The road is long

I was inspired to push myself more than usual yesterday and see just how far I could go. Part of the motivation came from Kevin Kim’s plan to attempt a 60-kilometer hike. Yeah, you read that right. That’s WAY out of my league (my thus far unreachable dream is the 29K trek to San Narciso), but I wanted to see if I could make it half-way there. I did a highway loop starting at my house and finishing at Sit-n-Bull for lunch. I was also hoping to walk my blues away, listening to music through my earbuds, and kept my phone mostly in my pocket, so not many photos to share.

Dying at fourteen provided some perspective. If my life ends tomorrow, I will have been comparatively blessed.
Perhaps it is only my imagination, but that damn mountain seems to be mocking me. I could almost hear it calling me a pussy.
I’ll never understand the mentality of people who do this. They just toss their household garbage on the side of the highway without a care or concern. Disgusting.
The trail ended here with a roast beef dip sandwich.
The route of my journey.
The stats from my hike

So, I consider that my goal was achieved, but I was whupped at the end. My feet were aching, but other than feeling exhausted, I was okay. But no, I don’t see how I could have managed another 15K if I wanted to make it all the way to San Narciso. Maybe after a lunch break, I might make another 5K, rest again, then continue on in bits and pieces. I have my doubts, though. IF I ever actually attempt that hike, I’ll start it in San Narciso, and I can bail if need be by catching a Jeepney in San Marcelino or Castillejos. We’ll see what the future brings.

Oh, in case you were wondering, Kevin had to bail on his hike at around 30K. He doubled my distance but considered it a failure. Meanwhile, I’m in awe of his accomplishment.

I had a visit with Dr. Jo to discuss some ongoing physical issues. The back pain has diminished somewhat (although it is still stiff and sore when I first wake up), but now I have a stabbing pain on the left side of my lower abdomen. My concern is that it seems more internal than muscular. It doesn’t hurt if I touch that area, but certain movements, like lying on my left side, trigger the pain. Anyway, we are going to do an ultrasound scan of that area and see if there is anything that looks amiss. Fortunately, I have no pain or ill effects when I’m out walking.

After finishing with Dr. Jo, I got a haircut and then went for some cold beers at Cheap Charlies.

Looking out front from Cheap Charlies.
And the view from out back.

We ordered some snacks (chicken wings, fingers, and lumpia) from Foodies restaurant downstairs, and shared them with the girls. I’d rather do that than overpay for a lady drink.

Our nightcap destination, Green Room, as seen from Cheap Charlies.

More of the same during our Green Room visit, chat (and lady drinks) with Chu and Sally, then enjoying watching some talented pool players in action.

Like her.
And her.

When we got back home, I baked a batch of brownies, then smothered one in vanilla ice cream. I figured I’d earned it after my long-ass walk!

And by golly, I still managed to stay under budget!

In other news, I came across this article talking about how the old Subic Navy base has become a hot Asian retirement destination. Hmm, I don’t know about that. I checked it out before moving here and chose not to live there for several reasons, but the primary one was that it was just too much like the vanilla USA lifestyle. Barretto is more my kind of town.

From the LTG archives is this post from May 2007 talking about those wacky Canadians I encountered in Seoul. Hey, I was ahead of my time! I had close friendships with several Canucks during my stay in Korea, but there were some crazies as noted in my post.

In 1986, I had to move my daughter’s horse from the farm in Monroe, Oklahoma, to our new residence in Lexington, South Carolina. We made it!
Seven years ago, I participated in the final outing with my team before retirement.
Also, seven years ago, I posted this on Facebook. I still have no idea what it means.
Three years ago, I wasn’t on a diet and could enjoy the amazing club sandwich from Sit-n-Bull.

For today’s YouTube, I couldn’t resist posting another video from Smart Girl Philippines. Something about her just makes me smile. “Tell her you are part Korean” made me laugh out loud.

And some more funny business:

I’m funny when you’re drunk!
That’s Karma for you!
An eruption will set you free!

Anyway, life goes on. Things are better today than yesterday, but not as good as tomorrow. Hopefully.

Heading for the beach

Lest I forget, it’s Eartha Day again!

Yesterday’s version of life in paradise went down like this:

On the way to the YBC supermarket, we passed the scene of the Easter fire in downtown Olongapo. I was surprised that it was much more than the Sam’s Pizza restaurant that burned down.

The fire destroyed about half a block of buildings.

At least it didn’t reach an LA level of destruction. The rest of the morning was uneventful: groceries purchased, a neighborhood walk. After a nap and a blog post, it was time for our Tuesday beach excursion.

Walk this way.
Well, Domingo, you got eight years on me, so there’s that at least. RIP
The holidays are over, and Baloy Beach is once again relatively quiet.
That girl with her toes in the sand.
Our destination awaits.
The view upon arrival
Busier than usual yesterday.
Then it was time for this.
It never gets old
Hasta la vista!

We finished our drinks and headed ashore. Next stop, Treasure Island for some grub.

Beef enchiladas for me (one for dinner, one for breakfast this morning).
Swan had a pizza (Hawaiian, of course) and shared the remains with the TI staff.

Home again before eight, but that’s just the way I roll these days.

Surprise, surprise!

Today, I came across another post that reminds me that LTG has never had much substance. In April 2007, I posted about my lost eyeglasses. Well, there was also some darts news and dinner prep for a gathering I was hosting. The more things change, the more they remain the same. But at least I no longer wear glasses.

I didn’t wear glasses in 1978, either. I was 23 years old, a father of two, and working as a letter carrier in Prescott, Arizona. As I recall, that book was one of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, probably The Fellowship of the Ring. I have read them all several times since then, including aloud to my wife #3.
That was three years ago. Since then, I drink Zero beer.
The insanity we went through five years ago. It’s nice to have been on the right side of history, but damn, the shit they put us through.

Nine years ago, I was loving one of my walks in the parks of Seoul.

My, oh my, how I miss those days.

I’m posting today’s YouTube video with some reluctance. I found it on Facebook, but after viewing, it seems to be hyperbole if not not outright bullshit. I can say that I have not witnessed an influx of people visiting or moving here. I love the Philippines, but it is not the pristine perfection depicted in the vid. So, watch if you want, but take the commentary with a grain of salt.

It seemed funny at the time:

I’ll try again in the morning.
Wach wat yu injoy
Yep, I’m seeing lots of those underdeveloped folks on my FB feed. They are commonly known as “libtards”

I’m sure you’ve had just about enough of my nonsense for one day, so I’ll stop here.

Today’s music video is even older than I am. Still a great listen and watch, though.

A walkin’ rockin’ Easter

Since I’ve long since rejected my Protestant Christian upbringing (Four Square/Assembly of God variety), I probably don’t have a prayer for a heavenly afterlife. So, I’d best make the most of what remains of this life I’m living, such as it is.

The sun rose in almost Biblical fashion on Easter Sunday. And so did Swan, leaving the house at 5 a.m. to journey to Botolan for religious ceremonies to celebrate the Easter holiday. Swan is Catholic, although she only attends church services on the special days.

Because of holiday traffic the there and back again took most of the day.

So, I was left to my own devices during most of the daylight hours. And I took full advantage of the opportunity by making a 9K walk and then spending time on the internet. Just like almost every other day in my life. No complaints, keep ’em coming!

I went thataway.
Another one bites the dust. It freaks me out a little that the majority of folks on these funeral banners I see are younger than me. Maybe I should be grateful for the years I’ve lived, but my goal is at least fifteen more.

When Swan made it back from Botolan, she headed to the family compound to share some holiday moments with the relatives. We agreed to meet up later at the Arizona floating bar. I was happy to see it was open when I arrived.

The beach was more crowded than I’d ever seen it before.
I was the only foreigner on board.
The view from my barstool.
I’ll be keeping my eye on you…

Swan arrived about an hour after I did.

Happy to see me?
Maybe later…
Now she’s happy!
Lost in thought or waiting for another beer. One of those.
Time for the show!
Boom!
Resurrection is coming in twelve hours…
Good times!

Next up, dinner at John’s place.

I’d been craving some bulgogi, and it was excellent. Our waitress (John’s daughter) traded out my rice for a side salad and gave me a dish of kimchi. Glad to be a regular here!
Swan went with her usual, birria tacos. One of the three is for me, and it was good!

We stopped by Red Bar for some patio ambiance after dinner.

The holiday traffic on the highway was insane, even this late in the evening.

We did our nightcap at The Green Room and had our usual good time chatting with Chu and Sally while watching some talented pool players go at it. Then it was home for dessert and bedtime. The only downer of my Easter was a resurgence of lower back pain, which made it difficult to sleep. I’m thinking about looking for a chiropractor, even though I don’t really believe in the science of that profession. I will consult with Dr. Jo and Chris for their thoughts.

The other big news from Easter was that a popular Olongapo City venue, Sam’s Pizza, burned down. It had been in operation since the 1970s, and I have a Facebook friend who works there. Well, used to, anyway.
I’d never been to Sam’s, and I guess I won’t be going anytime soon.
I had a good Friday, and then the cals were on the rise.

My latest salvo:

If you want this guy back, you must really hate America.

From the LTG archives is this post from March 2007, in which the most interesting part is my first experience getting a pedicure. I became a regular customer after that, and it is where I eventually met Jee Yeun, the woman destined to become my wife #4, and ultimately irrevocably broke my heart. Ignorance is bliss.

