Day 5 was an all-day group tour at Sun World in Ba Na Hills. I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything quite like it. I’m not big on group tours, but for a first-time experience, it worked out okay. I’d love to go back someday and visit at night. Yesterday was packed with tourists, and that diminished the enjoyment level considerably.
The only way to the top is by cable car (there is a service road for workers). It is the longest and highest cable car system in the world. At the top is an amusement park-like setting, the resort calls a Fairy Kingdom. I understand the old buildings in the French village section are relics from the colonial days.
Here’s a drone video to give you the flavor of the place:
And here is some of the shitload of photos I took throughout my day long visit. For the first time ever, I totally depleted my phone battery. I’ve got another adventure in store for tonight, so I’m going to have to rush this and let the photos speak for themselves for the most part.
Getting there from Da Nang took about an hour. Once out of the city traffic, it was a scenic and pleasant ride.The entrance at the foot of the mountain.The cable car takeoff was a jolt.I have a bit of an aversion to heights, but it was still a fun ride to the top of the mountain (almost 5000 feet).Looking back from where we started.Approaching the Golden BridgeOn solid ground again at the top.Statues everywhere. She was the breastA Golden GirlSwan made a new friendFeeling festiveOMG! Is this heaven?
Part of the the entrance fee included a coupon for free beer.
I gave the barkeep my two coupons……and he gave me FOUR draft beers. Swan had one, and I had three. They were small glasses, mind you.The beer pavilionBut only if you are alone or with someone.Swan horsing around.A windmill is good to have.A time travel vibeA garden of Goddesses.Our tour package included a free buffet (one t) lunch.My plate.I paid for that beer and got a full pint.A rare appearance of Old Glory.The Golden Bridge awaits our crossing.It was insanely crowded.But we made it.What a pisser.I guess that’s a sun skirt.I’m not sure what to think.I forgot what I was going to say about this.The back of Buddha’s head. I understand there is a temple here, but we didn’t see it. Not part of the resort, and not sure how you would access it.The view from our mountaintop vantage point.What are you pointing at?Never mind, she has a heart of stone.This is definitely a hands-on resort.And it is huge.And apparently, they aren’t done yet.As we prepared to depart, I caught a glimpse of Gandalf. Is he grey or white?Down we go.I would enjoy a return visit someday.Rush hour traffic in Da Nang was no picnic.
Left the hotel before 8 a.m. and got back a little after six. But we weren’t done yet. We walked the 2K to Dirty Fingers so we could partake in the steak Thursday promo.
Owner Scott said the beef was from Argentina. It was definitely tender.And dinner for two was just a tad over a million dong.
Another fun convo with Scott and one of his buddies. I’ll definitely look forward to seeing him again should I come back this way in the future.
We walked back to the hotel and bypassed the various nightcap opportunities. We were both whipped.
We did a lot of walking on that mountaintop.
And that was Day 5. Our last night is upon us, and we have a river cruise dinner and fireworks show on the horizon. Then we fly out to Hong Kong in the morning. I’ll update when I can.
It’s nice being on vacation from the same old, same old routines.
Here’s the belated report about Day 4 of the Vietnam adventure, which included visits to the Marble Mountains and the historic city of Hoi An. We used our driver, Tom, for transport to both locations. A guided tour of the Marbles might have been worthwhile, and we didn’t have nearly enough time to do Hoi An proper justice. If the occasion should arise that I make a return trip to this area, I’d like to spend a night or two in Hoi An. Rumor has it that there are quite a few expats residing there. I took a shitload of pictures in both locations, here’s a taste of what I saw:
Hitting the highway with driver Tom.One of the mountains they call Marble.The entrance to the cave. As usual, there were tons of tourists sharing the experience. I understand this is the busiest time of year for tourism in this area.Should I stay or should I go?Penetrating the void.Inside the cave were statues and other relics.Most of the passageways were easily navigable, but some places required crouching down.Hello up there!It got a little dicey climbing these steep, narrow, and uneven steps. The voice in my head kept saying, “walk towards the light.”You only live once (unless you get that do-over life).Almost there…Made it to the top!A view from here.And one of the other Marble Mountains we didn’t visit.A random stranger offered to take a photo of us.Going back down was even scarier than the climb.
Some random shots from inside the cave:
She looks a little lonely.I can’t read what it says, and I’m too lazy to do a Google translate, but I assume this is referencing the Viet Cong hospital hidden inside the mountain during the Vietnam War.Beats me.Still impressive, even without a clue.Okay, that’s a little creepy.What the hell?Umm…Stop, you’re killing me!Can it getting any worse?Okay, I’ve seen enough!
We escaped the hounds of hell and made our way back outside, where our driver awaited. Then we took a pleasant drive to the city of Hoi An.
Along the way, Tom wanted us to see a place called the Coconut Forest.
We opted not to do a coconut boat tour.
