Comments Posted By John McCrarey
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Brian, I brought some of my Hash shirts, but it has been too damn cold to wear them.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 14/January/2026 @ 9:51 am
Kevin, well, China has always coveted Vietnam, but the people here don’t cotton much to being colonized.
And I’m still cringing when I think about your creative photoshopping.
I left the comma out after clean intentionally because as I remembered the Hemingway story “A Clean Well-Lighted Place” there wasn’t one. A subsequent check via Google shows it both ways.
Tolkien’s dragons didn’t mess around, that’s for sure.
Yep, checking out of the hotel as soon as I finish the comment. We’ll be back here to finish our trip next week.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 13/January/2026 @ 10:40 am
Brian, the sands in my life hourglass are dwindling down. If I don’t make this relationship work, there likely won’t be time for another. Maybe that’s why these rooftop bars are so appealing…
» Posted By John McCrarey On 13/January/2026 @ 10:34 am
Brian, I really haven’t been monitoring prices. Hey, I’m on vacation. But my sense is they are comparable to what I spend in Barretto.
It’s hard to spot the expat community amongst the crowds of tourists. When I’m at Dirty Fingers, which is outside the tourist district, I do sense an expat vibe. We’ll be spending a couple of days in Hoi An later this week. I’m told it has a large expat community. Surprisingly, there is no Hash in this area. I wish there were; I’d love to do some off-road hiking, but have no idea where that might be.
No, it is a relationship with Swan. Given my history and track record, that’s more than a little scary. Win or lose, this will be my last one.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 12/January/2026 @ 9:58 am
Kevin, I’m actually not a fan of whore bars, but don’t mind having some eye candy around while I’m quenching my thirst. Even the girls I’ve seen at the beach bars all wear baggy clothes and hide whatever sexiness they may possess.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/January/2026 @ 7:07 pm
Kevin, that was fascinating. Buddha sure does get conveyed in all shapes and sizes, but I’ve never seen the starving version before. Thanks for the links!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 12/January/2026 @ 10:01 am
Kevin, as I say, my knowledge of Buddhism and its teachings is close to nil. Even in Korea, all the Buddhas at the temples I visited had the big belly with discoloration from people spinning their fingers in the navel.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/January/2026 @ 7:11 pm
Kevin, I know about Buddhism about as much as I do punctuation. The signage above that Buddha statue I posted says this:
“The Lucky Buddha is considered as a symbol of happiness, abundance, contentment, and well-being. Laughing Buddha statues are considered auspicious and are often kept in homes, offices, hotels, and restaurants, for positive energy and good luck.”
Yeah, foosball was the word I was looking for.
Regarding Eun Oke and drinking, there was no stopping her. That bar crawl night was before I knew how she wouldn’t stop once she started. And if I’M saying someone has a drinking problem, you know it’s gotta be bad.
Glad I could contribute to your Substack work, especially when I’m not the bad example.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/January/2026 @ 12:23 pm
Terry, glad you stuck around. I must say, there is no communist vibe here at all. And there’s no denying that things appear to be functioning better than in many Western nations. Kudos to the Vietnamese people!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/January/2026 @ 12:01 pm
Kevin, nope, just couldn’t remember foosball—more evidence of my dying brain.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/January/2026 @ 11:59 am
Trapper, I’ve seen a couple but haven’t tried them yet. My travel mates ate at a place called Adobo and said it was outstanding.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/January/2026 @ 11:58 am
Brian, I’ve never been to Singapore, but I’ve had Tiger beer in the Philippines before. Maybe in Thailand and Bali too, I can’t remember. Lots of Heineken here too, but there are better options IMO. My favorite local brew is Huda…it’s cheap and good! Here’s a link to the ten most popular beers in Vietnam.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/January/2026 @ 12:06 pm
Greg, yes, you were right, and I was wrong. Lesson learned. I got screwed, but it could have been worse.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/January/2026 @ 10:14 am
Kevin, sorry about the errors, that post was even more rushed than usual. I’m a dong millionaire!
In retrospect, I shouldn’t have trusted the visa provider’s information about the dates. Live and learn. I’m just glad it was resolved without deportation. The Philippines also has an exit tax. Swan and Jeff had to pay it (about $30), but since I’m technically a tourist, I was exempt.
On my first visit here five years ago, I went to Saigon. I’d never been to a communist country before, so I was surprised to see all the usual franchises, banks, and thriving economy. Vietnam has a commie leadership that is wise enough to give the people the freedom to live and grow.
Da Nang is beautiful, and it is nice outside of the tourist areas as well. Clean and modern, with excellent infrastructure. I could live here if I weren’t too damn old to start over. I’ve been drinking the local beers and enjoying them. Huda is the cheapest and tastes good to me. I also like Tiger a lot.
I doubt I’ll find room on my agenda for cooking classes, but we are expanding on our usual dining options and enjoying the variety.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/January/2026 @ 10:13 am
Brian, No Zero here. I’ve been drinking the popular local brews, mostly on draft. Tiger, Larue, and Huda. They are cheap too.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/January/2026 @ 9:58 am
Where?
» Posted By John McCrarey On 09/January/2026 @ 4:16 pm
Kevin, yep, that’s what Swans says she’ll do. I know you have a lot of experience from your walks. I will use a laundry if it is convenient.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/January/2026 @ 6:39 am
Trapper, so I can buy a dozen laundries for a dime and keep the change in pennies? Sounds good!
Depending on convenience (we are changing hotels four times this trip), we’ll get it done or do it ourselves.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/January/2026 @ 6:38 am
Brian, I don’t remember that Green Day song. I’ll give it a listen as time permits.
Yeah, your panda joke is better!
A laundry shouldn’t be hard, but Swan says she can do it too, so I’m covered.
