Category Archives: Life in the Philippines
Taking the ups with the downs
I rather enjoyed the Hash trail yesterday. Even though the notorious Gunter (Vienna Sausage) was one of the Hares. Now mind you, it did kick my ass, even though it was only 5K or so. What I liked about it was there was nothing too crazy or dangerous, which is not always the case with this Hare. He even did an “easy” bypass to avoid one of the steep downhills and a climb back up through a rocky creekbed. This old guy appreciates that kind of gesture. What made it so difficult was an almost constant series of ups, then downs, without much respite of flat ground in between to recuperate.
Notwithstanding the relative harshness of the hike, I enjoyed taking some paths I hadn’t been on before. Seeing new sights on such a familiar mountain is another reason to give kudos to the Hares. Hope you enjoy these photographs of the trek:






































After the Hash festivities concluded, I caught a ride to the Car Wash. I was the only customer, so I bought drinks and nachos for the staff and my girl. Nice way to end the day.
Beached
A more or less sedate Sunday in my neck of the woods. Er, neck of the sands? Neither one makes any sense now that I think about it. Ah, I just looked it up:
This expression originated in the United States. `Neck' comes from `naiack' which means `point' or `corner' in an Algonquian Native American language.
Now I know.
Anyway, after I finished my morning duties, the girlfriend came by with some of her things. We enjoyed some quiet time before we headed to the Car Wash where she had a few chores to complete. I had some lunch there while waiting. Once she was free again, we did a short beach walk before dropping into the Papagayo resort for some refreshments. I had a beer and she had blueberry cheesecake.


We decided to relocate to Baloy beach for a change of scenery.


Sitting at McCoy’s on the beach, a cold beer, a plate of pork chops, and watching the sun go down. It doesn’t get much better than that.



Hash Monday it is again. And today the trail is actually going right by my house.


Speaking of my house, the new neighbors are a loud bunch.

That’s the news from here for now. Yep, my new sedate life must be every bit as boring to read about as my old one. Stick around, I’m bound to do something stupid again soon.
Just another Saturday
It’s my life and I’m still here to enjoy it, so I guess that makes every day special. Yesterday was no exception.
A loving good morning wake up with the girlfriend. When it was time for her to go, I walked her (with Buddy) out to the front gate. Said our goodbyes with a plan to meet up for lunch. I came back home and did my overdue blog post. Yeah, it seems I’ll be a morning blogger on most days henceforth.
With my readers taken care of, I headed out to get myself a little exercise.





I was anticipating a 1:00 pm meet-up with my gal but shortly before the appointed time, she messaged that there would be a delay. Apparently, her phone went dead after that because there were no responses to my status update inquiries. Shortly before 3:00 I grew tired of waiting and decided to head out to the Car Wash (her resto). She wasn’t there either, so I moved on to the Palm Tree where I had originally planned to have lunch.

As you can see, the beach is nearly deserted. That’s a HUGE change from just one week ago when the hotels were jam-packed with visitors from out of town. The recently imposed travel restrictions/vaccine mandates have had a devasting impact on everything. Except for COVID, of course. My neck is sore from shaking my head at the stupidity of the bureaucrats running this country. Oh well.
Anyway, before I’d finished my first beer I heard from the girlfriend. Her phone had indeed died but she was on her way to join me at last. We dined, chatted, and enjoyed the beach views. After our late lunch/early dinner, we headed back to the Car Wash. I guess I’m getting to be a regular there now and enjoyed some conversations with a couple of the other guests. The plan for later was to visit the Whiskey Girl bar and help the manager there, Jonnie Tango, celebrate his 77th birthday.

After the party, it was back to the Car Wash for more beer and conversation. I saw a big red flag but chose to ignore it. I’ve still got a lot to learn about tempering my particular brand of humor, but I’m trying. The night ended on a more positive note, just around midnight. Yep, I’m adapting to my new reality. Slept in until 6:30 this morning, two hours later than my old normal. Poor Buddy doesn’t know what to think, but he’ll adapt too I’m sure.
And now it is time to get on with my Sunday.
Out of sorts
Once again I apologize for the lack of regular posting here. My schedule and routines remain disrupted and unpredictable as I accommodate the demands of having a girlfriend. I’m not complaining mind you, just offering an explanation. As I continue to adjust to this new normal I’m hopeful I’ll be able to develop some consistency in my daily rituals.
In the old days it was pretty much like this every day: wake up between four and five each morning. Catch up on the world’s happenings via my favorite blogs and websites. Feed and walk the dogs. Walk myself, either alone or with the group hikers. Take a nap. Blog here at LTG. Shower and head out for an evening of beer drinking, darts, and hanging out with my bargirl friends. Back home and in bed between nine and ten. Rinse and repeat.
Here in the good new days, it is much more unpredictable. Yesterday is a good example. When my sweetheart spends the night I’m not so early to rise. When we did get up, I enjoyed sharing a cup of coffee and morning chat in lieu of my internet pursuits. My dog walk included escorting my gal out of the neighborhood where she got a trike back to her home in Subic. I returned home, had a bite to eat, perused some of my regular internet reads, then it was time to head out for the Friday group hike.
We had a nice jaunt of almost 10K and finished up at a place, now popularly known as the Car Wash due to its proximity to a car wash), for lunch and beers. Now, normally after an hour or so, I’d return home, blog, nap, shower, and go play darts. That was my plan until it was preempted by my girl’s request that I stay with her instead. So, I sat there unshowered in my hiking clothes for the remainder of the afternoon and into the evening hours. Good chats with some friends and fellow patrons, lots of cold beers, and of course, the company of the woman I love. We came home together early, around 8 p.m., watched a couple of episodes of Seinfeld, then hit the hay. I’m definitely enjoying the snuggling and cuddling during the night as we sleep.
Anyway, I’m writing this post prior to my morning walk today to ensure I don’t get detoured by unplanned events later in the day. As things stand, we are planning to have lunch together. Who knows what I’ll be doing after lunch. There’s comfort in routines and excitement in not having things go as planned. I reckon that’s part and parcel of living a shared life. It’s a nice change.
Here are some photos I took on yesterday’s hike. I was the only photographer in attendance, so the views and quality of the shots are not up to par with what I usually post, but they are better than nothing I hope.


















