I took some steps in a different direction yesterday, and this is where they led me:

Kicked things off with the Wednesday Walkers and the rare trip out to SBMA for a walk around.

When it was time for a walk on the beach, Swan and I walked to Baloy Beach. I planned to start at the new Drunken Sailor bar we visited last week. I messaged my friend Jessa and asked if they had stocked beverages other than beer, and she assured me they did. When we arrived, the waitress said, “Sorry, only beer is available.” Well, it was supposed to be my gin night, so we demurred and departed. I messaged Jessa again, and she was surprised—apparently, there was some miscommunication with the staff.

Well, there are always other options, and Swan was ready for her walk on the beach. Let’s go to Kokomo’s!

When we arrived at Kokomo’s, other customers were occupying the bar area. That’s unusual–we are usually the only ones there when we visit. No problem, we could sit at one of the beachside tables. But as we prepared to do so, someone at the bar began singing in some godawful loud karaoke music. No thanks, I wasn’t going to sit and be subjected to that noise.

Now, what? Time for a different path. We continued up the beach to a place called Laharnyz. I’d been there once years ago and didn’t care much for it. I walked by lots of times since and never saw anything to change my mind. But desperate times call for desperate measures. I STILL hadn’t had an adult beverage!

Well, I’ll be damned. The place is as dumpy as ever, but something has changed (or I have). A really friendly and laid-back vibe. Good music played at low volume. The Baloy expat scene differs from Barretto’s, so almost everyone there was a stranger, but we all got along just fine. Later, my old dart teammate Mark came in, and it was nice catching up with him. I had a great time at Laharnyz, and we will definitely be back.

When it was time to grab some grub, we walked up the beach to Treasure Island

Things didn’t go the way we planned, but sometimes that results is a pleasant new experience. It made me think of this story from my past life for some reason. Nothing that dramatic, but I did discover a new beach hangout, so there’s that.

A good day on my health journey as well. Got my steps in and kept the calories below my threshold.

No updates on John Kim posted as yet. I’m worried the news won’t be good.

Eight years ago I was enjoying my first visit to Bangkok. Played some darts while there and got recognized as the tournament MVP. Ah, the glory days.

I’ve been seeing posts and comments saying I’m stupid because I support Trump. Well, I love my country, and if that makes me dumb, so be it. Then again, looking at all the red on the election maps, I’m in the majority, so maybe it is stupid to call me stupid.

Today’s YouTube video features a visitor to the Subic Bay area and his impressions as he explores the area. He spent some time in Barretto and even mentions meeting some Hashers. I don’t recall seeing him (the video is a year old), but you might enjoy watching his experience.

And now the jokes:

I am in a bit of a rush with today’s post because I have an appointment with Dr. Jo today. I’m going to begin chelation therapy to improve my heart health. The little bit I’ve read on the subject implies that the science of this treatment for this purpose is unsettled. Well, the FDA doesn’t approve it, so that is a good sign that it works. We’ll see how it goes.

Or should I say, seven downed? I report, you decide.

Welp, Tuesdays tend to be a bland day for me, but yesterday was at least bland in a somewhat different way. Did the usual, then added some tweaks. Here’s how it looked:

I wasn’t in the mood to dodge traffic on the National Highway again this week, so I refrained from walking home from Royal. Instead, when the groceries were unloaded, I took a stroll through the neighborhood.

Tuesday was traditionally the day I don’t hike, but things change when you gotta burn off the calories. 12,000 steps is better than nothing.

Swan was not feeling up to going out last night, so Plan B was invoked. When I departed the house alone, I still didn’t know where I was going. A block or so away, I considered turning around and just hanging out at The Rite Spot, but my forward momentum carried me onward toward town.

I had once again skipped lunch, so I was feeling hungry. Hitting the bars on an empty stomach didn’t seem like a wise course of action, so I made Sit-n-Bull my first stop.

It had been a while since I’d been out on the town without Swan by my side. I missed her and didn’t feel like visiting our regular haunts alone. So, I changed things up by popping into one of my old hangouts that I seldom visit these days: Cheap Charlies.

A really different vibe in CC last evening. Just me and one other customer. Other than the bartender and cashier, there was no one there I knew. All my old regulars being gone, I drank alone and saved on lady drinks. After two Zeros, I was ready to move on.

I headed down the highway to the side of town I rarely visit these days. A bar has just opened in the space previously occupied by Adam’s Bar. So, I decided to pop in and see what it was all about.

I didn’t find the music to be to my liking, content or volume-wise. So, I moved my ass outside and sat in the smoking area.

Two more Zeros and I headed out. I don’t think I’ll be making the Hangout bar a place I hang out.

I moved on to my final destination of the evening, Snackbar. I used to be a regular here, but times and circumstances change. The only two waitresses working were both friends from the old days, so it was nice to see them and catch up on things. A lady drink for each, two Zeros for me, and I was ready to call it a night.

It was only about 7 p.m. when I caught the trike for home, and only seven Zeros were consumed. I guess that means it was seven up and seven downed.

Here’s the stats from yesterday for those following along on my dietary adventure:

And some sad news to report. I mentioned that I didn’t see John Kim when we dined at his place last Sunday. Yesterday, his wife posted this on Facebook:

Hello our Dear Friend’s,Customer’s & Followers

My name is Lin and I’m writing this post for my Loving life partner John Kim.

He was admitted last Sunday at Ulticare Medical Center ( ICU department ) here in Barretto. My partner had severe head pain and couldn’t focus and later on became disoriented. Bad condition had CT Scan and found out that he had STROKE BRAIN BLEEDING and need to undergo Brain Surgery as soon as possible. to add with his bad condition he also need a blood transfusion at least 6unit of Blood A+ to stabilize and 6 unit more if he undergoes brain surgery. Again our dear friends, Customer’s & followers. I’m calling for any donation & support I could gather for him to survive. Please Pray for him, Maraming Salamat Po.

