Yes, I shortcut the trail. But no, I was not arrested. Read on for the rest of the story.
I was 50-50 on whether I was going to Hash at all yesterday. Anytime the On-Home venue is out at the end of Rizal Extension I’m uncomfortable because getting back to town from there is a pain in the ass. Trikes are not readily available because many of them don’t have the horsepower to make it up the long incline of Rizal. Being faced with the prospect of walking back to town in the dark after drinking puts a damper on my spirits. And so does the rain. Anyway, my solution is to leave before the Hash Circle commences and head down to Barretto while the going is good. That’s what I did yesterday.
So, my modified trail included a different way up than the Hares prepared, but the alternative route was suggested by Vienna Sausage, who thought the steep and slippery climb on his trail wouldn’t be to my liking. Oddly enough, I intended to go the way he recommended before we talked. I also skipped a mid-trail down and up, and stayed on My Bitch until the end, which is also where Always Wet, another Hare, resides. She sponsored the On-Home gathering at her place.
As mentioned, I left early, and Swan and Beth joined me for the walk down Rizal. We hadn’t gone far when we saw a police vehicle making a U-turn in front of us. Swan and Beth jokingly called out asking for a ride, and the police van stopped. The cop in the back gestured for us to hop in. I really didn’t want to, but it started raining and the gals didn’t want to walk the rest of the way. Fine.
My first-ever ride in a Philippine police vehicle. I’m glad it was voluntary.
Here are some photos of my Hash journey yesterday.
A view on the way to the trailhead at the VFW. Surprisingly, there was no rain for the duration of our hike, but once we made it to Always Wet’s house, it was, well, always wet.The gathering at the start featured Vienna Sausage providing guidance for the upcoming trail.And we are On-On!Down the alley……and up the steps. There were a lot of them.The climb didn’t end when the stairs did.Climbing has its rewards.Proof that we are on the trail.Hello there, Easter Mountain.I liked the view from here.Hanging out before the Circle.A gathering of Hash Gash.Handing out lollipops as we make our way down Rizal Extension. The police encounter happened shortly thereafter.A large turnout for the After-Hash at It Doesn’t Matter.The way I done it. Yes, I did.
It was also my 350th Hash Run with the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers. My goal is to make it to 500. Wish me luck!
Back in June of 2009, I still had the attention span needed to sit through a movie and then write a review here at LTG. The film I wrote about is Crossing Over. Reading this now, I don’t even recall watching it. But damn, this movie was like a premonition of things that are happening today. Immigration agents arresting illegal aliens in Los Angeles, and the resulting outrage caused by enforcing the law. Oh, and of course, the Hollywood point of view then, as now, was that the ICE folks are the bad guys.
Eight years ago, I purchased a brand-new vehicle:
I had some really nice rides during my year in Pyeongtaek. Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone?
Today’s YouTube video touches on a recurring theme in my life: looking back in regret and missing all the good that surrounds you. I’m trying to do better in that regard, because there’s no going back. Unless God grants the do-over life I’ve been praying for.
Humor time:
No matter how you slice it…Hard to argue with that logic.I done that, too.
With a few twists and turns along the way. In other words, more of the same, but different.
Well, there really wasn’t anything different about the Sunday Candy Walk.And Easter Mountain hasn’t changed.You don’t see a mango carpet like this every day. Anything not harvested is falling from the trees.Over Bridge #3 again.The muddy water of the Matain River.
And now for Section 12 of the Candy Walk:
What the rain left behind.A sweet dispensation.The Bridge #2 crossing.A newly opened bakery. I’m not sure I’d want Jizz in my biscuit.Over Bridge #1 and done.A 6K effort.
The Sunday afternoon routine wasn’t so routine. I walked to the Hideaway feeding under an umbrella.
Hideaway was surprisingly busy.
No more floating bar. And in a sad twist, John’s place was closed. There had been a power outage in Barretto earlier in the day, and John’s Facebook page said they had decided just to remain closed when power was restored. So, Swan met me at Red Bar instead. After a wine and some beer, it was time to decide on an alternative venue for dinner. I suggested Myleen’s, and Swan countered with Mugshots. It’s a bar with a kitchen and the food is good, but there are limited choices (which is appropriate for a bar menu IMO). Sure, why not? It’s been a while since our last visit.
