In da village

Posted on 03/April/2025 by John McCrarey

And I’m not lion! What I’m talking about is the journey of the Wednesday Walkers to Balon Falls and the Aeta native village of Aningway out in the wilds of Subic. We only do this hike once or twice a year, so it is always fresh and enjoyable. The natives are poor but friendly. We may plan an outreach mission for them later this year. We observed an interesting charity project in progress—building comfort rooms (toilets) in various locations throughout the village. I’d never considered that those shanties weren’t equipped with somewhere to poop, so it is good to see the problem is being addressed. I don’t even want to think about how and where they answered the call of nature previously. Anyway, now that we have that shit out of the way, let’s get to the pictures:

***Our group this week was small enough to allow us to squeeze into Scott’s car to enjoy an out-of-town adventure***.

***The first of several creek crossings.***

***Not a lot of water in the creek this time of year, so there was not much in the way of “falls” to see.***

***Lots of Aeta kids out and about. Not sure why they weren’t in school (there is one in the village)***

***In the background is one of the several restrooms we saw being built throughout the village.***

***Another successful Wednesday walk concludes.***

It’s election season, and campaign posters are ubiquitous wherever we go. I don’t get involved in local politics and have no opinions or knowledge about those seeking office, but there was something about this guy that caught my eye:

***Something tells me he sucks and is likely to blow it.***

***We stopped for some refreshments at Shie’s house on the way home.***

I started a new round of chelation therapy with Dr. Jo, and when that was done, we hoofed it up the highway to check out the latest addition to Barretto’s bar lineup, Dempsey’s. I had seen the former location in Olongapo City, down a narrow alley my driver would use coming back from the immigration office. I wondered then where they got their customers, but I suppose there remains a small expat community in that part of town, near the old Navy base.

The inside is pretty much as decrepit as the exterior. Only a longish bar, but no tables and chairs.

They don’t serve San Mig Zero beer, nor do they offer wine by the glass. So, that pretty much insures we will not become regulars here.

***An interesting menu, but I have to wonder if they will achieve the customer base necessary to sustain it.***

We were the only ones there during our brief visit, but the staff was friendly.

***And the owner seems like a nice guy. Given the fact that he successfully operated for a decade or more at his previous location, I wouldn’t bet against him.*** ***Lots more competition here, though.***

After Dempsey’s, we visited the other newish place, Red Bar. Once again, we enjoyed our outdoor seating and chatting with the friendly waitresses. We stayed longer than intended (the manager bought us a round of drinks), so we had some food delivered from Sit-n-Bull. Then we moved on for our nightcap at Green Room. Swan was craving a chocolate ice cream bar, so we stopped at 7-Eleven on the drive home to get her one. I also bought some for the subdivision gate guards. I’m happy to report that I avoided the temptation to partake as well, instead sticking with a sugar-free bowl of pudding for my dessert.

***All is going according to plan this month. So far.***

My journey through the archives of LTG led me to an April 2006 post that contains a treasure trove of photographs from my weekend adventures in Seoul. Good times in The Story of My Life.

From today’s edition of Facebook memories:

***Nine years ago, I enjoyed a rainy-day hike along the Han River.***

***Seven years ago, I contemplated the life in Korea that was drawing to a close and dreamed of the future that awaited me in the Philippines.***

***Three years ago, I was tasting some of that future I dreamed about at Queen Victoria Bar in Barretto.***

Today’s YouTube video is about something that’s been burning up my Facebook feed all morning. A vlogger doing stupid shit here in the Philippines to generate views similar to what that Johnny Somali asshole did in Korea. Like Somali, this guy did an FAFO and has now been arrested and is facing deportation. Lots of outrage, especially from Filipinos, who have very low tolerance for being disrespected.

Here’s a link to a news article about the situation if you want to read more. And the perp Vitaly even has a Wikipedia page.

Humor me:

***Yeah, that’s why I go to the bars so much. The girls deserve something nice to look at for a change.***

And now I’ve gone and done it again. Until next time.

A brief recap

Posted on 02/April/2025 by John McCrarey

I was going to title this post something along the lines of “more of the same,” but when I did a search, I saw that I’ve used a similar phrase a dozen times in this blog’s twenty-year history. That says a lot about both the content of LTG and the pathetic routines I write about. I’ll tell you what, though. The retired chapter of my life may be boring to read about, but I’m so glad to be living it here instead of some retirement community stateside. So, without further adieu, here’s today’s edition of same old, same old.

Tuesday is shopping day, and that was accomplished in a way that doesn’t warrant further mention. Well, Swan did ask me to pose for this photo at the Royal supermarket:

Back home, I helped unload the groceries, then headed out for my neighborhood walk.

This house is for rent. Out of curiosity, I sent a message inquiring about the cost. I was shocked at the response: 70,000 pesos per month. That’s almost double what I’m paying. And this house is located in the flat section of Alta Vista, without the mountain and bay views that I enjoy every day.

***I turned left this time. The house for rent is highlighted in yellow.***

My faithful reader(s) know that Tuesday afternoons are routinely spent on Baloy Beach. Yesterday was no exception.

***We had a brief rainstorm earlier in the day, but it was over and done with before we left home.***

***That girl who follows me around. As you can see, it was a quiet day on board.***

Next on the agenda was grabbing some food at Treasure Island.

***We shared some fried chicken wings…***

***…and chicken quesadillas. Leftovers for breakfast this morning.***

In other news from my Fool’s Day, I booked a room at the Wave Song Resort for Saturday in Pundaquit.

***We’ll spend twenty-four hours on the beach and then*** ***head into San Antonio to attend the annual Fralics beauty pageant at the Fleet Reserve Association (FRA).***

So, my promise to get out of town at least once a month has been kept for April.

***And I have avoided foolishly exceeding my calorie goal all month long!***

In April 2006, I visited Gyeongbokgung Palace for the first time. I took some photos before my camera (remember those?) battery died. And I actually managed to post them here at LTG. Another memory in The Story of My Life.

Speaking of Korea, it’s Cherry Blossom Season! At least, it was eight years ago.

***A stolen photo I brazenly posted on Facebook. Someone in the comments called me out for it. And now, I’ve posted it here all these years later. Have I no shame?***

***Nine years ago, I did another trek up Namsan to the Seoul Tower. I sure do miss those days now, even though I didn’t fully appreciate them at the time.***

Today’s YouTube video is one I found on Facebook from a Hasher who joined us for Monday’s hike. It’s short and sweet and better than mine. Enjoy!

To the humor we must go:

***Funny how that works. And “C” doesn’t work on my laptop keyboard. Lazy bastard!***

Okay, that’s just about all I’ve got for today. Planning to check out a new old bar in town this evening. I’ll explain what I mean by that tomorrow. But before I go, here’s a couple of pictures I took on this morning’s dog walk.

A half-assed Hash

Posted on 01/April/2025 by John McCrarey

First things first, and today is the 1st, so here you go:

***I apologize for all the punctuation errors. You know they are bad if even I find them irritating.***

And me being me, I posted this on my Facebook page this morning:

To hell with it. I’m going to the airport and getting on a plane. Don’t even care where it is going, first jet out to anywhere. When I get to wherever I wind up, I’ll max out my credit cards, drain my savings account, and then decide what to do next. I won’t be back. Goodbye, Philippines!

Most people figured out pretty quickly that I was just fooling around.

Anyway, about that Hash we did yesterday. As I suspected, the trail was a Corona-style monster. How bad was it? Even some of the strongest runners were bitching about some of the treacherous portions they encountered along the way. I’ll have to take their word for it because our sane group received an advance copy of the trail map, and we successfully navigated our way around the worst portions of the path. I still managed to get in over 6K and had a pleasant enough journey, most of which was on the familiar My Bitch trail.

***The trail, as laid by the Hare, was just under 10K.***

***Us shortcutters avoided the first climb and then reconnected with the trail here.***

***In addition to the usual chalk and powder markings, the Hare stapled paper to leaves. That felt a little too close to littering for me.***

***We still had a moderate climb to attend to on our version of the trail (this was also part of the Hare’s trail, as the chalk marking on the tree indicates.***

***The standard cookie delivery for Mountain Mama Onelia***

***I’ve got a feeling this treefall did make a sound, even if no one was there to hear it. It did require a slight detour for us trail walkers.***

***Then we ran into a couple of Hashers going in the wrong direction. We turned them around before they’d gone too far out the way.***

***Time to choose your shortcut option.***

***That’s always an encouraging sign. Some of my fellow Hashers contend that I walk faster when I see this.***

Yesterday’s run was #1647 for the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers. When I saw this trail marking, I thought at first that I had stepped into the future through some kind of time warp. Turns out the Hare is dyslexic.