You can Relive the hike here if you want:

Okay, that’s it for this time. I’ll try to get back to being as regular here as my morning poop. Promise!

Not dead yet

Sorry for my failure to post here yesterday. I’m in the midst of changing my lifestyle, routines, and schedule to accommodate my new having a girlfriend status. So, I’m staying up later lately, sleeping later into the morning, and filling in my waking hours with non-internet-related activities.
Here’s a quick catch-up on what’s been happening:
Tuesday is supposed to be my shopping day. As I expected, SBMA would not allow me entry access without a vaccination card, so there will be no Royal groceries in the foreseeable future. The malls and other supermarkets off base also require proof of vaccination for entry. I picked up a few essentials at a small market and dog food at a pet store to get me through the week. I reckon my vaccinated helper is going to have to handle shopping chores next week
Here in town, so far none of the local businesses, bars, and restaurants are requiring vax cards. Except for The Pub which has a sign up saying entry is forbidden without proof of vaccination because “it’s the law”. Well, it’s not the law, it is a bureaucratic mandate that he alone thus far as has chosen to adhere to. Disappointed in his response, but his business is his business. As a customer, I can only vote with my feet.

Played darts without incident on Tuesday night.

I woke up with some body aches on Wednesday morning. My girlfriend suggested skipping the Wednesday Walkers group hike and joining her for a stroll on the beach instead. Call it an offer I couldn’t refuse. We had breakfast at Harley’s, a stroll on Baloy beach, I introduced her to the new McCoy’s beach bor (water and juice only, it was too early for beer). Then we triked back to my house for some rest and recreation.
After that task was completed, she went to work and I was back on Baloy for the opening week of dart league. We defeated our opponent from Johan’s 9-4.

Went back to see the girlfriend after darts and took her to dinner at Mango’s where we enjoyed the grilled pork chops. A nice end to the day.
Anyway, I wasn’t able to fit any blogging time into my whacked Wednesday this time. Hopefully, I will find a rhythm that allows me time for the essentials. Wasn’t even able to read the blogs I frequent. That’s not good!
And now, I’ve got to grab a shower and head out to meet the girlfriend for some lunch and maybe a long beach walk. It’s a whole new kind of boring and much more enjoyable!
Thanks for your understanding!
Protected: On-On!
Here we go. Again.

I technically reside in San Isidro, a barangay in Subic. My Alien Registration Card says I live in Barretto. So, I don’t think they can keep me out of Barretto. Anyway, I know all the back ways in so it shouldn’t be a problem. The bigger concern is the new rules that forbid the non-vaxxed from entering indoor businesses. That supposedly went into effect yesterday but it wasn’t being enforced anywhere that I visited. Well, when I tried to go into The Pub for dinner the waitress asked for my vaccination card. Told her I didn’t have one. She said that according to John (the owner) she couldn’t let me in. I told her no one else had stopped me anywhere in town and she could tell John I won’t be back. She hesitated and let me in. I was the only customer in the place.
SBMA (the old Navy base) will not let you enter without a vax card now. That means no more grocery shopping at Royal for the foreseeable future. Depending on how strict enforcement becomes, I may not be able to shop anywhere. My helper has been vaccinated, so I guess I won’t have to starve.
Anyway, it’s all bullshit. I’m not anti-vax. I’m also not stupid. The vaccination doesn’t work. Just ask Whoopi Goldberg and Geraldo Rivera–they did everything they were told and mocked those who resisted–and both have just tested positive for Covid. Who’s the sucker now? I may not have any choice but to give up and get jabbed so I can retain my freedom of movement and access to the bars. But this totalitarian bullshit is right out of Orwell’s 1984. The thing that shocks me is how many people still believe the big lie.

In other news, they’ve begun construction on a new house on the lot just below my place. So the peace and quiet I became accustomed to is gone now, at least during daylight hours.



Nothing to update on the new old girlfriend. So far so good. I’m going to do my best and see what happens.

The afternoon before I got my old girl back, I slapped a steak on the grill and this was the result:

I also visited a relatively new beach bar on Saturday. McCoy’s on Baloy Beach. I actually rather liked it and expect I’ll be visiting again soon. Here are some photos I took while there:








