Yesterday’s Hash was a different kind of challenge and one I’m more suited to endure. In honor of the birthday of the Grand Master (who was also the Hare), the Hash trail was a stroll through several Barretto bars with a special celebration at the On-Home venue.
We gathered at the VFW and at the appointed hour (2 p.m.) began our trek.
I guess I shortcut the party by leaving early, but I know when to say when. At least most of the time.
Five years ago, I was still strolling around Saigon (or Ho Chi Minh City, if you prefer).
In today’s YouTube video, Reekay talks about his biggest mistake in the Philippines. No real surprise it involved a woman.
Humor me these:
Halfway through my Tuesday here, and what comes next is going to happen on Baloy Beach. Whatever that may turn out to be, you can read about tomorrow right here at LTG.
And as an added bonus, here is the “hearing the Turtles for the first time” video:
Well, we enjoyed it while we had it, anyway. It’s raining again today, but life goes on. Until it doesn’t. Started the day yesterday with a bit of a scare. I woke up around 4 a.m. feeling frisky, but the happy ending triggered a severe and scary breathing attack. I took a couple of puffs from my inhaler, but it didn’t seem to help much. I stumbled to my desk, and while Swan loaded up my nebulizer, I slipped the oximeter on my finger, which rendered a reading of 85.
Fortunately, my nebulizer had me back up to a 97 in short order, and I’ve felt fine ever since. I’m going to schedule another consult with the pulmonary doctor and perhaps a cardiologist to try and see WTF is going on. My oximeter reading right now is 98, so whatever it is that ails me seems to be something that is triggered, not constant.
It being Sunday and all, we loaded up our bags and ventured out for the weekly Candy Walk.
And then we were forced to alter our planned route by events beyond our control.
At first, my thought was to wade across the river. But after making our way down to the bank and seeing the strong current and not knowing how deep the water might be (or what was on the bottom), prudence dictated a retreat. Instead, we followed a path I’d never seen before, and it turned out that it led to Bridge #3, a pedestrian crossing. It was an interesting walk as well.
Swan slipped one of the guys a hundred pesos so they could enjoy some gin with the meal. I enjoyed a close-up view of how the other half lives and it was nice meeting some happy and friendly folks along the way.
The planned dinner at John’s place went awry due to a lack of red wine availability. I stopped in after Hideaway and asked, and for the third week, there was none to be had. I messaged Swan and had her meet me at Jewel Cafe instead. I also messaged John this morning to let him know. He thanked me and said he would take care of it today.
Jewel Cafe is not one of my regular dining venues (other than my weekly purchase for the Hideaway girls), but the food is always good. A steak for 499 pesos is unheard of (that’s less than half of what John’s charges), so I knew the portion would be small. It was, but the meat was very tender and well-prepared. With the veggies and mashed taters, my appetite was satiated.
We did our nightcap at Wet Spot. We got there shortly after opening and were the only customers.
One of my neighbors, Maksil, came by and joined us at our table. We had a nice chat about how to turn BarCelona, the rooftop bar that’s for sale, into a successful operation. We both had the same ideas–a barbeque grilled meat menu and an elevator to get to the third floor. Our expat community of old men don’t handle stairs well.
Anyway, I don’t think either one of us needs the hassle of bar ownership in our lives.
And that’s how I survived my sweet, sunshiny Sunday.
Facebook memories today are all from five years ago when I visited Saigon. I ought to go back again, I really enjoyed myself.
Today’s YouTube video ponders why expats leave the Philippines. Well, I ain’t going nowhere. And if I ever do, it won’t be back to the USA.
Things you might find funny:
Geez, I’m bad. Anyway, it is Hash Monday. Today is the Grand Master’s birthday, and he is also the Hare. Today’s trail, if I understood correctly, will consist of a Barretto bar hop. It is a good day for one of those. I’ll let you know how it works out tomorrow.
Yesterday’s hike turned out to be a surprising adventure. It all began when Swan said she wanted to come along. She thinks my Standard Saturday Solo Street Stroll route is boring, so I tried something a little more creative. We took a Jeepney out to the Kalaklan barangay area and got off at the hillside cemetery. My plan was to go down to the beach at the lighthouse, then walk the sand to the Bantan Bayan neighborhood, and make our way back to Barretto from there. It had been a while since I walked this route, and I belatedly discovered how much things had changed. One of those changes was the lingering impact of the recent storm, including a higher-than-expected tide combined with rough waters. In the end, these obstacles proved insurmountable. Here’s how things went down:
Splurged for a trike ride home after our abbreviated adventure. Not much distance, but lots of excitement.
