More of a loop-de-loop than a bend, but what do I know?
Shenandoah Bend is one of the more interesting streets in the neighborhood, and not just because I live there. It twists and turns and circles around unlike any other road I’ve seen. If anything made any sense in this subdivision (or country for that matter), this would probably be three separate streets. Not that it matters. Another factoid is that there has been more new construction on Shenandoah than anywhere else in Alta Vista. I’m not sure why, but it does have the highest elevation and best views, so maybe that’s it.
Here’s an example of a typical view from Shenandoah.The beginning (or end) of the Bend. It was where I started today. And as we’ll see, the other end of the street has no end.There are no subdivision houses down here, but there are several “squatter” shacks out in those woods. I’m using that term squatter lightly because I have no reason to believe the residents don’t legitimately own the property. You can walk out the back side (we’ve hiked back there) but Shenandoah affords the only road access. I’ve noted that the guards allow the residents free access to the ‘hood.Heading up the street. I understand a Hasher from Angeles recently purchased two lots off to the right. At least he won’t have to worry about someone building right next to his house as we have seen throughout the subdivision.Houses on the hill. We’ll get to those. A newly completed house. In fact, the people who used to live in my apartment had it built. When they moved out, I moved in.Another bend in the road.A house in the earliest stages of construction.Another newly completed residence. It’s massive and really quite beautiful. The construction workers let me do a walkthrough when it was nearly completed and it is quite impressive inside too.Across the street is this fine home. I know the owner, Jeff, who also owns the Treasure Island Resort on Baloy Beach.The house next door to my place. It’s for sale for 12 million ($240,000). Been on the market for a couple of years with no takers. My upstairs neighbor offered to rent it for $1000. a month but the owner wants to sell. Hmm, I’d love to have that place. Maybe I’ll offer her $1200. a month. I ain’t buying nothing here though. Want to be able to flee when the Chinese take over.My humble abode. Well, the bottom half anyway.“Come on and ride the wind, we’re going up around the bend…”Yet another house completed in the past twelve months…Yet another bend in the road…And here’s what’s around the corner.This house has a downstairs apartment as well. I briefly considered it, but it was too small for my overly ambitious lifestyle…That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!A rare straight stretch leading to…What kind of madness is this?Turn left you are on Shenandoah…Turn right you are on Shenandoah. Why I’ll be! You got me going in circles now!More new construction underway. I sheltered in that carport the other morning during a heavy rainstorm while I was out walking the dogs.Okay, see that street down there? That’s Shenandoah. And I’m standing on Shenandoah. It’s like being in the Twilight Zone.Does any of that look familiar? We were just down there a few minutes ago. Yep, that’s Shenandoah too.I really like this house a lot. You are probably asking yourself why? Well, you need to see it from the lower part of Shenandoah……see what I mean? Just about the right size for me and features those million-dollar views.The house next door has almost completed construction now. It’s been going on for almost two years. It is probably the largest house in the subdivision.Way out of my league!Another recently completed house.Here is how it looks from the back…While that last house was being built I kept thinking about the frequent landslides I see during rainy season. And this house is right next to a hillside that appears prone to collapse. They did some half-assed measures to prevent that, but I’m not sure how effective that will be. I can see there have been some small slides already, and we haven’t had a real typhoon yet. Good luck!I’m not sure what happened here. They were going gangbusters and then everything just stopped. It’s been almost two years now with no activity. Perhaps the owner is a foreigner stuck back in his homeland because of COVID. Anyway, I’m not going to include it in the house count at this point.And that brings us to the final bend in Shenandoah. Unless you want to circle back.
This also concludes our exploration of the Alta Vista de Subic subdivision. It was a good experience for me as a resident to take the time to really observe my surroundings. Hope you all enjoyed it too.
It can get a bit rocky sometimes up here on Shenandoah, but it’s all good.
And here are the final statistics for whatever they are worth:
13 houses on Shenandoah Bend. (Somebody build another one quick!)
13 streets in Alta Vista. (Yikes! They should have named another cul-de-sac.)
64 houses, including those under construction now.
No idea how many lots are still vacant, but I’m guessing the subdivision is probably only at one-quarter capacity.
Sometimes you just ain’t in the mood for it, I guess. My scheduled day with the FWB, Joy, and we met as scheduled. In accordance with our routine, I treated her to lunch. This time I chose The Pub.
I ordered the beef and cheddar sandwich. I was really surprised to see it served on a bun instead of a French roll. Still tasted good, though. It is harder to eat on a bun, however, as the meat tends to fall out on the way up to your mouth.
After our meal, I gave Joy the normal 3500 peso stipend and told her we wouldn’t be going back to my house this time. Said I was tired. We’ll see if I’m still tired of her in two weeks. I may need to start thinking of an extraction strategy.
Played in the dart tournament at Alley Cats last night. First time I’d been out for a couple of weeks and my dart game showed it. Only eight brave souls challenged the stormy weather to attend, so we played a singles tournament. I faced off with Billy, one of the top players, in the first round and she promptly dispatched me to the loser’s bracket with a 2-0 victory. I clawed my way back and faced off against Billy in the semi-finals where I returned the favor, beating her 2-0. Played Beth in the championship round, but I ran out of gas and couldn’t hang with her. Second place was better than I expected, and probably deserved, though.
Facebook memories reminded me of my final commute home from work at the United States Department of Education in Washington, DC.
