About as high as you can get legally, anyway. I’m talking about the Central Park Reef Hotel’s rooftop restaurant/bar and pool. I rarely venture up there because it is a little too touristy for my tastes, but I’ve got to admit, the view made it all worthwhile. Well, the view and the company. Yes, Swan joined me for the evening out, and she professed to have had a good time.

Of course, things rarely go as planned, and I hadn’t planned on there being an all-day power outage. My electric company chose yesterday to trim away all the tree branches that might impede the power lines as we move into the rainy and windy season of the year. Yes, it was scheduled maintenance, but I somehow missed the announcement. When I returned home from my standard solo Thursday walk, I found myself in the dark, so to speak. No electricity means no water pump, resulting in the inability to shower (or flush the toilet). Ah, well, that’s what cologne is for, right?

So, I met up with Swan at the corner near her current and my future residence, and we walked together to Central Park. It was Swan’s first visit and I was glad to share the experience with her.

The Central Park rooftop area is well-appointed and has a pleasant ambiance.

When the time came to depart the hotel, we weren’t quite done with rooftops. Next stop, BarCelona.

After a couple more beers, we shared a trike back to Alta Vista. Dropped Swan off at her place and said our goodnight. If you are reading between the lines, yes, I am smitten. But I also know it is still too soon for her, and I just need to bide my time in the friend zone. I’m okay with that; I enjoy having some company occasionally that I don’t have to pay for when I’m out and about.

Here are some photos from my morning walk I like:

You are welcome to Relive the hike if you are so inclined:

Stay tuned for more adventures from the old man living in the best damn retirement community ever! I will forego the SOB tonight and spend the time in the company of Kim at Whiskey Girl. Hey, she asked me to come, and I always appreciate an invite. I am going to surprise her with a batch of brownies. And yes, some lady drinks to wash them down.

A diamond of a morning
Waked me an hour too soon;
Dawn had taken in the stars
And left the faint white moon.
O white moon, you are lonely,
It is the same with me,
But we have the world to roam over,
Only the lonely are free.
--Sara Teasdale

Under threatening skies, a low turnout for the group hike yesterday allowed us to use Scott’s vehicle for transport to the Cawag barangay in Subic, an area we only have the opportunity to hike once a year or so. That’s long enough ago to render all the sights almost new again. The rain held off until we had finished what turned out to be a very pleasant 8K walk in and around the Club Morocco subdivision. One of the interesting aspects of this area for me is that the developer, Santa Lucia Homes, is also the founder of my neighborhood, Alta Vista. The big difference, though, is that Alta Vista is a boom town with lots selling fast and ongoing construction taking place on almost every street. Not so in Club Morocco, where the wide streets remain nearly empty year after year. I can only attribute this sad state to the fact that while it has similar bay views and mountain vistas, it is isolated and inconvenient to access. Before moving to the PI, I looked at a house in Club Morocco that was amazing but would have meant I’d need a car to leave the neighborhood and would not have easy access to the bar life in Barretto. No, thank you!

Here are some photos from our excursion yesterday:

A good day to be out and about! Feel free to Relive it here if you are so inclined:

The nighttime version of my life included the Wednesday Hideaway feeding.

After the feeding, I moved on to Voodoo to use my 500 peso voucher. I managed to spend 400 before I left. I also got overcharged for a lady drink I didn’t buy. Stupid to lose a customer like me for a measly 170 pesos, but I guess now I know what I’m worth.

I finished up at Wet Spot and used a “buy one, get one” coupon while waiting for my take-out dinner from Sit-n-Bull to be delivered. Home stuffing my face with a cheeseburger before eight and in bed by nine. That’s how I rock my retirement years!

Tonight I’m supposed to take Swan to dinner on the roof of the Capital Reef Hotel. We’ll see how that goes. Full report tomorrow!

As Tuesdays go, yesterday was a pretty good one. It started out in the usual way with my grocery shopping expedition to the Royal Duty-Free supermarket. My usual low expectations were certainly met with the typical “out of stock” disappointments. This is the Philippines, after all, and so sometimes you just have to laugh.

The day’s big event was meeting up with the landlord to sign a lease for my future residence. I’ll be staying in Alta Vista, the nicest subdivision in town, and I’m happy about that. The house needs a good bit of renovation work, so my move-in date won’t occur until October 1. Under the terms of our agreement, I paid a two-month security deposit and four months’ advance rent. This gives the landlord the funds she needs to have the necessary repairs completed. Those include cabinets in the kitchen, aircon in the bedrooms, water heaters for the showers, and some basic furnishings.

