The Roxas City nightlife rocks!
Most of the time when I meet people during my travels and these associations have gone to Roxas City, their usual complain is, 'Walang night life sa Roxas City.' Well, partly, they are right, because in Roxas City, the nightlife is not quite the type that you can get accustomed to and know all about in just one night; and partly, they are wrong, because Roxas City does have an active night life, although not as active if compared to Malate in Manila, Eastwood, or Smallville in Iloilo City. The reason why most people don't quite find anything in the Roxas City nightlife is because they don't know where to go. For one to really enjoy the Roxas City nightlife, one has to at least go out with someone who is a native of the place. If this is not possible, the best alternative would be to walk around the city at around eight or nine in the evening and just immediately around the city plaza are bars that you can get into and have some beers in. This may not be very exciting at first, but the best way to go is to find a bar that you like and just stay there for the rest of the night. Bar hopping is not really a fad in Roxas City because most people in the City have their own turfs and you would find them in the same place night after night after night after night. In other words, if you get into a certain bar and find the crowd pleasing to your discriminating taste, then stay in that bar, because if you go to other bars, you are most likely to end up with a crowd that is either beyond what your pocket and hypocrisy could handle, or way behind your taste (that is if you do have taste). I'm not saying that bars in Roxas City are always at the extreme edges of the social penumbra; all I am saying is that when you find a crowd that you like in any of the bars, you are least likely to find any other bar in the city with the kind of crowd that you found comfort with in the first place. Now, for those of you who would really like to get into the Roxas City nightlife, whatever the cost, here are ten helpful tips that might come in handy.
1. Have at least three to five hundred pesos spending cash. This would get you a long, long way. Beer costs from 20-30 pesos in any bar and you can get a plate of decent pulutan for about 80-100 pesos. This leaves you with enough extra cash for a bowl of arroz caldo after the drinking session is over. Arroz caldo would cost you from 5-40 pesos depending on where you have it.
2. Have a ready smile always. People in Roxas City are very friendly and if you stay at a bar all alone, your smile might get you company. Roxas City folks are also very talky, so you can have a really nice conversation over a few beers. One thing though – do not offer to buy beers for your new found company, this can send out the wrong messages.
3. Either go back to your hotel early in the evening or early in the morning, say 2-3 AM. Be ready to stay out all night once you found the bar of your liking. You will most likely stay for hours on end.
4. Do not be too cautious. If someone you've chatted with and associated with offers to go to some other bar, tag along. Remember, the best way to explore the city's night life is if you have someone with you who is a native of the city.
5. Wear proper gimmick attire – I mean, no shorts, sandos, or rubber slippers. Most bars in the city strictly implement their dress codes.
6. Do not drink too much. This should be self-explanatory.
7. Look out for ads, streamers, and announcements for events in the various bars. Most likely, when there is an event in a certain bar, all party-goers will be there. This, however, does not always apply. As I said, people in the city find their turfs and stick to their bar choice no matter what.
8. Do not be an attention grabber – meaning, do not make 'eksena'. You can grab attention by looking good – attitudinal dynamics and attention grabbing antics like stealing the dance floor with weird dance moves or taking your shirt off in the middle of a party is definitely a no-no in Roxas City. This could get you the wrong kind of attention – maybe the kind that would leave you black and blue. Just behave, and you will be all right.
9. Videoke bars are a hit in Roxas City. Know a song or two; make sure those songs are rehearsed to impress. Just have some songs ready for an encore. However, refuse to sing when you have had too much to drink already.
10. Make sure you have a good soft bed waiting for you after your gimmick, and throw in a wake-up call in the morning if you need to wake up early, because if you get into the Roxas City night life, you will definitely find it really difficult to get out. It's not the beer that's addictive in the City, it's how people party!
There you have it folks. I hope to see you in one of the bars in the city one of these days!!!
Be rational; be insane… every once in a while! TTFN!
I love you all! Byers!