Bay (the port) and then we had a few kilometers of decadence in Olongapo city, but we could take jeepney to a quieter place of decacence, bb. I was surprised (2008) to find a mall in Olongapo city, just across what we used to call "shit river bridge", but there are still a few bars in town.

How about "Subic bay / Barrio Barretto / Olongapo"?

X






[QUOTE=Mattrick]

Tried to suggest a 'Barretto' thread a while back since that is where most of the action is but got no response, oh well.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=X Man]But starting point was Subic Bay (the port) and then we had a few kilometers of decadence in Olongapo city, but we could take jeepney to a quieter place of decacence, bb. I was surprised (2008) to find a mall in Olongapo city, just across what we used to call "shit river bridge", but there are still a few bars in town.

X[/QUOTE]X man,

I heard about "shit river bridge" when i was in the military. Unfortunately, i never made it to the PI when i was in. Someone told me a story about how nasty that river is, hence the name "shit river". They also said they would throw there useless coins in the river and kids would dive in to get them?

Any truth to this?

Very true. You'd also see women standing in small boats. They usually wore white. Were they singing? I don't remember. They also were hoping for coins.

Outside the base there were bars, massage, discos and even live houses all the way down to the T in the road. Then going left or right at the T were more bars, generally run down little places. To the left was the area for the black sailors.

Picture of Olongapo 1981. Look over the guy's right shoulder and you'll see one of the massage girls who hung out on the street in the daytime in front of the massage brothel.

X

[QUOTE=Devils 1]X man,

I heard about "shit river bridge" when i was in the military. Unfortunately, i never made it to the PI when i was in. Someone told me a story about how nasty that river is, hence the name "shit river". They also said they would throw there useless coins in the river and kids would dive in to get them?

Any truth to this?[/QUOTE]

I just returned from Subic and stayed for 3 nights at the Venezia Hotel on Canal Street and this is strictly a hotel report.

They advertise 1398 php for the standard room, but don't be fooled. And you can't make internet or telephone reservations at that rate. You have to physically show up and it's first come, first served. I checked in around 2PM and they didn't have any of the standard rooms "available". Most likely, they'll have the "deluxe" room available at 3700+ php. Since I needed to be staying close to the business I needed to do, I had no choice so I took it. My impression is the 1398 php rate is bait.

The common areas, as are the rooms are very, very clean and comfortable. They are going to wear out the floor and glass with all the cleaning they do in the lobby area before traffic wears it out!

The breakfast at 220 php sucks. I had scrambled eggs, ham and toast. The eggs were underdone, the ham cold and the toast was dried bread with no butter or any types of jam even tho it was listed on the menu.

They have central air, but for some reason they added a window A/C unit in the room I was in and in doing so had to board up the top of the window. Kind of looked tacky. Hot water in the shower was iffy, but in the opposite. Too much and it was hot!

Bed was comfortable, standard charge for extra towels. Batrhroom OK, but fixtures were a little rusted. For those who care, it's a non-smoking hotel. Oh. Don't try to make an outside call or have anyone call you from the outside. The phone system is strictly internal. A bucket of ice was 30 php. It's a 3 floor hotel and no elevators. I asked for an iron and ironing board and they were very prompt about bringing it to the room. With the caveat that I could have it for 30 min.

There is a PAGCOR casino connected to the hotel which is all slots with the exception of 2 Bacarrat (sp) tables.

On the plus side, it's a short walk (1/3 mile or so) to the bridge over the Shit River and into Olongapo. However, I wasn't able to check out any of the "attractions" as there were just too many business associates around. And I'm sorry, but can't tell you if the hotel is girl fiendly or not. I hung around the lobby for an hour or two one night and never saw anyone trying to bring in a "guest".

Also on the good side is that they have great gift shop if you're looking for nice wines and liquor. Very good prices.

Turnkey

[size=-2][b][u]EDITOR'S NOTE[/u]:[/b] [blue]I would suggest that the author or another Forum Member consider posting a link to this report in the Reports of Distinction thread. Please [url=http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/announcement-reportsofdistinction.php?]Click Here[/url] for more information.[/blue][/size]

[QUOTE=Turnkey13]My impression is the 1398 php rate is bait.