The situation sounds dire, especially given John’s other health issues. I’m O+ and so can’t contribute to the needed blood donation. The word has gone out through several other sources in town, so hopefully we have some A+ folks willing to help. I’m hoping for the best.

Today’s YouTube video recites eight qualities that attract women to an older man. Alas, only #7 seems to apply to me, especially after I purchase a lady drink. I remember asking once, what attracted you to me? The girl replied, “To be honest, it was the bulge in your pants. ” I looked down proudly at my crotch, and she said, “No, not that one,” and then pointed at my wallet.

Well, maybe you will find these funny:

And life goes on. An 8K trek on SBMA this morning was nice for a change of scenery. I asked Swan if she was feeling up to going out this evening, and she said she wanted to walk barefoot in the sand. So, Baloy Beach, here we come! I’ll have a full report tomorrow.

Here’s some Traffic noise to enjoy:

It’s the one day of the year set aside to remember and honor the brave men and women who have served in the military defending our freedoms. Thank you for your service to America!

Swan woke up on Sunday morning not feeling well, but the thought of all those disappointed children provided the impetus to do the Candy Walk anyway. We did it slow and easy and cut it a little shorter than usual, but we still managed to hand out goodies to over 200 children.

Swan took some meds and napped when we got back home and was feeling better later in the afternoon.

I carried out my weekly mission to Hideaway Bar for a feeding.

Two gin and sodas later (one every thirty minutes), it was time to cross the highway for my dinner date with Swan at John’s place. I didn’t see John this week, but I did see this:

I had a craving for John’s birria tacos, but my calorie counter said that would cost me 750.

So, what about me? I was thinking about doing pulled pork without the bun, but then I saw an item on the menu I’d never tried before.

I guess I’m not the only one wanting to know the difference. The link says gyros are usually served on pita bread, but the one I had was on a wrap, hence contributing to my confusion. Regardless, it was quite tasty and worth the 500 calories I expended.

We had our nightcap at Wet Spot, where I enjoyed my final two gin and sodas of the night (six total if you are counting). My neighbor Mike stopped in for a quick beer, and we snatched a ride home with him. Sugar-free butterscotch pudding for dessert was a sweet ending to my Sunday.

I still managed to stay under my 1800-calorie target. However, I didn’t make my daily step goal of at least 15,000. Still, when Swan hugged me this morning, she exclaimed that, for the first time, she could reach all the way around my midsection. That’s one way to measure progress, I suppose. The tape measure says my belly girth is now 49 inches, down from 52 on November 1.

On this day in 2017, I was perusing the menu of a bar I frequented in Anjeong-ri, the village I lived in outside the Army base.

The photo below is also from 2017, the day we shut down our office on Yongsan Garrison and relocated to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek. Today is Juyoung’s birthday (the gal next to me), and I posted the pic as a greeting to her from the good ol’ days. I am happy with my current life, but I also miss those days in Korea.

This also came up in my Facebook feed today:

Today’s YouTube video is a nice street show from Saigon. I really enjoyed my visit to Vietnam a few years ago and this brought back some pleasant memories.

And now for the funny business:

Another Hash Monday has arrived. The weather outside has been dicey this morning, but hopefully it won’t be too wet this afternoon. We’ll find out soon enough. I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

And what I ate wasn’t bad either.

In what seems like is becoming a new Saturday tradition, Swan needed to go to the Subic Marketplace to purchase sweets for the Candy Walk. I needed to get some steps in, so this little piggy hiked to the market. I’ve had enough of highway walking, so to the extent possible, we took backroads through different neighborhoods. And Swan handed out biscuits and lollipops along the way.

And then evening rolled around. The plan was to do The Maze Bar Hop, so we kicked things off by having dinner at Jewel Cafe.

The steak was small, but tasty, and I ate it up with pleasure.

And now for the bar hop that wasn’t. The flyer said it kicked off at 7:00 p.m. at Sloppy Joe’s. We arrived there a bit after six and waited for things to get started. I passed the time with some beers. A little after seven, a group came in and went to a table in the back. There was no greeting or invite, so I went back to see what was happening. My presence wasn’t acknowledged, and I didn’t feel like I was welcome. Weird, I know. It turns out that the bar hop group had all met at Wet Spot, and then Sloppy Joe’s was the first stop. That was my misunderstanding. Since I hadn’t joined in at Wet Spot, they must not have known why I was there. Okay, well, I figured I’d go to stop #2, Green Room, and perhaps join when they arrived. So, more drinks while waiting. When it got to 7:30, and no bar hoppers had arrived, I asked the Green Room manager what was up. He told me they had changed the bar order, and Green Room was now the fourth destination. So, I shrugged and thought, oh well, it was just not meant to be.

It was 8 o’clock, I’d had eight beers, and that was enough. We called our trike driver and headed on home.

Here’s what those eights added up to yesterday:

So, the calorie app I’m using set my goal at 2317 daily calories. One of my smart readers suggested 1800 as a more aggressive target. When I tried to change the goal on the app, it said this:

I found a basal metabolic rate calculator on the internet and plugged in my stats. It says my BMR is 1996 calories per day. My results are at the link above, but I’m honestly confused now. I’m feeling fine at less than 1800 calories per day. I guess I need to do more research.

A memory from this day in 2017:

I posted this eight years ago after Trump was elected the first time:

And as long as we are talking politics, this seems apt:

Saw a post today where Tucker Carlson claims Mitch McConnel is plotting a Senate leadership vote with the intention of undermining Trump. I’ll need to read more about that before weighing in, but it sounds like something a RINO would do.

Today’s YouTube video is from a vlogger I’ve never watched before, Smart Girl Philippines. She was kind of fun to watch, at least for this six minutes about avoiding “traps” in the PI. Nothing wrong with her advice, it’s all pretty much common sense.