Tom told us this used to be an American Army installation during the war years.This old bunker has been preserved, more or less.The caption perfectly captures the Vietnamese perspective on the “American occupation period.” Oh, you mean that time when we came to defend South Vietnam from the invasion of their northern neighbors? Anyway, we lost, so the winners get to write the history.Our driver dropped us off in Old Town Hoi An, so we could explore on foot.Motorized vehicles aren’t allowed on this road, hence the bicycle carts.This was one of the friendliest vendors I’ve ever encountered. She volunteered to pose for a photo with Swan.Then she had Swan don her hat and carry her burden.“You too!” she told me.
Of course, we felt obligated to buy some of her fresh fruits. I guess her strategy worked.
A riverside view.Nice!It turns out that Hoi An is famous for its Banh Mi sandwiches.We weren’t hungry yet, though.I’ll eat at Dirty Fingers, but Poison Coffee is a bridge too far!Speaking of which, this is the famous “Japanese bridge” built in the 1600s.Over the river we go!A Hoi An moment.We headed back to meet our driver with a stroll on this road.Still too early to visit a pub, despite being enticed by this lovely lady.I think I’d love this street at beer o’clock.
And then something weird happened. A white guy on a scooter with a Vietnamese girl on the back pulled up and started chatting with me. Just friendly banter, where are you from, how long are you staying? Seemed innocent enough.
Steve from Wales and the gal who turned out to be his co-worker.
Both do promotion work for the Karma Group, which apparently operates hotels, including one in Hoi An. Steve asked if we’d like to participate in a free drawing, and I shrugged, saying, Why not? He handed us both a ticket. I opened mine and won a free ball cap.
Nothing special, but the price was right.
Then it was Swan’s turn, and when she opened hers, Steve said excitedly that she had the grand prize ticket.
So, she won either an Apple iPhone, seven nights’ accommodation at a Karma hotel, or six million dong ($250).
Of course, there is always a catch. To find out which she won, we had to go to the Hoi An Karma hotel. Then, to collect the prize, we had to sit through a one-hour presentation (about what, I never got a clear explanation). They wanted to drive us to the hotel right away, but we declined, saying our driver was waiting for us. What I didn’t say was that there was no way I was getting a ride from two strangers; I’ve heard stories about people being disappeared. As much out of curiosity as anything, I told them I’d have our driver take us to the hotel. They reluctantly agreed, and Steve took off on his scooter. The gal walked with us to meet my driver.
On the way to the hotel, I told Swan I’m sure her prize would be revealed to be the free hotel stay. When we arrived at the Karma and the ticket was scratched, I was proved right about that. And then there was some confusion. We had agreed to a one-hour presentation, and fifteen minutes later, nothing had happened. Swan told the Karma representative that we needed to leave by 1 p.m., and the rep went and made a phone call. When she returned, she told us that there was not enough time, so the prize would be voided. I said, ‘Okay, we arrived at 12:30; we’ll stay until 1:30,’ and the rep said that still wasn’t enough. We needed to spend one hour with the person making the presentation. I smelled a rat and said, Never mind. We’ll go. The rep apologized and gave us a 500,000 dong voucher ($19) for a local Da Nang restaurant.
I wonder if it was bad Karma?It turned out the rep was a Filipina.Missteak (another weird name for an eatery) is nearby, at least. We plan to try and use it for lunch today.
Anyway, I’m still curious what the presentation topic was going to be about, most likely some investment scheme—no big deal on missing out on the big prize.
An uneventful trip back to Da Nang, but I did have my driver show me a place to get the Vietnamese Bahn Mi delicacy. When it was time to eat, we hoofed it over there. It’s a few blocks off the main beach road and surrounded by other restaurants, almost all of which are Korean.
Umm, I hope it is good.Well, when you only make one thing, I expect it will be done well.I drank Vietnamese beer to go with my Vietnamese meal.Swan had a mango smoothie.Really just a small sandwich shop.Dinner is served.Bahn Mi!Biting into the local culture.
The sandwich was fine, but as I recall, I enjoyed the one I tried in Saigon more. We strolled back towards our hotel on the side streets to see what we could see.
I’d never seen plants growing on the side of a high rise before.We visited a rooftop venue called Sky Bar, but they didn’t serve wine. We took this photo of the beach and departed.So, we did our nightcap at the beach bar across the road from our hotel.Our view from there.
And that was our day. Hopefully, I’ll get to Day 5 later this afternoon. Now it is time for a walk and some lunch at Missteak.
Sorry about the lack of the usual daily update. All is well here, I’ve just been on a journey through a fairy kingdom, otherwise known as Sunworld Ba Na Hills. I did a group tour that departed from my hotel before 8 a.m. and dropped me back off here at 6 p.m. I’m whupped, but still going to grab some grub before calling it a day. I’ll try to do a twofer in the morning to bring you up to speed on my adventures from days four and five of my vacation.
Swan surprised me with a card this morning in recognition of two years of being together. I’d totally forgotten the significance of this date, so I pulled a rabbit out of my hat and facetiously said that this trip to Vietnam was my anniversary present to her.
That’s all for now, I’ll be back with the rest of the story manana.
