It was not so gentle on my big toe or my wallet, but it was a good day regardless. On Thursdays, I try for a longer than normal walk, usually on pavement, since I’m on my own. This week, I took a Jeepney to Waltermart and commenced my hike there.
I wore a pair of shoes I hadn’t worn in a while, and that proved to be a mistake. They were a little tight and put pressure on my left foot’s big toe, which became pretty painful for the last three kilometers.
When beer o’clock rolled around, Swan and I walked into town for some liquid refreshments. We hadn’t been to Cheap Charlies for a while, so we started there. I ordered my gin and soda in a tall glass, and Swan did her usual red wine thing. Except the waitress came back and said no wine was available. Seriously, what kind of bar doesn’t keep a bottle of red wine on the shelf? Well, not a bar I patronize when I’m with my girl, so I finished my drink, and we left. I did dispense some advice to the bartender and cashier before leaving. I don’t expect I’ll be back.
Green Room was next up, and we had a much more enjoyable time there. I had inadvertently left my 50% discount coupon there on Sunday, and it was still valid. The waitress said she had kept it in her purse for me and went to fetch it. Now, that’s good service. So, of course, I bought her a lady drink.
Early into our Green Room visit, Swan saw someone she recognized–a neighbor from when she lived in San Isidro. She called the girl over, and damn, she looked young. It turns out that she had just turned 18 two weeks ago and had started working as a GRO (Guest Relations Officer) like her mother. Her mom came over to join us; she is one of the gals I’ve let rub my shoulders in the past. Of course, Swan knew her as well. I felt compelled to buy our new guests drinks, too, and Swan gently told mom and daughter there were better employment options than the bar out there. I don’t think she changed any minds, though. As a parent, I can’t imagine how I’d feel seeing some old fat fucker barfine my daughter for a night of debauchery, but I guess folks do what they feel they have to do. Good luck to her!
After a couple of rounds of drinks for everyone, Swan and I moved on to Alaska Club. We were the only customers at first, and our regular waitresses were happy to see us.
As is my custom, I also gave each dancer (there were eight last night) a fifty peso tip for their efforts. I stuck with my gin and soda routine and seemed to be doing okay with keeping myself on an even keel, but I still felt more inebriated than I get from my beer diet. And I’m not blaming the gin, but I was much more generous with the lady drinks than normal last night. I usually carry 5000 pesos ($100) in my wallet when I go out; most nights, I might spend two or three thousand. But I spent it all last night. That said, we bought some smiles, and I’m sure the girls appreciated making some commissions on an otherwise quiet night. I won’t make that a habit, though!
Home safe and sound, a good night’s sleep, and woke up to a brand new day. I am blessed indeed.
And I saw in the news that OJ Simpson succumbed to cancer. May he rest in peace, knowing that his wife’s killer is no longer alive.
Ready for some Quora Q&A?
Q: To expats living in Philippines what is a typical day like?
A: I imagine every expat has a different experience. My typical day involves waking early, checking the news on the internet, walking my dogs, having breakfast, then taking a long hike.
I enjoy views like this one when I am out and about on my daily hikes.
In the evening I hang out in my favorite pubs and enjoy some refreshing San Miguel Light beers. Watching the sun go down is one of my favorite pastimes.
What’s not to like?
And then the following morning I get up and do it all over again. That may sound boring and meaningless to some but it is the life I chose and I’m making the best of it.
Heh, I guess regular readers here at LTG knew that answer. All my posts must sound like Ground Hog Day.
Humor time:
And one more for the road:
Okay, I’ll be back with more tomorrow.
Creative painting on a wall along the highway
Nice to see the beautiful murals.
All my posts must sound like Ground Hog Day.
I’ve never heard of a “ground hog.” Is that like a “groundhog”? Seriously, “ground hog” is, in fact, a legitimate spelling (I checked), but the movie’s title is spelled only one way.
Best aspect of this post: all the Volkskunst. Kind of rare on your blog.
If you’re okay with your routine, then there’s nothing to apologize for. If, on the other hand, you wanna go out and do something different, but you never do, then nuthin’s stopping you from breaking the cycle.
Re: Toe pic – I thought for a second that @Kevin had hijacked your blog!!!!
Re: Glen Campbell song. Dont know if you have seen it, but there is an interesting documentary out about his last concert tour as he struggles with dementia. “I’ll Be Me”
Yeah, I thought of Kevin when I saw my toe, but I’m nowhere close to being in his league.
Thanks for the heads up on “I’ll Be Me.” Looks like Amazon Prime has the rights, damn it. Well, there’s always Pirate Bay.
Damn, Ground Hog didn’t feel right somehow, but I couldn’t be bothered with confirming. Now I know. But will I remember?
You knew I’d have to look up Volkskunst. Now I know that, too. There’s another group of wall paintings further up the highway in Kalaklan, but they are nearly as appealing. They were done in 2020 and are full of “Be Good Sheep” COVID messages. So far, they haven’t been ashamed enough to paint over them.
Yeah, I’m doing what I do because it is what I want to do. When I want to do something else, I will.