“A man’s admiration of absolute government is proportionate to the contempt he feels for those around him.” –Tocqueville

I do my best to go along to get along. Compliance with the spirit, if not the letter, of the quarantine directives, seems appropriate. But I refuse to disengage my brain and blindly follow stupidity solely on the basis of “do it because I told you so”. Here’s an example of something that just pissed me off when I saw it:

I comply with the curfew. I maintain social distancing to the extent possible and certainly more than most Filipinos I observe. I wear a mask, such as it is, when I’m on the street as required. But I’m going to walk my dogs. And if I choose to take a hike, how is that different than walking to the market place? I’d say it’s a damn sight safer for me alone on the mountain than in a crowded grocery store. And even when I’m at the Speakeasy, I keep a safe distance from the other guests. The point is, even when I’m technically in violation, I do it in such a way as to not endanger others.

I’ve had to bite my tongue (withhold my fingers?) on social media where the do-gooders and busybodies criticize people like me who don’t adopt their strict “stay at home” mantra. Sometimes the attacks are personal but I just ignore them and move on. Oh, I might do a Facebook post quoting Tocqueville or a status of preferring to not be a sheep. I don’t know if they make the connection or not and I guess I don’t really care. Well, I cared enough to post this rant, but that’s the extent of it.

So, today I had to go out for some essentials–specifically dog food. I chose a mountainous 8K route to the veterinarian’s office to make my purchase. There, see totally in accordance with the quarantine procedures.

Anyway, just gotta keep on keepin’ on until this madness is over and done with.

Stay safe everyone!

Alright, here’s a post that I promise will be as boring as my life. And don’t give me that “what else is new” bullshit. This time I really, really mean it!

As expected, the President has extended the enhanced quarantine provisions for all of Luzon through April 30. So it’s going to be more of the same for me around here for a while yet. Unfortunately, more of the same is a whole different animal for the less fortunate. I got a frantic message from a bargirl acquaintance this afternoon lamenting about her inability to feed her daughter. I asked about whether the barangay was providing some provisions and she said yes–a little rice, some ramen, and three cans of sardines. She said her daughter started crying when she saw her cooking sardine pasta again. Well, this woman lives next door in the squatter village outside my subdivision so I told her I would meet her at the gate with some Spam and tuna. I also threw in some cookies and candy for the kid. I gave her 1000 pesos ($20) and told her to go buy food her daughter likes at Divimart. I’m always glad to help out when I can and who knows, maybe I’ll pay off some of that Karmic debt that keeps sabotaging my love life. Hey, it could happen!

This morning I took a long two-hour hike out to the old Navy base and back. Stuck to the highway and it was almost pleasant with the reduced amount of traffic.

I am getting more cautious when I’m out walking alone, that’s why I stuck to the highway. I did get besieged by one man saying he was hungry and needed money. I shrugged and kept walking. I know better than to pull out my wallet on the street. Yesterday afternoon I decided to just stay within the confines of my subdivision for my walk. To make it a little more interesting I was determined to document all the points of access and egress. And here they are (hey, I warned you this would be boring!):

Anyway, that’s what passes for excitement around here these days. But before you go let me share this Facebook memory from six years ago:

Wake up now. It’s time to go.

UPDATE: I was surprised to see I’ve used “ins and outs” as a post title before–back in 2014. That was a post about darts and it was only mildly more interesting than this one. Go figure.

I’m not drinking any less either. Just starting earlier so I can catch a buzz before curfew. *ahem*

No official word on when this madness might end, but all indications are at least an additional two weeks beyond the original date of April 19. My patience is being sorely tried. I mean, I get the good intentions behind the idiotic policies, but at some point, someone needs to stand up and admit that maybe these aren’t such good ideas after all. Fat chance of that happening.

Today was grocery shopping day. I can’t get on the old Navy base to shop at my usual supermarket, so I asked my driver to take me into Olongapo City. I had planned on bringing my helper along, but driver Donny said only one passenger is allowed in the vehicle. And I have to ride in the backseat! Jesus, what a bunch of bullshit. So, off we went to the new SM store. The line was out the door. I suggested we continue on to the supermarket I shopped at last week (the old SM) but when we arrived there they line was even longer. Argh! Well, since the new SM was on the way back home I had him take me back there.

I wasn’t impressed with the selection at SM, but I got what I could. After dropping off the groceries I had Donny carry me and the helper to the local Divimart so she could get what she needed for the household chores. When that was finished we exited the store, me carrying a 24 bottle case of water on my shoulder. We were directed to cross the highway and be screened again, even though our car was half a block away on this side of the street. Geez. And then they made us walk through the disinfectant they were spraying on the cars. C’mon, seriously? No idea what’s even in that shit, but glad I didn’t have an allergic reaction.

Is that enough bitching for one day? Alright, I’ll stop then.

Ah, back when my life had some meaning and purpose. And no, I’m not bitching about my retirement. It’s just the current circumstances that are wearing me down.

No news is good news! No sign of the virus in my little circle of life. I’m making the best of things despite the inconveniences and hurdles erected by the authorities for my own good. I’ve got my walks for daytime diversion and at least for now, “Gomans” and the Speakeasy to wet my whistle. Well, until the 6 p.m. curfew kicks in that is. And that’s just about all there is. It only sounds boring because, well hell, it is boring. But we’ll get through it together, right?

Had a pleasant 8K walk this morning on and about “My Bitch”. We met on the mountain so as not to draw unwarranted attention. There were only three of us anyway, so it probably didn’t matter. Anyway, the hike went without incident or injury so I’d rate that a success!