Day 3 of my vacation from routine led to an escape from the confines of the Da Nang tourist hub. Or as one expat I met called it, “Cracker Town.” The day featured seeing a tall Buddhist gal and then getting some Dirty Fingers. Read on to learn more about the day’s adventures.
My hotel room comes with a complimentary buffet breakfast, so that’s as good a place to start as any.
A huge buffettAnd a big crowd.My plate. Food wasn’t bad for the price.
So, we had been stopped by a local on the street the day before, and he offered to show us around. Real friendly guy with decent English, so we got his contact info for WhatsApp and said we’d let him know. There’s a giant statue located in the hills, visible from town, at a famous Buddhist Temple, locally known as Lady Buddha. Swan arranged for him to drive us there and back with a 1 p.m. pickup.
After breakfast, we hit a nearby convenience store to restock the fridge in our room. We killed the final hour before the driver‘s arrival at the beach bar across the road from our hotel.Enjoying the ocean view.
From our perch, I put the camera on zoom mode and grabbed a shot of Lady Buddha.
See you soon!Our driver, Tom, was on time, and we began our journey out of town.
As mentioned, Tom speaks relatively good English and has a nice sense of humor. Along the way, he steered the conversation to the Vietnam War, which made me a tad uncomfortable. He played this clip of Robin Williams in “Good Morning, Vietnam” on his dashboard video box:
He also talked about the Mai Lai massacre, but the best I could offer in response was that the officer responsible was sentenced to prison (I subsequently went back and read the link above and saw that Lieutenant Calley only served three years under house arrest). Anyway, we moved on to other topics and it was a mostly pleasant ride.
As we neared the temple, we saw these critters monkeying around.Rules, rules, everywhere there’s rules… We obeyed them.Statues like this abounded.I know next to nothing about the Buddhist religion, but I could appreciate the artwork involved.Many structures like this one were scattered throughout the massive temple grounds.I was surprised to see this bench emblazoned with the name of the town where I grew up.Buddha brings the faithful to their knees.Out of respect, Swan was asked to wear this wraparound skirt to cover her legs while inside the temple.When I used the restroom, I was provided with guidance on the proper way to pee.Swan defrocked.A golden momentYet another fancy building.It seems God was keeping an eye on things.Dragon my ass up the stairs.The portal awaitsDa Nang in the distance.Swan close up.Who is that looking at my ass?“Yes, ma’am. Whatever you say, ma’am. No offense intended.”Whaddya mean he looks like me?Are you a cherry girl?I guess even statues get tired.That’s a bridge too far, Swan, come back!
So, that was our tour of the Lady Buddha. I was very impressed, even as a non-believer. I’d visited several temples in Korea with my Buddhist wife, but they didn’t resonate with me the way this one did.
On the drive back to town, our driver told us about a place we might like to visit for a meal named Dirty Fingers. He said when an American friend first invited him, he found the name off-putting and didn’t want to go. But once he was convinced to give it a try, he really enjoyed the food. It’s about a 2K hike from our hotel, so after some rest, we headed out for some exercise and nutrition. The walk took us away from the touristy district, and there was a more laid-back vibe to enjoy.
Nice signage.Wherever I go, it seems Texas is never far away.And that’s just what I did.This really is my kind of place. I’m sure I’d hang out here and drink beer regularly if I was a resident.I loved the musician portraits.Cheers!
We ordered pork ribs and chicken wings. While we waited for the food, the owner of Dirty Fingers came by our table to introduce himself. Scott is an American who hails from Louisiana originally. We had a very nice chat, and he’s another reason I’d enjoy being a regular here.
The ribs……and a side of slaw.It was wing night at Dirty Fingers, so we ordered ten and got ten more for free. Needless to say, we brought leftovers back to our room.The world leaders in fucking over the masses.
Owner Steve saw me admiring the artwork above and told me it had earned him a visit from the authorities. The complaint was that the figure wearing the traditional Vietnamese hat (the non-la) was mocking Ho Chi Minh, the founder of communist Vietnam. Steve explained to the powers that be that the figure was Karl Marx, and no disrespect to Mr. Minh was intended. At first, they were not convinced, and Steve was prepared to replace the non-la with a clown’s hat, but the authorities relented, and that modification didn’t happen. Ah, the joys of living under an authoritarian regime.
As we finished our meal, Steve complimented my “Drunken Grownups” t-shirt, saying it had taken him a while to catch the Dunkin’ Donuts reference. He mentioned he had hats and t-shirts for sale, and I jumped at the chance to acquire souvenirs from my pleasant visit to his establishment.
The front side of my new shirt and hat.And I love the backside (double entendre intended!)
As we made the post-meal trek back to our hotel, we stopped for a nightcap at the Maia Beach Bar.
Another busy evening on the beach.
We made it an early night and got rested up for today’s adventures at the Marble Mountain and the city of Hoi An. I’ll tell you about that tomorrow. Now it’s time to head out for dinner, and yes, I have a lead on a place serving Vietnamese food.
