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.
Sure does seem that way sometimes here in the Philippines.
I just keep plugging away and making the best of each day I have left in this so-called life of mine. I ain’t complaining. Much. I do what I please when I please, and I’m getting better at not caring about the things I’m powerless to change. There is freedom in that attitude, and I’m going to embrace it as much as I am able.
Ha! Brave words, I know. And it might appear that my reality is not always in accordance with my objectives. But I take comfort in my routines, and I’m always keeping my eyes open for the next big thing. In the meantime, this is what I’ve been up to:
My Thursday solo walk. A lot slower than I was on Wednesday. I didn’t make it all the way back home, either. I was tired as I approached Alta Vista, and a trike driver called out, “ride, sir?” I didn’t have the energy to resist his entreaty.
I only took one photo on the hike. I was doing my standard walk through the Naugsol valley when I noticed the landscape had recently changed.
There used to be a trail here. I couldn’t find a walk around, so I plunged in. Took a couple of steps, then wound up in water over my knees. It sucked, but I made it through.
A quiet afternoon at home, then it was time to see what was happening in my little town. I started out at It Doesn’t Matter, where I usually find a friendly face or two. Yesterday it was Chris and his lovely lady. As I was sitting there, my gaze turned towards the bar across the street named Chill. It opened a few months ago, and I’d never been there before. With nothing better to do, I decided I’d visit and write up a review. You can read about the experience here.
When I was done Chill-ing, I moved on to Wet Spot. They were just opening up when I arrived, so I had the honor of being the first customer. They have a promotion called the “passport,” and every time you buy a drink, you get a mark on your card. After six drinks, you get a free drink, and for the remainder of the night, all your drinks are half-price. The passport is also honored in the Green Room venue. Welp, my passport was full, so I settled in to get my money’s worth. During the course of my evening, I had a nice chat with Brett, the manager, about bands we had seen live in the 70s and 80s (he’s also a California boy). Then Jeff, the owner of Treasure Island, arrived, followed shortly after by Wet Spot owner Dave and one of my neighbors here in Alta Vista. It was a good evening of socializing with some folks other than bargirls. Although Aine, my regular who’d been missing in action during my last couple of visits, wound up making an appearance.
Oh, and I ordered a pizza from Sit-n-Bull next door. Ate what I wanted and had the waitress share it with her co-workers. Yep, that’s me. Always feeding the hungry. *ahem*
I went home a little drunker than normal, but at least my trike driver made it all the way to the house. I was still in good enough condition to concoct a batch of strawberry-banana smoothies that I enjoyed with my helper.
I’m still dealing with some lung issues, nothing as severe as the other day, but I did wake up at 3 a.m. wheezing, so I got up to use my nebulizer and started my day a little earlier than normal.
It was a rainy morning, and Lucky said, “fuck that,” refusing his daily walk. Buddy doesn’t care; sniffing the smells on the streets of the neighborhood is his favorite part of the day.
Silly Lucky. There was a break in the rain, and me and Buddy didn’t get wet at all.
I still had an hour before the Friday group hike, so I decided to spend some time in the kitchen. It seemed like a good morning for a burrito breakfast.
Seasoned ground beef.Kevin Kim had told me in a comment here that I should put the tortilla in a frying pan and brown it a bit (I usually just warm them up in the microwave right out of the package). Wow! It really did make a tasty difference. Thanks, Kevin!The other fixin’s: salsa, shredded cheese, tomato, green onion, and lettuce.Put it all together, and Yum!
I’ll post about the hike tomorrow. Time for me now to shower up and prepare for this week’s SOB. It’s being held at Voodoo, a smallish venue, so I don’t want to be late.
Maybe this explains why I’m single–I need to be ready to answer the call!
And if you said, "This life ain't good enough."
I would give my world to lift you up
I could change my life to better suit your mood
Because you're so smooth
And it's just like the ocean under the moon
It's the same as the emotion that I get from you
You got the kind of loving that can be so smooth, yeah.
Gimme your heart, make it real
Or else forget about it
Chill, another relatively new addition to the Barretto bar lineup
It’s been several months now since Chill first opened its doors but yesterday was my first visit. I had heard enough to know it was one of “those” kinds of bars that just aren’t my thing. I guess this is a good time to remind readers that my reviews and rankings are based on my personal likes and preferences. Which is to say, just because a particular bar leaves me cold (or chilled, as it were) doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with it or that your impressions may be the opposite of mine; to each his own.
So, here’s my take on Chill. It is very small inside. That’s not a bad thing necessarily, but other than sitting at the bar sipping a drink or snuggling with one of several bargirls, there’s not much else to see or do.
Granted, those lounge chairs do look pretty comfortable.The drink menu.The bargirls on tap last night. Yes, I bought them each a lady drink.What’s behind the curtain? A passage to the massage shop next door. The girls are also available for takeout, something I don’t personally partake in.Geena was my favorite.
And that’s really all there is to the place. Buy the girls a drink, get a massage, or negotiate an evening out of the bar, short or long time, depending on what you want to spend. I suppose you could just sit at the bar and drink a reasonably priced beer, but my impression is that’s not what this bar is designed for.
Chill is located across the highway from It Doesn’t Matter, so it’s easy to find. From my perch at IDM, I do see customers coming and going, so I suppose they are doing alright. I was the only customer last night, but it was still early in the evening.
A wet day, for the most part, yesterday, and another big typhoon-driven storm is on the way. There’s a little umbrella icon at the bottom of my screen saying “rain coming.” It’s a little disconcerting because I’m sitting here wondering if it’s gonna get here before I head into town. Oh well, that’s rainy season for you.
Our planned mountain hike for the Wednesday Walkers was scuttled, and instead, we walked the wet streets and alleys of Barretto. It looked like this:
A brisk 7K walk met our needs. I rarely get under twelve minutes a kilometer.I also did a couple of extra Ks getting to the starting point from my house.The hardy group who braved the rain.Two others arrived after this photo.And we are off!Wet and wild.I was taking a pee here, so decided to snap a photo of the creek.An Alta Vista shot as I finished my hike.
A quietly unproductive afternoon, then it was time to start my Wednesday evening activities. Had some food intake at John’s place:
Had a hankering for the pulled pork sandwich. I misunderstood when the waitress asked if I wanted “fries or chips,” thinking the chips were those round-cut potatoes. Oh, well. I’m not a big guacamole fan, but the stuff served with my chips was about the best I’ve ever tasted.
It was feeding night at Hideaway Bar, so I ordered John’s Korean-style chicken wings and some rice for the girls.
I’d baked up a batch of brownies before leaving home.The chicken.The rice.The satisfaction on Joy’s face.
With my mission completed and after a few drinks, I headed out for new venues. One of those was the newest bar in town called Mugshots. I posted a review of my first impressions here.
I had a coupon (buy a lady drink, get a customer drink) that was ready to expire, so I went to Green Room to use it. Those coupons are dangerous and don’t really save you any money. I think the bar owners know that, right, Dave? Anyway, I pampered the new waitress and her boss and caught a pretty good buzz consuming those “free” drinks. So, I headed out with the intention of going home.
Once outside, I got bit by the “just one more” bug, so I made my way up the highway to Cameltoe. Had a final drink with the lovely ladies there (they got one, too), and then a trike pulled up in the driveway right in front of where I was sitting. I don’t know if someone called it or if it was divine intervention, but it seemed like a good time to go, and so I did. There is a big hill to climb just before reaching my house, and some of the weaker trikes can’t make the grade, so to speak. We did top the hill successfully, but then the trike died and wouldn’t restart. I wasn’t far from the house, but I felt bad for the trike driver being stuck up there in the dark. I waited a bit, then gave him an extra 50 pesos (total of 150) to ease his pain. Last I saw, he was pushing the trike. At least it was mostly downhill.
While I was waiting to see if the trike would restart, I noticed the moon looked kind of interesting.
