Born and raised in southern California. My career exodus has taken me to Arizona, Oklahoma, Arkansas, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, DC. And as of 23 January 2005, Seoul, Korea. Married with 6 grown children (blended family). First grandchild is in the oven! I created this blog to document my adventures as an expat living and working in Korea. I'm also pretty confident that I will on occasion feel the need to express my views on current events and other matters I find of interest.
It’s almost time to bitch and moan about the rainy season and start looking forward to those hot, sweaty days again. Until then, you just gotta make the best of the situation. We had four hearty streetwalkers for our Friday group hike, and we all brought umbrellas for what little good they did. A few sprinkles in the beginning, then some heavy rain for most of the rest of the way. I was soaked when we finished, but as I kept reminding myself, a couple of months ago, I would have been soaked with sweat. At least we didn’t have to worry about heat strokes.
Our journey took us from Barretto, through the backstreets of Matain, into Calapacuan, then some of San Isidro, a taste of Santo Tomas, then back to Barretto. A 9K junket all told.
Starting off on the National HighwayThen over the river and into the ‘hoodThe Bayside Boys–Jack, Mike, and ScottThese kids were enjoying being splashed whenever a wave hit the wallThe angry bayUm, I didn’t see any submarinesA pedestrian only streetInto each life some rain must fallThe covered basketball court is the place to be on a rainy day in CalapacuanGlad to see those houses on the water survived the stormBeached boatBetter close those windows!Piddle puddleThe family that wades together, stays togetherStanding on the corner in San IsidroI was on Bridge #2 when these kids called out for cookies. Come and get ’em, I replied. They did.Looking at my house from the new pedestrian bridge I’m always photographing from my house.Work in progress on the new Bridge #1, even in the rain.The way we walked
The other event of the day was attending a dinner party with neighbors Jeff and Divina and the other invited guests.
The galsThe guys
I fucked up and didn’t do a good job documenting the food. Here’s what I got:
Swan made some great nachos as an appetizerThe shrimp fajitas were amazing. That’s the first time I’ve eaten shrimp on a tortilla with all the usual fixin’sJeff baked this awesome cherry pie for dessert
Anyway, hanging out and enjoying the food and beverages with the group was great. I left about the time the videoke kicked in and felt a little rude for doing so. It wasn’t the music, but I experienced a breathing attack for some reason. That’s very unusual for me when I’m not going uphill and just sitting on my ass. My oximeter read 90, the lowest I’ve been in a long time. Fortunately, my nebulizer brought me back up to 97, and I felt fine when I hit the hay an hour later.
More rain during the night, but as forecasted, the rain finally let go this morning.
Look! Up in the sky, it’s a bird…it’s a plane…it’s, it’s…a sunny day!
September 7 will always be a special day in my life.
On this day forty-nine years ago, my daughter Renee was born. This photo is from the Oklahoma chapter of her life.
Today’s YouTube video is from another vlogger I don’t subscribe to, but he offers five reasons why the Philippines might not be for you. I only struggle with one of them: patience. Back before Loraine broke my heart, she taught me this mantra: Take a deep breath. Relax. Accept the Filipino way. I still use it on occasion, and it does help keep my head from exploding.
Some more of what I call humor:
Shocking! I’d feel so unplugged. I’m glad I’m not current-ly there.Don’t ask the question if you don’t want to hear the answer, Calvin.Stick a pork in me, I’m done
Welp, it’s been over two days since I set foot in a bar. I aim to rectify that situation tonight. I’m not sure where, but I know the bars of Barretto are counting on me, and I won’t let them all down. I’ll tell you about that and the nearly disastrous rock-climbing adventure from this morning in tomorrow’s post. See you then!
Nothing ventured, nothing gained to blog about. I posted about my trip to Pundaquit yesterday and I stayed home last night. So, there’s not much left say. Staying home proved to be a good call because we had some of the heaviest rain of the week during the evening and overnight hours. And yes, it is still raining today. The Friday hikers did an umbrella street walk this morning, but I’ll save that adventure so I have something to post about tomorrow.
Is it any wonder I’m so healthy?
We’ve been invited to a “Fajita Party” at the next-door neighbor’s place later this afternoon. I’ve got a batch of brownies in the oven, and Swan will be making some nachos as our contribution to the gathering. I’ll share how the party goes tomorrow as well.
Brownies look done
So, what does that leave to write about today? Swan loves to cook, and she surprised me this morning by asking if I wanted a Monte Cristo sandwich for my after-hike lunch. I asked, “You know how to make a Monte Cristo?” She responded, “I know you like them, and I just watched a YouTube video, so I’ll try it.” Ah, ain’t that sweet?
Not bad for a first try! She remembered my complaint that the only Monte Cristo I’ve found here (at One-Three Resort) didn’t put powdered sugar on the bread. Maybe a little overboard here, but still good.
Speaking of videos, I’m part of a COPD information group, and today, I received a link to a video about walking and breathing. It’s pretty simple, really, and I may be doing it naturally, but I’ll give it a try and see if it helps.
Still in video mode, a commenter recently sent me this YouTube of a Filipina giving Tagalog lessons. In my stay-at-home boredom last night, I learned five new words (the first five in the lesson). Swan was quite impressed. Of course, I don’t remember them today, but I’ll go back and review again. Maybe something will stick in my addled brain.
No funeral banners today, but this one caught my eye:
When I saw this banner, I wondered what philosophy and mathematics had in common. I’m glad I checked before going into mocking mode. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I never knew what the “Ph” in PhD stood for. Now, it all adds up when you subtract my ignorance.
From Facebook memories comes this reminder from eight years okay. It was the last day of our Philippines vacation and we were enjoying our final dinner at the Arizona Resort here in Barretto.
Eun Oke had a lot of fun on the trip. So, I was surprised when she woke me at one in the morning with the announcement that she was breaking up with me. I asked her why, and she said, “We don’t have a future together. You want to retire and move to a poor country. I don’t want to live in a poor country.” The trip home was tense, and she went her separate way once we landed at Incheon. We did briefly reconcile, but she proved to be too crazy for me. So, she had the part about having no future together right.
Today’s YouTube video is from someone I don’t subscribe to, and after watching this one, I’m afraid I have to disagree with much of what he has to say. He seems bitter and cynical, and his advice to NEVER do certain things seems a bit overboard. Not all Filipinas are scammers. And if you meet a good one and treat her the way this guy suggests, you will lose her. The trick is knowing the difference. I certainly had my share of fuck ups along the way, but that’s just the tuition to the school of experience. Anyway, it’s worth a watch if for no other reason than as a warning not to become as disillusioned as this gent is.
Okay, let’s cleanse the palate with some humor:
Two cowboys were out on the range talking about their favorite sex positions. One said, “I think I enjoy the rodeo position the best.” “I don’t think I have ever heard of that”, said the other cowboy, “what is it?” “Well, it’s where you get your girlfriend down on all fours, and you mount her from behind, then you reach around and cup each of her breasts in your hands, and then you whisper in her ear, “These feel just like your sisters!”, then you try to hold on for 8 seconds.”I don’t think I’m eating there anyway.Especially if you’ve just eaten and are already stuffed.
Okay, I’ll stop now. Hopefully back with more substance tomorrow.
I have arrived safely back home after my twenty-four hour whirlwind adventure to Barangay Pundaquit, City of San Antonio, Zambales Province, Luzon Island, Philippines.
I wasn’t lying about the whirlwind thing. I didn’t pick the best day to travel. It rained a lot, but not constantly.How things looked during the driveHow my driver lookedThe old bridge to Pundaquit as seen from the new bridge.
We arrived at our destination at noon time. I sent Swan to the beach hotel we didn’t have a reservation for to check availability and price. I had her go to avoid the “skin tax” that occurs when a foreigner is quoted a higher price than a local. She returned to report that the resort was undergoing renovation, and no kitchen or bar was available. They did offer Swan a reduced rate of 3000 pesos for the night (down from 3600). Swan also checked the newer and nicer place next door, and they wanted 5500 pesos for the night. It wasn’t THAT much nicer, so we went with the original plan. We did use the restaurant facilities at the other place for lunch.
Our lodging for the nightThe view outside our roomThe outside of our roomInside the room. It was small, but comfortable. I guess that makes it cozy.
The restaurant across the street was devoid of guests, and the upstairs section I had been wanting to try since seeing it on my last trip was closed. The bar was the only area not exposed to the wind-blown rain, so that’s where we sat. Being outnumbered by the staff had an eerie feel about it, but the service was good. The wine prices on the menu were shocking–the cheapest being 500 pesos, so Swan had a beer instead. When I got a closer look at the wine on the shelf, it included Carlo Rossi, the brand we buy at Royal for 350 pesos a bottle. Then the lightbulb in my head turned on, and we asked the waitress if the wine prices were per glass or bottle. It turns out that they only sell wine by bottle. So, getting a whole bottle for 500 pesos was practically a bargain, and we bought one.
Our afternoon dining venueThe wine brought a smile to Swan’s faceThe club sandwich I had for lunch was just okay, but it did fill the void. I can’t remember what Swan ordered.Although the upstairs was closed for dining, I was allowed to take some photos from there. That’s our resort on the right.Looking down on the beachAnd a look up the beach. You can even see some raindrops.
After our meal, we walked up the street for a look around. I saw a place I had stopped in once a few years back while on a hike and decided to try it again.
The Sun & Surf. Well, it was the only sun we saw this trip.We had the place to ourselves when we first arrived. And yes, Swan brought her bottle of wine with her and the bar owner had no objection–even gave her a wine glass.The day was young and I still had room for more beer.The view from our seatsIt was great getting to meet and chat with the owner, Kevin.