Their food is definitely better than the spelling on the banner displayed near the entrance of Mugshots.
I was quite surprised to see there were several other customers seated at the bar, but we grabbed the two remaining stools and asked for a menu. As we prepared to order some chicken wings, the cook advised that the kitchen was swamped with previous orders, so we’d have to wait for ours. Eh, never mind. I suggested we move on to the Green Room and order take-out from Sit-n-Bull to bring back home with us. And that’s what we did.
As usual, we were entertained watching some pretty impressive pool games.
And that’s all there was for Sunday. Posts like this are boring to write; I can only imagine what the torture of reading them must be. I’ll try to do better.
Coincidentally, back in June 2009, I wrote a post entitled “A day in the life.” It was a good one in Itaewon.
In today’s YouTube video, the vlogger talks about how the Philippines has changed his views on happiness. I recall similar emotions on my visit here. Initially shocked by seeing the poverty that so many endure, I was then astounded by the genuine happiness the Filipino people exude.
I’m getting bored with the corny Zen lines. Anyone out there want them to continue?
If Everything Seems To Be Going Well, You Have Obviously Overlooked Something.
I’m going to keep the so-called humor coming, though:
I like the sound of that.It’s good to be juiced.Hmm, methinks there is more to it than just the voice.
The end of this post is here at last. Hash Monday is upon us, and I’m on the fence again. No rain since last night, but the trail ends this week at Always Wet’s house at the far end of Rizal Extension. If I do the trail, I won’t be doing the Circle; I’ll be walking back down the hill to town. I’ll let you know what I decide tomorrow.
We kicked things off with the Saturday Sweet Stroll. It was my first time doing any kind of walk since the surgery. I’m not supposed to get my eye wet for two weeks, but damn, how is that even possible when you live in a sweat box like the Philippines?
Here’s the beginning of the stroll, a ten-minute walk through Alta Vista to the first neighborhood we visit on our regular route.
And a few photos of what I saw along the way:
This chicken has come home to roost. Er…Pig on a stick.A boat on the muddy river.It’s a bad day to be a pig!The child prisoners were awaiting our arrival.A Swan in the woods.Getting back in the groove with a 5K jaunt.
Later in the day, we met up with the neighbors at Hops and Brews Beer Garden.
Let the good times roll. They don’t offer bottled beer, so I enjoyed draft San Miguel Light.
Hops and Brews has great ambiance and looks to be a nice place to hang out and enjoy the chill vibe.
It has one of the nicest bar setups in town.
Despite all that, I only visit here a couple of times a year, and only when invited to a gathering like the one last night. I’m not sure why it is not on my radar. Looking at the menu, I was surprised at how expensive everything is. I decided to do the pulled pork and a side of coleslaw (480 pesos or $9).
Even my tablemates commented on how small the portion was.
Swan tried the beef brisket (600 pesos or $11).
And she said the meat wasn’t warm.My neighbor took pity on me for an unsatisfying portion of pork and shared a slice of his stromboli with me. It was tasty.
After dinner, Jeff and Davina joined us for a nightcap at the Alaska Club. And since they live next door, we had a free and comfortable ride home. Life is good, even when the food isn’t.
It’s June of 2009 in my journey through the LTG archives. Today’s noteworthy (to me) post is about attending the Army Ball, a formal affair.
As you can see, my date and me were dressed appropriately for the occasion.
The last time I visited Korea was six years ago this month.
And on this day in history in 2019, Kevin Kim and my nephew Justin enjoyed a dinner at a Brazilian steakhouse whose name I can’t recall. I do remember Kevin attempted to overcome the liberal dogma my nephew has been indoctrinated with, but alas, he was unsuccessful.
Today’s YouTube video shares the “joys” of provincial life in the Philippines. I sometimes fantasize about living like the locals do in some of the areas I hike, but the reality of the everyday life hardships would be too much to bear for long. I’m a creature of comfort in my old age. Hell, I don’t even want to go camping again.
And that Zen moment you’ve been waiting for:
How Do You Tell When You’re Out Of Invisible Ink?
On to the humor:
Kind of like my blog…Words to live by.Cows are vegans, too.