Except for some reason, I can never get a good moonshot on my phone camera.I tried a zoom shot, and at least you can see the moon, but it lost the context that made it look interesting to my drunken eyes. Oh well.
A short walk home from where the trike died, and that was the end of my night.
I found this and shared it on the Hash FB page. It doesn’t matter how you get there as long as you arrive.
Welcome to Mugshots. I popped in yesterday evening on their third day of operation. It is located on the National Highway, directly across the street from the Catholic church in the same block as Bar Barretto. It is on the small side of the bar spectrum here but is well-appointed and comfortable. The space was formerly a bar named Wild Paradise, which has been closed for over three years now. The new owner has done a complete remodel and did a very nice job of it.
A view from my seat at the bar. The bar staff was very friendly and happy to chat. The head bartender (Shawn) gave me a warm welcome, answered all my questions, and made me feel right at home, even as a first-time visitor.
I was drinking soda and gin, but bottled beers are priced at 80 pesos. They didn’t have Zero in stock, and when I told Shawn it was a popular choice for many expats, he promised to order some.
In addition to the bar, there is this small seating section with several tables and chairs.
I neglected to take a photo, but there is also outdoor seating with a view of the highway. That’s probably where I will spend most of my time on future visits.
There is also a kitchen and a limited menu available. Haven’t tried the food out yet, but maybe next time.
There is also this small stage with acoustic performances offered at various times throughout the day.
To my surprise, it is also used for videoke (karaoke) performances. I admit to being dismayed when I saw a young woman go up on stage and grab the microphone. I braced myself for the usual high-volume screeching you have to endure in a videoke bar but was pleasantly surprised that the music was kept at a reasonable volume. Shawn and I were actually able to carry on our conversation at the bar while she sang. I complimented him on this unusual way of letting people sing their hearts out without bothering the other customers. I asked if they had portable microphones for people to sing from the tables, and he said no, only on stage. I like that too.
Some of the wall decorations. That Mona Lisa poster depicts her enjoying a mug of beer and a foamy upper lip.
Has anyone noticed what’s missing? I asked Shawn if they were going to hire waitresses or Guest Relations Officers (GROs) to provide company for lonely customers. He said there were no plans to do so; it’s not that kind of bar. Interesting. I think there are only a couple of other bars in town that take that approach, hope it works out for them. Regular readers know that I regularly partake in the “I buy lady drink, you pretend to like me” charade, but it might be nice to have a venue where I won’t be bothered if I just want to drink alone.
They did have a couple of folks out on the street enticing folks to come inside and see the bar. This one invited me by name. I asked how do you know me, and s/he (I assume s/he’s what is called a Tomboy) and s/he said, “don’t you remember? I used to work on the Arizona floating bar.” Ah, yeah. That’s right. In my defense, the haircut back then wasn’t so obvious, although I assumed s/he was lesbian.If I’m wrong about that or used the wrong pronouns, I apologize.
Anyway, this looks to be a great new addition to the bar lineup. I’m definitely up for a future visit to hear some live music at an appropriate volume. And hell, if I am drunk enough, I might even get up there a sing during videoke time.
The current rankings (still need to make adjustments for previously reviewed bars. I’ll get to it soon, I promise!)
Shopping day yesterday, and I continue to be astounded by the way prices on things I enjoy continue to rise. Let’s take a look at some American beef, shall we?
Angus tenderloin, anyone? A steal at $64.25 a kilo. By steal, I mean the only way that’s going home with me is if I shoplift it.
I also took a look at their ribeyes:
There are two in each of those packages, but they are half the size of the one I bought at John’s. I guess I won’t be grilling many beef steaks for a while.
Speaking of eating, two months into my beer reduction diet and today’s weigh-in shows that I have achieved a one-pound INCREASE in weight. Hmm. Maybe eating a half-gallon of ice cream in one setting isn’t such a good idea.
Yep, there’s just more of me to love.
In other news, I had a bit of a scare yesterday afternoon. I was getting a massage, and during the “happy ending” portion, I lost my ability to breathe. Well, technically, I was breathing, but my damaged lungs apparently couldn’t absorb any oxygen from the air intake. I reached for my inhaler, but it didn’t seem to help. It was the worst attack I’ve had since being diagnosed with COPD several years ago. People joke about wanting to die doing something they love but going from carnal bliss to the edge of unconsciousness was no laughing matter for me. I put on some shorts and rushed to my desk to fire up my nebulizer. After a couple of minutes of inhaling those salbutamol sulfate vapors, the capillaries in my lungs finally opened up, and I could breathe again. I apologized to my masseuse for the abrupt ending and sent her home. Damn, I hope that never happens again!
Nothing really special about my evening out. I baked up some brownies and brought some chocolate to the gals at Snackbar as a thank-you for their kindness on my birthday. Bought them all a drink and had a couple myself, then headed down to Hot Zone to use the 500 peso voucher I won at last week’s SOB. Once that mission was completed, I dropped into Green Room and bought the new girl there a drink. Then I made my way home nicely buzzed.
I saw this on Facebook, and it gave me a chuckle. That’s the norm in these parts. Almost everyone here is old enough to be retired, and almost all the women are young enough to be our daughters (or granddaughters). What are you going to do?
My first thought when I saw the above was that forty years does seem like a pretty extreme gap. Then I did the math and realized that anyone twenty-seven or below is 40+ years younger than me. Now, I do gravitate to the gals in their 30s, but tonight I’ll be feeding Joy, who, if memory serves, is twenty-three. Oh well, that’s only forty-four years. And who’s counting? After all, age is just a number.
Well, you can rock it you can roll it
You can stop and you can stroll it at the Hash
When its muddy and you're spinnin'
You keep on movin' when you're feelin' chicken at the Hash
Doing the trail the way you like it all throughout the nation at the Hash
Ah, let's go to the Hash
Let's go to the Hash, (oh baby)
Let's go to the Hash, (oh baby)
Let's go to the Hash
Come on, let's go to the Hash
Well, you can swing it you can groove it
You can really start to move it at the Hash
Where the paths are the smoothest
And the hiking is the coolest at the Hash
All the dudes and the gashes get their kicks at the Hash
Let's go!
Let's go to the Hash
Let's go to the Hash, (oh baby)
Let's go to the Hash, (oh baby)
Let's go to the Hash
Come on, let's go to the Hash
Let's go!
My sincerest apologies to Danny & the Juniors for my bastardization of their hit “At the Hop,” a song nearly as old as I am. I don’t know what got into me. And no, it wasn’t drugs.
I actually rather enjoyed yesterday’s Hash trail. Well, as much as you can enjoy heavy breathing and becoming a hot, sweaty mess. Hmm, that sounds almost like passionate lovemaking. To be clear, the trail was NOT that satisfying! Still, we did a comfortably short 6K jaunt from Calapadayan to Baloy Beach. My version featured a steady but not too steep climb in the beginning, a relatively gentle downhill, then a mostly flat valley walk. There was second climb to the top of Black Rock, but I opted to go around rather than over that one. Finished with a pavement walk through Matain where we caught a banca boat across the river to the shores of Baloy. A pleasant beach walk led to our On-Home at Da’Kudos. All in all, one of the better trails we’ve done recently. It had been a while since we’ve hiked that area, so it was a nice change of scenery too.
