I’m impressed by the animal-like behavior I’ve witnessed here, as I walk the beach and streets.
Another day lived and enjoyed on the beautiful island of Siargao. When you are staying at a beach resort, walking on the beach feels like the right thing to do. So, when the sun was up and the tide was out, that’s just what we did.
Let’s roll!Still high and dry.Then things started to get a little rocky.This tree seems to be saying to the sea, “Bring it on, bitch!”Maybe this place will be ready in time for our next visit.That’s a creative way to name your Korean restaurant.We decided to grab lunch here, mainly because it is next door to where we are staying.Comfy ambiance, but it gets loud at night when they turn on the karaoke.Some beef quesadillas……and garlic=parmesan chicken wings.
Food was good, but we noticed again how much more expensive things are here compared to Barretto. I got four wings for 350 pesos. You get eight for that price at Sloppy Joe’s.
I’m still not used to watching white women walking the streets. You rarely see that back home in Barretto.
All my fellow travelers were on a motorbike adventure, so Swan and I headed out on our own when beer o’clock rolled around. And lo and behold, as we walked down Tourism Road, Jeff and Davina pulled up on their scooter and told us of a place they had found off the beaten track. It was less than a kilometer away, so off we went. Jeff and Davina joined us there shortly after we arrived.
Hmm, an open-air, upstairs bar. That’s my favorite! And that name sounds familiar.Wait a minute! I’ve been to Hideaway before.
I messaged Joy and asked where she was. She responded that she was at work. I told her I was at Hideaway, but she wasn’t there. Then I sent the above photo as proof. Joy claims this is not the same Hideaway.
Yes, the view is much better from this one.Enjoying our perch.Only one gal at this Hideaway. Think of the money I could save on feedings. We even got to see the sunset.Down she goes!See you next time.The sweet life in Siargao.
We decided to give that birria taco place we’d seen earlier in the week a try. Jeff and Davina took their scooter, and Swan and I grabbed a tuk-tuk for the 7K journey.
We have arrived.The tacos…And for a change of pace, a birria burrito.
Swan judged the tacos to be okay. She said the shell was less greasy than John’s place, but she missed the guacamole. I found the burrito a bit too ricey, but otherwise it was tasty.
Satisfied diners.
As we were eating, a group of tourists came in and sat at a nearby table. Before long, Jeff had engaged them in conversation.
Turns out, one was an American (shirtless) from San Diego, a place where Jeff had been stationed as a Marine. The other was an Aussie bloke. Not sure where the girl was from, but she looks Indian to me.
Oh, and Isla Comida didn’t have San Mig Light.
So, I gritted my teeth and drank the original San Miguel beer, their Lager. It didn’t kick my ass.
After dinner, we parted ways. A tuk-tuk ride back to our side of town, then a nightcap at Barrel Bar next to our room. I judge it to have been another good day in paradise.
Continuing on in the October 2015 LTG archives, there was this post about work and darts, two things I no longer have in life. Well, at least I have the memories.
Raffy Tulfo is a Filipino broadcast journalist who often takes on cases involving scams, corruption, and violence. Or so I’ve been told. I’ve never actually heard more than snippets from his show. But for today’s YouTube video presentation, here he is interviewing a foreigner who got his ass kicked in Angeles City. Full disclaimer: I haven’t had time to watch all of this one either. I found it on one of the PI forums I frequent.
Well damn, here I am trying to save some time, and this happens. Click on the YouTube link if you want to watch.
Let’s do the humor, so I can go take a shower:
My gal is forty and a trained caregiver. I should be in good hands unless she decides to kill my sorry ass someday.Reminds me of the time I tried to look up the definition of “inexplicable,” and the dictionary said, “Cannot be explained.” So, I still don’t know what it means.Back in the day, I was sent to the principal’s office for being a smartass quite often.
Alright, almost time to hit the town, so I’d best get myself ready. Tomorrow morning, we are taking an island tour by boat to several offshore locations. I will blog about it as time permits.
So, here’s today’s report about my yesterday in paradise. Kicked things off with an early morning beach stroll to watch the sunrise. Then we did a 6K walk to the outskirts of General Luna and back, before we finished the day with an ill-fated bar crawl. Here’s some of what I saw along the way.
The sun rises over that specific ocean, at least on this side of the island. I was hoping to catch the sun as it first peeked above the horizon, but alas, either I arrived too late for that, or the clouds obscured the view. It was still very beautiful.The tide was also amazingly low.Floating on sand.The Romantic Beach Villas Resort as seen from the beach.I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now…Lighting the sky.Swan with her toes in the sand, taking in the view.The colors of the morning.A beachside graveyard.1983-2025. Sorry you had to leave so soon, Janeth.Where the sand turns to stone.The morning’s last sunrise shot.
After breakfast, we hit the road again. On foot this time.
The highway that runs through General Luna is aptly named, “Tourism Road.”I’ll fly away.We walked past a rental car lot and spotted the vehicle we had used for our Thursday trek.
So, when the guys came to pick up the car from our hotel yesterday, we had a bit of a disagreement. They owed me my 2000-peso deposit but tried to claim I owed them 500 pesos for not “cleaning the car.” I pointed out that the car was every bit as clean as when they had delivered it and accused the agent of trying to scam me. I also pointed out that there was twice as much gas in the tank as when they brought the car. I was losing my temper at this point, and Swan shooed me away while she continued the negotiation. When she returned, she had my 2000 pesos, so it turned out okay.
I’ve never seen a dog crossing before or a dog using one on its hind legs. The dogs running around were crossing wherever they damn well pleased, so I guess using the crossing is not mandatory.The route of our trek on Tourism Road.
Back to the room for a nap and taking care of the blogging business, then spent some time on the front porch while the housekeeper cleaned our room.
The view from the porch included seeing the laundry Swan had done by hand earlier in the afternoon.
Jeff had plotted out our bar crawl route on Google Maps, and we agreed to meet at the hotel bar at 4:00 pm to kick things off.
Being featured on a hotel welcome sign was a first for me.The mapped out plan.The bar crawlers gather at the Romantic Villas beach bar.The first bar on our list didn’t open until 5 pm, so we chilled at the hotel and enjoyed the view from the bar.At the appointed hour, we hailed a couple of tuk-tuks (much more comfy than the trikes back home) for the 7K ride to our first venue, Parluman Gin Parlor.The entrance to the place I’ll never return to.
Things started going south for me from there. We arrived at 5:15 only to be told they weren’t open yet, despite their published opening of 5 pm. I said we should move on to the next venue, but I was overruled. So, we sat at the beach bar for drinks to await the opening of Parluman. Once the doors opened, I walked inside and ordered a beer, only to be told they didn’t serve beer…only gin drinks. Well, damn. I know better than to mix my beverages, so Swan and I left and went to the place next door…a nice big open-air bar that was much more to my liking.
Some of the bar’s signage, whose name I don’t think I ever heard.Regrouping before heading out to the second bar on our list, Last Chance.
No complaints about Last Chance Bar, but there was nothing special about it either. It didn’t really have a bar vibe or ambiance. When I pointed that out, one of the group told me that’s because you prefer dive bars. Come to think of it, that might be right.
We couldn’t find the next bar on our list, Extension, and someone told us it was closed, so we proceeded on to the next venue, Secreto. Well, along the way, I managed somehow to piss off Swan, and she left me. I was equal parts sad and angry about being deserted, and my mood wasn’t helped when our waitress told me Secreto didn’t have San Miguel Light. I settled for whatever draft they served me, then ordered another to try to kill my pain. Jeff told me I needed to leave, so I finished my beer and said my goodnights.
Swan messaged me that the room key was at the front desk, so I didn’t have any idea where she might have gone. When I got back to the hotel, I stopped by the beach bar for a beer while I sorted things out, and was pleasantly surprised to see Swan sitting there with a glass of wine.
We talked a bit about how my impatience triggered her, but in the end, she agreed to go back to the room. She left before me, and when I left, I decided to stop at the bar near our room to try to ease my reeling mind. Swan messaged asking where I was, and I invited her to join me. She did, and by then we had both calmed down enough to put the misunderstanding behind us and move forward with whatever future we might share together.
One thing that really hit home for me was that I am too old to recover from another heartbreak. If I fuck this up with Swan, it will be game over for me. I don’t want to live with any more regret than I’ve already accumulated over the years.
And on that depressing note, I’ll let go of last night and look forward to the rest of today. It’s been a good one so far.
It is now October 2015 in my journey through the LTG archives, and in this post, I am also enjoying a sunrise on the ocean—the East Ocean (don’t you dare call it the Sea of Japan!). I was making the best of the life I had back then, but sadly, it wasn’t enough.
Today’s YouTube video discusses the differences between typical aging effects and those caused by dementia. While there is no question that I am much more forgetful these days, based on this video, my symptoms fall within the normal aging range. From what I remember, anyway.
I didn’t forget the humor!
To hell with it then.He died in his sleep that night.Hey, so am I!
We’ll leave it at that for today. More and more, it feels like I’m living on the edge, but better on the edge than over it. So, I’m going to keep plugging away and making this the best life it can be.