We’ve agreed on a monthly rent of 38,000 pesos (around $750.) which is only 3000 more than I currently pay for a much smaller place. Now, I’ve just got to break the news to my current landlord. He’s a great guy, and I feel bad about not fulfilling the lease terms, but I don’t want to miss this opportunity. I suspect I’ll be forced to forfeit my two-month deposit, but hopefully, if I find someone to move here when I leave, it will soften the blow. We shall see.

After completing the deal, I returned home in a celebratory mood. Since it was still too early to drink, I fired up the grill.

I had asked Swan if she wanted to join me on the rooftop of the Capital Reef Hotel but never got a definitive answer. I am firmly in the mode of not pushing her as she works through her grief, so I went with option B–my old standby of drinking alone. I set out for town at beer o’clock without a particular destination in mind and wound up making Cheap Charlies my first stop. I didn’t stay long–a round of lady drinks for my regular crew and a couple beers for me and I was ready to move on.

I was going to check out the newly redesigned Mugshots Bar (added a pool table and dart board). The manager was out front and told me, “Come on in, Mae is working here again!” Hmm, I had met Mae on my first visit several months ago and had seen her outside of work a couple of times. I finally blocked her on social media because of her incessant begging. Nope, sorry, not interested in becoming reacquainted with that one. Of course, I didn’t tell the manager that. Instead, I said, “Some other time,” and walked on.

I had my next beer at Blue Butterfly but just wasn’t feeling the vibe there, so it was one and done. Next up was Bar Barretto, another bar I very rarely visit. I went in yesterday because Jen, the cuddler who used to work at Whiskey Girl, told me she took a job at BB. Jen wasn’t there yet when I first arrived, so I just sat at the bar and enjoyed a cold San Mig Zero. And then I got a message from Lydell asking me to visit Snackbar. Hmm.

My ex had invited me earlier, and I did not respond. The last three times she invited me to visit her there, she ignored me, which honestly hurt my feelings. I resolved not to play the Lucy and Charlie Brown football kick trick game again. On the other hand, Lydell’s invitation seemed sincere, so I messaged her I would try and come by later. Then Jen arrived at work, so I bought her a lady drink before I departed.

As I was walking down the highway on the way to Snackbar and across the street from Sloppy Joe’s, someone called out to me. It was Swan. I waved back, and she pointed up to the roof of the nearby Capital Reef Hotel. I shrugged and gestured to the effect that “I tried.” and then kept walking. We chatted this morning and made plans to do the rooftop on Thursday, so it’s all good.

I arrived at Snackbar, and the place was more crowded than usual. The ex was sitting at a table with several other customers but did come and greet me and asked me to be the music DJ later. Then she rejoined her table, and I became invisible again. Instead of feeling bad, I laughed at myself for being such a putz. My mistake has been thinking that she sees me as anything other than a customer. Just because I thought we’d always have a special friendship doesn’t make it so; that takes two. And I do want to emphasize that I’m not blaming the ex here for anything–she’s entitled to feel what she feels. My reactions to her honest display of a lack of caring do not reflect on her. You’d think a man of my age and experience would know better, but damn, I can really be dense when it comes to matters of the heart.

As I said though, I didn’t let it bum me out. I bought Lydell and Rose lady drinks, had a couple of beers, and then decided there were other places I’d rather be. Memories can take the joy out of drinking, so why risk it? I paid my tab and left. The ex messaged me later and apologized for not having the opportunity to tell me goodbye. I told her it was no problem and I meant it.

Now what? Well, the nearest bar I liked was Whiskey Girl, and I recalled having a 500 peso voucher to use before Friday. I hadn’t been to WG for a couple of weeks and was surprised at how crowded it was. I found a seat in the back that suited me, handed my coupon to the waitress, and ordered a beer. The waitress returned a few minutes later, saying my voucher was for Voodoo, not Whiskey Girl. Oops! I checked my pocket and saw my WG coupon was a “buy a lady drink, get a customer drink” variety. Okay, I can make that work.

In fact, there was a GRO named Kim hovering around next to me. She asked if I remembered her, and I honestly told her I did not. Kim told me she used to work a Queen Victoria, another bar I hadn’t been to for months. So, I invited her to join me and bought a lady drink with my coupon. And I was quite surprised at how much fun Kim was to chat and laugh with. Cute as a bug and quite a snuggler, too.