Day two of my escape from the Philippines landed me in Da Nang, Vietnam. This is my first time here, and it’s been pleasant enough so far, but the tourist vibe is almost overwhelming. I wasn’t sure what to expect coming in, but this is definitely the place where youngish foreigners seem to be coming for vacation. Watching folks walk by, they outnumber the locals immensely. And I can’t remember the last time I saw so many Western women in the mix. Admittedly, some of them look mighty hot in those t-back bikinis. So, that’s my first impression of Da Nang, but we’ll see how I feel as the week progresses.
The day began with an alarm on my phone at 4:30 a.m. We had to be up early and ready to catch the 6 a.m. hotel shuttle to the airport. Once there, it was the typical travel bullshit of waiting in seemingly endless lines. I’d never flown with HK Express before, but they did okay for a budget airline. Didn’t charge me extra for my checked bag, but also insisted that Swan check the suitcase she carried on with AirAsia. Well, since there was no charge, it made things easier. On the flight, snacks and drinks must be purchased, and when I asked for a bottle of water, I was informed that they don’t accept cash. Well, fuck you very much then. But the bottom line was that we achieved a wheels-down landing, and our luggage, although almost the last to come out on the carousel, made it too.
Boarding the plane in Hong Kong the old-fashioned way.World travelersLooking down on Da Nang.A surprisingly nice airport.
We called a Grab for transport to the hotel. A little confusion on where we’d meet up with the driver, but that was resolved without too much delay.
A Da Nang street scene on the way to our hotel.Our home for the next five days. It has forty floors, and we are on the 26th.
The hotel wouldn’t allow us to check in until 2 p.m., but the beach was just across the street, so we went there to pass the time.
Swan is a beach lover.What’s not to love?
We found a beach bar, and plopped our asses down there for some lunch.
A fruity smoothie for Swan.And a San Miguel Light for me.My burger is served.
After lunch, we took a stroll along the beach path.
Along the way, we saw an even nicer-looking beach bar and vowed we’d soon return.I’m world famous!
We got back to the hotel around 1:30, but our room still wasn’t ready. So, we chilled in the lobby until we finally secured our key and headed for the elevator.
It’s a nice enough room, but I prefer to have more pillows. That’s Swan’s Teddy, who goes everywhere she does.
The view from our room is sensational.
An ocean view……and a city view, both from the same window.
Beer o’clock happens here, too, but because of the time difference, it comes an hour later. Oh well, just gotta make adjustments and go with the flow. And we flowed our asses down that Maia beach bar we’d seen earlier.
As seen from the beachLooking up the beach……and looking down the beach. I grew up in Southern California, but I don’t remember the beaches ever being this crowded.Our drinks have arrived!The view from our perch.
So, after a pleasant visit to the Maia Beach Bar, we headed for a recommended dinner venue. Stopped at an ATM to enlarge my dong.
Withdrawals are limited to two million dong ($76), so I’ll likely be visiting once a day or more.Our dining destination. Not a bikini in the place, though. As you can see on the signage, this is an American diner. What? You thought I would eat the local food? C’mon, this is me we are talking about!
Just for the record, I will sample the local delicacies soon.
I enjoyed my pulled pork sandwich very much.
Then we strolled back to the hotel. Swan said she’d had enough, but I went up to see the hotel’s rooftop bar on the 40th floor.
The view was impressive, but the bar was a disappointment.
There was no table service; you had to go inside and get your drink from the bar. Only two beers on offer, a local brew and Heineken. I went local, and it was okay (it had a pull-off tab to open; I hadn’t seen one of those since the 1970s). One beer, then back down to my sweetie and a good night’s sleep.
Well, mostly good. I’d forgotten to turn off my alarm, so I was awakened at 4:30. Oh well, an extra hour to enjoy in Vietnam.
Coincidentally, Reekay just posted a video wherein he talks about why the Philippines is losing expats to Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia. Da Nang is apparently especially popular. It is still early in my visit, but I don’t think I’d like living here. Da Nang reminds me a little of Phnom Penh, but I like it better there.
Greetings from Da Nang, Vietnam. Here’s the down and dirty of day one of my trip as told through photographs.
On the road to Manila. My regular driver was ill, so he senthis son. He got us there for 7000 pesos.Swan and I both had to pay the 1350 pesos to leave the Philippines.
And then AirAsia charged me an additional 2,400 pesos to check my bag.
We arrived at the airport five hours prior to our scheduled departure time. Hey, better early than late. The Manila airport isn’t known for its comfort levels, so we went looking for an “elite” lounge to spend the time.
We found one for “only” 4000 pesos each to enter.
We *almost* managed to get our money’s worth when our outbound flight was delayed for two hours. They never told us why.
But we finally were able to board and get on our way.Goodbye, Manila!You look better at altitude than on the ground.Our first international trip together.I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now, from up and down, and still somehow, it’s clouds’ illusions I recall, I really don’t know clouds at all. Land ho!I’m impressed.Seeing Hong Kong for the first time.Hong Kong International Airport is almost as impressive as Incheon.The bag I paid for arrived safely.I went to the money exchange and traded in some old hundred-dollar bills that no one in the Philippines would take. Got a little over 7 Hong Kong dollars for every American one. Feeling wealthy again! A luxurious room at the Marriott Sky Hotel
Me being me, we went downstairs to check out the hotel bar.