[size=-2][b][u]EDITOR'S NOTE[/u]:[/b] [blue]I would suggest that the author or another Forum Member consider posting a link to this report in the Reports of Distinction thread. Please [url=http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/announcement-reportsofdistinction.php?]Click Here[/url] for more information.[/blue][/size][/QUOTE]That was exactly my thinking also. When I called there they said they do not have promotion standard rooms available and marketed a superior room (BTW the price for superior room is not bad compared to other hotel prices in freeport zone I could find from internet). Anyway I went there couple of days later in person with all my luggage, They said they still do not have a vacant promotion room that night but next night they would and I could then change the room. I mentally surrended and said I would take the deal. To my astonishment they charged me promotion price for superior and let me stay in that same room all four days. I believe they had four days max stay with the promotion price even though it is not mentioned anywhere.

Couple of other remarks: there was no room specific thermostat for air con. They could only adjust temperature for hole hotel. The room was too cold for my preference. The janitor closed the room air vents and after that it was ok. Another silly thing was the in-room safety box. It was very roomy but it had to be operated with a card that has this magnetic tape. No cards from hotel. The occupant was supposed to use their own credit card etc to close the safe. I ended up hiding my credit card in the room after closing other valuables in the safe :)

I can recommend the hotel at least with the promotion price.

[QUOTE=Devils 1]X man,

I heard about "shit river bridge" when i was in the military. Unfortunately, i never made it to the PI when i was in. Someone told me a story about how nasty that river is, hence the name "shit river". They also said they would throw there useless coins in the river and kids would dive in to get them?

Any truth to this?[/QUOTE]A buddy told me that GI's would throw flat washers:( and the kids would come up yelling "F_ck You Joe"!

Have they cleaned this place up yet?

I have a plan to visit subic area and get a bungalow on the beach, but if there is a river full of turds flowing into the ocean, I will take a pass.

I get very mixed reports on the beachs of this area and cleanliness.

Have you been to Pattaya, Thailand? I would swim at Subic Bay beaches, but not Pattaya beach.

Shit river is in the city of Olongapo, the Subic bay beaches are nearby, but much cleaner than shit river. I don't know the real name of the river.I was calling it "shit river" in 1980 when Marcos was still dictator and Imelda still had her shoes.

If you want a really nice beach, you should give Subic bay a miss.

X



[QUOTE=Vandaddio]Have they cleaned this place up yet?

I have a plan to visit subic area and get a bungalow on the beach, but if there is a river full of turds flowing into the ocean, I will take a pass.

I get very mixed reports on the beachs of this area and cleanliness.[/QUOTE]

Agree with White whale. No individual thermostat. The room safe will accomodate a wide screen laptop no problem. WiFi was free and when I had problems connecting, they sent someone up right away.

The room key. Hmmmmmm It's an old fashioned, metal key. No problem there, but the key ring is a 6" x 4" x 1/2" piece of molded plastic with the room number imbedded. Try to fit that in your pocket! In the end, I just removed the key from the ring. On second thought though. It would have proved to be a deadly weapon if I needed it!

Turnkey

Thanks for the info. From the earlier post, I believe that this hotel is on the old base. Is that right?

Maybe this question goes into somewhat personal territory, but could someone tell me why you would want to stay there? Maybe some biz or flight connections?

I visited recently, and don't remember much. There wasn't a mall next to shit river bridge back in the day. In 1981 I spend quite a few days there tied up bayside. Every chance I got, I escaped out into the Olongapo bars or the Subic bay beaches (with bars).

X
and for those with bright imaginations, I was on a floating vessel TIED up pierside.

[QUOTE=Turnkey13]Agree with White whale. No individual thermostat. The room safe will accomodate a wide screen laptop no problem. WiFi was free and when I had problems connecting, they sent someone up right away.

The room key. Hmmmmmm It's an old fashioned, metal key. No problem there, but the key ring is a 6" x 4" x 1/2" piece of molded plastic with the room number imbedded. Try to fit that in your pocket! In the end, I just removed the key from the ring. On second thought though. It would have proved to be a deadly weapon if I needed it!

Turnkey[/QUOTE]