And there you have it. It’s rained every day since May, but at least it’s been holding off until after my morning walks lately. It’s pouring down now, which means I may be in for a wet walk to Hideaway for the feeding. Oh well, without bad weather you wouldn’t appreciate the good weather.
Nothing lasts forever. So order another while you can!
The visit with my ophthalmologist, Dr. DeCastro, went well. The assistant did the standard eye tests, and I was pleasantly surprised when, with my right eye covered, I could read every line on the chart, except the bottom one. During my previous examination in January, I couldn’t even read the top line with my left eye. The vision in my now cataract-free eye is still a little fuzzy, but Dr. De Castro assures me that as the swelling recedes, my sight will become clearer. I have a follow-up appointment on the twentieth, so hopefully I’ll be 20-20 by then.
Took another 400 peso cab ride home and chilled for a while, waiting for beer o’clock. I had asked Swan earlier if she wanted to do the SOB at Queen Victoria or something else. She opted for something else. She suggested Kon-Tiki, and I was down for that. Until we saw the traffic on the highway on the way back from the doctor’s office. We agreed that a weekday visit makes more sense. I offered doing the seldom-visited Hangout Bar, then Mango’s for dinner, or BarCelona and Jewel Cafe. She didn’t have a preference, so we headed for BarCelona. Of course, it began raining as we departed.
Our rainy BarCelona view.I could never catch one, but there were multiple lightning strikes up on the ridgeline.A few other guests came in later to play pool.I zoomed in on this US Navyvessel anchored in the bay. I’d never seen anything quite like it. I asked my FB friends if they knew what it was for, and this was one of the responses: “Lewis B. Puller-class, or sub-variant, of Expeditionary Mobile Base (ESB) vessels serve to support special forces missions, counter-piracy/smuggling operations, maritime security operations.” Hmm, I hope nothing’s brewing.True or not, why risk it?
Swan enjoyed her glass of wine, and I had three beers waiting for her to finish it. Then we were off to Jewel Cafe for dinner.
Only one other couple was dining during our visit, but several Grab orders went out the door. The world is changing.Swan and I were once again on the same page; we both ordered the filet mignon.
As we dined, Swan got a message from her friend Marilyn wanting to meet up for drinks. Swan asked where we were going next, and I said IDM. She asked, Are you sure? Lots of people know Marissa there. I shrugged and responded, Who cares? So, Swan messaged Marilyn to meet us there. By way of explanation, Marilyn is the sister of my ex-girlfriend, Marissa. Her twin sister. Identical twins.
When we arrived at It Doesn’t Matter, only one other person was seated outside, fellow Hasher Grace (Leaking Pussy). She moved to our table, and another person we know, Rica, the IDM cook, joined us as well. So, the stage was set when Marilyn arrived a few minutes later. Marilyn has lived in Manila for a long time and, for the most part, is unknown in Barretto (I met her for the first time a few weeks ago). As she approached our table, Grace jumped up and screamed, “Marissa, good to see you again! It’s been a long time!” Then gave her a big hug. Swan and I were laughing, and the look on Grace’s face when Marilyn calmly told her, I’m not Marissa, was priceless.
Sorry for the crappy picture. I was trying to capture the moment, but it was moving too fast. L-R, that’s Grace, Rica, and Marilyn.
So, the revelry continued in Tagalog, and I just sat there taking it all in. A couple of other people came by and greeted “Marissa,” but it’s hard to blame them for the mistake. I was thinking that I’d never been alone with her, but I’d seen Marilyn naked. Anyway, I was buying the drinks, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, so that constitutes a good time for me.
All things must end, and it was almost 8:30 (late by my standards) when I paid the tab and we headed for home.
I’m still in May 2009 on the journey through the LTG archives. This post is a picture-filled account of an organization day gathering with my fellow Directorate of Human Resources team members. Why do these memories make me feel a little sad? Because I didn’t realize just how awesome my life was at the time.
Today’s YouTube video discusses the income tiers in the Philippines, from the very poor to the very rich. I pay my full-time helper/caregiver 26,000 pesos per month, which puts her in the lower middle class category. But when you factor in the free lodging and food she receives, she is doing better than most. And if you are wondering, I qualify as a rich bitch. There is no denying I live large and comfortably.
Some Zen:
How Many Of You Believe In Psycho-Kinesis? Raise My Hand.
And on with the humor:
Dose what’s right.Should be a short read.It’s especially weird how dumb I’m getting, Rite?
Now I hope to see it all more clearly. I’m not experiencing any post-surgery discomfort, but my left eye vision, while better than it was, is still blurry. I suspect I just need to give it more time, but I have a follow-up appointment this afternoon with my ophthalmologist, so I’ll see what he says.
Picking up from where I left off yesterday, it was after 1 p.m. when we escaped the hospital, and I was ready for some grub. Texas Joe’s was only a kilometer away, and it’s been a while since I’ve had authentic American-style barbeque. On the other hand, there were lots of other places even closer.
I wasn’t in the mood for French food, but this place looks nice.
We opted instead to visit The Lighthouse. I’d been there a few times and recalled the food was good, if a bit pricey.
From whence the name derives.We couldn’t really see the bay from our table, so I hoofed it over for a closer look.Shared this table with Swan and my caregiver/helper, Teri.
The waiter kept trying to talk us into moving inside for the aircon. I prefer open air myself, and I suspect he just didn’t want to be bothered with going in and out to serve us. Too bad for you, we ain’t movin’!
I kept it simple with a chicken burger and fries. I rather enjoyed it.The gals shared this kare-kare dish and said it was delicious.
When it came time to pay the bill, I was in for a shock. The food was reasonably priced (380 for my sandwich, 600 for the kare-kare), but I was charged 180 pesos per bottle for my San Mig Zero beer. That’s double the price of most places I visit in Barretto. I know when I buy a case from the local distributor, I pay around 50 pesos a bottle. So, I felt like I’d been ripped off. At least The Lighthouse will now be easy to avoid in the future.
Our goodbye shot at The Lighthouse.
We caught a taxi back to Barretto, and I got busy with blogging. My eye was a little itchy and felt like I had a bug in it, but that eased up some as time went on.
I was told I have to wear these glasses for the next two weeks.Look me in the eye when you say that!I went outside to get my slippers and discovered this peeping Swan.
I decided that home is where I needed to stay last evening, so I set myself up for some quality time at The Rite Spot On The Roof.
My rocker, a fan, the music box, a cooler of beer, and some chips to snack on. Does it get any better than that?Why, yes. Yes it does!The sun completed its journey over our flat planet. Thanks for the show!
Swan made a batch of spaghetti for dinner, I fooled around on the laptop some, then decided to hit the hay at 8:30 so my eye could get some rest. Yeah, that’s my story!
From the LTG archives, a May 2009 post about picking up my new hire, Dennis McPeters, at the airport in Incheon. I had worked with Dennis back in my Postal Service days, and he was top-notch. We were also friends. When Dennis retired, he moved to Cambodia. I visited him there a couple of times. And sadly, he’s another person in my life who has seemingly disappeared. Dennis abhorred social media, so our contact was exclusively through email. And about a year ago, he stopped responding. Dennis was/is several years older than me and I fear he may have passed away. I’ve done some Google searches for his name (I know he has family in Florida), but I didn’t see any news or obituaries. Then again, if I died tomorrow, how would any of my old friends and acquaintances find out?
From my Facebook memories on this day in history:
Five years ago, I posted this warning about another COVID danger. Even now, when I see a woman wearing a mask, I instinctively believe she looks like this one.Nine years ago, the Walrus died.And I haven’t worn a moustache since then.Fourteen years ago, the family gathered at my house in South Carolina to remember Mom and Dad. We planted a couple of maple trees in their honor. Of course, when Jee Yeun left, I sold the house and everything in it. Most of the people in this picture no longer speak to me.
Today’s YouTube video is an update on that crazy vlogger Vitaly, currently residing in a Philippine jail. Apparently, he claims to have found religion and wants to be forgiven and released from jail while awaiting trial. Somehow, I don’t think that is going to happen.
Let’s take a moment for Zen:
Always Try To Be Modest, And Be Proud Of It!
To the humor we must go!
There’s an old priest who got sick of all the people in his parish who kept confessing to adultery. One Sunday, in the pulpit, he said, “If I hear one more person confess to adultery, I’ll quit!”
Well, everyone liked him, so they came up with a code word. Someone who had committed adultery would say they had “fallen.”
This seemed to satisfy the old priest and things went well, until the priest died at a ripe old age. About a week after the new priest arrived, he visited the mayor of the town and seemed very concerned.
The priest said, “You have to do something about the sidewalks in town. When people come into the confessional, they keep talking about having fallen.”
The mayor started to laugh, realizing that no one had told the new priest about the code word.
Before the mayor could explain, the priest shook an accusing finger at the mayor and said, “I don’t know what you’re laughing about, your wife fell three times this week.”
Have a good trip, see you next fall!
Who let the dogs out?What a load of shit.
And there you have it. Time for me to fly, well, Jeepney, to my doctor’s visit on SBMA at the Baypointe Hospital. Adios, amigos! Hope to see you again.
Ko. And now you know. More on that soon, but let’s get to the last, first, shall we?
I came, I saw, then I saw better.
The cataract surgery took more than an excruciating hour to complete. Not painful, just staring into a bright light, moving my eye when commanded to do so, and holding steady as directed. The doctor assures me all went well and that my now cataract-free left eye vision will be improved when the swelling recedes. We shall see. Hopefully.
The procedure cost 68,000 pesos ($1200). I intended to pay by credit card as I had done after the right eye surgery a couple of years ago. Since my doctor doesn’t have a card machine, the assistant took me downstairs to the hospital cashier. There, I was told there would be an additional 1200 pesos in service fees and another 10,000 pesos “tax.” I called bullshit on that (politely) and told the assistant I would pay in cash when I came for the follow-up appointment tomorrow. Nope, they wanted at least a 20,000 peso down payment. Swan had her debit card and went downstairs to the ATM, but it was out of service. Finally, Swan was able to transfer the 20,000 electronically into the doctor’s account, and we were free to go on with our lives.
Okay, and now for yesterday. The story behind the title of this post is that our Wednesday Walk was the Philseco Road route (Phil say ko, get it? Yeah, I’m a hoot.)
Swan and I were the only two willing to hike under threatening skies.Hitting the road.Ready to learn some more Tagalog? “It is forbidden to throw garbage here!” Now you know.It’s a good thing that sign was there. Imagine how it would look without it.We didn’t get far before the umbrellas came out.Leaving Philseco behind.Bringing some sweetness to a rainy day.A brief interlude on a dirt path.I’m glad the tree didn’t fall over while I took this shot.Wet and wild.Mother Nature was busy refilling the pond with rainwater.Crossing over to the other side.Norina crossed over in a different way. She outlived me by two years, so hopefully I can top that. Dodging puddles.A juxtaposition of the living and the dead.We’d had enough fun at just shy of 7K.
As I mentioned, for some unknown reason, my blog went down for a few hours when I was halfway through yesterday’s post. That was disconcerting because I thought maybe I’d been hacked or something. But when beer o’clock arrived, I gave up waiting and headed for town.
For our Wednesday evening out, we kicked things off at Alley Cats.
For the first five years of my retired life, I spent three nights a week in this cozy little darts bar. Then I retired from darts.
We pop in once a month or so to say hello to the old crew. Swan knows a couple folks and enjoys the atmosphere (it was her idea to visit last night). So, when Swan ordered her wine, she was told it was out of stock. But unlike Cheap Charlies, they ordered a bottle to be delivered while Swan waited with a mixed drink. That’s how you take care of customers the right way, rather than calling them stupid.
I had originally planned to carry on the Wednesday tradition of popping into seldom-visited bars, and Hangout was on my radar. But I was hungry after Alley Cats, so we went to Sit-n-Bull instead. Then we did our nightcap at Green Room and headed home afterward.
I managed to complete an abbreviated post in my semi-impaired state (blogging and drinking don’t go well together, IMHO). Then it was off to bed so I’d be in a good frame of mind for today’s surgical adventure.
Who remembers that movie Dumb and Dumber? It looks like there may be a sequel on the horizon:
What’s not to love?
From the May 2009 LTG archives is a post about some off-duty time I spent with my friend Duke while I was in the DC area on a business trip. Duke is another one of the people I considered a close friend and stayed in touch with over the years, until he just disappeared. No social media presence, no response to emails, nothing. In this case, it is not just me. None of his other friends have seen or heard from him either. Everyone is asking, what happened to Duke? I hope he is okay.
Memories from this day in the history of my Facebook posts:
High school prom with my sweetheart, Karen, back in 1972,Two years ago, I was hanging with my “friends” at Cheap Charlies. They are all gone now, and rumor has it that I’m stupid. My, how times have changed.My drink chits from four years ago at It Doesn’t Matter Bar. Looks like I must have had a good time. What got me, though, was seeing a comment a friend left saying: “Spend it while you can, you can’t take it with you.” The commenter passed away just a couple of months later.Seven years ago, I got tangled up in some barbed wire during the Hash. It was no laughing matter, but it had me in stitches.Eight years ago, I was hiking in the comparatively safe farmlands of Pyeongtaek.
Today’s YouTube video is the one I didn’t post yesterday. If you are looking to find a Filipina wife, you might enjoy Irish’s advice on the three options that await you. I’m not in the market for a wife. Been there, done that, have that.
And then I have a Zen moment to share:
Plan To Be Spontaneous Tomorrow.
Let the humor roll:
A husband and wife had four boys. The odd part of it was that the older three had red hair, light skin, and were tall, while the youngest son had black hair, dark eyes, and was short.
The father eventually took ill and was lying on his deathbed when he turned to his wife and said, “Honey, before I die, be totally honest with me – is our youngest son my child?”
The wife replied, “I swear on everything that’s holy that he is your son.”
With that the husband passed away. The wife then muttered, “Thank God he didn’t ask about the other three.”
Our secret is safe!
Looking forward to the chance to try that one.Hmm, I’m a ballsy guy, maybe I should try that.
Anyway, that pretty much catches you up on my so-called life. Hope you come back for more tomorrow!
What is usually the dullest day of my week, grocery shopping day, took an unexpected semi-adventurous turn yesterday. I woke up to a message from my friend Michael saying he had contacted my driver about taking him to the airport, but was told he was already booked to take me shopping. Michael asked if I would mind delaying my shopping for a couple of hours while he got dropped off at Clark airport in Angeles City. I told him I had a better idea: we’ll go with you to the airport and then go shopping at S&R (similar to Costco) after dropping you off. So, the deal was done, and we left my house bright and early at 7:30 a.m.
It takes a little over an hour to get to AC, and after the airport drop-off, we arrived at S&R just after its 9:00 a.m. opening. It is a membership store, and the inconvenience of long-distance shopping means I only visit a couple of times a year. So, I took advantage of the opportunity to stock up on items not readily available at Royal.
One of the items I DIDN’T buy. Sorry to disappoint, Kevin and Cherry!I did purchase some new underwear to accommodate my 2XL balls.
So, filling my cart with oversized items wound up costing me 13,000 pesos. And I wasn’t done yet! As big and well-stocked as S&R is, there are still some things I can’t get there. So, we stopped by Royal once we were back on SBMA. Dropped another 6000 there, and we STILL weren’t finished. Next up was restocking our candy and cookie supply. YBC here we come!
Two carts’ worth of sweets for the sweet.I’ve never seen a sign like this one posted anywhere else I’ve shopped in this life. Scary to think they found it necessary. Luckily, they let me pay with plastic.Loaded up with goods from three stores, we headed for home.
My other Tuesday routine was also due for alteration since the Kokomo’s Floating Bar is out of season. We still went to Baloy, but changed things up with a visit to Harley’s.
This is one of those “why did I take this?” shots.I mean, I’ve always liked that room with the deck over the water (it’s at the Subiza Resort next door), but then I remembered there had been a kid swimming next to that rock. Oh, there he is going down, hopefully not for the third time.A nice view of the bay and the Kalaklan Ridge from our table.What shall we have to eat?Decisions, decisions…Let’s share a shrimp cocktail……and a mixed grill. They were both good.Here comes the rain again.I hadn’t noticed the Hindu (or is that Buddhist?) imagery on previous visits.Is that what they do to you if you try to leave without paying?Do you see what I see? Man, sometimes clouds suck.
Sorry for the late post! My blog went offline around three and didn’t return until after beer o’clock. I’m home again, but I’m in no condition to blog. So, I will finish this post in a hurry and get ready for bed.
After our Harley’s time, we paid a visit to Cloud 69.
We were the only customers, and the dancers didn’t waste their time trying to entertain us. We had fun anyway.
I’ll fill in the 69 gaps tomorrow. We did our nightcap at Wet Spot.
Once again, no other customers. I bought the birthday girl a lady drink.
Then we headed home to end our Tuesday.
Sorry, but I’ll forego the memories, YouTube, and humor today. Nothing goes according to plan sometimes.
I’m scheduled for my cataract surgery in the morning. Assuming I wake up after it’s done, I’ll update you then.
I hope this isn’t my last post. I’m always paranoid about going under general anesthesia. Still, going to sleep and never waking up again might be the best way to die. I sure hope that do-over life comes through.
It was lightly sprinkling when I departed home for the Hash trail. My plan was to hike to the start and then decide where to go from there. As fate would have it, as I headed up the backway to Rizal Extension, I encountered the tell-tale markings that told me I had intersected with the Hare’s intended path. So, I followed it from there. There was a good climb on a trail I don’t recall hiking before, and it eventually led to a junction with the familiar My Bitch trail. The Hare, Leech My Nuggets, did another down and up, which I chose to avoid, but soon enough, I was back on track. I followed the markings the rest of the way to the On-Home venue at Bella Monte Hotel. Both mine and the Hare’s trail came in at just under 5K, but that was plenty given the weather.
The Hare’s trail in yellow with my deviations in red.The way ahead.My hike mates, Cums Alone and BF’s Wet Spot, observe the evidence that we are indeed on the right path for Hash Run #1654.A walk in the woods.A tree I liked.Taking it slowly going down on wet ground.Still On-On!We didn’t see any other Hashers on the trail, given our early start and shortcuts.The bay view from here.And the Barretto side of things.A grassy knoll.The other side of our summit.Back on the pavement.Arriving at the Bella Monte hotel.The extent of the turnout for yesterday’s Hash. Most of them didn’t even attempt to do the trail.Gash on ice.My group was the first to arrive at the On-Home. BF’s Wet Spot and Cums Alone went out and bought some coffee. One of the beer drinkers (not me!) called them to sit on the ice for that insult.The after-Hash gathering at It Doesn’t Matter.
Another Monday, another Hash. Wet with rain instead of sweat, but it all feels the same when it’s over.
From the LTG archives in April 2009, I wrote about some happenstance on the streets of DC, where I attended a work-related conference. Howard is another friend I’ve long ago lost touch with. That seems to be a recurring theme in The Story of My Life.
Four years ago, I broke the twenty-kilometer barrier.I’m still hoping to break twenty-nine one day soon.Eight years ago, I was out exploring my new environs around Pyeongtaek, got lost, and wound up here with no clue which way to go. Luckily, a cab came out of nowhere to rescue me.
Today’s YouTube video features Reekay giving the sound advice to not let stupid people fuck up your life. Hmm, maybe that explains my lack of friends. Or maybe I’m the stupid one?
And get your Zen while it lasts:
A Clear Conscience Is Usually The Sign Of A Bad Memory.
The jokes are on me:
Another golden oldie:
Joe was moderately successful in his career, but as he got older he was increasingly hampered by terrible headaches. When his personal hygiene and love life started to suffer, he sought medical help.
After being referred from one specialist to another, he finally came across a doctor who solved the problem. “The good news is I can cure your headaches. The bad news is that it will require castration. You have a very rare condition which causes your testicles to press up against the base of your spine. The pressure creates one hell of a headache. The only way to relieve the pressure is to remove the testicles.”
Joe was shocked and depressed. He wondered if he had anything to live for. He couldn’t concentrate long enough to answer, but decided he had no choice but to go under the knife.
When he left the hospital, his mind was clear, but he felt like he was missing an important part of himself. As he walked down the street, he realized that he felt like a different person. He could make a new beginning and live a new life.
He walked past a men’s clothing store and thought, “That’s what I need, a new suit.” He entered the shop and told the salesman, “I’d like a new suit.”