It was quite elegant.
I asked the bartender what beers were available, and said I drink San Miguel back home. He grinned and said, ‘I’ve got some San Mig, but you’re in Hong Kong now.’ Why not try something different?
And so I did. It was fine, so I had another. Then I looked at the label and noted it was 6.5% alcohol volume. That’s double what I usually drink.So, I finished up with a taste from home.I’ve never had a bar table more than a thousand dollars before. Luckily, they were Hong Kong dollars.
Which is not to say things were not expensive. I pay around 100 pesos for a beer in Barretto. That’s less than two bucks. That local beer was 635 pesos each, or about twelve dollars. Even the San Miguel Light was almost five times more expensive than the PI. Well, I was spending money that no one else wanted, so why not go a little wild? I’ll be returning to HK on Saturday to spend the rest of it.
And that was pretty much it for day one of my week out of town.
Seeing as I’m in holiday mode, I’ll spare you the usual content I post here until I return home. I’ll update you on the journey to Vietnam tomorrow.
It’s time to get out of town and leave the hedonic treadmill I’ve been riding behind. For a week, anyway. Perhaps the stormy weather will spare me in Vietnam. Ironically, despite the wet weather, we’ve not had access to water for two days now. It seems a water line somewhere in San Isidro got severed, and that’s the line that provides for the faucets in my part of Alta Vista.
The kind folks at Subic Water sent this tanker truck out to the house.And we filled all the containers we could find —ice chests, buckets, wash basins —with liquid gold.And this morning I got to experience the joy of taking a shower the old-fashioned way. I didn’t much like it.
As for my last night in the Philippines, not much worthy of note. In other words, like every other night. Anyway, fed the crew at Hideaway Bar, and got Swan her weekly ration of birria tacos at John’s place.
I had a pulled pork sandwich without the bun. I didn’t eat many of the fries, but they reminded me of the way they used to be at McDonald’s back in the day — crispy.Next, we quenched the thirst of our waitress friends at Red Bar.
A nightcap at Wet Spot wasn’t all that pleasant. Some young out-of-towners requested rap music, and since they were spending big, the manager accommodated their wishes. That’s okay, I can live with it. What I can’t accept is buying my waitress a drink and then having her walk away and sit somewhere else. No, she wasn’t attending to other customers or chatting with a regular; she just chose to sit on a stool with the other unoccupied waitresses. WTF? When I left, her half-empty lady drink was still on the table. Needless to say, it’s the last lady drink she’ll ever get from me (I’ve known her for years), and frankly, I may scratch Wet Spot off my list of places to visit—lots of options where they at least pretend to appreciate my business.
So, that was how my Saturday went.
Back in February 2010, I shared the story of the love in my life that changed everything. I’m sure I’ve linked to it before, but here you go again. It’s one of my personal favorite LTG posts.
Today’s YouTube video talks about the reasons some expats regret their decision to retire in the Philippines. I don’t. Although maybe Da Nang will change my mind.
Time for a little humor:
Be careful what you pray for.What a beautiful couple. They are the breast!Something doesn’t add up here.
Anyway, time to pack up my laptop and head out. My driver will take us to the airport in Manila, and hopefully, all goes well with our flight to Hong Kong. Spend the night there, then onward to Da Nang in the morning. I’ll post updates as time permits.
…after going fourth. There was no independence from the reign of tropical storm Bising yesterday, but we celebrated anyway. Her majesty has not yet relented her authority to drench all us colonizers residing beneath her throne in the clouds. But I’ve embraced the freedom of being soaked, so bitch, you are powerless to drench my spirit. And I’ve got the pictures to prove it!
Chris and Gary joined me in braving the wet weather for our Friday hike.The truck accident I posted yesterday had traffic backed up on the National Highway all the way into Subic. As you can see, we were walking through puddles on the shoulder.We kept to the pavement for the most part.A rainy bay.Once you are soaked, why bother with an umbrella?She made it to ninety-five! Well lived, Virginia!Eighty-six ain’t bad, either. Very rare to see funeral banners with folks this old. Most of the ones I encounter are younger than me.A wet 6K wasn’t so bad.
Once home, it was time to prepare for the party next door to celebrate both the 4th of July and Fil-Am Friendship Day.
I baked cornbread muffins…… candy-topped brownies……and my standard walnut brownies. I may have overbaked this batch a tad, but they still tasted okay.Maksil (second from left) brought his favorite tequila. It seemed rude to decline a shot, even though I’m not a big tequila fan. Swan says I wound up having six, although I really don’t remember.The food spread.The gals gathering.The guy’s table.The group shot.My plate. Everything on it was excellent.
It was a fun gathering and a happy celebration.
It is still February 2010 as I journey through the LTG archives. In this “Blast from the Past,” I recount having some old photographs digitized and sharing some of the story behind this one:
My Prescott, Arizona life remains one of my favorite chapters.