Here are some more memories from this day on Facebook:

Three years ago, I took Joy to dinner at John’s place. That’s John in the background. Rest in Peace my friend.
Four years ago, I attended Alan’s birthday party. He and Swan had been a couple for many years. He died just over two years later. You never know what the future holds.
Five years ago, the Karens were pissed about being called out for their Covid lunacy. I shared this on my Facebook and asked my high school sweetheart (Karen) what I should call her instead. She said “beautiful” still worked.
Thirteen years ago, I had a night out bowling in Hannam-dong with the wife.

The US Marines have landed in the Philippines in today’s YouTube video! Two thousand of them, apparently. Oddly enough, before I saw this vid, I read on a PI forum about an incident in Angeles City involving some Marines. It didn’t get any other publicity that I’ve seen, which is a good thing, since I’m sure the prostitution bars in AC are off-limits to military personnel. Regardless, things are heating up with China. Let’s hope we can deter aggression.

The daily smiles:

Not always, especially during the holidays.
Your gonna pay for that one, yes, you are!
See you next fall!

And we’re done. Hash Monday is upon us. Another hot one. I’ve seen today’s trail map, and it’s a hard one. I want to climb Easter Mountain once again before I die, but I don’t want to die doing it. Another day, perhaps.

Oh, during dinner at John’s last night, the background music was all old songs by the Beatles. I can’t remember the last time I heard this one:

Not a Good Friday

Well, I didn’t get crucified or anything, but I lived through the worst hiking experience I’ve ever encountered. Things started out nice enough. With only five of us up for the Friday group trek, we piled into Scott’s car and drove out to Mangan-Vaca for a hike we’ve done several times in the past. Our plan was to walk out for 4K, then reverse course and come back to where we started. It’s a mostly flat course through pleasant countryside that was appropriate to the hot weather. But things didn’t go according to plan.

The first thing that went wrong for me happens once a year at most: the need to take a shit on trail. Luckily, I had some wet wipes in my backpack. With that load dumped, I caught up with the group and continued on with a newfound spring in my step. So, we journeyed onward to our turnaround point without further incident. And then we had the bright idea to take a different route back to avoid the same old, same old vibe for at least a portion of the way. That went mostly okay, although there were a couple of hiccups when we briefly lost the trail. Our fuck-up came when we reached the junction we were seeking, and inexplicably, turned left instead of right. I had a bad feeling that we were headed in the wrong direction, but I deferred to our senior hikers who assured me we were on the right path. Except we weren’t.

We hiked on until our chosen trail came to an apparent end. In hindsight, the wise option would have been to retreat, but where’s the fun in that? The option we chose was to follow the creek bed, thinking it would eventually cross the road we wanted. After all, we had waded through a creek in three different spots on our outward journey. I hate creek bed hikes because they are rocky and difficult to walk on. This one was also full of thorny roots and sticky vines. We all lost a little blood to those ubiquitous bastards. We struggled on, and then the creek began an upward rise. This should have been a warning that we were indeed going in the wrong direction, but being stubborn fuckers we plodded on. Until we could go no further. We came to an almost cliff-like uphill, the strongest in our group scrambled partway up, but when I tried to follow, I was unable to get the footing needed to make the climb. That’s when I knew we were truly screwed and retreat was our only option. So, the nightmare we had just endured reaching this point was to be repeated, thorns and all.

We had some other issues to deal with as well. One of our members was exhausted and needed to make frequent rest stops. It was also blisteringly hot. I carry two bottles of water, but I rarely drink more than half of one. When we accepted defeat and began our retreat, I was down to less than half a bottle of water, so I began rationing. It’s been a long time since my mouth was so dry it almost hurt to swallow. I’d take a sip of water and hold it as long as I could in an attempt to rehydrate, but the thirst would not be satiated. I was totally out of water for the final kilometer of the hike and definitely feeling it.

But in the end, we all made it back alive. Our planned two-hour, eight-kilometer walk took us five hours and almost twelve kilometers to complete. Our “flat” trail had an altitude gain of 201 meters. Yep, we got our stubborn asses kicked, but it could have been much worse. If someone had fallen or otherwise got injured, we’d have been screwed big time trying to drag them out from parts unknown. Let’s hope we learned a lesson.

This map shows other times we’ve walked in this neck of the woods. Yesterday is in green. You can see how off track our detour took us. Seeing this now, I’m glad we weren’t able to go any further before turning around.
Starting out with no idea how badly things can go wrong.
Heading for adventure!
A road not taken, but our unintended detour would have intersected with it a few kilometers onward.
Over the creek
I did the dance for this crossing; later on, I just waded across.
Damn, I don’t recall the last time I saw an Etch-a-Sketch, let alone as litter.
Easy going
Scenic views
A tree that caught my eye.
Farm country
An unusual brown hill in the distance.
Heading back we opted to try a different path.
That didn’t turn out so well
Now what do we do?
We’ll just keep on keepin’ on! Damn the thorns, and full speed ahead!
I was in survival mode as we made our way up the creek bed. So, the phone/camera stayed in my pocket.
Taking a rest stop back on the proper path.
On the way out, we had laughed about this sari-sari store in the middle of nowhere. Damn, it was good to quench our thirst here on the way back.
The track of yesterday’s misery. After that loop, we turned left instead of right.

Anyway, by the time we made it back to Barretto, I was too bushed to hit the bars, so we hung out at The Rite Spot On The Roof and watched the sun go down.

Going…
…going…
…gone!
Swan watching the show.
Another bullet dodged.

Still strolling through the LTG archives. In March 2007, I graduated to the second level in my quest to learn the Korean language. Alas, I failed, although I still have a small vocabulary to confuse the Filipina bargirls with. Another episode in The Story of My Life.

Some Facebook memories from this day in my history:

Nine years ago, there was a new sheriff in town at my Itaewon hangout, Shenanigans. (Yep, that moustache I’d shaved off in 2007 was back.)
Ten years ago, I attended a wedding down south in Songtan.
My group’s after-wedding table.
Eleven years ago, I was stepping down to Itaewon Station. 196 of them. Damn, the things you take for granted are the ones you miss the most.

Today’s YouTube video is one I made thirteen years ago in honor of my dart league team, Ride It In. Those were the days!

And now for these:

A cunt is a useful tool. Just sayin’
It’s all so confusing. I hope the commas are right.
You don’t say?

And that’s all I’ve got to share today. But I have it on good authority that the Son will rise tomorrow.

Christ almighty!

Did you hear the news?

Somehow, I think we haven’t heard the last from this guy. Give it a day or three.

But this post is about yesterday, so let’s get to it. Swan and I took a tricycle ride out to Naugsol and commenced our hike from there.

maningil ng tapat = to charge honestly. magbayad ng sapat = pay enough

The trike driver said he would take us to Naugsol for 150 pesos. I paid him 200. Win-win.

Crossing the river on Bridge #6
The Matain River

Our destination was the Tibag community, with a stop in the Alabang village along the way.

These kids didn’t get any candy
But these kids did
We did a community feeding here in Alabang last December, and the children seemed to remember Swan.
I think every kid in the village got something sweet to eat.
Heading out of town.
Rockin’ it!
I already found my queen of hearts.
Back on the pavement
The road to Tibag.
Bringing smiles to the children of Tibag
Back in the woods
The mountain view
A carabao in the river.
A long, hot walk to get there and back again
Over 10K and gaining some elevation on a hot summer’s day.

Swan wasn’t feeling well after the hike, so I spent the night out on my own. I kicked things off at Cheap Charlies and enjoyed the view along with my brews. These days, with my old regulars long gone, the bargirls ignore me since I won’t spend 250 pesos for a lady drink. That’s fine by me.

A group of rarely seen young men in our retirement community took turns at the ATM across the street. Some of the Cheap Charlies girls tried to get their attention to no avail. It gave a chuckle, though. Was it good looks or cold cash that was the attraction?

When it was time to eat, I crossed the highway (no easy task during Holy Week) for dinner at Myleen’s. It had been quite a while since I last dined here, mainly because they didn’t serve wine by the glass. When the manager came to greet me, I mentioned the reason we hadn’t visited lately. She said the policy was changed, and by the glass service is now available. Good, next time, Swan will join me.

Myleen’s is a clean, well-lighted place.
I enjoyed the shredded beef enchilada plate.

After dinner, I popped into the Green Room for my nightcap and enjoyed watching the gals shoot pool. Then it was time to head home, have some dessert, and hit the hay.

I guess I went a little bit overboard on the dessert.
But at least I broke the 25,000 step barrier and burned twice as many calories as I consumed, so there’s that.
More and more it seems.

So, back in February 2007, I shaved off the handlebar moustache that had earned me my dart moniker of “The Walrus.” That event was deemed worthy of a blog post. I had to smile today when I read something from Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit fame, where he disavows ever being “a day in the life” blogger or engaging in the “My Diary” style. I’m proud to have filled that void for all these years at LTG!

One year ago, I posted on Facebook that a new house was being constructed on my cul-de-sac.

How it looked then
How it looks today. Nothing happens fast in the Philippines!

Today’s YouTube video is about how Elon Musk purportedly finds Filipino workers to be awesome. I will say that most of the Filipinos I’ve observed are hard-working, but the built-in inefficiencies of the system impedes productivity.