***Arriving at our On-Home venue, Kim’s Place on Baloy Beach.***

This was the first time we’d used Kim’s for a gathering. I’d suggested we give it a try, and I was a little worried whether they’d be able to accommodate over fifty Hashers. But it all seemed to go well. Here’s a short (less than three minutes) video to give you a taste of what Kim’s Place is like:

***Some Corona Hashers from Angeles City enjoying their beach time.***

***Kim’s is a small place, but we managed to fit in comfortably.***

***The grumpy old fuckers are permitted to sit.***

***And the sun sets on another Hash Monday.***

***The Hash was done, but the drinking continued at the after-Hash gathering at It Doesn’t Matter.***

Not a bad way to spend the day!

***And I ended the month on a low note!***

It’s been interesting (to me) as I scroll through the LTG archives in search of stories worthy of inclusion in The Story of My Life. I’ve made to March 2006 so far, and what strikes me is that even back in my early days as a blogger, my posts were inane drivel about my daily activities. Once a diary, always a diary, I suppose. Anyway, I began playing darts competitively the month before, and I discovered that I had some talent for the game. In this post, I recount the tale of winning money for the first time in a tournament. Yeah, as exciting as it sounds!

Fifteen years ago, I posted some photos of my father on Facebook. He’d just opened an account there and needed a profile picture. I posted some that I had and asked folks to weigh in on the ones they liked best. There were my favorites:

***Walter Lee in the engine room near the end of his career as a merchant seaman.***

***Dad, after retirement, bought a small farm in Oklahoma. My kids lived there with the grandparents after my divorce from their mother.***

***This would be around 1960 on a camping trip in the desert. I rode many miles in the back of that Jeep pickup truck.***

Sadly, my father passed away just over a year later.

I found today’s YouTube video amusing. I’m in no position to argue with a Filipina about what Filipinas don’t like, but advising men not to speak Tagalog seems over the top. She goes about explaining why in a humorous way (and in less than five minutes). I must have found the exception to the rule with Swan, as she is always encouraging me to learn new words in her language.

And then there are these:

***I’m totally in the dark about this***

***What kind of dick carries a load like that? That takes some big balls.***

And so it goes, on and on. Thanks for letting me share the joy.

Daysun

Posted on 31/March/2025 by John McCrarey

Welp, if you can put the cart before the horse, there’s no reason you can’t put the day before the sun, right? But first things first:

A crap video of Section Three of the Candy Walk (at least it is less than four minutes long):

***The Tagalog word for used clothing***

***Well-disciplined candy recipients posing for a photo***

The giving wasn’t done yet; I still had the Hideaway feeding to attend to.

***Food from Jewel Cafe, and I made the brownies for dessert.***

Then it was time to hit the beach.

***They should have dug a hole before burying the body***

***And here comes my girl, right on time!***

***A moderately busy afternoon on the floater***

Then it was off to our Sunday dinner at John’s place.

***We shared an order of birria tacos…***

We took the leftover wings to our nightcap at Green Room for the gals to enjoy. And that’s where our evening came to an end.

I’m laughing at the Tesla fools:

Is Trump never wrong?

***That might help reverse America’s negative birthrate***

To the archives, then. My first post in February 2006 was entitled “Stupid is as stupid does.” In it, I recount the tale leading to the first ambulance ride of my life and, not so coincidentally, my first stitches. It certainly warrants The Story of My Life tag.

***Nineteen years ago, I was having what appears to be a bad night at 3 Alley Pub in Itaewon. Looks like I’ve just about filled that ashtray as well.***

Ten years ago, I purchased copies of this book about a dual-citizen (Korean-American) who found himself drafted into the Korean Army. Great story by a nice guy who I’ve lost track of. Do you ever hear from him, Kevin?

***Also ten years ago,*** *a Korean, a Japanese, a Canadian, and an American walk into a bar. They order up some drinks then throw kick ass darts and win a dart match. Good times!*

More common-sense wisdom from Reekay in today’s YouTube video. My personal journey included several visits between 2007 and 2009, followed by an ill-fated detour into another failed marriage, before I resurrected my dream of the Philippines and plotted my future life here prior to moving in 2018. I’ve encountered some bumps in the road along the way, but I’ve no regrets about my decision to retire here.

Are you ready for these?

***Damn, that’s bad. I’ll do better, I promise!***

***Either way, you weren’t there when he needed you…***

And there you have it. Another Hash Monday has arrived, and I’ve got a bad feeling today’s trail won’t be to my liking (the Hare is also a Corona Hasher), but I’ll shortcut as needed. I ate lunch while finishing this post, so I’m ready to roll.

***I’m a lucky man to have a girl who loves to cook.***

The same, but different

Posted on 30/March/2025 by John McCrarey

Well, more like a sprinkling of new on top of the same old, same old. That’s just the way I roll.

Kicked off the morning with the Sweet Saturday Stroll, handing out goodies to the kids in the surrounding neighborhoods.

***Encountered the first kid before we were even out of Alta Vista.***

***Another sad reminder that mortality comes for us all. I graduated high school in 1973, just before Reynaldo’s birth. He’s finished now, and I’m still going.***

***Sizzle & Glazed is now open for business***

***A perfect venue for the Diet Cheaters Anonymous meetings***

I did a four-minute video clip of one section of our stroll.

***Steppin’ down near the end of our trail***

***Five kilometers of sweet dispensations***

Back home and glancing out the window, there was smoke on Black Rock:

***That would have made Friday’s hot hike even hotter***

So, by now, you are probably thinking, WTF? There’s nothing different here. Well, when we ventured into town at beer o’clock, we went somewhere we’d never been before: the new Red Bar. Or, more accurately, the new location of Red Bar. It occupies the space that was formerly the home of Blue Butterfly, a bar I reviewed here. All the things I liked about Blue Butterfly are still present at Red Bar, but inside, they also added a dance stage. Well, my thing is sitting outside and watching the world go by, and that’s just what we did yesterday.

***The outdoor seating area has been upgraded with more comfortable stools.***

So, despite it being our first visit, we felt right at home. We both knew several of the waitresses working there now, and Swan bought them some food from a passing vendor. I chipped in some lady drinks, and we let the good times roll. Perhaps the best review I can render is reporting that Swan wanted to stay for a SECOND glass of wine. That almost never happens. She said she was enjoying the outdoor vibe and the music.

***Susan, who used to work at Queen Victoria Bar, offered to braid Swan’s hair.***

Sticking with our open-air desires and seldom-visited theme, we did our nightcap at Cheap Charlies.

It was a lovely Saturday night out on the town. We will definitely be adding Red Bar to our list of frequently visited venues.

***All’s well doesn’t always end well.***

From the LTG archives is a post from January 2006 written on the occasion of my one-year anniversary in Korea. I’d signed up for a two-year tour, so I was thinking I was halfway home. Except it didn’t turn out that way. Just another tale in The Story of My Life.

Today’s YouTube video strikes a little too close to home. I feel estranged from my family back home, and from my perspective, they’ve turned their backs on me. Perhaps they see the opposite. Either way, it hurts.

And here I go again:

And there you have it. Back to normal today, but I’m okay with that. I’ll share the details tomorrow. Y’all come back now, hear?

Long and hot

Posted on 29/March/2025 by John McCrarey

Well, the hike was longer than usual (almost 10K), and it was mainit (mah-een-it). That’s what Swan kept saying as we marched along, so it looks like the hot season is upon us once again. Soon, I’ll be looking forward to the rainy season so I can complain about being soaked with something other than sweat. That’s life in the Philippines, and that’s the life I’ve chosen, so here we go.

***This week’s iteration of the Friday hikers: (L-R) Scott, Swan, Jay, Ed, and Erik***

***Walking the streets of the Santa Monica subdivision***

***The house Scott had built when he first retired and moved to the PI in 2005. Things didn’t go according to that dream, but he has found a new dream now.***

***Ed, Jay, and Erik went up Black Rock. Scott, me, and Swan went around it.***

***Bypassing the mountain we’ll be climbing on Easter Monday***

***The entrance to the new subdivision that scarred the mountainside is under construction***.

***If you are going to go long and hot, keep it flat***.

***Trekking through the Naugsol Valley***

***Pushing on up the back way to my house***

***How we got from here to there (the yellow is those lazy shortcutters going OVER Black Rock).***

I had an SOB to introduce to Jay before he flew home to Japan in the wee hours of morning, so at the appointed hour, we met up at Wet Spot.

