POSTCARDS FROM RENO-SQUAW VALLEY-LAKE TAHOE
(November 2004)
When I was a kid, I would join my mother as she watched primetime soaps like, Dynasty, Falcon Crest, and Knots Landing (okay, you got me…I’m now beet red with that revelation). I often wondered if real families truly experienced such drama. On the day the world was informed that George W. Bush won his second term as President of the United States, 3 days before my sister’s church wedding in Reno, she decided to call it off! How’s that for drama?!? The couple, who have only known each other for 6 months, finally realized that they indeed needed more time to get to know each other before they became man & wife in the eyes of God. That day was not only a very sad day for the intelligent enlightened other half of an America divided, but moreover for me and my family. Since we had “Use it or Lose it” airline tickets, Bill convinced me to still make a weekend getaway out of it and persuaded my confused parents to still come along with us, instead of them reacting by deciding to immediately fly back home to the Philippines, and so we all could get to the bottom of this fiasco…
POSTCARD FROM RENO/TAHOE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Bill and I flew from Los Angeles to Reno with my Mom, Dad, and Aunt. This was my second time to fly with my parents and aunt since we first flew together when I was 8 years old. Just like royalty, we were never allowed to fly on the same plane…LOL. By the time we had landed in chilly Reno, Bill was still pissed at me for forgetting that I had accidentally handed him the house keys that had a Swiss knife as a keychain prior to airport security check, causing him to inadvertently be chosen for that so called random practically full strip search by the TSA. Tsk..Tsk…Hmppph..Grrrr…@#$%^&*()_+!.
Since we were on a CRJ-Canadair Regional Jet with only 50-70 standard seats, the ground crew, just as I was climbing the stairs, suddenly grabbed my carry-on (which contained all of my sister’s wedding favor CD’s, that I had labored with love for the past weeks), and advised me that they had to put it in cargo. I pleaded, “No, please, it’s very fragile!” – “Sorry Sir”… Crack!...Break!...@#$%^&*()_+!.
My sisters, niece and friend have arrived with our rented SUV to pick us up. It seems like everyone is in uniform: black leather jacket with a scarf and leather boots…I’m thinking, ”Toto, we’re not in Southern California anymore!”…LOL
POSTCARD FROM RENO, NEVADA
Welcome to the Biggest Little City in the World!
On our first night, we stayed at the Peppermill Hotel Casino, Reno’s so called premier luxury hotel casino, where my sister’s wedding reception was scheduled to be held. For dinner, we went to the nearby Atlantis Casino Resort, which I was told has the best “all you can eat” sushi in town. Somehow “best” and “all you can eat” don’t sound right in the same sentence. We ended up just eating “a la carte” but just the same ordered way too much, that we got so sushi’ed out!
On our last day, prior to our flight back home, we drove through Reno Downtown and rendezvoused with the rest of the family at an “all you can eat” Chinese restaurant.
That was the extent of what I saw of and experienced in Reno…LOL
POSTCARD FR
OM SQUAW VALLEY, CALIFORNIA My parents decided to come along with Bill and me, instead of staying in Reno. Our first stop was to stay at the Resort at Squaw Creek, a 4-Diamond luxury resort in Olympic Valley. I was given a complimentary Mountain View Suite, so my parents were able to stay in their own separate area. The 
next day, Bill and I went skiing at Squaw Valley, the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics and one of the top ski destinations in the U.S. It was only my second time to ski in more than a couple of years, so I wanted to take the opportunity to practice on the bunny hill. I then was informed that there was no such
bunny hill. As we got on board the tram, it was reminiscent of what I felt like when I was onboard a plane about to go skydiving in New Zealand. I just pushed myself and thought, “show them that a man of the islands can conquer the snow!” First run…”WOW…it’s all coming back to me!”…and I didn’t fall! Next run…Bill turned and somehow missed the sign that read, “EXPERT”…I followed him and he was suddenly no where in sight and before I knew it…YAAAHEEYIKES! It was such a steep drop, I fell and slid and watched my right ski abandon me and eventually rested twenty feet above me…Oh, rather, it’s me who eventually rested twenty feet below my right ski. This happened “too many” more times down the hill. It’s a good thing expert skiers, out of skier’s etiquette (I guess), were kind enough to bring my ski down to me. I was so exhausted and had no strength to even put my ski back on. And to think that it was only the second run! I attempted to shout to a pin-dot size Bill below, to go ahead without me. Eventually, somehow, I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it…and I eventually did several runs without falling. I just told myself, “Sean Saba, if you fall, it will only be much harder for you!”. I did a couple of successful “no fall” runs with my eyes wide shut! After 3 hours, we decided to call it a day and on our final run were surprised by my parents at the bottom of the mountain, ready to take the last camera shot of the day. Thank God I didn’t fall. My parents had that look they had on their faces when I first learned how to ride a bike without falling…LOL
POSTCARD FROM LAKE TAHOE, CALIFORNIA
Since we were coming from the Northwest California side of the lake, we decided to explore the north side on the first day, then head back and go all the way around via southbound to Emerald Bay and South Lake Tahoe. Since we wanted to see most of the lake while there was light, we left as soon as we finished skiing. We didn’t have time to even soak our sore aching muscles in the spa. The lake and scenery around was spectacular! It was like we were back in Scotland or in the Lake District of Italy looking at the snow-capped mountains of Switzerland in the distance. I didn’t have to travel that far to see such beauty after all! We also passed by Heavenly Valley Ski Resort, and as soon as we crossed the border from California to Nevada, all the casinos immediately came to view.
POSTCARD FROM LAKE TAHOE, NEVADA
Heading northbound, we finally reached the Incline Village at the Northeast Nevada side of the lake by nightfall. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency, a luxury resort in this mountain/lake/ski resort village, where I was given 2 complimentary Regency Club Rooms that have private access to the Concierge Level Lounge. With the lounge providing complimentary evening and morning service, we needed not go out for meals as initially planned. My parents were so impressed, it probably gave them the illusion that their youngest son had finally had it made…LOL. With the open bar and the open gambling tables, I had to keep asking Bill to help me dilute my Dad’s drinks before he closed the bar and monitor his wagers. Talk about being caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. I eventually tucked-in my worried mother for the night, who nervously prayed the rosary for my father…LOL
POSTCARD FROM PLAYA DEL REY, CALIFORNIA
All in all, with all the emotional roller coaster that my sister and the family went through, it turned out to be an awesome weekend for us! I’m happy to note that my sister and her boyfriend are working things out and have decided to get to know each other better, while living in the same city, namely Reno. It was also a great experience for Bill and my folks. It was so wonderful to go on a road trip with my partner and my parents… something I never imagined would ever happen. My parents even asked me, “When will Bill and you get married?” WOW…if you knew my parents, you would surmise that they have certainly come a long way…As for “the land of the free and the brave, that remains to be seen and be written…(sigh)
OM 
next day, Bill and I went skiing at Squaw Valley, the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics and one of the top ski destinations in the 
bunny hill. As we got on board the tram, it was reminiscent of what I felt like when I was onboard a plane about to go skydiving in 