I took this picture before boarding the Virginia Railway Express for the last trip back to Stafford in 2005. Seems like a lifetime ago now.
I guess in a way it was two lifetimes ago. I had the Korean life ahead of me and now I’m doing the Philippines life. Who knows what, if anything, is coming next? I’m just taking things one day at a time now and working hard at being satisfied with good enough.
My diet discipline has not been good enough, however. I’m going to have to come up with some new strategies.
Maybe this will help.
Still raining but now we are getting some pretty strong winds to go with it. I’m waiting for the trees that block my view to blow over, no luck with that yet, though. I got caught in a squall on the dog walk this morning. Wind and rain so hard that I took refuge in the carport of a house that’s under construction. The rain looked like waves in the sky which was quite impressive to see. I tried to capture it with the phone camera, but this is the best I could do:
An (sh)utter failure I’m afraid.That light fog-like color is the rain as it danced through the sky. I guess I should have tried video.
We did a wet Wednesday Walkers hike later in the morning. I’ll share some pictures from that adventure tomorrow.
During my explorations, I came across three named streets without houses. Granted, there does appear to be at least one or two vacant lots on each that could someday result in these forlorn and empty roads being adopted into the housing community. Until then, here is how they look today:
Poor little Denali. Really nothing more than a connecting road between Alta Vista Drive and Everglades Bend. That’s the extent of Denali Street. Maybe one lot on each side of the road, but little hope of significance in the future. For what it is worth, I use it as a passage when I’m entering and exiting the subdivision from the footpath behind that white house.Even sadder is Mesa Verde, which is literally nothing more than an unused cul-de-sac.See what I mean? Still, if you built your mansion here you’d have the whole street to yourself.And finally, there is Redwood. So much potential, so little action. Redwood has got some length to it (compared to the other two). It intersects with both Everglades and Alta Vista before ending in a junction with Capitol. Still some room for a future house or two though.
So, we have one more street to explore and I saved the best for last. It’s the one I live on, of course. The adventure concludes tomorrow! Weather permitting, that is!
Hashing during rainy season is always hit and miss. I mean, our motto includes “rain or shine”, but sometimes that means doing a pub crawl rather than a trail. It wasn’t that extreme yesterday, but because it had been raining on and off all day long, our “sick, lame, and sane” group decided to forgo the Hare’s trail which included a mountain climb. We stuck to the pavement but did a hike almost as long as the actual route laid by Leech My Nuggets.
On-Home was at Derelict’s place on Rizal Extension. His health hasn’t been the best lately, and he wasn’t looking good yesterday. Just before the circle started someone took him to the hospital in Angeles City. Hope they can cure what ails him there.
Derelict has a one-bedroom unit on his property that he rents out. His tenant was there yesterday and wanted to join in with the Hash activities. So, he met the only requirement for doing so–the 350 peso entry fee–and that was that. It is rare that I meet a person that just strikes me as not all there, and even worse, not all there in a bad way. This guy was obnoxious, argumentative, creepy, and honestly, he struck me as potentially dangerous. I kept my distance but overheard some of the shit he was saying and it left me with an uneasy feeling.
After the Hash was over, one of the Hashers discovered her phone was missing. Hmm. I wonder who is the most likely suspect? No evidence, just a suspicion. The victim is also my part-time employee and lives in my basement maid’s quarters. I took her shopping today and bought her a new phone.
Here are a few photos for your enjoyment:
The trail I didn’t take. Didn’t seem like the best day to be up in the mountains.Leaving the VFW sign-up location for the official starting point of the trail.A kilometer or so down the National highway.Here we all are, let’s get this show on the road!The Hare’s trail went up those steps to a muddy path leading to the top of the ridgeline…So, the Hashers divided themselves into sane and insane groups…some went up……and the rest of us stuck to the pavement. Such as it was.The sun did come out now and again…A babbling brook…Hash gash engaging in a classic Filipina pose.It’s a long, steady climb going up Rizal Extension. I’d forgotten just how much I despise it…We reached Derelict’s and some of the gals were showing their ass.Drinking beer and waiting around for the circle to begin…The call was for the Filipinas to sit on the ice. The asshole (on the left) insisted on joining them. What a dick.
Anyway, the rain and the theft put a damper on the evening. It will be better next week. I’m one of the Hares and we’ll have a trail suitable for hiking when wet.
I prefer Mount but I guess that would not fit on the sign as well.
It’s an aptly named street though, I can’t imagine it being any rainier than it has been these past few days. *ahem*
Anyway, it’s a pretty short street with only two houses. But both of them are quite magnificent.
The beginning of Mt. Rainier is a short, but steep, hill. Occasionally this climb thwarts the underpowered trikes trying to bring me home at night. I have to get out and walk the rest of the way from here.The first house you come to is owned by an English chap. I know of him, but don’t know him personally. Someone who does says the house is amazing inside.Another view. Lots of balconies and an open rooftop. Seems almost perfect.And then there is Heidi’s place. I’ve been to a couple of social gatherings there and it is really fantastic inside.Especially that top floor.
Here are some photos I took at a birthday party I attended there last year:
The rooftop features this bar which frankly would be one of the nicest in town if it were a public pub.And it is huge inside.The front end is open-air, affording views like this one. Incredible.And there is a pool on the ground floor.
One of the nicest houses I’ve been inside. Ever.
