Voodoo is the first old-school classic “girly bar” in Barretto. I define a girly bar as one that has a stage where scantily clad women dance for your entertainment. Alas, although the dance stage remains, dancing is currently forbidden in any bar. It seems sexy women moving to the beat of the music attracts the COVID virus. The science on that is settled according to the powers that be.
I’m going to start this review with a disclaimer. Voodoo is one of the Dryden group of bars and I’m on friendly terms with the owner. I won’t intentionally let that dissuade me from giving my honest impressions of the bar, but I wanted to be upfront about that relationship. The owner is also the leader of the local business association and regularly interacts with city and barangay leadership on issues that impact the expat community. I don’t want to cause any trouble by inadvertently saying or showing things that may or may not comport with current restrictions and requirements. I tried to be discreet in my photography for that reason. With that said, here we go:
Instead of dancing on the stage, the gals sit around tables waiting for a customer to make their day by calling them down for a lady drink.
It is a very small bar, but not uncomfortable. People come here to enjoy the company of the dancers waitresses–no pool, no darts, just the ladies. Well, if you look closely at the photo above, there is a small curtained alcove in the back (you can see a young woman sitting there). I was told that it is a karaoke room. That sucks.
My crappy pic of the bar. Customers almost always sit at the tables to facilitate interaction with the staff. Just in case you forget where you are on one of those drunken nights…Ring the Bell and enjoy having your name emblazoned on the Wall of Fame for posterity.
The bell ring is one of the traditions of the girly bar genre. A bell ring costs 2900 pesos ($60.) at Voodoo and all the girls working get a lady drink. It is a quick way to popularity. It’s not my thing, but I’ve seen some guys, usually tourists, go nuts with the bell rings–in some cases spending over a thousand bucks. That’s why the bars need the tourist trade, us expats tend to be cheap bastards.
The Voodoo bell remained unrung during my visit. I was also the only customer at the time.
So, here’s the deal. The girly bar format is really not my thing. Even when the girls could dance around on the stage, it just wasn’t much of an attraction for me. So take what I say with a grain of salt, some guys love this type of bar. The girls in these places tend to be more aggressive than in “normal” bars, although last night I wasn’t pestered much for lady drinks. One gal joined me at my table uninvited when I first sat down, but after I told the waitress “no” when she asked if I was going to buy a lady drink, I wasn’t asked again. The girl stayed at my table anyway, and I did eventually buy her a drink.
The attractiveness of the staff covered the spectrum, but no one stood out enough for me to be tempted. Service was fine. Beers were 90 pesos at Happy Hour and then are 110 pesos normally. The lady drink was 185 pesos. Prices tend to be a bit higher in girly bars for what I presume is the overhead expenses of employing so many women.
My “it’s a nice bar, but not my thing” face.
So, a cozy bar to sit and watch or chat with the women. I kind of liked the ambiance of feeling close to everyone surrounding me, almost like being at a party. If I were into the girly bar scene I might prefer a small bar like this one. And since I was the only guy in the place, I’m pretty sure I was the most handsome man around. I didn’t specifically ask about “take out”, but I’m pretty sure the girls are free to leave with a customer if they desire to do so. Bringing people together is what this bar format is all about.
An unusual and interesting hike with the Friday group yesterday. For one thing, we had 17 hikers in attendance–that’s a record for our group. The other thing we did was rent one-way transport to Tibag, a trip that wound up taking about 45 minutes. Part of the problem was the road was in poor condition which made for slow going. We were also stopped at two different checkpoints along the way. Why they are still doing that at this stage (no new COVID cases in Zambales for weeks) is beyond me. They asked some questions of the Filipinos with us, checked some IDs, and eventually let us proceed to our destination. I’ve done some hiking in and around Tibag before and like the area, but this time we were going to walk from our drop-off point all the way to Subic town on a trail none of us had ever actually traveled. What could go wrong?
The road to Tibag ends at a newly opened landfill. The trail as we understood it started on the other side of the dump. We found a trail there and took it all the way up near the top of the mountain. And then the trail ended at a creek. Well, we ain’t much for backtracking and figured if we walked downstream we’d eventually find a trail, if not the trail. I hate hiking creekbeds, but at least this one didn’t have a bunch of large boulders to climb over. Water was flowing, but the rocks weren’t all that slippery. At first, we attempted to hop, skip, and jump over the water along the banks, but eventually, we gave up and just splashed our way downstream. After an hour or so of creek walking, we found ourselves back near where we had started. There were two paths to choose from and luckily a friendly farmer pointed us to the trail that led in the direction of Subic. Once on the proper trail, our march was almost pleasant, but it was still a long way to go and our detour had left us somewhat exhausted. But in the end, we reached our intended goal with no casualties.
Here are some photos from the adventure:
The way we rolled. That big loop on the right was our wrong turn.Getting 15 people in the back of that white van was an uncomfortable endeavor. Luckily for me, I was riding up front in the cab. And we are off!A trashy start to the hike…I suppose it is better to have all the litter gathered in one place than to be scattered around the countryside.I’m sure there must be worse jobs than this, but not many. Ah, the life of a trash collector “recycling engineer.”Leaving the garbage behind, we took a time-out for a group photo.Little did we know where our chosen path was leading us.People do live up here…Although it must be a real pain in the ass.Marching towards a dead end.Heading down to the creek...Hey, what happened to our trail?Kate doing her creekside rock dance.Are we having fun yet?There are a lot more options once you are resigned to having wet feet.Come on in, the water’s fine!That’s my sweetie Pearl behind her friend, Kathryn.Wet trail!My beer belly is ridiculous. I wonder what causes it?Almost back to where we started. Now to find the REAL trail.Watch your step going down, Scott…Now that’s my kinda girl, er, I mean trail.A mountain view.Time for a headcount. Everyone is here except the old slow fuckers.Aren’t they lovely? The flowers I mean…Onward!I’ve seen worse…Now we are getting somewhere.Subic lies on the far side of this harvested rice paddy…Getting there.Almost to our destination.On the other side of this bridge is Subic town and our transportation back to Barretto. That’s Pearl walking behind me. She has a fear of heights and held onto my hand as we crossed. Isn’t that sweet?Arriving at the Jeepney stand at Waltermart. It was already 1:30 (we started at 0900) and I was bushed, so took a trike home as soon as we hit pavement.
Although the hike didn’t go as planned, it was good to be out and seeing some new scenery. I rather enjoyed it. My day was far from over though, I still had a dart tournament to compete in.
I went undefeated through the winner’s bracket. Billy came back up through the loser’s bracket to face me in the finals. As is my custom, I offered a tie and split of 1st and 2nd place money. Billy accepted my offer and we both went home winners.
After darts, I went to visit Pearl at her food stand. Had some sweet and sour chicken for dinner there. Pearl sat with me and we had a nice long chat. Interesting gal and nothing like I’m used to. I told her that I’d be taking things slowly with her, but I’m definitely ready to try one more time. It should be interesting.