Anyway, it was a crazy weekend. A couple of late nights in a row, riding the emotional roller coaster but hopefully winding up in a better place. Finding out what’s next is what life is all about, right?
Actually, I already know what is next–this is Hash Monday. Time to get ready to hit the trail again. I’ll be back with more tomorrow.
Getting to the heart of the matter
Well I’m lonely now but my heart is free I enjoy a beer and watch a tree, I can see a cloud and feel the breeze, I can buy some bread and a bit of cheese. And I know full well it is my right To begin to live the rest of my life --James Kavanaugh
Alright, what a wild ride these past few days have been. I’ll lay out the events as they transpired and then try and justify my actions, knowing full well that may be impossible.
Here goes: I mentioned in an earlier post that I encountered Dick while I was out drinking Thursday night at Queen Victoria. Well, encountered is probably not the right word for it. He came to the bar next to where I was sitting, ordered a beer, then sat down at a table behind me. He didn’t say anything to me. I could overhear part of the conversation from the other person sitting at Dick’s table. It was along the lines of “You need to go home. Let me help you get a trike.” Dick was not receptive. He finished his beer and left the bar. I could see as he walked out that he was very drunk.
I left the bar a little bit later. My friend’s place is almost across the street from Queen Victoria so I decided to discreetly walk past. Dick was face down at a table in the outdoor portion of resto. A guy I know named Ernie was sitting at the outside counter with a mom. When Ernie saw me he came out to the street to say hello and ask where I was going. I said I was heading home but would have a beer with him somewhere else if he wanted. So we went a block up the road to an outdoor stand near the 7/11. I asked how things were at the other place and he told me the owner wasn’t there but everything was cool. I asked if she and Dick were a couple now and he indicated that was his impression. Oh, well. Sorry for her. About this time we saw Dick stumble past on his way home.
I’d been drinking quite a bit myself so perhaps my judgment was impaired but I thought I’d have one last beer at the old place. Since Dick wasn’t there it shouldn’t be an issue. Ernie came with me. When we arrived a lady was seated outside with a couple of customers. She looked stunning in a red dress. I greeted her jokingly as a first-time customer, and she said welcome. Then sat back down at the counter with her back to me for the remainder of the visit. Alright, then. Time to go home.
When I got home I sent her a message apologizing for the intrusion. She responded that it was good to see me again. I took the bait and told her I’d been missing her and wanted to wish her the best. She said she missed me too. And then we continued chatting about the past and the events leading to our breakup. It seemed we had achieved a better understanding of our issues, but not to the extent of patching things up either. But it was all positive and I felt good about it.
We exchanged good mornings before I departed for my Friday hike, so the lines of communication appeared to have been reopened. Friday was a crazy day with the Hash leadership meeting almost immediately after the hike. After the meeting, I headed over to Alley Cats for the dart tourney. Before the tourney began I got a message from my friend Sean, saying he had some “intel” regarding a girl and Dick. I had previously confided in him that I wasn’t quite over for her yet. At the time he just shook his head and told me to find a new girl. Anyway, the tourney hadn’t started yet, so I bailed out and went to meet Sean at IDM. I was very interested in his “intel”. It seems he had had occasion to speak with both Dick and the girl (separately), and the bottom line was they were not a couple. Yeah, Dick wanted her still, but the girl wasn’t reciprocating. Hmm.
Later that evening I sent her a message and asked if I was welcome to visit her place. She responded that of course I was and she would be happy to see me there. Good to know. I briefly considered stopping by on my way home, but I’d been drinking since early afternoon, and I didn’t want to make my re-entrance into her life while drunk. She’s not keen on drinking to excess which is why I could never see her being in a happy relationship with Dick. I went home and went to bed.
Sometime during the night, I woke up with a weird feeling. I’m not going to lie, since the breakup with my ex she was usually the last thought before I slept and the first thought upon waking. But this was different. I felt like there had been a disconnection, like hanging up on the phone. I can’t really explain it more than that gut feeling.
When I was on the computer later that morning I got a notification that my ex had deleted a message. I went to check messenger and saw that she had deleted the ones about my being welcome at her business and that she would be happy to see me. I messaged her asking what were the reasons for the deletions. She responded, “I’m setting you free to live the life you want and to be whoever you want to be.” WTF? I was getting dizzy from this roller coaster ride. I guess she decided she didn’t want me in her life in any capacity after all. It stung, but what could I do about it? Her life, her call.
So, time for me to move on with my life, right? Ernie messaged me yesterday asking if I wanted to join him at a new beach bar on Baloy. Hell, yes! We agreed to meet up at 3:00. So, as I’m hoofing it to Baloy and walking past the 7/11 who do I see sitting outside her new, and as yet unopened, resto-bar. Yep, the ex in the flesh. I decided to say hello. She had her back to me as I approached and was sitting with her cousin who will be running the place. I asked if this was the grand opening, he responded “not yet”. Silence from her. Never once even made eye contact. Okay then. I said good luck and left.
When I got to the beach bar I sent her a message apologizing for the intrusion and promising to never bother her again. I also said that I had remained friends with all my ex-wives and was sorry she didn’t want to maintain a friendly relationship.
And then it happened. She let loose. Telling me that she still had feelings for me. She had let me go so I could find my happiness. I responded that I wanted to be happy with her. And she said that’s what she wanted to. Yep, we were back to professing our love for one another.
I invited her to the beach bar but she said another time would be better. Would I join her at her place later? Of course, I would. I was already five beers into my afternoon, so I caught a trike home to rest up/sober up some before meeting her. I headed out to her resto around 6:00. She hadn’t returned yet, so I sat at the outside table and waited. She arrived about 45 minutes later, and we briefly chatted, but in a bland, platonic way. I understood better than I had in our first go-round that that is how she is in work mode. No problem, if I’m going to make this work I’m going to need to be better at accepting her the way she is. I knew she would be coming home with me, what else do I need? And then Dick arrived.