I’ll close with today’s “interesting” photograph:

I’m not one to complain though. Much.

Is that all there is, is that all there is
If that’s all there is my friends, then let’s keep dancing
Let’s break out the booze and have a ball
If that’s all there is

I certainly hope so. I’m also keeping in mind it could be a whole lot worse. And if I had to place a bet I’d say it will get worse before it gets better. Rumors are running strong that the “enhanced quarantine” will be extended at least another thirty days. If true, it’s going to get real ugly before it is all said and done. We shall see.

Like everywhere else in the world, the major outbreaks are largely in the metropolitan areas, which makes sense. What doesn’t make sense to me is to literally starve people in order to “save” them from a virus that for 99% of humans is not fatal. Yeah, I get the whole “flattening of the bell curve” thing. But that doesn’t really apply in a 3rd world ass-backward country like the Philippines. They don’t have the ability to test for, monitor, or treat this virus. We are in the third week of lockdown, what more do they expect to accomplish?

In the meantime, nothing to do but make the best of whatever life brings. “Gomans” was still open yesterday, so there’s that.

Closer to home, as in right across the street, things were heating up:

Even without the fire, it was pretty damn hot yesterday. But today it is chili:

With people all over the world stuck at home I guess it was inevitable that boredom would result in all sorts of Facebook fun and games. I don’t normally participate, but I relented for the “long hair/short hair challenge”.

Wasn’t that fun? Speaking of Facebook, the “memories” feature reminded me of happier times in Istanbul:

Man oh man, all these photos of yours truly make me feel like I’m looking in a mirror.

You gotta laugh in the face of adversity, right?

I know you feel these are the worst of times
I do believe it’s true
When people lock their doors and hide inside
Rumor has it it’s the end of Paradise

So it would appear. There was a protest down Manila way and President Duterte responded thusly:

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the police and the military to shoot violators of the enhanced community quarantine if they are unruly and prove to be a threat to law enforcers’ lives.

Duterte’s statement came hours after residents of a Quezon City barangay staged a protest demanding food aid, which they said they have yet to receive. His statement also came as calls for his ouster flooded social networking site Twitter.

Duterte appealed to aid beneficiaries to be patient as he addressed “the Left,” telling them not to riot or he will have them jailed.
“I will order you detained at bibitawan ko kayo pagkatapos na wala na itong COVID,” he said. “‘Pag kayo ang na-detain, bahala kayo sa pagkain ninyo.”
[Translation: I will order you detained and I will release you after this COVID-19 crisis is over…If you are detained, you are on your own when it comes to food.]

Is this a great country or what?

Closer to home, it seems some of the locals don’t like seeing us foreigners out and about enjoying our privileged life.

With all due respect, let me just say this: Fuck you! Our being out and about, primarily up in the mountains creates no danger to you or your neighbors. We do maintain safe distances and have little to no interaction with the locals. Unless we are giving them food, treats, or money.

The owner of Baker’s Table restaurant has initiated a charity drive to provide food to our needy neighbors here in Barretto. Apparently, the Barangay officials are too busy erecting barriers and otherwise making a bad situation worse that they can’t be bothered doing something meaningful like feeding the hungry.

You know, it does seem that sometimes no good deed goes unpunished. This guy (I’ll come him Africa) is doing all the heavy lifting, going out and gathering the supplies, bagging them up, and then working through the Barangay to identify appropriate recipients. When Africa announced this effort on one of the internet forums, he couched it in terms of “if our neighbors are going hungry, us “rich” foreigners are going to become targets of opportunity; so it behooves us to work together to keep folks fed. Woo Boy, he took some flak for his uncharitable motivations. Fuck that. I do some stuff on my own and I do it for admittedly selfish reasons. It’s hard to live large in a country where so many have so little. Helping out a few eases my conscience and assuages my guilt. Sue me. The people benefitting from my efforts sure as hell don’t care why I’m doing it.

Speaking of selfish motivations, when I dropped into Baker’s Table to make my contribution today, I picked up these hot out of the oven pies:

As promised, here are some photos from yesterday’s hike:

Our surprise was getting almost to the bottom and encountering an officious old hag who sternly advised us our path was closed to non-residents. We tried to argue we were on a charity mission (we had in fact handed out food and money to a destitute family up top), but she wouldn’t budge. She stood between us and the way back home so we didn’t have much choice but to ignore her. She threatened to “take our picture” and we just shrugged her off. She told us she would report us to the barangay, and we kept walking. Then she threatened to call the police. Oh well, do what you have to do. Before we reached the bottom Ed, Helen, and I veered off to take an overland route back to Alta Visa (Ed and Helen are my neighbors). I figured if the cops were really laying in wait, I’d rather go a different way. Turns out there were no problems getting home for any of us, which was a relief.

We’ve decided that in the future we will stay on the My Bitch mountain to avoid power-mad old ladies. We will also meet up on the mountain so as to not make a spectacle of ourselves walking the quarantined streets.

The things we do to keep the peace in our little town.

Well, rather than repeat myself, let me just share what I posted on Facebook this morning:

Got stopped by the police last night for being out after curfew. They asked where I’d been and where I was going. I went all American on them, yelling about me being a free man who can come and go as I please.

They arrested me and I just now got released from a holding cell. I have been advised that deportation hearings will be initiated as soon as possible. It looks like my time in the Philippines is coming to an end.

There should be a day on the calendar dedicated to fools like me.

What can I say? Those who play must pay. Speaking of paying, here’s the latest from one of the biggest bar owners in town:

Hello all. I’ll be assisting Moe in managing a new business venture which will be available to all at our soft opening this Wednesday at 6 PM in the Paradise Hotel. Now before you go thinking too much into this please let me explain how it works.