Let’s see if I can get a laugh out of you:

Okay, on with the Sunday routines…hungry girls at Hideaway, dinner with Swan at John’s, and then, we’ll see. Read all about it here tomorrow.

I was feeling a little flat, so I convinced my fellow Friday hikers to take a pleasant stroll in and around Subic town. No hills or thrills, but a peaceful, easy feeling as we marched along.

When beer o’clock rolled around, I took Swan to the beach.

It has a ground-floor beachside restaurant/bar that has not yet opened. My friend Jessa advised me that the upstairs bar was serving customers, so we climbed the stairs.

We only stayed for one beer, then hit the beach for a stroll. We’ll be back, especially after the food place downstairs opens.

We walked to Kokomo’s to see what was happening there. Still no floating bar, but we’re told it will be anchored late next week. We had a pleasant visit with the staff, bought them both a drink, and then headed over to Treasure Island for some grub.

Another early night, home by 7:30. Is that going to become the new normal? Not if I can help it! But the diet plan calls for a reduction in beer intake, and the easiest way to achieve that is to spend less time at the bar. At least for now.

Eight years ago, I was in Shenanigans, my favorite Itaewon hangout, celebrating the first time Donald Trump was elected President.

Six years ago, I got a welcome back to the Philippines after my journey to the USA from my pals at Alley Cats bar:

Setting politics aside, it only seems appropriate to wish Kamala well in her future endeavors.

Today’s YouTube video from the Filipina Pea talks about the “Love Scam” industry here in the Philippines. It’s like all those Nigerian Princes on overdrive. There are actually call centers set up where Filipinas work to make lonely foreign men fall in love with them. And send money, of course. Back when I was living in Korea and “meeting” Filipinas from the dating sites, I got burned once or twice. The worst example was the time I sent a woman airfare to come visit me. The fact that I didn’t just buy the ticket myself shows how naive I was. Anyway, lessons learned the hard way. My rule after that was never send money to anyone you have never met in person.

Here’s something to smile about:

To the future, then! There’s a Maze bar hop tonight in honor of Daddy Dave’s 83rd birthday.

Swan and I will dine at Jewel Cafe before the aMAZEing fun begins. Check back here tomorrow for all the gory details!

Donald Trump has many flaws, but he was our best option. I’m hopeful that he learned from his first-term mistakes and that he appoints competent and loyal team members. I’m excited about the prospect for change that visionary non-bureaucrats like Elon Musk will add to the mix. Trump has his work cut out for him cleaning up the mess left behind by four years of Biden-Harris insanity.

What I hope to see sooner than later:

• Borders secured, immigration laws enforced
• Restoring energy independence–drill, baby, drill!
• Reducing government spending to balance the budget and reduce inflation
• Eliminating as much of the worthless Federal bureaucracy as possible
• Stand strong against the aggression of our enemies (I’m looking at you, Iran)

That will be a good start to Making America Great Again.

Enough of politics, here in my corner of the world, life goes on much as it always has. Take the Wednesday Walkers for example.

Swan was enjoying her “me time” with family, and I was trying to keep an eye on how the election was going. Late in the afternoon, it became apparent that Trump would re-assume the throne. It seemed to me a celebration was in order, so I went out in search of a beer.

One beer led to another and then one more. I got a message that my neighbors and other like-minded Trump supporters were gathering at Thumbstar bar to embrace America’s victory. I walked up the highway to join in the fun.

By my reckoning, the vast majority of expats who still care about politics in the USA are Trump supporters. In my admittedly limited circle of acquittances, I only know one who professed a preference for Kamala. His reasoning? Trump is a Nazi. Yep, he drank the lefty Kool-Aid and lost the ability to think for himself. Oh, well, sorry for you. But if ignorance is bliss, you must be one happy guy!

We were in full-on party mode, and Maksil was buying rounds of drinks due to his excitement about the stock market surge. He expects to get richer thanks to our newly-elected President. In a sense, we all will once he brings inflation back down to earth. By my count, I enjoyed six more beers at Thumbstar before calling it a night. Alas, the dietary damage was not finished because I was hungry. Thumbstar was offering a “buy one, get one” food special, so I ordered a chicken shawarma and got another for free. They were both tasty and high in calories. Between the shawarma and beers, I exceeded my daily calorie allowance for the first time since I began my diet plan.

The future looks brighter for America and I hope to become a lesser man. We’ll see how things turn out.

Lots of memories to look back on today:

How about some more of those memories from Cambodia two years ago?

I loved both of my trips to Cambodia. It was my second choice as a retirement destination. No regrets with the move to the Philippines, but I may use one of my “do-over” lives to see how things might have been had I chosen to live there.

Today’s YouTube video comes from the Filipina Pea, who is doing what she does best: talking about some unique aspects of Filipino culture. She’s funny (and cute), and this is one I really enjoyed. It’s worth the watch!

Maybe these will give you something to smile about:

Alright, I have a special event to attend this morning: The 7-Eleven Hash Run. It happens twice a year (on seven November and July 7th. See how that works?). We’ll be the first Hash from the Philippines to participate in this international event. It involves a 7K highway hike during which we will visit seven 7-Elevens. Something a little different to enjoy. I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

Today’s song also comes courtesy of Facebook memories. I posted this ten years ago, and it is still one of my favorite songs from Korea. The video tells a nice story to go with the song. Hope you like it!

It seems like I live my days in halves, walkohilic by day, alcoholic when the sun goes down. It is almost like having two days in one. Tuesday is usually my blandest weekday because I shop instead of walk, but that wasn’t the case yesterday. Here’s how it looked:

The grocery shopping went the same as it always does, but then I changed things up–I walked back to Barretto.