Went out for some bar time after a two-day break and started at It Doesn’t Matter. Enjoyed some brews and then Swan’s brother-in-law popped in and joined us for a bit. We went to Wet Spot next, but it was so dead that we carried our drinks next door to Green Room and enjoyed them there. Ordered some food to bring home and called it a night.
And so ended another day in the life.
And now a word from our sponsor:
Today’s YouTube video is from Reekay. I’m not sure what is going on, but numerous vloggers are posting on expat fuckups. Reekay has been around a long time (I was following him prior to my move) and he offers sound advice.
Here’s the funny stuff:
Alright, I’m running late. Got to feed those hungry gals at Hideaway, then meet my sweetheart for our dinner at John’s place. Until tomorrow then.
It’s almost time to bitch and moan about the rainy season and start looking forward to those hot, sweaty days again. Until then, you just gotta make the best of the situation. We had four hearty streetwalkers for our Friday group hike, and we all brought umbrellas for what little good they did. A few sprinkles in the beginning, then some heavy rain for most of the rest of the way. I was soaked when we finished, but as I kept reminding myself, a couple of months ago, I would have been soaked with sweat. At least we didn’t have to worry about heat strokes.
Our journey took us from Barretto, through the backstreets of Matain, into Calapacuan, then some of San Isidro, a taste of Santo Tomas, then back to Barretto. A 9K junket all told.
The other event of the day was attending a dinner party with neighbors Jeff and Divina and the other invited guests.
I fucked up and didn’t do a good job documenting the food. Here’s what I got:
Anyway, hanging out and enjoying the food and beverages with the group was great. I left about the time the videoke kicked in and felt a little rude for doing so. It wasn’t the music, but I experienced a breathing attack for some reason. That’s very unusual for me when I’m not going uphill and just sitting on my ass. My oximeter read 90, the lowest I’ve been in a long time. Fortunately, my nebulizer brought me back up to 97, and I felt fine when I hit the hay an hour later.
More rain during the night, but as forecasted, the rain finally let go this morning.
September 7 will always be a special day in my life.
Today’s YouTube video is from another vlogger I don’t subscribe to, but he offers five reasons why the Philippines might not be for you. I only struggle with one of them: patience. Back before Loraine broke my heart, she taught me this mantra: Take a deep breath. Relax. Accept the Filipino way. I still use it on occasion, and it does help keep my head from exploding.
Some more of what I call humor:
Welp, it’s been over two days since I set foot in a bar. I aim to rectify that situation tonight. I’m not sure where, but I know the bars of Barretto are counting on me, and I won’t let them all down. I’ll tell you about that and the nearly disastrous rock-climbing adventure from this morning in tomorrow’s post. See you then!
Nothing ventured, nothing gained to blog about. I posted about my trip to Pundaquit yesterday and I stayed home last night. So, there’s not much left say. Staying home proved to be a good call because we had some of the heaviest rain of the week during the evening and overnight hours. And yes, it is still raining today. The Friday hikers did an umbrella street walk this morning, but I’ll save that adventure so I have something to post about tomorrow.
We’ve been invited to a “Fajita Party” at the next-door neighbor’s place later this afternoon. I’ve got a batch of brownies in the oven, and Swan will be making some nachos as our contribution to the gathering. I’ll share how the party goes tomorrow as well.
So, what does that leave to write about today? Swan loves to cook, and she surprised me this morning by asking if I wanted a Monte Cristo sandwich for my after-hike lunch. I asked, “You know how to make a Monte Cristo?” She responded, “I know you like them, and I just watched a YouTube video, so I’ll try it.” Ah, ain’t that sweet?
Speaking of videos, I’m part of a COPD information group, and today, I received a link to a video about walking and breathing. It’s pretty simple, really, and I may be doing it naturally, but I’ll give it a try and see if it helps.
Still in video mode, a commenter recently sent me this YouTube of a Filipina giving Tagalog lessons. In my stay-at-home boredom last night, I learned five new words (the first five in the lesson). Swan was quite impressed. Of course, I don’t remember them today, but I’ll go back and review again. Maybe something will stick in my addled brain.
No funeral banners today, but this one caught my eye:
From Facebook memories comes this reminder from eight years okay. It was the last day of our Philippines vacation and we were enjoying our final dinner at the Arizona Resort here in Barretto.
Today’s YouTube video is from someone I don’t subscribe to, and after watching this one, I’m afraid I have to disagree with much of what he has to say. He seems bitter and cynical, and his advice to NEVER do certain things seems a bit overboard. Not all Filipinas are scammers. And if you meet a good one and treat her the way this guy suggests, you will lose her. The trick is knowing the difference. I certainly had my share of fuck ups along the way, but that’s just the tuition to the school of experience. Anyway, it’s worth a watch if for no other reason than as a warning not to become as disillusioned as this gent is.