Due to the COVID-19 social distancing restrictions and most of our staff returning to the provinces, we are offering the opportunity to spend two hours with a top of the line, ultra realistic sex doll. You’ve heard how realistic they look and feel. Totally lifelike size (about 5’1) lifelike weight (about 90 lbs). Absolutely state of the art silicone silky life-like skin, real hair, eyelashes, eyebrows, pussy hair and totally realistic feeling vagina, ass, and mouth. She can bend into any position you desire and each doll comes wearing a removable sexy see-through babydoll and panties.
We have 5 brand new, never used dolls. 3 are Filipina’s with brown skin and long silky black hair, 1 is a Caucasian blonde and 1 is a red head ladyboy for those customers who would like to take a walk on the wild side.

How it works: You can contact Lyn, our receptionist at the Paradise front desk and ask for a doll room. You will also be able to call ahead and make a room reservation with your favorite doll at: 0929710800.

Upon arrival, you will be given a menu card to choose which type of doll you prefer and she will be ready for you in your room. Payment is made at the reception desk and is P1000 for a 2 hour visit. Lubrication is provided along with an instruction dvd set up in your room, just press play on your remote to watch. All orifices are naturally silky smooth and feel just like the real thing. Use a little lube and you’re off to the races. This will change the way the adult entertainment industry operates here in Brgy Barretto.

When you’re finished just leave everything and the doll is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized inside and out. There is no violation of law, social distancing, or worrying about a runner, stolen wallet, or STD. She won’t argue over price or get upset if you fart in bed. The best thing is she never says “NO!”

As I mentioned before, the soft opening is this Wednesday at 6 PM and if everything goes well we will consider expansion by July. Piatnight membership cards honored. 10% discount to First Responders & medical personnel.

With the absence of the real thing, these dolls are an absolute God send. Please feel free to stop in for a glass of champagne during our soft opening, we will have all 5 dolls on display and an instructional video playing. Come on in and have a drink and check things out. We are very excited to offer an alternative form of entertainment to you and believe this will be the start of a growing industry.

I hope to see you there.

Would I be a fool to attend this event?

Meanwhile, back in the real world:

I guess the quarantine has exempted fire starters from the lockdown:

Yesterday’s special at “Gomans”:

I had another long hike with some fellow walkaholics this morning. I’ll post about that adventure (with photos) tomorrow. This damn curfew has turned my world, well, my biological clock anyway, upside down. Having to be home at 6 p.m. has me all out of sorts. I was in bed before 8 last night, how f’d up is that? Ah well, hopefully, this will be over in a couple of more weeks. Or I’ll adapt. One of those.

It’s April Fool’s Day. Hope no one made a fool of you!

So, here’s a funny Buddy story. For whatever reason, Buddy likes to join me in the bathroom when I’m, um, taking care of business. What’s weird to me is that wherever he might be in the house he hears and recognizes the sound of the toilet seat being dropped. I sit down and he comes running. I’m not sure what the attraction is–getting his head rubbed or the smell. Anyway, I’m never lonely when I purge the poop.

A few days ago Buddy wasn’t feeling well. I discovered this when I noticed that one of the rugs in my bathroom was all askew. When I straightened it out I saw that Buddy had left a pile of diarrhea on the rug, then apparently tried to cover it up. He did the same thing in my helper’s bathroom. It was hard to get mad about it, I mean, when you gotta go you gotta go, especially if you have the runs. I was actually kind of impressed that he knew that the bathroom was the place to do this kind of business. He’s a smart dog! Now if I can just teach him how to use the toilet.

Sorry for the crappy post. That’s all I have today.

I am guilty of cowardice and I’m not afraid to admit it.

In an odd turn of events, I heard from Jessa last night. Well, I guess technically when you are doing a messenger chat you aren’t “hearing” anything. But you know what I mean. And it was probably the best chat we ever had–either before, during, or after our aborted romance. I guess she had picked up from my Facebook posts that I’ve experienced a relationship failure. “Again?” she inquired, not entirely without sympathy. Then she wanted to know if I really meant it this time and if I was really going to finally let go of this one for good. I assured her that was my intention. She wished me good luck but admitted she didn’t completely believe me.

Then we talked about her and what she’s been doing (recently returned from Saudi Arabia) and about us, or more specifically, our failed attempt at beginning a relationship. And the quote I used at the top of this post came to mind. But the past is the past and until I can make my fantasy of time travel a reality, the past cannot be changed. But I was honest in telling Jessa that looking back I would have done things differently. She didn’t seem particularly impressed with my newly discovered insights but did offer me some much-needed encouragement as I plod forward into an unknown future. And I did appreciate that. I asked her if she was seeing anyone and she responded that she is “talking” to a guy. I took that to mean one of those overseas/long-distance romances that are so prevalent here. I also took it to mean that my future would not be including her. Ah well.

The other thoughts I have had involve why this latest failure bothers me so much. It really shouldn’t because I had not invested much emotion into the relationship. Yeah, my routines are out of kilter now and Lucky is especially bummed out, but that will pass. It occurs to me that what is going on is tantamount to having the old scabs and scar tissue torn away from the wounds of the past. The ones that actually did cut deep and were life-changing. A reminder that some things break and can never be completely repaired.

I’ll figure it out. In the meantime, here’s today’s “interesting” photograph:

And that’s where things stand with me today.

I don’t write much about my female relationships here, such as they are. I guess in part because I keep repeating the same mistakes over and over. That gets embarrassing after a while. So, I’ve been seeing this gal off and on for more than a year. I guess I enjoy her company, at least to the extent that I found her better than being alone. Dogs love her like crazy, so there’s that.