Kevin gave us a tour of the facilities. He also has a variety of rooms available, from Nipa huts to aircon rooms. He’s owned the Surf & Sand for eleven years but said they’ve never recovered from the COVID lockdowns. I was a little surprised because Barretto is booming with mostly Filipino tourists, at least on weekends. He said that’s not the case in Pundaquit, and the foreigners who used to come pre-scamdemic have not returned. That’s a shame. He said the place needs several thousand dollars in renovations, but he doesn’t expect he’d be able to recover that investment. He’s considering just walking away from it all and returning to the USA. Damn.
I enjoyed interacting with the few customers who dropped in during our visit, like these Aussies.And later in the afternoon, this guy from Norway and his entourage joined in the fun.And then things got a little fuzzy.
I began drinking much earlier in the day than I normally do. I was drinking San Miguel Light (5% alcohol) rather than my usual Zero (3%). And I didn’t get my daily afternoon nap. So yeah, I fell asleep at the bar. I also ordered take-out food from the Car Wash restaurant up the road but have no recollection of doing so (the unopened containers were in the room this morning). Swan says I was unsteady on my feet but made it back to the hotel without incident.
Sleeping beauty, safe and sound
Swan asked me this morning what time it was when I went to bed. I checked my Fitbit stats and was surprised to see this:
Wow. Didn’t even make it to seven.
At some point during the night, the power went out. We had no electricity until nine in the morning. I didn’t even bother unpacking my laptop.
We began our morning with a barefoot stroll on the beachThe beach, the ocean, the mountain, and the cloudsZoomed in on that water making its way down the mountainAnd the Capones island
Back at our hotel, the staff kindly heated a pot of water on their gas stove so we could enjoy some morning coffee on our front porch.
Coffee goes great with the sound on waves crashing on the beachAnd these love birds were nice to see as well
After our coffee break, we loaded up a bag with cookies and lollipops and headed out to explore the backstreets of Pundaquit.
The flooded backstreets, as it turns out.Where the river meets the seaSerenityThe kids in this area were both grateful and politeIt was nice exploring a new part of townThe Sewage Canal?Another road, another puddle. At least we could walk around this one.Back at our hotel and a chance reunion with my brother from another mother. Practically twins!
I’m back home this afternoon, and the deluge continues. In fact, a new storm is approaching, so there is no relief in sight. They have even canceled tomorrow’s SOB as many employees are home dealing with flooding issues.
The river behind my house is as high as I’ve ever seen it, but it has a ways to go yet to overcome those high concrete banks.This shot of the pedestrian bridge up the street from my place gives some perspective on just how high the water has risen.
So, that’s the story of my adventure. All in all, it was a good one.
We need to stop those crazy Trump voters from stealing the election. Here’s a plan that could work:
You can’t get on a plane without an ID, so why can you vote without one?
Today’s YouTube video is a short expose about the sextortion scams and the impact on its victims. I’ve heard tales of this over the years, but it always seemed to me to be limited to a few whacked individuals. Apparently, it’s an organized racket luring in victims these days.
And now for some humor:
Good luck at the dentist, Kevin.Back in my slutty days, it seemed every Filipina I brought home always said the exact same three things: “Ouch!” “Oh shit!” “Already?”I haven’t really been keeping abreast of that whole left/right brain thing.
Welp, wind and rain are telling me that tonight is a good night to stay safe and dry at home. And that’s just what I’m going to do. Later, gators!
My morning view. Looks like perfect weather for the beach!
So, on this stormy Wednesday morning, I woke up in my own bed instead of at the Wild Orchid Hotel in Angeles City. But at least the power is on. I still long for a change of scenery, so on a whim, I messaged my driver to see if he was available for a road trip today. He is, so Swan and I will be heading to Pundaquit in San Antonio for an overnight stay.
And just now, this alert popped up on my phone, and the clouds opened up once again.
I’m not sure what they are talking about, but the rain doesn’t look orange to me.
Maybe I didn’t think this trip through properly, but what the hell? The rain at the beach can’t be any worse than the rain is here. I’m ready for some new perspectives! We saw a place on the beach last trip we want to try, but neither Swan nor I can remember the name. I doubt they will be full on a rainy Wednesday, so we are going to take our chances and go without a reservation. It’s all part of the adventure!
Instead of hanging out in AC yesterday, I was back to my normal routines, starting with a trip to Royal for my grocery shopping. One of my Tuesday traditions is baking morning muffins. This week, they were cranberry-orange. I share them with my helpers and driver, of course. “Mama,” the homeless umbrella lady I’ve been helping a bit since before I moved here knows my schedule and is usually waiting outside Alta Vista as we drive by. Yesterday was no exception.
Cash in one hand, muffins and an umbrella in the other. I asked “Mama” how old she was,and she replied, “I don’t know.” But she knows where to find me every Tuesday at 0830.
It poured rain all day, and I was beginning to think there would be no night on the town in my immediate future. But Jesus loves me, and when it was beer o’clock, the rain became a light sprinkle, and we made a dash for Barretto.
We kicked things off at BarCelona with our usual view from the barstool.
Our next and last stop was the Green Room. As usual, we shared drinks with waitress Chu and enjoyed watching a pool tournament in progress. Swan was talking with a GRO (Guest Relations Officer) that I didn’t recognize. Turns out she is the sister of the woman I mentioned in another post. That woman, also a GRO, helped her daughter get hired at the bar when she turned eighteen. That freaked me out, not understanding how a mom could countenance seeing her child doing what GROs do (basically catering to the whims of male desire, including take-out). Swan knew them from when she lived in their neighborhood and did give the mom some shit about her actions. We hadn’t seen either in the bar recently, and the sister informed Swan that the daughter (her niece) has an enlarged heart, and the doctors say nothing can be done for her. So, the plan is to make her as comfortable as possible at home until she passes. Damn.
I wound up adding the sad sister to my lady drink recipients and also had a pizza delivered from Sit-n-Bull for the girls to share (Hawaiian with pineapple, of course). Swan sipped her wine, and I had my fair share of beers. During the course of the evening, Swan snapped a photo of me in full party mode:
Yeah, I’m a handsome devilOr maybe it’s the beer that makes me look that way.
We brought us home some Sit-n-Bull goodness for dinner (roast beef dip for Swan, pulled pork for me) and had pecan pie for dessert. It was a pretty good time for a Tuesday!
And now for the memories:
Eight years ago, then-girlfriend Eun Oke was enjoying her time in the Philippines, even joining the girls on stage in a bar whose name I don’t remember.Five years ago, I was enjoying the views from my hotel in Saigon.And by golly, I even sampled and enjoyed some of the local Vietnamese delicacies.
Four years ago, I was mocking the COVID Nazis:
The scamdemic had some value in that it revealed the true nature of your neighbors.
In today’s YouTube video, the Filipina Pea interviews an OFW (Offshore Filipino Worker). These workers are probably the largest export from the Philippines, and the money they send back is a significant portion of the economy, not to mention essential to the support of the families left behind. I met many OFWs when I lived in Korea, and I know several of them here now. And yes, I’ve heard the horror stories of exploitation that occurs, especially in Middle Eastern countries. I have two friends now looking for OFW work, and I will share this video with them as a heads-up.
And now to soothe your funny bone:
Maybe the dog is cuteIt wasn’t me!You can take that to the bank!
Alright, time for me to pack my bags and get the hell out of town. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow!
Loved this song back in the day. As an added bonus, here is one of those “hearing it for the first time” videos:
I wound up doing the Hash yesterday. I carried an umbrella but didn’t need it. I guess God loves the Hash because the intense rains that had been falling all day abruptly ceased right around our 2 p.m. start time. The Hare, Anal Receptive, had laid a trail in deference to the weather, primarily flat and, for the most part, paved. I opted for the 5K short version (the long was 8K) and only suffered from wet and muddy feet. Well, two inclines on the Govic Highway left me surprisingly winded. I don’t know what’s up with that. My blood oxygen has been in the high 90s, but there is no denying my age and obesity. And yes, I was the recipient of the traditional Hash cake. I’ve gotta say, that icy cold beer poured over my head made my heart race. That would be a hell of a way to die, wouldn’t it? Maybe next year.
The trail started at the Alta Vista Clubhouse, and we took the familiar back way out of the ‘hood. A good portion of the first half of the trail was the same route we took on Sunday’s Candy Walk.Hashers will not be cowed!Even by the horny onesWe pavement beats mud any dayWell, there’s wet and then there’s floodedAnd we had our share of mud as wellThe Govic Highway portionOver Bridge #3The muddy waters of the Matain RiverSwan made a rare appearance at the HashWet and wildAll in a day’s HashOn-Home was at Smokes and BottlesThe Hash GashThe HashitHash cake for the birthday boysThe long and short of itThe after-Hash gathering at It Doesn’t Matter
So, the Hash turned out better than I thought it would. Lucky me.
In other news, I should be posting today from Angeles City but I’m not. Late in the afternoon yesterday, our power company, Zameco II, posted this:
So, that all day power interruption was postponed due to inclement weather. Ironic, isn’t it?
Anyway, the neighbors had made the plans and reservations in AC based on the assumption that their kids would not have school to attend on Wednesday. When that changed, they had no choice but to cancel the trip. And so it goes.
Facebook reminded me that five years ago I was enjoying my first visit to Saigon.