If Dick was surprised to see me, he played it off pretty well. He set about repairing the bar stools (fighting some screws and bolts) which was certainly a helpful gesture. Afterward, he sat down at the table where Pearl and I were seated. She was in the middle, equidistant from us both. Dick can put the beers away, that’s for sure. I was intentionally drinking slowly but he was doing at least two for every one that I drank. I ordered up my old favorite, some honey chicken wings. my girl also had a quesadilla and chicken fingers brought to our table. I got drafted to be the DJ again and Dick and I had pleasant chats focused on different songs and artists.
And that’s how the night went on. And on. And on. Dick left for a while around 9:00. He was probably surprised that I was still there when he returned 30 minutes later. In my previous iteration, I’d have been home asleep by now. During his absence, she had moved closer to me and she stayed there when he returned. And then what I perceived as kind of a “Mexican standoff” ensued. I wasn’t leaving until Dick left, and he wasn’t going to leave me alone with the girl. That’s how it felt anyway. So, the hours trickled by. Other customers came and went. Around midnight my buds Ernie and Sean came in, and the party rocked on.
My girl had to stay until closing and I guess they remain open until the customers are all gone. Dick wound up about as drunk as he was when I’d seen him at Queen Victoria. Finally, around 1:30 the waitress announced the last call for alcohol. Dick stumbled out and my girl accompanied him to the trike stand, returning a few minutes later. I stood by while she and the help closed up shop. Then we caught a trike home to my place.
Some passion and some talk until the wee hours of the morning. She went home and we are planning to meet up again later today. My head is still spinning from this unexpected turn of events.
Alright. Everyone probably thinks I’m making a huge mistake. Perhaps time will prove them right. But how can I not at least take the chance to make this work? She’s like no one I’ve met before. I can learn to be more accommodating to her quirks and hopefully, she’ll be accepting of mine. Only one way to find out, and that’s to try and make it work this time.
What have a got to lose? I’m reminded of this John Greenleaf Whittier poem.
Maud Muller, on a summer's day, Raked the meadows sweet with hay. Beneath her torn hat glowed the wealth Of simple beauty and rustic health. Singing, she wrought, and her merry glee The mock-bird echoed from his tree. But, when she glanced to the far-off town, White from its hill-slope looking down, The sweet song died, and a vague unrest And a nameless longing filled her breast-- A wish, that she hardly dared to own, For something better than she had known. The Judge rode slowly down the lane, Smoothing his horse's chestnut mane. He drew his bridle in the shade Of the apple-trees, to greet the maid, And ask a draught from the spring that flowed Through the meadow across the road. She stooped where the cool spring bubbled up, And filled for him her small tin cup, And blushed as she gave it, looking down On her feet so bare, and her tattered gown. "Thanks!" said the Judge, "a sweeter draught From a fairer hand was never quaffed." He spoke of the grass and flowers and trees, Of the singing birds and the humming bees; Then talked of the haying, and wondered whether The cloud in the west would bring foul weather. And Maud forgot her briar-torn gown, And her graceful ankles bare and brown; And listened, while a pleasant surprise Looked from her long-lashed hazel eyes. At last, like one who for delay Seeks a vain excuse, he rode away, Maud Muller looked and sighed: "Ah, me! That I the Judge's bride might be! "He would dress me up in silks so fine, And praise and toast me at his wine. "My father should wear a broadcloth coat; My brother should sail a painted boat. "I'd dress my mother so grand and gay, And the baby should have a new toy each day. "And I'd feed the hungry and clothe the poor, And all should bless me who left our door." The Judge looked back as he climbed the hill, And saw Maud Muller standing still. "A form more fair, a face more sweet, Ne'er hath it been my lot to meet. "And her modest answer and graceful air Show her wise and good as she is fair. "Would she were mine, and I to-day, Like her, a harvester of hay: "No doubtful balance of rights and wrongs, Nor weary lawyers with endless tongues, "But low of cattle, and song of birds, And health, and quiet, and loving words." But he thought of his sisters, proud and cold, And his mother, vain of her rank and gold. So, closing his heart, the Judge rode on, And Maud was left in the field alone. But the lawyers smiled that afternoon, When he hummed in court an old love-tune; And the young girl mused beside the well, Till the rain on the unraked clover fell. He wedded a wife of richest dower, Who lived for fashion, as he for power. Yet oft, in his marble hearth's bright glow, He watched a picture come and go: And sweet Maud Muller's hazel eyes Looked out in their innocent surprise. Oft when the wine in his glass was red, He longed for the wayside well instead; And closed his eyes on his garnished rooms, To dream of meadows and clover-blooms. And the proud man sighed, with a secret pain, "Ah, that I were free again! "Free as when I rode that day, Where the barefoot maiden raked her hay." She wedded a man unlearned and poor, And many children played round her door. But care and sorrow, and child-birth pain, Left their traces on heart and brain. And oft, when the summer sun shone hot On the new-mown hay in the meadow lot, And she heard the little spring brook fall Over the roadside, through the wall, In the shade of the apple-tree again She saw a rider draw his rein, And, gazing down with timid grace, She felt his pleased eyes read her face. Sometimes her narrow kitchen walls Stretched away into stately halls; The weary wheel to a spinnet turned, The tallow candle an astral burned; And for him who sat by the chimney lug, Dozing and grumbling o'er pipe and mug, A manly form at her side she saw, And joy was duty and love was law. Then she took up her burden of life again, Saying only, "It might have been." Alas for maiden, alas for Judge, For rich repiner and household drudge! God pity them both! and pity us all, Who vainly the dreams of youth recall; For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: "It might have been!" Ah, well! for us all some sweet hope lies Deeply buried from human eyes; And, in the hereafter, angels may Roll the stone from its grave away!
Yeah, I can hardly believe this is happening either. Call me a fool if you will, but I choose to make a stand for love. Even if it kills me in the end.
Look out below