***The dance teams from six of Barretto’s finest bars take the stage.***

“*Get that ass out of my face!,”* ***I imagined screaming.***

***What are the odds they all farted at the same time?***

Anyway, Jay seemed to enjoy the show. He was also a judge, and our scorecards came out the same. The other judges disagreed with our ranking order, but everyone had Wet Spot on top. Jay said he didn’t have any experience with an “all you can drink” system, and he was pretty toasted by the end of the show. We took him next door to Sit-n-Bull so he could get some food to take back to his hotel while he waited for his airport transportation to arrive. He messaged me today that he made it back to Japan safe and sound.

***How do you say no to a slice of pecan pie?***

From the LTG archives is another nearly meaningless post from January 2006 entitled, “Made it to Friday.” I’m only posting it here now because it contains a link (that surprisingly still works) to an article in the Seoul Times about the bars of Itaewon. I don’t remember it being nearly as bad as the author (an Irish bloke) describes, but these days with the Army down south, the Itaewon I knew will never be the same.

This photo of my high school sweetheart and me came up in my Facebook memories today:

***Karen and I are still friends on Facebook. That’s my 1963 Ford pickup truck with wooden bumpers and three in the tree.***

Fourteen years ago, I moved into my retirement home in South Carolina and completed my darts setup.

***The plan was to live here six months a year, and six months in Korea. The best of both worlds.***

***The dart awards I’d accumulated over the years.***

***And the woman who promised to love me forever. Boy, was I in for a surprise.***

Everything changes, and life goes on. Until it doesn’t.

In today’s YouTube video, Reekay shares his perspectives on maintaining a positive relationship with a “good girl” Filipina. The first example he uses is about a guy who exposed his wife to the bar scene (that she didn’t like), and she eventually left him over his refusal to leave that life behind. Hmm. Swan joins me on my bar excursions, but she seems to be enjoying herself. Granted, we don’t do the raunchy places, but she appears to be okay with that aspect of my life. I guess it depends on the girl.

And now it’s time to smile:

Another day, another post. It may all be meaningless, but keep ’em coming!

Getting around about it

Posted on 28/March/2025 by John McCrarey

An enjoyable Thursday stroll with the neighbors doing the Philseco Road loop around Subic town. And then a relaxing evening on Baloy Beach showing our visitor Jay around. A surprise encounter with Martin and Joss at Treasure Island Resort led to a shared dining experience. We dropped Jay at Harley’s on our way home, and he took it from there. It seems his night had a happy ending. It doesn’t get much better than that around here!

***Out of the Jeepney and on the road***

***Swan and I had enough after 7K. Martin and Joss walked the remaining 4K back to Barretto without us.***

After some R&R at home, it was time to hit the beach.

***The Kalaklan Ridge as seen from the Kokomo’s floating bar***

***Jay enjoying his Kokomo’s experience. And the fun was just beginning.***

***I warned Jay about those bottled lady drink prices, but he bought them anyway.***

***Swan moved to the deck for a better view***

***I bought a round of SINGLE lady drinks for the hard-working bar staff***. ***Well, we were the only customers, but still…***

***Our dining companions, Jay, Martin, and Joss.***

So, as I mentioned, Jay went to Harley’s after dinner. And when the floating bar closed, one of the gals he had met there joined him. He said they had a nice night together. Well done, young man!

I’ve made it to January 2006 in my journey through the LTG archives. In a post called “Peekaboo Paradox,” I make the claim that I miss the Sunday edition of the Washington Post. Damn, I’ve come a long way, baby! Now, one thing I’ve noticed is almost none of the shit I linked to all those years ago still works. However, to my surprise, the article I linked to is still available and still worth reading. Enjoy!

Today’s YouTube video is a good reminder to not lose your cool as a foreigner in the Philippines. I adopted this mantra long ago: “Take a deep breath. Relax. Accept the Filipino way.” It helps!

The funny business:

***You probably have that job locked up***

***They have a word for the Filipina silent treatment: tampo***

***Yeah, to know me is to love me, but nobody knows that.***

Jay’s last night in town, so I’m going to introduce him to that SOB I know. What a life, eh?

My kind of high way

Posted on 27/March/2025 by John McCrarey

“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.”
–John Muir

Yesterday’s adventure with the Wednesday Walkers took us to higher ground, and it was worth the climb. We wanted to share the views from the Kalaklan Ridge with first-time visitor Jay and my neighbors, Martin and Joss. They were not disappointed. Here is some of what we saw along the way.

***After a fifteen-minute Jeepney ride out to Kale Beach, we were ready to rumble (or stumble)***

***There is no easy way to the ridgeline, but this is the easiest***

***Light through the trees enhanced by smoke from a fire nearby***

***Even when the ridgeline is achieved, it is still an uphill*** ***traverse***

***There is still no drivable road (well, maybe a 4×4), but something is going on up here.***

***A pause at the high point of our hike***

I made a shortish seven-minute video from where we stood in the photo above to the viewpoint. Some awesome scenery along the way, and as a bonus, you can hear me sing the theme song to Mr. Ed.

***All the newbies agreed it was worth the climb***

***Last time we went this way, it was nearly impassable. One of those burns fixed that.***

***A brief stop at Rolly’s place to hand out candy to the kids…***

***The only rickety bridge we encountered***

***Six and a half kilometers with an elevation gain of 231 meters.***

And so concluded the morning fun. When beer o’clock arrived, we headed to Alaska Club to spend the 500-peso SOB voucher I brought home last week. While there, I heard from the wife of Emmanuel, the peanut vendor (she was on his Facebook account), saying that he was in the hospital again and needed my help to purchase medicine.

***She sent along this photo. I’ve helped him in the past, and I’m not going to say no to a nice guy in need. He’s not looking good; I hope he pulls through.***

The wife came from the hospital in Olongapo to Alaska Club to pick up the 3000 pesos he needed. Some nights, I’ll spend that much in the bars, so it’s all relative. I didn’t really keep track, but we bought a pizza, a couple of lady drinks, and some tips (50 pesos each) for the dancers at Alaska. Then we moved on to Green Room for our nightcap, and more lady drinks and tips flowed. It’s a blessing to share the relative bounty of my pension, bringing comfort and joy to those around me. Or so I keep telling myself.

Once back to the comfort and safety of home, I overindulged in dessert. Swan asked if I wanted a scoop of ice cream or her fruit salad. I responded, “Both,” and stuck to my guns.

Today’s visit to the LTG archives took me to a post from December 2005, entitled “Regarding Canada.” It made me smile because my visiting friend, Jay, is a Canadian. The first half of the post is a meaningless rant about Canada’s failure to support the ongoing GWOT (global war on terror). It’s the second half where I recount the circumstances of my being denied permission to enter Canada back in 1974 that makes the post worthy of inclusion in The Story of My Life. I’ve still never been to Canada.

On this day in history, I made these Facebook posts:

***Nine years ago, I met this woman with a heart of stone on a hike just outside of Itaewon.***

***Seven years ago, I packed a balikbayan box to ship some of my belongings to the Philippines 45 days prior to my move. It was waiting for me at a friend’s house when I arrived.***

***Five years ago, I was channeling Morgan Freeman. The truth is, I’m not a violent drunk, so this would never happen.*** ***I might trip over my shoes, though.***

The Filipina Pea is still visiting Florida in the good ol’ USA, and in today’s YouTube video, she shares her first visit to a Costco outlet. We do have a similar store here (S&R) in nearby Pampagna, but I guess they don’t have an outlet where she lives in Dumaguete.

The daily dose of humor:

Alright, my duty here is now completed. I promised Jay a tour of Baloy Beach later today, which will include my overdue visit to the Kokomo’s floating bar and Swan’s feet in the sand time. More to come tomorrow, unless the Gods have other plans for me.

Getting the point

Posted on 26/March/2025 by John McCrarey

The adventure continues, if you can call it that. I revisited the past at my old darts venue, Alley Cats. It had been long enough since I attended my last tournament that it all felt almost new and fresh. It was great to see some familiar faces and reflect on the good times we shared during my darting days. I didn’t participate in the tournament, but I enjoyed watching the competition. My Korea buddy, Jay, played and went through the bracket undefeated. He’ll be back for more today with the league and follow-on tourney. I’ll be back to my usual life in the bars of Barretto. And life goes on. (The only point to this post is the tip of the dart. Get it?)