Yeah, I stole the line from Joni Mitchell, but I’ve used the song before, so…
» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/January/2026 @ 6:35 am
Trapper, thanks for the clarification. The guy I’m traveling with also has no date on his visa, so it seems that it is more of a “fill in the blank” thing for immigration upon arrival.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 07/January/2026 @ 3:44 pm
Kevin, well, I’m a boomer, and as you know, I’m commatose. Back in my youth, I’d get distressed about my girlfriend having a monthly period.
I’m not sure if this is his first trip or not, but I did find out his name is Kevin. What are the odds? He got sorer as the night went on, but at least nothing was broken.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 07/January/2026 @ 3:42 pm
Brian, the two other people he was walking with saw the bike and stopped, but he didn’t. So, in that sense, he is at fault. Those who witnessed the accident said the bike had plenty of room (no one coming in the other direction) to swerve around him, but made no effort to do so. At the hospital, the police asked the Hasher whether he wanted to pursue charges, and he declined. The biker thanked him profusely. So, I’d say both were at fault.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 07/January/2026 @ 3:39 pm
Kevin, yes, it has been sad watching John’s place whither away. I was surprised when the maintained the food quality level, but the dearth of customers apparently doesn’t cover expenses. The staff we talk to doesn’t seem to know what is going to happen. Some say the owner (John’s widow) is looking for a less expensive venue. Good luck with that. I expect the shutdown is imminent. I’ll be surprised if they are still open when I return from Vietnam.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/January/2026 @ 9:58 am
Kevin, see my response to Greg’s comment for what the visa service told me. I’ll have to trust that they are correct that immigration will fill in the blank upon my arrival.
I deleted the visa photo to protect my privacy. Thanks for the heads up on that.
I have a printer at home, but I only used once or twice a year. When it malfunctioned, I decided it was easier to visit the print shop on the rare occasions that I need a copy.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/January/2026 @ 9:54 am
Greg, Thanks for the heads up on potential visa issues. I contacted the online service I used and they told me:
No, this should not be a problem. The validity of your e-visa typically refers to the period during which you can enter the country. Once you arrive, the immigration officers will determine the length of your stay and note it in your passport. As long as you adhere to the authorized stay period provided by immigration upon arrival, you should be fine.
So, as things stand now, my visa has the correct arrival date and the “valid until” date is blank. I’ll have to trust that immigration upon arrival will give me the appropriate approval to stay for the duration of my trip. Otherwise I’m fucked.
I deleted the photo of the visa to protect my privacy. Thanks for that reminder as well.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/January/2026 @ 9:50 am
Kevin, you get what you pay for…smaller portions at Jewel and lower prices. I’d rather go large and spend more.
Thanks for the bulgogi recipe video…sending it to Swan now.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/January/2026 @ 11:47 am
Brian, I live large, and I am not all that price-conscious. That said, I know the imported stuff I buy at Royal supermarket has gone WAY up. Some things I won’t even buy anymore. Jewel has small portions and lower prices on their meals. Sit-n-Bull serves Western-sized portions, and you pay a premium for them. It is what it is, and I’m not losing sleep over it.
Some trikes are smaller than others, and getting in and out for me can be challenging. Once inside, I have to deal with my head hitting the ceiling every time there is a bump in the road.
Well, installing the legitimately elected president there would be a wise move. Or that opposition leader who had to flee for her life, but won the Nobel Prize for her efforts would be good.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/January/2026 @ 11:45 am
Koko, yes, I was thinking those young ones most likely died in some kind of accident. Sad to lose life so young.
Enjoy your new year and stay safe!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/January/2026 @ 11:16 am
Kevin, sorry for the confusion my ramblings created. The “do-over” thing started as my thinking about what the ideal heaven for me would be. I liked the concept of reliving my life better than an eternity in that pearly-gated place I read about. But as you pointed out, a do-over isn’t really changing anything if you just repeat the same mistakes for eternity. What I really want is to go back and live a different life, choosing paths I didn’t take in this one. So, it is not so much a do-over as it is a second chance. Anyway, none of it makes sense, and the concept wouldn’t work without changing the lives of everyone I encounter. Maybe in a Matrix or multi-verse, but it’s still a bullshit idea.
It is not a matter of my not being content with who I am. To be honest about it, what I want is to be young again. I’m struggling with the limitations that come with being elderly. It really is as simple as that.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 04/January/2026 @ 4:23 pm
«« Back To Stats PageDamn, I even got the comma MEME wrong. But I repeat myself. Anyway, it is funny that I first used that meme in a post called “A Tuesday to forget,” then repeated three days later. I guess it was a forgetful Friday.
Yes, there is no denying that I’m on a downward trajectory when it comes to brain power. But I don’t care what they say about you, Kevin! I’ll just count my blessings that you won’t be attending to me in the nursing home. I’m sure they’ll have a hot young Filipina for that duty!
Beached boats on a bed of litter authenticate that this is indeed the Philippines.
The beach at Mango’s with a busier than usual holiday crowd.
It would have been better to write it as: The beach at Mango’s was busier than usual with a holiday crowd. Does that fix it?I think calling my dream for the afterlife a “do-over” is a mistake. My fantasy is to more about wanting to relive my life. For example, if I could go back to the 1970’s, I’d enlist in the Army after graduating from high school. That would be the beginning of an entirely different life than the one I’ve lived. Yeah, I’m sure I’d fuck things up along the way, but hopefully in new and interesting ways. Oh, and I’d be sure and buy some Microsoft shares at their IPO.
Thanks for the tips on making whipped cream, but these days, I prefer a heaping scoop of ice cream on my pie. That pumpkin pie alternative sounds interesting, though. I will definitely share those links with Swan, who has much better kitchen skills than I do.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 04/January/2026 @ 9:01 am