Things don’t always go according to plan. Take our hike up to the falls outside of Olongapo for example. We had intended to all meet up in the Gordon Heights barangay, do a 2.2K hike up into the mountains from there, have a picnic lunch, then hike back down. I honestly had some reservations about this trip and considered backing out. Then I was reminded that the hike had been rescheduled, at least in part, to accommodate me (I have darts this afternoon). As it turned out, my concerns about doing a trail Guenter called “easy” were misplaced. I should have been concerned about COVID. Or more specifically, the idiots in charge of “protecting” me from a crazy virus that apparently targets hikers in the great outdoors. Who knew?

I never did an actual headcount, but I reckon there were 15 or more of us. As we proceeded to march up the road we encountered some purok officials who were apparently overseeing a free rabies vaccination event (a purok is a neighborhood organization within the larger barangay, that is a section of the city). So, these purok folks asked where we were going and when we told them they responded “not allowed”. I’d say half the group just kept walking, the rest stayed back to see what the problem was. The problem at the base level was that these purok jerks love exercising authority that most thinking people are happy to just simply ignore. Had our group been the usual small number we might not have even been noticed, but now we needed to be made an example of to demonstrate to the local populace who is in charge. Or at least it seemed that way to me.

They were pretty pissed about the portion of the group who just kept on going, and a few minutes later a van with several barangay officials aboard showed up, presumably to chase them down. Guenter, who was our putative leader for this hike, tried to talk reason to them.

Eventually, it was decided to allow Guenter to make his case directly to the barangay Captain. So, he and his girlfriend/interpreter loaded up in the van, and off they went. Meanwhile, the group who had gone on ahead had decided to reverse course and return to see what was happening. Guenter returned about 20 minutes later and reported that the barangay Captain had agreed to let us depart for the falls, with the caveat that we could not return to (or through) Gordon Heights. He made it clear that us barangay Barretto folks were not welcome in his barangay. It was a classic Catch-22 situation, to avoid Gordon Heights would mean scaling a different mountain, and of course, abandoning our vehicles. A good portion of the group thought we should just ignore the barangay’s directive, do our hike as planned, and return where we pleased. That might have worked, but I wasn’t willing to chance it. The Bureau of Immigration has been making an example of foreigners who defy quarantine restrictions by deporting them and blacklisting them to prevent any future return. Just wasn’t worth it to me, and ultimately we all chose to do as we were told and depart Gordon Heights.

Before leaving, we discussed a Plan B that involved meeting in Naugsol and doing our picnic riverside. I was in a car with Scott and Dave and we picked up some ice and beer on the way. But when we reached the designated meeting location no one else was there. I learned later that Guenter’s group, who had hired a Jeepney, got turned back at another checkpoint in Santo Tomas, a barangay of Subic. At that point they just gave up the quest.

So, the five of us in Dave’s car did our own riverside luncheon. We were looking for a place with some shade, easy access to the river, and a place to park. We eventually found a location that offered all three, thanks to a kind local woman who rented us a lean-to for 150 pesos ($3.)

We had a pleasant enough lunch, then the beer ran out so it was time to go. On the way back to Barretto I got a message from Gary, a retired Navy guy with an FPO address, that my new debit card had arrived. We agreed to meet up at It Doesn’t Matter. It was a relief to have my replacement card, the one I have expires on Friday. That’s how I access all my cash here.

After a few more beers it was time for me to head on home. I’d missed my naptime and drank much more mid-day than normal. After taking a shower, I decided to spend my Friday evening at home. I fired up the grill and threw on some ribeyes:

Being at home well before bedtime left me with a dilemma–how to fill the hours? I turned on my little-used television and watched season one episodes of The Addam’s Family on YouTube. I used to really enjoy that show back in the day, but I’ve got to say I found it really disappointing last night. Not that funny and the over-the-top acting was off-putting as well. Hell, even Morticia wasn’t as hot as I remember her. Needless to say, if I’m going to add TV to my routine, I’m going to need to find something better to watch.