Here’s a slew of pictures, you decide:
The trail we trudged.Gathering up at the starting point.And we are off!The trail did get a little jungley in places.On-Up!A different perspective on Easter mountain.I didn’t know that the trail was leading to Black Rock when I snapped this photo. I enjoy climbing Black Rock (when it is dry) but prefer going up from the opposite direction–much less steep. I chose to do a walk around instead.Look at me go!A relatively easy down.It’s nice to have your girl along to tie your shoelaces.Sometimes the light comes shining on me…Now which way to I go?There was one stream crossing that required getting wet feet.Although Captain Hook played hero and carried a couple of the girls across.Oh shit! Now what do I do? Walk around it, you say? Oh, yeah. That will work!Some cookie tasters.Some of those who braved the climb up Black Rock.It’s more fun going down this way than up.On the lonely road leading On-Home.Passing through a little neighborhood.It was bath day for these folksat the water well.Over the river to Baloy.Let’s go to the beach!A sandy walk.A bit of Korea on shore.Girls in the water.Girls on the beach.Lovely ladies, no ifs, ands, or butts about it.Da’Kudos, our On-Home venue.Hashers doing what they do best. That’s why we are known as a drinking club with a hiking problem.I had a roast chicken salad and chicken fingers for dinner.The Subic Bay Hash House Harriers.“It’s nice on ice”The traditional honor ceremony for achieving 69 Hash runs.Oh, and someone had a birthday so the Hash made him a cake. I’m glad that only happens once a year!What’s Up Doc gave me this coffee mug as a birthday gift.And so the sun sets on another Hash Monday.
Fixed me a Sunday breakfast to start the day. That’s newsworthy because lately, my lazy ass has just been pouring milk over cereal.
I didn’t say it was anything special. Looking at the pic just now, I realize I forgot to add salsa to my scrambled eggs. Damn, I could be the president!
Then I got a message from Julie asking if she and her friend could join me on my morning hike. Sure, the more, the merrier. My standard Sunday hike is a flat valley walk, but Julie said they preferred the hills but with beginner-level difficulty. I deemed the My Bitch trail pretty much fit that description. We met up at the entrance to Alta Vista and headed for the hills.
Julie (on the right) and her friend Karen. Yes, that’s one of the rare white women you see in these parts. I understand she lives and works in Manila and was here for a getaway from the big city. I thought Karen had an English accent, but she said she had lived in England but was born in France. I blurted out the only French I know, “ferme la bouche,” and she didn’t have much to say after that. Go figure.My first cookie delivery was to these folks working hard doing their laundry with the creek water.I introduced my guests to Easter mountain.Mountain mama Olivia’s goats.A vista near the end of My Bitch.
I gave the gals the option of going down to the valley, which would likely require getting their feet wet, doing another moderate hill climb, or walking the pavement on Rizal Extension back to town. They opted for the latter. I treated them to lunch at Sit-n-Bull, and when I turned off my tracker, I saw that our hike was exactly 7K.
Our stats.
Once I got back home, I did a couple more episodes of Manifest. Almost to the end of Season 3 now, and there is no resolution in sight. There will be a fourth and final season, but it is not yet available. I’m interested enough to want to see how they pull this together for a logical conclusion. It’s taken a bit of a turn into religion, with the US government playing the role of Satan. That’s my take so far, at least. Stay tuned.
And then it was time for my workout.
Exercising my liver, that is.
But I also had promised myself a steak dinner for my birthday, so John’s place was my first stop. John was there, and we had a nice chat. He was running a weekend steak special, but it was New Zealand beef. I wanted a good ol’ American ribeye. I got to pick out my steak; John weighed it, added the 350 peso cooking charge, then gave me a 10% “birthday discount.” Thanks for that! It still came out to almost 2000 pesos, $35.00 at the current exchange rate.
It was huge and about as close to perfectly grilled as any steak I’ve ever enjoyed. Tender, juicy, and delicious. At that price, though, it will be a rare treat. Still, I’m only going to be 67 once, so why not enjoy it?Speaking of the exchange rate, a record high of 56+ pesos to the dollar. Takes a little of the edge off the crazy inflation we are experiencing. Let’s hope the dollar holds up.
I also ordered the fish tacos at John’s for takeout. Got those for Joy and stopped at Chooks To Go to get a box of fried chicken for the other girls at Hideaway.
Joy’s tacos.Joy’s reaction to her tacos.Joy eating her tacos.
After Hideaway, I made a stop at the Green Room. Marissa has just started working as a waitress there. I welcomed her with a couple of lady drinks and wished her well. The hours are 4:00 p.m. until closing (usually around 2 a.m.), so I don’t envy her that.
Yes, I’ve noticed that.
I woke up this morning, and there was a male lying in bed next to me.
I guess he was feeling Lucky.
Did my Monday morning 5K beach walk on Baloy.
It had been a couple of weeks since I’d enjoyed the bay.
And now it’s time to get ready for another Hash Monday. Today’s trail is starting out in Subic, and I’ll be taking a Jeepney to get there. I know where the trail begins, but several others don’t, so they’ll be meeting me at 7/11 to tag along. I just hope we can find room in a Jeepney for us all.
I’ll tell you how it goes tomorrow.
When you know she's no high climber
Then you find your only friend
In a room with your two timer
And you're sure you're near the end
Then you love a little wild one
And she brings you only sorrow
All the time you know she's smilin'
You'll be on your knees tomorrow
You go back, Jack, do it again
Wheel turnin' 'round and 'round
You go back, Jack, do it again
My first beers in my 67th 68th year went down smooth and easy. Yep, I said beer. That was my gift to me. I’ll go back to soda and gin tonight.
My original plan was to start out with dinner at John’s, which is on the far side of town. But the girls at Snackbar were impatient for my arrival, so I started there. And after my beers and cake, I wasn’t hungry anymore. I’ll do John’s tonight instead. I have to be on that side of town anyway for my Sunday bargirl feed at Hideaway.
Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it too?Better to cut the cake than to cut the cheese! The Snackbar crew.Cheers!
After leaving the Snatchbar, I walked up the highway and popped into Cheap Charlies for a visit. The girls all wished me a Happy Birthday, and I bestowed gifts in the form of lady drinks.
Thank you, ladies.
Next, I dashed across the highway and paid a visit to Wet Spot. Owner Daddy Dave bought me a drink for the b-day, and we shared a nice chat. He also gave me some pain reliever advice, although my toothache appears to be in remission.
Came home to a Facebook inbox full of messages wishing me a happy birthday from friends all over the world. One that made me feel especially good was from my high school sweetheart Karen:
Happy Birthday to this Handsome man!! He has an AMAZING heart and is one of my dearest friends. We have known each other it seems forever. We have seen each other at our worst and at our best! Happy Birthday John!
Ain’t she sweet?
I guess I’m not as alone in this life as I sometimes feel. A shout out to my readers and commenters as well. Let’s keep this thing going as long as we can!
And so do I. I completed my 67th journey around the sun today. My plan is to make that trip a few more times before I give it a rest. Wish me luck!
I’m happy to report I’m having a pain-free birthday. Even got off my lazy ass and walked almost 10K today. I’ve still got my evening bar crawl steps to add in, so I’m back on track in that regard.
Everything went fine at the SOB. I’ll share photos once the sponsor posts them. This week the top three were Wet Spot, Alaska, and Hot Zone. At least, as far as I recall. I made it a beer night again to make sure I maintained the proper amount of control. And balance. It must have worked.
UPDATE: Here are some photos:
Hot Zone took 3rd place.Alaska took 2nd.Alaska always puts on a good show.This week’s champions: Wet Spot. A spectacular show, maybe the best performance I’ve seen at an SOB.Wet Spot was on fire!Green Room didn’t make the top three this week, but this gal caught my eye and triggered my imagination.
Marissa has moved back to Barretto from Manila, and I invited her to see the show. Seemed a little bit like old times. Turns out she knows the manager from Green Room, and he’s wanting to hire a couple of waitresses. Looks like she’s found a job, and that made me glad I extended the invitation.
Otherwise, everything is what it always is around here. I’m planning to treat myself to a steak dinner at John’s place to start my evening, then hit a few of my favorite bars. I heard from one of the gals at Snatchbar that they have a cake for me, so I’ll need to make that one of my stops tonight.
I’ve been surprised by all the birthday greetings and messages popping up from my Facebook friends, almost 100 so far. I guess I’m not as alone as I sometimes feel. Now, if I could just find a worthy girlfriend. Luckily, I’m still young (at heart) and gwapo. I just need to give it some time.