Yeah, whatever you say, Charles. I’m just glad to be here enjoying the day.(I apologize in advance for the poor grammatical structure of that quote. I didn’t write it!
Speaking of days, my yesterday was a special one. We rented a car and drove all around the island, stopping at some recommended tourist spots along the way. Then we visited the brewery that Dr. Jo’s husband, Chris, is in the process of opening, and he let us sample some of his delicious brews. We travelled 109 Kilometers and spent nine hours on our road adventure. Here are some photos from our journey:
The comfortable car I rented. 3500 pesos, plus 2000 for gas. Jeff did the driving.On the road again.We stopped at an overlook to see this impressive palm tree orchard. That’s a lot of coconuts!Our next stop was here.Heading down to have a look.The entrance to the cave.
I opted out of this adventure, as did Martin and Joss. It involved wading through water waist-deep or higher, and that just didn’t appeal to me. Jeff, Davina, and Swan were all gung-ho, so off they went. The rest of us hiked down to the other side of the cave and waited for them to reappear.
Davina has one of those GoPro cameras, and she made this video from inside the cave.
While awaiting the return of the brave souls from our group, I watched these guys climb a cliff face. Impressive it was, speaking as someone who has almost no remaining upper-body strength.And then they jumped off the top. Ballsy!The cave wanderers emerge.No one drowned or got eaten by a croc…well done!Looks like Swan had fun without me.
Our next stop was supposed to be at some tide pools, but when we arrived, we were told the tide was high, so there were no pools to observe. Oh, well. We drove on to our next destination.
I don’t know if this was intended to be serious or if someone at the highway department has a sense of humor. We were passing through some croc-friendly-looking marshland, though.Well, I’ll be damned. I just searched Google, and it turns out this is crocodile-friendly land.Speaking of signs, this may explain why there is not a litter problem on Siargao.Every time I ask, “Which ocean is that?” I’m told to be more specific.A Swan on a wall.Show gals.My prize.The way ahead.
Lunchtime was approaching, and thanks to Martin’s skill with Google Maps, he found what we were looking for…a place to eat on the beach.
I was a little surprised about this place. It looks to be a fairly new venue, but it is located in the middle of nowhere. Not much signage, and we’d have driven right on by if our navigator software hadn’t told us we had arrived.It was on the beach, and that’s what we were looking for.We arrived right around noon and were the only customers. But by the time we finished, quite a few diners were enjoying the ambiance.I ordered the fish and chips. When I asked the waitress what type of fish they used, she said tuna. I’m no connoisseur, but I’d never heard of using tuna. By the look on Martin’s face (an English bloke), he hadn’t either. As you can see, it came out very light colored instead of the usual deep brown. But it was surprisingly tasty. I shared some with Martin, and he agreed.With our hunger satiated, we were back on the road, headed towards our next destination.Taktak Falls, we have arrived.And there they be. Much more impressive than the falls I’ve seen on Luzon.As regular readers may have discerned, I’m not much of a water person. Especially when it requires taking off my shoes and changing my shorts. The rest of the group dove right in.A bathing beauty.Another cliff climber heading up. He did a double backflip on the way down. Ah, to be young again.A group shot of all those from Bryce Street who swam at Taktak Falls.
Back on the road again. Next stop:
What’s a spring pool? I had no idea either. Let’s go see.Martin leading the way.And here come the stragglers.And there you have a spring pool.It was actually quite serene and scenic.Chillaxin’ at our “campsite.”A Swan in a hammock.Girls on the rocks.
After some rest and relaxation, it was time to move on to our final stop of the day:
Dr. Chris’s Siargao Island Brewery.It is still a work in progress (he hopes to open in January), but Chris was happy to see his neighbors from Alta Vista.
In anticipation of our visit, Chris had brewed up a batch of his “Light Pilsner” for our enjoyment. It was very good indeed, and I quenched my thirst with three (or maybe it was four) glasses.
Cheers, Chris! And thanks for having us. See you next trip!
From the brewery, we had about an hour drive back to our hotel. Once we arrived, we were too tired to go back into town, so we dined on the offerings from the Romantic Villas’ kitchen.
Did I mention I was tired? And no, that is not a fake yawn.We covered a lot of ground yesterday.
So, it was early to bed and early to rise this morning. I’ll share my today tomorrow.
Let’s check in with the September 2015 LTG archives to see what I was up to back in my Korea days. Oh, I was getting drunk. I’ve come a long way, baby!
Today’s YouTube video is from a vlogger on a mission to help homeless foreigners in Angeles City. She didn’t get the response she expected. Welp, I’m not unsympathetic, but I don’t understand how people allow themselves to be unfunded in a third-world country. I’ll flee for home long before I wind up living on the streets.
And now for that humor you’ve been missing:
I guess I’m a day late with this one. Does that make it a Black Friday?Keep dishing them out!Like father, like son. That’s my excuse!
As you can tell by the length and content of this post, I have had a relatively lazy Friday so far. On tap (no pun intended) for this evening in a bar hop to some of the best bars in the General Luna municipality, at least according to this blogger. Looking forward to seeing if she is right. Tune in tomorrow to find out!
A busy day ahead today (touring the island in a rented car), so before I head out, I’m going to rush a photo dump showing what happened during our Wednesday on Siargao.
Kicked things off with the breakfast buffet.Then we hit the road for a surfing area called Cloud 9. Four kilometers to get there, then four to get back. Jeff and Davina joined in the fun.
The most interesting things I saw along the way were the signs. Here are some of my favorites:
That’s some fresh fish if it’s swimming on your plate!Good to know!Damn, I hope their construction work is better than their spelling. Not that I’m one to talk.Sounds like a good strategy. Zen means beer, right?After we paid the 100-peso-per-head fee to enter Cloud 9, Swan took care of some souvenir shopping. It’s called “The Dreamer,” but I’m not sure I want that in my head at night.
So, I don’t know if you’ve noticed in the earlier photos I posted, but there is something unique about the ocean here—the waves are a goodly distance offshore. Cloud 9 makes it easier for the surfers to get out to the waves.
Via this long pier.Say hi to Davina.Clean beaches are good to see for a change.The water is clear, too.Looking back from whence we came.Islands in the stream.These surfers were waiting for the small swells after the line of breakers.The real deal. Where I grew up (Huntington Beach, California), the waves were a lot bigger than these. Maybe it was just a low morning. Anyway, I didn’t use a board when I surfed (couldn’t afford one), so I used my body—still a lot of fun.Time to head back.Haven’t seen one of these VW vans in a long time. Back in the day, I had some fun in the back of one with my girlfriend Gail.What’s life without memories?We have a restaurant with this same name near us in Subic. I wonder if they are related?Hmm, maybe I’ll take Swan here on Sunday for her weekly birria fix.Damn, that must suck.We are definitely going to hit this place before we leave. House of Booze and Bitchin’ Food is a great combination!What kind of shat is that? The food must stink. Or maybe it’s just a crappy name.Thanks for that wisdom!A nice 8K stroll. Very little vehicle traffic to contend with, mostly just motor scooters.
Lunch at our hotel, then back to the room for a nap, blogging, and a shower. And sure enough, beer o’clock came rolling around. Time to head for the beach!
I gave Swan a spook as we left our yard.I’ve pretty much gotten acclimated to walking from my room to my hotel.This must be the place.Still a ways to go.Jeff and Davina are lounging by the pool.The beachfront.Chillin’ with a brew and taking in the view from the hotel bar area.
Martin and Joss moved to the hotel next door because they didn’t like their noisy room. We walked the beach and joined them there for another round of drinks.
The Alta Vista Bryce Street clan reunited again.As we sat enjoying the clouds over the ocean, the girls giggled at this one for some reason.And this one flipped me off.
Then it was time to eat, so we hoofed it into town. Jeff had seen a barbecue place, so we headed there.
We passed a burger joint named after me on our way.We have arrived at The Smoking Joint. Let the party begin!Hopefully, they only smoke the good stuff.Swan and I shared orders of pulled pork……and grilled ribs. Both were yummy.
We ordered a side of mashed sweet potatoes, something I hadn’t seen anywhere. They were excellent. Service was good and friendly, and we all enjoyed our meals.
But the fun wasn’t done yet. As we walked down the street, Jeff spied a karaoke joint and insisted we stop in for a song or two.
Where we sang.Davina on the microphone.Some good advice in neon.
Did I sing? Do you think I’m Crazy?
It sounds better when you are drunk.
Anyway, that was enough for me, so Swan and I bailed and headed back to our room. The rest of the group went into full-on party mode and stayed out for a couple more hours.
And now you’ve seen the story of day two in Siargao.
Getting to Siargao wasn’t the fun part, but we eventually made it. We left the hotel at 0600 and arrived at the airport with plenty of time to check in for our 0830 flight to Cebu, where we would connect with the flight to Siargao. And then this happened:
They said it was a “maintenance issue,” so we had no clue how long we would be waiting.I’m not saying Manila’s airport (NAIA) is the worst in the world, but it is the worst airport I’ve ever visited. I try to avoid it whenever possible, but for this trip, flying out of here was the best option. Or so it seemed.The Bryce Street travelers…Jeff, Davina, me, Swan, Martin, and Joss. We finally boarded an hour and a half after our scheduled departure.