We are also now friends on Facebook.

And yes, that’s the pathetic state of my life–I’m excited about meeting a new bargirl buddy to drink with. She did express an interest in hiking, though, so we may have something else in common to share. And even if we don’t, I won’t care. Things are what they are, and I’m going with the flow.

The river flows, it flows to the sea
Wherever that river goes, that's where I want to be
Flow, river flow, let your waters wash down, 
Take me from this road to some other town.

My cash supply had dwindled to a dangerously low level that could potentially impede my charity work in the bars, so I devised a plan to rectify the situation: I’d walk to Subic-town and raid the ATM there. But to make the challenge even more worthwhile, I slapped on my headphones and rocked the walk the longer back way, coming in just shy of 12K roundtrip. Now, that ain’t a lot for you cross-country hikers like Kevin Kim, but it’s the most I’ve done in the several months since my lung issues flared up. I am happy to report that I had no breathing trouble on the mostly flat road walk.

To mark the occasion, I decided to do one of those “take a photo at one-mile intervals” things, and since my tracker measures in kilometers, that comes out to one pic every 1.6K or so.

I’ll deviate from the mileage photos to share a couple of other Korean-centric observations from the walk:

Alright, where did we leave off? Oh, yeah:

Mission accomplished. Relive it here if you want:

But wait, there’s more! I’ve still got the Sunday Hideaway feeding to report. As is my custom, the weekend meal comes from Jewel Cafe. Because of my recent travel, it’s been two weeks since my last visit, and it made me smile when they said they had missed me. Ah, small-town living!

Last night’s menu:

When the feeding was completed, I moved on to Wet Spot for my nightcap.

Also, while at Wet Spot, I received a Facebook friend request from someone I didn’t recognize. My method in this situation is to check for mutual friends and delete the request if I find none (exceptions are occasionally granted in cases of exceptional physical beauty). A few minutes later, I learned that my potential future landlord had sent the request. I rectified that mistake, we had a brief chat, and we have scheduled a meeting for Tuesday to discuss the details and terms of the house lease. It just might happen!

Facebook memories also took me back to another lifetime I was living fourteen years ago:

Alright, another day done and another one just getting started.

I’m one of the Hares for today’s Hash, so I’ll be heading out in a bit to mark the trail with my partner in slime, Blow My Pipe. I’ll let you know how that turns out tomorrow.

I confined myself to one bar last evening–Sloppy Joe’s. I had dinner at home waiting in the crockpot, so I didn’t feel compelled to go crawling around the Barrio. Young Mary came to meet me there, and my pals Jim, Chris, and Steve were also in attendance.

The beers were flowing freely, well, not exactly freely, but in abundance. When someone treated me to one, I, of course, reciprocated. And I was also paying for Mary’s beverages.

When it was time to call it a night, Mary joined me at my place. I served her some pot roast, and she paid the ultimate compliment, “This is so good I don’t need any rice with it.” I made strawberry-banana smoothies for dessert.

Mary spent the night, and we shared some intimate moments. It was nice to wake up this morning in someone’s arms. It’s been a long time, and I’ve missed it. Buddy and Lucky seem quite fond of her as well.

Mary left for home, and I headed out for the Friday hike. We had a nice misadventure in the Castillejos countryside that I’ll share more about tomorrow. I’m just now back home and have the SOB on the horizon. Tonight’s a rather special occasion because I’ve invited someone to join me that I’ve known for quite some time but have yet to date. I’m not going to characterize this as anything romantic at this point; she is in the early stages of recovery from a lost love and doesn’t need any pressure from me adding to her burdens. My goal is to be whatever she may need during this time of transition, and we’ll see what happens.

Just another day in the life, but I’m feeling more positive about the road I’m on.

“The trick is to live here and now in the timeless moment. To act like that’s all there is. No beginning, no end.”

Jack Higgins

That’s what I continue to strive for, anyway. And part of that is doing what I want, when I want, and doing a better job at saying no. I got tough with the mountain mama I’ve been supporting this week because I’m tired of her constant asking for more. I told her that her not being satisfied with what I can afford to provide for her takes all the joy out of giving. She changed her tune in a hurry when I hinted that maybe she should find a more generous sponsor. I understand and respect the fact that she is doing the best she can for her kids, but damn, a lot of people are struggling but getting by on less than the 10,000 pesos I’ve budgeted for her. I’m thinking that instead of doing weekly allowance installments, I’ll give her the whole amount at the first of every month; after that, she is on her own. Sorry for her, but it is past time that I toughen up.