So the years spin by and now the boy is twenty sixty-seven
Though his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true
There'll be new dreams maybe better dreams and plenty
Before the last revolving year is through
And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game
I didn’t do my walk routine yesterday. I used my toothache as an excuse, but I’m sure it wouldn’t have hurt more if I’d gone out and done something healthy. Instead, I binge-watched Manifest. I’m well into season three now. It’s okay enough that I continue to watch, and I understand that telling a consistent story in an episodic fashion is a complex undertaking. That’s probably why I like movies better; you get the whole shebang from beginning to end in a couple of hours. Anyway, watching filled the hours with something besides the pain in my mouth.
I did have an afternoon visit from Joy, who helped distract me from my misery.
Thanks for coming!
After Joy left, I headed into town. First stop was a drop-in visit to my dentist. I told him the Advil wasn’t doing much to dull my pain and asked if he could prescribe something more potent. He gave me a prescription for two different painkillers–one to take in the morning and one before bed. He also gave me the name of an over-the-counter pill I could take as needed between the other meds. I stocked up at the pharmacy and then began my self-medication journey.
It works for whatever ails you!
Had a couple of drinks at It Doesn’t Matter, waiting for 6:00 p.m. to roll around. My friend Bhel joined me there and then accompanied me to Whiskey Girl to help me use my 500 peso voucher (it was the last night before it expired). We accomplished that mission, but it was still too early for me to go home, so we crossed the highway for a visit with Queen Victoria.
Bhel knew one of the waitresses there, so I invited her to join us at the bar and bought her a lady drink.
Bhel is in the foreground with her friend Narissa.
I knew a waitress too, and it only seemed fair for her to join me too.
Nice to see you again, Tin Tin. Although judging by her expression, maybe that wasn’t a mutual feeling.
I left Bhel in the safekeeping of her friend and headed home to take the bedtime painkiller. I woke up at 0300 with the pain flaring again and gave up trying to sleep more.
Lucky was sleeping just fine.And so was Buddy.
I took one of the daytime painkillers, did my internet routine, and then swallowed one of the “in-between” pills. That dulled the pain enough that I was able to catch a morning nap. I bailed on the Friday hike, though, again as much out of laziness as pain. Watched a couple more episodes of Manifest and suddenly realized my tooth wasn’t hurting. I’m not sure if it is the antibiotics or the pain pills, but I hope the hurt is gone for good.
It’s another SOB Friday. Tonight’s contest is being hosted at Wet Spot, so I reckon I’ll be spending some time (and money) with Aine as I enjoy the show.
I don’t need no stinkin’ sign.
Here’s hope that I’m feeling normal again tomorrow. Someone is turning 67 on Saturday.
The rain didn’t stop the Wednesday Walkers. At least it didn’t stop the three of us who showed up for an “umbrella walk.” Turns out, we didn’t need an umbrella after all, thanks to a break in the storm. Everything was wet, though, so we decided a street hike was the prudent course of action. Walked from Barretto to Subic town the back way through Naugsol, a 7.5K jaunt. I’ve got a slew of pics I’ll share at the end of this post.
Before I headed out for the walk, I threw the ingredients for a batch of chili in the crockpot. When I got back home, I also baked some cornbread muffins. I added a can of corn to the batter, and that proved to be a tasty addition.
Close enough to perfect for me. The corn gave a nice flavor boost and a more substantive texture.The chili came out good, too. I might have made it a little too spicy for my taste, but crumbling a muffin on top toned it down. My helper and Joy thought the spiciness level was fine.
It was feeding the girls at Hideaway bar night, so I baked up some brownies for their dessert.
I guess I was on a roll.
I took a small container of chili and a couple of muffins along for Joy’s enjoyment but didn’t have enough to share with all the girls.
So they got a Shamboli’s pizza instead.
Joy seemed happy with the arrangement. Especially the muffins.
After completing my duty at Hideaway, I headed out with the intention of using my drink voucher at Whiskey Girl. It’s on the other side of town, and about halfway there, rain began falling again. I thought the storm was done, so hadn’t brought my umbrella. I needed to find shelter from the storm, and Voodoo was the closest venue available. I hadn’t been in there since the SOB last month, but the girl I sat with that night was quick to latch on to me again.
I don’t remember either of their names. I’m getting really bad at that. I went back to the SOB post I did and got a laugh when I saw that I didn’t remember her name then either. Oh well.
When the rain finally relented, I made it at last to Whiskey Girl. I was the only customer on this wet night and had a lot of female company at my table. I was also drunk enough to go a little bit crazy buying lady drinks for them all. Well, they have to make a living, and my jokes were all new there, so I guess that’s a win-win. And I STILL have that 500 peso voucher to use (it wasn’t good for lady drinks, and I was too far gone to even attempt to drink 500 pesos worth of gin at that point). It expires today, so perhaps I’ll give it one more try tonight.
Alright, that was the night. Here’s the morning:
The path we walked.And by we, I mean Scott, Stuart, and me.Let’s go to Subic via Sawmill road, Naugsol, Govic highway, and Maga Vacca.That’s me checking the flood conditions. We look good to go.Sawmill road in Santo TomasStill on Sawmill, entering San Isidro.Easter mountain behind a wall.Bridge #4 on Sawmill.A boy and a river.Coming into Naugsal.The locals were friendly.What’s the matter, Carabao? Ever seen a foreigner before?Leaving Naugsol behind.Scott making his way on the lonely roadOut in the countryside.Easter mountain in the great wide open.Welcome to the Philippines! Litter on Govic highway.A trike stand at Fiesta homes subdivision.On the riverside.How’s the fishin’?Beauty is where you find it.It’s bloomin’ pretty.The mad streets of Maga Vacca.Get ’em while they’re fresh!We have arrived at our destination.WalterMart.Our ride back to Barretto.
My yesterday began in the wee dark hours of the morning when I woke with a painful tooth. I took some aspirin and went back to bed. The pain subsided enough for me to sleep until my regular 0430 wake-up time. I knew I’d have to get that tooth checked out by my dentist before it got worse. I’m a very low tolerance for pain kind of guy.
In the meantime, I went about my regular Tuesday routines.
My morning dog walk view. It rained all night and continued raining throughout the day with little interruption. President Bong Bong closed the schools and government offices throughout northern Luzon because of the storm.
Next up on my “to-do” list was the weekly shopping excursion to the Royal supermarket.
I continue to be shocked by the skyrocketing price hikes. I remember the good old days of bitching when the Kraft cheese slices were a mere $7.50.
My sweet tooth has been causing me problems as well, and I decided to stymie my lack of willpower by refusing to purchase ice cream this week. But when I walked by the ice cream freezer, I was surprised to see a new brand in stock: Sunnyside Farms. Wow. That had been one of my favorites back in the USA. Then I noticed it was priced at “only” $6.00. The Bryers ice cream cartons displayed right next to it were selling for $9.50.
Looking closer, I discovered they had my favorite, Butterfinger flavor! Wow! Well, that’s when I knew resistance was futile, and that container pictured above wound up in my shopping cart.
On the way home, I had my driver stop by my dentist’s office to see if I could do a walk-in appointment. The receptionist told me to have a seat, so I waved for my driver to go on without me. After about twenty minutes, Dr. Barrera finished with his scheduled client and had me come back to his office for a consult. I described my issue, and he had me sit in the dental chair for a look-see.
When I indicated which tooth was causing the pain, he said that that tooth had a crown. Hmm, well, I knew that all my crowns had been preceded by a root canal, so where was the pain coming from? He said, let’s do an x-ray and find out. The x-ray showed that a small portion of the nerve was still present, hence the pain. The swelling around the tooth was consistent with an infection which was likely responsible for the pain. He prescribed a week’s worth of antibiotics and told me to continue taking ibuprofen for the pain as needed. If this doesn’t work, he’ll go back in and do another root canal. Alrighty then.