Which meant we were landing in Cebu almost exactly at the time our connecting flight was scheduled to depart. I figured we were screwed, but when we exited the plane, an agent was holding up a sign for passengers bound for Siargao. I was surprised that, in addition to our group, about twenty other passengers from our flight were booked for Siargao. They delayed our connection until we had all boarded, and we were once again airborne.
It’s been a long time since I last flew on a prop plane. A little cramped, but not bad.Up, up and away.Goodbye, Cebu City.Treasure Island?And about an hour later, it was hello, Siargao Island.I don’t recall ever seeing an airport as small as the one that serves Siragao.
In another turn of good fortune, our checked bags made the flight with us.
Where I be.
For some unknown reason, Martin and Joss had booked the next flight after ours to Siargao. We opted to wait for them to arrive at the airport to share transportation to our hotel in General Luna City.
The tiny airport had this small food stand that sold beer, so we were able to pass the time waiting for Martin and Joss in relative comfort.This fire truck is older than I am.Luckily, neither of us had to put out a fire yesterday.
It was nearly 4 p.m. before we were finally on our way to our hotel. That was a LONG day of travel.
On the road to General Luna.The sun was about to call it a day.
We checked in, got our keys, and discovered our room at the Romantic Beach Villas was nowhere near the beach. It’s more like a small house than a hotel room: a yard, a big front porch, a kitchen, and a separate bedroom.
A Swan on the porch at Casa Grande…And a chicken in our yard.
I made a video this morning of the walk from my “house” to the hotel building where our complimentary buffet breakfast was served.
So, first impressions: Siargao has a pleasant, laid-back vibe. It’s pretty and surprisingly clean. Another big surprise is that, at least in General Luna, it is a major tourist attraction. Not only that, but the crowd it attracts is young Westerners. It appears they are here for the surfing, judging by all the surfboards I’m seeing. Honestly, I can’t remember seeing so many youthful white women in one place since I left the USA twenty years ago. Most of them are healthy-looking and relatively slender. Of course, I’m the oldest man around these parts, or so it seems. No complaints, I can always tell those young bucks that my girl is hotter than your girl!
We had a couple of drinks at the hotel beach bar, then went to the place next door, called Barrel, for some grub and more beer and wine. I made it my usual early night and was in bed by 9 p.m. Until I was awakened at midnight by incredibly loud live music from the bar at Barrel, which is almost next door to my “house.” That lasted until two in the morning. A good reminder that I am, in fact, still in the Philippines.
We took a nice 8K street walk to a place on the island called Cloud 9. I’ll share some photos from that and the rest of today when I can. We’ve rented a car for tomorrow to do some touring around the island, so blogging may be delayed. Sorry about that!
Sorry for the lack of posting yesterday. It was a crazy day getting to Siargao, but we eventually made it. I’ll tell that story hopefully later today, but here’s a quick catch-up on Monday night in Manila.
We joined travel mates Jeff and Davina for a Makati walkabout after deciding to save the BGC area for another day. Jeff and Davina are regular visitors to Makati, so they gave us a tour of some of their favorite spots, including the upscale Rockwell area. It really was like being in another world. One thing that really stood out for me was the lack of litter. Hard to believe, I know, but this is a side of the Philippines I hadn’t seen before. It reeked of wealth and richness without a shanty in sight. Happy to see successful Filipinos enjoying their lives, but you can’t escape the fact that overwhelming poverty surrounds you right outside this enclave. There is not much middle ground in this country. Anyway, it was an enjoyable night out on the town. Here are a few photos taken along the way.
Walking amongst the high-rise buildings reminded me of my life in Seoul.Passing through an upscale mall.A four-story-tall Christmas tree in the mall.If I were to live in Manila, it would likely be here. That said, it gave off a “fantasyland” vibethat made me a little uncomfortable.Not to mention Manila traffic.Evidence that there is a Manila Hash. Later in the evening, I saw a guy wearing a Hash shirt and introduced myself. Nice to meet you, Ice Balls.Palm trees lit up for the holidays lined the streets of Rockwell.The Rockwell skyline.
This being us and all, our tour did include some of Jeff’s favorite venues that also happen to serve liquid refreshments.
We started at this brewpub, where they make their own tasty beverages.I had the “Legal Blonde” pilsner. I took the name to mean it was aged properly.Then we had dinner on the roof at a place in Rockwell whose name now escapes me.
An after-dinner pub crawl on our way back to the hotel ensued.
First stop, a biker joint called “Handle Bar.”That girl of mine surrounded by bar art.That biker print is worthy of a closer look.Next up, a Burgos Street bar named “Heckle and Jeckle” decorated with images from a cartoon show that only us old farts would remember.Last call was at Shooters, where we’d had lunch earlier. Our hotel was conveniently located right across the street.
A 5:00 a.m. wake-up call awaited for our morning departure to Siragao Island. Things didn’t go exactly according to plan. I’ll get back to you later today with that story. Oh, and I’ve also just now got caught up with responding to earlier comments. Sorry for the delay!
That’s where I be until bright and early tomorrow morning. Then, we’ll catch our flight to Siragao Island. So here’s a down-and-dirty update on the trip so far.
Swan and I loaded our bags into neighbor Jeff’s car at the agreed-upon 7 a.m. departure time. We then drove to Clark Airport in Angeles City, arriving at 8:15. We parked and waited for the 9 a.m. bus that would carry us to the Manila airport, where we finally arrived a little after noon. We called a Grab car to take us to our hotel in Makati, but the reception staff wouldn’t let us check in until 2 p.m. So, we went across the street and had lunch at a friendly sports bar named Shooters. Now I’m in my room and in an hour we will take a walk to a part of the city I’ve never visited, BGC.
Hopefully, I’ll be back to regular posting tomorrow from General Luna City in Siragao. Until then, here are a few photos from today’s adventure (so far):
Signage at the pit stop on the way to Clark pretty much captured my condition.Finally on the bus heading for Manila.Except before we even exited Clark, we pulled into the bus yard to refuel.
Then we stopped in Angeles to pick up more passengers. Next, the driver and his assistant stopped to grab a sandwich. It was almost an hour before we were finally on the expressway to Manila.
I grabbed a nap to help pass the time. Plus, I had to pee again.At last, the skyline of Manila came into view.I guess the slums are the fertilizer that grows those tall buildings.Lunch at Shooters Sports Bar. Nice place.It had been quite some time since I enjoyed a meatloaf meal. Tasty it was.We are staying at the Coro Hotel and posing for photos in its nicely decorated lobby.The lobby also features a bookshelf. This one caught my eye, but I was dissuaded from reading it.
And that’s where things stand as of now. Back tomorrow with more.
It’s nice when something old is new again, like when the floating bar comes back after its seasonal hiatus. And the same old, same old can be sweet as well, like doing the weekly Decay Dance. That was my Saturday in a nutshell. We’ll let the photos from the day tell most of the story:
Heading out for our sweet walk.Now we’ve got that out of the way.The calm before the storm.The storm.We go where others fear to tread. Alright, no one is afraid to go here, but it sounded good at the time.Where we danced.
When it was time to head to the floating bar, neighbors Jeff and Davina wanted to come along. Fine, you drive! Some other friends met us there shortly after our arrival.
Thar she be! Nice to see you again!It was opening day and a Saturday, bringing out the largest crowd I’ve ever seen on the floater.Hmm, there is something distracting about this photo…There, I fixed it.
Granted, that’s not the view I come for these days.
I enjoy the bay views, like this one of Baloy Beach.And the sun will be putting on a show before long.In the meantime, some of the gals offered up a little dance.Our group.Here we go.That’s the way, uh-huh.I like it, uh-huh, uh-huh.The shipyard lights the bay.And the moon lights the sky.
More dancin’ in the dark:
All good things must pass. The neighbors departed for a family dinner gathering, and Swan and I headed ashore for some food at Treasure Island.
See you next time, Kokomo’s floater.Hello, Treasure Island!Good food and live music were a nice way to end the day.
Here’s to hoping it never gets old.
Back to the September 2015 LTG archives. Maybe it’s the pot calling the meat roast, but this post offers a nice juxtaposition of what a day in my life looked like ten years ago versus now. It’s all good.
Eight years ago, my walks were a little more chilling than they are now.
Snow is but a distant memory for me now.
Speaking of distant memories, today’s YouTube tells the story of how the Philippines got its name. Never watched this vlogger before, but he does a nice job. I need to go back and watch the other parts of his history of the Philippines.
Here I go again:
Life can be hard sometimes.We can laugh now that it’s over.Smart move!
So, bright and early in the morning, we begin our trek to Siargao Island. Riding with Jeff and Davina to Angeles City, where we’ll catch a bus to Manila. We’ll spend the night in Makati before flying out Tuesday morning. I’m not sure where blogging will fit into my travel itinerary, so don’t worry if you don’t see a regularly scheduled post. I’ll blog when and if I can, and when I do, it’s all gonna be about new stuff I’ve never seen or done before. Looking forward to it!