So, that’s it for Mount Rainer Avenue. It packs quite a punch for its short stature.
Who knew Mother Nature reads my blog? All that bravado and trash talk about beating the rain came back to bite me. I was so good at predicting the breaks in the rain cycle–until last night. Even with the umbrella, I got soaked. Those wind gusts did the trick. You win, Mother.
So, it is Hash Monday and the rain has continued on and off throughout the day. Our “sane” group has decided not to climb the mountain the Hare had intended for us, and we have already plotted an alternative route. Full report on that tomorrow.
After some warm-up drinks at Palm Tree and Mango’s last night, I crossed the highway to The Pub for some dinner. I got enticed by the “senior special” the owner, John Kim, announced on Facebook:
Thanks for all the support last night. I thought I smoked enough turkey for two days, but all sold out in 4 hours. We will come up with something special every now and then. Anyways, when was the last time senior citizens got respected and treated right? Surely not during the pandemic. They were not welcome to go out, rejected by malls and supermarkets. I ran free haircuts for seniors but got nailed by authority. This time, I am going to do something easier; provide a special meal that gives people over 60 years old discount. Just because it’s discounted, doesn’t mean cheap food. I will be using high-quality material and charge everyone else normal price. I thought about several menus, but need more time to train people, so I am starting with REALLY CRISPY Sweet and Sour Pork. Regular price at P345 but for seniors, P250. Dine-in only to get the discount. You may take out or have it delivered, but won’t get a discount. You can now save money at The Pub so that you can go around and drink more.
How could I refuse an offer like that? I am happy to report that when I arrived only one table was left available–John’s hard work seems to be paying off!
It was outstanding! As John said, the pork was crispy, something I hadn’t had in a sweet and sour concoction previously.
This morning, I decided to try somewhere new for breakfast–the A.M. hotel.
It’s actually probably the closest dining venue to my house and I’d never even been inside. You enter through the street-level parking garage. The restaurant is on the fourth floor, so I walked over and pushed the button to go up. Nothing happened, so I pushed it again. Then the receptionist came out to advise the elevator was not in service. Hmm. Okay, I know a guy who is going to be climbing twenty-six floors as a hobby, I figure I can do four. So up I went.
I was the only customer. Pretty good breakfast selections, although the emphasis seemed to be on Filipino foods, which I expect is the target audience for this hotel. Still, I enjoyed the “cheesy beef” omelet I ordered. Brewed coffee came free with the meal, including refills. Never seen that anywhere else since I left the USA.
The 4th floor views were nice too. I’ll be back I reckon.
What else? Well, I’d like to report that I taught Lucky to play dead.
But that would be a lie. He just sleeps that way.
This innocent little cartoon got a rise out of my liberal ex-wife Carol.
She said it was BS and I told her I agree.
I came across this article in Men’s Health stating that men need to ejaculate 21 times a month to reduce prostate cancer. Damn, I want to live a healthy life, but I’m not sure I can afford that many ejaculations at the price I’m paying. I’ll think of something.
In somewhat related news, here’s the answer to that age-old question:
Where I come from we have avenues, boulevards, streets, roads, drives, lanes, circles, and parkways. Never heard of a bend before moving here. But the designation seems apt–Everglades is the longest street in Alta Vista, traversing the subdivision end-to-end, with lots of twists and turns along the way. So, bend it is!
Everglades starts at the main gate and meanders its way through the subdivision. It has more houses than any other street, which I suppose given its length is that surprising. My former landlords, the Ocampo family, are big property owners on this street. I’m not sure, but I think they may have been partners in the development of Alta Vista as well. One clue is that they are using one of the gates for advertising:
Good luck to you.
Okay, let’s head up the road.
The beginning of the bend.The first house is an Ocampo property. It’s been vacant since before I moved here. They just finished painting the outside and doing some inside work, so I guess they are looking for a buyer or renter.They also have this small house right next door. It’s been vacant for years as well.I do love that palm tree though, quite unusual looking.The Ocampo’s also have these duplexes, six units in all. I think three are occupied now, although two are by family members/employees.Two in the back…And two more in the front. Hard to believe they’ve not been able to rent these out. More Everglades emptiness. You may have noticed it was raining a lot when I took these photos. Got soaked, I did. The sacrifices I make for my beloved readers!Then we arrive at this huge house. I’m not certain, but I think the whole family clan lives within the walls. I’ve seen folks from several generations as I walk by at least.Across the street is the Ocampo family Subic headquarters. Actually, this was the house I was supposed to live in. Signed a lease and everything. Then Mrs. Ocampo came to town and asked me to switch to the one you see in the background “as a favor”. Hell, it didn’t really matter to me so I agreed. She told me I had made a friend for life. I was genuinely sorry her life would end before my lease did.Oh, and my old house is still vacant. The last of the Ocampo houses (that I know of). This was recently rented to a foreigner escapee from Manila. I’m sure 60,000 pesos ($1200) seemed reasonable to him compared to prices down there, but it is way above market value here. IRight across the street is the newly built house owned by a Hasher (Leech My Nuggets). A bit further up the road is this house. Met the owner a couple of times in Alley Cats. He’s a FedEx pilot.He was none too pleased when a house was built right next door to his. Well, they did leave about 12 inches between them…The house of the offenders. It’s not like they didn’t have a choice...Lots more room on both sides of Everglades…And even more, as we continue up the hilland around the, um, bend.Shall we pause a moment to enjoy the view?Another dream coming true for someone…Should look like this when it is done.With a view like this one.These folks are already living the dream. If you go up that street to the right you can get to my house. But not today!Everglades rolling on towards the next bend.Another cluster of houses along the way.A Hasher (Anal Receptive) lives here. That’s him up on the balcony…His next-door neighbor. Sorry for the blurry shot. I was holding my umbrella and taking the photo when a gust of wind yanked the umbrella at the wrong moment.The house across the street……and one more around the corner.Another open stretch of road.Leads us to his house…And this one is being built right next door. Right up against the retaining wall. It makes no sense to me.The illustration doesn’t indicate any neighbors. Maybe that’s the problem?The house across the street.And then a respectful distance further on is this newly built house. When this was built it blocked my access trail to “My Bitch”. I’ve taken to walking along side that wall to left, so I can still get to my favorite hike when I want to.
And that’s the last house on Everglades Bend. But that is not it for the road.
It goes on around another bend…And yet another…...before finally reaching the end of the bends in this ass of the bag (cul-de-sac).There are a few squatter shacks up the hill…You can kinda see one up there (center left)…But the plot where they grow their veggies (sweet potatoes I think) hasn’t fared well in the rain.
So, that’s the story of Everglades Bend. Twenty-five residences on this one street, which more than doubles the count from the previous seven streets.
As I was leaving the house yesterday for my nightly foray in Barretto, I hesitated momentarily when reaching for my umbrella. It was still sunny, but there were some worrisome clouds out on the horizon. Better safe than sorry, I decided. Good thing, too. Just a few minutes into my walk there was a pretty intense rain shower. Didn’t last long, but I would have been soaked without my trusty umbrella. It wound up raining off and on all night long. I woke up around 0100 to the sound of water hitting the metal cover of my bedroom a/c unit. Sounded like a drummer’s cymbal, but the drummer had no sense of rhythm. I eventually got up and spent the rest of the night on the couch to escape the maddening noise. Yeah, I have a hard life, I know.
A friend of mine has opened up what she calls a bar and grill, so I dropped in for her grand opening last night.
I believe she meant to say open Tuesday through Sunday. The place is tiny. She says it sits 6-8 persons. Maybe. If four are sitting outside. There is no bar either, just one small table inside.That’s Marick on the left and her assistant on the right. Me and the boss lady at the only table in the house. I’ve been crushing on Marick since we first met at the Hash years ago. Alas, the attraction is apparently not mutual.
I doubt I’ll become a regular, just a little too cramped for my comfort. I honestly don’t see how Marick can generate enough revenue on beer sales and pub food (burgers and appetizers) to make a go of it. I suspect she intends to cater to a Filipino crowd. Marick used to manage another bar and I think she has good business sense, the problem is the venue. It occurred to me that if she teamed up with my other Filipina friend who is looking to open a food operation, and they got a bigger building with a bar and maybe a pool table, they could probably make a go of it. I broached the idea with my friend but she isn’t a Marick fan. Oh well.
I headed over to Mango’s after leaving Marick. They let me sit on the back patio despite it being covered in sand from an earlier high tide.
No surprise that the beach was a mess. I’ve seen that kind of crap washing down the rivers and into the bay. Only a matter of time before it winds up on the beach.And more rain was on the way, forcing me back inside to finish my drinking at the bar. Oh well.
I saw a caterpillar invasion on my dog walk this morning.
This wasn’t even the half of it. Lots more on both sides of the curb and up on the sidewalk.
I guess I better keep the top securely closed on my margarine. Soon those critters will be butter flys. *sorry*
Did a two-hour hike this morning. The sky looked like this when I departed:
I carried my umbrella anyway. Didn’t need it though.
A pretty standard walk for me, so nothing new or particularly interesting to see along the way. Well, there was this:
They’ve been laying concrete on the road for several months now. Nearly completed, but I guess they didn’t anticipate this stream that likely disappears after rainy season. Based on my understanding of Filipino engineering techniques, they will wait for the stream to dry up, pave over it, and then next year rain will wash out the road. I hope I’m wrong.
Speaking of walking, Facebook shared this photo from four years ago today:
Obviously, I didn’t take it. My friend Mi Young was passing by in her car and snapped the photo while stopped at a traffic light.
It’s odd how an innocuous picture like that can trigger so many memories. I actually remember that day and the route I was taking–my Anjeong-ri river walk. And of course, I remember the feelings I once held for Mi Young that were not reciprocated. But mostly this photo reminds me of my astounding ignorance. I’m sure I was not happy with my life that day, despite my massive salary and government-provided palace. I had it made, but all I could think about was what I had lost and how anxious I was to start my new life in the Philippines. I never allowed myself to live in the moment and appreciate the beauty that surrounded me. Ignorance is not really bliss.
A good reminder for me to live my new life one day at a time and to be thankful for all that I have. I’m getting better at that I think.
They left the canyon part off. I guess it is presumed to be assumed.Bryce is another very short street. It ends in the cul-de-sac where you see the houses below.That’s the previously featured Roosevelt Avenue off to the left.This house sits on the cul-de-sac at the other end of Bryce.I believe there may be three apartment units in this building. Buddy says “glad we didn’t move here”. Me too. It has a rough look about it.I guess they changed their minds. That incomplete frontage has been that way for the 3+ years I’ve lived here.These houses are all much larger than they look. The back of the house is built down a hillside. So, this is actually a two-story house, 180 square meters, with a deck and patio. It is currently for sale, fully furnished, including a game room complete with a pool table and dartboard. My kind of place, and “only” 13 million pesos ($260,000). I’m not going to buy property here, but I’d be tempted by this one.
Here’s the ad for the house if you are interested. Some better photos of the exterior and some inside shots as well.
So, that’s it for Bryce. Next up will be the longest street in the subdivision and a major thoroughfare (it’s how I get to my house too). Lots more to see!
Yeah, you heard (read) that right…I’m not going to complain about the rain today! Now, it was a tad hot and muggy on my morning walkabout, but I’ll that go this time.
Trekking along on the National highway, useless umbrella in hand…Still looking good when I got back home too…
Granted, we did have a brief shower earlier this afternoon, but the sun is back out and I’m glad to see it.
I wasn’t happy to see this when I stopped to take a leak during my hike.
A litter of abandoned kittens, soaked and mewing hungrily. Nothing I could do for them except feel pity. It’s a harsh world sometimes.
Things were a bit more festive last night when I helped Roan celebrate her 35th birthday. It was a quiet night customer-wise, but I made sure there was cake and food for the girls to share.
Pancit and lumpia, two Filipina favorites…The birthday girl. Blow it, baby!
As usual, I enjoyed the banter and drinks with Roan. She’s good company and we always share a lot of laughs. I can *almost* imagine what a lifetime of companionship with her would be like. She kind of surprised me when she told me during one of our conversations that she has no desire to be married. She’d be happy with a loving relationship as long as the love was there. She wants to be free to leave when it is not. Smart girl.
Speaking of smart (or maybe the opposite thereof), five of us braved the rainy weather for a long and wet hike yesterday. I led the group on a flat 10.5K trek out to Naugsol and back. It only rained about half the time. We were soaked but not deterred.
I hereby dub thee The Friday Rain Walkers.This big old tree has withstood its final rainy season. May your remains light many cook fires for the hungry!A clear path forward, thank you to the God of Walkers.Over the river……and onto the mean streets of San Isidro…Hello there, old friend.Let’s go to Naugsol! I had originally planned to come back via bridge #4, but I deemed that would make our walk too short. So, we did another 2K out to bridge #6 (and 2K back on the other side) to let the rain Gods know we had not been defeated.You know it has been wet when even the goats on wearing raincoats…Rolling, rolling, rolling on the river.And the river was in full bloom.Watch your step!This guy started to wade across but wisely changed his mind.A fine day for fishing.That’s bridge #5 in the background. A suspension bridge made of mesh and wire. No thanks!We overcame all obstacles placed in our path.It’s gonna take more than that to stop us!Umbrellas up!Alright, you win this one Mother Nature. That elevated berm USED to be our trail. Now it has been consumed by a new iteration of Niagra Falls.
No worries. We found a walkaround and made our way safely to Sit-n-Bull for some lunch and some beers. Despite the rain, it was a very nice hike.
I hope this post is outstanding in its field.
Oh yeah, I posted the graphic below today on Facebook and the liberals thought I was making a case for gun control! I just laughed and reminded them that the mayor of DC has been defunding the police while simultaneously mandating wearing useless masks. I’d say her priorities are misplaced.
This is the first street that was not called either an avenue or a drive. Not sure why.Grand Canyon is not very long (or deep) ending in front of that blue house. But it does feature this grand view.My helper heard this house was for rent a couple of months ago when I was looking to move. Alas, when I inquired it had already been rented. I would have loved living here!I actually looked into renting half of this house. I wanted the top half, but only the basement was available. They were in the process of remodeling and it was a mess, but in the end, I knew I was not meant to be a bottom.I’d wager this is the smallest house in Alta Vista. I like it though, just the right size for me (if I ditched the live-in helpers). Million-dollar views from the backside.
And that’s all there is to Grand Canyon. Punching above its weight I reckon; sporting three houses on such a small street.
More to come as the exploration of Alta Vista continues. Stay tuned!
Another rainy day here in the Philippines. At least today has featured some occasional breaks in the storm. I can deal with the rain better as long as I have a window of opportunity to move around outside for a bit without getting soaked to the skin.
Last night I did make it out to Mango’s for dinner at least. I changed things up a bit and saved the pork chops for a, um, sunny day.
Instead, I opted for the roast chicken and gravy with coleslaw on the side. It was good.
I was scrolling through Facebook while I ate and saw that Ron, the owner of Sit-n-Bull, announced he had a new shipment of carrot cake in stock. I promptly asked him to reserve one for me, he did, and I brought it home today.
Ain’t that sweet?And it tasted as good as it looks. Carrot cake is hard to find in these parts, so I can’t help but jump at the opportunity.
A bit pricey at $18., but I couldn’t miss out on the chance to enjoy my favorite cake. Yeah, I know I am supposed to be on a diet. I’ll get back on track once the cake is gone. Promise!
Speaking of cake, I’m going to go out and purchase one this afternoon. It’s Roan’s birthday and she’s working tonight at It Doesn’t Matter. She’s a sweet gal and I want to bring a little sweetness into her life in the form of a surprise birthday cake.
And that’s about all that is happening here. We did do our Friday hike this morning–wet and long. I’ll post some photos of that event tomorrow.
Not a National Park, but still an apt name for one of the main streets in our subdivision.A look up the street. Or is it down?The first house you come to looks oddly familiar. Oh wait! That’s my old place. Three years of memories there. Wish I hadn’t been compelled to move.My former next-door neighbor’s house. She still sends me messages, but I’m just an understanding ear. Nothing more.Another barren stretch on Alta Vista Drive.This might be my favorite house in the neighborhood. I like the way it looks…traditional styling. Four bedrooms and a swimming pool. It was recently listed for sale for 24 million pesos. That’s American priced at $475,000. Not surprisingly, there were no takers.Another stretch of empty street.
Then three houses in a row:
One…Two...And three. Once again, vast stretches of emptiness, then suddenly three built side-by-side. Hope they like the neighbors.A rainy morning view from Alta Vista Drive. If I were building I might go for this lot.These folks would be my next-door neighbor. But I’d leave plenty of space between us. Promise!Someone is building this place across the street.They’ve got a way to go yet though before it’s completed.Right around the corner is the Alta Vista community center. It is a nice facility…tennis and basketball courts. Big swimming pool too. We use it periodically for the Hash On-Home.One more open patch…A recently completed house. They used steel-frame construction and it went up very quickly…The last house on the street. Still in the final stages of construction. Featuring excellent views of Easter mountain.And so ends Alta Vista Drive. This pathway is the rear exit from the subdivision and I hike out this way regularly. I’ve also seen folks coming and going on motorbikes. I wouldn’t want to risk that though.
Sorry about the litter in that last photo. It’s from the construction workers building that white house. I really don’t understand why it is so fucking hard to grasp the concept of taking your trash with you.
So, there you have a tour of a major thoroughfare in our subdivision. Also, one of the most developed streets here. Still more to come though, so hold on for the next installment.
I received an alert notice this morning saying the rain level was red. I looked outside but it looked gray to me.
The rain hasn’t let up at all since yesterday, and today is the ninth straight day of wetness. It ain’t pretty down there in the lowlands.
Rizal street… TheMatain river has been overflowing the highway overpass at times...
There was also a landslide that closed a lane on the highway in Calapdayan.
It must suck to live in the Santa Monica subdivision.Joy sent me this photo from her house in Subic town.
You get the idea, and there is no end in sight. Last year we got off relatively light rainfall-wise. Mother Nature seems to be making up for it this year.
With none of those periodic breaks in the storm, I’ve been confined to quarters up here in the highlands of Alta Vista. No flooding at least. I wasn’t able to go out and do the photoshoot for the next installment in my series on the subdivision. Sorry! I’ll try again tomorrow!
The Wednesday Walkers went ahead and braved the weather yesterday. Actually, I was thinking it would be like the previous few days, a brief rain squall, then a relatively longer period of it being rain-free. Nope, it rained more than it didn’t. Still, once you are soaked you can stop worrying about it. Not a lot of pictures to share as I had my phone in a baggie most of the time. I did steal some from Scott’s page too, so here you go:
We ain’t afraid of no water!We went mostly flat, but this muddy downhill was a little tricky…We will not be deterred!Santa Monica was not nearly as flooded yesterday as it apparently is today.“Look at the crazy foreigner walking in the rain!”On the road……and on the highway. Once you are wet, you are wet wherever you go.Not sure I’ve ever seen the bay waters so agitated.High tide and swollen rivers are a toxic combination.Not a good day for a boat ride.Never saw so many people fishing in the river before.
We finished our 7.5K hike at Dynamite Dick’s for lunch and liquid refreshment. Had a nice clam chowder but neglected to take any photos. Sorry!
Wingsday night at The Pub!
Judy braved the rain on her scooter this afternoon to provide me with a special massage. I, in turn, provided her with some grocery money. Win-Win!
I watched an interesting video today with a Filipina’s perspective on relationship differences men have with western women versus Pinays. I thought it was surprising to hear some of my thinking on “transactional relationships” articulated by a woman. Yeah, we all have needs, including the need for companionship, and men and women come together to have those needs met. Maybe not so surprisingly, the Filipina Pea thought men were better off with a Filipina to fulfill those needs. Worth a watch if you have any interest in the subject.
I’ve watched a couple of her videos and she does a good job. There is quite a bit of speculation that she isn’t writing her own script (perhaps a foreigner boyfriend). I agree to the extent that she uses vocabulary that most Filipinos that I’ve met don’t speak. That said, I believe she agrees with the content of her videos, whether she wrote the words or not.
And that is it for this miserable rainy day. And in case you are wondering, no, I will not let this storm deter me from drinking some beers having dinner out tonight. I’m thinking Mango’s pork chops may well be in order.
Still trying to wrap my mind around yesterday’s “date” with, let’s just call her “Jane”, for now. I have known Jane from being a customer to her food supply business for a year or so now I guess. But that was all done online, and on the days she delivered, I was usually out hiking. So, I’d only seen her a couple of times. Pretty as a Filipina though, you might say. Chatted a couple of times, Facebook friends, and that was really all there was up until now. Well, she had tried to set me up with one of her friends previously, but I declined. Not really comfortable with that kind of arrangement. Jane doesn’t live in Barretto, but she will occasionally come here for some drinks. She’s invited me to join her on occasion, but I never did. Then this past Friday, she asked if I wanted to get together at It Doesn’t Matter, and I agreed. We had a couple of drinks, some light conversation, then she headed on home.