Dr. Barrerra’s total charge for the appointment, including the x-ray, was 500 pesos (ten bucks). The pharmacy charged me 95 pesos per tablet of the antibiotic (3X a day=21 pills), so the meds were almost forty dollars. It seemed weird paying so much more for the medicine than I paid the dentist. But $50. all in is still a bargain. Here’s hoping the pills work.
My dentist is practically across the street from John’s place. I’d hit the ATM, so I had a pocketful of money and a hankering for some quality beef. It was still early, and John wasn’t in yet. One of the staff showed me some ribeyes that looked good, but she couldn’t tell me if they were US or Aussie beef. At 2300 pesos a kilo, I wasn’t settling for anything less than prime USDA meat. I’ll have to go back another time.
It was still raining hard, but I was able to catch a trike right in front of John’s to whisk me home. My helper prepared a dory fish and mixed vegetable lunch for me.
Good stuff!
I ate, I blogged, and then I settled in to watch a couple more episodes of Manifest. I’m getting deep into season two, and I’m concerned the story may be going off the rails. I’ll watch some more to find out if my sense of direction is correct. But some things the writers have done are just plain stupid. For example, the main antagonist is a female character everyone calls “the Major.” I’ve been thinking that’s a pretty low rank for someone running a major operation on behalf of the military or government or whomever it is. I decided it was probably more of a nickname than a military rank. And then it was revealed that she had been (she’s never depicted in uniform) at one time a Major General in the Army. Hmm. No one calls a Major General “Major.” In fact, all flag officers are referred to as “General.” (Brigadier General (BG), Major General (MG), Lieutenant General (LTG), and a 4-star General (GEN). You mostly say “sir” or “ma’am” when speaking to them directly, but regardless of rank, you’d say General Jones in casual conversation or by the actual rank in more formal settings. But you would NEVER call a Major General “Major” unless you were trying to be insulting. A stupid mistake that is distracting to me. I’ll stay tuned for a while longer, so you don’t have to.
When it was time to head into town, I took my umbrella and the coupons I’d won at the SOB, including a 500 peso voucher at Whiskey Girl bar. On my way there, I saw “mama” sitting in front of the 7/11, so I crossed the highway to give her my standard 100 peso donation. Of course, the ladies at Snatchbar saw me, and I felt compelled to have a drink before continuing on my mission. I limited myself to one (and a lady drink each for the two waitresses at my table). I paid my tab and left despite the pleas for me to stay for “one more.”
I guess I could have, I arrived at Whiskey Girl shortly before 5:00, and they weren’t open yet. I had a coupon for Queen Victoria, so I crossed the highway again and had a free drink. It seems rude to accept the freebie without buying one also, so that’s what I did. When I returned to Whiskey Girl, they were STILL closed. Damn, I guess they don’t open until 6:00. Now what? Well, one thing for sure is I wasn’t going to stand out in the rain, so I headed up the road and popped into Mango’s.
It had been a while since I’d enjoyed the view from Mango’s, but during a rain storm, there’s not much to see.
Drank slowly and kept an eye on my watch, and when 6 p.m. arrived, I departed. I was relieved to see a couple of gals around the door at Whiskey Girl when I got there. Alas, they told me, “sorry sir, we are closed for cleaning.” Apparently, during the heavy rain, the water level on the street rose enough to allow seepage into the bar. And my plans for the evening were foiled.
I was near another bar I hadn’t visited in quite some time, Adam’s. I was the only customer, but one of the girls there knew me and greeted me by name. I had no recollection of who she might be. She said, “I’m Shantelle; you saw me at Bottoms Up.” Hmm. I hadn’t been to Bottoms Up since I did my review back in November of last year. Looking at the review now, I see that she was featured in the write-up. Shantelle also reminded me that we had first met when she was a waitress at Treasure Island on Baloy. “Oh yeah, I remember now,” I lied.
Hello there, nice to see you again, Shantelle.
I, of course, bought her a lady drink. When I was done with mine, I headed back out. I was feeling a tad hungry, so my next stop was Cameltoe. I was just getting settled in when my pal Johnny arrived, so at least I had some male company for a change. (Don’t worry, I bought Lydell a drink and some food too).
I ate, I drank, I chatted, and then it was time to call it a night (8:30), so I headed home.
On the trike ride home, I remembered I had some special ice cream in the freezer. When I arrived, I gave the dogs a treat, then walked to the freezer and grabbed the carton of Butterfinger ice cream. Took a spoon from the drawer, sat down at my laptop, and wound up eating the whole damn carton. Again. I told you I had no willpower. I blame it on the rain.
Tuesday, afternoon
I'm just beginning to see
Now I'm on my way
It doesn't matter to me
Chasing the clouds away
Something, calls to me
The trees are drawing me near
I've got to find out why
Those gentle voices I hear
Explain it all with a sigh
I'm looking at myself, reflections of my mind
It's just the kind of day to leave myself behind
So gently swaying thru the fairy-land of love
If you'll just come with me and see the beauty of
Tuesday afternoon
…some rain must fall. I get that, but why does it have to fall in torrents when you are hiking way up in the mountains on a path that is already wet and muddy? That was our fate yesterday during the Hash run. Nothing you can do about it but slog along. Well, actually, some of us sane Hashers did take matters into our own hands and shortcut the trail. Regardless, we were still soaked to the skin and in peril of a slip, trip, and fall all the way back to our On-Home at Johansson’s. But I lived to tell about it, and that’s what I’m doing now.
Other than the rain and mud, it was a good trail. The meet-up location was about a mile out of town on the National Highway. Getting there was on each individual Hasher. Initially, I was going to walk but reconsidered because Leech My Nuggets lays a hard enough trail without me adding to it, so I took a trike. We started with a long, hard climb on a path none of us had used before. Later we merged onto a more familiar trail, and the up was done via concrete steps for a while. The steps ran out, but our climb didn’t. It was three-quarters of the way to the top when the sky let loose with the first rain squall of the afternoon. There were two more before we were back On-Home.
I managed to only fall once. It was kind of funny because shortly after the rain began, I told my fellow hikers there was nothing we could do but make the best of it. Within seconds I was sprawled flat on my back after my feet slid out from under me. Karma may be a bitch, but so is Mother Nature.
Here are a few photos that people managed to take before stowing away the phones during the deluge.
Our trail for the day. Green, as the Hare intended, and white, is the “sane” shortcut.Hashers gathering at our designated start location, Adamo’s beach resort.And we are off!We got back to our roots as the climbing commenced.Yes, people live up here. It must be hard. I’d hate the commute, for sure.That hansum man in front appears to be saying “onward and upward.”Steppin’ up.What a lovely view.Rain is on the horizon.The concrete steps ended, but not the climb.There could be trouble ahead…All that rain has to go somewhere.Slender in the grass.The song is better than the actual walking in the rain.The first of the later starting runners pass us slow pokes.On the rocks.On their asses.The short cutters.Cookies in the rain.Hillside communityNearing the end of the down.Back on flat ground.Watch your step!Don’t ask me why.It was nice to be back On-Home at Johansson’s. It recently reopened after being closed for a couple of years during the scamdemic.“It’s nice on ice.”It looks VERY nice on ice. That’s our newest named Hasher, Head Down Ass Up. Does she look familiar?
So, that’s how our Hash went this week. I actually left before the circle was over. I was soaking wet and almost shivering under the fans. Trust me; it’s very rare to feel cold in the Philippines. Home by 6:30, if you can imagine that. Felt good to be in dry clothes again.
It’s been raining all day today too. I guess there is a tropical depression passing through. I can attest that it is indeed pretty depressing. It takes the fun out of going out. Not that that will stop me.
Into each life some rain must fall
But too much is falling in mine
Into each heart some tears must fall
But some day the sun will shine
Some folks can lose the blues in their hearts
But when I think of you another shower starts
Into each life some rain must fall
But too much is falling in mine
If you are wondering, sumneun-got means “hideaway” in Korean. At least, that is what a Google search told me. [UPDATE: see comments for why I changed the spelling]
But first things first.