Back in my Southern Cal youth, we’d say shit like, “She’s a surfer’s dream, flat as a board.” Yesterday’s group hike was like that. We did the Philseco loop, a 7K journey that doesn’t have a hill climb. It’s getting hot outside, and I ain’t as young as I used to be, so keeping things on the level works for me.
A Jeepney ride to the far side of Subic town dropped us off where Philseco Road meets the National Highway.And off we go down Philseco!It was raining sunshine.Leaving Philseco behind.Time out for a cookie delivery.I was relieved to see my favorite tree survived the recent typhoon.This tree wasn’t as lucky.And onward we march.Past the fish ponds.Over the bridge.The writing on the wall. “Pangit” means ugly. Assuming the blank letter is an “a,” someone doesn’t like the looks of Faith.I guess I’ll need to cum back when they are open. I’ve never had a “burgasm.”This rickety bridge still carries the load.Back on the pavement.Some after-hike refreshment at 13 Resort.The view from 13 Resort.The route that brought us there.
It’s been a long time since our last visit to the 13 Resort. Swan and I went yesterday because we both wanted to share a Monte Cristo sandwich. Alas, it was not to be. All they have on the menu now is a few Thai dishes. The place was looking more rundown than usual as well. I asked a waiter if the owner, Badger, was around, and he told me Badger spends his time in Angeles City these days. Rumor has it the resort is for sale. Good luck to all.
After the usual R&R at home, it was time to head into town for some Friday evening action. As we walked, I asked Swan where she wanted to go first. She responded, “It doesn’t matter.” I told her, c’mon, you choose. Once again, she simply said, “It doesn’t matter.” I gruffly responded, Fine, be that way, and took her to IDM.
This new signage was installed during our visit.Swan and her bargirl pals. The empty chair is mine.
We did our nightcap at Cloud 69. Our favorite waitress was absent once again, but two baklas sat at our table, kept Swan company, and brought me beer refills. I asked if they preferred a lady drink or a tip, and both said just the tip. As we left, I gave them each 100 pesos, more than the LD commission for them, and cheaper than two LDs for me. I’ll call that a win. We also learned that Cloud 69 will close on Wednesday and relocate to the building where Cyclone is currently located. Same owner for both bars, so likely just a cost reduction move.
And that’s how I spent my Friday.
Back to the September 2015 LTG archives, and in this post, I was on fire. In more ways than one.
It’s been too long since we’ve checked in with the Filipina Pea, and in this video, she answers viewers’ questions about why Filipinas sometimes act the way they do. Swan’s one, but she’s not like the Filipinas they describe in this video. We have our moments of drama, but they are rare and short-lived.
Here we go again:
That’s a real boner.The great escape!Don’t give up the ship!
That’s all, folks. The Kokomo’s floating bar is opening today, and Swan and I will be there to do some rockin’ on the water. Been missing that.
It doesn’t matter what day you celebrate, it’s the thought that counts.
A very pleasant gathering with friends and neighbors yesterday to give thanks for all the blessings that come with living in the unique paradise of the Philippines. Drinking began at 4 pm, and food was served at 6. I had two Thanksgiving-sized helpings, and by 7:30, something went wrong. I think it was more about over-ingestion of food than alcohol, but perhaps it was an unhealthy combination of the two. Whatever it was, I knew I needed to lie down, so I shamefully said an early goodnight to the hosts and other guests, and Swan escorted me home. Once I was tucked in, she returned next door and stayed until the conclusion of the party at 10:30 p.m.
There’s a downside to early to bed…like waking up at two in the morning and not being able to go back to sleep.
Well, I did go back to bed at four and managed to sleep until six, so I’m well-rested today.
The early-arriving lady folk.The guy’s table.Sundown arrives.Time to fill them plates.My first plate full has bird, dressing, mashed taters and gravy, green bean casserole, fruit salad, and candied yams. It was all good, so I did a second round. That may have been too much of a good thing. Oh yeah, I had pecan pie à la mode for dessert.I’m pretty sure it was a food overdose I suffered.The best Thanksgiving I’ve had all year!
It was fun while it lasted, that’s for sure. Folks seemed to enjoy the fruit salad I contributed. The candied yams and green bean casserole were my favorite sides. Good times!
Continuing on in the September 2015 LTG archives, I recount (mostly through photos) a visit with the wife to Nami Island. It was part of my ongoing effort to make my wife happy. Alas, it was an effort destined to fail.
Also in the archives was a link to this post, where I weigh in on the issue of prostitution and human trafficking in the bars. I have to admit, I was pretty shocked to find a post with some substance here at LTG.
Despite my fantasies, I have to accept that time travel is outside the realm of human existence. The next best thing is videos from the past, like this one entitled “Subic Bay Liberty Call.” The song is nice too.
Humor me:
Maybe try sleeping on top of her next time…then you’ll both be on the right side.At least buy her a lady drink or two.Take her to the Temple.
And we’ll leave it at that for today. Thanks for reading!
I’ve got a feast to attend to this afternoon, so let’s get on with the down and dirty about yesterday, shall we?
The dawn’s early light as seen from my bedroom window.And Easter Mountain shrouded in smoke as seen during the dog walk.
Then it was time to convene the Wednesday Walkers group hike.
This week’s participants.It’s a good thing that there is a sign saying not to leave trash here. Imagine how it would look otherwise.Let the climbing commence.On the trail.A view of my little town.A respite.The bay view from the top.The tall thatch grass made for some tough going.Catching our breath at 4 Corners before plunging onward.Posing with Easter Mountain.A fowl encounter at Mountain Mama Onelia’s place.And lo and behold, I wound up doing a part of the part of Monday’s Hash trail I’d skipped.The kids always call me “daddy” for some reason.A valley view on our way back down.A nice 6K walk.
Swan didn’t join in the hike because she had a doctor’s appointment in Olongapo. When she returned in the afternoon, she declared the rare “me day” where we’d each do our own thing. Hers was to relax at home. Mine was to expend the Cheap Charlie’s beer card I’d received at the RSL meeting.
An Alta Vista view on my way into town.And the view from my stool at Cheap Charlies.
Without Swan around, a couple of the gals felt like keeping me company. I explained to them once again that since CC’s raised the price of a single lady drink to 250 pesos, I would not be buying them one (200 pesos is my max). They stuck around anyway and even laughed at some of my jokes. I guess they were bored, and there weren’t any other prospects around. When I was ready to order some food from Foodies downstairs, I told them they could get something off the menu instead of a drink. The food they ordered was coincidentally 250 pesos each, but it is not the money; it is the scam of paying 250 for an overpriced drink. I also gave them 50 pesos each as a tip when I departed.
Barretto after sundown.
My next stop was Wet Spot to see if there were any updates on a memorial gathering for Dave Fisher. Manager Bret told me nothing had been arranged yet, but Dave’s widow would be in town today, presumably to finalize the sale of Dave’s bars. Bret thought it likely there would be a bar crawl in Dave’s honor sometime next week. Sadly, I won’t be able to attend as I’m booked for seven days on Siragao Island, departing on Monday. Oh well, Dave is gone but will not be forgotten.
I did my nightcap at Green Room and enjoyed the music and watching some skilled pool players compete. One of the songs I hadn’t heard for a long time was Don McLean’s American Pie. It brought back memories of a creative writing class I took at Golden West College in Huntington Beach back in 1973. One of our projects was analyzing the lyrics to that song to discern the people and events McLean was singing about. It really is an excellent piece of work.
Left Green Room near my beer intake capacity, but when I got out of the trike at my house, neighbor Jeff invited me to join him for “one more” at his place. Of course, I wasn’t going to be rude and decline, so I grabbed Swan and we headed next door. After a nice chat and TWO beers, I pulled the plug on my Wednesday and called it a day.
Continuing through the September 2015 LTG archives, having a Buddhist wife meant occasionally visiting temples in the area. In this post, we traveled out near Incheon to enjoy a day at the Bomunsa Temple—lots of photos to enhance the memory of a good day together. I didn’t know then that those days would soon be over.
And as a bonus, I mentioned yesterday about the last car I’ll own. Here’s the post about all the cars I’ve owned in this lifetime.
Back in 2015, AT&T sent me a refund check. And now it is not worth a non-existent penny.
I don’t have any memories of the old Subic Bay Navy Base, but sometimes the old buildings on SBMA remind me of the now-closed Yongsan Army Base where I used to work. Today’s YouTube video is full of pictures capturing the history of the Navy in Subic.
And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for:
When you are 70, having a 40-year-old girlfriend feels young. Plus, she is a certified caregiver, so I’m in good hands if things go wrong.Took me a minute to get this one.A movie I actually recall watching, although I don’t remember much about it.
Okay, it’s turkey day today. Celebrating Thanksgiving a week early with the neighbors because we’ll be in uncharted territory next week. I had a busy morning in the kitchen preparing my contributions to the event.