As usual, Mama was waiting for me when we headed out for our weekly grocery shopping. I’ve been giving her handouts for over seven years now. I couldn’t help but notice that she looked more worn than usual yesterday. Life on the streets is hard.

***Saw this on the way back from shopping. Damn, we used to ride in back of the pickup truck when I was a kid, but this seems inherently more dangerous.***

At beer o’clock, we headed to Alley Cats to meet up with Jay. I brought a batch of brownies for the girls like I used to do in the good ol’ days.

***I had to laugh when I saw this on the way to Alley Cats. The sign translates to: “It is forbidden to throw garbage here.***” ***Yeah, right, this is the Philippines. Littering is our culture.***

***Visiting Alley Cats again was a nice change of pace, and Swan seemed to enjoy herself, even if she did miss her toes in the sand time. We’ll make up for it tomorrow.***

***We had pizzas delivered from Sit-n-Bull for the girls and dart players. I had one slice and called it dinner.***

***Jay and Liezel in the Championship round***

***Jay finished first, Liezel second, and Billy took third.***

Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. My neighbors, Jeff and Davina, stopped by to join the fun near the end of the tournament. Alley Cats has a beer card offer: six beers for the price of five. I bought a card upon arrival. And then I bought another. Not knowing when I might return to the Alley, I finished all the drinks on the card before departing. A twelve-beer night!

In the LTG archives, I came upon a post called “Transitions” that was mostly as boring as my current drivel, but ended with my recitation of a rather amusing encounter with some Koreans in an Itaewon bar called Sweet Caroline’s. My then-wife’s comment was funny, too. These days, I’m happy, but I’m still not gay.

Via Facebook, a memory from this day in history:

***Nine years ago, I found a new, less-traveled path to the top of Namsan***

***As is often the case, the reward for a hard climb is a view like this.***

Today’s YouTube video talks about aggressive child beggars in the Philippines. I had trouble once as a tourist in Manila when a group of kids surrounded me and started getting grabby. I ran away. I’ve never had anything like that happen since. I never give money to kids because I don’t want them to think that begging is a viable income option. It is also my understanding that giving money to children is against the law in the Philippines. I help out a couple of adult street dwellers when I see them, but that’s it. My other charity projects assuage my guilt at ignoring the pleas of beggars I encounter.

How about these?

***My bedtime hours are nine to five, and I’m not even in jail.***

***Every relationship has moments of misunderstanding***

***I guess I’m ahead of my time and was failing before it was cool!*** 😉

And that’s all he wrote. For today, anyway. I’ve got a couple of SOB coupons I need to expend before they expire, so I’ll work on that this evening. I’ll let you know how that turns out for me tomorrow.

A Hash Crash

Posted on 25/March/2025 by John McCrarey

The Hares laid a short but challenging trail this week, and I fell for it. We began and ended at the 13 Resort in Calapandayan. The trail started with a mild uphill on pavement followed by a steep and treacherous downward path covered in slippery leaves and ankle-grabbing vines. I had a couple of close calls along the way but never hit the ground. Then there was another up, but it wasn’t too bad. Coming down the other side, our trail was covered in a sheet of trampled grass. It wasn’t as slick as ice, but it was close enough. My feet decided to go airborne, and I wound up on my ass. The only blood I spilled was from a scraped elbow, so I’ve got nothing to complain about.

***Heading up through an Alta Vista-like subdivision***

***No photos of the hard parts, I was too busy trying to keep my feet on the ground***

***Liars! I didn’t see a single duck.***

***It should come as no surprise that I turned left***

***I took my tumble a little further down the trail***

***A haunted-looking hospital building that was abandoned during construction*** ***many years ago***

***Back On-Home and enjoying the bay views at 13 Resort***

***Jay, our first-time Hasher, making new friends***

***The after-Hash gathering at It Doesn’t Matter***

***The Gash at their special IDM table***

A bit of over-indulgence yesterday, but that’s what the Hash is all about.

From the LTG archives is this post from my first Thanksgiving in Korea, where I reflect on all that I had to be thankful for. Everything changes.

Eleven years ago, I was reflecting in the mountains of Seoul.

***I was still using a camera in those days. It seems you always lose the things you love the most.***

***Two years ago, I did a faceplant getting out of a trike. Yes, alcohol was involved.***

When you are living rich in a poor country, it is sometimes easy to overlook what life is like when you are living poor. I enjoyed this vlogger’s storytelling so much I’ve now subscribed to her channel.

Humor me:

***Okay, this is cringe, even by my low standards***

***When I shared this one with Swan, she cracked up.***

***I prefer the direct deposit method***

I’ll be continuing my tour guide duties this evening by accompanying Jay to Alley Cats for the Tuesday dart tournament. I won’t be playing, however. Not sure what we will do after that, but I have an SOB coupon I need to use at Alaska Club. We’ll see.

Guide duty

Posted on 24/March/2025 by John McCrarey

Yesterday was filled with the usual Sunday routines but with an added twist. An old dart league compadre from the Korea days is visiting Subic this week, and I’ve consented to show him around town. Last night, Jay joined us on the Arizona floating bar, then came along for dinner at John’s place. Next, we introduced Jay to Barretto’s Wet Spot. That’s all the fun I had in me, so we headed home, and I directed Jay to Johansson’s so he could practice his darts (he’ll be playing at Alley Cats this week). And later today, Jay will be losing his Hash virginity. Should be a good time.

The day began with the Sunday Candy Walk, and it was good to be back after our hiatus last week. My videos suck, but I try to finish what I started, so here is the six-minute section two of our standard walk (in case you missed it, you can see section one here.)

A few more photos from our walk:

***Our regulars were happy to see us back***

***When you find out your girlfriend is a swinger***

A nap, a blog post, and a shower later it was time for the Hideaway feeding.

Time to hit the beach.

***There she goes. Or is the sun male?***

***I’ll have to get Jay up to the Kalaklan Ridge while he’s here***

Then it was off for some dinner.

***This is a new addition. I’ll take it as a good sign!***

Jay enjoyed the upstairs ambiance. Food was good. Swan had her usual birria tacos, and Jay went with a cheeseburger. His request for some avocado on top was granted. Sorry, I didn’t get a picture, that was a damn big burger.

***I had the bulgogi and was allowed to exchange the rice for a side salad.***

We did our nightcap at Wet Spot, and Jay, being the new kid in town, caught the eye of one gal who wanted his attention. She rubbed his shoulders some, and he gave her a lady drink, then sent her away. Well played!

So, back in Itaewon times, Jay was just one of the dart league buddies, and I didn’t know him all that well. He’s a teacher, and after leaving Korea, he spent a couple of years in Thailand. He’s currently working in Japan. He’s a Canadian, and I sense he leans to the left, but we successfully avoided getting into any political conversation. I called Canada the 51st state, and he responded that America is Canada’s underwear, so that was well-played. He is looking forward to some hikes during his visit, and I’ll gladly accommodate him in that regard. I also secured Jay a spot on a Wednesday dart league team and will introduce him to the Alley Cats darts community tomorrow. This being a tour guide is a nice change of pace!

In health metrics, for the first time since I’ve been recording my blood pressure on a daily basis, I had a reading under 100! 98/64 was unfamiliar territory for me, but when I looked it up to make sure I wasn’t in the danger zone, I discovered I was still in the “normal” range. In a bit or unrelated news, the top shelf of my closet is filled with clothes that no longer fit me. Yesterday, I randomly grabbed a pair of shorts from the past and I’ll be damned, but they fit me again! That’s my kind of progress!

When was the last time SNL did something funny? Long enough ago for this to be worthy of note:

Saturday Night Live is finally catching up with reality that 75%
of Americans love Trump!

Even the dog loves Trump!
🇺🇸 🐾🐾

This is funny! 😂 pic.twitter.com/0A8wZa6OFQ
— Girl patriot (@Girlpatriot1974) March 23, 2025

Today’s stroll through the LTG archives brought me back to this post in October 2005, when I discovered the poet Charles Bukowski. I’ve always been a fan of poetry, so how I went so long without reading his work is strange indeed. But, better late than never, I suppose. Here’s my favorite:

The Laughing Heart

your life is your life
don't let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can't beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.