That seems like a Phucing Long time ago
Some of the internet forums I follow devolve into controversies, like which is better, Angeles City or Barretto. The same goes for the comparisons between the Philippines and Thailand. Everyone has their own preferences, and today’s YouTube video tells why the vlogger prefers life in the PI.
Here’s something to smile about:
Since I share both here at LTG, am I foolishly wise or wisely foolish?Welcome to the party, son.Well, that’s a new wrinkle…
Another rainy day here to deal with; we’ll see what’s happening when beer o’clock rolls around. Hasta la vista for now.
There was a huge storm that washed hundreds of starfish onto the beach. A little boy was picking them up and throwing them back into the ocean one by one. An old man approached and said, “Little boy, you can’t save all these starfish.” “Maybe not,” the lad replied as he picked up another and threw it in the water, “but I saved that one.”
Swan posted this on her Facebook and I agree with the sentiment.
I’ve mentioned that we had a chance encounter with a youngster named Jason during a candy walk who wanted to attend school but didn’t have the means to do so. Swan talked to the mother and offered her assistance. Since the mother doesn’t have a phone, Swan interacted directly with the teacher to determine what Jason required.
School supplies and uniforms to get Jason startedAnd a backpack to carry it in
We did the handoff during yesterday’s Candy Walk.
Hopefully, that will get you started, Jason.That’s Jason’s house on a hill
According to the mother, the next hurdle is securing a birth certificate. Apparently, one wasn’t issued at birth, so there is government bureaucracy and paperwork to be dealt with, which involves money, of course. We are standing by to help if we can.
As alluded to above, we kicked off our Sunday with the weekly Candy Walk through the streets of San Isidro.
Loaded up and ready to roll The escape route from Alta Vista is rapidly becoming overgrown with the seasonal grassesAh, the joys of rainy season!Almost like a version of FroggerThe kids appreciate the effort thoughA drier path to walkSweetnessWhat’s that I see?The new (temporary?) bridge is holding up so farMore muddy roads to traverseBut we got the job done
A couple of hours later when we were safe at home, we experienced one of the hardest downpours I’ve seen this year.
The view from my patio. The rain was as thick as fog. Oh, and a bolt of lightning knocked the power out.
Luckily, the rain let up some and I could do an umbrella walk to Hideaway without getting too wet.
Feeding in progress. That’s Hideaway owner Griff in the background.The joy of Joy
I opted not to visit John’s place this week. Swan wanted the Mango’s pork chops for dinner anyway, and I was still disappointed about last week’s lack of red wine. I’ll give John another shot next week.
When I arrived at Mango’s, I was surprised to see neighbors Jeff and Divina sitting with Swan. When Swan left the house to meet me, Jeff and the wife were looking to escape the continuing power outage. Swan got a ride into town and company while awaiting my arrival. The neighbors left before our food came, but we agreed to meet up again after dinner next door at Thumbstar.
Stormy day beach at Mango’sSwan and her wine. We were the only customers on this rainy dayAin’t we sweet?Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the dinner as served. The plate comes with two pork chops. They weren’t as thick this time, but still quite tasty.
After our meal, we went to Thumbstar as promised for the meet-up. I don’t go to Thumbstar for personal reasons, but it is a nice enough venue. We had one drink there, then moved to the more familiar and friendlier Green Room to finish our evening out.
Celebrate good times, come on! Most of these characters will be rockin’ Angeles City tomorrow.
Not a bad Sunday. And now it is Hash Monday and things aren’t looking good.
Tropical Storm Enting has us in it’s sights. And judging by the rainfall outside right now, it has scored a direct hit.
I saw part of today’s Hash trail on the Candy Walk yesterday. It’s not a bad rainy-day walk, except for the muddy roads. Right now, I’m on the fence about doing the trail or just making my way to the On-Home venue at Smokes and Bottles. We shall see if things let up in the next hour or so.
Ah, the memories:
Eight years ago, I took my then-girlfriend Eun Oke on a trip to the Philippines. She had a great time.
Funny story about that photo. We spent the first night in Angeles City. We went into this bar after midnight and were the only customers. I guess the girls had never seen a Korean female before, and they all came down off the stage for a closer look. They treated Eun Oke like a movie star, and she told me, “Buy them all a drink!” I told her the way it works is you pick your favorite and buy her a drink, but she insisted on getting one for each of them. The next morning, she asked me how much we had spent, and I told her it was 5000 pesos. Then she asked how much do we spend for just the two of us in Seoul? I grinned and admitted it was about the same.
Seven years ago, I was doing a bar crawl in Anjeong-ri and saw my friend Mi Young. I sure did have a crush on her, but alas, the feeling was not mutual.
There was a little controversy in the comments yesterday over the political memes I’ve been posting. No apologies, but I also realize it is a waste of time. Nothing I post here is going to change any minds.
Not that that will stop me
Today’s YouTube video from the Filipina Pea addresses women who don’t want their man to act like a man. I’m joking, of course, and I don’t condone cheating on your significant other. That said, couples need to have shared values. I know of guys in open relationships, and both sides enjoy the variety. Pick your partner wisely!
Let me leave you with these:
When Jane initially met Tarzan of the Jungle, she was attracted to him and during her questions about his life, she asked him how he had sex: “Tarzan not know sex!” He replied. Jane explained to him what sex was. Tarzan said. “Oh, Tarzan use hole in trunk of tree!” Horrified, she said. “Tarzan you have it all wrong, but I will show you how to do it properly!” She took off her clothes and lay down on the ground. “Here!” She said. “You must put it in here!” Tarzan removed his loincloth, stepped closer with his huge erection, and then gave her an almighty kick right between her legs. Jane rolled around in agony, but manages to gasp for air and screamed. “What did you do that for?” “Tarzan check for bees!”Jesus, those fish haven’t even been gutted.That’s so bad it has me singing another tune
Still raining out there, so it’s looking like a wet Hash. I also think there is a Hash birthday cake in my near future. Good times! I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.
Here in the Philippines, they call it the “ber” months, and it is the traditional start of the Christmas holiday season. Yep, decorations will be going up, and Christmas songs will be blasting in the shopping centers. For the next four months. I have found a way to cope at least:
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
Ah, the first ad of the season from right here in Barreteto!
Anyway, everything is going pretty much as it always does around here. Yesterday, there was a bit of a modification to my Standard Modified Saturday Solo Duo Street Stroll. Swan came along, and we walked a slightly different route than I usually do.
Swan always brings some goodies for the kiddiesAdding some sweetness to their dayGoing out of her wayThe way we rolled
Once again, Swan wanted to go see The Engine Band at Treasure Island on Baloy. They serve cold Zero there, so who am I to complain?
The bayThe bandThe food. Swan had something called tequila lime chicken.l snacked on chicken wings
We listened to the band’s first two sets and then headed home at 7 p.m. I fired up the TV and finally got around to watching the second half of Filipina Dream Girlson YouTube. It is a nice trip back in time to the early 1990s in Manila, with some English guys looking to hook up with bar girls. My hearing is not great, and some of those Brit accents were tough to decipher at times, but it is still a good watch.
And so ended another Saturday in my simple life.
Once again, Facebook memories carried me back in time to my former life.
The 2011 view from my Gireum-dong apartment in Seoul
It’s pretty scary when I see otherwise intelligent people regurgitating the lies they’ve been sold about Trump as justification for supporting ignorant Kamala. I guess they are not as smart as I gave them credit for being.
It’s a waste of time to try and change the thinking of the indoctrinated.Probably works for Facebook
Let’s take a three-minute stroll back in time with today’s YouTube video. I couldn’t help but think how everyone you see is dead now, but I guess that’s part of the time travel phenomenon.
And some humor before I go.
Be careful what you ask for!Funny how that worksA wanton disregard of your orders, Captain!
Welp, the lighting is flashing, and the thunder is booming outside my window right now. But I’ve got a feeding to attend to at Hideaway, so hopefully, this, too, shall pass. I’m going to pop into John’s and ask if they have red wine in stock. If not, I’ll take Swan to Mangos for dinner. She’s been craving those grilled pork chops. I’ll be back tomorrow with more of this goodness.
Some cuntry boys from Barretto ventured out to the city called Olongapo yesterday for a walkabout. Once we had enough of that squalor-town, we moved onto the old Navy base (aka SBMA) for some comparatively wide-open spaces. Getting a taste of both made for a pleasant hike.
Exiting the Jeepney after a 15-minute ride from Barretto, then a short highway stroll, before hitting the backstreets of Olongapo City.A river crossingThe river we crossedOn the streets of GapoTraffic wasn’t bad on this street…that wasn’t always the case during our city walkA glimpse towards downtown. We didn’t got thataway.I was surprised to see this Girl Scout Headquarters. I thought I was the only one handing out cookies around here.Another river crossing And onto SBMAHoly Hell!The relatively wide-open spacesThe boat marinaLooking back up the river to OlongapoBoats on the waterThe Subic Bay Yacht ClubThey call this the boardwalk, but it ain’t wood“White man go home!”Scott spent some time here in his Navy days and brought a Filipina wife home with him.Where are we again?I love this post card shot (credit to Scott)Under the palmsAnd this is just plain sad. There is comparatively little litter within the confines of SBMA. All this trash (mostly plastic bottles) washed up here from the other side of the bay, where people throw their trash in the rivers. The garbage washes into the bay, and a storm will beach it here.The Lighthouse Beach Resort. I was hoping we’d stop here for lunch, but it was not to be.A final bayviewHeading out of SBMA. See you next time!The 6K path we walked
I sprang for a taxi ride back to Barretto, got some R&R at home, then prepared for our dinner outing with the neighbors at Hops and Brews.