I figured that was that, but Jane messaged me about getting together again for lunch on Tuesday. I said, sure, and we agreed to meet at Blue Rock on Baloy Beach. She got there early because she had some work stuff to do online and her internet at home was down. She was still working when I arrived, so I had a drink and waited. And waited. About thirty minutes later she put the laptop away and we ordered some food (shrimp for her, chicken breast for me). And then we set about getting to know one another better.
The first thing I wanted to get some clarity on was her marital status. From what I’d seen on Facebook I was under the impression Jane had a husband. No, she assured me, she has never been married. That was actually a relief. Yeah, she is in some kind of weird relationship with a foreigner, the father of her two children, but being with her at least wouldn’t be a criminal act (adultery is illegal in the Philippines). I told her my convoluted tale of failed marriages and relationships, and she seemed more understanding than judgmental. So, in that sense, we were off to a good start. In fact, it might be that we have more in common in that regard than most women I meet.
Jane surprised me by revealing when she had first seen me. October 31, 2019, at the Halloween party at Queen Victoria bar.
That was the night I had gotten dressed up for a headshot.
Anyway, Jane said she had been there in a sexy black dress and she noticed me because I kept staring at her. I had a date and she didn’t, so eventually she left. When she saw me the first time making a food delivery she remembered me from that night. I have no recollection of those events, but that’s not surprising. It doesn’t sound out of character for me though.
It was a very nice lunch date and by the time we said our goodbyes I realized that in many ways Jane ticks all the boxes. She’s smart, probably the smartest gal I’ve met since moving here. She’s pretty (but aren’t they all?). Enjoys sharing a drink or two. And she is comfortable and confident in her sexuality. What’s not to like? I won’t go so far as to say something silly like we are “soul mates” at this point, but, it definitely feels like there is a connection on a deeper level than I usually experience.
So, we’ll see where this goes. No expectations for anything more than whatever it is that we already have, but at least she is not needy or in it for the money. She drives an almost new car and has a job in real estate in addition to her food business. I honestly don’t know what it is that she sees in me. It should be interesting to find out.
In other news, Facebook reminds me that it was eleven years ago today that I announced my decision to postpone my retirement. Originally, I would have hung it up in October 2010 and moved to the Philippines. Instead, I decided to pursue a relationship with Jee Yeun. That road wound up taking me to a pretty dark place, but all these years later, here I am where I originally planned to be.
I’m not sure I have a clue about what I’m doing, but I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next.
Luckily, I didn’t encounter any insurrectionists...
So, given the street name theme of national parks and iconic Presidents, I have to assume this street honors the building in DC that houses our worthless Congress. Maybe it seemed like a good idea at the time.
Anyway, this is another short side street that ends in a junction with yesterday’s featured Roosevelt Avenue.
This is what our Capitol looks like…What is up with people letting their dogs run loose? Oh, wait a minute. Buddy, get over here!This goat house is the first house on the street. Doesn’t count for our purposes though.A Capitol view.Yes, there is a house on this street…And another one is under construction next door.Literally right next door. All those available lots and someone builds a place that abuts your retaining wall. Weird.Apparently, it is supposed to look like this once completed. Although I note the absence of any neighbors.
So, that’s it for Capitol Avenue. Tomorrow we will feature one of the two main thoroughfares that run the length of the subdivision. You won’t want to miss out on that kind of excitement!
What? A street not named after a National Park? Well, in many ways, Theodore Roosevelt is considered the father of the American National Park system, so I guess this name is in keeping with the theme.
Roosevelt Avenue is the next street up from Acadia Avenue and pretty much runs parallel to it, although not quite as long.
A street view of Roosevelt.A view from the street.
There are currently only two houses on Roosevelt Avenue.
This is one of them.
The folks that live here keep a pack of dogs. And on occasion, they let them roam the streets. I’ve seen them terrorize the other stray dogs. They tried that shit when I was walking by with mine and they were quite surprised when I fought back. The cowardly bastards took off and haven’t gotten close enough to cause me trouble since. I did complain to the guards about the dogs running loose, but of course, nothing was done about it. I used to live on the next street up and I’ve caught those dogs knocking over my garbage cans. One day when I was walking on Roosevelt there was a bag of trash out in the middle of the road. When I got closer I recognized that the contents were from my house. Those dogs actually carried a garbage bag home with them. Not my problem now.
This house was just built last year.
I wonder how the residents enjoy living across the street from those always barking dogs?
I could hear the wind and the rain periodically throughout the night when I’d get up to take a piss. At one point, I even pulled my bedroom a/c inside a couple of more inches so I wouldn’t have to hear the reverberating sound of the rain pounding on its metal casing.
I got up at my usual 0430 to start my day with a cup of coffee and some internet. It was a little surprising when I looked outside just before dawn and saw this:
Is that what a clear sky looks like?
A bit later, I checked the other side of the balcony:
Well, that’s a little ambiguous. Make up your mind!
After the day had dawned, I spotted this:
The sky is blue? Who knew?!
I took the dogs out for their usual morning walk and wasn’t sure what to expect.
It’s all so confusing!
I decided to celebrate the sun’s appearance by walking into town for breakfast. And right when I sat down to eat, the skies opened up and let loose with another rain shower. The owner came out to my table (I dine on the patio) and complimented me on my good timing. Yeah, I’m lucky that way. Sometimes.