From Facebook memories of this day in the past:

***Seven years ago, I was hiking with my workmates in Buan, Korea***

***Five years ago, I was obeying the edicts of the government like a good little sheep.***

***Three years ago,*** ***a signed copy of this book arrived in the mail. Thanks again, Kevin!***

Today’s YouTube video shares some news items from around the PI. Flirting with a man’s wife isn’t too bright, but kicking his ass when he complains about it is downright stupid. The nightmare of Filipino jail is the reward that comes from ignorance. I’d like to know more about the hikers who were rescued after being lost for several days; I hadn’t heard about that.

Take these for what they are worth:

***Calm down, it was just a misunderstanding.***

Okay, I’ve got a Hash to attend to. Tell you all about it tomorrow.

Pig on a stick

Posted on 23/March/2025 by John McCrarey

Another day of liquification, but what goes in you must come out. It’s a shitty situation, but this too shall pass. It will be good to feel solid again. But enough of that crap, let’s focus on the positive.

Kicked off the morning with the Sweet Saturday walk. Neighbors Martin and Joss asked to come along, and the more, the merrier. They seemed to enjoy it. As we entered the first neighborhood, we saw a baboy transitioning to lechon.

***One of the most popular foods in the Philippines***

I’ve eaten lechon many times, but seeing how this one was being roasted was interesting. The fire surrounds the pig and generates the heat, but the meat is not directly over the fire. There was a man behind that barrier in the back, cranking the skewering pole in rotisserie fashion. Hard work for a good meal.

***Swan and Joss dispensed the goodies while Martin and I looked on.***

***WTF is that all about? Never seen anything like it here before. (No foreigners in this poor village)***

***The rarely seen white person on a funeral banner. Ralph made it to 85, so well done, sir.***

***The day’s “big” climb begins***. ***(It wasn’t that big)***

Later in the day, we walked into town for a change of scenery.

We did our nightcap at Green Room. Waitress Chu challenged me to a game of pool, and feeling a tad bored, I accepted. She was leading in the first game but then scratched on the 8-ball, giving me a backdoor victory. Chu wanted a rematch, and I granted her wish. I actually played better than expected, and we were both down to the 8-ball at the end. She shot and missed. I didn’t.

One of the side effects of whatever it is that is ailing me is feeling fatigued. Even though it was Saturday night, I was over and done with it at 7:30. That’s early, even by my low standards.

***On the plus side, I haven’t been feeling very hungry either.***

Today’s journey through the LTG archives brought me to a post from October 2005. I’d just returned from an excursion to Phoenix, Arizona, for some work-related training. It was apparently quite the trip. When the session ended, I rented a car and drove through the Mojave desert. Then, I stopped in Laughlin, Nevada, for some gambling at the blackjack tables. On the way back to Phoenix, I crossed the border at Yuma and had some fun in Mexico. But here’s the thing: until I read that post, I had absolutely no recollection of that trip whatsoever. That freaks me out some, but it’s good to know this blog serves some purpose if only to remind me of things I’ve done. That makes the post worthy of a tag in The Story of My Life.

On this day in history via Facebook memories:

***Seven years ago, I took my staff on my final team-building excursion to Korea’s west coast. Damn, those were good times.***

***Until they tried to leave without me!***

And then, six years ago, this guy came into my life:

***Welcome home, Lucky! Don’t ever bite the hand that feeds you. Oh, wait…***

My neck is sore from simultaneously laughing and shaking my head at the bullshit stuff my lefty friends have been posting on Facebook. Of course, I counter with my own memes to drive them even crazier.

***They make me feel so smart by comparison***

***I knew we were doomed as a nation had Kamala won, so yeah, let’s dance!***

Today’s YouTube video shares mistakes expats make in the Philippines and tells how to avoid them. Common sense ain’t real common in these parts. Yeah, I’ve had my share of fuckups, too.

Laughter is the best medicine. Here’s your daily dose:

***I used to watch Leave It To Beaver when I was Beaver’s age.***

I’m sure you’ve had enough of this nonsense for now, so I’ll let it be. Until next time.

Bitch, please

Posted on 22/March/2025 by John McCrarey

I got to pick the route for the Friday group hike, and since we had my virgin neighbors along, I wanted to introduce them to my old friend, the My Bitch trail. We took a different route up and a new way down, but in between were the usual views that I enjoy. Martin and Joss were not disappointed, and although they are distance walkers (15K is their norm) on the flat streets of Manila, they found the Bitch plenty challenging. Here is some of what they got to experience:

***A group of nine this week. That’s Martin and Joss on the right.***

***Passing through a local neighborhood***

***That Bitch ain’t gonna walk herself***

***The requisite stop at Mountain Mama Onelia’s place***

***The place where the old trail was turned into a dirt road***

***A steep descent to the valley below begins***

***Then back up to Alta Vista and the end of our hike***

I attended my first SOB in over a month last night. A shockingly low turnout of only eleven guests to watch the performance. I’ve seen better shows, but no complaints. My fellow judges agreed that Voodoo put on the best dance routine, with Alaska a close second.

***Most of the teams only had three performers, and some of the gals weren’t all that attractive.***

I hope things turn around; I’m sure they lost money due to low attendance last night.

As usual, we came straight home after the show was over at eight. I was tired and not feeling so good for some reason. Today, I’m hoping the arria dies soon.

Today’s dive into the LTG archives brings us the story of the day I was stuck, poked, prodded, and probed back in February 2010. Say what you will about Korean healthcare, but their one-stop annual physical facilities are like something I’ve never seen before. Lots of pictures documenting my station-to-station journey on the road to better health. You’ve been warned.

From Facebook memories of this day in my history, comes these:

***Fifteen years ago, I enjoyed the bridge views on my Han River walk in Seoul***

***Eight years ago, my secretary, Ms. Song Unchu, was promoted to an HR Specialist position. She still worked for me, so I wasn’t able to share how much I cared for her.***

***A deserted National Highway in Barretto is something you never see. Unless there is a scamdemic lockdown taking place like there was five years ago.***

With all these Nazi accusations being bandied about, this is a useful guide to determine who the real Nazis are:

***So, all you accusers might want to take a long, hard look in the mirror.***

In today’s YouTube video, The Filipina Pea doesn’t hold back on the harsh realities of life in the Philippines. She’s right, but I ain’t leaving.

But wait, there’s more:

***I know I’m shit when it comes to grammar***

***The fight broke out when they ran into Pre.***

That’s all there is for this time. We’ll see what happens next.

Living long and large

Posted on 21/March/2025 by John McCrarey

And prospects for prosperity are looking good! That’s my way of saying the blood work results were better than I had hoped for–everything was within the normal range, and nasty things like cholesterol were below standard. Dr. Jo was impressed with the marked improvement over my previous results last July and suggested I keep on doing what I’ve been doing. I’m sure diet and exercise are factors, but the chelation treatments have also likely contributed to my healthier results. Dr. Jo and I agreed to do the four-week chelation cycle every other month going forward and see how that works out for me.

***Bloody hell, is that me?*** ***It’s nice to be normal for a change.***

***Dr. Jo says my kidneys will thank me for this. One of my fears is to suffer the fate of the late John Kim.***

Meanwhile, back at the house, Swan was busy in the kitchen preparing for a gathering at The Rite Spot.

***Allow me to introduce you: Meatballs***

***And sauce for the meatballs and spaghetti***

***The skies were a tad threatening, but no raindrops fell on our heads.***

The food was good, the company outstanding, and the beer icy cold—a winning combination. Neighbor Martin (the guy on the left side of the table) spends most of his time working in Manila, so we hadn’t enjoyed his company in quite a while. His wife, Joss, paid me a nice compliment when she told me she hadn’t recognized me at first because of my recent weight loss. My high school compatriot Mike (at the head of the table) regaled us with stories from his extraordinary life. Starting with his time with the army in Vietnam, his career as a music promoter with some of the biggest bands in rock-n-roll history, and some of his adventures from the early years of his retired life in Brazil. Martin was so impressed that he tried to talk Mike into writing his story, and he’d use some of his connections to make it into a movie. Mike was non-committal about doing so, but he’s going to the USA next week to retrieve some of his papers and photos. We shall see.

The party went later than expected, and regular readers will be shocked to hear I was up until well after ten p.m. last night. I’m glad my health is up to the challenge! Martin and his wife also asked to join this morning’s group hike, and it was great to have them along.

***Hey, I was in party mode! Those twelve Zeros I downed didn’t help.***

There is some good news: despite my recent transgressions, today’s weigh-in has me down to 228.9 pounds. So, since I began this quest on November 1, 2024, I’ve lost 38.2 pounds overall and 2.8 pounds since my March 7 weigh-in.