I’m in a Facebook group about Westminster, California, the city where I was raised. Someone posted a photo of the Hi-way 39 Drive-In theatre (who remembers those?), which brought back a flood of memories.
Sorry, the text was also cut off in the original post.
Some other Facebook memories from this day in my life:
Seven years ago, Buddy was rescued after running away from home shortly after I adopted him. He’d been gone for several days before a trike driver spotted him. In this photo, he’d just been dragged from a pondon Baloy Beach Road.Five years ago, the COVID stupidity was still on full display. They let the bars open again, with certain “safety” precautions. Yep, that’s gonna protect you from an airborne virus.
Today’s YouTube video discusses why many Filipinos are forced to live in slums. It is worse in the big cities like Manila, but even in my neck of the woods, the poverty is sometimes shocking. The last time I posted a “Grace from the Philippines” vlog, there was some debate about whether Grace is an AI rendering. I still can’t say for certain, but if so, it is probably the best AI I’ve seen.
Humor me this:
That oughta work…I’ve got to hand it to him.Do it for freedom!
And now to get on with my last day in the Philippines. I’m moving the Hideaway feeding to today, and Swan and I will dine at John’s place afterward. There has still been no break in the rain.
As seen from my balcony, the river is rising.And we are packed and ready to roll in the morning.
I’ll try to knock out a post from Hong Kong tomorrow night, but no promises. Otherwise, it will be Good Morning, Vietnam!
Happy Independence Day to the USA! And happy Fil-Am Friendship Day to my Filipino friends.
Technically speaking, it was July 4, 1946, that the Philippines were granted independence from the USA, but they have chosen to celebrate their independence from Spain instead (something we also had a hand in providing). Hey, it’s all good. Live free and be happy!
Celebrating Brexit 1776.
Freedom isn’t free, and often the price is paid for in blood. All the more reason to cherish it and defend it from enemies, both external and internal. Of late, it seems the America-haters inside our borders pose the biggest threat. The America-lovers have more guns, so FAFO if you think you can destroy our country from within.
I posted this parody song twelve years ago, and it is as true now as ever:
Well, let’s see if Trump can drain the swamp once and for all.
Meanwhile, here’s what’s going on in my part of the world:
They said it was coming…And here it is…greetings typhoon Bising.
So, another wet day yesterday, and she ain’t done yet.
This poor truck lost its way on the National Highway in Barretto and took out five storefronts.Sadly, the driver didn’t live to tell what happened.
My big accomplishment yesterday was securing my finalized Emigration Clearance Certificate from the immigration office in Olongapo City.
It’s official, I’m free to go.
Oh, and this happened, too. Swan played a joke on me, but I didn’t fall for it. I still have to appreciate the effort she put into it, even making a video of her trying to gag me.
I deem the relationship 99% recovered.
It should come as no surprise that when the time to head into town for some libations arrived, I didn’t let a little rain stop me.
Watching the rainfall from It Doesn’t Matter.
When it was time to eat, we visited Jewel Cafe.
I remembered to order my filet mignon WITHOUT gravy this time. Looks and tastes better that way.
After our meal, we crossed the highway and popped into what is rapidly becoming one of our favorite bars.
Jumpin’ Jacks
This was our third visit, and once again, we were not disappointed with the laid-back chill atmosphere. The bartender asked if I wanted to change the music, and I told her, hell no, this is just what I like! It’s incredible that there hasn’t been one song during any of my visits that I haven’t enjoyed. What are the odds of that? I need to obtain a copy of that playlist and upload it to my Spotify account.
We also had a pleasant chat with the female manager of Jumpin’ Jacks about plans to attract more customers to the bar. She confirmed that they will not have dancers, which I think is a good thing. Plenty of other bars around for that crowd. She wants to sponsor a pool tournament at least once a week, and they will have a team join the pool league. She also has plans to have a live band play weekly. Then she took us to a nice room in the back that they plan to turn into a karaoke venue. I told her about the norebang (singing rooms) in Korea and that I thought it was a great idea not to let the noise of bad singing intrude on the other bar customers. Her plan is to charge a flat rate for the room use, which can be reduced through the purchase of consumables from the bar. So, I’m looking forward to seeing how things work out, and we will definitely be back again, making Jumpin’ Jacks a regular stop.
We did our nightcap at Candy Bar, a relatively new venue that we’d never previously visited. It’s a dancing bar with a pool table in the back, but there was nothing really that made it stand out in my mind. We were the only customers in the early evening hours on a rainy night. They didn’t have wine, so Swan ordered a margarita. It took the bartender two tries to get it right. Swan knew one of the waitresses from somewhere else long ago, and my friend Narissa is now working at Candy. I met Narissa several years ago at Cheap Charlies, and we took a trip together to Bataan, which I wrote about here. So, we enjoyed some friendly company, and the gals had a lady drink on our tab.
Swan bought me a rose from the flower vendor. Ain’t she sweet?Nice to see you again, Narissa.
