The Scanlan Hotel is located in the village of Fagotogo (the American Samoan official seat of Government) on the island of Tutuila (Pago Pago Harbor) in American Samoa.
I am astonished to discover that The Scanlan Hotel is listed as "accommodation" in:
- The American Samoa Government Official Visitors Bureau Guidebook
- National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior "informational literature" published in 2012
The Scanlan Hotel would be better referred to as The Scanlan
Hostel although I have seen many a Hostel in much better condition. It was late when "The Blogger" delivered me to The Scanlan Hotel and the desk attendant was nowhere to be found (apparently she was out playing bingo - a popular pastime in American Samoa). We waited for at least an hour with a seedy looking group who appeared to be Scanlan Hotel "guests" but turned out to be homeless Samoans and otherwise who frequent the pool hall downstairs and "sleep it off" on the grass out front. When the attendant finally arrived I was only then informed that The Scanlan Hotel doesn't accept credit cards - a minor detail that "The Blogger" had omitted from his way overly optimistic (to the point of delusional) description of the place. I didn't feel at all comfortable digging through my things for cash as it was already past midnight and the band of drug and alchohol soaked street people were now meandering in "the lobby" (The Night Of The Living Dead style) so we agreed that I would take care of the bill in the morning.
After re-reading my intoduction to The Scanlan Hotel I herein acknowledge that the drug and alchohol soaked Samoan street peoples' meanderings in "the lobby" of The Scanlan Hotel were not exactly "The Night Of The Living Dead" style. This unfortunate reference conjures up a memory where in the mind's eye one pictures a mob of ghoulish arms reaching out over zombie shoulders while a near comatose sister is carried away by her gloved, flesh eating brother.
It was neither my intention to re-hash the December 11, 1787 story of the 11 French Astrolabe and Boussole sailors who were killed by Samoans during the La Parouse expedition when they landed at the Samoan village of Assau, nor to ponder the cannibalistic origins of:
Samoan, Tongan and Fijian societies.
Therefore, the drug and alchohol soaked Samoan street peoples' meanderings in "the lobby" of The Scanlan Hotel WERE NOT, "The Night Of The Living Dead" style. To be more precise, their movements were reminiscent of "Post-Treatment Psychiatric Ward Patients" with one (or two) "The Night Of The Living Dead" style ghouls in the mix.
Let me explain further:
Somewhere back in time I worked at a hospital. Occassionally, I found myself "attending" the psychiatric ward whereby a number of the patients confined within began their days with a trip to shock therapy. After treatment these same patients were "helped" out of the treatment room and leaned up against the corridor walls. In time, they began to move around under their own propulsion, either in small circles or in a certain zig-zagging pattern, all on their way to the day room for some television and other social activities. Other patients were given generous doses of chlorpromazine resulting in the same general traffic pattern. The drug and alchohol soaked Samoan street peoples' meanderings in "the lobby" of The Scanlan Hotel more exemplified the ambience of these "Post-Treatment Psychiatric Ward Patients" rather than "The Night Of The Living Dead" ghouls. I humbly apologize for the gross mis-representation…
To Continue… "The Blaggard Blogger" made a hasty, "all is well then?" retreat as I was lead down a dingy passageway by The Scanlan Hostel Hotel desk clerk. It was nearly 1:00 in the morning and as there was no apparent lighting it was fairly hard to see. I perceived a few doors both to my left and to my right and from one of them came a strange and unfamiliar grunting sound reminiscent of a rooting hog or possibly a heffer heifer calving for the first time. We arrived at the end of the hall and the hotel clerk inserted a key into a door that opened to reveal my dimly lit accomodation. We entered the room and there in front of me was… THE BED, dressed in obviously used sheets complete with a drool or otherwise stained pillow case. The outdoor carpet that covered the floor was torn and tattered and the table that held the lamp had what appeared to be food remnants or possibly damp wood dust on it. The desk clerk (who did mumble her name but I just can't for the life of me recall it) opened a second door to show me… THE SHARED BATHROOM?! I quickly ushered the woman out of the room. Scanning my accommodation and after 15+ hours of airline travel and TSA harrassment I could see no place that I was willing to put down my bags... no less sit down!
Hostel although I have seen many a Hostel in much better condition. It was late when "The Blogger" delivered me to The Scanlan Hotel and the desk attendant was nowhere to be found (apparently she was out playing bingo - a popular pastime in American Samoa). We waited for at least an hour with a seedy looking group who appeared to be Scanlan Hotel "guests" but turned out to be homeless Samoans and otherwise who frequent the pool hall downstairs and "sleep it off" on the grass out front. When the attendant finally arrived I was only then informed that The Scanlan Hotel doesn't accept credit cards - a minor detail that "The Blogger" had omitted from his way overly optimistic (to the point of delusional) description of the place. I didn't feel at all comfortable digging through my things for cash as it was already past midnight and the band of drug and alchohol soaked street people were now meandering in "the lobby" (The Night Of The Living Dead style) so we agreed that I would take care of the bill in the morning.
In all fairness, honesty, and integrity I must make a correction:
After re-reading my intoduction to The Scanlan Hotel I herein acknowledge that the drug and alchohol soaked Samoan street peoples' meanderings in "the lobby" of The Scanlan Hotel were not exactly "The Night Of The Living Dead" style. This unfortunate reference conjures up a memory where in the mind's eye one pictures a mob of ghoulish arms reaching out over zombie shoulders while a near comatose sister is carried away by her gloved, flesh eating brother.
It was neither my intention to re-hash the December 11, 1787 story of the 11 French Astrolabe and Boussole sailors who were killed by Samoans during the La Parouse expedition when they landed at the Samoan village of Assau, nor to ponder the cannibalistic origins of:
Therefore, the drug and alchohol soaked Samoan street peoples' meanderings in "the lobby" of The Scanlan Hotel WERE NOT, "The Night Of The Living Dead" style. To be more precise, their movements were reminiscent of "Post-Treatment Psychiatric Ward Patients" with one (or two) "The Night Of The Living Dead" style ghouls in the mix.
Let me explain further:
Somewhere back in time I worked at a hospital. Occassionally, I found myself "attending" the psychiatric ward whereby a number of the patients confined within began their days with a trip to shock therapy. After treatment these same patients were "helped" out of the treatment room and leaned up against the corridor walls. In time, they began to move around under their own propulsion, either in small circles or in a certain zig-zagging pattern, all on their way to the day room for some television and other social activities. Other patients were given generous doses of chlorpromazine resulting in the same general traffic pattern. The drug and alchohol soaked Samoan street peoples' meanderings in "the lobby" of The Scanlan Hotel more exemplified the ambience of these "Post-Treatment Psychiatric Ward Patients" rather than "The Night Of The Living Dead" ghouls. I humbly apologize for the gross mis-representation…
To Continue… "The
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