The jokes are on me:

Maybe do something by Dickens.
Does that cock smell like chicken?
Time for a spellcheck.

Today was an adventure that wiped me out, but at least no one got badly hurt. Some blood was spilled, though. I’ll tell you about that tomorrow. Now I need a nap.

And on and on it goes

I may be going in circles, but at least it is better than a dead end!

The Wednesday Walkers did a long (for us) 8K journey in and around the Naugsol valley. Another hot day, but this is the time of year that makes you appreciate that rainy season is right around the corner. Once that arrives, I’ll be missing the heat again. And so it goes.

This week’s iteration of the Wednesday Walkers, plus Scott behind the camera
Heading out through Alta Vista
Paying the candy toll to cross the bridge
This Yank made it to 85. That’s my goal!
Making our way to valley
Nature’s beauty
Through the fields we go
Heading for that farmstead.
Finding our way
The kindly old farmer. Is that a dell?
One of our group bought some fresh veggies here. We also delivered some lollipops.
The journey continues.
Heading up for a brief escape from the valley floor.
Scott gets credit for this nice shot of Easter Mountain. I’m still on the fence about whether I’ll make Monday’s climb. We’ll see how hot it is and how I feel then.
A shady spot somewhere.
The way we rambled.

Another chelation session with Dr. Jo in the afternoon. I shared my recent ECG results with her as well, and apparently, my heart output has improved slightly over the past six months. So, that’s good news. Hubby Chris, also a physician, showed me some stretching exercises that might help my aching back. I’m thankful that I have access to doctors I trust here in my little town.

After the medical stuff, I began my evening bar hop at Oasis Bar, where I had a “buy one, get one” coupon to expend. Swan joined me there, and we gave the Oasis menu a try for the first time. Swan ordered a chicken burger, and I went with the wings. A few minutes later, the waitress advised that they had no burger buns. Okay then, we’ll just share the wings. The wings were okay for pub fare, but we’ve had better.

Tryst, that new bar that was supposed to open last Saturday, was our next stop. The manager at Oasis (same owner as Tryst) said they’d be open at 6:00. We arrived at 6:30 only to find a locked door. So, we went downstairs and enjoyed some time at the Alaska Club.

When it came time to choose our nightcap venue, I suggested going next door to the Green Room. Swan surprised me by saying she was in the mood for something different and liked the ambiance at Cloud 69. Fine by me. It was our second time there and we enjoyed ourselves. Keeping on schedule, we called it a night and triked home at 8:30.

There’s always next year!
It’s always nice to break the 20,000 step threshold.
On and off seems to be my modus operandi

I would never think about not abiding by the Philippines’ immigration laws, and I know what would happen to me if I got caught violating the terms and conditions governing my stay–I’d be out on my ass. So, I don’t get the uproar by the lefties in the USA about deporting illegals. They seem to have a weird set of priorities.

But that’s (D)ifferent

This made some heads explode when I posted it on Facebook for some reason:

It’s sad to see an indoctrinated population that can’t or won’t think for themselves.

I have arrived in January 2007 on my trip through the LTG archives. In this post, I talk about the usual Itaewon antics, but I’m impressed looking back at my long-lost staying power. Dropping into the Grand Ole Opry at 2:30 a.m. and calling midnight an “early” ending. What happened to that guy? I also mentioned a couple of bloggers I’d met, but sadly, the links no longer work because the blogs are no more. Anyone else remember Thoughts of a Goat?

From Facebook memories on this day in history:

Five years ago, this was the line to get into the grocery store during the lockdown. They only allowed a certain number of people inside at once, so the rest of us practiced social distancing outside. Never forget that scamdemic that was foisted upon us.
Eight years ago, I was busy being a strict disciplinarian at work.

Today’s YouTube video is also from my Facebook memories, fifteen years ago. It’s a crash test between a 2009 Chevy Malibu and the 1959 version of that vehicle. Pretty impressive to see the progress made over the years.

Now for some funny business:

What doesn’t go in you, goes on you!
Wow! Two bad puns in one meme! You are welcome.
Karma’s a bitch and so is my wife!

Looks like I’ve done gone and did it again. Thanks for dropping in. Y’all come back now, hear?

Ain’t goin’ nowhere

Well, for at least sixty more days, anyway. Yep, Immigration has once again seen fit to extend my tourist visa. Lucky me! This being Holy Week and all, I was a tad concerned that Immigration wouldn’t be operating. The holiday schedule posted on the door showed my timing was right–half day Wednesday, closed Thursday and Friday. Still, when I arrived shortly after the opening hour of 8 a.m., only a maintenance worker was in attendance. She kindly told me to take a seat and offered to get me a cup of coffee while I waited. That was a first. I guess having been here almost seven years now, I’ve achieved regular customer status. The actual immigration officers arrived around 8:30, and I was processed in and out in short order for a paltry 3000 pesos. Yay!

Next stop was the YBC supermarket, conveniently located nearby. Only two cashiers were working, which made for irritatingly long lines at checkout, but again, this Holy Week stuff is serious business in the PI, and lots of folks head home to the provinces to celebrate Easter with family.

YBC is where we stock up on candy and cookies that we hand out on our hikes. Two grocery carts full for a little over 5000 pesos.

Then, we were off to Royal for the remainder of our weekly groceries. No shortage of cashiers this time, and I was relieved of another 10,000 pesos in short order.

When we got back home, I did my Tuesday neighborhood walk (turning right this week).

When it was that time of day, we hoofed it out to Baloy Beach for some toes in the sand and quaffing of beverages on the Kokomo’s floating bar.

The view upon arrival.
The view onboard.
That woman I share my time with
Swan made a tuna pasta dish for the crew. They seemed to enjoy it.

The floater isn’t anything like a dancing bar, but once in a while, the girls get up and put on a show. I made a video of the routine they performed during yesterday’s visit. (As I feared, YouTube advises that the background song is copyrighted, and this video is blocked in TWO territories. Hope you can see it where you are.)

I like watching this more than the dancing:

And so it goes.
Next up, dinner at Treasure Island.
The sweet and sour chicken I ordered was yummy!

Then, it was home to enjoy the remainder of the evening.

I detect a pattern. It all balances out, hopefully.

Over the years I’ve been blogging, I have occasionally had a chance encounter with a stranger that was a reader of LTG. That was the case when I met Neil (aka Thirsty) in December 2006. He was a frequent commenter for quite a while, and then, like most of my readers over the years, he eventually disappeared. I guess there is only so much of my drivel that can be endured.

Eleven years ago, I visited the Doseonsa Temple in Ui-Dong with my Buddhist wife.

Today’s YouTube video delves into the question of where Filipinos come from (from their mothers, of course, but we are talking about their DNA roots). Living amongst the people here, I see faces that appear like they have Spanish ancestry, others resemble Chinese, and some look like they came from India. Light skin is almost worshipped. When I first visited, I was surprised by all the billboards advertising whitening lotions and thought about the women back home who paid big money in tanning salons. Skin color doesn’t matter to me at all, and honestly, the darker gals are just as sexy as their fair-skinned sisters. Of course, this video talks about ancient roots from thousands of years ago, but I never met any of those. I have been curious about the Aeta natives who look almost African.

Today’s lame attempt at humor:

I busted my zipper and ruined my pants. I erect-em.
All choked up
Jee whiz

That’s all I’ve got for today. But there’s always tomorrow!

Palms up!

One of the interesting aspects of living in a predominately Catholic country is the celebration of holidays that mean nothing to me. Like yesterday’s Palm Sunday. Coming up, Maundy Thursday. I remember that one because I arrived in Cebu on my first visit to the Philippines and noted that almost everything was closed. I’m like, “what’s going on?” only to learn that it’s a special part of Holy Week here. At least I didn’t get crucified for my ignorance.

Here’s how I raised my palms on Sunday:

God sent his blessings as we engaged in the Palm Sunday Candy Walk.
The kids were happy to see us again.

Here’s this week’s snippet from section four of our weekly route:

I’d wager this lad is a good listener.
Way too young. RIP!
The path we took on our 5K trek.

Later in the day, I embarked on my feeding mission at Hideaway Bar.

As seen from my barstool. A newly installed dartboard since my previous visit. Assorted nuts on offer. A new cashier (the owner’s girlfriend). And lots more customers than I normally see.

My normal routine is to meet Swan on the floating bar after the feeding. This week, however, we opted to go straight to John’s place for dinner, as the weather wasn’t ideal for the floater experience.

Predictably, Swan went with the birria tacos.

The waitress advised that there was a special holiday entree being offered during the holiday period. I’m not always up to trying something new, but I was yesterday.

A tuna steak. I’m not a fishy guy, but it was surprisingly good.
We dined downstairs in the aircon but weren’t afforded the same views we’ve become accustomed to in the open-air upstairs seating area.

After dinner, I suggested we visit Red Bar, and Swan said that’s what she was thinking too. Damn, talk about being on the same page! We enjoyed sitting in the outside section and also treated our favorites to lady drinks. Then we did our nightcap at Green Room before calling it a night and heading for home.

I’ve got to hand it to me

The journey through the LTG archives is increasingly disappointing without the accompanying photos. The captions tease me, but I need to see to remember fully. Damn. Anyway, I was back home in Virginia for Christmas in 2006. That gave me the opportunity to enjoy the Sunday edition of the Washington Post. And to my surprise, there was a Korea-based Christmas story that Gene Weingarten had written at the request of an English teacher in Korea. That was a hoot to read, and I included it in a blog post entitled: The Seoul of Christmas. Surprisingly, the link to Weingarten’s story still works.