Ready for date nightOur group (going around the table starting on the left) Matt, Maksil, Gemma, Joyce, Swan, Davina, Jeff, and yours truly.I went with the sweet and sour pork. It was okay.
So, Maksil bought a round of tequila shots, and later, Matt bought a round of tequila rose shots. I was polite enough to drink them, but it’s not my norm. They seemed to have hit the women-folk the hardest, and I’m told that over the course of the evening, each of them did a little vomiting (outside or in toilets, thankfully). It was also decided that with the upcoming power outage on Wednesday, our group would take a trip to Angeles City on Tuesday and return Wednesday night when the lights are back on. Davina made reservations at the Wild Orchid Resort for everyone from the table. I used to stay there back in my tourist days fifteen years ago.
After dinner, we ventured over to the Green Room for some more liquid refreshments. When the group said they were going to Red Bar next, Swan and I said our goodnights and wished them well. I do know when to say when. I saw Jeff this morning, and he told me we’d take the drinking much slower during our upcoming Angeles visit. Yep, I know I will.
And that’s the way I lived my Friday.
From the Facebook memories files:
My 2015 look. Hmm, still wearing my wedding ring. Jee Yeun dumped in December.Eight years ago, I was reappointed to the Director, Human Resources Management position with 8th Army/USFK. This tailored-made suit was the last one I ever purchased. You can see the difference all that walking I did to ease my broken heart made. I’ve reverted back somewhere in between those two extremes these days.
Life goes on until it doesn’t.
How about some political viewpoints:
She was raised a Marxist and says her values haven’t changed.I’m losing faith in the American people.
Today’s YouTube video is from Rose Hall, and she discusses red flags to look out for with Filipinas. Jealousy was always my number one bugaboo. The last thing I want in my life is the drama that comes from a jealous girlfriend. Thankfully, Swan has not demonstrated any such trait (nor have I given her reason to do so). Anyway, Rose always has nice background scenery in her videos, so it is worth the watch for that alone.
Humor time:
They say love is a drug. It makes sense that hate would be, too.I hate when that happensGive her a ride before you give her a ride in the car.
And that’s all I’ve got for now. We’ll see what lies ahead and I’ll report back here tomorrow.
Well, I guess I’m not so little, but Swan and I took a morning walk to the marketplace in Subic town. We purchased some school supplies for Jason, the little boy Swan met on one of the Candy Walks, and also restocked our chocolate cache for this coming Sunday’s mission.
Swan has been communicating directly with Jason’s teacher (his mom doesn’t own a phone). We’ve got a backpack full of supplies and school uniforms we’ll be dropping off on Sunday.
The walk itself was mostly on the National Highway, which is never that pleasant. In Calapandayan, we came upon the scene of an accident that occurred minutes before our arrival.
No idea who was at fault, but this motorcycle was rear-ended by a car. Not shown is the body of a female lying motionless on the highway (that’s what those folks on the right side of the picture are staring at). Don’t know if she was alive or not. We kept walking but heard an ambulance as it arrived on the scene.
Some more pleasant photos from our trek:
We didn’t have any chocolates to distribute, be we did hand out some cookies and lollipops along the way.A hard life just gets harder during the rainy seasonOn the road againThis empty building used to house the Eagles bar, one of the Hash venues back in the day. It was gone long before my time.Life on the riversideThe store where Swan buys the candyThe Marketplace trike stand. We caught a ride home for 200 pesos (150 + tip)A boring highway journey
Next on our agenda was a trip to the beauty salon for a foot spa.
Soaking those sixty-nine-year-old feet in a mineral bathThe pedicure was a bit painful in places
With our feet scraped and nails clipped, we crossed the highway and visited Papagayo for some beachside dining.
A rainy day viewIt was nice to see Norman again. He was the longtime bartender at Mangos, and recently took a similar position at PapagayoThe view from our table. We couldn’t eat on the beach because of the weather.The view of our table. We had the place to ourselves.The cutest couple in attendanceSwan had tacos and said they were goodI ordered the chicken enchilada and was disappointed.It was served lukewarm and I’m not seeing much chicken in there.
Needless to say, Papagayo will not be a regular stop on our dining itinerary. Oh, and Swan didn’t get wine because she thought 300 pesos a glass was too pricey. Which means this venue won’t work for a beach bar alternative either.
As we were finishing our meal, Swan got a message from our neighbor Davina asking where we were so they could meet us for a drink. We got together at Green Room.
Jeff and Davina played some pool and both are good, but Jeff was one of the better players I’ve seen locally.
After a couple of drinks at Green Room, we had a comfortable ride home in Jeff’s car. We’ll be getting together again this afternoon for the dinner meetup at Hops and Brews along with Matt and his wife.
And I’m thinking an out-of-town trip is coming in my near future.
The dreaded all-day brownout is coming this Wednesday. As good an excuse as any to head to the beach for an overnight getaway.
So, I’m sure you’ve read Zuckerberg’s admission that Facebook censored content at the government’s request during COVID and the 2020 elections. Today’s surprise was seeing this cover on a friend’s post:
He’s not the type to share “violent or graphic” content, so I wondered what was up and clicked on “learn more.”Okay, let me see the photo and I’ll decide for myselfSeriously, Facebook? This is neither graphic nor violent. Not even close. WTF? Are you scared of what God might do to your evil corporation?
I shared this on my feed and told folks to see for themselves how fucked up our world has become.
But, thanks for the memories, Facebook:
Nine years ago I received this windfall in the mail. Not sure what I did with all that money, but I appreciated AT&T going through the time, effort, and expense of getting me the refund to which I was entitled.
Today’s YouTube is from a channel I wasn’t subscribed to, but I gave it a watch. For the past two years, this Yank has lived in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), a very upscale area in Metro Manila. He thinks things are changing (for the worse), citing inflation and women’s attitudes, among others. Well, I’ve bitched about higher prices, but there’s no escaping that. I think his real problem is living in Manila. Things are as good here in my neck of the woods as they ever were.
The daily dose of humor:
Don’t be so hard on yourselfThe science is settled!Maybe you should have checked, mate.
Today began for me with this beauty:
And that pot of gold is up on Black Rock.
Well, our group hike took us to Olongapo City, so I couldn’t go collect the gold. Maybe next time. Now it is time to get ready for the Hops and Brews gathering. See you here tomorrow to tell you all about it.
Didn’t do shit yesterday, but the nice thing about dementia is that I won’t remember doing nothing for long. Now, what was I saying? Oh yeah, the day I sat on my ass until beer o’clock. My next-door neighbor, Jeff, messaged that he was meeting Matt and his wife at Hops and Brew at 5:00 p.m., and we were welcome to join in. Jeff said there was room in his car, which was an extra bonus, given the ongoing rain. When five rolled around, I was waiting on the porch for Jeff to come out, and he never did. It is not like a retired Marine Colonel to be late. I sent a message to see what was up and then re-read his original message. The dinner meet-up is for FRIDAY. Damn, I didn’t have reading comprehension on my next-to-go Bingo card.
Well, Swan and I were all dressed up and had nowhere to go, so I made the command decision to spend the rainy evening on Baloy. We walked under umbrellas to the highway, then grabbed a trike to take us to the beach. We hadn’t been to DaKudos for a while, so we started there. It turns out that my old friend Jessa no longer works there. That new owner keeps finding new ways to diminish his business. We had one drink and left. I gave Swan the option of Lagoon Resort or Treasure Island for dinner, and she chose TI because it has bay views. That girl sure does love the water. We plopped down at the bar (the only place with a roof over our heads) and watched the raindrops fall while waiting for our dinner to be served.
Swan had the small Hawaiian pizza. She ate half and brought the leftovers home for her sister in the basement.The called this a Philly cheesesteak sandwich. A little sparse on the innards in that footlong bread roll. I ate it, but won’t be ordering another one anytime soon.
When we finished eating, we grabbed a trike for home. And so ended a pretty much empty day, but I have no complaints. I’m still driving the body vehicle on the road of life, and if I occasionally want to spend it at a rest stop, so be it.
Speaking of life and its alternatives, Swan’s dog Snickers died today. He barked his way through eleven years here on Earth (that’s 88 in people years), and I hope I can live a similarly long life. The vet said it was a liver problem (as far as I know, Snickers never tasted alcohol), and he died peacefully here at home.
Swan and SnickersChristian preparing a final resting place for Snickers.
Facebook shared this memory with me today:
Thirteen years ago I was having a drunken good time in Itaewon.
Today’s YouTube video features Reekay providing three reasons expats wind up broke in the Philippines. They all seem to have stupidity in common. I live on a federal pension, so my financial security is every bit as solid as the US government. Oh shit! I’ve got some savings as a safety net, so that’s as strong as the US dollar. Fuck! Well, my fallback plan is that I’m an old geezer who won’t live forever anyway. Dying in a Chinese air strike is rising on my list of ways I might go, but it is still behind crossing the National Highway in Barretto.
Things that pass for humor in my weary brain:
The Smiths were unable to conceive children and decided to use a surrogate father to start their family. On the day the proxy father was to arrive, Mr. Smith kissed his wife goodbye and said, ‘Well, I’m off now. The man should be here soon.’
Half an hour later, just by chance, a door-to-door baby photographer happened to ring the doorbell, hoping to make a sale.
‘Good morning, he said, “I’ve come to…”
“Oh, no need to explain,” Mrs. Smith cut in, embarrassed, “I’ve been expecting you.”
‘Have you really?” Said the photographer. “Well, that’s good. Did you know babies are my specialty?”