Friday’s group hike was rather interesting. Unlike the Hash trails, we normally don’t have a predetermined course plotted, just a general sense of the area we want to explore. Sometimes this leads to unanticipated results, usually not in a good way. Trailblazing through bushes, briars, and brambles, an unexpected dead-end, a steeper, and longer climb than desired–we had all that and more during yesterday’s journey. And oh yeah, for the first time in my hiking career I participated in tearing down a fence that had us trapped with no way forward, and going back down where we had just suffered an exhaustingly steep climb was not an option. And for the record, once we passed through we re-erected the fence. No harm, no foul!
There was a reward for all of our struggles though–one of the nicest views I’ve enjoyed on any of our hikes. The picture above is one take on that. What made the view unique was that from our vantage point it was all-encompassing. We could the bay and the surrounding mountains which is pretty standard. The clear skies yesterday also allowed us to see the more distant mountains and beyond. We could even see the ocean out San Antonio way. It made the earlier struggles almost worth it.
To the photos then:

















I’m still stewing in my juices on the subject that I alluded to in yesterday’s post. I’ll try and tackle that one tomorrow. I need to do some more beer-fueled contemplation. Going to be drinking with a friend on Baloy Beach later this afternoon. That will be a good start to my Saturday night.
Revolting
I find all this “insurrection” talk from the Dems and big media (but I repeat myself) to be rather revolting. Keep it up and you’ll see what a real revolution looks like. But enough with American politics. I live here now and my shenanigans create more than enough drama to fill my days.
I had a nice 7.5K morning walk. Did a photo every ten minutes this time. I’ll add them at the end of this post. My anticipated afternoon delight was a visit from Joy.
I honestly didn’t know what to expect. It was her day off and her idea to come over. I was prepared to do the steak dinner thing, even had the potatoes baking in the oven when she arrived. “How long can you stay?” I asked. She replied that she needed to leave around 3:00. It was currently 2:00, so then I knew what she had come for. So, we took care of business, and it was time to go. I walked her out of the subdivision and invited her to join me at a new Korean place that just opened, but it was closed. So, I took her to Sit-n-Bull instead.
After the meal, we said our goodbyes. And there I stood on the highway in Barretto at 3:30 in the afternoon. I had no expectations about Joy and yet somehow I still felt a sense of disappointment. Nothing a few beers won’t cure I reasoned, so I headed over to the Mango’s beach bar for some solitary contemplation. Then I moved on to Outback for more beer and bargirl company. When I tired of that, I crossed the street to Queen Victoria for more of the same. Well, you get the picture. Just another night in paradise. It ended in a bizarre and unexpected way, copious amounts of beer will sometimes do that, but I’ll have to share that story another time. I’m not sure what I’m doing at this point.
Anyway, I have the Friday hike this morning, the annual Hash leadership meeting in the early afternoon, and then darts in the evening. Wanted to get this post up now as it is likely my only chance to do so.
Yesterday’s solitary hike:












Relive the walk here if you want:
It seems life just gets curiouser and curiouser. Stay tuned for whatever may be coming next.
Love the one you’re with
If you're down and confused And you don't remember who you're talking to Concentration slip away Because your baby is so far away Well there's a rose in a fisted glove And the eagle flies with the dove And if you can't be with the one you love, honey Love the one you're with
It turned out to be a pretty interesting Wednesday. Saw some new scenery with the Walkers group out on the far side of Subic town; that’s always nice. The hike was challenging, as much from the overgrown vegetation as was it from the hill climb. Still, a good group effort, and that made it worthwhile. Pictures from that trek are at the end of this post.
We had a different kind of challenge just getting to Subic. We had the good fortune to catch an empty Jeepney in Barretto so all seventeen of us hikers hopped in the back. We were stopped at the checkpoint as we entered Zambales province and asked for our quarantine cards. Yep, they’ve actually started that madness again. Actually, from what I read they are only supposed to be harassing folks from Manila, but there is no arguing with these petty tyrants. Hell, I technically live in San Isidro which is part of Zambales; am I not going to be allowed to go home without proof of quarantine? Bullshit! Anyway, we just played dumb and said “oh, we didn’t know we had to bring our card” and eventually the bureaucrat let us proceed with the admonishment to bring our cards next time. Yes, sir!
After the hike, some of us did lunch and beers at Dynamite Dick’s. We are between seasons in darts so I wasn’t in my usual big rush to get home. After Dick’s, Scott and I headed over to Hideaway for a couple of more beers. Naturally, I bought my waitress friend Joy a couple of lady drinks. She is going to be visiting me here this afternoon. I’m planning to grill up some steaks and fixin’s. Not sure what she has in mind since I’m no longer doing the FWB program. We’ll see how that goes.
After going home to shower up, I met up with “Bill” at Wet Spot. Bill’s live-in girlfriend has gone home to the province to spend a month or so with family. Bill is also the guy I mentioned that has made it his goal to find me a worthy girlfriend this year. I don’t usually hang with anyone when I hit the bars, but since we are both currently single I thought I’d share my company with him.
Bill was there when I arrived. As I sat down to join him, Aine, the waitress I spend my time with when I visit Wet Spot, came to join us. She wasn’t her usual friendly self though. Turns out she was pissed/hurt because I hadn’t been in to see her for over a week, including the holidays. Well, it wasn’t anything personal, I just don’t visit Wet Spot as frequently as other venues. So I bought her the first of several drinks and let her pout while I gave my attention to Bill. Later on, I bought some chocolates for her from a vendor and she seemed to cheer up some.
Meanwhile, Bill had spotted a hottie on stage and called her down to join us at our table. Twenty-one, dark-skinned, and huge natural tits. Yeah, looked even better close up. Named Barbie. I told her I was Ken, but she didn’t get the joke. Oh well. Bill started buying her some drinks and she loosened up quite a bit–became more talkative and took off her bra! Wowza! As I mentioned, Bill has a girlfriend that he adores, but I could tell he was really tempted to ask for a take-out. Well, I mean, I heard him ask if she was available and she answered affirmatively. Maybe to keep himself out of trouble, he started trying to get me interested in Barbie. Nope, not my thing. Besides, I had a gal next to me already and I’m pretty sure she would have not appreciated it if I started showing affection for another girl in the bar. I learned on my very first trip to the Philippines to never barfine two girls from the same bar. Once they’ve gone with you they consider you exclusively theirs. Bizarre I know, especially since they won’t hesitate to go with another customer who pays the price of admission.
I had originally thought we’d do a bar hop and have dinner somewhere but we wound up staying at Wet Spot and ordering some food from Sit-n-Bull for delivery to our table. When we did finally break free we crossed the street to Cheap Charlies. Bill switched to Cokes but I stuck with my low-alcohol beer. Alma, my favorite, wasn’t working but there were three girls surrounding me so I made do. Bill was working with two of his own and having a good time putting on some dirty dancing moves. I finally called it quits a little after 9:00 and headed on home. A good night overall.

Alright then, let’s get to those pictures from the Wednesday Walkers hike, shall we?
































All in all, I’d call it a damn fine Wednesday.
Turn your heartache right into joy 'Cause she's a girl and you're a boy Get it together come on make it nice You ain't gonna need any more advice Well there's a rose in a fisted glove And the eagle flies with the dove And if you can't be with the one you love, honey Love the one you're with
Four years running
Well, walking anyway.
I began my Hash career at the beginning of 2018 and look at me now–still alive! Just been looking at the Hash stats I see I’m in the top fifteen of active participants in the SBH3.