Okay, let’s cleanse the palate with some humor:
Okay, I’ll stop now. Hopefully back with more substance tomorrow.
I have arrived safely back home after my twenty-four hour whirlwind adventure to Barangay Pundaquit, City of San Antonio, Zambales Province, Luzon Island, Philippines.
We arrived at our destination at noon time. I sent Swan to the beach hotel we didn’t have a reservation for to check availability and price. I had her go to avoid the “skin tax” that occurs when a foreigner is quoted a higher price than a local. She returned to report that the resort was undergoing renovation, and no kitchen or bar was available. They did offer Swan a reduced rate of 3000 pesos for the night (down from 3600). Swan also checked the newer and nicer place next door, and they wanted 5500 pesos for the night. It wasn’t THAT much nicer, so we went with the original plan. We did use the restaurant facilities at the other place for lunch.
The restaurant across the street was devoid of guests, and the upstairs section I had been wanting to try since seeing it on my last trip was closed. The bar was the only area not exposed to the wind-blown rain, so that’s where we sat. Being outnumbered by the staff had an eerie feel about it, but the service was good. The wine prices on the menu were shocking–the cheapest being 500 pesos, so Swan had a beer instead. When I got a closer look at the wine on the shelf, it included Carlo Rossi, the brand we buy at Royal for 350 pesos a bottle. Then the lightbulb in my head turned on, and we asked the waitress if the wine prices were per glass or bottle. It turns out that they only sell wine by bottle. So, getting a whole bottle for 500 pesos was practically a bargain, and we bought one.
After our meal, we walked up the street for a look around. I saw a place I had stopped in once a few years back while on a hike and decided to try it again.
Kevin gave us a tour of the facilities. He also has a variety of rooms available, from Nipa huts to aircon rooms. He’s owned the Surf & Sand for eleven years but said they’ve never recovered from the COVID lockdowns. I was a little surprised because Barretto is booming with mostly Filipino tourists, at least on weekends. He said that’s not the case in Pundaquit, and the foreigners who used to come pre-scamdemic have not returned. That’s a shame. He said the place needs several thousand dollars in renovations, but he doesn’t expect he’d be able to recover that investment. He’s considering just walking away from it all and returning to the USA. Damn.
I began drinking much earlier in the day than I normally do. I was drinking San Miguel Light (5% alcohol) rather than my usual Zero (3%). And I didn’t get my daily afternoon nap. So yeah, I fell asleep at the bar. I also ordered take-out food from the Car Wash restaurant up the road but have no recollection of doing so (the unopened containers were in the room this morning). Swan says I was unsteady on my feet but made it back to the hotel without incident.
Swan asked me this morning what time it was when I went to bed. I checked my Fitbit stats and was surprised to see this:
At some point during the night, the power went out. We had no electricity until nine in the morning. I didn’t even bother unpacking my laptop.
Back at our hotel, the staff kindly heated a pot of water on their gas stove so we could enjoy some morning coffee on our front porch.
After our coffee break, we loaded up a bag with cookies and lollipops and headed out to explore the backstreets of Pundaquit.
I’m back home this afternoon, and the deluge continues. In fact, a new storm is approaching, so there is no relief in sight. They have even canceled tomorrow’s SOB as many employees are home dealing with flooding issues.
So, that’s the story of my adventure. All in all, it was a good one.
We need to stop those crazy Trump voters from stealing the election. Here’s a plan that could work:
Today’s YouTube video is a short expose about the sextortion scams and the impact on its victims. I’ve heard tales of this over the years, but it always seemed to me to be limited to a few whacked individuals. Apparently, it’s an organized racket luring in victims these days.
And now for some humor:
Welp, wind and rain are telling me that tonight is a good night to stay safe and dry at home. And that’s just what I’m going to do. Later, gators!
So, on this stormy Wednesday morning, I woke up in my own bed instead of at the Wild Orchid Hotel in Angeles City. But at least the power is on. I still long for a change of scenery, so on a whim, I messaged my driver to see if he was available for a road trip today. He is, so Swan and I will be heading to Pundaquit in San Antonio for an overnight stay.
And just now, this alert popped up on my phone, and the clouds opened up once again.
Maybe I didn’t think this trip through properly, but what the hell? The rain at the beach can’t be any worse than the rain is here. I’m ready for some new perspectives! We saw a place on the beach last trip we want to try, but neither Swan nor I can remember the name. I doubt they will be full on a rainy Wednesday, so we are going to take our chances and go without a reservation. It’s all part of the adventure!