Things I saw and shared on Facebook today:

***The left is too blind to see the hate they complain about is coming from within their addled brains.***

***Which is not to say they had much in the way of brains to begin with***

Today’s stroll through the LTG archives brought me to this post from October 2005. It’s just another day-in-the-life type entry, much like I’m still writing twenty years later. I do use more pictures these days, though. I was a CIV III fanatic back then. I’m not sure why I stopped playing.

I’m pretty sure I posted this poem I wrote in high school previously, but here it is again. Of special note is that my creative writing teacher seemed to almost like it. He was normally very critical of my work.

***“Literati” was a publication featuring the best creative works of Westminster High School students. Either I didn’t submit this poem, or it wasn’t accepted.***

Facebook memories carried me back to the lonely life I was living in Pyeongtaek during my final months in Korea seven years ago.

***Looking back, I could have made so much more of this time in my life. I’ll fix things if God grants the “do-over” afterlife I’m praying for.***

Today’s YouTube talks about why people move to the PI and where they hope to find what they seek. It’s short, and I enjoyed the street scenes from Cebu City, a place I briefly considered before opting to live my small-town lifestyle.

Take these as you will:

And that’s all I’ve got for today. I’ll be attending my first SOB in a while tonight, so that’s something a little different to do. With my health metrics on the upswing, I might be subjecting y’all to this daily punishment for a long time come. Unless I get squashed crossing the National Highway.

Martin Fails

Posted on 20/March/2025 by John McCrarey

The Wednesday Walkers ventured out to the far side of Olongapo City with the plan of revisiting Martin Falls, a journey we last took a couple of years ago. Things change, and memories fade. Which is the best excuse I can come up with for our failure to find our way to our intended destination. Our two wrong turns both resulted in an unnecessary hill climb and then a retreat. After the second wayward attempt, we did discover the path we should have taken, but by then, we were whupped and just said, “fuck it.” The trail will be there next time we come out this way, and the proper course is not etched in our brains. Famous last words.

***Beginning our trek in blissful ignorance***

***Passing through a small village along the way***

***The river flows, it flows to the sea…***

***This old man had been out in the woods collecting fruits. We bought 100 pesos worth, and he thanked us, saying now he could buy some rice.***

***This part of the adventure was quite pleasant***

***What’s a hike without crossing a rickety bridge?***

***We are on the wrong path and don’t know it yet.***

***All that effort only to find a dead end***

***That’s just the ups and downs that come with the territory***

***I declared this “Martin Jr. Falls” and we headed back***

***A shanty with a pool was an unusual sight***

***We did have the opportunity to hand out some candy***

***There is something off about this goat***

***Back on the nice part of our trail***

***A final dispensation of sweetness to the sweet***

***And here it is. The long orange is the intended path. The yellow is our fuck up. We won’t do that again!***

Wednesday evening involved a visit to It Doesn’t Matter, a snack at Sit-n-Bull, and a nightcap at Green Room.

***As seen from IDM, there is no such thing as an overloaded trike. After almost seven years, I’m still shaking my head in amazement at the shit I see here.***

***Eating light: Swan and I shared this chicken quesadilla for dinner.***

How I roll, like it or not:

***I don’t give a damn, but I still laugh at them***

I never got that email from Musk, but I answered it anyway:

Today’s stroll through the LTG archives recalled the time I had to teach a Korean woman the meaning of sodomy. For the record, I didn’t show her, I told her. Still, it was amusing enough to warrant inclusion in The Story of My Life.

Back in 2008, I fell in love with a Korean woman for the first time.

***We shared a nice year together, then she moved to the USA to pursue her dreams. Last I heard, she was living in NYC and doing well. I’m happy for her.***

Five years ago, this insanity had just begun:

***The crazy thing is that Alta Vista is in Barangay San Isidro, but you can’t get to San Isidro (in a vehicle) without passing through Barangay Barretto. My “pass” wasn’t valid in Barretto.***

Today’s YouTube video is from the Filipina Pea, who is currently visiting the USA and discovering the joys of a Florida flea market. That gal gets around!

And you knew this was coming:

***She’ll be here waiting for you in the Philippines in eighteen years***

Oh well, that’s just about enough for today. Did my blood work this morning and will pick up the results this afternoon prior to my appointment with Dr. Jo. Then I’ll pay an overdue visit to The Rite Spot On The Roof. I will let you know how that goes tomorrow.

Give me a sign

Posted on 19/March/2025 by John McCrarey

Back at it in Barretto again. As they say, if the shoe fits, wear it. Mine are plenty comfortable. The Tuesday routine starts with grocery shopping. Nothing exciting about that, just a weekly chore that feels good when it’s done. Yesterday, I wore my Trump T-shirt to the supermarket. I ran into an American acquaintance there, and we had a brief chat. Then another Yank neither of us knew approached and asked out of the blue if I thought Trump would rescue Duterte, the former Philippines president, from the clutches of the UN’s International Criminal Court. I responded that I hadn’t heard anything about Trump intervening and shared my opinion that Duterte had done some fucked up shit, but I didn’t think it was appropriate for the ICC to get involved–leave it to the Filipino people to decide what, if anything, deserves prosecution. The stranger seemed to agree with that approach, and we all got on with the shopping. I’m glad he wasn’t one of those insane folks suffering from TDS.

With nothing better to do, I made a video of the drive back to Barretto. It’s an eleven-minute trip.

But wait, you think that was boring? How about my after-shopping neighborhood walk? No, I didn’t make a video of that journey, but I did take photos of the national parks I encountered along the way.

***I started and finished on Bryce where I reside.***

***Passed by Mount Rainier, but the weather was dry***

***And Grand Canyon takes me back home***

Wasn’t that fun?

***That’s what the 4.5K trek looks like from a Google perspective***

Alright, now that we got that out of the way, who wants to go to the beach?

***The view from the floating bar upon arrival***

***The view on the floating bar. Another busy Tuesday, glad things are going well for Kokomo’s.***

Nothing out of the ordinary on the floater, just an enjoyable way to pass the time rocking on the water, enjoying the music, and, of course, imbibing some beers. As is our custom, at sundown, we moved to Treasure Island for dinner.

When we go out, we always bring along some treats for the folks who serve us. What we get a kick out of at TI is that instead of just helping themselves to the bounty as happens at other venues, the girls carefully divide the cookies and lollipops into stacks for each girl so they all get an equal share. Ain’t that sweet?

***Swan and I shared an order of enchiladas…***

To clarify, we split one enchilada and brought the other home. Three wings each, and the rest for takeout. I had some wings for breakfast this morning. And after checking my calorie intake for the day, I saw some room for dessert, so I baked up a batch of brownies when we got back home.

***Made it! I’ll take that as a sign.***

Today’s journey through the LTG archives brought me to this post from September 2005, where I honored my daughter on the occasion of her 30th birthday. It’s a worthy entry in The Story of My Life.

In 1976, the USA was 200 years old, and I was 21 and still living in California. No computer, no internet. The only technology in the house was my frickin’ calculator. And yes, we had a pink refrigerator (bought at the second-hand store) with poodles. Those were the days.

Yesterday’s YouTube video talked about why expats were fleeing the Philippines. Today’s YouTube talks about why they are coming. I report, you decide.

Maybe these will put a smile on your face:

***She’s never been to the Mojave desert***

***Sounds like she should be your ex-girlfriend, then***

***I always wanted to get a dog in Korea and name it Bosintang. It would be fun to call him to dinner.***

And that’s all there is for today’s post. I’ll be back tomorrow with more of this goodness.

White flower privilege

Posted on 18/March/2025 by John McCrarey

Another day, another Hash I lived to tell about. I’d never hiked out in this area of Floridablanca, so everything was fresh and new. I always enjoy that. Leech My Nuggets told us the trail was an easy 6K and mostly flat. I guess everything is relative. It was definitely easier than the trail I did on Sunday with the Angeles Hash. And if by flat the Hare meant only a 176-meter altitude gain, then yeah, it was flat. *cough* bullshit *cough* Anyway, I made it through the entire trail and enjoyed it for the most part. Here’s some of what I saw along the way:

***Telling the Hashers that the Earth is flat, and so is the trail***

***Turn left at the sari-sari (you can almost see the arrow)***

***Hundreds of these picnic huts lined both sides of the river***

***And the bridge wasn’t even rickety!***

***On up to presumably flatter ground***

***Looking back down from whence we came***

***The expressway bridge looks pretty impressive from this vantage point***

***Still looking for that promised “flat” ground***

***I’ve been on that highway many times but never had a walk-eye view before***

***Okay, we are still on a slight incline, but it feels comparatively flat***

***The view from our “flat” trail proves it could have been worse.***

***What goes around comes around. Approaching the bridge from the opposite side***

***A wet feet river crossing this time***

***The rocks were slippery on the riverbed, but I didn’t see anyone fall***

***And to be fair, the last part of the trail was flat***

***Chillaxin’ at the end of the journey***

***The route of our “mostly flat” Hash in Floridablanca***

Swan made a nice ten-minute video of some of the hike highlights:

Speaking of which, I forgot to share her video from Sunday’s Hash with the Angeles group. It’s longer (21 minutes), so you may want to speed it up.