We had a good enough day despite the storm.
In this post from February 2010, I mention vocative commas as if I knew what I was talking about. Obviously, I don’t. I was referring to seeing the Big Hominid posting on his Hairy Chasms blog again. Hey Kevin (see what I did there?), do you remember this post?
Today’s YouTube video is from a new (to me) vlogger, sharing his perspectives on the good and bad of living in the Philippines. Everyone’s experience is different, but yeah, I’ve seen some of the same things he mentions.
Time for some humor:
FAFOAt least he was unleaded.That genie must have been a dick!
Last year, I hosted a 4th of July gathering at The Rite Spot. Later today, we’ll be joining the fun at a party that our next-door neighbor, Jeff, is hosting. I’ve been baking corn muffins and brownies that we’ll be adding to the mix. So, tomorrow I’ll have something different to post about. Bet you can’t wait!
Well, this is me we are talking about, so not all that wild. Plenty wet, though.
The Wednesday Walkers braved the rains and embarked on the 7K Philseco loop. Flat and mostly paved, but satisfying nonetheless.
A long Jeepney ride to the far side of Subic brought us here.And off we went up Philseco Road.Off the road……and briefly onto the dirt.Pond, mountains, and clouds.Over a bridge.Reflections on another pond.Raindrops and rickety bridges.Heading for the highway and a Jeepney ride home.I guess I shouldn’t call it a loop, but it is a pleasant hike in any weather.
When it was time to head into town for some liquid refreshments, we started at Sloppy Joe’s. I was happy to see the kitchen was open because I was feeling a little hungry. Lots of stuff on the menu, but the item I was looking forward to eating, a sloppy joe sandwich, wasn’t listed. Swan suggested we wait and eat at Mugshots, but I got an order of squid rings to tide me over.
They were tasty.
Owner Bert came over to greet us, and I teased him about the lack of sloppy joes at Sloppy Joe’s. He said, ‘Yes, we have,’ and pointed to the menu —the pulled pork sandwich. I politely advised that a real sloppy joe is made with beef. He shrugged, went to the kitchen, and ordered me a pulled pork on the house. That was a kind gesture.
My “sloppy joe” wasn’t sloppy at all. It is just like the pulled pork sandwich served at Treasure Island, also owned by Bert. And that’s where the cook came from. Anyway, it tasted fine and I can’t complain about the price.
We went next door to Green Room for our nightcap and stayed a tad longer than we usually do, in part because I got gifted two free drinks. Swan bought the girls grilled meat on a stick from one of the street vendors, we handed out cookies and lollipops, and I enjoyed watching a couple of hotties in short skirts playing pool. I guess that was the wild part I referred to in the title.
When we got home, I lacked the energy to sit through a Squid Game episode, so I’ll need to redouble my efforts tonight. Had a good sleep despite being awakened a couple of times by the pounding rain outside. And it still hasn’t stopped. Glad I’m alive to enjoy the weather, rain or shine.
It is still February 2010 as I scroll through the LTG archives. This picture post recounts the adventure of my wellness checkup at a Korean hospital. I must say that walking into the hospital at eight and leaving at noon (with a free lunch voucher!) after a head-to-toe battery of tests is something not to be found here in the Philippines. Hell, my local hospital sent me all the way to Angeles City to get an echocardiogram. Oh well, as I recall, the results from those tests in Korea that day may have put me on a course of meds and lifestyle changes that have kept me alive.
In today’s YouTube video, the Pea is showing pictures of Western guys to Filipinas and getting a rating. Hell, if she had shown the ones of me I posted yesterday, I’m sure I’d have gotten a ten. The video ends after just a little over two minutes, so something must have gone wrong. I’ll update if and when she reposts, but short and sweet works for me.
You knew this was coming:
Why do you think they call it dope?Blasphemy!That ought to pump him up.
Sorry, those were all pretty bad even by my low standards. I’ll try to do better tomorrow when the 4th be with me.
Each day is a step closer to normalization, so we are getting there. I’m not ready or willing to give up.
I’m finishing up with the preparations for my upcoming trip to Da Nang, Vietnam. That required a visit to the Immigration Bureau in Olongapo to submit my application for an Emigration Clearance Certificate, which permits me to leave the country. In the absence of any outstanding wants, warrants, or other violations being found, I should be able to pick it up tomorrow.
Part of the application process is the submission of a 2×2 photo. One of those is from two years ago, the other was taken on Monday. Talk about aging gracefully!
Next on the agenda was grocery shopping at the YBC and Royal supermarkets. This caught my eye at YBC:
Now that there is some powerful spaghetti! Either that or a good illustration of why it is unwise to repurpose a display shelf.
After shopping, we dropped Swan off at the government office in Olongapo that handles the Philippine social security program. I increased Swan’s allowance so she could resume paying into the system and be eligible for benefits when she reaches her golden years. She had to wait almost six hours for her number to be called. My head would have exploded long before that.
Since Swan still wasn’t home at beer o’clock, I headed out on my own. First stop was my old haunt, Snackbar.