I couldn’t decide on the omelet or the pancakes. So I ordered both. Yeah, not good for someone supposedly trying to lose weight. But I didn’t eat the toast at least. And I’m still mostly off the beer.
After breakfast, I had to wait a few minutes for another rain squall to end, but after that, I made it home without further incident. It’s continued to rain off and on since then. Looking out at the horizon just now it appears more wetness is on the way. This is Hash Monday so I’m hoping the Hare had the good sense to keep it flat and on the pavement. We’ll see.
A few gin and sodas at Cheap Charlies last night, then dinner at Sit-n-Bull. I went with the chicken fried steak from the specials menu.
I’m not averse to onions like some people I know, but those were a bit much. I scraped them off and liked it better that way. I really don’t do the chicken fried steak very often. It’s something different now and then, but really not my favorite by a long shot. I guess I get one periodically to remind me of that fact.Lucky says, “next time bring me the leftovers!”
Alrighty, then. Guess it is time to end this post and get ready for my Hash day. Maybe I can leave you with a smile:
I think Homer wrote something about the Idiom and the Homonym, didn’t he?
I might have posted this one before, it’s kinda the story of my current life:
Luckily, age is just a number. Provided you have money in your pocket.
At the end of the street profiled yesterday, Acadia Avenue, there is a road going left called Crater Lake Avenue. It is several blocks long but doesn’t go anywhere–just another dead-end street.
This is the only house on Crater Lake Avenue. A nice one though.
I actually had the occasion to meet the owner. It didn’t start out pleasantly though. She has several dogs, and one day one of them was running loose outside while I was walking my dogs. Her dog attacked Buddy and wouldn’t back off despite my yelling and kicking. She came running out and got between the two dogs and wound up getting knocked to the ground before her dog retreated. Later on, one of the security guards requested that I not walk down “her” street anymore in case the dog was out again. I responded that’s bullshit, I live here, I’ll walk where I please. The guard said, “you are just a renter and she is an owner…” WTF?
We met again a few weeks later while she was out walking. She told me it was okay to walk on her street now because she doesn’t let her dog out anymore. We chatted some and she told me she was a Filipino-American who used to live and work in Norfolk, Virginia. She’s married to a woman who works on a ship. They built the house she lives in and she stays home to take care of things. Anyway, she seems like a nice enough person and we always wave and say hello when we pass each other on the streets of Alta Vista.
The homeowner also owns most of the land across the street from her place. She recently built her own gym. Next to the gym is a nice nipa hut where her workers live.
As you look up Crater Lake Avenue in the above photo, you see a large building on the right. That’s the backside of the Alta Vista community center. There is no access from Crater Lake, but the buildings takes up the rest of that side of the street. The left side is like a large garden with various plants and vegetables being grown. The owner told me her spouse won’t allow her to work, so she grows these gardens as a hobby.
She has the only house on Crater Lake Avenue and it doesn’t appear she will ever have neighbors. I’m sure that’s the way they want it to stay.
Five straight days of heavy rain and no end in sight. The usual low-lying areas are flooded, but as far as I can tell the rivers have not overflowed their banks or the highway. Yet. A couple of friends have experienced flooding inside their houses which really sucks. Nothing to do but clean it up and wait for the next downpour I suppose.
My major inconvenience has been not being able to get out and enjoy a nice long hike. The wind and the downpours, not to mention the lightning, just take the fun out of walking. I’m actually getting pretty good at recognizing when there is a brief break in the storm on the horizon. These are usually only good for thirty minutes or so, but that’s better than nothing. Made it to Mango’s last night relatively unscathed and was able to do an Alta Vista reconnaissance this morning (see the previous post). Just now back from a brief afternoon jaunt in the neighborhood as well.
Easter mountain appears to be weathering the storm.
I couldn’t sit on the back patio at Mango’s last night because of the wind and the rain. The high tide the night before had also invaded the seating area there. The tide was low last night, but you could see where it had been.
Lots of debris on the beach.Took this picture from upstairs at Palm Tree, right next door to Mango’s, on Friday afternoon. I noticed last night those canopies were no longer there.
I finally got around to grilling two of those big thick ribeyes I purchased earlier in the week. I need a new grill, that’s for sure. One of the burners is perpetually on low and the other looks ready to flame broil a Whopper at Burger King. Maybe it is hard to ruin good meat or maybe I just got lucky, but except for one small part that got charcoaled, they came out pretty damn close to perfect. And they tasted exquisite. I can’t remember a better-tasting home-cooked steak. At least that I prepared. They were so big I cut them in half and had a normal-sized serving. Tender and juicy and nicely medium-rare.
I chuckled to myself when my Filipina helper was enjoying a leftover portion and exclaimed how good it tasted. As I’m sure I’ve mentioned, well-done is how meat is prepared Filipino-style. As this handy chart illustrates:
Hilaw roughly translates to raw in Tagalog. Luto na means cooked.
Sorry I didn’t get any photos, guess I was just focused on preventing a disaster. I did have the remaining leftover piece (half of a half) for breakfast this morning.
Still tasty after being reheated twice in the microwave.
I’ll try to do step-by-step photos when I cook the next two. Still have a couple more videos to watch first. I will not be marinating this batch! Gonna enjoy that pure prime beef flavor in all its glory!
That’s just about it from here today. I’ll leave you with some irony, or maybe it’s karma.