Anyway, I never let myself get too close and kept my guard up so as to avoid the whole falling in love thing. It was what it was and that was good enough. For me, anyway. I took care of her, at least materially and I thought she would appreciate the comfort I provided her. I gave her whatever she needed and all I asked for in return was a little respect and some appreciation. At the end that proved to be too much, I guess.

So, another failure. I don’t have a broken heart because I never put my heart at risk. But I’ll admit to being very disappointed and somewhat hurt. I had settled into a comfortable routine with her and now I feel out of sorts and floundering a bit. And I’ll be fine, I know. Under the current circumstances, this truly is her loss. No job and now no allowance from the generous foreigner. Oh well, life goes on.

Maybe if I develop feelings for COVID-19 it will leave

Here’s the “interesting” photo from yesterday’s hike. Like a message from the love Gods:

So, about yesterday’s walk. It was a long one. Over 10K from where we started, and I had a 4K hike to get to and from the starting point. We climbed the “big mountain”, then walked the ridgeline almost all the way to Tralala. I’ll tell the story through the photos:

Today I went to the DiviMart store and picked up some supplies:

I knew the mountain folk who call me by name now were probably hurting for food. I also know there is no way the barangay is bringing supplies all the way up here. It was good to help out some friends in need!

Oh, and commenter Kevin Kim asked me how the pork chops with pineapple came out:

And that’s it for today. I’ve got a walk to get in yet, then I’ll go drown my sorrows at the Speakeasy.

I’d been adapting as well as could be expected to the enhanced quarantine’s curfew hours of 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Hell, even before the Wuhan virus came to town I was normally home around nine or shortly thereafter. With the quarantine limitations, I’d been going out a little bit earlier than I used to, so things were pretty much in balance.

And now with a stroke of his pen, the mayor of Olongapo (which includes Barretto) has enhanced the enhanced quarantine restrictions and expanded the curfew from 6 p.m. until 8 a.m. Damn, that doesn’t leave me much time to get my groove on. And yes, I’ve been playing a little fast and loose with the quarantine rules, but I have abided by the curfew and I intend to continue doing so. I can make up some cock and bull story about why I’m going out of the house for beer (hey, it’s essential medication after all) but being on the streets past curfew is not going to get me anywhere but jailed or deported. Or both. Not worth it.

So, adjustments will have to be made. Fortunately, the manager of my Speakeasy sent me a message telling me he will adjust the hours of his establishment to accommodate customers like me. I don’t like drinking before 5 p.m., but in these desperate times, we’ve all got to make sacrifices!

I guess my big news for the day is that I found a new bakery/restaurant. Take out only for now, but I did pick up some things to make my home life a little more comfortable.

I’ve only had a taste of the pie. It was still hot out of the oven when I brought it home. For dessert tonight I’ll have some pie a la mode.

Speaking of social distancing, one year ago Buddy and Lucky were being kept apart.

And that’s about all from here. I’m going to do my afternoon walk down Baloy Beach, then hit up the 7-11 store for some vanilla ice cream. Also the fruit stand for some bananas (I hope). The struggle continues!

Sitting on this barstool talking like a damn fool
Got the twelve o’clock news blues
And I’ve given up hope for the afternoon soaps
And a bottle of cold brew
Is it any wonder I’m not crazy? Is it any wonder I’m sane at all

Well I’m so tired of losing- I got nothing to do and all day to do it
I go out cruisin’ but I’ve no place to go and all night to get there
Is it any wonder I’m not a criminal?
Is it any wonder I’m not in jail?
Is it any wonder I’ve got

Too much time on my hands?
It’s ticking away with my sanity
I’ve got too much time on my hands
It’s hard to believe such a calamity
I’ve got too much time on my hands
And it’s ticking away, ticking away from me

I guess I’m settling into the new normal around here and trying to make the best of it.

After dinner and beers, I visited my Speakeasy for a couple more brews before curfew. It’s weird getting home before 8:00. Now I’m in bed by 9:00 every night. I’m starting to feel like an old man.

Speaking of how I feel, I guess I’m fine. Just getting a little paranoid perhaps. Part of the issue is that I have a respiratory condition that frequently results in nasal congestion, sneezing, and sometimes coughing; usually at night after I’m in bed. So I had a coughing jag last night and got to thinking: “Oh shit, what if this isn’t my COPD?” I actually got up and took my temperature (35.6c) just to ease my mind. No coughing today so I reckon I’m good to go.

At least I’m still achieving my 20,000+ steps per day goal. And if this article is to be believed, hell, I might just live forever!

My other big news is that I managed to finagle a Barretto quarantine pass. Common sense would have dictated providing one from the beginning; luckily I was able to have someone intervene on my behalf to get it done. Anyway, it gives me some peace of mind when I’m outside the confines of my subdivision. It also has a Baloy address so I can venture down that way when the mood strikes me. Freedom is a beautiful thing!

Now I’ll just sit back and wait for the next big thing! Hopefully not the virus.

Ay Corona!

UPDATE: Well, I’ve used the “More of the same” title three times previously. Back in April 2018, I was winding things down in Korea, but my life there seems eerily familiar to my current circumstances. Then, in May 2009 I was bitching about some work issues, but otherwise enjoying my Itaewon nightlife. And the first time I was experiencing more of the same here on the blog was in March 2006, year two of my Korea life. Miss those days!

