Escaping the Overpriced Hotel Lunch
Today is June 15th, and my free time here in McKinley is coming to an end before tomorrow's departure. I spent the morning getting some chores done and just chilling out.
When lunchtime rolled around, I faced a bit of a dilemma. The hotel I'm staying at is absolutely amazing, but the food is just way too expensive! I hesitated, thinking, "Do I really want to pay this much here?" and ultimately decided to walk around to see if I could find a better spot.
A Hidden "Carenderia" and a One Piece Fan
Tucked away in a spot that's actually pretty easy to miss, I stumbled upon a local eatery known as a "Carenderia". I walked in and started chatting with the owner, who turned out to be a massive One Piece fan!
We completely hit it off. When I finished my meal and insisted on paying, he flat-out refused. He told me it was completely free ($0 USD) and wouldn't take my money, which left me feeling incredibly grateful.
He mentioned they were preparing some things for the evening and told me to come back around 5 PM. I promised I would, headed back to the hotel, and took a relaxing dip in the pool to kill some time.
Simmered Eel and Tanduay Rum
When evening came, I made my way back to the shop. They served me "Pancit," which is a lot like Japanese bihon (rice vermicelli). But the real surprise came next—eel! It was a dish made of small eels, chopped up and simmered, and it was seriously delicious.
I asked him how much a dish like that usually costs. He just laughed and said that since the ocean is right there, the local fishermen give the catch to them for free ($0 USD)! I couldn't help but think what an awesome community this is.
We spent the rest of the night drinking "Tanduay," a local Filipino rum. I definitely had a moment of, "Am I going to be okay for tomorrow's trip?" but I kept drinking anyway because it was just too much fun.
Swept Away by McKinley's Kindness
We wrapped up the incredible night by taking some photos together.
When it was time to head home, the owner noticed my exhaustion. Knowing I had a lot of walking ahead of me tomorrow, he insisted on giving me a ride back so I could rest my tired legs. Talk about next-level kindness!
Before I depart tomorrow morning, I'm planning to visit them one last time. It's only about a 400-meter walk. Sure, it'll take a bit of extra time and effort tomorrow, but compared to waiting decades to fly back from Japan, it's a no-brainer. You have to seize the moment while you can.