In August 2005, I traveled home from Korea and met my first grandchild, a nice addition to The Story of My Life. It’s hard to believe she is twenty years old now.

The only Facebook memory from today worthy of note is a joke I posted thirteen years ago. It’s still funny:

A priest offered a lift to a Nun.

She got in and crossed her legs, forcing her gown to reveal a leg.

The priest nearly had an accident. After controlling the car, he stealthily slid his hand up her leg.

The nun said, “Father, remember Psalm 129?”

The priest removed his hand.

But, changing gears, he let his hand slide up her leg again.

The nun once again said, “Father, remember Psalm 129?”

The priest apologized “Sorry sister but the flesh is weak.”

Arriving at the convent, the nun went on her way.

On his arrival at the church, the priest rushed to look up Psalm 129.

It said, “Go forth and seek, further up, you will find glory.”

Moral of the story: If you are not well informed in your job, you might miss a great opportunity.

In today’s YouTube video, the vlogger discusses the reasons behind what he contends is a mass exodus of expats leaving the Philippines. I’m aware of a few folks who have chosen to depart for various reasons, but the vast majority of people I know are happy with their life here, as am I.

And now for the funny business:

***C’mon Spock, a gallon is a volume measurement, not a weight.***

***I just hope that don’t rub it the wrong way…***

***Was the bar named “Mulberry Bush”?***

And on that note, we’ll call an end to today’s madness. It’s nice to get out of town for a change of scenery, and it is also good to be home enjoying my routines. Shopping’s done, and Baloy Beach is next on my to-do list. Tell you all about it tomorrow.

Damn, I can’t remember the last time I heard this song. Listening to it again, it sounds like something Trump would say:

Crucifixion

Posted on 17/March/2025 by John McCrarey

After all my bad-mouthing of the Corona Hash, maybe it was Karma that nailed me to the cross on yesterday’s Angeles Hash. There were two options: a short 3.5K trail described as boring and a 5.5K long trail with a hill. Knowing that the Angeles Hash isn’t famous for challenging hikes, my Subic contingent took the long trail. And that resulted in my come to Jesus moment. The “hill” was a 200-meter climb, very steep in places, and often the dirt was soft and offered little traction. I can’t remember ever having to crawl on my hands and knees to overcome gravity before, but I experienced it yesterday. We all made it to the top eventually, greeted our savior, then headed back down the other side (which was mostly paved). We had one more short up before we reached the On-Home, which felt like icing on the cake. Lesson learned: not all Angeles City Hash trails are walks in the park.

I do have some quibbles, however. We were told to be at the Premier Hotel (just a few blocks from where we are staying) no later than 1:45 to sign up and catch the Jeepneys that were leaving for the trail start at 2 p.m. No one was there to sign us in, though, and one of the Angeles Hashers said we could pay at the Circle. That’s fine, and at two o’clock, we loaded into three waiting Jeepneys and took a forty-five minute ride out of town. Upon arrival, we noted that all the Hashers who had driven their cars had already started the trail. The Hare wasn’t there to offer guidance, and no one warned us of what was in store for those who chose the long option. The trail was not well-marked in places, and at the top of the hill we climbed, there was a U-turn that we should have been told about in advance. It took my group about 2.5 hours to finish the trail, and the circle was almost over when we arrived. I had just finished my first beer, and everyone started loading up in their vehicles to depart. But our Jeepneys were nowhere in sight. No one bothered to mention during the circle that the hill was too steep for a loaded Jeepney, so we had to carry our shit up to the Jeepneys before they departed. Undoubtedly, we would have been left behind if we hadn’t rushed up the hill in search of the Jeepneys. Anyway, rant over. It just took the fun out of the day.

***Out of the Jeepneys on arrival and looking for guidance that never came***

***Fine, we’ll figure it out on our own***

***A pleasant beginning, enjoying new scenery through gently rolling terrain***

***Someone has a sense of humor, marking this as a “short-time room, 20 minutes only.” There was no one present to provide that service, though.***

***This is the type of Hash trail we expected***

***We didn’t heed the smoke signal warning us of what lay ahead.***

***And then we came to the hill. It started like this…***

In the worst spots, I was clinging on for dear life and couldn’t snap photos.

***And then we saw this***. ***Praise the Lord!***

***Didn’t expect to see Jesus hanging around up here***

***Those tall white buildings in the distance are in Angeles City.***

***Pavement was much nicer than loose dirt***

***More religious symbolism on the downward trek***

***The sign says, “The Last Supper.” Looks like we missed it.***

***Leaving Holyland and headed for hell***

***We did manage to dispense some sweetness along the way***

***Please stay flat the rest of the way!***

***The sun had seen just about enough of us***

***The Hash Circle was in progress when I arrived***

***And here comes the remainder of the Subic contingent. Yeah, we were dead last getting back. We also had to climb that hill again when we left.***

***Not quite 6K, and it was a ballbuster***

***Gave the heart a good workout, at least***

Once we got back to town, we headed to the hotel for a quick shower, then out again for some grub.

***Close and convenient, the food is good, and the beer is cold.***

***I limited myself to a bowl of clam chowder. I liked it.***

We did our nightcap at a bar called Black Satin. It was a typical dancer bar, but there seemed to be a good crowd for a Sunday evening. We handed out lollipops for the girls and it was nice to watch them suck (without paying for it). Then it was time to call it a night (another late one for me, almost 9:30!).

***Barely making it is better than not.***

Today’s entry from the LTG archives is from August 2005, with photos from my visit to New York City, a place I’m unlikely to ever see again, at least in person. It looks like I had a good time.

From Facebook memories, seven years ago, I was climbing mountains in Asan, Korea:

***Climbing to new heights was so much easier back then***

***I don’t recall the name of the mountain we climbed, but it had a helipad on top. I got a kick out of seeing that someone had added a hanger.***

And five years ago, this madness invaded my Philippines life:

I’m in jail it seems:

Enhanced Community Quarantine

24-hour CURFEW for EVERYONE

All public transport is suspended

You may go out ONLY to buy basic needs.

Work and school are suspended.

Restaurants are CLOSED. Only deliveries and take out are allowed, no eating in the restaurant.

Serious resistance or disobedience will subject the offender to arrest.

All the bars closed and stuck at home. What’s a fella to do?

***Make a pot of chili, bake some cornbread, and pop the top on a San Mig Zero.***

Today’s YouTube video features Reekay telling the sad story of a friend who married a narcissist. It didn’t end well.

The funny business:

***I wonder if he is drinking Scotch whiskey***

Alright, I’ve got another Hash to do today. The drive from here to Floridablanca is thirty minutes or so. Not sure what to expect from the trail today or what terrain we will encounter. Guess I’ll find out soon enough.

***Happy Saint Paddy’s Day to my non-Scottish friends!***

Eye Yi Yi

Posted on 16/March/2025 by John McCrarey

Here I am in the infamous Angeles City “entertainment” district, and I’m not doing much that passes for entertainment. Hey, what else is new? As mentioned in yesterday’s post, I did not join in the Corona Hash hike. Instead, I went to visit an ophthalmologist clinic that Dr. Jo recommended. Well, actually, she recommended a particular eye doctor, but that person doesn’t work on Saturdays. The guy I saw was fine and confirmed what I suspected- I have a Stage 3 cataract in my left eye, and surgery to remove it is the only cure. I’ll need to make a decision about when and where to do that; until then, I’ll be essentially blind in one eye.

We walked for 45 minutes to get there from the hotel. I was a little concerned because the waiting room had a good crowd, but I was seen a few minutes before my scheduled appointment. The only frustration was the dilation process, which took three doses of eye drops, ten minutes apart. But that allowed the doctor to confirm that my retinas were fine. It was hard to see for a couple of hours afterward, which made the walk back a little dicey.