The fun times continue! Such as they are. Well, you’ve got to go with the flow and make the best of an unfortunate situation I suppose. You never know what’s going to happen next. But I do know what happened since I last posted here and I’m happy to report that info to you, my faithful readers.

I did an afternoon walk down Baloy Beach way and it was deserted and kinda spooky. Almost all the resorts are closed now, and the couple that remain open are for take-out food only. Honestly, I would not want to walk that road alone in the dark.

Once I’d donned my mask, had my temperature checked (36.5C), and lathered my hands in the required alcohol solution, I stepped inside my local DiviMart to see what was available. I was actually pretty surprised that there were only a handful of customers inside the store. I was hoping to score a loaf of bread but there was none available. The meat section was pretty much wiped out as well. I grabbed some off the shelf milk, some cookies, and some candy (to hand out on my hikes) and headed for the checkout. Three cashiers, no one in line. I picked the cute one, paid and headed on home.

On the way home I ran into my Filipina neighbor, Joy. She jokingly asked if I left anything for her and I warned her about the bread situation. I saw her again later in the afternoon and she was pissed. It seems the Barangay folks wouldn’t let her go to the store, telling her she had to go during specified hours. She pointed out to them that a foreigner (me) had been allowed to shop and the official just shrugged and said: “we aren’t stopping foreigners.” That REALLY got her goat (she is married to one by the way).

Anyway, that’s the kind of bullshit that makes an already difficult situation worse. The store was practically empty while I was there, why deny a person entry? Ignorance abounds.

Last night found me back at my new old favorite hangout, “Gomans”.

The same handful of customers from the previous night were also in attendance. I kept my distance, both to avoid the virus and to not have to engage in their political discussions. I did learn from one of those present that she had run into a waitress from the [nearby place] on her way to work. I was surprised because I’d heard they were closed. This called for more investigation, so I left Gomans at 7:00, well in advance of the 8 p.m. curfew, and headed on over to [nearby place].

Upon arriving I saw a large sign saying closed and that the front door was blocked by a security guard. As I approached he said “Closed sir”. I asked if the manager, Sean, was working. The guard nodded and I asked him if he would tell Sean that John was outside. The guard left and a few minutes later Sean appeared, nodded, and gestured for me to come inside. He escorted me into the indoor bar (not poolside like in the past). There were half a dozen customers inside enjoying alcoholic beverages. Woo Hoo! Now I have another option for those lonely quarantined nights. I had a quick couple of beers and laughed with Sean about it feeling like a prohibition-era speakeasy joint. Left in time to make it home prior to curfew. No need to push my luck!

This morning I met up with Scott, Dave, and Joh (Dave’s wife) for a very pleasant 8K hike.

And now it is time to once again go peruse the menu at Gomans. Let it be.

Still just rolling along hoping to avoid snake eyes here in paradise. Yeah, you’ve got to work hard to come up with something that convoluted. What else is there to do?

I got accosted stopped on the street for the first time last evening. It wasn’t a law enforcement officer, rather it was a Barangay official stationed on the corner where the street from my subdivision intersects with the National Highway. It went down like this:

“Good evening. Where are you going?” I’m going to get something to eat. “Where?” Sit-n-Bull. “Do you have a quarantine pass?” Yes, I do. As I started to reach for my wallet, he said: “Or an identification card?” I breathed a sigh of relief and showed him my Alien Certificate of Registration card. That document shows my address as Barretto. The pass puts me in San Isidro and technically doesn’t permit me to be in Barretto. Even though it is not possible to leave Alta Vista by road without entering Barretto. Anyway, he looked at my ID, said thank you, and sent me on my way.

I didn’t go to Sit-n-Bull, I went to the restaurant that still allows sit down dining, I’ll call it Gomans for now. Had me a plate of fried chicken this time.

I posted the above photo on Facebook and one of the commenters somehow managed to identify the location. I promptly deleted the post, but I fear he may be the kind of wanker who would report the place to the authorities. I hope not. Because I’ve been getting my fill of beer there both before and after dinner as well. And I do enjoy enjoying beer.

We’ll see what happens with the next roll of the dice I reckon.

Still no symptoms, so there’s that. These are definitely strange days we are living in though.

I remember back in the days when I figured one of the most likely ways I’d die in the Philippines was crossing the National Highway. No problems this morning though.

Well, a couple of things are driving the lack of drivers. For one, most all businesses are closed. For another, as I feared, the authorities are not allowing people to leave their Barangay of residence. That may prove to be a problem for me since I have no access to San Isidro from my house. Rumor has it you can be issued a travel pass, so I’ll have to check into that tomorrow.

Oh, and speaking of closed down businesses, the Out Back hotel is now shut down. Damn, I hope the local police aren’t reading my blog! And where the hell am I going to go to drink beer now?

I was able to score some beer last night out on Baloy Beach, but I’m keeping my mouth shut about that for now.

This morning a new cover photo was posted on the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers Facebook page:

And so it goes. Some commenters here have made the point that this Wuhan virus is serious stuff and should not be taken lightly. I’m actually not disputing that, although I do question the effectiveness of the measures being put in place to slow the spread of this disease. Honestly, it’s only an inconvenience for me. I’ll live through it. It’s another story for my poverty-stricken neighbors. I will not be surprised at all if some of the most vulnerable (newborns, elderly) succumb to the effects of malnutrition. Perhaps I’m overly optimistic about the virus’s impact and overly pessimistic about the control efforts. Time will tell.

This article is the best I’ve seen so far on honestly assessing the current state of the pandemic. Give it a read and see if it doesn’t ease your mind to some extent.