So, that was the morning adventure. When dinnertime arrived, the skies seemed angry:

When the rain finally let up, we headed out to our next stop, Alaska Club. I had a buy one, get one coupon to expend there. I did my usual thing of tipping the Alaska dancers fifty pesos each, and I had brought along some Choco-Pies to share. When the Sit-n-Bull waitress came by, I called her over and requested three large orders of Shanghai lumpia. I had her deliver one each to Wet Spot and Green Room and bring one for the Alaska girls. Hey, I had a 10% discount coupon to use. And maybe those three gin and sodas I consumed during my Alaska visit enhanced my generosity.

Then Swan and I had a should we stay or should we go conversation, and the result was the decision to do a nightcap at Wet Spot. I made the determination that I had had my fill of gin for the night, so I switched to Zero beer. My good intentions to have just one were stymied when I got comped a second beer, but who am I to say no to a freebie? But it was two and out for us, and we made it home safe and sound. The leftover pudding was waiting for me to enjoy as a bedtime snack. All’s well that ends well!

And it appears the USA is making a comeback: Trump has just won the election! I reckon a celebration is in order tonight!

With the future secured (for now, at least), I can indulge in some Facebook memories:

Today’s YouTube features Reekay reacting to the election. I’ve never seen him talk about politics before. He identifies as a “Libertarian-Constitutionalist.” Again, given the options, Trump was the best choice for America. I’m looking forward to Vance in 2028, assuming I live that long.

Since I’m not in mourning for my country, I can afford some smiles:

Alrighty then. Swan is taking a “me day” to spend with her family. And I’ve got some celebrating to do. I reckon a Trump victory is as good an excuse for some beers as any! Back tomorrow!

Well, I did have a pretty sweet Sunday. I report, you decide.

In the good ol’ days, we hit McDonald’s after the Candy Walk. Those days are gone now, but Swan fed me at home.

It wasn’t long before it was time to make the trek to Hideaway Bar for the feeding.

I satisfied my thirst with gin and soda water. Two in an hour, then I paid my tab and headed across the highway for my dinner date at John’s place.

After two more gin and sodas during our dinner hour at John’s, we moseyed up the highway to enjoy a nightcap at the Green Room. We were there for an hour, enjoying watching the pool players, and I imbibed my final two gin and sodas for the night. That made six in three hours, which seems to be my limit. Nothing untoward happened; I just knew that I’d had enough, and it was time to call it a night. Drinking gin is twice as expensive as beer, but I drink half as much. If my math is correct, cutting out the beer carbs isn’t costing much. A sixty-calorie pudding dessert at home and my sweet Sunday was complete.

Calories in: 1600 Calories burned: 3800

Two years ago, I was walking the streets of Phnom Penh, Cambodia:

Back in the USA, there’s an election coming this week:

In today’s YouTube video, Reekay speaks to the skills required to live as an expat successfully. I’ve made it over six years so far. Yeah, there have been some missteps along the way, but luckily, no mishaps. Now, to keep it that way!

Comic time:

So, it’s Hash Monday once again. Vienna Sausage (Guenter) is the Hare and I’ve seen the trail map. I was going to just not go at all today because the trail ends out past the end of Rizal Extension. But Michael will have his car there and I’ve reserved a seat for a ride back to town after the Hash. As for the trail, I didn’t see any good potential shortcuts, so I’ll make my own way. The My Bitch trail will get me to the finish just fine. And yes, beer is the only option at the On-Home, so I’ll get to reacquaint myself with some Zeros. I have to keep count, so I’ll try and drink slow. Full report here tomorrow.

Today is the tomorrow I worried about yesterday. And looking back, I have no complaints. Here’s how it all went down:

We walked the dogs, then walked ourselves to the Subic marketplace to stock up on sweets for the Sunday Candy Walk.

With the buying spree completed, we loaded up two big bags of candy on a trike and headed for home. A small teriyaki chicken breast with broccoli for lunch, a nap, and a blog post. Then, it was time to get ready for the rest of the day. Swan wanted something to beach about so I gave her three options. She chose Baloy, and at the appointed hour, we commenced our walk. [Ha! I’m sure most readers got the “something to beach about” allusion, but Grammarly suggested I change “beach” to “talk.” Get your mind out of the gutter, Gram. I’m talking about the sandy places Swan loves.]

Kokomo owner Steve says the floating bar will be anchored on Sunday, undergo some maintenance, and open for business on Friday. Whoopee!

After my first two wines, we headed up the beach to Treasure Island Resort for some live music and food.

Two glasses of Treasure Island wine, and we departed for home. It was only 7:30, but I’d had enough. I would have drank more beers during the amount of time we spent at the beach, but Zero is 3% alcohol, and wine is 14%. I wasn’t drunk or anything, but why press your luck? Once home, I whipped up a batch of sugar-free vanilla pudding, and that more than satisfied my sweet tooth’s cravings. It was a relatively short but nice evening out.

And that is how day two in my new lifestyle went down.

Those pictures from the Halloween SOB I promised:

And my favorite costume of the night:

In other news, we met a Hasher from Vietnam named Zach at the Subic anniversary Hash, and he told us about a special group of Hashers from around the world who are doing something called the 7-Eleven Hash. It’s basically an urban Hash where the group hikes through town, stopping at every 7-Eleven convenience store along the chosen route. Zach said no Hash from the Philippines had done this event. Well, the Subic Hash took that as a challenge to be the first; this coming Thursday (11/7), we shall march!

Speaking of something different, that trip to Cambodia two years ago was also a nice change of pace.

Today’s YouTube video is something different. Short and sweet (well, maybe sweet is the wrong word) sharing eight facts about farting you might not have known. And now you do. You are welcome!

Smile time:

Back to the usual Sunday routines starting with the Hideaway feeding. I’ll be doing gin and soda there. Then dinner at John’s place. I reckon I’ll wash down whatever I eat with some wine. Got some SOB coupons to burn as well, so we’ll see what we’re in the mood for come time for the nightcap. Exciting shit, eh?