Good times!
Yesterday’s Hash was a little different in that the trail started a good way up Rizal Extension. I had a long forty-minute walk (including an up and down on My Bitch) just to get there. Made for a longer hike than the 6.5K that the Hare laid out for us. It wasn’t a bad trail though; the climb to the top of Kalaklan was as hard as ever, but pretty much smooth sailing after that. I did “shortcut” one down and up loop, but the route I took was not much shorter overall. Anyway, it was definitely the best Hash trail I’ve seen this year!


















Another day in the life in almost paradise.
Annoising

So, yeah. I made up a new word to describe a cultural phenomenon prevalent here in the Philippines and exacerbated at the end of every year–noise. This is a loud country. For whatever reason, people prefer max volume. Every morning I can hear music blaring from a house two streets down from me. Karaoke is even worse–bad singing amplified to ear-splitting levels. Motorbikes with modified mufflers to increase noise. The loudest car horns I’ve ever heard. And don’t get me started on the roosters. The locals just take it all in stride, but going on four years here and I still can’t get used to it. That’s one advantage to living in Alta Vista, a lot of the regular everyday neighborhood noise is not present. And roosters are not allowed.
Anyway, this New Year’s season has been especially bad. The firecrackers sound like gunshots and make your ears ring and windows rattle. The noisemakers and airhorns are also very irritating. I saw one guy stick an airhorn in his motorbike exhaust pipe to exacerbate the loudness. Anyway, as I said, it is all very annoising. Rant over.
There are nicer traditions for the holiday here as well. It’s a family time and gathering for meals with the clan is a big deal. I was surprised at how many bars were closed last night for New Year’s Day even though it was a Saturday night. I speculate they couldn’t get their staff to come in and miss out on the family feast. My regular beggars were asking for money to fund the big meal and I even accommodated a few of them.
Of course, I don’t have family here. I don’t even have a girlfriend. But that didn’t stop me from cooking like I had loved ones to serve.







My hunger satiated, it was time to get out and fulfill another tradition of mine–drinking beer on Saturday night. I changed things up a little bit by starting out at Queen Victoria, a bar I hadn’t bothered visiting since I did the review back in October. It was early and I was the only customer. Despite the infrequency of my visits, all the girls greeted me by name. One, in particular, seemed especially happy to see me. She kept asking if I remembered her and I finally had to admit I did not. She seemed very disappointed in me. Turns out she used to work at Alaska Club. She also reminded me of the occasion I had bar fined her (paid to take her out of the bar), something I very rarely do, maybe once or twice a year. Then she rubbed some salt in the wound by telling me how quickly I came. I guess that’s a good thing for a prostitute though. Anyway, she’s pretty funny and gives a good massage so maybe someday I’ll try to make it last longer and get my money’s worth. I bought her a lady drink and had a couple of beers, then moved on.
Next stop was Outback to visit my pal Bhel. She seems completely recovered from her surgery, which is a good way to start a new year. Actually, she had invited me to a gathering at her house on New Year’s Eve, but I wasn’t comfortable with being the only white guy there. Things can go south in a hurry when people you don’t know get drunk. After a pleasant visit, I headed out for my next destination.
Hmm. BarCelona and Cheap Charlie’s were closed. Thought about Wet Spot, but decided to hit it on the way back home. It Doesn’t Matter was open, so I figured I’d check in with Roan. Turns out, she had called in sick. Too much to drink the night before. That was my fault because I was buying her drinks. Oh well. I shared drinks with another waitress and a fellow Hasher, Leech My Nuggets, came in so I wound up staying at IDM longer than expected. After two straight late nights though I was ready to head home at 9:00.
And that’s how I spent the first day of the new year. Seems an awful lot like all my other days, doesn’t it?
Midnight on the bay

Made it through another year, not completely unscathed, but why should 2021 be different than all those other years? A nice hike out in San Antonio during the morning hours. I’ll cover that event at the end of this post. Let’s start out with a recap of the nighttime New Year’s Eve adventures.
I did have an invite to a dinner party out on Baloy beach but I just wasn’t feeling all that sociable. I’d done the late (for me) night on Thursday and after the travel for the hike, I was ready to chill. And yeah, not having a date for what I expected would be a couples event curbed my enthusiasm as well. In fact, as I set out on my planned bar crawl I was in a foul mood and feeling somewhat used and abused. Or maybe just lonely. Well, I figured I could fix that by spending time with some of my favorite bargirls. So I started my evening at Hideaway bar sharing drinks and company with Joy and Jen.
Except it didn’t work. If anything, the shallowness of the interactions just made me feel worse. Clearly, this was the wrong medicine for whatever it was that was ailing me. Finished my beer, said my goodbyes and found myself out on the bustling streets of Barretto once again. Now what? I thought maybe something new was in order and figured that if nothing else, the views from the rooftop bar/restaurant at Central Park Reef hotel would boost my spirits, so I headed off in that direction.
Along the way, I saw that a brand new bar had just opened. I decided to pop in and give it a look-see. It was just me, one waitress, and what I learned later was the owner. I ordered a beer and decided to drink it at the outside table.