The ingredients for my Aunt Pat’s World Famous Fruit Salad.Fruits in the bowl.Mix in the sour cream, pecans, and marshmallows, and this is what you get. Tastes better than it looks.Everybody doesn’t like something……but nobody doesn’t like Sara Lee.Corn bread muffins.And I was specifically requested to bring a batch of brownies with me.
Looking forward to being thankful! I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.
As mentioned in my previous post, I made a rare appearance at the weekly RSL meeting yesterday. Despite being a member, it was only the second time I’ve attended this year. My reason is simple: the 2 pm start doesn’t work well with my routine-controlled lifestyle. That said, I do enjoy the gathering, especially when there is a Joker Jackpot worth 101,000 pesos (about two thousand US) waiting to be won. So, yeah, I had a selfish motivation for going yesterday, but in my defense, the proceeds are used for charity projects. Next month, there will be a medical mission providing services to an expected 400 children in San Marcelino.
We attended with neighbors Jeff and Davina.The meeting was held at the Rock Lobster Bar, and the place was packed.
The RSL is an Australian organization, similar to the American VFW. Unlike the VFW, everyone is allowed to join, regardless of nationality or veteran status. Most of the faces in attendance were familiar, although I guess that’s not surprising for our little town.
The artwork photograph above our table really caught my eye.
Those faces! If looks could kill, I’d be as dead as Magellan. A good reminder not to piss off the locals.
So, about those raffles. The main event tickets were 100 pesos each, or 6 for 500 pesos. In addition to the Joker Jackpot, there were drawings for various other prizes, ranging from meats, bottles of booze, and beer coupons for various bars. The way the Joker Jackpot works is if your ticket is drawn, you pick one of 52 cards on the board. If you choose the Joker, you win. If not, the pot is increased for the drawing the following week. So, after many weeks with no winners, the pot grows large and the number of cards to choose from is substantially reduced, increasing your chances of winning significantly. That combination brings out the seldom-attenders like me for some early-afternoon fun.
Each main event raffle participant is limited to a maximum of twelve tickets (1000 pesos). So, I bought twelve tickets in my name and twelve more in Swan’s. There are two other raffles: a 50-50 drawing (winner gets half the pot) and a “big spender” drawing (winner also gets half, with no limit on the number of tickets you can buy). So, I spent the maximum 200 pesos on the 50-50 and another 500 pesos for the big spender. I’ll save you from doing the math: I invested 2700 pesos in the RSL drawings. Again, win or lose, it’s for a good cause, so no regrets. Oh, and they sell beer cards that get you four beers for 250 pesos. That’s such a bargain, I felt compelled to buy two.
So, the raffle begins with the prizes, and one of my tickets was drawn.
My prize was these sausages. I’m sure I’ll find a way to put them to use.
Alas, I was not drawn for the Joker Jackpot. The guy who was picked failed to find the Joker. So, next week’s pot will be even larger, and now there are only five cards left to choose from. Sadly, I won’t be able to participate because I’ll be enjoying my adventure in Siargao Island covering the following two Tuesdays. Odds are slim that a winner won’t be picked in my absence.
Oh, well. I didn’t get drawn for the 50-50 pot either. The last drawing of the afternoon was for the “big spender” pot. And, drum roll please, my number was picked! I received my share of the pot, a sweet 4500 pesos, which put me up 1800 pesos for the day (not counting the 500 pesos I spent on beer). Thank you, RSL!
The RSL tradition is to hold a bar crawl at the conclusion of the meeting. First stop yesterday was the Outback Billabong Bar, and our group, including Swan’s sister and niece, joined in.
Spreading the wealth at Outback.
The second bar on the crawl was Whiskey Girl, a bar on my “no go” list, so I didn’t. Instead, Swan and her kin joined me at the Outback Pool/Beach bar.
Taking in the view: sand, water, and clouds.Swan and her sister, Charm.
We had us some dinner (fish and chips for me), then reconvened with Jeff and Davina at Gold Bar. After some good music, nice vibes, and more beer, we loaded into Jeff’s car and cruised on home to Bryce Street in Alta Vista.
I deem it another fine day.
This anti-smoking poster made me think of someone:
I hate to be an “I toed you so,” so take care of those feet, Kevin!
The upcoming Corona Hash trail this week features this interesting climb:
That’s a big no thank you for me. And that’s also an example of why I know the Corona-sponsored Subic-to-Angeles hike is out of my league.One more thing to worry about on my hikes. I guess I’ve been lucky, but I’ve never encountered any type of snake on trail. So far.
Moving on to September 2015 in the LTG archives, and in this post, I talk about the last car I’ll ever own, my commute to the last job I’ll ever work, and a good day of darts that I’ll never experience again.
Today’s YouTube video is a two-minute comedy I posted on Facebook twelve years ago. It’s still funny today and also reminds me of why Western men come to the Philippines to find love. Well, shit. Another video that won’t embed for some reason. Go ahead and click this link, I think you’ll like it. UPDATE: Fixed the embed issue. I think.
Here is some more funny business:
That’s some Shady stuff…No fook hing way!Maybe I’ll work on my procrastination problem instead. Starting tomorrow.
And there you have it, another day, another post.
What the hell, now the music video won’t embed either. I’m guessing it has something to do with the malware cleanup. But damn it, I want you to see my videos without clicking a link. I’ll work on it. In the meantime, here you go: Lucky Man by Emerson, Lake, and Palmer.
I survived the Hash trail yesterday—at least the part of it I did. But to my credit, I did the hard part. My hill-climbing stamina has been fading rapidly, and I was somewhat worried about doing what I knew would be a challenging ascent. I thought of excuses to avoid the trail, but in the end, I decided I’m not ready to be a quitter. I’ll get up that hill or die trying, I told myself. I hadn’t gone far when I questioned that decision, because the long climb was an ass-kicker. Still, I hadn’t been out this way for a long enough time that it felt fresh and new. And because of that, I was able to overcome the urge to bail out and shortcut back down since I wasn’t sure which way to go. I plodded onward, but knowing there was a second climb in my future, I decided I had done my duty with the first half of the hike, and once we descended to Rizal Extension, I opted to do a road walk back to the On-Home at Bella Monte. The length of my version was about the same as the Hare’s trail (around 6K), but I avoided another hill. That’s my story in words; here are the photos:
That’s the Hare, Leech My Nuggets, in yellow.A gathering of Hashers awaiting the 2 pm start time.Me and my group said, “Fuck that,” and started a few minutes early. The rest of the Hashers passed me before I was even halfway up the hill.We started with a stroll up Banaba Street. It is steeper than it appears in this photo.And then we left the pavement behind and the real “fun” began.Don’t be fooled. I didn’t take pictures during the steepest parts.The struggle continues.On up!The view from here.I thought I’d found a nice urinal until someone advised it was a water well.One of the three barbed-wire fences we had to overcome.A tree that caught my eye.Another shortcutter who followed my lead for a downhill/flat street walk route.Rollin’ On-Home.Our On-Home venue for the second week in a row.The Hare’s trail is in green, and my “shortcut”is in red.Hanging out before the Circle.Chairs? We don’t need no stinkin’ chairs…On the ice.The old folks zone.
And that’s the story of this week’s Hash. I won’t be attending another Subic Hash until December. I’ve got some travel plans coming up.
From the August 2015 LTG archives is the post I made about my 60th birthday. And here I am having made it to 70. And now, let’s see if I can live to write the 80th-birthday post.
Today’s YouTube video discusses the realities of life for the majority of Filipinos. Yes, it is not paradise for most. This video is focused on Manila, but I see similar poverty on my walkabouts. It’s sad to view the hardships so many endure. Still, I’ve never ceased to be impressed by the locals’ resilience and ability to maintain a positive attitude and a friendly nature.
Let me leave you with a smile or two:
Leave it to the government.I think I see what your problem is now, fella.The period before you complete your sentence.
And there you have it. Changing things up some today by attending the weekly RSL meeting. It starts at 2:00, which isn’t in keeping with my kind of schedule, but there is a raffle drawing worth 99,000 pesos, so I’m making an exception with the hope of getting lucky. And the proceeds go to the RSL’s charity projects, so it is good to support that effort. Beer will be served, so everyone is a winner.
All you can be is who you are. Everyone else is taken.
The passing of Dave Fisher is still reverberating through our little town and in Angeles City, where he was an icon at the end of the last century. To honor his memory, we spent some time in Green Room and Wet Spot last night. When we arrived, our friend Beth, the head waitress at Wet Spot, who had worked with Dave since his AC days, was in tears. She was hugging the Filipino lad who does maintenance at the Maze and gets around on the prosthetic leg that Dave provided him years ago. Touching the lives of others in a meaningful way is Dave’s true legacy; the bars were always just a retirement hobby.
Lots of posts on social media lamenting Dave’s passing, but this one really captured his essence:
I have known Dave a long time and had many personal conversations with him over the years. Many I feel were private and will remain so. Dave managed to separate his home live and bar life better than anyone I have ever known. Usually, he would arrive in Angeles or Barretto on Thursday and go back to Makati on Sunday.
