Tisa's Barefoot Bar

     I'm writing an entire post about a bar???  What gives?

     There simply are not bars here of any consequence.  Or interest.  There's The Bowling Alley, which isn't a bowling alley but a dance bar with raucous music located in Tafuna, one of the ugliest parts of Polynesia.  Think of a dumpy warehouse with bad music and cheap beer.  Or Rubbles, which is OK but also in Tafuna with the look and feel of a cave.  Rubbles would be fine in the winter if they ever had winter here.  But they don't, so Rubbles is entering a dark cavern with TV's all over and no windows anywhere.  Yuck.  Besides, it just closed.  Sadies By the Sea is OK, it's by the sea all right, but it's a hotel bar on Pago Pago harbor near a shipyard.  Great for lunch, or maybe happy hour.  There really are not many local bars - if any at all.  Otherwise, Samoans buy cheap beer (Vailima is the local brew, named after Robert Louis Stevenson's estate on Upolu and tasting like it was brewed while he remained alive) and sit all over drinking it in enormous quantity and then, often enough, getting in trouble.  Hence my reason for being here, God love 'em.

     Tisa's Barefoot Bar is a unique institution in American Samoa. For my lawyer readers, it is sui generis. It clings to a very narrow strip of land between the road and the ocean, way out toward the north-eastern part of the island, far from any significant population. You need to really want to go there, to go there. It looks like what you would hope and imagine a tropical paradise bar would be. It's on a sandy beach. It's open to the air and breeze. It's an eclectic assembly of mismatched parts – a few seating areas, all at different levels; some sheltered from rain by a leaky thatch roof, some not. There's food, usually, if they lit the grill today.  A small bar which is nonetheless fully stocked. A bartender – Candyman – who has a vaguely British or Aussie accent (or New Zealand? as an American I cannot tell). Samoan servers who come and go, most notable by their absence. They keep a tab for you somehow, very accurately, whether you stay in a chair or head out to the beach and/or ocean. Outdoor bathrooms and rinse shower. Tisa, the proprietress, actually exists and is here, sometimes.  Best of all, it's built on stilts right over the beach, with waves at high tide lapping up and under.

Tisa's from the beach

      Tisa's also has the distinction of being open on Sunday. That sets it apart from virtually every other business of any kind on this island – most of which close altogether on Sunday (not that they stay open too much the rest of the week either). Samoans tend to stay home after church on Sundays, with family near and far. They don't get out much that day. This is an understatement – on Sundays, the place is seemingly as much a deserted island as Robinson Crusoe found. So being able to go somewhere on Sunday is a wonderful thing. And when that somewhere has a sandy beach, coral reef, tropical fish, and serves the greatest pina colada this side of heaven, you've got something here. We palagis appreciate what it has to offer.

      I've mentioned Tisa's once or twice in an earlier blog; and I've been out there a couple times. I went again this Sunday. It's something of a meet place for palagis on Sunday; but this time the weather looked as though it would fail to cooperate much and few were there. Too bad; it looked rainy, but while I was there it cleared and I got in some nice snorkeling; some exploring for shells; and I met a few new people in the process - including a Samoan judge and his wife who invited Cyndi & I to their home. So it ended up a good afternoon, after all. Tisa's is out past Pago Pago harbor, beyond Charlie the Tuna and his cannery, at least a 45 minute drive from my home. But most of it hugs the ocean and affords views to die for, so the drive time passed quite pleasantly. I also was able to plan a near-future post, which will give you a tour of Pago Pago Harbor, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Primarily good, though.

      So, with that buildup, here are some photos of Tisa's:

Tisa's entrance from the main road

Tisa's "inside" as you enter; it's that narrow

Small bay; Tisa's is to the left

Beach at Tisa's; that's Sarah getting her tan

 

Across the bay looking back, Tisa's is at left of beach you see

My footprint in the sand

Two snorkelers.  I was right exactly there 10 minutes before!

View from the deck.  Pina colada is not visible, but it's there!

Looking down the beach, family playing

     I have evidence their food is quite fresh.  Herre's Candyman wading out on the reef to meet a fishing boat.  He came back with a big swordfish slung over his shoulder:

      Tisa's also has a couple of sleeping fales which can be reserved; here's a sneak photo of one:

Sleeping fale. There are screens to lower for privacy.

These are, I think, the only such things on this island. Samoa (Savai'i and Upolu) have a number of such “resorts,” using that term rather loosely. I stayed in one last weekend in Savai'i. Tisa's isn't a resort at all, just a bar with a couple fales tacked on at the end. But pretty nice, wouldn't you agree?

      I'll close with a few photos of the scenery out north/east of Pago Pago harbor, on the way to Tisa's. This part of American Samoa differs quite a bit from the south/western part. Notably fewer people, no industry, little business (none other than a few dilapidated convenience-type stores), few areas with coral rocks and blowholes.  But beaches, palms, and views. Oh, those views:

Coast looking south/west

Coast looking east

Small islets along the way

 This north/east part of American Samoa has much scenery, some hiking trails, and most of the National Park on the island. I did get a murder 2 case that came from up here, happened on Christmas day. Not a common occurrence on this island. Went out to the crime scene today - beautiful views along the way until it started to pour rain like I've never seen come down before - walls of water, lasted for hours. Other than this I haven't explored up here too much so far. That means much more to see, do, and tell of, yet to come.  Keep checking in, kind readers.