“Well that’s what my husband and I had hoped. Please come in and have a seat.”
After a moment she asked, blushing, “Well, where do we start?”
“Leave everything to me. I usually try two in the bathtub, one on the couch, and perhaps a couple on the bed. And sometimes the living room floor is fun. You can really spread out there.”
“Bathtub, living room floor? No wonder it didn’t work out for Harry and me!”
“Well, none of us can guarantee a good one every time. But if we try several different positions and I shoot from six or seven angles, I’m sure you’ll be pleased with the results.”
“My, that’s a lot!” Gasped Mrs. Smith.
“In my line of work a man has to take his time. I’d love to be In and out in five minutes, but I’m sure you’d be disappointed with that.”
“Don’t I know it,” said Mrs. Smith quietly.
The photographer opened his briefcase and pulled out a portfolio of his baby pictures. “This was done on the top of a bus,” he said.
“Oh, my God!” Mrs. Smith exclaimed, grasping at her throat.
“And these twins turned out exceptionally well, when you consider their mother was so difficult to work with.”
“She was difficult?” Asked Mrs. Smith.
“Yes, I’m afraid so. I finally had to take her to the park to get the job done right. People were crowding around four and five deep to get a good look.”
“Four and five deep?” Said Mrs. Smith, her eyes wide with amazement.
“Yes”, the photographer replied, “And for more than three hours, too. The mother was constantly squealing and yelling I could hardly concentrate, and when darkness approached I had to rush my shots. Finally, when the squirrels began nibbling on my equipment, I just had to pack it all in.”
Mrs. Smith leaned forward. “Do you mean they actually chewed on your, uh .. . . .equipment?”
“It’s true, yes. Well, if you’re ready, I’ll set-up my tripod and we can get to work right away.”
“Tripod?”
“Oh yes, I need to use a tripod to rest my Canon on. It’s much too big to be held in the hand for very long.”
Mrs. Smith fainted.
I’ve never looked at it that way.Man, that blows me away.
Swan and I took a walk to the Subic marketplace this morning, and we’ll be going for a foot spa later this afternoon. If the weather cooperates, I’ll treat her to some beachside dining at Papagayo this evening. Yep, we’re getting back to normal—or as normal as it gets around here anyway.
Time marches on, and I’m still hanging on and enjoying the ride after sixty-nine years. I celebrated the milestone of my birthdate with a rooftop gathering at The Rite Spot, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves despite a dreaded storm raining on our parade. There wasn’t much wind, so we managed to hunker down under the awning and stay mostly dry. I have no particular insights or new-found wisdom as I enter the final year of my sixties. I’m slowing down some, but I’m still able to do the things I enjoy, and I hope that continues as I traverse the realm of the elderly. We’ll see how far I can go before I reach the end of the line. I plan to take my time getting there, but you never know. In the meantime, I’ll embrace each day and be glad to have it.
A birthday is, in reality, just another day. This year’s fell on a Tuesday, so the usual Tuesday stuff like grocery shopping was on the agenda. I did make a detour to the local hospital, where I left some blood for a PSA screening. I’m not sure if my recent urination issues are prostate-related, but we’ll see what the results say. I did my shopping at Royal BEFORE hitting the ATM this week because I needed to pee, and when you gotta go, you gotta go. At least I do.
OMG! Breyer’s is my favorite brand of ice cream. And I love Snickers! Was this a sign from God that I should celebrate my birthday with a bowl of this?Nope, turns out I don’t love it THAT much.
Back home from the grocery store and Swan and some of her female family were busy in the kitchen preparing a feast for the upcoming party.
Meat on a stick ready to be grilledCordon bleuFilipino-style ribs in the panSo much cooking going on that an extra stovetop was set up in the carportSwan’s sis-in-law having a snack (rice is finger food here)Winging itLumpiaRibs ready to rollI contributed a pot of chili to the effortAnd cornbread muffins
There were a couple of other Filipino favorites, bopis (grilled liver) and something called dinuguan (pork blood stew). As you might imagine, I didn’t sample either.
Upstairs, the decorating was in the capable hands of Inday.Nicely done!The view from The Rite Spot when the party got started.Will the weather hold?The early birdsMeat on the grillTrouble brewing on the horizonBut on we partiedMatt, recently returned from a visit to the USA, gifted me this nifty shirt.One of my cakes had the age I identify as being correctly displayed.Dave and Jo brought a cake from the Hash. They also made it clear that I’ll be getting the real Hash cake on Monday.Michael was also celebrating his August 27 birthday…he’s got five years on me though.It was also a welcome home party for Matt.Blowing the candlesRainy night eats
As bad as the rain was, after the party ended we had downpours that lasted all night. I canceled the Wednesday Walkers group hike because where you gonna go in flood conditions?
We are in the Orange Zone. So, I was prepared to just be lazy today. Hey, when you are 69, any excuse will do!
So, I guess being another year older is as good an excuse as any to take a journey through the past. Feel free to scroll ahead:
The early days. I’ll never forget how hot that photographer looked.(1957)Rafting on the Kern River(1959)Camping in the desert (1961)Escorting my grandmother at my brother’s wedding (1972)High school graduate (1973)California dreamer (1974)Husband and daddy (1976)A family man in Prescott, Arizona (1978)Single again in Pocatello, Idaho (1981)A redneck in South Carolina (1987)Climbing the bureaucratic ladder in Roanoke, VA (1990)Hanging out in Istanbul (2004) The Korea lifestyle (2009)At the end of a long career with Uncle Sam (2010)Dreaming of being a professional darter (2012)A visit to Japan (2013)The Itaewon lifestyle (2014)Back to work in Korea (2016)What I’ve become (2024)
Wow, that was exhausting. Okay, let’s move on.
Lies then and nowAnd for some reason, the military can’t meet it’s recruitment needs. Draft the immigrants?
Okay, enough politics. In today’s YouTube video, let’s see what the Filipina Pea has to say about choosing the wrong type woman in the Philippines.
Let’s try the humor:
Yeah, that’s a good pointIt takes a lot of balls to golf the way I doDo magazines even exist anymore?
Well, I’m not sure what to make of Day 1 on the road to seventy. Am I lazy or old? Probably both. Nothing to do but stick around and see what happens next.
Luckily, I didn’t have to experience the nightmare firsthand. I wound up taking the My Bitch option to the Hash On-Home at Always Wet’s house on Rizal Extension. I had a few beers there, then left before the Circle commenced. I was one of the first to arrive, which wasn’t that unusual given my relatively short alternative trail, but what was weird was that the Hare, Vienna Sausage, had yet to return from marking the trail. His girlfriend (Always Wet) said he’d left at ten in the morning and was still out there. Hmm, it was 3:30 now, and the Hashers had started the trail at 2:00. What was going on? It was close to four when the first runner, Leech My Nuggets, showed up, and he wasn’t a happy camper. It seems that the Hare had gotten lost in the thick underbrush and rampant grasses at this time of year. Leech encountered Vienna during his retreat, and they found a different way down from Kalaklan Ridge.
But wait, it gets worse. The Circle normally starts at 4:00 p.m., but there were still several unaccounted-for Hashers at that time, so we waited. And waited. I still had the walk back into town ahead of me, so I decided to leave shortly after five. As I departed, five of the missing Hashers arrived via trike. Yep, they had been lost but eventually found a way back down from the ridge. I didn’t see Gary and his wife (new enough to the Hash to be unnamed), but I assumed they had taken a trike, too, and decided to go home. So, I proceeded on my hike back to town and went to the after-Hash venue at IDM to await my fellow Hashers. I was enjoying my beers and telling jokes to the waitresses I was treating to lady drinks (that always makes my jokes funnier somehow) when I saw my phone had a “missed call” from a name I didn’t recognize. When I opened Messenger, I saw this:
John, it’s Gary. We are stuck up on the mountain. Can you call please.
Oh shit. It was after seven now and pitch black outside. And it was raining. Getting down from Kalaklan Ridge is challenging under the best circumstances. But being lost up there in the dark is the stuff of nightmares. I don’t hear well on the phone, so I went over to another Hasher, Demolition Derby, and asked him to help with the call to Gary. Derby had Gary describe his surroundings and guessed that he might be on or near the ridgeline road. It’s dirt and rugged but easier to hike than a trail, especially at night. There are also occasional shacks and people to maybe provide assistance. Thirty minutes later, Gary messaged that “all was okay now.” We called back, and they had found the ridgeline road and were making their way down to the highway. They still had a long way to go. It was after nine when he messaged that they had made it home. Scary shit. I hope I never have to experience being lost in the middle of nowhere when the sun goes down.
Here are the “Hash” photos I took during my journey on the Bitch.
Stepping out my front doorOne thousand steps–the end of the road in Alta Vista2000 steps–a bitchy part of My BitchToday’s Easter Mountain viewMountain Mama Onelia with her cookiesThe way ahead at 3000 steps4000 steps to the Mountain Dew houseThe view from hereGamgam’s place at 5000 steps is looking a tad overgrownArriving at the On-Home venue6000 steps finds me heading down Rizal ExtensionDon’t let the sun go down on me!7000 steps and still on Rizal ExtensionThe backroad at Columban College at 8000 stepsThe temptation of an empty trike was more than I could bear, so I caught a ride the rest of the way to IDMIt appears to be a bit of a dick trail
And now you know the rest of the story. The sad thing was, by the time we learned we had lost Hashers, the rest of us were in no condition to attempt a rescue. That’s why it’s best to stick with a group that knows their way around whenever possible.