Some of the blurry things I saw on the way back to the hotel:

***Back to the infamous Barangay Balibago.***

***That’s an interesting name for a Korean restaurant. Then again, if I were pig, I’d be pissed, too.***

We stopped into Kokomo’s for some lunch, but didn’t eat. And yes, this is the original Kokomo’s opened by Dave Fisher before he moved his operations to Subic. He opened the Kokomo’s on Baloy Beach (and Treasure Island) but sold those years ago.

***Swan couldn’t read the menu (she had the same eye treatments as me). I ordered but changed my mind and had my food for takeout. Then I gave it away instead of eating it.***

***The notorious Walking Street bar district is quiet by day***

***This is a place I frequented back in my tourist days (circa 2007-2008)***

***Walking Street has been redesignated “Red Street.” I guess that’s short for red-light district.***

***Or maybe red alert. My situational awareness is definitely at a higher level than when I’m in Barretto.***

Then, it was back to the hotel for a nap and some blogging. When dinner time arrived, we headed out to Margarita Station, just a few blocks up the road.

***An old Oldsmobile in almost mint condition we saw along the road.***

I’d skipped both breakfast and lunch to make up for my sins the night before, but I’m a big fan of a roast beef dip sandwich, so I thought I deserved to treat myself. I was surprised at how big it was and only ate half of it.

***Margarita Station is a restaurant with a bar and two pool tables. It also has a large outdoor swimming pool.***

After our meal, we went in search of somewhere to enjoy a drink and the Angeles nightlife ambiance. We passed numerous go-go bars, but neither of us was in the mood, instead preferring an outdoor venue.

***Some nice lights outside a shopping center.***

We eventually settled on a venue I had enjoyed patronizing during those long ago Angeles visits.

***A small open-air place suits our fancy***

After a couple of beers (and one wine), we continued making our way towards ~~Walking~~ Red Street. Phillies is another outdoor bar I’ve enjoyed in the past, but alas, it was packed full when we arrived last night. After a brief discussion, we decided we’d just go back to the hotel bar for our nightcap, so we grabbed a trike and headed home.

***Back at the hotel, I noticed we were being stalked by a moon shadow.***

The hotel bar was empty, and none of the other Hashers had come back from the Corona Hash yet. We had a drink and watched some dramas on the TV in the bar. Yep, that’s how we rolled on a Saturday night in Angeles City. Jesus, what’s gotten into me?

***Well, one thing that DIDN’T get into me was the apple pie a la mode on the menu. And that calorie deficit almost makes up for the overage the night before. Win some, lose some.***

***I didn’t skip breakfast at the hotel restaurant this morning.***

***But at least I didn’t eat all of it.***

Today’s entry from the archives of LTG is a July 2005 post about the party I hosted in celebration of Independence Day. Man, oh, man, those pictures brought back some memories. Mi Soon, one of the gals from Sweet Caroline’s, my first Itaewon bar home, was destined to become my first Korean girlfriend. Needless to say, that did not end well. Still, I wonder how her life turned out.

One of my cousins in Memphis, Tennessee, posted this old photo of my grandfather (my dad’s dad) on Facebook. Gramps died before I was born, so we never got to meet. He was a captain on a Mississippi (yay, got the spelling right on the first try!) riverboat.

William Edgar McCrarey died in the late 1940s of a heart attack. I was a little disappointed that his middle name wasn’t Lee, like my father and son. Now that I think about it, my younger brother is Gregory Lee. My son didn’t have a boy child, so no more Lee’s to come.

Facebook memories took me back to my days as a river walker in Seoul.

***What I saw on this day nine years ago. Such pleasant walks on the Han River. I miss those times.***

Today’s YouTube video is from a vlogger I’ve never watched before, but I enjoyed her talk about whether visiting the PI these days is safe. As far as I can tell, it is as safe as it ever was. There are places you should never go, like Muslim Mindanao and places like Angeles City, where you need to be mindful of pickpockets and the like. Still, I’ve not seen any demonstrations or other civil unrest over the Duterte arrest.

And now I’ve got these to share:

And with that, I’ll prepare for today’s adventure with the Angeles City Hash House Harriers. Back with a report tomorrow.

Turn up the AC!

Posted on 15/March/2025 by John McCrarey

We arrived safely in Angeles City after an uneventful 1.5-hour drive. Checked into a nice room at the Boomerang Hotel. The only downside (upside?) is that I’m located on the third floor, so I’ve got to endure some stair work coming and going.

***The Boomerang Hotel is Aussie-owned, believe it or not!***

***My room has a nice little balcony in the back. Here’s the view from there.***

***And I won’t be using the pool anytime soon. A group of us Subic Hashers did sit poolside near the hotel bar last night and enjoyed multiple beverages.***

So, today is the fifth anniversary of the Corona Hash. I opted out of doing the trail for reasons of my own, but several members from the Subic Hash are here to join in the celebration. Last night, everyone descended on a Hash-owned bar to kick things off.

***A female Hasher runs the place and several other Corona Hash Gash work there.***

***Some of the crew hard at work. That writing on the wall in the background are the Hash names of folks who have visited Harriette’s in the past.***

A bar crawl followed the Harriette’s meet-up, but I opted out of that as well. Instead, I took a stroll to one of my favorite restaurants in AC, Tequila Reef.

***This was on the cover of the menu. I’d never heard of Banoffee Pie, but damn, it sounds delicious. I overcame the temptation to give it a try. Regretfully, as it turns out.***

So, what to eat?

***It seemed the writing was on the wall. Or on the column, as it were.***

***Dinner is served: a taco and an enchilada with rice and refried beans. The meal was every bit as good as it looks.***

***Shortly before we departed, this large group of young Koreans descended on the place. There is definitely a Korean vibe in Angeles City these days.***

After dinner, we grabbed a trike back to the hotel. As I mentioned, several Subic folks are also staying at Boomerang, and we gathered poolside for beers and chit-chat. I’m not sure how it happened, but when I got back to my room, I had a banana split with me. Damn, I hate when that happens. Well, I hated it this morning when I calculated my calories anyway. It was delicious last night.

***I do believe that is a new record violation.***

I’m punishing myself today by skipping both breakfast and lunch. That’ll teach me! I hope.

Today’s journey through the archives of LTG features this post from June 2005 entitled, And So Beings The Task. I’m talking about overcoming a tragedy in my life, but I make no mention of just what happened. Unsurprisingly, I don’t remember what it was now. I thought perhaps I had just gotten the news from Carol (wife #3) that she was reneging on her promise to join me in Korea. But then again, she was one of the commenters and doesn’t mention anything about what happened. Weird. Still, I linked and quoted a post from Kevin Kim about “putting it down” that provided some comfort to my troubled mind back then. Of course, whatever that tragedy may have been, I had many more to deal with in the coming years—most of them of my own making.

Four years ago, I was helping the Corona Hashers celebrate their first anniversary, including doing the trail and participating in the wilderness Circle they prefer. Why do I no longer join in the fun? Well, here’s one of the reasons:

***I don’t mind being called names at all. I did take the “easy” option, even though it wasn’t.***

Today’s trails are long (11K), medium (9K), and short (6.5K). The long and medium trails include a requirement to SWIM across a river. The short trail includes two big hill climbs. As the Hash GM posted on Facebook, the Corona Hash doesn’t do “easy” trails. That’s fine, I won’t spoil your fun by asking for one. I know my limits and also want to enjoy myself when I Hash. I’m not a good fit for the Corona crew.

Here are some more photos from four years ago at the Hash.

***The Corona Circle features a camp fire***

***There was also some kind of contest among the Hash Gash. Can’t remember what that was all about.***

***Her Hash name ought to be “Cameltoe.”***

***This was the Subic contingent from four years ago. This year, less than ten joined the Corona “fun.”***

Anyway, to each his own. I go my way, you go yours. I will be hashing with the Angeles kennel tomorrow. They are much more my speed.

Today’s YouTube video is an on-the-street interview with a Korean woman who grew up in the Philippines. She has some interesting perspectives on the differences in cultures.

Well, I thought it was funny:

***Well, I did stay out until 9:30 last night. Then a banana split followed me home.***

***Facebook friends can be so fickle!***

Okay, next up for me will be dining at another restaurant I remember from the good ol’ days, Margarita Station. After that, who knows? I’m surrounded by bars, which is my favorite kind of tourist trap. Let’s see how that works out for me.