I only got in 7,000 steps yesterday, so I pushed myself a little harder and longer this morning, doing a two hour walk up the highway towards the Navy base. I also explored a little more of this village that I’ve always found intriguing.

Oh yeah, my landlord called last night with some news. Now they want to raise the rent ten percent! I expressed my displeasure and he said he’d go back and see if the family would settle for five percent. I think it is time to move.

Alright, gonna be late for darts. I’ll give you the story of Singles League playoffs tomorrow!

Yesterday I elected to vote with my feet, walking out to Baloy beach. When the resulting steps were tallied, I found myself installed aboard the Kokomo’s floating bar as the inaugural customer of the day.

Ouch, that was a pathetically strained attempt to make my attempted pun in the post title slightly more humorous. Sorry!

Anyway, I did make the journey to the floating bar for my weekly change of scenery. Pre-pandemic, there were three floaters to choose from, now it’s Kokomo’s or nothing. I do like spending some time out on the water though.

As I mentioned, I was the first and only customer. The gals seemed disappointed I didn’t bring any brownies with me. Well, I could see the staff was all pretty bored and being in a generous mood, I offered to buy dinner for everyone. That cheered them up! The food is delivered from Treasure Island’s kitchen, so I knew it would be good.

I was maybe just finishing my second (third?) beer when suddenly the girls behind the bar jumped up and ran out into the seating area. All the other gals gathered around then and spoke excitedly in Tagalog. It honestly appeared they were preparing to abandon ship. I asked what was going on and one girl said, “Fire!”. I had gotten up and was looking behind the bar but didn’t see any smoke or flames. Then the bartender said one of the electric circuits had blown. They called someone onshore and had the breaker switch for the floater turned off. So, there was no danger and also no power. Well, it was still daylight but I asked what was going to happen when the sun went down? They said they would likely just close early (normal closing time is 8 p.m.)

Nothing else to do now but wait for my food order to be delivered. And in due course, it arrived.

A good afternoon out and made some folks happy, all for just under fifty bucks. It’s easy to live large here!

Once back onshore, I decided to stop into Johan’s, a place I haven’t had the occasion to visit recently. It was my favorite Hash On-Home venue back in the day. I chatted with the manager for a bit and she said she’d love to have us there again, but a large gathering would attract unwanted attention from the powers that be. I understand her concerns.

About thirty minutes after my arrival, the power went out. What a coincidence, eh? This time it was widespread (what they call a brown-out) and all of Baloy was in the dark. Well, the other hotels all fired up their generators, but no one present at Johan’s knew how to do so. So, I sat in the glow of the emergency lighting and had another beer. No point in leaving, the power company that serves Baloy also covers Alta Vista. I messaged my helper and confirmed my house was also in the dark. Power was restored about an hour later and I called it a night.

I’m doing this post in the morning because I’ll be heading out to Gordon Heights in Olongapo soon. We’re doing a hike up to some falls today and having a picnic lunch up there. Not sure I’ll get home in time to post prior to darts.

And there you have the latest adventure in my exciting (for me) life.

A busy day yesterday, the highlight of which was the Wednesday Walkers group hike. More on that later.

The reason for the abbreviated post yesterday was simply a matter of time–I ran out of it. After the hike, we did our usual refreshment at Cheap Charlies. We departed after two beers because some workers started painting the bar. We are all like, seriously, you are gonna do that with customers inside? So, we voted with our feet and moved on up the street to Dynamite Dick’s. When we arrived, I almost left immediately because there didn’t appear to be enough outdoor seating available. The owner, Dick, told me not to be a wuss, and pull up a chair. They brought out a couple of more seats, and we all squeezed in.