The waitress did stand outside with me as I sat and drank my beer. She told me they are going to hire more waitresses and also have karaoke both inside and out. Ah, one of THOSE kinds of bars. No thanks! Too soon to review though. I’ll give it another look when it is fully operational. Finished my beer and departed.
Back on the highway and with the Central Park hotel in view, I changed my mind. I decided to go somewhere more familiar and comfortable. I’d just been to Cheap Charlies the night before, so I decided to climb the steps up to BarCelona. I knew my favorite there, Novi, was no longer working and I had lost interest in the hottie I’d seen there in the red dress upon observing how mercenary she appears to be. Nope, I’d just get my seat with a view and be a solitary drinker. I smiled to myself when the hottie turned out to be my waitress. I could almost see the expectation in her eyes that I’d ask her to join me. Instead, I thanked her, turned my back, and proceeded to enjoy my cold San Miguel Light.
It turned out to be my one and only beer there. When I attempted to order my second SML the hottie returned and said they were sold out. WTF? SML is a local brew that is popular with expats, and I’ve never seen any bar run out. Especially on a Friday night that is also New Year’s frickin’ eve! It wasn’t even 7 o’clock yet. Now, if I was managing the bar, I’d fire the person responsible for keeping beer in stock. And I’d also send one of the waitresses to 7/11 to bring back all the SML she could carry. Instead, they chose to lose a customer. Needless to say, this did not improve my mood.
Back out on the street yet again and needing a new venue to find some holiday spirit. Although I was a little reluctant because of my recent disappointment with Roan, I chose It Doesn’t Matter as my best remaining option. And at least it was nearby. It turned out to be the right call I suppose. Roan was her friendly self and the place started filling up with people I know from the Hash and hikes, so a party-like vibe took hold.






At the beginning of the night, I had no expectation that I’d be around come midnight. But having other people I know there with me made it a matter of pride to not bail out before the arrival of the new year. It was a challenge, but I succeeded. Barely.

Right at the stroke of midnight, I got a “Happy New Year!” message from Pearl. That was surprising. I wished her a happy one as well and mentioned how strange it felt to be in San Antonio again without her. That earned me a heart emoji.

Facebook memories were also powerful reminders of days gone by when I didn’t welcome the new year alone.




So, home by 12:30 and in bed shortly thereafter. It was one of those years, wasn’t it?
To the hike pictures, then.






















And now for what I’m sure you’ve all been waiting for:

Happy New Year, everyone! Thanks for coming here and sharing the tidbits of my so-called life. It’s great to have y’all along for the ride! Let’s see where 2022 takes us.
Here at the end
Another year draws to a close. Good riddance to this one! I’ll be spending the final day of the year hiking in San Antonio. Looking forward to some new scenery.
Life can be a beach sometimes. Yesterday turned out to be that way.

Nothing all that special. Although as I made my way back home walking past the 7/11 I saw Pearl and Dick sitting side-by-side. I just kept on going without looking back. Don’t know if they saw me or not.
I didn’t let that image linger too long in my mind. Got home and set about my normal routines. Then I received a message from Jessa inviting me to join her and the old Treasure Island crew for an end-of-the-year party. Hell, I didn’t have anything better to do so I said “sure!”
Now, Jessa and I had a thing going for a while but it didn’t work out for us. She’s engaged to a Yank who seems like a good guy and it looks like she will have all of her dreams fulfilled in the near future (house being built, daddy for her daughter, stable married life). I’m truly happy for her. I first met the Treasure Island gals when I was briefly living in Baloy. In fact, I took Jessa and the girls out to dinner for Jessa’s 30th birthday back in 2018.

Last night’s get-together was on the beach in Barretto. One of those Filipino-style “cottages”, basically a table with a canvas cover, Right next door to Palm Tree. I recalled many times watching the parties taking place there and thinking “that looks like fun”. I’m glad I finally got to experience it first hand.

I’m an in bed by nine o’clock kind of guy these days, but Jessa challenged me to make it until 11:00. It was a struggle and took me nine beers to get there, but I made it!

Anyway, it meant a lot to me to get the invite and be included. I admit that I wish I hadn’t blown it with Jessa way back when. Oh well, she’s probably better off without me.
Okay, I’m off for San Antonio. Wanted to get some kind of post up now because I’m not sure when I’ll be back tonight. Who knows what this New Year’s Eve holds in store for me? Only way to find out is to live it. Let’s go!
It started with Coral…
…and ended with wings.
A challenging but beautiful hike with the Wednesday Walkers. A bar review at The Green Room. A visit to the Hideaway bar to deliver some financial assistance to Joy (has a sick kid). An impromptu drop in to It Doesn’t Matter to clear the air with Roan about Tuesday’s broken “date”. Dinner to go from The Pub (it was Wingsday). Then home for the peace that comes with sleep. Just another day in the life.
Turns out the thing with Roan wasn’t an intentional snub, although it was certainly inconsiderate on her part. I guess it is all about priorities and I wasn’t hers. She says she wants to make it up to me next week. I’m not so sure that I want to bother again. The real point of the date was to help her out with an eye examination and new glasses. I’m not going to beg someone to accept a gift from me.
I volunteered to help Joy because her daughter has had stomach issues for several days and needs to see a doctor, something Joy couldn’t afford. An example of how a little money ($30) can make a big difference. I was the only customer at the bar so I bought the girls some food (roast chicken) while I was there. A couple of lady drinks for Joy and her friend Jen. Then I was back out on the highway.
After a brief stop at It Doesn’t Matter to see Roan, I was on to The Pub to get my fix of Korean-style wings satisfied. A fellow Hasher, Sean, was there watching his girl play pool so we had a nice chat. I showed him my bar review rankings and his opinion of the bars varied from mine significantly. Just goes to show that tastes and wants in a bar venue are individualized preferences. I did note that a lot of his reasons for not liking a particular bar were as much about not liking the bar manager as it was about the bar. I could relate.
Alright then, to the Wednesday Walkers adventure. We took a Jeepney out to Kale beach (about 4K from Barretto) to begin our hike. It wasn’t a beach walk though, we hoofed it up Coral street, then headed for the hills. A long, hard slog to the top of Kalaklan ridge. As tough as it was, it was still enjoyable. A beautiful day to be on a trek with other like-minded folks.
As usual, we’ll tell the story with photographs. The pics are also a group effort–this collection comes from several different hikers.





























Let me leave you this sad story of a tragedy in the wild.