The view of the 7-Eleven parking lot from my outside seat.
Whatever magic this place once held for me is long gone. And so was I when I finished my beer.
I decided to take a stroll down Baloy Beach and see what was happening.
Not a lot.
Kokomo’s Tiki Bar was still closed, and so was Kim’s Place. So, I circled back to Foxhole (formerly DaKudos) and took a seat at the empty bar. Monette, my old friend from Mango’s, was serving, and it was nice to see her again. She confirmed that Baloy continues to suffer from a lack of tourists, and business is slow everywhere.
The Foxhole view from my barstool.
I heard from Swan that she was on her way home after completing her ordeal in Olongapo (she messaged via phone since I have not as yet been unblocked on Facebook). We agreed to meet for dinner at Treasure Island.
My Treasure Island view.
While waiting for the food to arrive, a storm blew through.
Here it comes……batten down the hatches!
Dinner is served:
Sweet and sour pork for me.A grilled pork chop for Swan.
It was only seven, which is early even by my low standards, but I was ready to call it a night and head home. Swan heard that Season 3 of Squid Game was now out, so we settled onto the couch and watched Episode 1 of the final six-episode season. Swan’s a bigger fan than I am, but it’s an okay show. My issues are with plot holes that make no sense. Last night, the detective was still trying to find the island by hiring a drone operator. Somehow, I think an island with all the infrastructure required for the games wouldn’t be that difficult to find off an isolated coast in Korea.
Five more episodes to go.
Oh, and I got a Father’s Day card from my daughter via a friend’s FPO account. The postmark indicates it was mailed on June 10 in South Carolina. Must have gone via the pony express.
Poor girl was subjected to my dad jokes throughout her childhood.
It’s nice to be remembered by one of my kids anyway.
Long ago, in a land far away, I climbed a mountain. Then I had lunch at the top before riding a cable car back down the other side. In February 2010, I wrote a post full of pictures documenting that historic day. You can read all about it in The Story of My Life.
In today’s YouTube video, Smart Girl Philippines tells us how foreigners fuck up their relationships in her usual cheerful and witty style. I have no idea what she is talking about.
Just because I find it funny doesn’t mean you won’t:
A woman has twins and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt and is named ‘Amal.’ The other goes to a family in Spain, they name him Juan. Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his mum. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Amal. Her husband responds, ”But they are twins. If you’ve seen Juan, you’ve seen Amal.”
Spoken like a true dad.
Ouch! That was a real Kirk in the nuts!You don’t need shoes where he is going.
And that’s the way it was. Oh, I was writing this post, I got a Facebook friend request and a message on Messenger from Swan. I’ve officially been unblocked! Now we can communicate via social media like true lovers do!
I apologize for leaving you in suspense yesterday. My focus was elsewhere. I’m not going to go into a lot of details because it’s all still too up close and personal. Suffice it to say, we hit a big pothole on Relationship Road that did some damage. I wasn’t sure if things could be fixed or not, but we’ve made some progress on the repairs, and as of today, we are moving forward once again. It was a painful reminder to me about how much is at risk when you entrust your heart to another. The prospect of losing the love game yet again made me realize I’m in the now-or-never stage of my life. If destiny (or Karma) dictates that I’m bound to die alone, so be it. I have zero tolerance for drama, and I’ll flee if necessary to avoid it in the future. Going forward, I’ll keep my eyes wide open–one on the road ahead, and one on the rearview mirror for lessons learned.
And now, let’s get back to our regular programming:
It was another Hash Monday, but I opted not to do the Kalaklan climb. My mood was still sour, so I got some documents copied that I needed for my upcoming trip and then embarked on a street walk instead. Yes, Swan and her friend Beth came along.
Something weird happened along the way. As we passed the Savers store, we saw a group of out-of-town Hashers waiting there. Um, this is LAST week’s meetup place, I told them. I explained that the start this week was another kilometer or so up the highway. They decided to follow me on my trail instead.My group was the first to arrive at the On-Home venue.The Hash GashThe old fuckersThe Hash Circle area at Johansson’s is uncovered, and it rained for the duration.It’s nice on ice, even in the rain.The usual after-Hash gathering at IDM.
Still not much interaction when we got home. I went to bed, and Swan stayed up watching television. She was beside me in bed when I awoke, and we started the day with a hug. Progress! I’m still blocked on her Facebook and Messenger, though.
It’s February 2010 as I continue my trek through the LTG archives. This post about all the cars I’ve owned before was full of happy memories. If I hadn’t written about those times back then, I’d have forgotten most of them today. See, this blog does serve a purpose! It remembers what my brain forgets.
I had a chuckle when I came across today’s YouTube video from Reekay about how to end romance drama. NOW you tell me! Truthfully, my problems were nothing like the incidents Reekay mentions. I was treated rudely, and I overreacted; things escalated from there. Hopefully, we’ve both learned some lessons.
A dose of humor medication:
No joke.That might work.I prefer wings, but that’s just me.
Anyway, it is what it is. Whatever the ultimate outcome, I know that I’ll be okay.