Instead of hanging out in AC yesterday, I was back to my normal routines, starting with a trip to Royal for my grocery shopping. One of my Tuesday traditions is baking morning muffins. This week, they were cranberry-orange. I share them with my helpers and driver, of course. “Mama,” the homeless umbrella lady I’ve been helping a bit since before I moved here knows my schedule and is usually waiting outside Alta Vista as we drive by. Yesterday was no exception.
It poured rain all day, and I was beginning to think there would be no night on the town in my immediate future. But Jesus loves me, and when it was beer o’clock, the rain became a light sprinkle, and we made a dash for Barretto.
Our next and last stop was the Green Room. As usual, we shared drinks with waitress Chu and enjoyed watching a pool tournament in progress. Swan was talking with a GRO (Guest Relations Officer) that I didn’t recognize. Turns out she is the sister of the woman I mentioned in another post. That woman, also a GRO, helped her daughter get hired at the bar when she turned eighteen. That freaked me out, not understanding how a mom could countenance seeing her child doing what GROs do (basically catering to the whims of male desire, including take-out). Swan knew them from when she lived in their neighborhood and did give the mom some shit about her actions. We hadn’t seen either in the bar recently, and the sister informed Swan that the daughter (her niece) has an enlarged heart, and the doctors say nothing can be done for her. So, the plan is to make her as comfortable as possible at home until she passes. Damn.
I wound up adding the sad sister to my lady drink recipients and also had a pizza delivered from Sit-n-Bull for the girls to share (Hawaiian with pineapple, of course). Swan sipped her wine, and I had my fair share of beers. During the course of the evening, Swan snapped a photo of me in full party mode:
We brought us home some Sit-n-Bull goodness for dinner (roast beef dip for Swan, pulled pork for me) and had pecan pie for dessert. It was a pretty good time for a Tuesday!
And now for the memories:
Four years ago, I was mocking the COVID Nazis:
In today’s YouTube video, the Filipina Pea interviews an OFW (Offshore Filipino Worker). These workers are probably the largest export from the Philippines, and the money they send back is a significant portion of the economy, not to mention essential to the support of the families left behind. I met many OFWs when I lived in Korea, and I know several of them here now. And yes, I’ve heard the horror stories of exploitation that occurs, especially in Middle Eastern countries. I have two friends now looking for OFW work, and I will share this video with them as a heads-up.
And now to soothe your funny bone:
Alright, time for me to pack my bags and get the hell out of town. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow!
Loved this song back in the day. As an added bonus, here is one of those “hearing it for the first time” videos:
I wound up doing the Hash yesterday. I carried an umbrella but didn’t need it. I guess God loves the Hash because the intense rains that had been falling all day abruptly ceased right around our 2 p.m. start time. The Hare, Anal Receptive, had laid a trail in deference to the weather, primarily flat and, for the most part, paved. I opted for the 5K short version (the long was 8K) and only suffered from wet and muddy feet. Well, two inclines on the Govic Highway left me surprisingly winded. I don’t know what’s up with that. My blood oxygen has been in the high 90s, but there is no denying my age and obesity. And yes, I was the recipient of the traditional Hash cake. I’ve gotta say, that icy cold beer poured over my head made my heart race. That would be a hell of a way to die, wouldn’t it? Maybe next year.
So, the Hash turned out better than I thought it would. Lucky me.
In other news, I should be posting today from Angeles City but I’m not. Late in the afternoon yesterday, our power company, Zameco II, posted this:
Anyway, the neighbors had made the plans and reservations in AC based on the assumption that their kids would not have school to attend on Wednesday. When that changed, they had no choice but to cancel the trip. And so it goes.
Facebook reminded me that five years ago I was enjoying my first visit to Saigon.
Some of the internet forums I follow devolve into controversies, like which is better, Angeles City or Barretto. The same goes for the comparisons between the Philippines and Thailand. Everyone has their own preferences, and today’s YouTube video tells why the vlogger prefers life in the PI.
Here’s something to smile about:
Another rainy day here to deal with; we’ll see what’s happening when beer o’clock rolls around. Hasta la vista for now.
There was a huge storm that washed hundreds of starfish onto the beach. A little boy was picking them up and throwing them back into the ocean one by one. An old man approached and said, “Little boy, you can’t save all these starfish.” “Maybe not,” the lad replied as he picked up another and threw it in the water, “but I saved that one.”
I’ve mentioned that we had a chance encounter with a youngster named Jason during a candy walk who wanted to attend school but didn’t have the means to do so. Swan talked to the mother and offered her assistance. Since the mother doesn’t have a phone, Swan interacted directly with the teacher to determine what Jason required.