Eight years ago I had a drunken birthday at Shenanigans in Itaewon:
Things are still a little blurry about that night
Today’s YouTube video is a brief update on the Philippines mayor who turned out to be a Chinese spy. It seems she has fled the country. Surprise, surprise.
And some quick humor (I have a party to attend to):
Can you reduce calories that way?I’m bad, but not that bad.
So, it’s my birthday and we are having a party at The Rite Spot. Except it is raining at the moment. Here’s hoping that ends soon. Swan and her family having been cooking up tons of food, mostly stuff I like (baby back ribs, chicken wings, etc). I’ve also got some chili brewing in the crockpot. I’ll give you a full report on the festivities tomorrow!
Things weren’t quite right yesterday. Not horrible or tragic, but moments of disappointment cropped up. Didn’t let them ruin the day, though. When things are a little off, you appreciate when it all comes together that much more.
Another Sunday, another Candy Walk. We altered our course to avoid grumpy old men, but we found ample new faces for chocolate-induced smiles to replace the ones we disappointed with our absence. Swan is also making arrangements with the mother of one of our “regulars” to facilitate the child attending school this year. It’s difficult for people living hand-to-mouth to find money for school uniforms and supplies, and that’s something we are willing to help with. Swan wants to buy the necessities directly, as she fears handing over a lump sum of cash may not result in the desired outcome. What was “off” about the walk? My bladder. I felt like I constantly had to pee, even when there wasn’t much liquid to expel. And I had little to no capacity to hold it in until I found a place to relieve myself. Made for some uncomfortable moments during the walk. It seems somewhat better today. I’m doing a prostate screening in the morning.
Here we go againEveryone loves the candy girlHere……there……and everywhereWord spreads like wildfireBe thankful for your blessingsThis carabao let us pass without incidentThe river flowsAn Easter Mountain viewThe new area we traversed yesterdayThese kids were giddy with joyAnother new pathAnybody want candy?That rice doesn’t plant itselfOh, and I recovered this ribbon from an old Hash trail along the way. Hey, every litter bit helps!Our modified path was right at 5K
Next up on the Sunday agenda was the Hideaway feeding. Everything was going as it usually does, although there were a few more customers than I’ve seen in a while. I baked blueberry muffins for the girls this week for a change of pace. Things got a little off when I bought Joy a lady drink. She doesn’t do alcohol, and that’s fine by me. When Joy reached for a bottle of Coke, the cashier told her to use the bottle of Sprite that had already been opened. Joy did as she was told, but it really pissed me off. I’m paying 150 pesos for a soft drink; by God, the girl can drink whatever she wants. I’m the fucking customer. Joy kept telling me to calm down; she didn’t care. But that’s not the point. So, I ordered a lady drink for one of the other girls (something I rarely do) and loudly proclaimed, “But only if it’s a Coke.” I guess the cashier got the message because when the food arrived, she didn’t come to my side of the bar to have any. Like I give a shit either way.
Joy enjoying her lasagna and garlic bread
I was happy when it was time to cross the highway and meet Swan at John’s place for our Sunday dinner.
Right after we sat down in our usual seats on the third floor, the skies opened up. Didn’t see that rainfall coming.
Sadly, things were a bit off at John’s, too. Swan ordered her usual glass of red wine, and the waitress returned and advised that red wine was not available. WTF? How does one of the nicest restaurants in town not have wine in stock? It just doesn’t make any sense, and it was disappointing. We make a special effort to eat here each week because it’s good and also to support John’s business. The lack of concern for the customer left me shaking my head.
Swan’s “calm down, it’s no big deal”face
At least the food was good.
Swan had a beef and veggies dishAnd I munched on some birria tacos
The rain let up some, so we marched on up the highway in search of our nightcap destination. I offered up IDM or Green Room, and Swan chose Green Room so she could share here leftovers with her waitress friend Chu. But something was off here too–the music was blasting so loud, I got up as soon as I sat down and headed for the door. That is so unlike Green Room. We did Alaska instead, and it was fine overall. They have a pool tourney on Sunday so there was a pretty good crowd. Owner Jerry usually keeps up with the music, but for some reason AC/DC songs were playing one after the other. I’m not a big fan, but I can handle their music in small doses. The music videos with that creepy guitar player in a schoolboy uniform was as irritating as the songs. So, I finished the free beer owner Jerry provided, then moved next door to Wet Spot.
Wet Spot also had a good crowd, including a “two-week millionaire” buying multiple lady drinks for the multitude of gals at his table and ringing the bell to provide shots for the rest of the staff. He spent more money in the thirty minutes I was there than I do in a month. Guys like that keep the bars in business, I suppose. Aine is still ignoring Swan, but there is nothing off about that–it’s our preference!
And that was how my Sunday went down.
Ah, the memories.
Eleven years ago I was a darts master in Itaewon.Seven years ago I was hiking the backroads of PyeongtaekFive years ago the Hash made me a birthday cake
Today’s YouTube video features the SOB dance team from La Oficina. They are one of my favorites.
Even my humor is off a little more than usual:
Been there, done thatI’m sure he had the breast of intentionsIt’s a real conpundrum for sure.
I’ve had another lazy day today. And I’ve decided not to Hash either. Once again, the trail begins and ends at the end of Rizal Extension. Vienna Sausage is the Hare and his trails generally don’t suit me. And I don’t feel like wearing a Hash cake this week. I’m thinking I might walk the My Bitch trail, stop by the Hash On-Home, the leave before the circle begins. Or maybe I won’t bother at all. I’ve got about thirty minutes to make up my mind.
As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, my Standard Saturday Solo Street Stroll was shorter than usual. I got to the end of my street, said, “fuck this,” then turned around and went back home. I just wasn’t feeling it for some reason.
So, I spent a lazy day at home doing jackshit other than blogging and napping. I was feeling energized when beer o’clock rolled around, and Swan and I headed into town. The first stop was Sloppy Joe’s. Swan was served a rancid glass of undrinkable wine. To his credit, the manager comped her a gin and soda instead. After a couple of drinks, it was time for dinner, and I had something special in mind–a rare visit to Hops and Brews. The last time we ate at Barretto’s only smokehouse, Pugon Corner, we were severely disappointed and vowed never to return. That same day, I saw a Facebook post from Hops and Brews saying they would start their own smoke yard. I figured it was time to give it a try.
We were in luck–this daily special board greeted us as arrived. Might as well try a little of everything and see how they do.There’s a nice ambiance about the placeand service was excellent.I don’t think big screen TVs for music videos get any bigger than this oneThe Smoke Garden menu. I’ll definitely order a la carte next time.Our platter of smoked meats. The ribs and pulled pork were especially good and the brisket was nice as well.
We were going to do our nightcap at Green Room, but the place was packed, so we went next door to the nearly empty Wet Spot. Owner Dave came by our table, and we had our usual pleasant chat. One of the things we discussed was some recent complaints about Barretto on one of the internet forums, comparing our little town unfavorably to Angeles City. Well, that’s apples and oranges, and I’ll take our beaches and mountains over that shithole city any day. Sure, there are more bars in AC, so there are more options for the guys who have to pay for sex. The complaints about pricing were especially ignorant. We have bars charging as little as 60 pesos if you want cheap beer. Good luck finding that in AC. I’m no expert because I don’t barfine girls, but in Barretto, the transaction is between the guy and the girl, with the girl compensating the bar for leaving work early. So, sharpen those negotiating skills if you want cheaper sex. Damn, I’m glad I don’t have to live a nickel-and-dime existence in my retirement. And I’m also delighted I don’t have to pay for sex!
Went home with some pecan pie from Sit-n-Bull and had a sweet ending to the night.
Facebook reminds me how Lucky looked when I brought him home six years ago.
Skin and bones with no fur. He’s a Lucky dog indeed, albeit a bit of an asshole.
I see ignorant people:
To me, this election is about whether we have a thinking majority or a stupid one.
In today’s YouTube video, Rose Hall explains things to be on the lookout for if you want to avoid a toxic relationship with a Filipina. NOW you tell me! Anyway, it worked out okay for me in the end, but my big red flag was the drama queens. I have almost zero tolerance for that bullshit. Swan has gone into silent mode a couple of times (we’ve been together for over a year now), but we always manage to talk things through and come out stronger on the other side.
Ready for some lame humor?
That’s what your tongue is for, loser!He has a pointI can dig it!
Sunday is the day of routines. Candy Walk is in the books. Next up, the Hideaway feeding, then dinner with Swan at John’s place. Life is good.
It turns out good intentions are not a source of energy. I led the Friday hiking group on a journey that included a couple of moderately easy climbs but was mostly flat. And it was fun as long as it lasted, but somewhere around the 6K mark, my body started screaming, “That’s enough!” So, wanting to avoid arguing with myself, I sent the others on without me. I detoured over Bridge #3 and grabbed a trike to carry me home. Yeah, I call it pooped out, but the reality is I pussied out—shame on me.
My fellow Friday hikersOn the streets of Alta VistaA short journey on the My Bitch trailYou guys coming?Now what?An old Hash trail markingBack on flat groundCookie timeWe saw several carabao and gave them all a wide berth.The valley portion of our hikeAn Easter Mountain viewTrudging onwardCountry livingAbout the biggest turkey I’ve seen in these partsThe fields in rainy season can get a little dicey. Surprisingly, we made it across and kept our feet dry.It’s rice planting season againPole dancingHeading back to town, just a kilometer or so before I wimped outYou’d think I’d be ashamed of myself, but I carried on this morning by bailing on my Standard Saturday Solo Street Stroll. I’m not sure what’s wrong with me.