Bars of Barretto: The Green Room (Updated September 8, 2022)

UPDATE: I have been visiting the Green Room much more frequently of late, in large part because I’ve been winning discount coupons at the SOB events. Having now experienced the ambiance of this bar with some regularity, I have gotten better in tune with the friendly vibe that exists here. There are a lot of familiar faces, so it seems to be a favorite of the local expats. There are still as many Guest Relations Officers (GROs) as I’ve seen anywhere in town, and the ones I’ve met recently are attractive and friendly. My usual practice is to drink with the waitresses (had three at my table last night), and I always enjoy their company. I’m sure I’ll be coming back more often, with or without those discounts. I still prefer the outdoor venues, but the Green Room atmosphere makes it worth the visit.
The Green Room transitioned from the former girly bar named Rum Jungle last year. Same ownership, though, just a new concept: the sports bar. And just to clarify my definitions–a girly bar has a dance stage and scantily clad gals dancing for the entertainment of the customers. At least back when dancing was allowed in the bars, and presumably, it will be again at some point in the future. A sports bar, as the name implies, has large screen televisions where you can watch the big game, along with a pool table and sometimes a dartboard. The Green Room ticks all those boxes.
That is not to say that there aren’t any girls in a sports bar. The Green Room had what appeared to be twenty or thirty present during my visit. Shortly after I’d taken my seat, two of them came over to greet me.


Naturally, I bought them both a lady drink, a bottled beer for 185 pesos (mixed drinks are 170). My beer was 110 pesos.



This bar is also located in The Maze complex. Back in the day, you could walk through a rear door to visit two other bars–Rapscallion and Man Cave. Sadly, both of those bars were killed by COVID. Through another door, you could get to Wet Spot and Lollipop bars. Wet Spot is still going strong and Lollipop is now home to one of the best food places in Barretto, Sit-n-Bull. The SnB menu is available for order in The Green Room as well.

So, how does The Green Room stack up? The sports bar genre is very competitive and there is just not much that makes this particular venue stand out in my opinion. I think yesterday’s visit was only my third since last year’s grand opening. This is not to say there is anything wrong with the place, I just don’t watch televised sports or play pool. It is simply a matter of other places suiting my likes better.
And I think this final review is a good time to remind just how subjective my opinions and rankings truly are. I showed the list to a friend last night and he disagreed with my assessments in about half the cases. Just a matter of different strokes for different folks. I have also noticed that over the course of this series of reviews as I’ve made subsequent visits to some of these bars my assessment has changed, in most cases for the better. So the rankings are not necessarily a valid reflection of my current preferences. Perhaps I’ll need to periodically do an update. With new bars on the horizon, I’ll need to incorporate them into the rankings anyway. So be on the lookout for that.
Twenty-six currently active bars in Barretto (again, excluding most of the hotel lounges and Filipino-style videoke bars). Here is how I personally prefer them:
UPDATED RANKINGS:
- It Doesn’t Matter
- Hideaway
- Snackbar
- Cheap Charlies
- Wet Spot
- The Green Room
- Alley Cats
- Mango’s Beach Bar
- Bar Barretto
- Blue Butterfly
- Dynamite Dick’s
- Mugshots
- Alaska Club
- Hot Zone
- Queen Victoria
- Whiskey Girl
- Adam’s
- BarCelona
- Voodoo
- Rock Lobster
- Outback
- Rosie’s
- Annex
- Bottoms Up
- Palm Tree
- Thumbstar
- MacArthur’s
- Redz Pub
- Chill
- It Doesn’t Matter
- Cheap Charlies
- Mango’s Beach Bar
- Alley Cats
- Wet Spot
- BarCelona
- Adam’s
- Blue Butterfly
- Out Back Billabong
- Dynamite Dick’s
- Palm Tree
- Hideaway
- Hot Zone
- Alaska Club
- The Green Room
- Thumbstar
- Bottoms Up
- Rosies
- Rock Lobster
- Queen Victoria
- Voodoo
- Annex
- MacArthur’s
- Redz Pub
- Whiskey Girl
- Finger Monkey
Livin’ the dream
Every time when I look in the mirror
All these lines on my face getting clearer
The past is gone
It went by, like dusk to dawn
Isn’t that the way
Everybody’s got the dues in life to pay
Let me tell you about how my Tuesday went down. It’s shopping day, but this one was going to be special. Roan was coming with me. After the groceries were bought and paid for the driver and my helper would take them home. Meanwhile, Roan and I would head over to the Harbor Point mall and get our heads examined. Well, our eyes anyway. I figured we’d do a little shopping after that, then go for some lunch at my favorite Korean restaurant, Seoul. Alas, she stood me up. She didn’t respond to any of my messages, and when I went by her place at the appointed hour, she wasn’t outside waiting. She messaged me last night with an apology saying her failure to show wasn’t about me but offering no real explanation as to what happened. Lesson learned, don’t try and take a bar “relationship” out of the bar. Still, it was quite disappointing.
I brooded at home the rest of the morning and into the afternoon, then it was time to head out for darts. My goal was to just keep it fun, and it turns out that I threw better than I have in quite some time. Maybe there is some correlation between those things.


After the tournament, I visited The Pub for a little nourishment. Kept it simple with a Philly cheesesteak sandwich.

Did a nightcap at Outback then headed on home to my boys.





So, if yesterday qualifies as a bad day, I’m pretty damn lucky, don’t you think?

Sing with me, sing for the year
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tear
Sing with me, if it’s just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away
Dream on
Dream on
Dream on
Dream until your dreams come true
My kind of Hash
A long and flat trail, just the way I like it. The only downside was there was nothing new about it for me, been there and done that hike before; several times actually. Still nice countryside though, and we had some overcast skies and breeze to keep things almost comfortable. My group came in a tad under 9K, and that includes our shortcut negating a climb up Black Rock mountain near the end of the trail. We did some steps instead, so we weren’t totally flatliners. To the photos then:























And that was the way Run #1477 of the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers went down. Thanks for joining me!