Dynamite Dick’s is not one of my regular stops, but Dick is an interesting guy. An old Marine and Vietnam vet. Yes, he entertained us with some war stories, jokes, and memories from the days he was stationed in the Philippines. My favorite was when he and some of his mates were out drinking in an Olongapo tavern, and several British sailors wearing their dress white uniforms entered the bar. Dick said he went over to the DJ and had him play “The Battle of New Orleans”, a Johnny Horton ditty about the war of 1812. It’s a pretty funny song that I heard a lot growing up. It also mocks the Brits mercilessly, including this chorus: “well they ran through the briars, and they ran through the brambles, and they ran through the bushes where a rabbit couldn’t go. They ran so fast the hounds couldn’t catch ’em, on down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.” I guess the song had the desired effect because the British sailors all stood up in unison and the fight was on. Dick said their uniforms weren’t white when it was over.

It’s a good song, give it a listen if you haven’t heard it before.

Dick is also famous for giving his customers free drinks, and yesterday was no exception. Of course, I felt the obligation to reciprocate, and that led me to stay at DD’s longer than I normally would, leaving the bar at 2:30. I also did something I very rarely do during daylight hours–I took a trike home. I figured I could take a quick one-hour nap, and still have time for a post here before heading out for darts. Alas, I didn’t wake up until 4:30. So, I did my nothing post and passed on the darts. Instead, I enjoyed some beers at It Doesn’t Matter, which was hopping. Glad to see their bar is already so popular. When I had my fill, I hiked over to The Pub for my regular Wednesday take-out meal.

So, that leaves the walking group hike. Scott was the leader this week so I was expecting an easy trail. We left from my house and he indicated we would be “walking around Easter mountain”. I took that to mean the usual backroads and trails, but no climbs. I was wrong about that. We did do an up and over what I’d call the rump of Easter mountain, not real long but very steep. The down on the other side was also quite steep. Made for a more challenging hike than I anticipated, but still enjoyable. Let’s go to the photos:

A walk out to Baloy beach and some beers on the floating bar are in my immediate future. But before I go, let me share this:

And finally (no, I really mean it this time) there is this:

A short and sweet post today. Mainly because there is even less than usual to report.

I took a break from darts yesterday. Instead, I walked out to Baloy beach, then caught the raft to the Kokomo’s floating bar. I enjoy the ambiance of drinking on the water but only make it out that way about once a week. Even at that, the girls all know me by name and give me a warm greeting when I arrive. That’s pretty sweet and I wanted to repay that sweetness in kind. So, I baked up a batch of brownies for the girls.

After the girls had their sweet tooth satiated, I told them I wanted to get a picture:

A Hashing acquaintance showed up with his female entourage and we chatted for awhile. Then the sun set, so I got up to take a photo.

Shortly thereafter I said my goodbyes and caught a trike home. Went to bed at 8:30 on a Saturday night. Hmm, I might have to up my game.

In other news, my part-time helper, Gina, quit and moved out today. No big deal, I only put her to work out of sympathy. I guess she has a foreigner boyfriend sending her support now, so she doesn’t need the job or lodging. Saves me some money too, so win-win.

Via Facebook memories, this photo reminds me of those long ago days when part of my job involved disciplining wayward employees.

It’s good to be retired! In fact, I think I’ll go take a nap now.

I was thinking in the wee hours of the morning about how the body and mind adapt to the rhythms (or ruts) that make up our daily life. I guess it’s no big epiphany, but for a retired guy with no place to be and no one to answer to, I pretty much reliably adhere to a set schedule. It goes something like this:

0430ish–wake up, let the dogs out, have coffee, catch up on current events through the magic of the internet.

0615–feed the dogs

0645–take my meds, log my blood pressure and vitals, get dressed

0700–take the dogs for a 30-minute walk.

0730–breakfast, either at home or out

0830–morning walk, usually for 1.5 hours. Monday/Wednesday/Friday are group hikes, so the schedule varies. Tuesday is shopping day, so I take the day off from walking.

1100–daily one hour nap

1230–afternoon walk (/Thursday/Saturday/Sunday) usually one hour.

1400–I spend an hour or so with my faithful readers here at LTG.

1630–Head out for my daily dose of beers. Tuesday/Wednesday/Friday/Saturday I’ll throw some darts into the mix.

2000–Rarely get back home later than this. Will come home earlier if I don’t eat out. Usually have a smoothie and a little internet.