And yesterday afternoon was Filipino family day here at The Rite Spot. I guess it went okay, I was the only white guy and my Tagalog is practically non-existent, but everyone seemed to be having a good time. I was a bit surprised when my pending birthday was celebrated along with Swan’s sister. The crew had worked in the kitchen all morning making various Filipino delights, although I did not partake. I guess I just wasn’t in the mood for pancit with a side of chicken feet.
Our guests seemed to be enjoying the views from The Rite SpotThe early arrivalsGranny snoozing in the rockerSinging the birthday songsThanks for thinking of me and for getting my age right. (I identify as a thirty-year-old)The other birthday celebrantSome of the foodLots of folks downstairs as wellBeen a while since I enjoyed watching the sun go down from The Rite SpotThe clouds made for some nice viewsWe had a few sprinkles but no real rain
I bailed early because that’s the way I roll. Swan said the party went on until midnight. I guess that qualifies as voting with your feet. We’ll be doing a more foreigner-centric party upstairs this coming Tuesday.
Praise be to the God of brew
Facebook reminds me of my former life thirteen years ago when I formed a darts association in Columbia, South Carolina.
I even designed the logo.
The darts association lives on, but the name has been changed to Soda City.
I assume the soda comes from the nickname of Columbia, “Cola.” The logo lives on, though.
Evil is always on the prowl.
Saw lots of other evil faces at the DNC
In today’s YouTube video, Reekay follows up on the so-called “enhanced” review of tourist visa renewals. As I mentioned, when I recently renewed, nothing had changed (other than my wearing slacks and collared shirt) during my visit. That’s not to say that it won’t, but it seems there has been no significant increase in visa extension denials.
And now for the comics:
Man, I hate when that happens!Nothing like getting your money’s worth.This one hits a little too close to home.
Now, where was I? Oh, it’s Saturday night! I haven’t made any plans as yet, but I expect I’ll be feeding Swan somewhere and worshipping at the beer alter. See you here tomorrow!
Another Thursday has been quenched. Things kicked off with a solo walk of just over 6K. Nothing significant to report other than some leg pain I had to endure for most of the hike. It was bad enough that I wanted to sit down for a spell, but every time I got to a shady bench, it was otherwise occupied. So, I trudged on, and eventually, the pain receded, or maybe I just got used to it. I’m just going to have to accept that, along with the wisdom that comes with old age, aches and pains are par for the course.
Just starting out and I see something lurking in the weeds up aheadHoly cow!Next I encountered these lazy goatsA stray dog is nothing unusualThe Easter Mountain viewDon’t get cocky!Down in the valleyThese fuckers were in attack mode, and I was ready for a fight, but the cowards wouldn’t get close enough. I did toss a dirt clod their way.Duck off!A river runs through itCrossing Bridge #4. Or is it #5 now? Well, until the rebuild of #1 is complete and we see if the newly constructed crossing is intended to be temporary, we’ll leave the numbering unchanged.Let sleeping dogs lie. Not sure why they just don’t tell the truth.The Bridge #1 rebuild continues apace.My solo journey
When I got back home, Swan asked me if I wanted a meat pie for lunch. Sure, why not.
Except that pie crust isn’t breadIt’s mashed potato. Masarap!
Swan said I needed a haircut and she wanted one too, so we headed into town for the barber.
Ran into Lorna on the way into town. Poor girl was seven years younger than me. RIP.A new barber (my old one died) and a little shorter than I’m accustomed to, but on the bright side, I won’t need another cut for a while.
After we were done at the salon, I had a surprise in store for Swan. Loaded her into a Jeepney and took her to her favorite beach bar.
We hadn’t been here for several weeks.The beach was clean and the floating island resurrected after the typhoon damage.The view from hereAnd anotherWho’s that hot short-haired girl at the bar?Nice to meet you!I zoomed in on that ship anchored in the bay to see what kind it might be. Still no clue, but it’s not a Navy vessel.When it was time to eat, I opted for the chicken fajitasSwan did those pork thingys with a side of mac and cheese.A last look at the sun before we headed back to Barretto
For our nightcap, we decided to visit Whiskey Girl, a place we hadn’t been to for several months. Nothing much had changed, except my regular waitress, Kim, had traded in her belly for a daughter. She wondered when I might be due, but I bought her a drink and changed the subject.
While we were at Whiskey Girl, a storm came through, and we could hear the rain pounding on the roof, even over the music. That was a bit of a surprise because we hadn’t seen any rain for a couple of weeks, and the skies hadn’t appeared threatening. But we definitely needed the cleansing that comes with rain. You may have noticed in many of the photos above that the sky looks almost smoky. It turns out it’s not smog, but something called “vog”–the gasses and dust spewed from the Taal volcano on the southern end of Luzon island.
The view from my patio yesterday afternoonThe same view this morning after the rain
Isn’t life grand?
I came across an excellent example of just how important punctuation truly is.
I must have been late to punctuation class because I’m not very punctual these days.
Facebook memories took me back to a luncheon with my team on this day back in 2017:
Those were the days!I was the Human Resources Director, so I couldn’t play favorites. But Miss Song was special in my secret heart.
Couldn’t resist sharing this political meme:
It is genuinely scary to think that the typical American voter would fall for this bullshit. Wake up, sheeple!
Today’s YouTube video shares the story of an American retiree who finds himself in a Filipino prison. My number one objective has always been to avoid doing anything that might result in my being jailed. I doubt I’d survive more than a month or two under those conditions. So, being smart and avoiding anything illegal (like drugs, even marijuana) goes a long way. Sadly, if you piss off the wrong person (like your ex-wife), you can be set up for a fall. Sort of like they did to that Trump fella in the USA.
(For some reason, I can’t embed the video. Sorry about that. Just click the link above to see it.)
And now for some humor:
It takes lickin’ and keeps on tickin’Someone should erect a monument in recognition of the hard life of Sir Penis.It’s a small world, after all…
So, Swan invited her family to the house this evening. I guess we will all hang out at The Rite Spot and do things Filipino-style. This is a big milestone in the relationship spectrum. I’ve met some individual members of Swan’s family, but having the whole crew over to the house is kind of a welcoming ritual where Swan shows that we are the real deal. My introverted nature is a little bit in the dreading mode, but I imagine a beer or three will help alleviate that. Wish me luck!
The Wednesday Walkers took a little stroll on SBMA (the old Navy base), trekking out past the golf course, up into the Binictican housing area, and then through the El Kabayo horse stables before completing our 9K loop. It was almost all blacktop, but as the first timer to this area, Michael, put it, it is like being in another country—clean roads without much traffic and a quiet and safe vibe. No Jeepneys or trikes allowed!
And away we goIt had been a couple of years since we’d last walked these roadsIt took a lot of balls to pose for this photo. We saw a couple of these vendors selling golf balls recovered from errant golfers.One of several industrial parks on SBMA. A watery forestI’m told the golf course is Japanese owned and caters to an upscale crowd with 5000 peso a round greens fees.They say the cart comes first, but I never saw the horse.Pretty typical of most of our walk. A couple uphills, but not bad at all.We did encounter this obstacle–a bridge under construction. We weren’t allowed to pass, but the guard directed us to a detour we could take.The detourOff the beaten pathOver a creek and through a parkThe creekUp some stepsThen back on our intended route. The guards were friendly enough as we entered the housing area, but did take a photo of our IDs.Marching onwardThe area was called Forest View, but I couldn’t see the forest for all those trees.The stables used to offer horseback rides, but they appear to have fallen into disrepair.The barnyardWe did see several horses in the pasture.Thanks for the warning. Almost back to where we startedA pleasant 9K jauntAfter the hike we went to a local eatery called Vasco’s for some bayside refreshmentsOrder upA view from our tableOne of the original Subic Hashers, Roadwhore, lives upstairs from Vascos and he came down to greet us.
Later in the evening, Swan and I enjoyed our visit to It Doesn’t Matter. The girls seemed pleased with the brownies I baked them. We did our nightcap at Wet Spot and I remembered to use my Sit-n-Bull discount coupon for some food to bring home. Aine continues to ignore, and that’s fine with us.
Probably time for me to go home. I rarely break the 20,000 step barrier these days, but a long flat walk got me there yesterday.
Today’s YouTube video from Reekay delves into the “friends with benefits” relationship issue. I gave that a try for a while, but the transactional nature (at least the way I was doing it) over time turned out to be unsatisfying.
And now for the funny stuff:
If you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen!That’s not the shaft she was looking for.Sometimes you need to turn a blind eye.
That’s it for today’s post. More to come tomorrow.
Never heard of this group or this song before. At least the title works for this post.
It’s not like I have much to do, but by golly, I did it anyway. As usual, my Tuesday begins with a grocery shopping excursion to the Royal Duty Free supermarket. Nothing exciting to report about that event, but here are a couple of highlights:
I don’t normally buy hot cake mix, but when Swan saw this, she thought the price (60 pesos = $1.08) must be a mistake. I looked at the other brands, and they were three or four dollars. Unable to resist a bargain, we bought two. And yes, I watched them ring up at the cash register to ensure I wasn’t overcharged.Baby back ribs for half price! How could I resist? I bought two racks for about ten bucks each.All those bargains added up and I spent a lot more than usual (about $150. over budget)
I had my driver drop me off at Dr. Jo’s clinic on the way home so I could do a consult. The pulmonary doctor had increased my dosage of metformin, and I wasn’t comfortable with that. I’ve also had some folks mention that I’m again retaining fluid in my ankles. As I expected, Dr. Jo didn’t think doubling my metformin intake was a good idea, and she also tweaked some of the other drugs I’ve been taking for years now. She wants me to get some additional blood work, including a PSA test, to check my prostate. Hubby Dr. Chris sent me a couple of links regarding chelation therapy. He said that he and Dr. Jo are using this method to cleanse their arteries. I did some limited research and noted that it is not FDA-approved for this purpose, but after what the FDA approved for COVID, I have little faith in their judgment. Some of the drugs I’m taking now are related to test results in a Korean hospital ten years ago that showed a 20% blockage in one of my arteries. I’m still on the fence about chelation, but I’ll consider it a future option.