Speaking of Virginia, fellow blogger and frequent LTG commenter Kevin Kim is now returning to Korea after visiting his former home state. Don’t ask me why, but when I saw this today, I pictured Kevin having a similar conversation with his seatmate on the long flight home:

Safe travels, Kevin!

From Facebook memories:

Seven years ago, I was enjoying the signage during one of my hikes in Pyeongtaek.
Eleven years ago, I was enjoying coffee with friends at Cafe Coin in Myeong-dong. Tom was one of those “friends” who unfriended me a couple of years later over differing political viewpoints.

Today’s YouTube video talks about things that are unique to the Philippines. It’s worth the watch for the scenery alone.

Humor time:

How about pounding nails?
Sounds like you pulled a boner.
I’m funny when you’re drunk

And so it goes, and so it went. Hash Monday has arrived once more. Vienna Sausage is the hare, and I’m already plotting my shortcuts. I will walk to the start on Rizal Extension, so that will give me some added distance. I’ll let you know how it works out tomorrow.

Outback in the dark

Um, it wouldn’t be heaven if they don’t serve beer!

So, we had one of those damn all day brownouts (power outage) yesterday. The lights were scheduled to go out at 8:30, so Swan and I took a morning walk. First stop was at the Outback Resort to inquire about renting a room. I was told to come back at ten o’clock when the receptionist would be available. So, we crossed the highway to my old standby, The Pub Hotel. They have nice, clean rooms for only 1500 pesos. I was seeking early check-in, but alas, was told nothing was available until 2 p.m. Oh, well, lots of other options to consider as we walked.

It’s income tax time in the USA, and I’m still a taxpayer, so I had some paperwork from my accountant in South Carolina (my legal residence) to complete. Since my printer doesn’t work, I popped into the local print shop. They printed the 12-page document, I filled in the blanks, then had it scanned and emailed back to me. I submitted all my documents this morning to complete my tax return filing. I usually get a refund; hopefully, that will be the case again this year.

We finished our 5K Street walk and stopped at Sit-n-Bull for lunch. I had a nice chat with owner Ron while waiting for my Malibu chicken sandwich to be served. Then we returned to Outback Resort, where I successfully secured a room for 2500 pesos with early check-in allowed. Yay! We triked home, packed some fresh clothes, and headed for the Outback.

That’s what 2500 gets you at Outback. Nothing fancy, but it provided me aircon, a heated shower, and internet access. Oh, and a nice afternoon nap.

The main reason I rented a room instead of toughing it out was that I had an afternoon appointment with Dr. Jo. After blogging, napping, and showering, I still had an hour to kill before the 4:30 appointment. So, we went out to the pool area to enjoy the beach views. I was surprised to see Chris and his gal Shie were there, also escaping the brownout.

Nice to see you, Chris.

The primary purpose of the doctor’s visit was my weekly chelation therapy, but while there, I had Dr. Jo take a look at my aching back. She assessed that it was a muscular issue rather than an internal organ problem. She provided me some anti-inflammatory meds and advised Swan (who is a certified caregiver) on some lotion to massage on my lower back before bedtime. I had my best sleep score of the month last night, so I think it helped.

Then, it was time to get down to business. Bar business, that is. Our first stop was the seldom-visited BarCelona.

Looking out from BarCelona
Looking inside BarCelona

Ever since BarCelona opened more than five years ago, I’ve tried hard to like it there. And yet, I always leave disappointed for one reason or another. Great ambiance, open-air views, and rooftop seating don’t overcome indifferent service and a rap music playlist. Too bad for them. As you can see from the photo above, it’s not like the place is packed with satisfied customers. I won’t be back anytime soon.

Next stop, It Doesn’t Matter. Our arrival proved to be good timing because right after we sat down, a waitress came by and advised that a customer inside had bought drinks for the house. Got to love those two-week millionaires!

My free drink chit

We are seldom disappointed at IDM, and last night was no exception. Good service, good music, and some good chicken wings to snack on. A couple of gals Swan knows came by, so she had female company to go with her wine, and I passed the time with my best friend, Zero.

A mutual friend had advised that the Maze owner, Dave Fisher, would be out last night, so we made Wet Spot our next stop. Dave, who is in his 80s now, has been battling some health issues, so he hasn’t been seen much lately, even at the SOBs he normally hosts. I was looking forward to catching up and hearing the latest from him, but alas, Wet Spot manager Brett advised that Dave had decided to stay home and rest. Well, Dave is a retired doctor, so he knows best. I’m probably not going to attend tonight’s SOB, but maybe I’ll catch him at the Aftermath event at Wet Spot.

The Wet Spot urinal was full of ice. Damn, it was cold!

It was time to mosey back to the hotel, but we made the indoor Outback Bar our nightcap stop. This is another bar I almost never visit (when I’m here, I’m at the outside pool bar).

Just one other customer last night, but it is a very nice venue. We enjoyed our brief visit.

The decision was made to sleep in our own bed last night, so we packed our shit, checked out, and headed home. And that’s how we survived brownout Thursday.

If I upped my budget to 1900 calories, I’d be having a good week.

So, I hear it is Siblings Day. Here’s a shot of me and the bros taken 65 years ago:

Older brother Keith on the left, baby brother Greg on the right. I’m the handsome boy in the middle. We were out camping somewhere in the desert of Southern California.
Here’s some more memories of cars that were and are no more…for good reason. I confess that I owned an AMC Pacer for a while. It was a piece of shit, but I did like the way it looked.

In September 2006, I wrote about an adventure I had driving to Incheon Airport for the first time. I think this was before they opened the airport railway. Otherwise, I don’t know why I would have bothered taking the car. It didn’t end well.

Eleven years ago, I was hiking the cherry blossom-lined paths of Bukhansan Park in Korea. If someone had told me what the future would bring, could I have done anything to change it?

I found today’s YouTube video in another old LTG post from September 2006. It’s still fun to watch.

And if that’s not funny enough, how about these:

It’s not the meat; it’s the motion.
I forgot why I thought this was funny.
What an asshole!

And that’s all I’ve got for now. Let’s see what the future brings.

Once more

This is the last time I’ll post about my Wednesday—this week. I promise!

As usual, the Wednesday Walkers gathered for our group hike at 0900. This week, our journey took us up the final climb of Monday’s Hash trail that I had wisely chosen to avoid. Going up that way yesterday confirmed that it was indeed an ass-kicker, despite being the easiest of the insane hills the Hare laid out for the Hashers foolish enough to follow his trail in its entirety. Anyway, I’m glad I explored that path, and I have now added it to my “never again” list.

A small group of four this week.
Strolling through Alta Vista was easy
Heading out to explore what we had missed on Monday
The up was steep and hard. So hard that this was the only photo I managed to take.
The downside wasn’t much better.
This portion of the trail was much more to my liking.
Now that I think about it, it must have been eight months or so since the last time I passed this way. I also delivered something sweet that time.
Our downward route was stymied by this fence, but we found a walk-around.
A kid we encountered along the way. Her mother gave us some helpful directions.
Some candy to sweeten their day.
Enjoy the day!
Almost done with the down
Slow and steady wins the race!
We gave the new Dempsey’s a try for our after-hike refreshments. The burrito was okay.
Short but not so sweet

I spent the day alone as Swan was having some family time on the river in San Marcelino. So, I was on my own again when beer o’clock rolled around. I opted to pay a visit to Cheap Charlie’s. One of the old crew greeted me (I forgot her name), and she asked me about Marissa. Yep, she’s been gone a while. She told me she had a baby and was just now returning to work after almost four years. I was going to buy her a welcome back drink and asked how much for a single. She told me they had changed their prices and only offered lady drinks for 250 pesos. Nope, my rule is no more than 200 pesos. Oddly enough, when I declined to buy the drink, she was no longer interested in talking with me, so she got up and left. Funny how that works. It’s a stupid pricing policy. I’ll buy two (or more) lady drinks at 180, but not even one for more than my 200 maximum. I guess I’m too cheap for Cheap Charlie’s.

The view from the rear of Cheap Charlie’s.
A peek inside.
Looking up the highway

I did my nightcap at the Green Room. Swan messaged that she was home again, so I finished my last beer and joined her there.

Three days in a row of missing the target by less than 100 calories.

I’m still being an asshole on Facebook:

Lots of folks self-identifying these days
I’d forgotten about those two. It sure does undermine that lefty J6 narrative.
If you compare Trump to Hitler, you ARE stupid.

Enough politics; no minds will be hanged anyway. I just do it for the reactions.

Today’s episode in The Story of My Life tells the story of my seeing a Korean stage production of The Wizard of Oz in Seoul. The role of Dorothy was played by the girlfriend of a friend. I even got invited backstage after the show.

August 2006 is a LONG time gone.

This is not a Facebook memory, but something I saw there that triggered memories from my glory days in the 1970s.

The caption was “when cars had balls and women didn’t.”

Today’s Facebook memory is from a life that is no longer:

Everything has changed in fifteen years. Gone, but the happiness I experienced then is not forgotten.

Today’s YouTube video talks about expectations versus reality when you move to the Philippines. It made me think of that old Stones’ song lyric: You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need.