Happy Halloween!

Now that we have those annual niceties out of the way, let’s get on with today’s post.

It rained just enough to scare me into not walking this morning. I’ll try not to let that happen again.

Let’s talk about the goodness of yesterday instead. Starting with the Wednesday Walkers trek in the Naugsol countryside.

The cliffhanger on yesterday’s post was whether I’d journey out to the bars under the threat of rain. Those of you who voted “yes” got it right. A few sprinkles on the way, but we were safely inside the confines of The Maze bar complex before the heavy stuff came down.

Finished things up early (before 7:30!) at Green Room, and headed home with some food from Sit-n-Bowl.

Then I baked a batch of brownies for an a la mode dessert. There’s a last time for everything it seems.

I was living large and spending generously yesterday. One more day to go this month, so why not?

• Dinner: 1160 pesos
• Snacks: 200 pesos
• Lady Drinks: 840 pesos
• Charity: 7000 pesos
• Trike: 200 pesos
• Tips: 490 pesos
• Alcohol: 885 pesos
• Total for October 30: 10,775 pesos

Facebook invited me for a stroll down memory lane today and y’all are welcome to come along:

In the political realm, I’ve discovered that not only am I a Nazi supporter, but I’m also garbage.

I had been planning to dress up as The Invisible Man for Halloween, but I couldn’t see how that would work. Instead, I’m going to try and go out tonight as a garbage bag. Swan is going to help me concoct a costume.

Today’s YouTube video from The Filipina Pea is a little different. She shows a clip from “The View” where those crazed lefties go off about how men need women, but women don’t need men. I know the thought of watching even two minutes of that bullshit show is scary, but hey, it is Halloween. Anyway, Pea interviewed Filipinas on the street, asking questions about needing a man, and they all answered affirmatively. And there you have the reason so many men are fleeing the USA to make the Philippines their home.

And now for the things I find amusing:

There is still a lot of iffy weather out there, but I reckon going out for some Halloween fun is something you can only do once a year. We have tentative plans to start out at It Doesn’t Matter, one of several bars having Halloween parties tonight. The question of the hour for me is whether I can find a way to look like garbage. Or find a bag big enough. Speaking of which, I’ve been doing a little foreshadowing about some changes on the horizon. That horizon arrives tomorrow. See you then!

Make no misteak about it; it was good eating. The highlight of our night on the town was dinner at John’s place. We followed that up with a bit of a bar hop, visiting MacArthur’s, Red Stars, and Hot Zone before calling it a night. But first things first.

Speaking of All Saints Day, that’s also a huge deal here in the Philippines. Driving past the hillside cemetery in Olongapo yesterday, preparations were in full swing for the upcoming big day with the dead this Friday. Food stands were being erected, crypts were being painted and given their annual cleaning and refurbishment so when the families gather to pay their respects and eat in drink in memory of the dead, all will be in order. And the following day, everything will be a mess again. It’s just the way it’s done in these parts.

When the grocery shopping was done, I couldn’t help but notice the car parked next to ours.

Ah, I see now it is a low-priced EV from China. Good luck with that!

Alright, about those steaks at John’s place. Swan and I had both been craving some beef, and we went with the tenderloin special (750 pesos) to fill that void.

The first stop on the bar hop was the newest bar in town, MacArthur’s. The place was surprisingly full when we arrived. The music was blaring loud enough that conversation was difficult. They didn’t have wine in stock, so Swan ordered gin and soda water. They gave her a gin in lime juice. My beer was 120 pesos. It was one and out for us, and we are not likely to return.

Next up was the rarely visited Red Stars. Our waitress remembered me from the Blue Butterfly days and welcomed me back by pointing to my belly and asking when the baby was due. Thousands of comedians are out of work, and she’s trying to be funny! Anyway, I get that a lot and wasn’t offended. They had wine for Swan, and my Zero was reasonably priced at 80 pesos. We sat on the outdoor patio, and Swan engaged the two waitresses at our table in a Tagalog conversation. Naturally, I bought the girls a lady drink, then watched the world go by as I enjoyed my beer(s).

The last stop was Hot Zone. I can’t even remember the last time I was there. Nothing wrong with the bar, just not my kind of place anymore. I visited last night because I got a message from owner Jay telling me he had found a shirt of mine (Jay used to be the Grandmaster of the Subic Hash, so I assumed it was a Hash shirt). I was curious about both the shirt and its origins, so I found myself in the Zone. It turns out it was a special shirt designed to commemorate an ill-fated Hash in November 2019—the one where we got arrested by the Philippine Navy for trespassing. I wrote about it here. Apparently, it got dropped off for me and misplaced for almost five years. Better late than never. Thanks, Jay!

The Hot Zone mamasan still remembered me and gave me a poke in the belly greeting as well.

And that’s where the story of my yesterday comes to an end. All that fun came with a price:

• Medications: 1500 pesos
• Lady Drinks: 360 pesos
• Tips: 500 pesos
• Alcohol: 1560 pesos
• Dinner: 1500 pesos
• Groceries: 14,700 pesos
• Driver: 1000 pesos
• Charity: 250 pesos
• Trike: 100 pesos
• Total for October 29: 21,470 pesos

Eight years ago, I was walking the streets of Seoul.

And during that trek, I was surprised to see this old beauty:

Today’s YouTube video provides an update on the kidnapped American. Arrests have been made, but not sign as yet of the victim.

And now for some laughs:

Alright, a good morning with the Wednesday Walkers and this afternoon the skies are looking angry. Will I stay or will I go? I don’t know yet either. I’ll let you know tomorrow!

I’m going to be hitting the road soon for that four-hour drive home. I’ve got some nice pics from yesterday’s Hash, but they’ll have to wait until I have more time and a faster internet connection. So, this post is just a placeholder for now.