Dave kept his Makati life private and so will I. But it was just as busy and fulfilling as his bar life. He had membership in tennis clubs, imported Andelusian horses, was president of the Manila wine club, had involvement with several charities including Doctors Without Borders.
Dave grew up in Ohio and still has family there. He went to Ohio State and graduated from Medical School. He never was the type to sit in a private practice or stay on a hospital staff. Some of his achievements were being on a US Presidents medical staff and traveling with them. Managing a medical division of Siemens Corp developing cancer test and treatment equipment.
Dave was involved in ownership of several Nana Plaza bars and many of the names of the bars he owned in Angeles and Barretto came from there.
Dave started showing up in Angeles around the same time I did mid-late 1980’s. After moving to Makati in the early 1990’s he became more frequent. His first bar was Voodoo in the old Vampire location, then he opened his first of several Lollipops in the current Swiss Hotel location. He built the Kokomo’s restaurant on the corner of A. Santos and Fields over the remnants of the crumpled building left from Pinatubo. He and JC (Margaritaville now Margarita Station thanks to Jimmy Buffets lawyers) staged good natured war with the waitresses dressed in military costumes. Since it’s opening it is much smaller inside now after adding a bar, hotel and swimming pool. I don’t think Dave ever owned more than about a half dozen bars at a time, but he was opening and selling them like trading cards. My personal favorites were both Lollipop locations and Treasure Island. I will never forget the shower shows on the third floor of TI. Around 2004 Dave bought a small hotel on Baloy Beach named it Kokomos and put in theme rooms. He told me it would be his retirement. In 2006 after over a decade in AC had having nearly personally breathed life back into the go-go scene he was done and had everything up for sale planning to have a quiet life in Barretto.
Once again Dave started a second empire. The Treasure Island Hotel and several others came into play. Old man Dreden wanted to move back to the states so Dave bought the building that currently houses Wetspot, Sit-n-Bull and the Paradise hotel now. Like in AC Dave probably never owned more than a half dozen bars at a time, but I can name at least a dozen he had through the past twenty years.
Dave set up, managed and was MC for over one thousand SOB’s, 27 annual Scorpio Bar Hops (his birthday bashes), annual Superbowl Parties, nearly a hundred pool parties and many of the VFW annual beauty contests. Not to mention his many charity events. He was kind enough to invite me to many and I would always offer to chip and cover some of the cost. Dave would never take a peso from anyone saying, “It’s all set up.” Oh, I’ll mention one; his annual Christmas dinners for the local children. He would dress up like Santa Claus and more than 200 local children would line up to receive their take away Christmas Dinners. I really think the local children thought that he actually was Santa Claus.
There are tears in my eyes as I write this. But I am not crying for Dave. I am crying for myself and loss of not having my dear friend around to help me gain the perspective for life that he always provided.
A few thoughts to end this:
· You can tell the quality of a Boss by how long his employees stick with him. Dave has bar managers, mama sans and even waitresses who have been with him for decades.
· You can tell the quality of a person by his friends. Dave has touched more peoples lives than anyone I have ever known.
· Dave often used his vast vocabulary to come up with one-word definitions of a person. I never did find out what he had for me. The one I would use for Dave was “Gracious.”
· Finally TGATM 64 –“Don’t take life too seriously. You’re not getting out alive anyway.”
Anyway, as Wet Spot manager Bret, who has worked for Dave for over twenty years, said to me last night, the real surprise is that Dave lived as long as he did, and now his suffering has finally ended. So, we can both mourn his passing and celebrate the memories he left us.
Here’s what else happened yesterday:
Swan participated in her first 10K running event.
That’s her group of Barretto girlfriends she attended the event with.
If it looks dark, that’s because it was an early morning run. She left home a little after three in the morning.
And there they go on the streets of SBMA.Subic Bay in the dawn’s early light.And 10.5K later, they were done. Judging by the time, they weren’t moving fast, but credit where credit is due, they were out there humping it while I slept.At the finish.Participation medals.
Good job, my love.
While Swan was doing her new thing, I undertook responsibility for the Sunday Sweets Stroll. Didn’t want to disappoint the kiddies two weeks in a row (the typhoon stymied us last Sunday). After the run, Swan spent some time with the neighbors at Treasure Island while I attended to the Hideaway feeding.
Mission accomplished.
Then Swan and I met up at John’s place for our Sunday dinner.
The view from our seats.The treatment for Swan’s birria addiction. I supplemented the meal with some Korean-style chicken wings.
As I mentioned earlier, after dinner we hung out at Green Room and Wet Spot, remembering our times there with Daddy Dave. Swan even had the rare second glass of wine, but we still made it home before the 9 pm old man bedtime.
My buddy Scott put together a photo collage of the sunset as seen from The Rite Spot earlier this week:
Nicely done, Scott.
The Corona Hash group has a new adventure planned for January.
I want to go!
I’ve fantasized about doing a hike like that ever since I saw the video of a group he made the trek back in 2011. Alas, my physical ability is no longer up to the task. It’s going to be all mountains, no concrete. And knowing Corona, they won’t be taking any easy trails. I wish them well, but I’ll just do a wussy trip to Da Nang, Vietnam instead.
And here’s the YouTube video of those who went before. I would if I could, but I can’t, so I won’t. But damn, it looks like the adventure of a lifetime. Hmm, it won’t let me post that video for some reason. I guess you’ll have to click this link instead.
From the August 2015 LTG archives are the stories of buying the last car I will ever own and of eating at a new barbecue joint in Itaewon. Sometimes it’s the little things that make life worth living.
Facebook memories reminded me of the fucked up world we were living in four years ago:
Yep, they hung those plastic barriers in the Jeepneys as if they would stop an airborne virus. Oh well, it did make the Jeepneys less crowded.
And we’ll finish this post with the usual bad humor:
Actually, a government minting coins that cost more to make than their value is typically the type of cents you would expect.No more penny loafers…A girl with something extra…
Okay, time to get psyched for today’s Hash run. Leech My Nuggets is the Hare, so I’m expecting an ass-kicker. I’ve seen the map for today’s trail, and if I play it smart, I can keep it at one big climb at the start and a lesser effort about halfway through. Problem is, I’ve been struggling on the little hills in the neighborhood lately. I’m going to try it anyway. After all, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
I hope I’ll be back to post all about it here tomorrow.
I just now got the sad news that Dave Fisher, owner of Wet Spot and Green Room, and a long-time icon of Barretto, has passed away. He will be missed. What always most impressed me about Dave was how he looked out for the interests of the foreigners here. He was well-connected with the mayor’s office in Olongapo and worked hard behind the scenes to protect the bar district from the corruption so prevalent in Angeles City. Things like bar raids are almost non-existent here. And if someone fucked up and wound up in jail, Dave would often visit and ensure they had adequate food and care. I expect we’ll see some changes to the way things are in the future, and I doubt they will be for the better. Dave stuck around until his mid-80s and lived an amazing life as a physician and pharmaceutical executive in Europe, before getting into the bar business in both Thailand and the Philippines over twenty years ago. It won’t be the same without him around.
Yesterday was less depressing than today’s news, so let’s get to that.
Dogs rockin’ it as they watched us pass by with Buddy and Lucky.
We did the Decay Dance under sprinkles of raindrops. There weren’t as many kids around, so we extended our walk by another 3K.
It appears our path may be leading to hell. Turns out, it was just someone burning leaves.Easter Mountain under cloudy skies and another burn.Walkin’ in the rain. That’s Alta Vista up on the hill on the right.Our sweet 8.5K path.
At beer o’clock, I headed out to the side of town I don’t visit often enough.
Kicked things off at the Hangout Bar.The outdoor seating/smoking area. Since I was sitting in front of a big window that afforded the same view, I chose to enjoy the aircon comfort.Watching the world go by.Hangout is a nice place to hang out.We may need to visit more often.
When we were ready to eat dinner, we headed almost next door.
Our monthly Mango’s visit.The view from our table.The beach view at dusk.That girl at the table.As usual, we enjoyed our grilled pork chop dinner.
For our nightcap, we crossed the highway (no easy task on a Saturday night) and visited the newest bar in town, Gold Bar.
We enjoyed our visit: nice lighting, good music, and friendly staff.The beer was cold and wet, just the way I like it.During our visit, this group of Hashers on their weekly bar crawl dropped in.
Swan had to get up at 3:00 am for a running event, so we didn’t stay late. I’ll share more about that tomorrow, but she did her first 10K run and says she enjoyed it.
Today’s post from the LTG archives in July 2015 recounts the sad story of a Filipino friend getting caught by Korean immigration and deported back to the Philippines. Also, one of my best friends from my time in Korea returned to the USA to teach in Arizona. People come and go in life, and today I’m saying goodbye to the legend, Dave Fisher.
Facebook memories from this date in time:
Sixteen years ago, my son was proudly wearing my softball jersey from the days I played in Arizona. I almost never hear from him these days. Seven years ago, I opened one of my Sara Teasdale poetry books and found this page bookmarked with a faded rose.
Today’s YouTube video also comes from Facebook, thirteen years ago. Oddly enough, two years later, I did get rehired by my old crew at 8th Army.