Humor time:

A pun too far
This one is dumb by my low standards. But since I’m seeing Dr. Jo in a bit, why not?
I’ll have to take a stab at making this salad.

And there you have it. I’m writing this post from a hotel room in Barretto at the Outback Resort. Two thousand five hundred pesos to avoid the all-day power outage in my neighborhood. Oh well, it’s best that I shower up before visiting Dr. Jo.

Weakened

But I was strong enough to survive my weekend in San Antonio.

Way too many San Mig Lights on Saturday…those damn things turn me into an asshole.

Beer manifested bad behavior resulted in me getting angry and raising my voice at Swan. That pissed her off, but we reconciled before the evening was over. For some reason I don’t recall this, but when two different restaurants were too busy to accommodate our dinner desire, Swan says I mouthed off about posting a bad review. That’s not going to happen, of course, and not just because I don’t remember the names of the eateries. On the plus side, I was in slumberland when Swan had to call the front desk of our resort because some of the other guests were partying loudly outside our room. I didn’t hear a thing.

Sunday morning on the beach

Up and at ’em and ready to roll bright and early Sunday morning. We went to the hotel next door for breakfast (one of the places too busy for us the night before).

This time, we had the second-floor dining room to ourselves.
All is forgiven, right Swan? Right?
After breakfast, we headed out for the Pundaquit version of the Candy Walk.
Things are much quieter away from the beach.
Down on main street.
A riverside stroll
There weren’t a lot of kids out and about
Back on the beach
The Capones Islands
On the backstreets of Pundaquit

Here’s a short video of us finishing our walk and passing by the scene of my crime from the night before.

Back to the room for a shower, then packed the bags and awaited the arrival of my driver to transport us to our next destination, the Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) in San Antonio.

The day’s event: The 2025 Miss Fralics Beauty Pageant
I confirmed that San Mig Zero was on offer and purchased ten beer tickets to ensure I remained hydrated during the event
My seatmates. We arrived at noon and the pageant began at 2:00.
Old sailors
Swan filled some of the waiting time playing Bingo. She didn’t win.
The Alley Cat’s crew was out in force
The old feller sitting across from me had a great sense of humor. His “Dysfunctional Veteran” cap was just one indicator.
I also had to admire the shirt the beer server was wearing.
You could make a mint selling cans of asshole repellant.
The birthday of the Navy’s Submarine Service was being celebrated
The submariners went on stage and were serenaded with a rude and crude Navy song I can’t find online.

And at last, it was time to kick off the beauty pageant. There were ten contestants. Here they are in the introductory “Casual Wear” competition:

Number One: Hershe is a waitress I know from It Doesn’t Matter bar.
Number Two
Number Three. Julie also works at It Doesn’t Matter
Number Four
Number Five
Number Six
Number Seven
Number Eight
Number Nine (she’s wearing her number upside down)
Number Ten
Here they are all together. Do you have a favorite yet?
I liked this girl, but she wasn’t competing.

Next up was the “talent” competition. Unsurprisingly, eight of the girls did a dance routine as their talent. The other two sang a song. I wasn’t impressed enough to take many pictures, but here are a couple.

Hershe dancing
Shake that booty

The final round of the competition was the bikini contest. I made a video of the gals strutting their stuff.

Right after uploading the above video, I received an email from YouTube advising that it had been flagged for a “copyright violation”:

Copyrighted content has been detected in your video “Fralics”. As a result, your video can no longer be monetized and has been blocked in 1 territory. The copyright owner may be either monetizing it, or receiving analytics about it in other territories. This is not a copyright strike and does not affect your channel.

The problem is that the music playing in the background is copyrighted by someone, somewhere. I have not been able to determine which “1 territory” is blocked from viewing the video. Let me know in the comments if you are unable to view it.

Just in case you missed it, here is the bikini-clad group shot.

And now for the winners:

Casual Wear winner
Bikini winner
Talent winner
Third place
Second Place
Miss Fralics 2025 (contestant #7)

I’m not one to judge, but I support the decision of the judges in selecting this cutie pie.

I didn’t win any of the raffles, but that’s okay. I had some beers, spent time with good folks, and enjoyed watching the girls prancing about on the stage. Then, it was time to load up in the car and make our way back to Barretto. We stayed home last night, and when the dinner hour arrived, Swan wanted to drive her cart to McDonald’s. Oh well, I was still in my “cheat weekend” mode, so why not?

Saturday’s scandal
Sunday’s surrender

Back after it today. Let’s see how I do.

There’s a story in this picture. I wrote about it in September 2021. I hope those type days in my life are over for good.
Eleven years ago, I was hiking in the mountains of Korea with my wife. I had a long way to go.
Twelve years ago, I was playing in a pro-level darts tournament in Las Vegas. Ran into this old friend from Korea there. And no, I didn’t throw like a pro that weekend.

In today’s YouTube video, Reekay ponders the questions, “Is the expat life or another marriage for you?” To which I can honestly respond, yes and no.

Here I go again:

And thinking, what happened?
Yeah, us old fucks have earned that right
Then he had another hole in his head

So, back at it in Barretto. A Hash run is coming up. Here’s hoping it’s a good one. For the past two days, I’ve been having a dull aching pain in my lower left abdomen. If it doesn’t go away soon, I’ll consult with Dr. Jo. Bright and early in the morning, I’ll be making my way to Angeles City for an updated ECG. It seems I’m always on the move these days.

A mind is a terrible thing to waste

Back in the day, I’d sometimes use that old putdown, “I’ve forgotten more than you’ll ever know.” Lately, it seems more correct to say, “I’ve forgotten more than I ever knew.” At least it sure does feel that way. Perhaps as my mental decline continues, I’ll become ignorant and stop caring. I can’t remember the punchline. *ahem*

I’m going to make today’s post a quick one as I need to prepare for my weekend in San Antonio. We’ll start towards the end of the day and then work our way to the beginning. Beer o’clock arrived, and we started the quest for entertainment at the seldom-visited Alley Cats. Friday is dart tourney night, but there was only a handful of players there when we arrived. As we soon discovered, the reason was a scheduled “brownout” (power disruption) between 5 and 6 p.m. So, we enjoyed our beverages by candlelight. And it was nice to see some of my old darting pals again.

Next, we crossed the highway to grab some dinner at Mango’s. The power was still out, but Mango’s has a generator, so the lights were on. As we entered the lobby, we heard shouts and saw people running towards us. WTF? Looking up to the second-floor balcony revealed the issue—a fan was ablaze.

Right before I snapped this photo, the fan blade fell to the floor and continued burning.

That is a guest room balcony, and there is no access except through the room. Since no one seemed to have access to a room key, two white guys (I believe they were returning from a just-completed scuba dive) took charge. One boosted the other up to the roof beside the balcony and then handed him a fire extinguisher.

Mission accomplished!

Nothing like a little before-dinner excitement, eh?

The peaceful view from our dining table
As usual, we enjoyed the Mango’s grilled pork chops for dinner.

For our post-meal nightcap, we decided to try somewhere new. Cloud 69 Bar opened several months ago, but we had never ventured inside before. Imagine my surprise at being greeted by name by two different females that I didn’t recognize. I asked the first one, a dancer, how she knew me. She seemed surprised and responded, “We played darts at Alley Cats.” Honestly, that didn’t ring a bell, but I politely said, “Nice to see you again.” She was one of the cutest gals there, so my forgetting her is more evidence of the brain rot I mentioned above.

The other woman who greeted me was a waitress, and she did look vaguely familiar. I guessed she was my old friend from Whiskey Girl, so I asked, How are you, Jenn? She gave me a funny look and said, “I’m Sheryl. I used to work at Alaska Club.” Oh yeah, now I remember you!

Nice to see you again, Jenn Sheryl

Anyway, Cloud 69 had a really nice vibe. There is a very small dance stage that holds three or four dancers max. There’s another room with a pool table. The music was great; classic rock songs played at a volume that still allowed shout-free conversation. We were there early, but several other customers arrived during our visit. The only weird thing I noted about Cloud 69 was that two of the waitresses were baklas (transgender). I personally don’t get upset by that, but I know other guys are uncomfortable in their presence, so most bars don’t employ baklas for that reason. Anyway, we enjoyed our visit and we’ll be back again someday.

Enjoying our Friday night on the town!

Earlier, we had done the Friday group hike and finished the trail at The Rite Spot On The Roof.

Rest and refreshments after the hike
Enjoying the view from The Rite Spot
The females dined Filipino-style. Chris and I were served hamburger patties.

And here was something I’d never witnessed in my almost seven (admittedly sheltered) years in the Philippines:

Swan says it’s called a “boodle fight.” The food is placed on top of a banana tree frond and eaten communally with the fingers.

Good times! The hike was pretty nice as well. I led the group this time, and most of the trail went according to plan. My planned ascent went a bit astray when I chose the wrong path and ended up with a steeper climb than I had intended, but we survived the mistake, and things went well after that.