My phone is fucking up again. I woke up yesterday morning, and it was beeping with a warning to disconnect the charger because moisture had been detected. It was fine when I plugged it in that night (and my shorts were dry, so I didn’t piss my pants). I guess the fix in Pattaya was temporary. I took the phone to a repair shop across the river in Matain, and they repaired it for 700 pesos. We’ll see how long this one lasts.

My co-Hare for next week’s Hash, Blow My Pipe, joined me for a scouting expedition yesterday morning. Finding something new without leaving town is pretty near impossible, but searching out trails that aren’t used frequently is a worthwhile goal. We put together a nice 5K+ hike with a couple of moderate climbs that I think will work well on Monday. We may add a loop for the hardcore guys to add some distance, or maybe not. You can hike it vicariously on Relive and see for yourself:

The dinner and gift-giving at Hideaway went well last night. I had just enough pasalubong for each girl to receive something, and they all seemed happy and appreciative. I guess that’s what it’s all about. I bought a special gift for Joy–a nail clipper set. She’s always messing with my fingernails with her hands while I’m sitting at the bar, so I figured I’d give her the tools to do the job right. She squealed with delight when she saw all that was in the kit. I asked if she wanted to go out back to the porch and give me a pedicure, and she excitedly answered, “Yes!”

I received a sweet Father’s Day card from my daughter yesterday:

I didn’t try even one puff or taste of marijuana during my week in the land where it is legal. But that didn’t stop me from doing some pot this morning:

And speaking of dope, there’s this:

And then there’s this:

I’m not sure what the latest news on that Titanic submarine situation is, but someone posted that a welcoming committee has already convened for them:

Has anyone thought of calling Popeye the Sailor Man?

Back in the saddle again with a Tuesday night bar crawl handing out the precious pasalubong gifts to my favorite bargirls. I have another delivery to make tonight at Hideaway and, of course, another Wednesday feeding.

I took a break from Barretto for a week, partly for a change of scenery but also hoping for a change in perspective. Maybe I needed another week or two to accomplish that. There were things I liked about seeing Pattaya again; after all, it had been one of the finalists when I was deciding where to retire. Returning this trip confirmed that I had made the right choice–Pattaya is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there. I guess I’ve grown accustomed to small-town living and enjoy being recognized around town. That doesn’t come easy in a bigger city, although I felt like a regular at the little restaurant I frequented and was treated very well by the friendly staff there. So, I expect I would have found a neighborhood vibe if I lived there. Of course, the primary drawback is the lack of English speakers. I’d really miss telling my lame jokes to the bargirls.

So, this is the life I’ve chosen, and it is the life I have. I intend to make the most of it for as long as I’m blessed to be among the living. Although I would love to find a companion to share the adventure, I’m embracing the knowledge that a solitary life comes with its own benefits, and if that is my destiny, so be it. Que sera, sera, and all that.

I didn’t make Monday’s Hash trail because I was still feeling tired after my long journey home. I did participate in the Hash circle and then visited Snackbar afterward. That place still reeks of memories for me, but I believe I’ve overcome their ability to sadden me. I’ll call that progress.

Yesterday I took care of restocking the pantry with my shopping excursion to Royal. Nothing has changed–the more I want something, the more likely it will be out of stock. Oh well, you just go with the flow.

While I was out of town, Joy got sick, so I had her go see Dr. Jo. I stopped by there yesterday to pay the bill and drop off some pasalubong for her and the hubby. We are planning a climb up Black Rock soon. Next stop was Johansson’s so I could deliver my gifts for Reggie. I saw Jim drinking alone at Sloppy Joe’s, and so I joined him. A couple of beers later, he came with me to Cheap Charlies.

The girls all seemed to enjoy their Thailand souvenirs. We were going to visit The Green Room next, but it was packed with pool league players. So, on a whim, we visited Voodoo.

Rumor has it she is the oldest working bargirl in town. Still has a great body, but her age is showing (like I’m one to talk). Anyway, before I took that photo she made a face that reminded me of someone I’d seen in the movies.

No offense intended.

I finished the night at Wet Spot, then grabbed a sandwich to go at Sit-n-Bull, had a trike driver greet me by name, and drove me home without needing directions.

Gee, it's good to be back home again
Sometimes this old town, feels like a long-lost friend
And hey, it's good to be back home again