I would have given you all of my heart
But there's someone who's torn it apart
And she's taken just all that I had
But if you want, I'll try to love again
Baby, I'll try to love again but I know
The first cut is the deepest
Baby, I know, the first cut is the deepest
When it come to being lucky, she's cursed
When it come to loving me, she's worst
Well, I'm a-running down the road
Tryin' to loosen my load
I've got seven women on my mind
Four that wanna own me
Two that wanna stone me
One says she's a friend of mine
Another day in the life yesterday, with a couple of unusual twists and turns. Here’s the recap:
I visited my dentist, Dr. Barrera, to see if he could re-insert my crown. We both had our doubts, but he did his magic with the glue and the crown is back where it belongs. For now anyway. He said it is likely that I’ll need to construct a new crown if and when this one falls off again. He also told me I’m long overdue for a cleaning. He might be right, I don’t think I’ve had one since moving here.
After the dentist, I crossed the highway in search of a salon that could give me a foot spa and pedicure. Found one, and was serviced by an obese woman who was as unfriendly as she was fat. Oh well, I got what I needed even if it wasn’t a pleasant experience.
My plan was to do a bar review of Voodoo, but since it was only 4:30 I figured I’d kill a little time right around the corner at It Doesn’t Matter. While enjoying my first beer of the day in the friendly company of Roan, I checked my phone and saw a post indicating it was P’s birthday. She’s the cutie I met on a Wednesday walk and wrote about most recently here. The birthday was being celebrated at a food stand she recently opened (yeah, the irony, I know) up the highway a kilometer or so. It seemed weird to go without a gift, so I finished my beer and crossed the street to the 7/11. I didn’t want to buy cheap convenience store chocolate but I recalled the ease of gift-giving in my Korean days.
This is the closest I could find to the traditional “white envelope”.for monetary gift-giving.
So, I put a 1000 peso note inside, wrote a birthday greeting on outside, and headed for her as yet unnamed food place. She seemed genuinely happy to see me and was touched by mygift. She lived in Japan for a number of years and I asked if the gift envelope was also done there. She said “sometimes”. Anyway, it is the thought that counts.
Happy 28th, P!
I stayed long enough for a couple of beers and some chicken fingers. We talked some and she pretty much told me straight out that she was interested in giving me a try. Wow, wasn’t really expecting that. I went as far as inviting her to hike with me on Sunday and she agreed, provided I cook for her afterward. So, I think we have a deal. She also surprised me by showing up for today’s group hike even though she had planned to work. It seems she is serious. I might be too because those old feelings of fear are returning. Stay tuned.
So, it seems that the Gods might be calling my bluff about wanting a woman to love. Do I have seven on my mind yet? Let’s see:
P
Joy (the 23-year-old)
Reggie (the 43-year-old)
Maricel (a girl I haven’t met yet, but am supposed to meet for lunch tomorrow)
Roan (the sweet IDM waitress)
MJ (my massuse)
Alma (the Muslim girl from Cheap Charlies)
Well, if I’m fit to be tied to one gal, P feels like the best fit so far. I’m just going to take things slowly and try to get it right this time. Whatever right is.
Well, I'm running down the road
Trying to loosen my load
Gota world of trouble on my mind
Lookin' for a lover
Who won't blow my cover
She's so hard to find
Take it easy, take it easy
Don't let the sound of your own wheels make you crazy
Come on, baby
Don't say "Maybe"
I gotta know
If your sweet love
Is gonna save me
Rock Lobster is the stand-alone bar at Mango’s. Not to be confused with the beach bar/resto that I usually frequent.
Although I’m in Mango’s a couple of times a week, it’s been well over a year since I last visited Rock Lobster. Nothing wrong with the inside bar, I just prefer sitting beachside.
It features a nice pool table, but no darts. They do a weekly pool tournament. The only other customer last night was playing with one of the bargirls. To be clear, he was playing POOL.They also have a quiz night if that’s your kind of thing.It’s a spacious bar, with several of these cable spools converted into tables.It is also very well appointed. I liked the convenience of the urinal behind that swinging door…The actual bar itself was fully occupied by bored bargirls…But Marj and I kept one another entertained.
Actually, Marj knew me from the time she used to work at It Doesn’t Matter. My Biden-like brain didn’t really remember her though. She was also quite sweet and I enjoyed chatting with her. Only 20-years-old which surprised me. Smart and savvy, too. No kids and no intentions of ever being an unwed mother (that is something quite rare in this country). I teasingly asked if she wanted to come home with me on a barfine (paying the girl so she can leave work early) and she laughed and said no. She told me some girls do, but she is just here to waitress.
A nice and comfortable bar and a good place to hang out. Except the WiFi sucks. I do not understand how any hospitality business can not have good internet service this far into the twenty-first century. For some reason, even my data would not connect inside the bar (the WiFi in Mango’s beachside bar is also no good, but outdoors my data connects with no problem). Marj wanted to become FB friends but alas, we weren’t able to make a connection. Story of my life.
Otherwise, nothing bad to say about Rock Lobster. I still prefer beachside at Mango’s though.
Something a little different for the Wednesday Walkers yesterday. Took a Jeepney out to the Kalaklan area of Olongapo, then climbed some stairs, well, lots of stairs, and wound up leaving the land of the living. Heh, all in a day’s hike. Let’s get to the photos:
It was not a really long trail, with only one big climb up to the ridge. But I hadn’t been in such a dead zone since 2018.Riding the Jeepney. Not very comfortable and I don’t even let myself think (much) about how unsafe it is…Let the climb to Kalaklan ridge begin…Taking it one stairstep at a time…On and on it goes…People do live up here and making this climb is just another part of what appears to be a hard life.Have a cookie and hang in there, kid.It wasn’t the stairway to heaven.But it did lead us to the graveyard.The view is so nice people are dying to get in here.I see dead people.Leaving the graveyard behind us at last…Shyrel was pooped out after the climb…On the ridgeline road.Looking back down on Olongapo City.Keep on truckin’!Troy waiting for the slowpokes to catch up…Here comes one now. Sorry for the trashy environment. I guess when you are poor disposing of your garbage properly isn’t as high a priority as feeding your kids. I don’t like the litter, but I try not to judge.Crossing the creek. This is where the locals bathe and do laundry.That’s more like it.Time to head back down.The crossover.Friendly locals.Almost down.Back on the flat ground of Barretto.And safely ensconced in Dynamite Dick’s.
I couldn’t stay long at Dick’s because I had a dart league match to attend.
My teammates Kevin and Mark. Collectively, we beat our opponent from Adam’s bar 11-2. I’d deem that a successful afternoon of darts.
After the match at our home bar, Lagoon, I stayed on in Baloy for a while. A couple of beers at Johan’s and dinner at Da’ Kudos. I went home early feeling no pain. I guess that’s gonna be the way of Wednesdays for the foreseeable future.