This week’s iteration of the Friday hikers.
This made me chuckle. At least they are honest about it.
That steep uphill climb I mentioned.
Back on the path I intended.
The view of Barretto from here.
And the Subic side of things
A Swan in the grass
That mountain climb that is coming soon.
No off fence intended.
Monkeying around
Walking the Bitch
Mountain Mama Onelia busy in the kitchen
Smoke on the ridge. ‘Tis the season.
That cabin in the woods I fancy
Heading back down
The lot in San Isidro Swan is buying. I predict it will be a lake during rainy season. We’ll see soon enough.
Heading for Alta Vista and the renowned Rite Spot.
The route of our 6.5K journey

Alas, the day did end on a sour note:

Two too many beers

A sad memory to share from the archives of LTG: the death by suicide of one my favorite bloggers, Shawn Matthews of Korea Life Blog fame. Surprisingly, all the links I included from 2006 are still working, such as this one from Kevin Kim. I was going to say, “Gone but not forgotten,” except I hadn’t thought of Shawn for many years until I came across this post to remind me. I may be wasting my life, but at least I’m still living it.

Another day I would have forgotten but for Facebook memories reminding me.

It is my anniversary. I got married in Las Vegas, Nevada, twelve years ago. As you can see, I was fat and happy in those long-gone days.
Ten years ago, I attended a book signing meetup with Kevin Kim and the author, Young Chun, at my bar hangout, Shenanigans in Itaewon.

Today’s YouTube video is from Smart Girl Philippines, during which she purports to resolve the mystery of the lack of privacy in the PI. The way she speaks always makes me smile, and it’s just over five minutes long, so I don’t really care if her reasoning is right or wrong. I know that here in Barretto, everyone seems to know me, and I often don’t have the slightest clue as to who they are.

And now for the funny business:

I nose that already
True love is timeless and knows no end.
He called you a bitch, but they thought he said witch. It’s all a misunderstanding; forgive and forget.

Alright, I’m running late and need to get ready to hit the road. I’ll report in from San Antonio tomorrow. But here’s a bonus video from this morning’s dog walk. Well, bonus or punishment, here it is:

Need to remember to hold the camera higher…sorry!

Nothing comes easy

The hard way is just the way things are done in the Philippines. So, you love it or leave it. I’m going to stick around because the good far outweighs the bad. Yesterday, I was able to experience some minor frustration without even having to resort to my mantra: “Take a deep breath. Relax. Accept the Filipino way.” I must be getting more acclimated to the culture. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about:

I need to have the cataract removed from my left eye. A pre-surgery requirement is obtaining clearance from a cardiologist. My helper/caregiver advised that I could see the cardiologist I’d previously used at the local hospital in Barretto yesterday morning. No appointments are available; you show up, sign in, and are seen on a first-come, first-served basis. Office hours began at 10:30. I arrived at 10:15 and was fifth in line. I was pleasantly surprised when my name was called at 11:00. The doctor wanted an updated ECG, and wanted it done where I had my previous one at a hospital in Angeles City. So, that means I’ll be traveling again next Tuesday. I’ll also need to get a chest x-ray before my follow-up visit at which time I’ll hopefully receive the required clearance to undergo the next pain-in-the ass medical procedure with the ophthalmologist. That’s my vision for the future.

Otherwise, the rest of the day went fine. Swan joined me for a 3K stroll home from the hospital. Later, we ventured out for some socialization at Oasis. About halfway there I realized I had forgotten my phone. Swan insisted on her going back for it, then joined me at Oasis when I was on my second beer.

The Oasis view. Yeah, those wires are a bummer, but they have the cheapest beer in town (50 pesos each).

Our second stop was at Alaska Club. We were the only customers during our brief visit. The bar upstairs, formerly known as La Oficina, has been renamed Tryst. I like that name better; maybe they will specialize in threesomes. I was told the bar won’t reopen until they can hire some dancers and waitresses. Apparently, the girly bars in town are struggling to find staff, as the ladies have discovered that using the internet for hookups is more profitable. The times they are a-changing.

We did our nightcap at Wet Spot. I ordered the Sit-n-Bull pulled pork sandwich to bring home for my dinner. I only ate the meat, not the bun. Alas, enjoying the last piece of pecan pie (a la mode) was an unwise decision.

Shit happens

My journey through the archives of LTG has progressed to June 2006. I discovered a picturesque post there detailing the event of my first-ever dart league banquet on the rooftop of the Hollywood Grill in Itaewon. It turned out to be a poor venue for the occasion, but the memories captured in the photos were good ones. It’s strange how remembering happy times can feel bittersweet in a ‘never again’ kind of way. Oh well, that’s just part of The Story of My Life.

Five years ago, a friend in the United States posted this on my Facebook, warning me to be cautious. Yes, that is the then-president of the Philippines threatening anyone violating the COVID lockdown order that he’d have the police “shoot them dead.” Duterte is now facing charges in the International Criminal Court for doing just that to alleged drug dealers. I am not a fan of the ICC, but I have very little sympathy for Duterte.

Time to check in again with the Filipina Pea for today’s YouTube video. In this edition, the Pea answers viewer emails, dispensing her usual good advice and wisdom.

The jokes are on me:

I don’t think that adds up
Any way you look at it, this makes sense.
Just a Tolkien of my affection

And there you have another day’s post. I’m looking forward to my weekend out of town. Can’t promise it will make for better blogging, but at least the photos will be different.

In da village

And I’m not lion! What I’m talking about is the journey of the Wednesday Walkers to Balon Falls and the Aeta native village of Aningway out in the wilds of Subic. We only do this hike once or twice a year, so it is always fresh and enjoyable. The natives are poor but friendly. We may plan an outreach mission for them later this year. We observed an interesting charity project in progress—building comfort rooms (toilets) in various locations throughout the village. I’d never considered that those shanties weren’t equipped with somewhere to poop, so it is good to see the problem is being addressed. I don’t even want to think about how and where they answered the call of nature previously. Anyway, now that we have that shit out of the way, let’s get to the pictures:

Our group this week was small enough to allow us to squeeze into Scott’s car to enjoy an out-of-town adventure.
Off we go!
And here we come.
The first of several creek crossings.
Dancing on the rocks.
Into the jungle
Not a lot of water in the creek this time of year, so there was not much in the way of “falls” to see.
A creekside farm.
Entering Aningway
Lots of Aeta kids out and about. Not sure why they weren’t in school (there is one in the village)
In the background is one of the several restrooms we saw being built throughout the village.
Gimme, gimme, gimme!
Rest stop
Back at it
Heading down
Finishing with some roadwork
Another successful Wednesday walk concludes.

It’s election season, and campaign posters are ubiquitous wherever we go. I don’t get involved in local politics and have no opinions or knowledge about those seeking office, but there was something about this guy that caught my eye:

Something tells me he sucks and is likely to blow it.
We stopped for some refreshments at Shie’s house on the way home.
The path of our journey

I started a new round of chelation therapy with Dr. Jo, and when that was done, we hoofed it up the highway to check out the latest addition to Barretto’s bar lineup, Dempsey’s. I had seen the former location in Olongapo City, down a narrow alley my driver would use coming back from the immigration office. I wondered then where they got their customers, but I suppose there remains a small expat community in that part of town, near the old Navy base.

The former location of Dempsey’s
The new location in Barretto

The inside is pretty much as decrepit as the exterior. Only a longish bar, but no tables and chairs.

Behind the bar

They don’t serve San Mig Zero beer, nor do they offer wine by the glass. So, that pretty much insures we will not become regulars here.

An interesting menu, but I have to wonder if they will achieve the customer base necessary to sustain it.

We were the only ones there during our brief visit, but the staff was friendly.

And the owner seems like a nice guy. Given the fact that he successfully operated for a decade or more at his previous location, I wouldn’t bet against him. Lots more competition here, though.

After Dempsey’s, we visited the other newish place, Red Bar. Once again, we enjoyed our outdoor seating and chatting with the friendly waitresses. We stayed longer than intended (the manager bought us a round of drinks), so we had some food delivered from Sit-n-Bull. Then we moved on for our nightcap at Green Room. Swan was craving a chocolate ice cream bar, so we stopped at 7-Eleven on the drive home to get her one. I also bought some for the subdivision gate guards. I’m happy to report that I avoided the temptation to partake as well, instead sticking with a sugar-free bowl of pudding for my dessert.

All is going according to plan this month. So far.

My journey through the archives of LTG led me to an April 2006 post that contains a treasure trove of photographs from my weekend adventures in Seoul. Good times in The Story of My Life.

From today’s edition of Facebook memories:

Nine years ago, I enjoyed a rainy-day hike along the Han River.
Seven years ago, I contemplated the life in Korea that was drawing to a close and dreamed of the future that awaited me in the Philippines.
Three years ago, I was tasting some of that future I dreamed about at Queen Victoria Bar in Barretto.

Today’s YouTube video is about something that’s been burning up my Facebook feed all morning. A vlogger doing stupid shit here in the Philippines to generate views similar to what that Johnny Somali asshole did in Korea. Like Somali, this guy did an FAFO and has now been arrested and is facing deportation. Lots of outrage, especially from Filipinos, who have very low tolerance for being disrespected.

Here’s a link to a news article about the situation if you want to read more. And the perp Vitaly even has a Wikipedia page.

Humor me:

Easy for you to say.
Yeah, that’s why I go to the bars so much. The girls deserve something nice to look at for a change.
Just turn a blind eye.

And now I’ve gone and done it again. Until next time.

A brief recap

No fooling!

I was going to title this post something along the lines of “more of the same,” but when I did a search, I saw that I’ve used a similar phrase a dozen times in this blog’s twenty-year history. That says a lot about both the content of LTG and the pathetic routines I write about. I’ll tell you what, though. The retired chapter of my life may be boring to read about, but I’m so glad to be living it here instead of some retirement community stateside. So, without further adieu, here’s today’s edition of same old, same old.