The stats from my pleasant Sunday morning stroll. No foot pain!
I finished season 1 of Manifest, and I’ll continue season 2 and see how it goes. I thought about the cliffhanger ending in the first season’s last episode and correctly guessed the outcome (I started the second season this morning). The storyline is becoming a bit more convoluted, but I’m still watching, which says a lot. I have a Biden-like attention span these days.
I also put the crockpot to work:
Meatballs, mushroom sauce, parmesan, and shredded cheese on top. Easy peasy, but it hit the spot.
Then it was time to begin my evening out. It being Sunday, it was feeding time for the Hideaway crew. I decided to treat them to some Korean-style food for a change, so I headed out to John Kim’s restaurant. I knew what to order–bulgogi for Joy and chicken wings for the girls. But I took some menu photos while I waited.
Lots of choices.Good quality food, but prices have really gone up. The bulgogi was $11. Sixteen wings were almost $13. Not John’s fault; beef especially is through the roof these days. Rather than bitch about it, I’m taking the being thankful I can afford it attitude.Everything I’ve ever eaten here has been delicious.And the best steaks in town.
Got my order, paid my bill, then crossed the highway to the alley that leads to Hideaway Bar.
Yep, this must be the place.The beef bulgogi with rice.The Korean-style chicken wings.And the dessert. I didn’t feel like baking and had these on my pantry shelf. Besides, they fit the Korean theme of the meal. At least they are from Korea. Of course, I’ve always considered them a weak imitation of the Moon Pies I grew up with.
The girls all seemed to enjoy the food and expressed their gratitude. My duty done, I said my goodnights and headed up to the road to Cheap Charlies. I got a little perturbed that the bargirls had taken up all the seats with a view that I normally enjoy. I could have been an ass about it but decided to shrug it off after some initial grousing. Took a seat at the bar for a change.
Alma and What’s Her Name joined me there.I also found Marilou impossible to resist.
A few more drinks, and it was time to head out again. I decided to make one last stop at Wet Spot before heading home.
Aine joined me, of course.And yes, they are real. I checked.
Clearly, it was time for me to go home, and that is just what I did. Made me a banana-mango smoothie for my bedtime treat.
And now it is time to get ready for another Hash Monday. It’s a Leech My Nuggets trail, so it ain’t gonna be easy. Pubic Head, the leader of the “sane” group of Hashers, has already plotted out our shortcuts. Let’s get to it!
I do have my routines. I’m done complaining; gonna spend my time enjoying as much as I can until I run out of time.
Saturday evening I visited the newest bar in town, Bar Barretto. It is located on the National Highway next to the now-closed Club 50-50. Back before my time here, there was another Bar Barretto in this building, but this iteration is under a different owner.
The bar opens at 4:00 p.m., and when I arrived shortly before 5:00, I was the only customer. The live music begins at 8:30, and I’m told it gets quite busy then. I took a seat at the bar and was promptly served by a friendly bartender and his cute assistant.
Pouring my drink. The sexy assistant (wearing blue contact lenses) was shy and didn’t want her picture taken. I always respect that. Bought her a drink, and we had a nice chat. Her name is Liss.
It is a completely remodeled bar on the inside, and everything is new and fresh, as you would expect. It is spacious and nicely decorated.
The view from my seat at the bar. The picture came out dark, but that’s the stage along the back wall. As you can see, it has a nice new pool table.
Behind me, there were some tables and booths that looked comfortable. Several pretty young ladies were milling about, waiting for customers to arrive. None of them harangued me for a drink which I appreciated. I like to be the one to ask. The owner, Charlie, came over to say hello and remembered me from the lockdown days when we both visited the same speakeasy. That was nice.
So, first impressions: A clean, comfortable, and friendly place to have some drinks. I need to come back soon when the band is playing. A good addition to the bar lineup in Barretto.
It Doesn’t Matter
Cheap Charlies
Snackbar
Mango’s Beach Bar
Alley Cats
Wet Spot
Bar Barretto
BarCelona
Adam’s
Blue Butterfly
Out Back Billabong
Dynamite Dick’s
Palm Tree
Hideaway
Hot Zone
Alaska Club
The Green Room
Thumbstar
Bottoms Up
Rosies
Rock Lobster
Queen Victoria
Voodoo
Annex
MacArthur’s
Redz Pub
Whiskey Girl
I’ve got a couple of other new bars to review still, and I really need to update these rankings for the others. I’m going to get to work on that directly.
I’ll get to my Saturday in a minute, but first, let me post the winners from Friday’s SOB. A commenter reminded me I had neglected to do so. It’s past time that I did so. (Alright, I’ve murdered that pun enough; I’ll stop now. I promise!)
The Green Room took 3rd Place. (photo credits to the sponsor for these SOB shots) Hot Zone took 2nd Place.The featured dancer from Hot Zone was a real hottie in that nurse getup. I’m not a gynecologist, but I’d have a look.And this week’s winner–the girls from Wet Spot.
Okay, now that the old business is taken care of, let’s get to the new stuff. And by that, I mean more of the same old, same old. Ready?
I’ve been on a muffin kick lately. Started my day with a cranberry variant.
I did a walk up the National Highway, which I almost immediately regretted. Not much fun dodging motorbikes and other vehicles intruding into the shoulder where I was walking. I hollered at a couple of them for all the good it did me.
One of the reasons I took the highway was to scout out the location where Monday’s Hash trail will begin. Adamos Resort, pictured above.
I continued on the highway for a couple more kilometers so I could walk through a little beach village I like. Turned out to be a real hassle getting there because the dirt road was full of muddy lakes you had to find a way around.
I did make it to the beach and took this shot. That’s Barretto on the far side of the bay.
Then it was back to the highway going in the opposite direction. The Saturday traffic leaving Barretto wasn’t as bad as what I had faced on the walk out (I always walk facing traffic, so the Saturday tourists coming into town were the ones driving like maniacs).
At least I don’t have to deal with living on the highway.
Once I was back in Barretto, I stopped by Sit-n-Bull and got a pulled pork sandwich to take home with me. Sorry, no pic. I was hungry!
A shower, a nap, and some more Manifest (up to episode 15 now) filled the afternoon hours. When it was time to head into town, I started out at IDM. A nice surprise to see Scott and Chris there after their golf outing. It was good to have some familiar faces to drink with for a change. I just stayed for a couple though; I had work to do.
I visited the newest bar in town. I’ll write up a review soon.
I got a message about a meet-up with Johnny at Cameltoe (Kamto), so when I finished at Bar Barretto, I headed to the other side of town.
The Cameltoe crew was there waiting for drinks to greet me.I enjoyed some honey chicken wings along with the companionship.
Two or three more drinks, then it was time to head on home. At least my tab was under 2000 pesos this time. I guess that’s a bargain for good food, good music, and good people to hang with.
Call me what you will; I’m just trying to fill the hours, however comfortably and well.
Time for a little TV before I head out to my Sunday rendevous at Hideaway. As always, thanks for reading.
Not as crazy as I was at last week’s SOB, though. At least I remember everything that happened, and other than being stupid with money, it was nothing bad. I did, in fact, switch to San Mig Zero beer for the night, and that seemed to help me keep my wits about me.
The Hot Zone dancers on stage before the competition began.
I picked the friendly door girl to be my companion during the show.
Not the cutest girl in the house, but she was sweet and appreciative of the lady drinks she received. Forty-year-old mother of two named Lyn.
The Aftermath event was held at The Green Room this week. When I arrived, all the usual customer tables were already full. The waitress cleared some of the working girls off the table they were seated at, and one lingered around, so I invited her to sit down and join me.
I think she said her name was Nica. Not really attractive to me, although she had nice breasts. She got a little too touchy-feely for my tastes, but she stopped when I asked her to. She was otherwise quite pleasant to be around.