And now, before I go:
Hmm, I remember being trapped on an escalator during a power outage.I’ll be lifting a glass or two tonight in honor of Daddy Dave.Here in the Philippines, I just hold up my empty bottle and holler, “Isa pa!”
Well, damn. Dave put up a good fight, and now his suffering is over. Still hard to believe he’s gone. It occurs to me that mourning has a selfish element to it. And I’m a selfish bastard sometimes.
If this email is to be believed, it appears my website has been cleansed of the malware infection.
Your SMART scanner has been hard at work! During a recent scan, it found some malware and automatically removed it from your website. We are happy to report that your site is now clean and malware-free.
Let me know if you see any signs to the contrary.
On to yesterday, then. There was the Friday group hike to attend to.
Swan, Gary, and George joined me as we traversed the streets of Matain and Calapacuan.
Shortly after we started, I decided to take a pee at a gas station we passed. I wound up on my knees on the sidewalk.
I didn’t see this protruding obstacle over the walkway until the last second. When I jerked my head and stopped suddenly, my feet slid out from under me. Fortunately, no damage was done to my body. A new samgyeopsal joint will be opening soon. I peeked inside, and it looked pretty nice, with fancy grills on each table. Alas, with only a couple of exceptions, I’ve found pork belly disappointing in the PI. Maybe Marz will be out of this world.Some new signage at one of our Hash On-Home venues. They got the name wrong, though; it should be Smokes and Bottles.This is one of the places that recruits Filipinos for overseas work. Most of the jobs they had posted on the window were for housekeepers/caregivers in the Middle East. I’ve heard many horror stories of what happens to the young Filipinas who take jobs in a Muslim country. The latest was a lass who was murdered in Qatar by the wife of her employer. Seems the wife was not happy about her husband impregnating the brown beauty. Swan dispensed some sweetness along the way.Boats on the bay.George asked about the abandoned resort he had once visited in the 1990s. When we went to check it out, we were greeted by this sign.
There were some workers clearing weeds and a woman who appeared to be in charge. We approached her and asked if we might have a look around. She consented to our trespassing.
A tree I liked.One of several dilapidated buildings that were once part of a resort named Paradise.And another.A nice view of Snake Island from here.From up on the rocks, there was a nice view of the Whiterock Resort next door.I’ve never visited the Whiterock, but it is enormous and looks very nice from above.Our narrow escape passage from the ghostly Paradise.The Whiterock signage on the National Highway.Our only climb for the day was up these seemingly endless stairs.Recovering from the ass-kicking stair climb.A view from up top.A nice-looking house for rent in the Santa Monica subdivision.The route of our 6K journey.
Back home and hungry, Swan made me lunch.
Her version of the eggaburger. It was masarap.
When it was time to head into town, we started with dinner at Jewel Cafe.
The tiny, but tasty, filet mignon. Only 599 pesos.
We crossed the highway for a drink or two at Red Bar, then did our nightcap at Jumpin’ Jacks. And that’s how we filled the hours on our Friday.
On to July 2015 in the LTG archives. It has been interesting (to me) to read about things I would have otherwise totally forgotten. Like this chance encounter with a crazy guy in my Itaewon hangout, Shenanigans. Sometimes the meaningless moments are part of the milestones on this journey we call life.
Nine years ago, I enjoyed a successful night of darts in Bangkok.
It’s been a while since we’ve checked in with Smart Girl Philippines. Well, here she is talking about why the Christmas season is the best time of the year for sex.
And you may enjoy these:
What a shitty circumstance.I’ve always thought about opening a topless bar… no hats allowed inside.That’s one solution, I suppose.
And with that, I’ll sign off for today.
This song takes me back to those long-haired hippy-freak days, the first time I lived through the 70s.
New York just dropped the soap when they elected Mamdani.
Speaking of taking it up the ass, my blog has been attacked with malware once again. I got an email from SiteLock saying they found malware during a recent scan of LTG. And this morning, a commenter told me: “You’ve got another malicious plug-in or another bit of malware in WordPress. I’m being redirected to a malicious website like several weeks ago with a scam 1-800 Windows support number.” Shit! Why bother with scamming a little-read site like mine? Sorry for any trouble you encountered.
So, this morning, I contacted SiteLock and was told I needed to upgrade my security protection. With the premium package, they would remove the malware. Okay, let’s do it. Nope, I had to do the upgrade through HostGator, where my blog resides. So, I got there and chatted with another customer service rep.
No website is completely safe, regardless of how long it’s been up and running without issues. Hackers are constantly developing new techniques, and what might have been a secure website a few years ago could be vulnerable today.
I highly recommend upgrading your security service to the *Sitelock Prevent Plus* for just $155.76.
They will thoroughly remove all malware from your website, fix any existing vulnerabilities, and implement safeguards to prevent future attacks.
Not having any other options, I spent the money. I’m supposed to be contacted before they implement the fix, but I haven’t heard anything yet. I’m told it can take six hours or more to do the work, during which time my blog won’t be accessible. So, heads up if you don’t hear from me.
There was a good time yesterday at The Rite Spot. Swan’s female friends gathered for some soju-fueled fun, something they do once a month or so. It was Swan’s turn to host, and the gals said they were looking forward to the rooftop views. Based on my observations, they were not disappointed.
I baked brownies and corn bread muffins.And made a crockpot full of chili con carne.Swan roasted a chicken and made a couple of other Filipino-style offerings.It had been quite some time since we hoisted The Rite Spot banner.Tables, chairs, and fans are ready and waiting.The food offerings are ready to be eaten.The womenfolk arrive.Scott and I were the only two males around.Party on!Posers.And then this happened.It was The Rite Spot to watch the sun go down.
When one of the girls had to leave, Scott and I caught a ride on her trike into town. The party had started before 3 pm, and it was nearly six now. Guys at a girls’ event just don’t fit in, sorta like a tranny in the women’s restroom, and we’d had enough. We popped into Alley Cats for a beer, and were joined by Troy, Simon, and Jim. It was trivia night at the bar, and even though I wasn’t participating, trying to think of the answers was making my brain hurt. So, when I was done with my beer, I said goodbye and wandered off up the highway. I got as far as It Doesn’t Matter before I needed to rehydrate.
You can see how excited Angelica, Luna, and Julie were to see me. And that was AFTER I bought them a lady drink. I punished them with some of my notoriously bad jokes.
A couple of beers later, I’d had enough and grabbed a trike for home. The party was still in full swing upstairs, so I made a brief appearance before saying goodnight and hitting the sack. Swan said the girls left around ten and were going to do a barhop. Damn, I miss the days when I had that kind of staying power.
Everyone seemed to have a good time, and Swan was happy with the event. It’s good to be alive.
I had to double-check to make sure Buddy was still breathing. They say a dog sleeping like that is a happy one.
It’s on to June 2015 in the LTG archives. Upon my re-employment after nearly five years of retirement, I wrote this post listing all the jobs I had held throughout my life. For anyone who says my blog is worthless, I’d beg to differ. I would never have remembered some of these if I hadn’t written them down while my brain was still mostly functional.
Gonna lighten things up with today’s YouTube video—three minutes of jokes. I can’t promise they are funny, but see how you react.
I can’t say these are any better:
Um, no.In the bars of Barretto?Well, someone wearing their hair like that today must be a dinosaur.
Here we go again. But before I get started about yesterday, I have some comments about comments. Amongst my handful of loyal readers, some actually share their thoughts in the comments section. Unsurprisingly, those comments often have more substance than the original post (admittedly, that’s a low bar). So, if you haven’t done so already, I invite you to read the exchange between me and commenter Brian in the post “Getting on with it.” Honestly, interactions like those are my favorite part of blogging.
As seen on the morning dog walk. Storm damage?Or vandalism? I report, you decide.
When it was time for the Wednesday Walkers to convene, we decided to keep it mostly on the street. So, we grabbed a Jeepney and rode it out to Waltermart on the far side of Subic town, then walked the backroads home.
This week’s iteration of the Wednesday Walkers.A river in Mangan-Vaca.Over the river.On the riverbank.First cookie delivery of the day.On the Govic Highway.The road to Naugsol.
Yeah, I’m at the back of the pack in most of these photos. I’m slow on a good day, but yesterday I had pain in my left ankle for some reason, and it hobbled my progress. I woke up in pain during the night as well and required some Tylenol to get back to sleep. I took a day off from walking this morning.
That mountain we call Easter.Out in the great wide open.Another storm casualty. This one must have fallen across the road and got amputated.The sister tree retained her dignity in death.“Downtown” Naugsol.Crossing Bridge #4.Over the Matain River.Heading for the valley.Navigating the Naugsol falls.The 1,238,798 wonder of the world.Give or take a billion.Heading back up into Alta Vista.A pleasant enough 7K trek, notwithstanding the pain in my ankle.
That ankle didn’t stop me from heading back out at beer o’clock either.
Beer and wine at Cheap Charlies with this woman.And dinner delivered from the restaurant downstairs, Foodies. First time I’ve tried their sweet-and-sour pork. It was yummy.The best view from the CR in town.That cat on a hot tin roof I read about in school.The view of the highway and suicide tower from Cheap Charlies.