Tuesday is shopping day, and that was accomplished in a way that doesn’t warrant further mention. Well, Swan did ask me to pose for this photo at the Royal supermarket:

Abracadabra!

Back home, I helped unload the groceries, then headed out for my neighborhood walk.

This house is for rent. Out of curiosity, I sent a message inquiring about the cost. I was shocked at the response: 70,000 pesos per month. That’s almost double what I’m paying. And this house is located in the flat section of Alta Vista, without the mountain and bay views that I enjoy every day.
I turned left this time. The house for rent is highlighted in yellow.

My faithful reader(s) know that Tuesday afternoons are routinely spent on Baloy Beach. Yesterday was no exception.

Toes in the sand time
We had a brief rainstorm earlier in the day, but it was over and done with before we left home.
A view from the floating bar.
That girl who follows me around. As you can see, it was a quiet day on board.
Sun and water
As good as it got at sunset.

Next on the agenda was grabbing some food at Treasure Island.

We shared some fried chicken wings…
…and chicken quesadillas. Leftovers for breakfast this morning.

In other news from my Fool’s Day, I booked a room at the Wave Song Resort for Saturday in Pundaquit.

We’ll spend twenty-four hours on the beach and then head into San Antonio to attend the annual Fralics beauty pageant at the Fleet Reserve Association (FRA).

So, my promise to get out of town at least once a month has been kept for April.

And I have avoided foolishly exceeding my calorie goal all month long!

In April 2006, I visited Gyeongbokgung Palace for the first time. I took some photos before my camera (remember those?) battery died. And I actually managed to post them here at LTG. Another memory in The Story of My Life.

Speaking of Korea, it’s Cherry Blossom Season! At least, it was eight years ago.

A stolen photo I brazenly posted on Facebook. Someone in the comments called me out for it. And now, I’ve posted it here all these years later. Have I no shame?
Nine years ago, I did another trek up Namsan to the Seoul Tower. I sure do miss those days now, even though I didn’t fully appreciate them at the time.

Today’s YouTube video is one I found on Facebook from a Hasher who joined us for Monday’s hike. It’s short and sweet and better than mine. Enjoy!

To the humor we must go:

Funny how that works. And “C” doesn’t work on my laptop keyboard. Lazy bastard!
One thing is not like the other
I hope he was a sweet man.

Okay, that’s just about all I’ve got for today. Planning to check out a new old bar in town this evening. I’ll explain what I mean by that tomorrow. But before I go, here’s a couple of pictures I took on this morning’s dog walk.

Swan and that other Lucky boy
Love casts a long shadow

Daysun

Welp, if you can put the cart before the horse, there’s no reason you can’t put the day before the sun, right? But first things first:

The Sunday Candy Walk commences
Leaving Alta Vista behind
Some flowers I liked

A crap video of Section Three of the Candy Walk (at least it is less than four minutes long):

The Tagalog word for used clothing
Well-disciplined candy recipients posing for a photo
More flowers
The Easter Mountain view
5K of smiling faces

The giving wasn’t done yet; I still had the Hideaway feeding to attend to.

Food from Jewel Cafe, and I made the brownies for dessert.
That’s one way to eat a burrito.

Then it was time to hit the beach.

‘Tis the season
They should have dug a hole before burying the body
Here comes my ride
And here comes my girl, right on time!
The view we came for.
A moderately busy afternoon on the floater
Another way to enjoy the water
It’s that time again
Swan is enjoying the show
The end of the sun on this day

Then it was off to our Sunday dinner at John’s place.

We shared an order of birria tacos…
And Korean-style chicken wings.

We took the leftover wings to our nightcap at Green Room for the gals to enjoy. And that’s where our evening came to an end.

I’m on a losing streak

I’m laughing at the Tesla fools:

That’s the (D)ifference

Is Trump never wrong?

That might help reverse America’s negative birthrate

To the archives, then. My first post in February 2006 was entitled “Stupid is as stupid does.” In it, I recount the tale leading to the first ambulance ride of my life and, not so coincidentally, my first stitches. It certainly warrants The Story of My Life tag.

Nineteen years ago, I was having what appears to be a bad night at 3 Alley Pub in Itaewon. Looks like I’ve just about filled that ashtray as well.
Ten years ago, I purchased copies of this book about a dual-citizen (Korean-American) who found himself drafted into the Korean Army. Great story by a nice guy who I’ve lost track of. Do you ever hear from him, Kevin?
Also ten years ago, a Korean, a Japanese, a Canadian, and an American walk into a bar. They order up some drinks then throw kick ass darts and win a dart match. Good times!

More common-sense wisdom from Reekay in today’s YouTube video. My personal journey included several visits between 2007 and 2009, followed by an ill-fated detour into another failed marriage, before I resurrected my dream of the Philippines and plotted my future life here prior to moving in 2018. I’ve encountered some bumps in the road along the way, but I’ve no regrets about my decision to retire here.

Are you ready for these?

Damn, that’s bad. I’ll do better, I promise!
Either way, you weren’t there when he needed you…
Cum what may, you got off easy.

And there you have it. Another Hash Monday has arrived, and I’ve got a bad feeling today’s trail won’t be to my liking (the Hare is also a Corona Hasher), but I’ll shortcut as needed. I ate lunch while finishing this post, so I’m ready to roll.

I’m a lucky man to have a girl who loves to cook.

Getting the point

The adventure continues, if you can call it that. I revisited the past at my old darts venue, Alley Cats. It had been long enough since I attended my last tournament that it all felt almost new and fresh. It was great to see some familiar faces and reflect on the good times we shared during my darting days. I didn’t participate in the tournament, but I enjoyed watching the competition. My Korea buddy, Jay, played and went through the bracket undefeated. He’ll be back for more today with the league and follow-on tourney. I’ll be back to my usual life in the bars of Barretto. And life goes on. (The only point to this post is the tip of the dart. Get it?)

As usual, Mama was waiting for me when we headed out for our weekly grocery shopping. I’ve been giving her handouts for over seven years now. I couldn’t help but notice that she looked more worn than usual yesterday. Life on the streets is hard.
Saw this on the way back from shopping. Damn, we used to ride in back of the pickup truck when I was a kid, but this seems inherently more dangerous.

At beer o’clock, we headed to Alley Cats to meet up with Jay. I brought a batch of brownies for the girls like I used to do in the good ol’ days.

I had to laugh when I saw this on the way to Alley Cats. The sign translates to: “It is forbidden to throw garbage here. Yeah, right, this is the Philippines. Littering is our culture.
Visiting Alley Cats again was a nice change of pace, and Swan seemed to enjoy herself, even if she did miss her toes in the sand time. We’ll make up for it tomorrow.
We had pizzas delivered from Sit-n-Bull for the girls and dart players. I had one slice and called it dinner.
The tournament bracket
Jay and Liezel in the Championship round
Jay finished first, Liezel second, and Billy took third.

Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. My neighbors, Jeff and Davina, stopped by to join the fun near the end of the tournament. Alley Cats has a beer card offer: six beers for the price of five. I bought a card upon arrival. And then I bought another. Not knowing when I might return to the Alley, I finished all the drinks on the card before departing. A twelve-beer night!

Am I lucky or what?

In the LTG archives, I came upon a post called “Transitions” that was mostly as boring as my current drivel, but ended with my recitation of a rather amusing encounter with some Koreans in an Itaewon bar called Sweet Caroline’s. My then-wife’s comment was funny, too. These days, I’m happy, but I’m still not gay.

Via Facebook, a memory from this day in history:

Nine years ago, I found a new, less-traveled path to the top of Namsan
As is often the case, the reward for a hard climb is a view like this.

Today’s YouTube video talks about aggressive child beggars in the Philippines. I had trouble once as a tourist in Manila when a group of kids surrounded me and started getting grabby. I ran away. I’ve never had anything like that happen since. I never give money to kids because I don’t want them to think that begging is a viable income option. It is also my understanding that giving money to children is against the law in the Philippines. I help out a couple of adult street dwellers when I see them, but that’s it. My other charity projects assuage my guilt at ignoring the pleas of beggars I encounter.

How about these?

My bedtime hours are nine to five, and I’m not even in jail.
Every relationship has moments of misunderstanding
I guess I’m ahead of my time and was failing before it was cool! 😉

And that’s all he wrote. For today, anyway. I’ve got a couple of SOB coupons I need to expend before they expire, so I’ll work on that this evening. I’ll let you know how that turns out for me tomorrow.

Guide duty

Yesterday was filled with the usual Sunday routines but with an added twist. An old dart league compadre from the Korea days is visiting Subic this week, and I’ve consented to show him around town. Last night, Jay joined us on the Arizona floating bar, then came along for dinner at John’s place. Next, we introduced Jay to Barretto’s Wet Spot. That’s all the fun I had in me, so we headed home, and I directed Jay to Johansson’s so he could practice his darts (he’ll be playing at Alley Cats this week). And later today, Jay will be losing his Hash virginity. Should be a good time.

The day began with the Sunday Candy Walk, and it was good to be back after our hiatus last week. My videos suck, but I try to finish what I started, so here is the six-minute section two of our standard walk (in case you missed it, you can see section one here.)

A few more photos from our walk:

The Marian Hills contingent
Our regulars were happy to see us back
When you find out your girlfriend is a swinger
Flower power
The way we went

A nap, a blog post, and a shower later it was time for the Hideaway feeding.

Enjoy the bounty, ladies
Chow down, Joy!

Time to hit the beach.

A sandy Sunday
Here comes my ride
Nice to see you again, Jay
There she goes. Or is the sun male?
Nah, too purdy to be a guy
I’ll have to get Jay up to the Kalaklan Ridge while he’s here

Then it was off for some dinner.

This is a new addition. I’ll take it as a good sign!

Jay enjoyed the upstairs ambiance. Food was good. Swan had her usual birria tacos, and Jay went with a cheeseburger. His request for some avocado on top was granted. Sorry, I didn’t get a picture, that was a damn big burger.

I had the bulgogi and was allowed to exchange the rice for a side salad.

We did our nightcap at Wet Spot, and Jay, being the new kid in town, caught the eye of one gal who wanted his attention. She rubbed his shoulders some, and he gave her a lady drink, then sent her away. Well played!

So, back in Itaewon times, Jay was just one of the dart league buddies, and I didn’t know him all that well. He’s a teacher, and after leaving Korea, he spent a couple of years in Thailand. He’s currently working in Japan. He’s a Canadian, and I sense he leans to the left, but we successfully avoided getting into any political conversation. I called Canada the 51st state, and he responded that America is Canada’s underwear, so that was well-played. He is looking forward to some hikes during his visit, and I’ll gladly accommodate him in that regard. I also secured Jay a spot on a Wednesday dart league team and will introduce him to the Alley Cats darts community tomorrow. This being a tour guide is a nice change of pace!

Another good part of my Sunday

In health metrics, for the first time since I’ve been recording my blood pressure on a daily basis, I had a reading under 100! 98/64 was unfamiliar territory for me, but when I looked it up to make sure I wasn’t in the danger zone, I discovered I was still in the “normal” range. In a bit or unrelated news, the top shelf of my closet is filled with clothes that no longer fit me. Yesterday, I randomly grabbed a pair of shorts from the past and I’ll be damned, but they fit me again! That’s my kind of progress!

When was the last time SNL did something funny? Long enough ago for this to be worthy of note:

Today’s stroll through the LTG archives brought me back to this post in October 2005, when I discovered the poet Charles Bukowski. I’ve always been a fan of poetry, so how I went so long without reading his work is strange indeed. But, better late than never, I suppose. Here’s my favorite:

The Laughing Heart

your life is your life
don't let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can't beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.

From Facebook memories of this day in the past:

Seven years ago, I was hiking with my workmates in Buan, Korea
Five years ago, I was obeying the edicts of the government like a good little sheep.
Three years ago, a signed copy of this book arrived in the mail. Thanks again, Kevin!

Today’s YouTube video shares some news items from around the PI. Flirting with a man’s wife isn’t too bright, but kicking his ass when he complains about it is downright stupid. The nightmare of Filipino jail is the reward that comes from ignorance. I’d like to know more about the hikers who were rescued after being lost for several days; I hadn’t heard about that.

Take these for what they are worth:

I said it four times
Doggy style
Calm down, it was just a misunderstanding.

Okay, I’ve got a Hash to attend to. Tell you all about it tomorrow.

Pig on a stick

Another day of liquification, but what goes in you must come out. It’s a shitty situation, but this too shall pass. It will be good to feel solid again. But enough of that crap, let’s focus on the positive.

Kicked off the morning with the Sweet Saturday walk. Neighbors Martin and Joss asked to come along, and the more, the merrier. They seemed to enjoy it. As we entered the first neighborhood, we saw a baboy transitioning to lechon.

One of the most popular foods in the Philippines

I’ve eaten lechon many times, but seeing how this one was being roasted was interesting. The fire surrounds the pig and generates the heat, but the meat is not directly over the fire. There was a man behind that barrier in the back, cranking the skewering pole in rotisserie fashion. Hard work for a good meal.

Swan and Joss dispensed the goodies while Martin and I looked on.
WTF is that all about? Never seen anything like it here before. (No foreigners in this poor village)
The rarely seen white person on a funeral banner. Ralph made it to 85, so well done, sir.
Delivery to your door!
The day’s “big” climb begins. (It wasn’t that big)
Feeding the hungry prisoners
Our come to Jesus moment
The view from here

Later in the day, we walked into town for a change of scenery.

The view from Cheap Charlies
The view in Cheap Charlies
And then this happened

We did our nightcap at Green Room. Waitress Chu challenged me to a game of pool, and feeling a tad bored, I accepted. She was leading in the first game but then scratched on the 8-ball, giving me a backdoor victory. Chu wanted a rematch, and I granted her wish. I actually played better than expected, and we were both down to the 8-ball at the end. She shot and missed. I didn’t.

The scoreboard says 2-0 for Gwapo

One of the side effects of whatever it is that is ailing me is feeling fatigued. Even though it was Saturday night, I was over and done with it at 7:30. That’s early, even by my low standards.

On the plus side, I haven’t been feeling very hungry either.

Today’s journey through the LTG archives brought me to a post from October 2005. I’d just returned from an excursion to Phoenix, Arizona, for some work-related training. It was apparently quite the trip. When the session ended, I rented a car and drove through the Mojave desert. Then, I stopped in Laughlin, Nevada, for some gambling at the blackjack tables. On the way back to Phoenix, I crossed the border at Yuma and had some fun in Mexico. But here’s the thing: until I read that post, I had absolutely no recollection of that trip whatsoever. That freaks me out some, but it’s good to know this blog serves some purpose if only to remind me of things I’ve done. That makes the post worthy of a tag in The Story of My Life.

On this day in history via Facebook memories:

Seven years ago, I took my staff on my final team-building excursion to Korea’s west coast. Damn, those were good times.
Until they tried to leave without me!

And then, six years ago, this guy came into my life:

Welcome home, Lucky! Don’t ever bite the hand that feeds you. Oh, wait…

My neck is sore from simultaneously laughing and shaking my head at the bullshit stuff my lefty friends have been posting on Facebook. Of course, I counter with my own memes to drive them even crazier.

They make me feel so smart by comparison
I knew we were doomed as a nation had Kamala won, so yeah, let’s dance!

Today’s YouTube video shares mistakes expats make in the Philippines and tells how to avoid them. Common sense ain’t real common in these parts. Yeah, I’ve had my share of fuckups, too.

Laughter is the best medicine. Here’s your daily dose:

I used to watch Leave It To Beaver when I was Beaver’s age.
I never saw such a joke
No use crying over spilled sperm

I’m sure you’ve had enough of this nonsense for now, so I’ll let it be. Until next time.

Bitch, please

I got to pick the route for the Friday group hike, and since we had my virgin neighbors along, I wanted to introduce them to my old friend, the My Bitch trail. We took a different route up and a new way down, but in between were the usual views that I enjoy. Martin and Joss were not disappointed, and although they are distance walkers (15K is their norm) on the flat streets of Manila, they found the Bitch plenty challenging. Here is some of what they got to experience:

A group of nine this week. That’s Martin and Joss on the right.
And off we go!
Passing through a local neighborhood
And then the climbing begins
A pause to take in the view
And then onward and upward
My little town of Barretto
The Baloy side of things
Traveling on
A tree I fancied
A brief rest up top
That Bitch ain’t gonna walk herself
Easter is coming
The requisite stop at Mountain Mama Onelia’s place
The view from here
The place where the old trail was turned into a dirt road
A shocking development
A steep descent to the valley below begins
And we all made it down
See you come Easter
Then back up to Alta Vista and the end of our hike
Our 6K route

I attended my first SOB in over a month last night. A shockingly low turnout of only eleven guests to watch the performance. I’ve seen better shows, but no complaints. My fellow judges agreed that Voodoo put on the best dance routine, with Alaska a close second.

Most of the teams only had three performers, and some of the gals weren’t all that attractive.

I hope things turn around; I’m sure they lost money due to low attendance last night.

As usual, we came straight home after the show was over at eight. I was tired and not feeling so good for some reason. Today, I’m hoping the arria dies soon.

One day at a time

Today’s dive into the LTG archives brings us the story of the day I was stuck, poked, prodded, and probed back in February 2010. Say what you will about Korean healthcare, but their one-stop annual physical facilities are like something I’ve never seen before. Lots of pictures documenting my station-to-station journey on the road to better health. You’ve been warned.

From Facebook memories of this day in my history, comes these:

Fifteen years ago, I enjoyed the bridge views on my Han River walk in Seoul
Eight years ago, my secretary, Ms. Song Unchu, was promoted to an HR Specialist position. She still worked for me, so I wasn’t able to share how much I cared for her.
A deserted National Highway in Barretto is something you never see. Unless there is a scamdemic lockdown taking place like there was five years ago.

With all these Nazi accusations being bandied about, this is a useful guide to determine who the real Nazis are:

So, all you accusers might want to take a long, hard look in the mirror.

In today’s YouTube video, The Filipina Pea doesn’t hold back on the harsh realities of life in the Philippines. She’s right, but I ain’t leaving.

But wait, there’s more:

I know I’m shit when it comes to grammar
Nothing to get anal about
The fight broke out when they ran into Pre.

That’s all there is for this time. We’ll see what happens next.