Before long, another gal I kinda know (or, more precisely, she knows me) showed up. I guess I bought her drinks back when she worked at Rum Jungle. She knows my name, but I don’t remember hers. The funny story is we were hiking way out by the shipyard in Cawag a while back, and I heard a girl calling out, “John!”. Turns out it was her, and we were walking past her house. I gave her kids cookies, of course.
That’s her, a tiny little nameless thing. She gave a nice leg massage, though.
These two were enjoying their drinks, and I asked if they were hungry. They were, so I ordered a take-out pizza from Sit-n-Bull (they have a waitress right there in the bar). I got up to take a pee (the comfort room is next door at Wet Spot), and on my way back to Green Room, Aine grabbed me. What could I do but invite her to join us?
Now I was buying drinks for three girls. Sorry for the crappy photo about all you can see are Aine’s great boobs.
One thing about buying all those lady drinks is that you get two raffle coupons for every drink you buy. I had a nice big stack of them but, amazingly, didn’t have my name drawn. A little disappointing, but what are you gonna do? At the end of the event, I tipped my three fans and my waitress 100 pesos each and headed back home with an empty wallet. (Fact of the matter is I spent “only” 5000 pesos ($100) or so on the night, 2000 at the SOB and 3000 at the Aftermath. How do you put a price tag on having a good time? And four gals went home with a little extra money in their pocket, so it’s a win for everyone. I can’t and won’t be that generous all the time, but once in a while, why not?
Earlier in the day, I led the Friday group hikers on a trek over the My Bitch trail, then down Rizal Extension, and back to Barretto at Dynamite Dick’s for some lunch and liquid refreshments.
Our path looked like this.At the 7/11 starting point. Five of us this week.Not counting Max’s dog.And we are off, heading out to the Bitch trail through Alta Vista.A greeting and some cookies for the folks doing laundry in the creek.Pausing for a photo op at the Four Corners junction.Greetings to you, Easter mountain!My mountain top mama friend, Oliva, and her granddaughter.Onward we march!That’s my other mountain friend, MJ’s house.And there’s MJ with her daughter.Made it back to Dick’s just before it rained.
All told, we did right around 7K, start to finish.
Speaking of milestones, this morning, when I responded to a comment on my post entitled “Comment Tarry,” it turns out that it was the 13,000th comment in the history of this blog. I think it is funny that it was on a post about comments. I just did the math, and there have been 4,304 posts here at LTG. That means each post has averaged three comments. The reality is, though, that in the early days, my posts were besieged by spam comments. I’ve got some spam blockers now that prevent that.
There are a few new bars that have opened since my Bars of Barretto series, so tonight, I plan to visit at least one of them and do a review.
It’s been made clear to me that regular readers know my routines about as well as I do. I may have to change things up just to keep things interesting. Ha! I’ve failed at that for over seventeen years now, but 200 or so of you keep coming back for more every day! Thanks for that, and here is today’s installment.
I had a nice enough morning walk, but I cut it short at 6K because of some pain in the ball of my right foot. Not sure what that was about, but it was fine on today’s hike.
Fire on the mountain.Well, smoke anyway.But where there’s smoke, there’s fire, right?Heading out of Alta Vista. Again.The land of a thousand lakes. At least this time of year.A river runs through it. As seen from Bridge #3.Hello again, old friend.You never know what’s around the next corner. I didn’t find out either because this is where I turned off the highway.That really gets my goat.On the market street in Calapacuan.This has got to be the best name for a tea shop in the history of mankind. It definitely takes the crown. *ahem*
It was just a little further up the road where I caught a trike for home. When I got there, I was hungry, so I went to work in the kitchen.
And I created this beautiful burrito. It tasted great. I forgot to brown the tortilla as reader Kevin had suggested, though. Next time for sure!
This Facebook memory is something I wrote back in 2015:
Sometimes we wait awhile to begin our journey, but in due time we move on towards our destination. Along the way, people come, and people go, but the reality is we are all solitary travelers. And then the ride is over, and it is time to pay the piper. And the damn fare machine won’t accept the only paper money in your wallet. And so goes another morning subway commute.
Ah, I miss those carefree days in Seoul. Although, looking back, I guess they weren’t all that carefree after all. My wife was destined to break my heart a couple of months down the road.
Facebook also took me back to a photo I had posted of me and my first love:
Karen could really rock those bell bottoms! And damn, I envy the flat belly of that handsome young man that’s with her.
I watched a couple of more episodes of Manifest, which puts me up to thirteen now. Still in season 1 and still interested enough to keep watching and see what happens next. Way too much time is spent on the relationship aspects of the characters. The unresolved question for me is who is the bad guy, the Feds or a private corporation? Hell, it could be both, I suppose.
A nap, some ab exercise, a shower, and it was time to head into town.
The view as I left the ‘hood.My first stop of the night.The owner’s table. That’s boss Bob by the window.Here’s a better shot of my IDM drinking buddy, Agnes.Next stop was Cheap Charlies. It was packed. So busy that all the waitresses were occupied with customers. I left after one drink because none of them could be bothered to bring me a second one. That’s what irks me–when I have a gal drinking with me,they always get up and take care of the customer’s drink order. I don’t have a problem with that, just that, for some reason, they won’t do it for me.
I had a free drink coupon for the Green Room, so I used it, then moved next door to Wet Spot.
And, of course, my regular, Aine, was there to greet me. We shared drinks and a pizza; then I headed on home.
So, that was my day and night. Another SOB is on tap for tonight. I’ve decided to drink San Mig Zero (low alcohol) beer this time to ensure there is no repeat of my drunken behavior last Friday.
With a couple of exceptions, I rarely read the comment sections on other blogs unless I’m leaving a comment myself. Assuming most of my readers are the same, you might have missed this one from a first-time commenter named Ted:
That Lydell seems like a handful of fun. What’s her deal? I’m sure you’ve already asked her out and been let down easily, but boy does she have some excitement for you. Is the snack bar a kind of place where you need to buy lady drinks so that would explain her enthusiasm for her best customers? But then again, with only 2 or 3 girls they wouldn’t be able to entertain all their guests. You mentioned that the owner runs 2 businesses in the same town with the staff alternating between the establishments ,what’s the difference?
Also, does Lydell have a tattoo on her back that says ” property of gwapo = handsome man John” ? I’m speculating that you encouraged her, judging by that tight embrace that elicited a rare smile from the author who may be usually too shy to show his teeth in pictures. It is good to see you happy ….more like content and not worried about how your lame dad jokes will land or whether the other patrons are enjoying your music. I do declare, this was one of your best days ….normal and fulfilling. I guess that happens when you meet someone new and you can listen as much as you talk, and participate in a great conversation that meanders and ebbs in a natural flow even as you walk the stranger via familiar path. Somebody once said that , a man is at his most confident when he knows what he is doing and knows that he can do it well, without much thought and agenda.
Your readers are starting to get used to your routines now. The bi-weekly Hideaway visit with Joy , and the reverse conjugal visitation to your mountain retreat, then the daily hikes with the hash brothers. Then there are the solo hikes you do, then the shopping excursions, and then the irregular dart games. Were you this deliberately organized during your working days? I have never seen someone so actively engaged in so many routines in retirement, with so few companions or clubs. Other than walking and drinking , it occurs to me that you’re not a member of many clubs, activities, teams or associations. And yet, you’re more active than most seniors all over the world.
You must have a very strong impetus and drive to get out of bed each morning and do so many things, usually by yourself and still keep things interesting. Bravo.
Even the time you take to write here is one of the marvels of the world. You probably know the statistics already: most people who start a blog give up after a year. Which makes it all the more amazing because as far as I can tell, you don’t even have a particular target in mind when you write , no particular audience that you would like to communicate with via the blog. Nor does it seek like you’re recording these events in your life for posterity, or making notes for a book, or seeking fame and fortune, or passing the time because you’re bored. You write because you want to. And every day you write.