2100–I’m almost always in bed by nine o’clock these days.

0130–It is weird that every night I wake up about the same time with congestion, cottonmouth (I breathe through my mouth because of the congestion), and the need to pee. It usually takes an hour or more of processing random thoughts or suppressing memories before I can get back to sleep.

And that’s pretty much my life. And no, I’m not complaining. It beats the hell out of the alternative!

Yesterday afternoon I played the final singles league match of the season against Espie. I literally saved the best for last I guess, winning 13-3 and throwing quality darts consistently throughout the match.

So this is how the singles league finished up:

Anyway, it was a good inaugural season, and we still have the finals tournament to complete. The top three (Cristy, me, and Espie) will play head-to-head to determine the champion. Stay tuned!

After my darts match, I headed out to Cheap Charlies to spread some dollars cheer. Bargirls need love money too. Had some beers, bought some lady drinks, and watched the sun go down.

That seemed to be a signal to get my ass home as well.

I had some work to do in the kitchen; resurrecting the ribs I had cooked the night before that got preempted by the Korean chicken wings.

Bowl of rocky road ice cream for dessert, then off to bed a bit before 9:00 p.m., just like clockwork. When I woke up at 1:30 in the morning, writing this post was one of the many thoughts that were churning in my head and keeping me tossing and turning until well after 3:00. Oh well, it’s not like I had anything better to do with my time.

And now it is time to head out to Alley Cats for the Friday night dart tournament. Then we will see what happens after that, maybe some Mango’s pork chops are in my future.

I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow!

So, is it a matter of establishing a pattern and rhythm to your life, or is it simply a case of falling into a rut? I guess it’s like the old saw asking whether you are ignorant or apathetic–I don’t know and I don’t care!

That’s what passes for deep thinking in my addled brain these days. I skipped darts last night preferring to take my comfort in the aptly named It Doesn’t Matter bar. After I had consumed my fill of beer, I remembered that it was Wednesday and that means bringing home some Korean-style wings. The only problem was I had plopped two slabs of baby back ribs in the crockpot earlier in the day. Well, damn it to hell, but I have established a pattern (or fallen into a rut), and Wednesday is wing night. The ribs will make a fine meal tonight!

I think I mentioned my Dutch friend, Max, in a recent post. He has tested positive for COVID and is currently self-quarantining at home. Max sent me a link to an article with an interview he conducted. Pretty interesting, give it a read if you are so inclined.

This morning I went out and had an onsite look at the house I mentioned in yesterday’s post. I can’t say much about the quality of the neighborhood in general, but…

The house is okay, but the comments on yesterday’s post ring true. It would definitely be a big step down. The view consists of the barbed wire topped wall surrounding the house. It kind of had a prison-like feel about it. If I had lived there first I probably wouldn’t have known the difference, but now I’d miss what I have too much.

I’ll keep looking, but I’m not really keen on leaving Alta Vista. There are a couple of places available that are better than what I saw today, but not as good as what I have. The one has an apartment upstairs and the residents there are also Hashers. According to them, dogs are not allowed. According to the leasing agent, I can have my dogs with me there. So, you can imagine the potential for conflict that creates. I don’t need the drama in my life. Could be I’ll wind up staying here, although I won’t sign a three-year lease again.

So, that leaves my report from yesterday’s Wednesday Walkers group hike. Five of us in attendance and we did a mostly flat trek of just under 10K. It was familiar terrain but nice because a lot of it was in areas we hadn’t ventured to recently. It was also mostly populated with villages and shanty-towns, so it was good to be out amongst the friendly locals too. The pictures (again, hat tip to Scott for most of these) tell the story of our jaunt better than I can,

A good day and a good hike. Stick around and we’ll see what happens next. Will you detect a pattern or a rut?

I guess I’ll decide sooner or later. I’ll get to that in a minute.