I’d paid my Hash fees in advance, so most of my expenses for the day were already covered.

• Trike: 100 pesos
• Tips: 250 pesos
• Alcohol: 360 pesos
• Dinner: 700 pesos
• Total for October 26: 1410 pesos

There’s always time for politics, right?

In keeping with the theme of today’s post, the YouTube video is only two minutes long. The vlogger’s voice is irritating, but the photos are good. Kristine was a bitch, but luckily the damage in this part of Luzon wasn’t so bad. We did have a muddy Hash trail to deal with.

Some quick humor:

Anyway, I’ll get back when I can. But at least this post gives me one less thing to worry about. Later, gators!

Or, to be more precise, hello from Bauang, which is a municipality within the province of La Union. We arrived at our destination after a thankfully uneventful four-hour drive. One of the local Hashers invited us to the local hangout, a bar formerly called Footlights and now goes by Amante. There was a Friday night special on offer that included all you could drink from four until eight pm, food, and a special dance performance. It sounded almost SOB-like and was priced similarly, at 650 pesos per person. So, that’s what we did. No Zero or wine was available, so we drank San Miguel Light. The higher alcohol content and the urge to drink my money’s worth created the drunken result you’d expect. The food was a serving of chicken cordon bleu, which was better than I had expected. The dance performance? Well, it was two gals dancing solo. The first song was typical bar gyrations, similar to what you see in Barretto. When the second song started, everything came off. Yep, totally nude dancing. This is the first time I’ve seen that anywhere in the Philippines. Now, being the old-fashion codger that I am, I prefer some things left to the imagination. But it was nice to see something a little different in a bar. Leave it to beaver!

Swan and I did a nightcap at the hotel bar, although, for some reason, I have little recollection of that event. And now, a new and sunny day has dawned. It looks to be a good day for Hashing!

Sorry to disappoint, but there are no photos of the dancers. After their performance, they came around all the tables (fully dressed again) with a tip jar. I was happy to reward them for showing us everything they have.

So, it was a good first night here in La Union.

• Lady Drinks: 450 pesos
• Alcohol: 200 pesos
• Party: 1300 pesos
• Tips: 350 pesos
• Snacks: 550 pesos
• Gasoline: 1000 pesos
• Lodging: 5000 pesos
• Trikes: 100 pesos
• Total for October 25: 8750 pesos

Today’s stroll down memory lane:

In today’s YouTube video, Reekay provides an update on the body that washed ashore–turns out it was not the kidnapping victim. I doubt he’s still alive though.

Let’s try some humor:

Okay, I’ve got the La Union Hash House Harriers 41st Anniversary event to attend to. Tell you all about it tomorrow.

Another empty page has now been filled, but it being a Tuesday, there were plenty of open spaces. That’s why we have to live them to see what they may bring.

In a break from the normal routine, we stopped at the Ulticare Hospital on the way to Royal. It seems they were in need of a donation. So, I gave them a vial of my blood, but that wasn’t enough for the greedy bastards.

Shopping went as expected, and I was pleasantly surprised to see corn bread mix on sale.

Even with the sale prices, groceries don’t come cheap these days:

With the morning chores completed, it was time to think about those late afternoon hours. I had it in my head to do the Baloy Beach thing, but I asked Swan what she wanted to do first. “How about Baloy?” was her response. It is so sweet that we are on the same page most of the time.

And then I noticed this:

We spent a pleasant hour at Kokomo’s, chatting (and drinking) with the owner. He had planned on anchoring the floating bar this week, but Typhoon Kristine changed those plans. Hopefully, I’ll be spending my Tuesday evenings on the floater starting next month.

When we were ready to eat, we headed up the beach to Treasure Island. They weren’t too busy, and the owner bought us a round of drinks. Swan asked me if I would order some food for the waitresses, and of course, I did not object. Another example of us being on the same page.

We finished our drinks and grabbed a trike to Alta Vista. And so ended another day in the life.

“Money don’t get everything, it’s true, but what it don’t get, I can’t use…”

• Dinner: 1160 pesos
• Tips: 350 pesos
• Groceries: 15,500 pesos
• Alcohol: 1110 pesos
• Electricity: 3800
• Driver: 1000 pesos
• Healthcare: 750 pesos
• Charity: 200 pesos
• Trike: 100 pesos
• Total for October 22: 22,970 pesos

Twelve years ago, I was hanging with my pal Simon in Itaewon to celebrate his birthday.

Seven years ago, I penned this gem:

Death to Aria! I was attacked in my sleep last night. The battle raged from 0200-0300. I was unable to digest why it was happening and was in danger of being completely liquefied. I retreated from the bedroom and eventually purged the intruder. When I awoke a few hours later, I found myself on more solid ground. I’m just glad the attack didn’t occur on the subway, or I would have been in deep doo-doo.

Who says those creative writing classes were a waste of time?

I’m laughing at a lot of those Trump doing McDonald’s memes. Like this one:

Today’s YouTube video is the latest from Reekay, talking about mistakes guys make in their search for the perfect Filipina. I’ve found the right one for me, but it took me over five years of fuck-ups. So, here’s your chance to learn from the ignorance of others:

Today’s funnies:

Well, so far, at least, the typhoon has brought some mild rain and very little wind. I’ve seen photos of flooding elsewhere in the PI. It was enough to cancel the Wednesday Walkers group hike this morning, though. I’m likely going to break out the umbrella come beer o’clock and give a local bar or two some business. Hey, I call it disaster relief! I’ll let you know how that works out for me tomorrow.

I report, you decide.

The day began with the Friday group hike. We kept it local this time, and other than fighting our way through the overgrown thatch grass, we had a good walk.

It was SOB Friday, and when I attend, I arrive early in order to secure a good seat. Most of the venues open at five, and the show starts at six. The Green Room’s regular opening hour is four, so that meant having a longer than usual wait. Swan joins me just before the show begins to avoid that suffering. So, how do you kill the time sitting in a bar? Oh yeah, beer!