What else have I got? Well, there’s this “interesting” find:

In these dark hours, it is good to know Uncle Sam is keeping an eye on things:

Finally, a shout out to the recently deceased Kenny Rogers. A very talented man whose music I’ve enjoyed since hearing his first pop hit way back when (1972 actually). There’s a popular chicken restaurant chain bearing his name here, Kenny Rogers Roasters. I guess that’s as close to immortality as one can get.

I woke up this morning with the sundown shining in
I found my mind in a brown paper bag within
I tripped on a cloud and fell-a eight miles high
I tore my mind on a jagged sky
I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in
Yeah, yeah, oh-yeah, what condition my condition was in

I pushed my soul in a deep dark hole and then I followed it in
I watched myself crawling out as I was a-crawling in
I got up so tight I couldn’t unwind
I saw so much I broke my mind
I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in
Yeah, yeah, oh-yeah, what condition my condition was in

Someone painted April Fool in big black letters on a Dead End sign
I had my foot on the gas as I left the road and blew out my mind
Eight miles outta Memphis and I got no spare
Eight miles straight up downtown somewhere
I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in
I said I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in

UPDATE: Damn it! I used this title once before, back in November of last year. Ah well, this time it was to honor the memory of Kenny Rogers, so I’ll let it go on Through the Years.

Went to the Supermarket earlier and saw a guy with a shopping cart full to the brim with hand sanitizers, baby wipes, soaps, everything that people need!

I called him a selfish bastard, gave him a low down about the elderly and others who need these types of things. Told him he should be very ashamed of himself!

He said: “that’s all well and good, but I work here, can I continue filling the shelves now?”

Um, yeah. Never mind.

That’s the joke I forgot to include in yesterday’s post about grocery shopping. Whaddaya mean better never than late?

So, there’s only one bar in town that remains open (that I know of) and that’s at the Out Back hotel. Which I guess makes it the best bar in Barretto at the moment. How long those moments will last remains to be seen. I’ve been discrete about telling anyone about it, but word is getting out. At the beginning of the week, I was there alone. Last night when I arrived around 5 p.m. I got the last available bar stool.

So, a pleasant surprise during my visit yesterday. A man I’d never met before came up to me and said “you must be John. Thanks, your blog was very helpful to me in getting information about the curfew”. I don’t talk about my blog to people here nor do I share links on Facebook like I used to do. Anthony found me the old fashioned way–through a Google search. That’s happened a few times over the years and it really surprises me to meet an unknown reader out of the blue (or in this case, in the Out Back) that way. We had some beers and a nice chat. I’m sure I’ll see him around about. In fact, he has a house under construction in Alta Vista. Small world and smaller town.

Speaking of the curfew, quarantine, lockdown or whatever the hell they are calling it, I did manage to finagle a pass from the San Isidro Barangay yesterday.

We are all awaiting the implementation of more stringent measures this coming Monday. No one knows for sure what they will entail, but President Duterte has declared the Philippines to be in a “state of calamity” which seems to be a euphemism for martial law. One rumored aspect is being confined to your Barangay of residence–no pass outs to neighboring towns. Another is the prohibition on the sale of alcohol. Everybody’s stocking up today. We’ll see if the Out Back owner still has the balls to defy the authorities come Monday. I’m going back tonight to drink my fill while I still can. You know, it’s wise to play it safe during a pandemic, right?

Speaking of Monday, we are still planning a very low key Hash. I was out with Pubic Head and Blow My Pipe this morning scouting out a trail. If this goes down we’ll have our on-home at a private residence on Rizal Extension. It’s a nice hike we have in mind, one good climb and around 4K from the start to on-home. Additional distance is added depending on where you are coming from to reach the start. For me, that’s another 2K.

Stay tuned. Things might just be about to get interesting.

Meanwhile, life moves on and so do I. And that means walking. At least while the sun is shining. That’s a good thing, even during a pandemic. Well, if the New York Times is to be believed. That’s a dicey proposition I know. There is the caveat that you maintain “social distancing” on your walks, but that’s not a problem for this solitary man.

Actually, we did the group thing with the Hash on Monday. There was some speculation as to whether it might be our last Hash until the quarantine is lifted. But this cryptic message appeared on the SBH3 Facebook page:

We will have a Subic Bay Hash on Monday 3/23. There will be no sign ups at Johansson’s. Just go to the start of the trail and follow the marks to the unnamed On Home. Start of trail will be communicated to everyone as soon as we know it.Sign Ups will be at the ON HOME. Circle will start at 5pm.

Alright, sounds good to me. I have subsequently learned that the scheduled Hare, Two Bottles, is currently on lockdown in Angeles City. So Pubic Head asked if I would Hare with him and I of course agreed. We are planning to do some scouting on Saturday, but Pubic sent me a map of the proposed route which should work out fine. The guards in my subdivision stopped me this morning to advise that Hashers will not be allowed in Alta Vista during the quarantine. So obviously our trail won’t be passing through the neighborhood this week. Or anywhere at all if the Powers that Be have their way:

I had breakfast this morning at Treasure Island Resort on Baloy Beach. It was a creepy walk past the signage saying the beach was closed to tourists, guests, and non-residents. No one was manning the barricades though, so on I marched. I’ve never seen Baloy so deserted before. Some of the resorts were outright closed, others had signs saying open for takeout food only. Treasure Island however was still allowing sit down customer dining.

Chatted with the owner some (he also lives in Alta Vista). He’s going to stay open and continue serving customers until such time as the Barangay comes and shuts him down. I’m going to try and make it out there tonight and throw him some beer business. I also ran into the owner of Sit-n-Bull on my walkabout this morning. He’s only doing takeout and his words had an ominous message from a business owner’s perspective–lots of places that have closed or will be closing are likely to never reopen. The profit margins have been razor thin for a long time and a lengthy shutdown will be the kiss of death for some. I hope Sit-n-Bull isn’t in that category, but my sense was he’s riding that fence too.