Speaking of heart issues, my friend and frequent commenter Kevin Kim is home from the hospital after his narrow escape from death. In case you missed it, here is his account of what happened. Keep fighting! You’ll be back on the path to restored health and walking across the Korean peninsula again soon. You can do this!
When I asked Swan what we should do for our evening out, she responded that she needed to visit our waitress from Alaska Club, Vanessa, and give her the notes and paperwork she retained from her studies as a caregiver student. So, we visited Sloppy Joe’s next door and waited for Alaska to open. We didn’t have to wait long because Vanessa stopped by our table on her way to work.
Good luck with your studies, Vanessa!
I had a “buy one, get one” SOB coupon to use, so we made Green Room our next stop. Swan’s generosity surprised me once again when, unbeknownst to me, she sent one of the waitresses out to buy some meat-on-a-stick to share with the other girls. I did buy a couple of lady drinks, at least. Later, my neighbor Jeff and his lady Davina joined us at our table, and we shared some drinks and chat. Another mutual friend, Matt, just returned from visiting the USA, and I suggested we throw a welcome home party at The Rite Spot. Jeff advised that he and the family would be in Angeles all weekend, so we are going to party on Tuesday. Coincidentally, that is my 69th birthday. So, I guess we’ll have a rockin’ good time.
No politics or memories to share today. You are welcome!
Today’s YouTube video is from my favorite, The Filipina Pea. She discusses how Filipinos view foreigners. The stereotype of being the rich white guy is just part of it. I laughed at being called “Joe,” which happens quite a lot. I perpetuate it by answering kids who ask, “What’s your name?” with Joe. Living in a town full of expats is a lot different than living a rural province life where you might be the only foreigner in town. I’ve noticed when we hike in areas that foreigners don’t frequent, being stared at is a pretty common occurrence. Anyway, the Pea is always worth your time. Give it a watch.
You wanna know what’s funny?
Let he who is without sin cast the first stoneMaybe she has a sister?What a jackoff!
A different kind of hike with the Wednesday Walkers this morning that I’ll tell you about tomorrow. I asked Swan about tonight’s mission, and she suggested I bake some brownies to share with the gals at IDM. Great minds think alike! No wonder I love that girl.
We came. We saw. We marked the trail. We sat on the ice. Just a typical day in the life of a Hare with the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers. I joined my counterparts (Pubic Head and Blow My Pipe) in laying the powder, paper, and chalk marks to guide our fellow Hashers on Run #1615. All who did the trail survived (as far as we know), and that is the primary indicator of success in my book. It was a short trail at a little under 5K but had a challenging climb up to Kalaklan Ridge and a steep down before ending at the On-Home held at Hasher Tung ‘n Gruve’s beachside residence. I didn’t receive any negative feedback on the trail, and a couple of Hashers were surprised that the fat old guy made that climb.
Yeah, about that. It was an ass-kicking up, but thankfully, it wasn’t a killer. Honestly, if I didn’t feel obligated to my fellow Hares, I would have turned around early and called it a day. I’m not sure what it is lately; I just don’t seem to have any energy or stamina. I fear it may be the vestiges of old age, and the only cure for that is one I’d prefer to avoid. We will see what the future brings. In the meantime, I’ll try and keep thinking positive thoughts, and hoping this too shall pass.
Ready to get started. Blow My Pipe had the powder, I threw the shredded paper, and Pubic Head manned the chalk.Marching up to the end of Coral Street in Barangay Lower KalaklanThe road ends and our path to the top of the ridge beginsThe only bridge crossing on ourtrailI’ve crossed worse. Just stay off the green!I was even slower than usual on the climbWaiting for me?Finally on the ridgelineMy tree of the day was as dead as I was feelingThe view from hereWorking hardBringing up the rearThe gateway to the On-HomeOur host provided grilled chicken and hot dogs to the Hashers gratisIt’s nice on iceOur gracious host, Tung ‘n Gruve, was honored with the HashshitHashers on the trailThe trail we laid. The yellow line is a “hard” option Blow My Pipe added. It has an additional down and up. The “easy” trail is actually longer, but mostly flat.
Another Hash in the books. It is always nice to live to tell about it.
I saw that bumper sticker on a parked car and chuckled. I remember reading that women can turn into good drivers. So, if you are a good driver, be on the lookout for women drivers!Estrella, I think you are the oldest I’ve seen on a funeral banner. Hope it was a good life for you.
Memories today include my kids enjoying life on the farm circa 1981:
Monroe, Oklahoma was the place to beEight years ago I was living the life in Itaewon with Eun Oke. It didn’t last.
Coincidentally, in today’s YouTube video, Reekay talks about the perils of dating crazy women. Now, Eun Oke’s craziness only manifested when she’d been drinking to excess, but sadly, that was pretty much all the time, at least when she was around me. I’d try to get her to slow down, but that would trigger an outburst. Finally, I had enough and walked away for good. For years afterward, even when I was living here in the PI, I’d get a video call on Messenger at three in the morning from my drunk ex. I eventually just stopped answering. Another example of there are worse things than being alone.
Today’s attempt at humor:
I’m sure he’s trying his breastSometimes that’s hard to doThat’s scary!
Not sure what’s on tap for the rest of my Tuesday, but it will likely involve some cold bottles of San Mig Zero. I’ll fill in the gaps tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy this clip from Deliverance. Who knew Joe Biden was such a talented banjo player back in the day?
The world would be a better place if you’d stuck with music, Joe.
The rare early morning post here at LTG. And shorter than usual, too. I’m one of the Hares for today’s Hash and we are meeting to mark the trail at 0930. I don’t expect there will be time for blogging afterward. So, here we go.
Another Sunday, another Candy Walk through the streets of San Isidro. Swan says we sweetened the day of 211 kids this week. Don’t ask me how she keeps count.
Swan’s bag and backpack loaded and ready to goThe stash for my backpack. Let’s get it done!I hadn’t noticed earlier, but we both selected the same shirt to wear yesterdayTaking care of businessWe take the same route every week. A little boring, but the kids are always awaiting our arrival, so we don’t want to disappointFlower powerKids were at church, so Lola took the candy for them this weekMeeting them halfwayGoats in the fieldA trike with FIVE kids crammed inside stopped for some sweetsIt appears you had a good run, Pablo. The last group and the last of the candy.
He’s not in the picture, but a grumpy old man told Swan not to hand out candy here anymore because the kids throw the wrappers on the ground. While I admire his anti-littering zeal, it seems unfair to punish all for the actions of the few. Swan says she wants to skip this street next week.
Later in the day, I did my feeding at Hideaway. For a change, there were actually a few customers in the bar, which certainly enhanced the vibe. We’ll see if that continues.
Then, I crossed the highway for my dinner date with Swan at John’s place. Our old waitress, Em Jhae, was back from Pampanga for the weekend and working a shift for some extra coin. It is always nice to see her again. We took our usual seats in the third-floor open-air bar and got down to business.
John had been advertising this all week. I’d given up on Fish and Chips because most places use crap fish like dory.
I was too late for the lunch special, but was willing to pay full price to see what this Pacific pomfret John had been raving about was like.
I like the way it looksAnd that’s the kind of tender consistency I like in a fish. Tasted good too!Swan debated between the roast beef and pulled pork, but in the end, went with the pig.Our end-of-dinner view
We did our nightcap at Alaska Club. Coincidentally, John was there playing in the pool tournament. I did my usual thing of rewarding the dancers with a fifty peso note each for actually dancing while on stage. And I also bought a lady drink for our waitress, of course. Then Swan recognized one of the dancers as someone she knew from way back in 2010, so I called her down to join us (and bought the requisite lady drink for her). So, Swan had a nice time catching up with her old pal. When I was ready to go, I paid the tab and waited for my change. When the waitress returned, she had another beer in hand, courtesy of owner Jerry. While I enjoyed my freebie, I was shocked to see Swan order two more lady drinks for our company. Good for her! I paid, of course, explaining to the girls that Swan and I have a 50-50 relationship–she buys, I pay.
Good times with an old acquaintance.
And that was our Sunday.
Eight years ago, I took my new girlfriend on an Itaewon bar crawl. I have a picture from each bar in my Facebook memories for today. This one was taken at the 7th and last stop, Debut Bar.
At least one of us is still standing.
I promise, after the elections I’ll stop posting this political shit.
I tagged my nephew Justin on this one.Now, that’s funny!
Today’s YouTube video discusses the fact that foreigners are not allowed to own property in the Philippines. There are workarounds (like putting the property in your Filipina’s name), but those can be perilous if the relationship goes south. One friend of mine put his house in his ex’s name, but has a twenty-five-year lease. He’ll be dead before that’s up, and he won’t care.
Humor time:
What a cutup!How ballsyNothing to get spaced out about.
Anyway, our trail today will include a climb up Kalaklan Ridge. I’ll let you know how that works out for us tomorrow.