The show started on time. Seven hundred pesos each for admission, but the beer is free from six to eight. I consider it a challenge to get my money’s worth, but I can’t drink enough to make up for that slowpoke Swan. No big deal. Before the dancing started, Swan observed one of the GROs rubbing the crotch of the guy at a nearby table. She called the guy an asshole, but I pointed out he wasn’t rubbing on the girl. Anyway, people do what they do, and it is not my concern if it doesn’t affect me.

I was a judge for the contest again, and this week, I was totally in sync with my fellow judges:

As usual, when the show was over, I was done. We had our regular trike driver meet us outside and headed home.

Here’s how I emptied my wallet yesterday:

• Cable/Internet: 3500 pesos
• Alcohol: 450 pesos
• Tips: 420 pesos
• Trike: 200 pesos
• Phone: 3800 pesos
• Lady Drinks: 700 pesos
• Charity: 3500 pesos
• Snacks: 100 pesos
• SOB Fee: 1400 pesos
• Dinner: 520 pesos
• Total for October 18: 14,590 pesos

Ah, the memories.

Yesterday’s YouTube videos about the poor SOB locked up in jail for pot possession were a lesson in the consequences of being stupid. And today, we have yet another example. Reekay shares the story of a Yank who was kidnapped in Zamboanga, a stronghold for Muslim terrorists in southern Mindanao. I wouldn’t even VISIT that area, let alone choose to live there. Stupid is as stupid does, I suppose. I wish him well, but unless he knows someone willing to pay a hefty ransom, he’s screwed.

Alright, to the humor then:

Saturday is in play. Swan says she is craving a steak dinner at Jewel Cafe, and I’m going to leave her feeling satisfied in that regard. After that, who knows? I do have some coupons from the SOB to expend, so we shall see.

Besides drinking? Not much.

Exciting shit, eh? But wait, there’s more! It had been days (two of them!) since I’d last interjected myself in the Barretto nightlife scene. I decided some treats for the girls were in order, so I brought along chocolate marshmallow pies, some lollipops, and this bag of candy:

One of my favorites at the It Doesn’t Matter bar is a gal that goes by the name of Hershe. I’ve teased her in the past by misreading it as “he-she” and asking if she was a bakla (trans). So, my plan last night was to call her over to my table and tell her there is something I’ve wanted to do since we first met, but she should get a lady drink first. When she returned, I would say, I hope you will understand my intentions. I’ve already discussed this with Swan (yes, Swan was in on the joke), and she is fine with me doing this. Having created the appropriate level of anticipation, I would then say, “Hershe, I want to give you kisses!” After enjoying her reaction, I would pull the candy out of the bag and hand it to her. Then we’d all have a good chuckle. Except my plans went awry when Hershe chose not to show up for work. Oh well, I took the bag of candy to Wet Spot and told the head waitress I wanted to give all the girls kisses. I let her do the distribution.

We wound up staying at IDM longer than usual and enjoyed some food with our beverages.

As mentioned, we did our nightcap at Wet Spot. I bought the usual lady drinks for waitress Irene and head waitress (and Hasher) Beth. The surprise of the visit occurred when Aine came down off her high horse and greeted us at our table before ascending to the stage to join the other dancers. Swan had no issues with bringing Aine down to enjoy a lady drink for old-times sake. In a gesture of goodwill, I offered Aine something to suck on, and she gratefully accepted (a lollipop). Anyway, I sensed Swan didn’t engage with Aine with as much camaraderie as she had in the past. I guess that’s what happens when someone reveals the true nature of their character, as Aine did in turning her back on a friend.

Anyhoo, we had a nice enough evening out in Barretto. Dropped more change than usual in the bars, especially on lady drinks. But that’s the price you pay sometimes when you are having a good time. And I’m sure the gals appreciated it.

• Alcohol: 1150 pesos
• Lady Drinks: 1400 pesos
• Dinner: 850 pesos
• Charity 600 pesos
• Tips: 250 pesos
• Trike: 200 pesos
• Snacks: 700 pesos
• Prescription Meds: 600 pesos
• Total for October 17: 5750 pesos

Facebook memories carried me back to Pyeongtaek where I attended a staff dinner party/housewarming at the new home of one of my employees, Ms. Yi.

At least my life has not changed in the way this guy’s did–in a Filipino jail for possession of marijuana. Using and selling drugs in this country is beyond dumb. My number one goal since moving here has been to avoid doing ANYTHING that might be construed as criminal. Yeah, that eighteen-year-old was borderline stupid, but I did at least get a copy of her birth certificate before agreeing to meet her in person. Anyway, this guy is screwed. He was apparently not popular with his fellow Angeles expats, but I wouldn’t wish this fate on anyone. It was his own damn fault, though.

Here’s a take on the situation from another vlogger (including visiting the guy in jail) if you are interested.

I need some humor after watching that shit:

I woke up to this staring at me through the bedroom window this morning.

Swan and I will be attending the SOB dance competition tonight at Green Room. We’ll turn another page in the story of my life tomorrow. See you then!

The Wednesday Walkers made the journey out to San Narciso, and we shared a beach adventure. Swan and I enjoyed breakfast together on the Mope Resort beachside pavilion as we awaited the group’s arrival. Oh, and reader Scott reminded me that Mope = My Outta Pocket Expenses. The Aussie sponsor has a nice sense of humor!

So, one of the locals told us to turn right. We did, and reached the end of the road. A local there said there was no way through. Scott, Swan, and I retreated back the way we came. The rest of the group continued marching forward.

After lunch, I walked back to Mope with Swan and Michael. Michael retrieved his car and left to pick up the group at Joe’s. My driver was waiting when we arrived. I checked out of my room, and we headed for home.