One of the Angeles Hashers posted a graphic from his fitness app showing that he has averaged over 5K daily for the past year. He said he doubted anyone could top that. I said hold my beer:
I’m up over 11K on average per day. I’m not bragging though, that is well short of my daily goal. I actually measure my walks in steps, with a target of 20K a day. I’m averaging just shy of 17,000 for the past year.
Still, maybe I need to get a life. Or a girlfriend.
I am happy to report that everyone survived yesterday’s Hash. No one was injured or irretrievably lost. That’s always been my goal as a Hare. As expected, the feedback from many of the Hashers was they were surprised the trail was so difficult with a couple of notorious shortcutters serving as Hares. Mission accomplished in that regard as well!
Having marked the trail on Sunday, all that was left for us to do yesterday was to give the last-minute instructions to the Hashers and send them on their way, then wait for their return. Pubic Head (Scott) and I hung out at the Hideaway bar for a couple of beers to kill the time. The place was almost full on an early Monday afternoon. Griff, the new owner, even bought us a beer, which was nice. Scott (a Navy vet) told me a little of the history of the bar and I was surprised to learn it existed back in the old days when the Navy was here, albeit with several different names/owners over the years. Anyway, it was a nice way to spend an hour. I’ll factor this recent experience into my bar rankings next time I update.
Our On-Home was at Blue Butterfly. When we arrived some Hashers were already there, although none of them had done the whole trail. Leech My Nuggets was the first runner to complete the entire course, which is not unusual. It wasn’t a long trail (just under 6K) but those two big climbs took some time. The last person back was in at around the two-hour mark.
I also had a fine time at Blue Butterfly. The gals were all looking good, and I latched on to Joean (her spelling, not mine) who was friendly and sweet and who kept my beer bottles full. I’m going to maybe have to start visiting BB more often.
Here are some more pictures from the trail and On-Home:
Best trail ever! Well, this week anyway.The first mark is done.My fellow Hares, Pubic Head and Blow My Pipe, are NOT rummaging through roadside trash…they are drawing an arrow…Working it! I was the paper boy.Marking some barbed wire with toilet tissue to make it more visible…Pubic Head taking a breather after the second climb…Some last-minute guidance before sending them out on trail.And they’re off!Leech My Nuggets is one of the few Hashers in our kennel who actually runs the trail…Lovely Filipinas in the wild.What goes up must come down.So sweet. That’s Rona upfront in the white t-shirt. She was a Hash virgin yesterday, but I took part in the defloration ritual. She’s a real cutie, that’s for sure.Hash maniacs. Leech My Nuggets, Bum Burgler, Blow My Pipe, and Vienna Sausage.Well, our large gathering in the outdoor area of Blue Butterfly attracted the attention of the city health authorities. I’m not sure what they told the owner, but she moved us all inside. Typical non-sense, it was safer for everyone outdoors, but I guess the appearance is the main thing.During the Hash circle all the waitresses were given a drink…provided they took a seat on the ice! Another Hash birthday cake.
Anyway, it was a good Hash day. Started drinking early though and after the Hash had a couple of more at It Doesn’t Matter. Then on the way home had the trike driver take me to Jollibee for a burger and a sundae. Fuck the diet!
I stole this quote from the internet.But this one works too!
Yep, I lost my crown. Technically it’s not lost, I have it in a plastic baggie. I’ll see if my dentist can reinsert it in my tooth, but I’m not hopeful. Probably will have to have the tooth pulled and create yet another hole in my head. Ah, the joys of aging.
Speaking of aging, my Palm Tree post this morning was the four thousandth time I’ve written something on the blog since LTG was created nearly seventeen years ago. How many of those were worth reading is an entirely different matter.
I had a little trouble on Quora this morning. Several months ago I answered the question: “Am I lucky living in the Philippines?” I gave a positive response because I do feel lucky to live here. It’s gotten a lot more views than it warrants, but over 1,600 people have given it an upvote. I’ve also gotten quite a few comments, the vast majority being positive. Anyway, yesterday some dickhead took me to task for being a privileged white American living among the poverty-stricken Filipino people who are still suffering from past American and Spanish colonialism. On and on about how oppressed the people here are and implying I’m contributing to their misery. He then took me to task for asking and answering my own question. Well, that’s not how Quora works–someone else asked and I answered. Anyway, this is how I responded:
Sorry for you and your comprehension issues. I don’t think there are any meds for that. You see, I didn’t POSE the question, I answered it. That’s the way Quora works. Good luck to you, though. I know you must be a happy guy—ignorance being bliss and all.
Well, I was very surprised when Quora deleted my comment as a violation of their rules. It was mild compared to what the loser had said about me. I appealed the ruling and before long I got a message that my comment had been restored. Then an hour later, it was deleted again. I told them to make up their mind one way or the other. Then the dickhead got the final word by leaving this gem:
Glad you deleted your comment. Your insults aren’t clever nor offensive just shows what you’re insecure about. You use a photo from maybe 50 years ago and spend most your time online because you don’t get enough attention in the real world. You moved to the Philippines because you were poor in America even with your government pension. You are just like every other loser from America that comes here because the 100s of years of colonization has brainwashed Filipinos into thinking anyone white is special, but you are not. Go back to America and you will find out in 1 day you are not special. You are a loser. You need to know at least that all the Filipinos that are nice to you, only care about your money nothing else. They gossip and talk shit on you behind your back. If you knew anything about the culture you would know that.
Maybe he’s right. Racist pricks sometimes are. Just like a stopped clock. Oh well, that’s the internet for you.
Moving on to happier topics about my life here in the Philippines. Like beer drinking for example. After I left Palm Tree last night I went next door to Mango’s. Took up my regular seat on the patio, started downing San Miguel Zero beers, and watched people on the crowded beach enjoying the late Sunday afternoon.
And I always enjoy watching the sunset.
Once the sun went down there was nothing left to see so I decided to move on. Wasn’t sure where to go next, but once I was out on the highway I decided It Doesn’t Matter. So that’s where I went. Had a nice chat with owner Cliff and of course Roan joined me so she could enjoy my wit and witticisms the commissions from the lady drinks I purchased. She asked me what I planned to do for dinner and I said I hadn’t made up my mind yet. She pointed at the Daily Special sign featuring chicken parmigiana with pasta for only 280 pesos. I told Roan I wasn’t big on pasta, then I saw the hunger in her eyes and asked if she wanted to share one with me. I got an “I thought you’d never ask” look and the order was placed.
It’s the first time I’ve eaten at It Doesn’t Matter. The meal was surprisingly tasty. I ate half the chicken breast and Roan devoured the rest. Win-Win!
Home early and up early again this morning. Walked the dogs, then walked myself to Baloy Beach.
Sun of a beach.
Hash is coming up, but I did the trail work yesterday. Will help send the group on their way from VFW and then will meet them later at the Blue Butterfly On-Home.
Glad I don’t have to climb that hill again this afternoon.We worked hard to leave our Hashers a well-marked trail.I’ll post about the feedback on our trail tomorrow.
I’m one of the Hare’s for tomorrow’s Hash, so I was out with Scott and Jim this morning, marking our trail with powder, paper, and chalk. Naturally, we had a rain shower this afternoon, so hopefully, there is still a trail to follow. Folks are going to be surprised, I think. Two challenging and steep climbs are in store for my fellow Hashers. What were us old farts thinking? I’ll post up some photos tomorrow.
After the work was done, we went to Sit-n-Bull for some lunch. All I can say is that we are never going to eat there again. In that location, I mean. They are closing up at Del Pilar street and moving up on the highway where the old Lollipop bar was located. The menu and current staff are moving too, so it will be more of the same, just in a better venue. Well, I actually liked the old place but owner Ron feels being on the main road across the street from two major hotels will be a boon for business. Looking forward to giving it a try in the new venue.
See you gals at the grand reopening in a week or so.My last daily special for a while.I honestly can’t remember the last time I had roast beef. Damn, it was delicious!
That’s my Sunday so far. I’m thinking I’ll do another bar visit this evening. It’s a good excuse to go out and drink some beers. I know my readers are looking forward to the next installment and I don’t want to let you down.
I’ll be back tomorrow. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with a little poem:
Now while my lips are living
Their words must stay unsaid,
And will my soul remember
To speak when I am dead?
Yet if my soul remembered
You would not heed it, dear
For now you must not listen,
And then you could not hear.
--Sara Teasdale
About midway on the National Highway is Annex Bar.
Yesterday was my first visit to this iteration of Annex. It was previously known as Sit-n-Bull Annex prior to being sold last year. I was a very infrequent visitor before the sale as well.
One of the attractions for me previously was an outdoor table. I had planned to review Annex on Thursday but there was construction taking place at the entrance. They installed these nice new doors, but alas, the outside seating has been eliminated.I did arrive during the afternoon Happy Hour and a 55 peso beer is quite the bargain these days.
So, I stepped inside to see what there was to see. Not a lot as it turns out. The smallest bar I’ve reviewed thus far. No pool, no darts. A bar with several stools and two tables. That’s it. I took a seat midway on the empty bar.
Looking to my left……and to my right. I did note that even though the outside table is no more, the view from inside is just about as good.The walls were decorated in old-style memorabilia which is interesting enough to look at.
So, first impressions of this new (to me) bar. It’s small but cozy. It was comfortable enough and offered up most of what I want in a bar, primarily cold beer and a pleasant atmosphere. During my visit, there were two bartenders. I assume they would accept a lady drink, but this is one of the few places in town where it doesn’t appear that staff is hired to entertain customers. Nothing wrong with that. On the other hand, I didn’t find the bartenders particularly friendly or welcoming. They took my order, served my beer, and ignored me while carrying on a conversation with each other in Tagalog. Maybe I’m spoiled, but most bar staff will at least ask you your name. I did note that when the other two customers departed, the girls thanked them by name. I guess I just haven’t achieved “regular” status so as to warrant time and attention.
I also thought it was interesting that smoking was allowed inside. Now, that doesn’t bother me but I know lots of folks who are very much opposed to secondhand smoke exposure. Hell, there are people who don’t like secondhand water vapor which is why I started gravitating to outside bars. Of course, I gave up vaping a month ago so it doesn’t matter to me now either way.
Anyway, nothing much else stands out about Annex. The bartenders were attractive but I felt invisible to them. It was a very small bar, but nicely decorated and comfortable. It would probably be better to come with a friend or two to keep you company though. The bottom line for me: I liked it okay but found no compelling reason to make it a regular stop, even though I pass by frequently on my way to other places.
An interesting night of darts yesterday, all the more so because we played a singles tournament and all the matches were competitive. Oh yeah, I went undefeated which is always special. I like playing the Tuesday and Friday tourneys because the format includes cricket–my favorite dart game. What I like about cricket is that it is more strategic than other games, like 501. Playing a smart game of cricket can result in victory even if your opponent is throwing better than you. Way back in 2012 I wrote about this phenomenon in a post called “Pointing is Cricket”. The pointing strategies I outlined there came into play last night and ultimately led to my victory.
A brief recap: I was playing against Billy, always a tough competitor. It was the third and deciding leg of our match. Billy had all her numbers closed and was up on points. All she needed was three bulls to win. I still had my 15s open, but since I was behind on points, I needed to score some bullseyes to get ahead. Now, rather than close her bulls, Billy kept throwing for more points at my open 15. I’m not sure what triggered it, but all of the sudden I was hitting bulls like crazy. I hit 4 bulls on one throw, good for 100 points, which closed the point deficit Billy had created. Even when Billy just needed one more bull to win, she kept throwing at the 15. She’d hit a triple 15 for 45 points, I’d answer with a double bull for 50. This went on and on until finally she missed and I didn’t. A bull for points and then I closed the 15 for the victory. I was shaking my head at the outcome and afterward asked Billy why she didn’t close her bulls? She responded, “I wasn’t feeling it.” What? You know you can’t win until you do. A blank stare was her response. Oh well, worked out fine for me.
I beat Gerlie earlier, and she came up through the loser’s bracket to face me in the finals. As is my custom, I offered her the option of splitting first and second place money 50-50 and calling it a tie. She gladly accepted.
I had a good morning as well. The usual leaders of the Friday hike were absent, so it fell upon me to pick the trail. I opted to do an end-to-end trek on My Bitch, then come down into the valley, and walking back to Barretto from there. Made for a nice 8K hike. Here are some photos from the journey:
The route we walked.It’s always exciting to have someone new join the group, especially a hottie like Rona (in the black pants). She gave precisely zero indication that the feeling was mutual, however.A group shot as we begin our climb.Up we go!Leaving the uncivilized world behind us…This was Betty’s last hike with the group before returning home to Belgium. You’ll be missed!The biggest challenge on trail was navigating through the thatch grass…Barretto and the bay.High grass.I wouldn’t want to buy the lot of them, but there’s at least one I like…Dan in the grass…Grass without Dan.A rest stop with Olivia and her mountain family.Always nice to see them.Back in the woods.Not as fun walking through this shit as it looks…Watch your step!Remnants from the Hash trail two weeks ago (the part my group shortcutted).A valley view.Down in the valley. Yep, that’s Easter mountain in the background.A valley carabao guarding the path.Preparing the field for planting.That ass.A couple of us joined Betty at Harley’s for some farewell beers.I had a chef salad for lunch.
You can Relive the hike here:
I forgot to turn on my tracker until we were a kilometer or so into the hike…This was a beery good post!
That’s all for today’s installment. Thanks for dropping in!
If it is really true that it is better to give than receive, I had a pretty good day yesterday.
I started with breakfast at Arizona. On the way, I successfully withdrew some pesos from the only BPI ATM in town. Turns out I was going to need them.
The view from my breakfast table.
It has been quite some time since I’ve had a meal at Arizona. It’s a long way from home with lots of other options in between. I ordered a sausage and egg muffin. My date ordered lasagna. It took 45 minutes and we were the only customers. I asked my waitress what was going on and she just shrugged and said something about “chef issues”. Oh well. As I said, I have many other dining options for the future.
At least my date was easy on the eyes.
She was the reason I was there. Turns out yesterday was her brother’s birthday and she needed money for a cake. Since she lives nearby Arizona, I suggested we meet there. She was late, but not as late as the food. After we ate, I gave her 1000 pesos and wished her well.
While waiting for breakfast I received a frantic message from Maris at the Kitchenette. First time I’ve heard from her in a couple of weeks. She was in distress because the canteen was out of food stock and she had no money to buy more. She says she wants to stay open until she can find someone to take it over. I told her I’d stop by later after breakfast. Maris was alone when I arrived. I told her if she sold out of food and had no money to replace it, her prices were obviously too low. She started crying. I gave her 10,000 pesos and left. I don’t need that drama in my life. I gave her the opportunity, what she does with it is up to her. So far, I’m not impressed.
There was some good news when I got back home. My friend Bhel was finally being released from the hospital after an eight-day confinement. Seven of which were apparently unnecessary–she had the surgery the previous day.
The nightmare is finally over.
Of course, she couldn’t actually leave the hospital until her account had been settled. That’s where I come in. Now, when I had first volunteered to provide the financial means for this surgery (and I did volunteer, she didn’t ask) it was supposed to be an in and out procedure, with at most an overnight stay. I committed to 35,000 pesos ($700.) provided I could pay via credit card. Things changed, and instead of the private hospital and doctor, she wound up at Gordon hospital in Olongapo, which is known as “the place where people go to die” in the expat community. Her stories of seeming incompetence and uncaring attitudes from the staff were frankly shocking. I figured they were unnecessarily extending her stay just to run up the bill. I was almost afraid to ask how much she needed to buy her freedom. She sent me the bill and I was pleasantly surprised to discover you can be tortured for eight days for just under 30,000 pesos. Since Gordon doesn’t accept credit card payments, I wired the money via Western Union, and her freedom was secured. I had given 10,000 when she checked in for meds and tests, so all in was close to what I had originally agreed to fund. Here’s to wishing Bhel a full and complete recovery.
Jane needed parts for her motor scooter and food for her kids and pleaded with me to let her give me a massage. I guess I was in a giving mood, so she came over and rubbed me the right way. She’s actually a nice woman and doesn’t go overboard with her requests, so I don’t really mind helping her out occasionally. She left my house with 3500 pesos and a bag of cookies.
I had planned to do another bar review yesterday evening, but when I walked by, that bar was under renovation. I’ll try again tomorrow. Since I was in the neighborhood, I popped into It Doesn’t Matter. Had some beers and bought some lady drink beers (3 at 200 pesos each) for my bar sweetheart, Roan. I also gave her a 100 peso tip when I left.
It was still a little before 8:00 and I wasn’t sure what to do next. I hadn’t had dinner but I also wasn’t feeling hungry. I thought about just taking a trike back home, but then decided I’d have another beer at Barcelona. It’s been ages since I’ve been there. I was surprised when the door girl greeted me by name. Remembering names seems to be a special talent for Filipinas in the service industry. It always makes me feel welcome even though I have no clue who it is that is speaking to me. I had a couple more beers and for some reason, I was in a shitty mood at the end of my long day. I even felt compelled to take a selfie to document those feelings:
If I look old and tired it’s only because I am.
Oh well, today’s another day. Led the group hike this morning and I’ll post about that tomorrow. I’ve got the Friday darts tourney at Alley Cats on tap a bit later. Hmm, might need to hit that ATM again too.
At least I’m not shitting my pants when I fart. Much.
I’m not sure this is correct, but I guess it illustrates how a comma can make a difference.
Don’t worry, we aren’t going far, seems like only yesterday. Oh wait, it was only yesterday. Let’s start at the end and go from there.
It was Wingsday so I had me some from the pub. Brought them home to eat as usual.
Leftovers. Or should I say, the remains of the day?
Prior to The Pub, I visited Adam’s Sports Bar for the first time in quite a while. My purpose in doing so was to knock out another bar review, but I wound up having a pretty good time while I was there. You can see my review in the post previous to this one.
My afternoon was spent at Alley Cats where I played dart league with my teammates from Lagoon. The ‘cats are a strong team, in fact, they were undefeated coming into yesterday’s match. I had very little expectation that we would actually win so my attitude was let’s just have a good time, chuck some darts, and drink some drinks. Speaking of drinks, I’m cutting back on beer in an effort to trim away some of my big ol’ belly. I’m drinking gin and soda instead because it’s lower in carbs and calories. It is also higher in alcohol, so I was buzzing more than usual. I was engaging in friendly banter with our opponents and I guess I pissed off their captain who admonished me to throw more and talk less. I guess (s)he (yeah, it was Billy) wasn’t happy that we were winning the match. When it was all said and done, Lagoon came out on top 8-5. I bought Billy a beer as a conciliatory gesture and (s)he accepted, so it’s all good.
Getting to the match on time proved to be more challenging than I expected. Well, when I heard the Wednesday Walkers were hiking to Tralala I knew it was going to be tough. In fact, I considered bailing out, but damn, I didn’t want to miss out on the annual trek to the mountaintop. It took us until 11:00 to reach the summit, darts started at 2:00, and we were a long way from Barretto. Jim graciously agreed to lead me back down and estimated we’d be off the mountain by noon. We left the rest of the group behind and I hoofed it as fast as these tired old legs of mine can move, but my actual arrival on the pavement in Barretto was 12:20 I immediately caught a trike for home which was on the opposite side of town. Hit the shower, changed clothes, and hoofed it back to Alley Cats with enough time to get some warm-up throws in.
And that leaves the hike to Tralala itself. The starting point is in the Gordon Heights part of Olongapo. We hired a van-like vehicle to take us there, a 30-minute ride. Then we did the long climb up to the top, consisting of seemingly endless steps, and then a winding upward path to the small village. We don’t do this hike very often because it’s challenging for us old folks, but I really enjoy the unique views and scenery along the way. Once a year is just about right. Surprisingly, this time the hike up didn’t totally kick my ass. Hard, but not exhausting like it was in the past. Felt good about that. I wish I didn’t have to be in such a rush to get back to Barretto.
Here are some photos from the hike:
Our path. My Fitbit says I did 187 floors yesterday.In the van…more comfy than a Jeepney at least.Our group of climbers (minus Scott who took the photo). We had two new guys along. Not sure if they’ll be back for more. I told them it was the hardest trail of the year, we are usually more sane. We’ll see.Let the climbing begin...Still a LONG way to go…Cookie time!Just take one step at a time and don’t look up…Yeah, that’s why I warned you…Catching our wind at the end of the stairs.Getting closer.A handsome goat.This cracked me up. “Let’s go, Brandon!”Yeah, people actually live up here. I can’t imagine making this trek as a normal daily thing, let alone hauling up groceries and supplies.These kind folks offered coffee as we passed by. No thanks, but have some cookies with yours!The old Tralala school house. Objective achieved!Damn it, Kate (on the right), stop being so cute! (she has a boyfriend, although he didn’t join us for this hike).These kids seemed really excited to see us…And that was before they got the cookies…A view from the top…And another.We came. We saw. We conquered!Filipinas in the wild…I gotta go to darts, let’s roll!Damn thatch grass was out of control along the ridgeline.Heading home.This house is about halfway back to Barretto–literally in the middle of nowhere. Very nice house though, but who could live there?The view can’t be beat though…My destination awaits.Hope you enjoyed this timeless post.
As days go, this was a good one. Thanks for taking a step back in time to enjoy it with me.
One of the newer drinking establishments in town, Adam’s identifies as a sports bar. Who am I to argue?
I visited Adam’s several times when it had first opened. It always seemed blah to me somehow–nothing wrong but also no real reason to put it into my rotation. Last night was the first time I’d been back in several months and it really did have a whole new vibe going on. I actually enjoyed myself. Granted, I had been drinking all afternoon at dart league, but that doesn’t really matter since that kind of thing is what bars are for.
Adam’s is one of the several “upstairs” bars in town, and the first one I’ve reviewed. I don’t have any issue with climbing a flight of stairs to get to my beer so it won’t impact their ranking.Since my last visit, the actual bar has been moved from the back to a side wall. I hadn’t noticed that when I first arrived…...so I wound up sitting where the old bar used to be. I’m told they are in the process of putting a kitchen in here.
There were a dozen or so mostly attractive waitresses. Not pushy for drinks at all, which I always appreciate. One of the waitresses knew me from when she used to work at Queen Victoria, an event I had no recollection of. I bought her a drink anyway.
Adams participates in the dart league and their match was still going on when I arrived. This dartboard setup is also new since my last visit. It appears very well done.I’m not sure about this seating arrangement, however. I think it would just be a matter of time (and a number of beers) before I tripped coming down off that stage.
My waitress friend asked me if I played pool and I was just inebriated enough to claim that I did. And for some reason I let myself get sucked into playing doubles against two other bar girls. They just happened to be excellent pool players and promptly kicked our ass. After that shellacking, I felt obligated to buy the winners a drink.
It’s a nice setup for pool though, although it is unlikely I’ll be humiliating myself by playing again any time soon.
So, I have to admit Adam’s turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I actually knew several expats in the bar and it was a pretty good time hanging out there. I’ll definitely be visiting more often in the future. Adam’s places higher in the rankings than I anticipated it would.
When I’m posting this early in the day it means there isn’t likely to be any other time to do so later. I don’t like being in that situation, but since joining the dart league my Wednesday afternoon is committed. My mornings belong to the Wednesday Walkers group. I’m really going to be in a crunch today because the Walkers are going to tackle the climb to Tralala. That’s the highest point on the Kalaklan ridge and it’s brutal. I’ve written about it here and here. It’s funny, in revisiting those posts I always claim “I’ll never do that again!”. And yet, here I am almost looking forward to the challenge. One of the reasons is enjoying views like this:
That was from last year’s Tralala expedition.
We’ll catch a ride out to Gordon Heights in Olongapo and begin our climb to the top from there. Assuming I survive that, we’ll march back along the ridgeline then down into Barretto. It’s around 12K all-in.
That’s how it’s done.
I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.
A full plate yesterday as well.
Including a Salisbury steak lunch at Sit-n-Bull. (sorry for the blurry photo)And a roast chicken salad for dinner at Mango’s.
Between lunch and dinner, I played some darts Alley Cats.
I went undefeated in the winner’s bracket, then offered my opponent in the finals the chance to call it a tie and split the money 50-50. She* agreed.
My friend, Bhel, finally had the surgery I had previously agreed to pay for. What was supposed to be a simple procedure, in and out with maybe an overnight stay in the hospital, has proven to be something else altogether. She spent six days hospitalized waiting for the surgery to be performed in what appears to me to be a fiasco of incompetence. It’s a “public” hospital and apparently, the care and well-being of patients is a low priority in such institutions. Not sure how much longer they will hold her post-surgery. It’s been a nightmare for her and I’m not sure what amount I’m going to be on the hook for, certainly much, much more than what I expected it was going to be paying.
Oh well. If it makes a positive difference in her life it will be worth it.
Let’s just hope it goes better than my previous efforts at generosity have turned out.
Caring is sharing is a popular sentiment in these parts.
I got a smile from this:
It seems my love life will remain stationary.
No rest for the weary–give this a watch (less than a minute long):
Another wake-up call.
Alright, that’s enough for now. I’ll be back with a report on today’s hike, tomorrow.
*Billy, as you might have guessed, identifies as a male. But I see him/her as a biological female, and can’t seem to do the male pronouns. Not out of spite or any negative feelings about her sexual orientation. I guess I’m just old-fashioned. She’s never made an issue of it with me. I noticed the Filipinas do call her “kuya” (brother). Anyway, I consider Billy a friend that I respect and mean no offense by my choice of words.
A good Hash yesterday. Almost pleasant, in fact. The Hare, Leech My Nuggets, is known for his difficult trails, but this was easy enough to seem almost out of character for him. Sure, it had several hill climbs, but nothing long, steep, and hard. Of course, our “sane” group did some modifications, including eliminating one of the bigger climbs. But despite being notorious short cutters, we actually added distance to the Hare’s route by walking the 2K from Alta Vista to the trailhead.
Lots of photos to share. I’m even featured in quite a few of them as the other Hashers did a lot of the photography. So, let’s get to it:
The green line shows our modifications to the Hare’s original trail. We did longer but flatter.Heading out from Alta Vista.The official starting point for run #1470 of the SBH3. The “sane” Hashers (L-R) Cum Together, Captain Prickhard, Cum In My Basement, Black And Dick Her, and Tinkerbell.Pubic Head took the photo.Let’s do this bitch!Climbing Black Rock is in our near future.That really gets my goat!A smaller climb before we get to Black Rock.Cookies for kiddies.Things are looking up.What goes up must come down…Right, Pubic Head?Made it!Reading Hash Trail Marks 101: A short line next to a long line indicates which direction to turn. In this case, left. The number indicates the Hash week–sometimes trails overlap from week to week. We’ve had folks follow the old trail on occasion. Leech My Nuggets is probably the best Hare I’ve seen for clearly marking his trails…Time for the big climb of the day to Black Rock.Almost there.The summit is achieved.What a beauty!Keeping things in perspective.Nice to see you again, Easter Mountain.No, I’m not tired. Why do you ask?Take a deep breath, Pubic Head…Comin’ down the mountain.Well, the chalk is pointing in this direction… (it wasn’t)If you can’t walk on water or fly, you’re gonna get your shoes wet sometimes…The other end of Black Rock…we avoided this climb.And climbed this instead.Almost done.Excuse us, just passing through…Folks we encountered were so friendly. A harsh life doesn’t mean you can’t be happy.The final down……before arriving at our On Home venue of Smoke and Bottles.I really enjoy this open-air atmosphere here.Circle Up!Leaking Willy celebrates his 69th run with the Subic Bay Hash. His gal, Dripping Pussy, is there to assist.
And so concluded another Hash Monday. It’s good to be alive!
Mostly because I ain’t done nothin’. But here goes anyway.
That’s big numbers for my humble diary-like blog. Thanks for reading!
With a loyal readership comes the sense of obligation to actually post something here every day, even when there is nothing to say. Well, I did post the It Doesn’t Matter bar review earlier, but I don’t consider those to be a replacement for my usual daily dose of drivel. Heh, maybe I should. That’s the problem with Hash Monday. Nothing has happened yet today, and I didn’t do much yesterday, so that leads to shit posts like this.
After I left It Doesn’t Matter, I crossed the highway and went upstairs to Cheap Charlies. My usual crew was naturally happy to see me. And my wallet of course. But you know, I’m not gonna lie and say I don’t enjoy the attention. Especially from Alma. I’ve been knowing her pretty much since I started visiting this bar. She’s not the youngest or the most attractive woman at CC, but she does seem to genuinely like me. She’s in her early 30s and a little chubbier than I normally go for, but I still find her quite sexy in a “girl next door” kind of way. And when she rests her head on my shoulder while she is rubbing my back I can’t help but think this would be nice to come home to every night. Yeah, yeah, I know. But it’s a sweet fantasy anyway.
One interesting fact about Alma is that she is a Muslim. She doesn’t dress in the traditional manner, but she is true to the faith in other ways, like no pork and no alcohol. I semi-jokingly asked her last night if she were permitted to have a non-Muslim boyfriend and she insisted that would not be a problem. I had a friend who married a Muslim gal from Indonesia and he actually had to convert (or at least pretend he did) in order to make her his wife. Of course, I’m not a religious man and don’t abide by the tenants tenets of any faith, but I also wouldn’t convert from my agnostic lifestyle either, even for the sake of love.
That’s what I always circle back to–love is pretty to think about but the reality probably just isn’t worth it. It will take a pretty special woman to change my mind about that and she’s going to have find me–I ain’t looking. Much.
I had me some chicken fingers and wingers from the restaurant downstairs. Ordered the girls some pancit which they seemed to enjoy.
Sorry, the pancit was gone faster than I could open up my camera app.
Another early night for me, home before 8:00. The 23-year-old asked me to send her a pic before I went to bed. This is what she got:
I was a few beers to the wind I suppose.
And that’s more than enough for now. Should have some Hash pictures to brighten your day tomorrow.
“John, where do you like to hang out in Barretto?” Me: It Doesn’t Matter. “Well, fuck you then if you don’t want to tell me!”
This is a relatively new bar in town, less than a year old. In its previous iteration it was named T-Rose and from what I’ve been told was a pretty raunchy girly bar. No more, this is a straight-up neighborhood pub-style place now. The two owners, an Aussie and a Yank, are long-term local expats and I’d say a majority of the customers are their personal friends. One or both are always on hand to greet and welcome you to their bar, and there is just a comfortable “at home” vibe when you are their guest.
I don’t spend much time inside the bar, but it has been remodeled and redecorated. Features two pool tables now and comfortable couch-like seating around the walls…Sorry, hon. Not my type.They also have a team in the dart league.This is my preferred seating area–outside where I can watch life slowly passing me by as I sip my beer.Cliff, the Aussie owner, and his girl, Ashley, who also manages the bar.My friend the peanut vendor (on the right) is back to work after a recent illness. The other guy is selling viagra. No thanks, I don’t buy my drugs on the street. Well, not since I was a teenager...And of course, my favorite waitress and drinking companion, Roan.
I always enjoy my time here. Usually, the laughs come easy. This actually happened (again) last night. I get a message from the 23-year-old and the following conversation ensued:
Her: Hi
Me: Hello
Her: What are you doing?
Me. Drinking beer.
Her: Where?
Me: It doesn't matter.
Her: Why?
Me. I don't know.
Okay, so I’m easily amused. Bottom line is that It Doesn’t Matter is a well-run bar that treats you more like a friend than a customer. That’s what makes it one of my favorites.
An earlier than normal start to my evening out yesterday. I had my reasons. For one, I needed to refill my wallet with cash which meant finding a functioning ATM. Not as easy as it sounds in this town. I prefer using BPI (Bank of the Philippine Islands) because they allow withdrawals up to 20,000 pesos ($400). The other machines are limited to 10,000 pesos. Since each ATM transaction costs 250 pesos (not to mention the fee my credit union back home charges) I prefer to limit my cash infusions as much as possible. Hence, better to take out 20,000 once a week than 10,000 twice. Well, my usual BPI ATM was at the 7/11 store on Baloy Road, which is relatively close to my house. I say “was” because for some inexplicable reason the machine was removed from the store. It was a very popular ATM with expats and locals alike. Maybe too popular and the store didn’t like all the non-customer foot traffic inside. Or maybe BPI is going to put in a new and improved ATM. Yeah, right.
Anyway, there is another BPI ATM on the other side of Barretto. It’s popular too, in fact, so popular that it is frequently out of cash. That’s a problem that will be exacerbated now that it is the only game in town for large withdrawals. Being that it was Saturday afternoon I figured it was likely going to run dry as people cashed up for the weekend. So, I hoofed it on over and was happy to see it was still in service. Punched in my numbers, and out came this:
I’m used to getting 20 one thousand peso notes. 40 five hundreds made for a thick wallet. I guess the machine was already out of 1000s. I suppose I should consider myself lucky I got money at all.
The other reason for my early start yesterday was I had tentatively planned to do another bar review. Once I had the money in my pocket though I changed my mind. I knew this bar would be busy on a Saturday and that makes it more difficult to take photographs. I do try to respect the privacy of patrons in the bars and I just wasn’t feeling it yesterday. I’m planning to go there today for the review, so stay tuned.
And finally, I left the house about an hour earlier than normal because I was bored. I honestly do not like to start drinking much earlier than 5:00 p.m., but what’s a rule good for if there aren’t exceptions?
So, here I am on the highway on the far side of town and it ain’t quite four in the afternoon yet. What to do? I figured I’d pop into the Hideaway bar while I was thinking it over. The place was busier than I recall ever seeing it and I felt lucky getting a seat at the bar. Had a couple of beers and bought a lady drink for the only waitress I knew still working there. I decided to hoof it out to Baloy Beach and pick a spot there for dinner and beers. So, I said my goodbyes and headed out.
Along the way, I passed the Kitchenette and was surprised to see it open. It had been closed for a couple of days while the owner went to Manila to visit family. Yeah, unscheduled closures are a great way to keep regular customers coming back. I popped in to say hello and was not happy with what I saw. Only the owner and her friend were there, open beer bottles on the table, and no customers. I could see why; they hadn’t done any food prep. I shook my head and said “a restaurant without food?” and left in disgust.
I was in a sour mood now and no longer up for the longish walk out to Baloy. Instead, I popped into Mango’s. It wasn’t 5:00 yet and the back patio was drenched in hot sunshine, so I sat at the bar instead. Had a couple of beers and Norman, the manager, let me know they had pork chops ready to grill in the kitchen. Still wasn’t ready for dinner though, so I declined. Headed back out to the highway and on impulse decided to see what was happening at The Pub.
I was lucky to get a table. The owner, John Kim, has recently installed a sushi bar (and hired two sushi chefs!) and it is apparently very popular so far. I’ve never been big on raw fish though, so I perused the regular menu. I’ve never had a bad meal at The Pub, so it is just a matter of finding what you are craving the most. The waitress suggested the bulgogi but I didn’t want the rice it comes with. I considered Mexican or a French dip sandwich, and then I saw the steak menu. I’ve bought raw steaks from John but never had one prepared in his kitchen. I guess the reason why is they are pretty expensive–most of them over $20. But I had a wallet full of 500 peso notes and a desire to eat some meat, so I said “give me the ribeye”. Large or small, sir? Hmm, the difference in price was about five bucks but I wasn’t sure I was that hungry, so I went with the smaller one.
Yeah, that’s a SMALL ribeye. I could barely finish it. It was no surprise that it was outstanding. Cooked to perfection and very tender.
After my meal (and two beers) it was still too early to go home. So, I crossed the street to Outback. I didn’t do the regular bar there though, instead, I sat outside by the pool. Had the bar to myself, a cute bartender to serve me, and some bizarre music videos for entertainment. Enjoyed some more beer and alone time.
That’s from the review I did a couple of weeks ago. Nothing has changed, although the sun had already set this time.
After a while, some Aussies came in and changed the channel to a cricket match (not the darts kind). I watched for a bit but didn’t find it particularly entertaining, in large part I suppose, because I don’t understand the game. It has a pitcher and batter like baseball, but that’s where the similarities end. I paid my tab and headed out.
I wasn’t much past 7:00 and I had nothing to do at home, so I crossed the street to visit Queen Victoria. Yikes. I was the only customer. There was some construction going on to repair an aircon unit. I did get a friendly greeting (by name) from a waitress I don’t remember, then she went back to join the rest of the staff singing (badly) karaoke tunes. There is a reason I don’t visit karaoke bars (they are called videoke here)–I find the loud music and poor singing to be almost unbearable. Unless I’m drunk enough to be singing too. And I wasn’t last night. One beer and out. Caught a trike and was home before eight and in bed before nine. Yeah, an old man’s Saturday night.
It was interesting revisiting some of the previously reviewed bars. I’ve also decided to consider my additional experiences in these venues as I continue the ranking process. Queen Victoria will be dropping down a notch or two. Maybe more. Tonight’s venue is one of my regular hangouts, so I’m expecting good things. I’ll post the review tomorrow before I Hash.
Hmm. Maybe I should get an early start again today…
Regular readers will recognize this name–it’s my darts bar.
I guess technically the name is Alley Hideout but no one calls it that. Also, the only signage, as pictured above, says otherwise. It would be hard to find this place unless you were told where to go. I used to play here when I was a tourist, then I would come out four or five nights a week when I first moved to town. These days I play on Tuesday and Friday only.
It’s a very small bar, dominated by the two dart boards shown here.The actual bar.
It’s comfortable enough I suppose, but I probably wouldn’t visit much except for the darts. I’ve been such a regular over the years though that I’m friends with the staff and know most of the customers by name.
I’d have to say Jerlyn is currently my favorite waitress here.Back in the early days I had the hots for Annabelle. She gave me the cold shoulder though.
It probably goes without saying, but this is a regular bar–no takeout available. The girls work for drink commissions though and always appreciate a lady drink. Beer price for customers was recently raised to 80 pesos. I think that’s too high, but when the day comes that I have to worry about nickels and dimes when I’m out on the town I’ll just stay home and watch TV. Here’s hoping that day never comes.
Nancy has been at Alley since the beginning. In my 3+ years here I’ve really seen her come into her own as a dart player. She’s been kicking my ass quite frequently of late.Billy runs the tourneys at Alley Cats–Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.The best overall dart venue in town. It can get a little crowded though.Those Alley Cats. Can you name them all? That bottle of beer on the table is where I’m regularly seated. Yeah, all us regulars have regular seats. And from my vantage point, I can watch the CCTV monitor and see what is going on inside and outside the bar…
So, it was Friday night and I was there to play darts. Let’s get to it!
We didn’t have enough for doubles, but I actually prefer playing without a partner. No one to disappoint but me that way.Darts is much more fun to play than to watch…I advanced through the winner’s bracket and then faced off against Nancy. She kicked my ass. Twice. So, it was second place for me. But Nancy earned it, she was really on her game last night.Well played!
So, that’s Alley Cats. I used to spend more time here than I do now but it always feels like home. I made some meatballs and brought them with me last night, announcing “Does anyone want to eat my balls?” Later, I bought some nuts from the peanut vendor and did my old line about “you girls like penis?”. They always laugh. Why wouldn’t they? I bought several lady drinks and had a large pizza delivered to the bar last night. And they say you can’t buy friendship.
Anyway, Alley Cats gets rewarded for being my first bar hangout in Barretto and a sentimental favorite:
I posted the latest bar review from Blue Butterfly earlier this morning. I did three beers and one lady drink there, then I moved on to It Doesn’t Matter. Three or four more there and a couple for my bar sweetheart, Roan. I was hungry by then, so wandered down the highway to The Pub. Seeing as how I missed Wingsday because of playing darts on Baloy, I got my Korean wing fix satiated a day late, bringing home sixteen of them in a takeout box.
Plopped some on a plate next to a pile of kimchi and before I knew it the hunger was gone. Had the leftovers for lunch today.
Had a really nice hike with the Friday group this morning. I’ll post up some of those pics tomorrow, but here’s a teaser:
Easter mountain up close as seen from atop Black Rock mountain.
Didn’t do the after-hike beers again today. This time my excuse is that I have a date of sorts. The 23-year-old I buy drinks for asked if she could come to see me this afternoon. Well, I didn’t really have anything better to do, so how could I tell her no? It’s odd though, I’m kind of in a weird place right now where I’d just as soon be alone. A couple of recent female disappointments will do that I suppose. Still, this young gal is a cutie so maybe spending a little quiet time with her is just the medicine I need.
So that’s where things stand in my world at the moment.
