where in the world...?

little plane to pensacola from Charlotte, North Carolina

Where in the world is Pensacola? Well, it’s a city in the state of Florida which is rather closer to Mobile City, Alabama than it is to the other Florida cities. But just because it doesn’t sound as familiar as Miami or Orlando to you doesn’t mean that it’s any less, at least not according to our experience.

Buenavista Manor

Before we start writing about our time in Florida, you must meet some characters who are about to take on great roles in making this such a special trip that will end up making us feel that we want to come back soon (of course, this story is being written in retrospect. Otherwise, how would we know that we do want to someday go back to Pensacola?) First up: there is the Buenavista Manor situated somewhere close to the country but not too far away from the city.

Kanootz w/ the manor's saanen goats

It totally felt like country to us because you see, they have 6 very very white goats – 3 sets of sisters that graze along the front yard of the Buenavista’s second property which is right next door. Then there’s Sophie and Sammy who are outdoor dogs. They have been known to attack visitors, so for the initial introduction, they were put on a leash while we stayed a good distance. Then there’s Beanie and Whiteshoes, the two hunter cats who man the garage and keep the snakes and rats at bay. By the way, we’ve just been reminded that there are in fact snakes in some places of this world, just not in New Zealand (or at least we like to believe so).

The butcher and his wife

Then there’s little Miss Boolinzkey (we’re making the spelling up but that’s how it sounds) aka Boo-boo, who is quite aware that she is the princess of the house. She doesn’t do outdoors. And apparently she likes to mark her territory every time there is a house guest so we’ve been warned to keep all doors shut at all times. But she’s very very cute and very very clean, and so we like her. And oh yes, let’s never forget Manong Tom and Manang Grace – the ‘Mr. & Mrs.’ of the house, who kept asking us if we have enough leg room (in the truck) from since the day they fetched us from the local airport. It’s just that when you’ve been used to a small Japanese 1990s car for most of your adult life, then it isn’t that difficult to answer such questions. This reminds us to introduce of course, their big white Toyota Tundra and the other GMC truck, although the Tundra did most of the work while we’re there.

Slinkey Booleenskey... Meeeooowwww!!!

Manang Grace is Kenneth’s first degree cousin. Her husband, Manong Tom, is also an Ilocano by ethnicity (like us and manang grace). This made our time together extra special as we could share jokes and stories in our most native tongue. There is something about speaking your birth language. Ilocano, we are reminded, is a very beautiful language (yes, we dare call it a language although technically it is a dialect… but then technically, a dialect is a variation of a more popular language… and Ilocano is unlike any language, totally separate from all the other ethnic languages surrounding it, so you decide…). There are feelings and thoughts that we can never express entirely and more meaningfully in another language but Ilocano despite being perfectly fluent in other languages.

Sophie (white, feisty, young) & Sammy (black, friendly, wise)

Manang Grace tells us that Manong Tom served in the US Navy for some 20 years. Some time during those two decades, he served as Navy Chef. And to say that ‘he can cook’ is not only an understatement but also a massive assault to his actual cooking prowess. From the moment we tasted his tender beef brisket with sliced sweet Georgia onions for our first meal with them, we knew we were in for a gastronomic ride. We had some nice conversations at the table over Florida’s famous Key Lime Pie for dessert. Wow! Refusing to take siesta, they took us along to some friends of theirs. It was lovely meeting new people and hearing new accents (southern, y’all!). When we got home, Manang Grace took us to meet their dogs, and then for a tour around their other property next door and to meet their goats as well. And when we got home, we smelt something familiar… peanuts… ah, kare-kare… ‘You do eat beef, don’t you?’ asks Manong Tom. Yes! He asks us also which part of the Bible we base our diet on. The Old Testament, we say. ‘Leviticus?’ he guesses. Yes. ‘Okay,’ he says. We’re thankful he knows his Bible well and is very considerate of our dietary choices. Kare-kare… man, it was for real! As if that wasn’t good enough – he also stirred up a mixture of Bagoong and lime. This is authentic Filipino cuisine! Tomorrow, we leave at 10, mamang Grace informs us. To the beach!

JUMP!

Pensacola beach: Kanootz, and the Tundra

The next morning, after a shower in the en suite bathroom (talk about 5-star accommodation… giggles), we followed our noses to the kitchen where Manong Tom was making omelette and fried rice. Hmmmm! Scrumptious! Again, we remember and appreciate how different this (& New York) has been compared to our San Francisco when we had to make do with soup in can and very salty hotdogs on hard bread.

w/ cousin Grace

After breakfast, Joia helped manang Grace to pack our picnic boxes. Then away to the beach we went. Miles away from the beach still, and we can already see the famous white sand we’d only ever read about on the internet. Pensacola beach is a stretch of white sand dunes, sugary white sand dunes. It seemed endless.

Kanootz and Joia... by: Manong Tom (Pensacola beach

Beautiful, clean, and because of the time of the year – fall, it was still sunny but not crowded. We took so many photos here, but they’ll never be able to make up for the real experience of being in the midst of it all. In the truck on the way home, Joia remembered 2 words I heard from Jerico back in New York City. ‘Krispy Kreme, what is that?’ Joia asks Manong Tom & Manang Grace.

Sugar-white sand of pensacola beach

Mr & Mrs Buenavista

Manang Grace smiled excitedly. Manong Tom turned the truck to change directions. Then there was the big sign: ‘Krispy Kreme’! We could smell it as soon as we got out the truck. Donuts like nothing else we’ve ever tasted. We ate almost a dozen between the 4 of us! Manong Tom also bought us our first official conjugal mug as a souvenir from Krispy Kreme. Thanks. Enjoy, everyone!

lost chinelas, pensacola beach

where in the world...?

Pensacola, United States