Did my weekly grocery shopping and once again dealt with the frustration of the out-of-stock syndrome that seems so prevalent here. Doubly so, because I went to two different supermarkets in search of some essentials without success. You know, I get that certain imports, like frozen food, may be tough to get these days because of shipping issues. But damn, to be out of canned dog food for two freaking weeks? I bought some at the local veterinarian for 150 pesos a can ($3) because my boys have to eat, but damn. Alright, rant over.

Small turnout for darts last night. With only seven players we did a singles tournament. That suits me fine. I made it to the finals undefeated. Nancy, who I had beaten earlier, was my opponent. You know, I play for fun and I’d had a few beers which drowned whatever competitive juices that may have been flowing (yeah, that’s a convoluted metaphor, isn’t it?). First-place money was 400 pesos and second place was 200 pesos. Nancy would have to beat me twice (win two best-of-three matches) to take first. I offered her a deal where we call it a tie and split the money (300 pesos each). She accepted my offer. That’s a win-win for everyone, right?

Speaking of spoils, the fish and chips place here in town posted on their Facebook page that they had made up a batch of pumpkin tarts, get ’em while supplies last. I sent a message asking if any were still available and they said they still had five left. I hoofed on over and bought myself two to go. They were 70 pesos each, which seemed a bit pricey, but damn, how often do you get anything close to a pumpkin pie in these parts?

It was a nice bedtime treat and a worthy reward for my outstanding darts.

Woke up this morning to this pleasant view:

There are some stray dogs that roam the neighborhood. I’ve seen other people’s trashcans raided, but this was a first for me. Shit happens I guess.

Speaking of the neighborhood, that’s my dilemma–should I stay or should I go? I spoke to the landlord and he wants to increase my rent by 5%, or about $45 a month. He says there hasn’t been an increase in three years. I pointed out that I’ve done all the repairs and maintenance here out of my own pocket and I didn’t think a rent increase was justified. He said the increase in necessary and to let him know next month what I decide.

So, I really like living in Alta Vista. I enjoy the views and the convenience of living here (except when the dogs attack my trash). It is quiet–no roosters, traffic noise, or loud videoke singing, all of which are pretty standard in most neighborhoods. My rent is currently $900. a month. When people hear that, they think I’m crazy for overpaying so much. Well, I can afford it, and truthfully, the increase is the equivalent of what I spend some nights in the bar. But I also don’t like being taken advantage of, and after three years of being a loyal tenant, this increase feels like a slap in the face.

I’ve been looking around some to see what alternatives might be available. There is one place for rent here in the neighborhood for 30,000 ($600), but there are some potential issues with the folks who live upstairs. I’ll save that story for another day. And now I’ve learned of another house that is available on the other side of town that seems to be a viable possibility. I’ve not personally been inside yet, but it is next door to a house of a fellow Hasher and has the same floor plan as his, so I’m at least familiar with the layout.

Not sure why they didn’t send any kitchen shots. I’m going to try and see the place tomorrow.

So, the negatives for me so far are that it only has two bedrooms and is unfurnished. I’ve got a bed and a desk, I’d have to buy everything else. On the other hand, I don’t really use all the space I have now. And the rent is only 20,000 pesos ($400.) a month, less than half of what I’m currently paying.

It’s a pain in the ass to move and I’d really rather not have to, but damn, how can I justify staying here and getting fucked in the ass? I’ll see how I feel after checking the place out personally.

Otherwise, life goes on in its usual fashion. I take each day as it comes and make the best of it. And I’m happy to report that I am not living in fear.

And as long as I’m in the mode of being obnoxious, how about this Hunter finding a gal and grabbing her by the Harris:

Or so it seems. A bargirl sitting next to me on the floating bar asked me, “how’s life?”. I gave her my standard response of “always good”, but it did get me briefly thinking about my life. One could say that it is empty and devoid of meaning and purpose, I suppose. Hell, just perusing my posts here at LTG would provide ample support for that thesis. On the other hand, perhaps meaning and purpose are overrated. I did my 35 years as a productive member of society (alright, I exaggerate. I worked for the government. But, still…) and these days I choose to live a simple life doing things that please me. Or at least fill the hours. So what if I spend my retirement as a walkaholic/dartaholic/alcoholic? It may not be the life I imagined, but it is the one I’ve got. I choose to be satisfied and live it one day at a time,

Here’s another perspective on the subject:

Anyway, I didn’t waste much time on pointless contemplation. After a couple of beers on the floating bar, I hoofed it over to Cheap Charlies and satiated the thirst of some bargirls there. Despite being late in the afternoon on a Sunday, there were enough customers around to make my preferred seating unavailable. When the hunger pangs struck, I got to thinking about the pork chop dinner at Mango’s. So I headed on over.