I would like to see some of your self-driven impetus that moves you to continue this. This is the kind of drive that makes for successful people: CEO, Executives, Presidents , and survival experts who get stranded on abandoned islands. The kind of self-sufficiency that lead people to survive the harshest conditions, people who outlive death row and survive cults or gang warfare. Now I’m wondering which one you are… and realizing that you’re on a completely different level.
In case this note is not long enough. What’s up with the music videos you add at the end of each post? Are you a lyricist who can put any thoughts of yours to music ? Or do you listen to so much music that you can find a song for every event and day? Wait …that means you actually know the words to the songs I just realized that. While us mere mortals just hum and mumble through an Elvis song, you probably know every word. Not only do you seem to know every word,but you seem to be able to connect to each lyric on a deeper level….or at least know what the words mean. Amirite? Perhaps you were a singer-songwriter in a previous life. Actually, that would explain a lot.
That might be the longest comment in the history of LTG. What impressed me, though, beyond the investment in time in writing it, was that a reader picked up on a lot of the nuances in my life I have written about without directly stating them. I didn’t think I was being that obvious. Anyway, I do enjoy getting feedback from my readers; it is one of the reasons I try and post something every day. I don’t want to disappoint anyone. Here is my response to Ted’s comment:
Hey there, Ted. Thanks for the comments. Very in-depth and some keen insights for a first-time commenter. I assume you’ve been reading the blog for a while. Let me try to address some of the points you raise.
Lydell is a friendly and fun gal, for sure. I haven’t asked her out (I don’t normally date the girls I meet in the bars). I’m not sure what her “deal” is, other than she’s in her early 20s with two kids working hard to support her family. No, Snackbar provides good service whether or not you buy any lady drinks. It’s a very small bar, so it doesn’t need a lot of bargirls.
Yep, you’ve pretty much nailed my daily routines. I’m impressed! I’ve honestly never really thought about it, but I’m probably more predictable in retirement than when I was working. Before, I had a work life and a home life to fill my days. Nowadays, I just take each day as it comes and do the best I can with it. I do live a relatively solitary life, no girlfriend (still hoping, though), no close friends to hang out with, and no clubs or groups other than the Hash and Wed/Fri walks. So my bar time is really what passes as my social life, which I guess, upon reflection, is a sad commentary on what I’ve become in old age.
I’m thankful I’m healthy enough to get out of bed every morning and go about my routines. I don’t really feel a sense of excitement about it; it is just what I do. Coffee and internet, feed and walk the dogs, walk myself, take a nap, write a blog post, play solitaire on the computer, and lately, watch a little TV. Then shower up and head out for a few hours in the bars, almost always home and in bed around nine, then wake up and do it all again. Over and over, day after day. Things can always change in the future–maybe I’ll find love again, and I do expect to start traveling more soon. I’m not unhappy with my life as it is–it could be better, but I’m glad it is not worse.
As for the blog, I guess I’ve come to think of it as a diary. When I first started writing Long Time Gone over seventeen years ago, it was intended as a way to stay in touch with family and friends back home and let them know what was happening after my move to Korea. These days I don’t think any of my family or friends from those days ever even read the blog. According to my blog stats, I have a little over 200 daily visitors here. I’m surprised so many find anything of interest in my daily ramblings, but I am very appreciative that people come and visit. I always look forward to the few comments I get, and I enjoy engaging with and responding to comments like yours. Thanks again!
Actually, that may be what motivates me to post every day–I don’t want to disappoint my faithful few readers, and it is also a way to share my life, thoughts, and “adventures.” in a way I’m apparently incapable of doing in person. I’ve thought about someday picking out the “best of LTG” posts over the years and doing one of those self-published books as my “legacy,” but I doubt I’ll ever get around to it. I’d rather spend the time living in the moment rather than look back on where I’ve been.
Ha, your comment about the songs I post made me laugh. I challenge myself to come up with a unique title for each day’s blog, and after seventeen years, that is becoming more and more difficult. Sometimes a song that seems to fit the narrative of the post, even in an obscure way, serves the purpose. Yesterday’s “Friends in Low Places” is a good example of that. But yeah, I listen to a lot of music when I’m on my solo walks. And I’ve always loved good lyrics, and I do commit them to memory. It’s funny, last night I was singing along with a song at the bar, and the bargirl next to me asked, “how do you know the words to that old song?” It was from the 1980s. What could I say except “because I’m old too.”
When I was a much younger man, I fancied myself a writer. I wrote some poems and short stories but nothing worthy of accolades (kind of like this blog now that I think about it). I guess trying to put your inner feelings into words is what a songwriter does. And my favorite songs are the ones that I can relate to on some level.
I hope you continue reading LTG, Ted. I’ve always said that my blog is never totally worthless; people can always say, “thank God I’m not that guy!” It means a lot that you actually enjoy coming here, and I was impressed that you knew my routines so well (bi-weekly visits to Hideaway, yep, every Wed/Sun). I look forward to hearing from you again.
I spent more time on my response to Ted than I do on most of my blog posts, so I thought it was worth sharing for all to see. And a big thanks to all my readers, commenters or not, for taking the time to visit LTG. It means more to me than you know. And if there is ever anything you want to know about, feel free to ask in the comments. My life is an open book. Or website.
Only one other person showed up for the Wednesday Walkers group hike yesterday. That might have something to do with the downpour that occurred about an hour before our scheduled hike. I actually didn’t expect anyone else to show, so was surprised when Brian walked up. We’d never met before, but did our introductions and headed out for a flat stroll on wet roads.
The traditional group photo at the beginning of the hike.
It was nice meeting Brian. A comparatively young man (mid-forties), but he’s lived in the PI for twenty years or so. He’s relatively new to Subic, so all the paths we walked were new to him, and he seemed to enjoy them. I took him up Sawmill road, across bridge #1, through a San Isidro village, crossing over the river again at bridge #2, then a couple more kilometers on Sawmill before another crossing on bridge #4, then through the Naugsal valley, into Marian Hills, and back to Alta Vista.
We were so busy yakking and getting to know one another that I didn’t think to take any photos (it’s a regular hike for me, so nothing was new). Brian took this one in the valley:
No rain at all during our walk.My tracker malfunctioned, so Brian sent me this readout from his. A nice 8K walk.
Got home, rested some, then watched another episode ofManifest. I’ve seen ten now, and it is holding my interest, but I’m also thinking, how the hell are they going to drag this out for three more seasons? It would be a good two-hour movie, but I guess we have to explore all the intricacies of every character’s relationships. Ah, well. It passes the time.
I baked up a batch of blueberry muffins (the good kind with real blueberries) to share with the Hideaway Bar girls. Stopped in at Sit-n-Bull and bought Joy some lasagna (her favorite) and some chicken fingers and lumpia for everyone else. The food seemed to be a hit.
Couldn’t get a decent pic of the lasagna in the dark bar. I had a taste, and it was good, though.It all wound up in Joy. (see what I did there?)The muffins were popular, it seemed, and a nice change of pace over the usual offering of brownies. I asked Joy which she preferred, and she didn’t hesitate to say the brownies. She likes chocolate. Don’t they all?
Joy had a nice surprise for me as well–a new wallet to replace the one I lost a couple weeks ago.
That’s how it looks this morning. Joy placed a few coins inside though, to make sure the wallet brought me good fortune.
After Hideaway, I dropped into Blue Butterfly to say hello to Tanya. She didn’t show up to this week’s Hash, so I wanted to check up on her. Turns out she had arrived a few minutes late, and she had the good sense not to try and hike the trail alone.
Nice to see you again, Tanya!
My next (and final) stop for the evening was at Cameltoe. My friend Johnny was there, and we enjoyed a nice chat and the music from my Spotify playlist. Of course, I wound up emptying my new wallet by buying multiple lady drinks and food for the girls.
Lydell seemed thankful.You are welcome!
It was a pretty nice day.
'Cause I've got friends in low places
Where the whiskey drowns
And the beer chases
My blues away
And I'll be okay
I'm not big on social graces
Think I'll slip on down to the oasis
Oh, I've got friends in low places