We did the handoff during yesterday’s Candy Walk.
According to the mother, the next hurdle is securing a birth certificate. Apparently, one wasn’t issued at birth, so there is government bureaucracy and paperwork to be dealt with, which involves money, of course. We are standing by to help if we can.
As alluded to above, we kicked off our Sunday with the weekly Candy Walk through the streets of San Isidro.
A couple of hours later when we were safe at home, we experienced one of the hardest downpours I’ve seen this year.
Luckily, the rain let up some and I could do an umbrella walk to Hideaway without getting too wet.
I opted not to visit John’s place this week. Swan wanted the Mango’s pork chops for dinner anyway, and I was still disappointed about last week’s lack of red wine. I’ll give John another shot next week.
When I arrived at Mango’s, I was surprised to see neighbors Jeff and Divina sitting with Swan. When Swan left the house to meet me, Jeff and the wife were looking to escape the continuing power outage. Swan got a ride into town and company while awaiting my arrival. The neighbors left before our food came, but we agreed to meet up again after dinner next door at Thumbstar.
After our meal, we went to Thumbstar as promised for the meet-up. I don’t go to Thumbstar for personal reasons, but it is a nice enough venue. We had one drink there, then moved to the more familiar and friendlier Green Room to finish our evening out.
Not a bad Sunday. And now it is Hash Monday and things aren’t looking good.
I saw part of today’s Hash trail on the Candy Walk yesterday. It’s not a bad rainy-day walk, except for the muddy roads. Right now, I’m on the fence about doing the trail or just making my way to the On-Home venue at Smokes and Bottles. We shall see if things let up in the next hour or so.
Ah, the memories:
Funny story about that photo. We spent the first night in Angeles City. We went into this bar after midnight and were the only customers. I guess the girls had never seen a Korean female before, and they all came down off the stage for a closer look. They treated Eun Oke like a movie star, and she told me, “Buy them all a drink!” I told her the way it works is you pick your favorite and buy her a drink, but she insisted on getting one for each of them. The next morning, she asked me how much we had spent, and I told her it was 5000 pesos. Then she asked how much do we spend for just the two of us in Seoul? I grinned and admitted it was about the same.
There was a little controversy in the comments yesterday over the political memes I’ve been posting. No apologies, but I also realize it is a waste of time. Nothing I post here is going to change any minds.
Today’s YouTube video from the Filipina Pea addresses women who don’t want their man to act like a man. I’m joking, of course, and I don’t condone cheating on your significant other. That said, couples need to have shared values. I know of guys in open relationships, and both sides enjoy the variety. Pick your partner wisely!
Let me leave you with these:
Still raining out there, so it’s looking like a wet Hash. I also think there is a Hash birthday cake in my near future. Good times! I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.
Here in the Philippines, they call it the “ber” months, and it is the traditional start of the Christmas holiday season. Yep, decorations will be going up, and Christmas songs will be blasting in the shopping centers. For the next four months. I have found a way to cope at least:
Ah, the first ad of the season from right here in Barreteto!
Anyway, everything is going pretty much as it always does around here. Yesterday, there was a bit of a modification to my Standard Modified Saturday Solo Duo Street Stroll. Swan came along, and we walked a slightly different route than I usually do.
Once again, Swan wanted to go see The Engine Band at Treasure Island on Baloy. They serve cold Zero there, so who am I to complain?
We listened to the band’s first two sets and then headed home at 7 p.m. I fired up the TV and finally got around to watching the second half of Filipina Dream Girlson YouTube. It is a nice trip back in time to the early 1990s in Manila, with some English guys looking to hook up with bar girls. My hearing is not great, and some of those Brit accents were tough to decipher at times, but it is still a good watch.
And so ended another Saturday in my simple life.
Once again, Facebook memories carried me back in time to my former life.
It’s pretty scary when I see otherwise intelligent people regurgitating the lies they’ve been sold about Trump as justification for supporting ignorant Kamala. I guess they are not as smart as I gave them credit for being.
Let’s take a three-minute stroll back in time with today’s YouTube video. I couldn’t help but think how everyone you see is dead now, but I guess that’s part of the time travel phenomenon.
And some humor before I go.
Welp, the lighting is flashing, and the thunder is booming outside my window right now. But I’ve got a feeding to attend to at Hideaway, so hopefully, this, too, shall pass. I’m going to pop into John’s and ask if they have red wine in stock. If not, I’ll take Swan to Mangos for dinner. She’s been craving those grilled pork chops. I’ll be back tomorrow with more of this goodness.