I was pleased to see my favorite beachside perch was unoccupied. I quickly discovered why–there were these gnat-like bugs swarming all around the seating area. No thank you! I stopped by the manager’s office on the way out and advised her of the situation, suggesting she get a large fan to blow those pests back on the beach. Still hungry, I went next door to Palm Tree and was disappointed to find their entire outdoor seating area was occupied. Not sure if it was a private party or what, but I’ve never seen that kind of crowd there.

Running out of options on this side of town, I crossed the street and visited The Pub. They don’t have outdoor seating at all, so I did my usual thing and ordered my food to go.

Speaking of food, I came across this on one of my internet surfing trips and found it funny:

In other news, a five-year-old Filipino child drowned at the beach the other day. Not surprising really, I’ve seen these young kids playing unsupervised in the water quite often and wondered what the parents were thinking in allowing their child to be in danger. Still, it was sad to hear. The authorities sprang into action after the incident though:

While we are on the subject of COVID, I heard from Max, one of the folks who rode in the car with me to Angeles City last month. He was supposed to fly home to the Netherlands this week, but tested positive for COVID and was not allowed to travel. Makes me wonder now if the illness I experienced may have been COVID after all. Not that it matters, I’m feeling fine now.

So, it’s Hash Monday today. The Fucking Old Man is the Hare. He is in his 80s, so I anticipate a trail I can actually do without deviation. I noticed on the dog walk this morning that part of the trail passes through Alta Vista. Anyway, I’ll have something more or less interesting to post about tomorrow.

Until then…

Another first in darts yesterday…first out, that is. Just one of those nights. I didn’t throw up to my recent standards, but didn’t totally suck either. Even threw the coveted “perfect” 180 score (three triple 20s) and still lost the leg. That’s how it goes sometimes.

It was also Cherry’s birthday, so the tourney featured food and cake and a fair amount of revelry. I contributed brownies, as is my custom. Lots of compliments, so thank you Betty Crocker!

I’ve had a lazier than normal Sunday thus far. Decided to treat myself to breakfast out, but when I walked past Sit-n-Bull I noted both outside tables were occupied, so I kept on going. I like to eat outside now too whenever possible. One of the guys in the smoking area called out “you’re looking good”. That seemed a little weird and I wasn’t sure how to respond. He asked me how old I am and I told him 65. He gave me a thumbs up. I’m guessing Sit-n-Bull was full of people up for the weekend from Angeles City. Barretto has been hopping with refugees from the lockdown imposed there. Good for the businesses here and I’m happy with that, but it can be a pain in the ass.

I walked the back streets of town, then circled around to the highway trying to decide on my Plan B location for breakfast. I thought about one of my old favorites, the Arizona hotel, but decided they’d likely be full of weekend tourists as well. Then as I passed by the Pearl restaurant, I saw the coveted outside table was empty, so I grabbed it. Ordered up a cup of coffee and decided on a club sandwich for breakfast. I was surprised to see carrot cake on the menu, so I asked for a slice of that too.

That’s the carrot cake in the background. Nothing like I’m used to, though. The texture of the cake was heavy, and you couldn’t really taste the lightly applied cream cheese frosting. I mean, it tasted fine, it just wasn’t what I expected.

I had intended to do my extended morning walk after breakfast, but I blew it off and came home for a nap instead. After I woke up, I did finally get around to updating the stats for the singles league,

I still have one match to play, but Cristy has an insurmountable lead in total points, despite my beating her twice in league play. She has accomplished that by dominating everyone but me and throwing better overall, which generates mark points. Anyway, we will both be in the Championship playoffs next Sunday, so we can decide who’s best then.