Anyway, here in my world I enjoyed an ambitious 8K hike yesterday. It looked like this from above:

As I mentioned yesterday, we were able to find beer after the hike at Out Back hotel. Other than Baloy Beach, that seems to be the ONLY option in Barretto as of now. Went back there last night and they apparently plan to continue until they get caught. It’s a new place and not really on anyone’s radar yet. I was the only customer once again. I’m not saying anything though, don’t want to draw attention from the wrong eyes. I’m sure some closed down bar owner would be quick to blow the whistle if he found out. Ah well.

I leave you with this “interesting” photo I took yesterday right out in front of Out Back on the National Highway:

You know, back in 1976 when I was 21, this kind of future just didn’t figure into my calculations. Oh, the stories I could tell that young man! But would he listen? Knowing me, probably not.

UPDATE: Well, apparently I live in Barangay San Isidro, Subic. So Barretto doesn’t have jurisdiction over me. Not sure how stringent things are next door in Subic though.

UPDATE II: Just had an earthquake. Surely this is a sign that the end is upon us. Or maybe not. It was a small one.

Observations from the ground during the second day of the enhanced community quarantine.

I did a walk around in the afternoon yesterday with the specific intent of seeing what was involved in “crossing the border” into Subic town. What a cluster fuck that was, especially for those who had the misfortune of driving. Here’s how it looked:

As a pedestrian, I had to dutifully wait my turn to have my temperature checked. No questions were asked about where I was going or why. Every vehicle occupant went through the same meaningless procedure. I guess the appearance of action is the important thing.

I didn’t feel comfortable taking a close up photo, but the police were in full battle dress uniforms and armed to the hilt with both pistols and rifles. They weren’t messing around and I certainly wasn’t about to press my luck.

Once back in Barretto I took a walk through the bar area and the ones I saw were indeed closed. Some had signs reading “by order of the mayor”. The restaurants I passed had signs up saying only take-out was available. The Jeepneys were off the street and the number of trikes was greatly diminished. So, this shit is definitely for real.

Later in the evening, I went back to Johannson’s which was still serving beer at their bar (it’s classified as a hotel, so they were still open for business). Talking to some of the other patrons there I learned that the Arizona resort had closed down, which is really big news. I’ve since learned that several other resort hotels were also closing. A couple of the bars that had tried to stay open were raided by the police and shut down. When the Johansson’s manager heard this news, she got up and closed the front door (something I have never seen done here in almost two years). I figured as a hotel she was safe but I guess she wasn’t taking any chances. Later on, I crossed the street to the Out Back hotel and enjoyed some cold brews at their poolside bar. On the way home, I popped into 7-11 and cleaned out their supply of San Mig Zero. Hey, these are desperate times!

Anyway, I got home before 8:00 p.m. just to be on the safe side. I’m still unclear on whether we are on a 24-hour curfew or an 8-5 situation. No one seemed to be patrolling the streets while I was out, so there’s that.

This morning I got up and met Scott and Jim for a local mountain hike. We did a nice 8K walk and worked up a powerful thirst. I suggested we quench it on the way back at Johansson’s. When we walked in I noticed three guys sitting at the bar drinking coffee. Since it was afternoon, I knew something was up. I sought out the manager and sure enough, they had been told they can only serve beer to customers who are waiting on takeout food, we can no longer just come in to sit and drink. I asked her what about hotel guests? She said she thought that would be okay, so I told her I’d book a room. That’s when I learned that hotels are now prohibited from accepting any new guests! So, I fully expect more hotels will be shutting down soon.

We crossed the street to Out Back hotel and thank goodness they hadn’t got the memo. So we quaffed some beers at their very nice poolside bar. How long that’s gonna last I have no idea, but I’ll be back tonight to take advantage of their hospitality for as long as I am able. Or until 8 p.m. anyway.

Oh, and I guess someone figured out how fucking stupid it was to block traffic on the National Highway in order to render meaningless temperature checks. This is how it looked this afternoon:

I have also learned that the international flight ban from Luzon has been lifted for foreigners, so at least I can escape if the current oppression becomes more than I can bear.

So again, I’m going to ascribe good motives behind what is being done in the name of stopping the spread of the Wuhan virus. As implemented, I see no practical benefits, however. And lots and lots of people are being hurt, not to mention my inconvenience!

So, it could be worse. If it doesn’t get worse, maybe it’s all worthwhile. Time will tell.

Let me leave you with the “interesting” photo from yesterday’s walk:

I’ve got walking photos to share with y’all tomorrow. Stay tuned, it’s bound to get better!

Nothing should surprise me these days, but I have to admit I was pretty damned shocked when I woke up and saw what President Duterte has imposed throughout Luzon (the big island that includes Manila and my province of Zambales). They are calling it an “enhanced community quarantine” and it includes these provisions:

24-hour CURFEW for EVERYONE
All public transport is suspended
You may go out ONLY to buy basic needs.
Work and school are suspended.
Restaurants are CLOSED. Only deliveries and take out are allowed, no eating in the restaurant.
Serious resistance or disobedience will subject the offender to arrest.