We visited Green Room next, and enjoyed our nightcap at Wet Spot. Then we rolled on home. No complaints about my Wednesday. Keep ’em coming!
Moving on to May 2015 in the LTG archives, and in this rambling post, I talk about giving up cigarettes and being grumpy. Those two things may be related, but I haven’t smoked for ten years now, and I’m grumpier than ever. Go figure.
Today’s YouTube video is something a little different for me, talking about death and the spiritual being within our human body. I don’t buy it, but since it is only five minutes long, you may want to decide for yourself.
Let’s lighten our load with these:
It was worth a shot.Why make it so hard on her?Well, how old do you have to be to get this one? And why did I think of one of the best albums ever, Who’s Next?
Okay then, we are done for today. Swan is having a gathering of lady friends up at The Rite Spot on the Roof this afternoon. I made some chili, cornbread muffins, and brownies for the event. I’ve got plenty of beer on ice for me and any menfolk who may come along. Nothing wrong with sticking close to home for a change.
Well, it was a Tuesday, so I had low expectations, and I wasn’t disappointed. That won’t stop me from telling you all about it, though. You are welcome!
I’ll be traveling to Surigao Island with the neighbors (all four of them—Jeff, Davina, Martin, and Joss) the last week in November, so we’ll likely miss the traditional Thanksgiving feast. Not to worry, Jeff and Davina invited us to join them on the 20th for an early celebration. I volunteered to bring the turkey.
That’s the biggest bird (5kg) Royal had in the freezer, so it will have to suffice. And “only” 2300 pesos (forty bucks).
I’ll also be making a batch of my Aunt Pat’s Recipe World-Famous Fruit Salad to share at the early Thanksgiving gathering. I’ll contribute my brownies and an apple pie to the feast as well. It should be fun, looking forward to it.
Tuesday is our traditional toes in the sand day, so we headed to Baloy Beach so Swan could get her fix.
The after-storm sky.Bare feet in the sand always makes Swan smile.
To our surprise, Kokomo’s was actually open, so naturally we stopped in.
Wine was out of stock, but Swan was okay with that. They had Zero beer, but it wasn’t cold, so I drank it on ice.
Word from the waitresses is that the floating bar will be out by this weekend, weather permitting. The fact that they had waitresses was a good sign because they had been hired to work on the floater.
What we came to see.We got what we came for.We were the best customers last night.
We found out that the beer was warm because the power was out. And with the sundown, things were getting a little on the dark side. So, we paid our tab and departed. I was worried that Treasure Island would also be without light, but that was not the case. The outage appeared to be limited to Kokomo’s.
So, we grabbed a seat at the TI bar and ordered our dinner.
Salisbury steak for Swan.Beef enchiladas for me.
After our meal, we grabbed a trike and had it drop us off at Queen Victoria Bar for our nightcap.
A good enough ending to the day.
And as always, it’s good to be alive. Speaking of which, it was just one year ago that things were looking a little iffy:
A blood oxygen level of 89 is in the danger zone. I had days lower than that.Doing much better in that regard these days.
From the April 2015 LTG archives is a post recalling some memories from the years I spent living in Prescott, Arizona. Overall, that was my favorite place to have resided in the USA, but that chapter of my life ended in 1983. I’m glad to have lived it.
A beautiful mile-high city. You may have seen it if you watched some classic movies like Billy Jack and Junior Bonner.
For today’s YouTube video, I’m sharing this vlogger’s take on the reasons for the “tourism crisis” in the Philippines. Honestly, none of the issues he describes are new, and I experienced some of them back in my tourist days. Living here now for going on eight years, I’ve learned to take the good with the bad. My little town is not free from frustrations, but it is still a comfortable spot for retired expats like me. Now, I’d likely not feel that way if I had chosen Manila, so buyer beware.
Humor time:
I never heard of shaving an ass. Is that really a thing?No argument from me.Busted!
So, there you have it until we meet again.
Here’s Rod Hart with the opening credits song from Junior Bonner. I saw him perform at the Wagon Wheel bar in Prescott.
It rained off and on all night, but now at last the storm has passed, and life is returning to normal. The electricity that powers the essential tools that fill the hours has been restored, allowing me to check out of the crap Anbon Hotel and return to the luxury living of Alta Vista. It is good to be home!
The Hashers who braved the weather met up at the VFW. The Hare advised, “Trail? We don’t need no stinkin’ trail.”
Yesterday’s Hash was, as I expected, not much of a Hash. There was no marked trail to follow, so you could walk where you pleased or else follow the leader on a bar crawl. Decisions, decisions. I started out with the group that went with the Hare’s bar trek, but wound up on my own in the end. The first bar visited was Dynamite Dick’s, which is a nice enough place but a small venue. And yesterday it was pretty much full even before the Hashers arrived. I prefer sitting outside, but that option wasn’t available. I looked inside and didn’t see anywhere to sit at the bar either. I asked another Hasher where the next stop would be, and he told me it would be Dempsey’s. Okay, that’s down the highway by John’s place, but what’s a Hash without a hike? I was the first and only customer when I got there. I had two beers waiting in an empty bar (the bartender was friendly enough to laugh at my jokes) and decided to head out on my own. Yeah, I shortcut the bar crawl. At least I’m consistent!
Sloppy Joe’s was right up the street from the Hash On-Home venue at the Bella Monte Hotel. I plopped my ass down where I normally sit, ordered up a beer, and began my wait until 3:30, when the Hash beer at the On-Home becomes available. And since I was drinking earlier than I usually do, I decided prudence dictates that I should put some food in my belly (I’d skipped lunch after the big Arizona breakfast I’d consumed). So, I enjoyed a pulled pork sandwich with my beer, then made my way to Bella Monte, bringing my Hash trail to an end.
This guy at Bella Monte kept staring at me. No, I didn’t let him ride me.
Honestly speaking, the Hash Circle is my least favorite part of the Hash, but the beer is cold and good. When the circle was done, I made my way to IDM for the usual after-Hash revelry. My hotel room was waiting for me right across the street, but I was hoping that I wouldn’t be needing it last night. I sent messages to the folks I know living in Alta Vista asking if the power had been restored, but it hadn’t by the time I ran out of gas. I stayed at IDM until nine, hoping for good news, and I had to smile when several people commented, “What are you doing here so late?” Heh, I’m famous for being a lightweight.
Resigned to having to spend another night in a crappy hotel room, I went to the small grocery store on the corner to pick up something sweet for my bedtime treat.
The name of this ice cream gave me a laugh.
“Boom boom” is Filipino slang for sexual intercourse. You can look it up. Well, I’ll save you the trouble, here’s the definition from the Urban Dictionary:
The term “boom boom” is most often associated with south east asian countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, or Laos and is used to describe the act of intercourse, usually that which is purchased by males frequenting brothels and whorehouses in those locations. The term is thought to have been created by prostitutes possessing limited english language ability; ie- it is far easier for a non english speaking Thai prostitute to say “You go boom boom”? than it is for her to say “Would you like to go make completely unemotional and detached love with me”?
Swan thought the name was funny too, and suggested I buy some ice cream for the girls at IDM. So, as we walked back to our hotel room, I stopped in front of IDM and asked, “Does anyone here want Boom Boom? They gave me a funny look, especially because Swan was standing right next to me. Then I pulled an ice cream out of my bag, and they got the joke.
Look at those smiling faces. Filipinas sure do love some Boom Boom!
Woke up this morning to the news that the power was back on in Alta Vista, so we packed our shit and headed for home.
The room at the Anbon Hotel we hope never to need again.Let’s just say it needs a little work.
Anyway, the storm is gone and I’m still here, so I’d count that as a win.
Facebook and YouTube are full of this kind of AI bullshit about the typhoon. It’s both sad and scary to see this and think people are that gullible.The future of the human race doesn’t look bright.
Today is Veterans Day, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to honor those who served in the military.
Thank you for your service!
It’s April 2015 in the LTG archives. In this post, I share the story of an afternoon spent with two distinguished authors in Itaewon. One of them still visits my blog, but I’ve lost touch with Young Chun. His book, The Accidental Citizen-Soldier, is a great story about an American citizen getting drafted into the Korean Army. And he lived to not only tell about it, but to sign my copy of the book!
Give it a read.
Today’s YouTube video touches on some of the things I discovered during my first visit to the Philippines that made me want to live here. Many Filipinos may be poor, but they are also happy, generous, and welcoming. I’m sorry for the AI renderings, but the message is brief and legitimate. I’m living rich in a poor country and don’t tend to spend quality time with the Filipinos I encounter, but that’s all on me. I’ve often thought on my walkabouts that if I were hiking through an American slum, I might not make it out alive. Here, I’m greeted with friendly smiles.
Let me leave you with a smile or two:
I had a Scottish friend in Korea who was teaching English. I could only understand about half of what he said.What a crock!Welcome to my world, and I don’t even need to be on the toilet.
I’ll tell you what, I’d rather experience the same shit every day than no shit at all. And I’ve got enough variety to keep it interesting most of the time. At least for me.