I still need to get some steps in. I’ll probably walk out to Baloy beach, then check out how things are going on the floating bar. They say you should go with your strengths, and drinking beer and being lazy are two things I do well.

Until next time, then.

What else am I going to do? Well, actually, I did play darts yesterday against the overall best player in Barretto, Cristy. I wasn’t particularly “on” my game, but I wasn’t throwing all that bad either. My biggest problem remains fall outs. For some reason, or likely a combination of reasons, my darts have a tendency to not stick in the board. It’s really frustrating to have a good throw negated when one (or more) darts fall out. I know that part of the problem is the way I throw; a soft, arcing toss, without a lot of force behind it. When I try and throw harder, I lose control and accuracy, and I don’t have much of that to spare. I replaced the points on my darts recently but that doesn’t seem to have helped much.

Anyway, I was surprised to come out of the 501 portion of our match ahead 3-2. I dominated cricket, which is the game I’m best at, but I was lucky to get 4 of 5 legs from a quality player like Cristy. She came back to take the 301 set, but by then I had secured the match overall, finishing with a 10-6 victory.

I’ll play the tournament tonight in preparation for my match against Billy tomorrow. Maybe I’ll figure out a way to stick those pointy bastards in the board so they will stay there until I pull them out!

This morning I did some walking around with the Wednesday Walkers. I guess everyone is still recovering from Monday’s Hash as there were only four of us on trail today. I led the group on a comfortable jaunt over My Bitch, then circled around on another mountain and back down into the valley. A bit of an adventure at the end because we lost the trail going down for a bit. They’ve been doing some burning on the mountain and apparently, the trail is little used these days, so it doesn’t look much like a trail anymore. We found it again about a third of the way down, which is good because it is a tough enough downhill on a path; it’s not a good place to be trailblazing.

Here are some photos:

Feel free to Relive the hike if you are so inclined.

That’s pretty much how life is in these parts. It could be worse I suppose…

I guess there are things I miss, but watching the news ain’t one of them.

It seems everyone has been posting their Easter sunrise photos. Here’s my contribution:

I don’t really live on a tight budget. I get my pension payment on the first of every month and I try to make it last until the next month’s deposit. Usually, I even have a few dollars left over to put into my savings account. On a daily basis I don’t even think about it, I spend whatever I feel like spending. Most nights out drinking I reckon I spend less than twenty dollars, including lady drinks. Once in a while though I get bit by the “big spender” bug. Like last night for instance.

Hanging out at Cheap Charlies and drinking beers in the fading hours of Easter Sunday. I bought a drink for my bartender friend, Jona, and several for my waitress, Tina. When I first arrived the place was pretty dead. The lack of customers doesn’t bother me, of course, but the gals that were working on the holiday didn’t seem happy about the lack of opportunity to make some commissions. After a couple more beers I started feeling sorry for the girls, so I called out to Jona to bring me a menu. Consultation over what the girls might like for Easter dinner resulted in my placing an order for chicken wings, Shanghai lumpia, and rice for eight hungry ladies. The bill came to 1400 pesos, less than $30. It doesn’t cost much to be popular here!

Everyone seemed much more cheerful with a full stomach and as the evening progressed more customers wandered in. I drank my fill and didn’t let Tina’s glass get empty. When I was ready to go, my drink tab totaled 1200 pesos. So, with generous tips for Jona and Tina, I was out another $30. Sixty bucks for a nice night of food and beverage, but no debauchery, is a bargain in my book. I certainly couldn’t replicate it in Korea or the USA for twice that amount.

Facebook had a couple of memories to share with me this morning:

Time marches ever onward. These could be the best days of my life and I’ll only know it when I’m looking back. Actually, I don’t plan to fall into that trap again. I’m trying hard to live in the moment and make the best of each day. As long as I’ve got sixty bucks in my pocket, I should do alright.