Sounds a lot like house arrest to me. Ah, but there is an escape clause for foreigners:

Those who want to leave the country are given 72 hours to leave/fly. Otherwise, it will be presumed that they opted to stay in the Philippines for the entirety of community quarantine (April 14)

Hmm. I briefly considered that option, then rejected it. Frankly, things seem just as dicey in the USA these days. I thought about Korea, but an indefinite stay there would be quite expensive. Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam are also imposing stringent measures to control the Wuhan Virus. Plus I have no support network there should the worst-case scenario come about. Nope, I’ve made the Philippines my home and I’ll stick things out here for better or worse.

It will be interesting to see how implementation works out and what the impacts of this quarantine will be. As I mentioned yesterday, the locals are in for some desperate times. One of the commenters on a forum I frequent had this to say about that:

I am normally the optimistic, the one telling everybody not to succumb to the fear mongering and doomsayers.  But today as I was driving by the gun store in my fairly affluent community, the big line around the block to get in made me think about what life must be like in Luzon now…and in the weeks to come.  

With so many people there living payday to payday, barely making enough to survive, and with little or no monetary safety nets for all these bargirls, restaurant workers, bus drivers etc who will simply be without income for a month, people will soon become desperate.  Think how many scammers and con artists have always been at work there.  Now all these people literally will not have legitimate income for the next month.  And the foreigner visitors that normally keep a steady stream of cash are no longer arriving.  I think there’s a great potential there for dramatically increased violence.  How can there not be?  How long can you listen to a baby cry of hunger before you take matters into your own hands?

For all the expats and brave visitors there now, you gotta be extra careful.  I’m sure it’s the monger buyer’s market of a lifetime, but I have to imagine that given the new circumstances, past trustworthiness doesn’t necessarily mean current trustworthiness.

It’s a good thing to have money.  It’s a bad thing to be the only one in town with money. Stay safe!

Yeah, something to consider for sure.

Anyway, I’m proceeding as normal until I’m told otherwise. I walked the dogs as usual which I guess is technically a violation. I also observed that the construction crews have continued to work on the houses being built, in clear violation of the “stay home” directive from the President. Well, it’s only day one so maybe the Army has yet to be deployed to apprehend these scofflaws.

I decided to push my luck further and take my normal morning hike outside the relative safety of my subdivision. And boy, was I in for a surprise!

“What the hell is going on?” I wondered (hopefully not out loud). It seems the traffic jam was generated by a police checkpoint just up the road at the entrance to Subic town. I guess they were taking temperatures of everyone who provided a good enough reason to be leaving Olongapo. I have to believe at some point they are going to enforce the quarantine requirements, but apparently not today.

I also popped into Johansson’s which was open. It is a hotel/restaurant/bar type facility. I sat down and jokingly ordered a beer, and the bartender got up to get it before I stopped her. Apparently it is business as usual for them as well. I messaged a friend who works at Treasure Island resort and they are open and serving customers too. Then I got the text message reminding me of the dart tournament at Alley Cats today. I’m not sure what’s going on and why everyone is ignoring the Presidential decree with apparent impunity, but that’s not likely to last for long. Although, I hope I’m wrong about that.

You know, I get that these measures are intended to lessen the impact of the coronavirus on the population at large. I certainly know that I am in a high-risk category should I be infected. I just don’t see how these steps are going to actually make a difference in any meaningful way. I’ve put my own plan for self-defense in motion already:

Speaking of the Hash, we might have to postpone future gatherings until the crisis has passed. Angeles City and La Union have already done so. It was a nice 7K hike yesterday and I’ll post about that tomorrow. Right now, I’m going to really push my luck and walk into Subic town and see what all the fuss is about. And whether or not the police will let me in. I guess if pressed I can always say I’m out searching for food! I’ll let yáll know how that goes as well.

Yes, I know Marie Antoinette never uttered those words. But she lost her head anyway. And it seems to me that lots of folks are losing their heads lately over the Wuhan virus outbreak. Well, not their heads as much as their minds, but you know what I mean.

The latest example here in the Philippines is this outrage:

I’m reading similar measures are being taken across the USA as well, but this is the Philippines and that makes a big difference. Okay, I get the whole “social distancing” thing as part of the effort to slow the spread of the Chinese coronavirus. But a what point does the “cure” do more damage than the disease?

Here in the Philippines, the minimum wage is 350 pesos ($7) a day. Not everyone makes that much though. So as you might imagine, many people are living day-to-day, bringing home just enough to put some rice on the table. So, you shut down the bars and send the girls out on the street to sell their bodies. You shut down the old Navy base with its restaurants, hotels, and a shopping mall all closing down. That’s hundreds of jobs and oh, by the way, things like unemployment benefits and other social welfare programs don’t exist in this country. What are these folks supposed to do now? A lot of the expats here are talking about the real possibility of a surge in crime. Well, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, but there are bound to be unforeseen circumstances when you pull the rug out from people who are already living desperate lives.

Anyway, this too shall pass. I hope. In the meantime, nothing for me to do but walk on. Yesterday’s hike took me over the mountain on the familiar ground of My Bitch. There’s a family living an isolated existence in a shack up on top. The trail leads through their “yard” and sets the dogs barking and roosters crowing when I walk past. I feel guilty about creating a disturbance so I always apologize and sometimes I bring along some cookies or candies for the kids. Of late they’ve been greeting me by name and I admit that makes me feel good. It’s the little things I guess.

I found this “interesting” sight yesterday. As has been said, blogs are made by fools like me, but only God can make a tree:

Sometimes you just have to step out of your comfort zone I suppose. Like this morning at Sit-n-Bull I tried something completely different:

Honestly, it was just okay. I could only eat about half of it. Oh well, that’s the nature of adventure, right?

On my morning walk today I noticed that God has been busy:

Trees
BY JOYCE KILMER

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.