When we arrived home, the power outage was still ongoing, but it was restored a few minutes before the scheduled six p.m. end. I decided the rooftop was The Rite Spot for me to spend my Wednesday evening.

And so ended another day in the life.

Here’s how I emptied my wallet:

• Driver: 2000 pesos
• Charity: 2300 pesos (candy)
• Tips: 400 pesos
• Breakfast: 500 pesos
• Alcohol: 600 pesos
• Lunch: 400 pesos
• Trike: 150 pesos
• Total for October 16: 6350

I mentioned the other day that you don’t see down-and-out expats on the streets of Barretto. Sadly, that’s not true everywhere. One of the Facebook groups I follow posted this photo today:

Living with less is a common thing for many Filipinos. In today’s YouTube video, The Filipina Pea visits a provincial family to show us their way of life. I see many similar residences in my backcountry walks, so I found hearing and seeing the way things are quite fascinating.

Today’s funny stuff:

I reckon I ought to see what’s been going on in Barretto since I’ve not visited for two whole nights now. Someone has to keep the bars in business, right?

The rare fun-filled Tuesday is now history. Well, it wasn’t all fun. I kicked things off with a visit to the immigration office for another sixty-day tourist visa extension, which got approved without a problem. I also had to renew my Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR) card, so my fees were doubled this time. Oh, well, that’s the price you gotta pay.

Next up was the grocery shopping chore. I gave the Pure Gold supermarket a try in search of things I can’t find at Royal. Wound up spending over 11,000 so I guess it was a successful endeavor. Then, I went to Royal to fill in the gaps and spent another 11,000. Oh, well. The cabinets are full again.

We offloaded the groceries at home, loaded up the suitcase and backpacks, then headed for San Narciso. I turned on my tracker so I could map the journey, and it looks like this:

I got a nice room this time, not that I spent much time in there. We unpacked, I knocked out yesterday’s blog post, and then we headed to the place that makes Mope special…outside seating with beach views. And cold beer, of course!

Our friend Michael arrived later in the afternoon; then he took a swim in the ocean. He joined us for a beer before we headed to resto-bar a few blocks away named Joe’s Dawgs.

When we were done at Joe’s, Michael dropped us back at Mope and headed home. The night’s fun wasn’t over, though. Swan and I grabbed some seats and engaged in our nightcap activities. I had a hankering for some ice cream and sent one of the Mope crew to the store to fetch what I thought would be cones.

So, it was off to bed for a good night’s sleep in preparation for today’s adventure. I’ll tell you about that tomorrow.

What yesterday cost me:

• Tips: 670 pesos
• Alcohol:1600 pesos
• Snacks: 800 pesos
• Dinner: 500 pesos
• Driver: 3000 pesos
• Visa Extension: 6200 pesos
• Hotel: 2750 pesos
• Charity: 200 pesos
• Groceries: 22,700 pesos
• Total for October 16: 38,420 pesos

Good times don’t come cheap!

Eleven years ago, I was hanging out at the Puddlin’ Duck in Columbia, South Carolina, with my dart buddies, Gunny and James.

Sadly, both of them left this world behind within a couple of short years after that happy day.

Today’s YouTube video talks about the things Filipinos find weird about foreigners. I’m guilty of most of them.

Humor time:

I am literally out of time. No power here and my laptop battery is almost gone. I’ll fill the gaps tomorrow.

I’m gonna keep on keepin’ on as long as I can!

Another good day in the life. A Candy Walk, a feeding, and a pool party with the neighborhood gang filled the Sunday hours in a satisfying fashion.

The party began at four, so I went to Hideaway early. No Jewel Cafe this week; I just gave the girls cash for some chicken and meat sticks. A couple of beers later, and I caught a trike back home. Then, it was off to Maksil’s place for the neighborhood gathering.

It was an easy stroll home after I’d had my fill of beer and fun—and it didn’t cost much, either!

• Alcohol: 240 pesos
• Lady Drinks: 450 pesos
• Charity: 1800 pesos (Hideaway feeding)
• Trike: 400 pesos
• Lunch 550 pesos
• Tips: 50 pesos
• Trash Collection: 100
• Total for October 13: 3590 pesos

I posted a video about island hopping in Pundaquit yesterday, and coincidentally, Facebook memories reminded me this morning that it was one year ago that I was doing that tour:

Eight years ago, I won a darts tournament in Bangkok:

Ten years ago, I posted something that is truer now that it ever was:

I don’t like the leftist agenda, but I don’t mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like the leftist agenda, denigrate means “put down.”

Today’s YouTube vlogger declares that calling the Philippines “third world” is a myth. That made me laugh because he lives in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), the enclave of Manila where the rich folks live. That ain’t the real PI, dude! I often joke that Alta Vista isn’t in the Philippines, but I can hear it from here. The squatter villages and shanty towns are a lot more authentic representations than BGC. Still, the video offers some nice street scenes of the place where the wealthy (locals and expats) can live and pretend the rest of this third-world country doesn’t exist.

Today’s lame humor:

Hash Monday has arrived once more. This morning on the dog walk I was greeted with this:

My big news is that tomorrow, after shopping, Swan and I will travel to San Narciso to stay overnight at the Mope Beach Resort. The motivation for planning this adventure is that there is a scheduled all-day power outage for Wednesday. No need to stay home for that! We’ll see how the logistics work out, but I may have to alter the blog posting schedule some. We shall see.

Oh, and my buddy Kevin will be heading out for his annual cross-Korea hike tomorrow. You can follow along on the adventure here. Good luck, stay safe, and have fun, Kev!

Today’s closing song is one I had totally forgotten until I saw it mentioned in passing on the Althouse blog today. I also learned that the songwriter/performer, Mason Williams, was a comedy writer for the old Smothers Brothers show. Damn, what a talented man! Glad to get reacquainted.

It was also fun to watch these two hear it for the first time: