Those hours aren’t just going to fill themselves. Here’s how I spent my time yesterday.
A little rain isn’t going to stop the Wednesday Walkers from their appointed rounds. I needed my umbrella on the way to the start, but once it was time to hit the trail, the rain ended. The biggest challenge was picking a route that wouldn’t be a complete bore. I decided we’d had enough street walks lately, so I led the group on a familiar route into the hills, but one we hadn’t done recently. This time of year, the tall and wild thatch grass creates a problem, and yesterday was no exception. We pushed on through it, and my hike mates all said they enjoyed the trek.
I seem to have forgotten to photograph our descent into Marian Hills, but it was uneventful.
The hill climbs during the hike weren’t as challenging as Kalaklan, but going up is never easy for my tired old body. That said, I didn’t suffer over much, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that I didn’t exceed my recommended maximum heart rate.
Later in the afternoon, it was time to head into town to spend some money.
I had an SOB coupon for “buy one, take one” at Alaska Club, so that was our next stop. Damn, those coupons always wind up costing me a lot of money.
We went next door to Wet Spot for our nightcap. There were no other customers there, either. I treated Irene (our regular waitress) to a lady drink and enjoyed my final beers of the night (Swan had had enough wine and switched to water). We ordered some Sit-n-Bull food to bring home (and some lumpia for the Wet Spot girls). Owner Dave arrived, we exchanged greetings, and he bought me a beer. Then the food was delivered, so we called our trike driver, and headed home to eat.
And I filled the rest of my Wednesday hours with some well-earned sleep.
So, let’s see how much money I spent yesterday:
- Meat: 6000 pesos (ribeye steaks, ground beef, pork chops, bacon)
- Prescription Meds: 1600
- Alcohol: 1380 pesos (my beer, Swan’s wine)
- Dinner: 1200 pesos (including lumpia for our waitresses
- Tips: 660 pesos (300 for the Alaska dancers, the rest for our waitresses)
- Lady Drinks: 320 pesos (one in Alaska, one at Wet Spot)
- Snacks: 200 pesos (nuts for the bargirls from the peanut vendor)
- Trike Fare: 150 pesos
- Total for October 2: 11510 pesos
I spent a bit more than usual in the bars, but I was feeling generous for some reason. I guess the lack of customers made me feel sorry for the girls. We’ll see how it goes today.
Facebook memories carried me back fourteen years to my Seoul life:
Ah, ’tis the season for political bullshit:
Today’s YouTube video features Reekay sharing his views on what a good Filipina brings to the table. I can vouch for his accuracy. It took me almost six years, but I finally found one worth keeping. Now the challenge is to not fuck it up.
And now more of what passes for humor in my addled brain:
I’m not sure what’s next on my agenda, but it’s Thirstday, so I’ll do my best to quench it! I’ll be back tomorrow to let you know how it goes (and how much it costs me!).
During the dog walk, I challenged this guy to race me to the curb. It was a photo finish, but I won!
“How will you die, Joan Wilder? Slow, like… a snail? Or fast, like a shooting star?!”
Swan, Sheryl, Gary, and Michael were my fellow adventurers
Gary’s gonna have to watch out for those Tim Walz jokes! Not his fault, of course, but it’s even funnier if he’s not American.
At the end of La Union Street, we headed up through a shanty neighborhood
Jesus, that looks slippery and dangerous.
Climbed some steps, then hit the grassy trail
I hope the mossy stairs weren’t too slippery. I doubt I’d ever have become a distance walker had I lived in the PI. Too many hazards.
A brief pause to catch our breath, then on up we went
Okay, from the side, Gary looks nothing like Tim Walz. Gary’s better-looking.
A Barretto view
I’m reminded of all the bay/inlet communities I went through during my walk down South Korea’s east coast.
Where’s Michael? He was just right in front of me. (Look closely, and you might see the white of his shirt)
And nobody’s got a machete?
Cookies for the wilderness dwellers.
Funny how all the mud is colored like red clay. Ever thought about packing any down and making sculptures?
No pics of the burgers???
Good ol’ Dolce Vida.
I remember going there one night and finding a drunk expat who had fallen down those extremely steep stairs that led to the bar.
He was dazed and bloodied but eventually got up, resisting all offers of help, and staggered off into the night. LOL
Brian, I’ve known several who have taken that tumble over the years—same at Bless U/Shenanigans next door. I took a fall inside Dolce once that resulted in an ambulance ride, but thankfully, never down the stairs.
What years were you there?
Finally, a clip from a movie I’d actually seen. Of course, I’d totally forgotten about it. Thanks for the memories!
Gary’s a Brit, and he complains about Walz-like politicians there.
Luckily, it wasn’t as slippery as it looks. It can be, though, so we were treading cautiously. The stair moss hadn’t grown thick enough on the steps to be an issue, but I was still glad to be going up and not down them. We both know the heat here would be all the dissuasion you’d need.
Regarding the machete, it’s funny. Right after we exited that patch, Michael asked if anyone knew where he could buy one.
I usually bring some mud down on my shoes…make of it what you will.
Yeah, I was pissed at myself for not getting a photo of Swan’s burgers. Michael asked where she got the meat because it was so lean. I guess they were Hawaiian burgers because she had a pineapple ring on top.
Was lean meat a complaint, or was it praise?
Compliment…he said the meat he finds is too fatty…
John, I was never in Korea full time. Well, actually I was in the late 90’s but in Sosan, which is on the west coast. Actually nice little town.
However, from ~ 2009 – 2015/16 I was in Korea quite a bit. Based in the States but spent 30-50% of my time in Seoul. The JW Marriott across the river was my home away from home. Believe that i mentioned previously, we shared a beer or three a couple of times. But, I was not a dart player, so usually just warmed a seat in Dolce Vida or other places.
Brian, yeah, that’s what I thought I remembered, but I don’t trust my memory much these days. Glad we had the chance to quaff those brews! Man, my Korea years were the best time of my life. There’s no going back and I’m trying hard to appreciate the blessings of life in the Philippines.