The salesman eyed him briefly and said, “Let’s see… size 44 long.”
Joe laughed, “That’s right, how did you know?”
“It’s my job.”
Joe tried on the suit. It fit perfectly. As Joe admired himself in the mirror, the salesman asked, “How about a new shirt?”
Joe thought for a moment and then said, “Sure!”
The salesman eyed Joe and said, “Let’s see,… 34 sleeve and… 16 and a half neck.”
Joe was surprised, “That’s right, how did you know?”
“It’s my job.”
Joe tried on the shirt, and it fit perfectly. As Joe adjusted the collar in the mirror, the salesman asked, “How about new shoes?”
Joe was on a roll and said, “Sure!”
The salesman eyed Joe’s feet and said, “Let’s see…9 and a half wide.”
Joe was astonished, “That’s right, how did you know?”
“It’s my job.”
Joe tried on the shoes and they fit perfectly. Joe walked comfortably around the shop and the salesman asked, “How about a new hat?”
Without hesitating, Joe said, “Sure!”
The salesman eyed Joe’s head and said, “Let’s see. . . 7 5/8.”
Joe was incredulous, “That’s right, how did you know?”
“It’s my job.”
The hat fit perfectly. Joe was feeling great, when the salesman asked, “How about some new underwear?”
Joe thought for a second and said, “Sure!”
The salesman stepped back, eyed Joe’s waist and said, “Let’s see… size 36.”
Joe laughed, “No, I’ve worn size 34 since I was 18 years old.”
The salesman shook his head and said, “You can’t wear a size 34. It would press your testicles up against the base of your spine and give you one hell of a headache!”
I went out and bought some 2XL underwear today. Seriously. It’s not the dick, it’s the balls.
I see what you did there.It’s a matter of taste.
That’s all, folks! For today, anyway.
Of all the bands I ever saw perform live, ELO was the best.
But mostly clouds and rain. No hay problema, we didn’t let it put a damper on things.
We kicked off the morning with a wet Candy Walk.Easter Mountain in the rain.Where is everybody?Let treedom ring!I would love me a treehouse, but this one looks a tad too dicey to me.It always cracks me up that the local Sunday school lets the kids out of class to grab some candy.Come and get it!Even when there is a break in the rain, the wetness remains.
Here’s a six-minute video of section eleven of the Candy Walk:
The day’s final delivery.I made it an 8k door-to-door Candy Walk this time.
Next on my agenda for the day was attending the Alaska Club’s 20th Anniversary party. The Alaska Club holds a special place in my heart as the first bar I visited on my first trip to the Philippines back in 2008. In those days, Alaska was located in Angeles City. Here’s an old review I wrote for my Bars of Barretto series.
And my first barfine (takeout) was from Alaska. Thanks for the memories, Sheryl.
There’s plenty more to see in this post about a pool party I shared with the Alaska girls in July 2008. Damn, it feels like a lifetime ago.
So, last night’s party in Alaska started at 5 p.m. I arrived early and waited for the opening upstairs at BarCelona.
My BarCelona view of that other bar I don’t intend to patronize again, Cheap Charlies.
So, I arrived downstairs at Alaska promptly at five and secured a seat at my pal Jambo’s table.
Jambo lives out of town, but visits occasionally to photograph/video events like last night’s dance contest.
I just checked Jambo’s YouTube channel, and he hasn’t posted anything from yesterday yet.
Here’s what you missed.And there was this snake charmer.
Anyway, owner Jerry threw a nice party, and I’m glad I’m still around after all these years as a sometimes patron of the bar.
From the LTG archives is this picture-laden post about an “MT” trip to Busan in April 2009. I always enjoyed my visits to Korea’s second city in the south.
Six years ago, I visited Korea and haven’t been back since then. It’s always nice to make that hike up to the Seoul Tower.
Today’s YouTube video is from a vlogger I don’t recall watching previously, but I found it interesting to get a taste of what living on a small island in a rural province is like. Probably not for me, but this guy moved there from Angeles City and seems to enjoy his new lifestyle.
That moment of Zen you (haven’t) been waiting for:
Monday Is An Awful Way To Spend 1/7 Of Your Week.
Let’s do some humor:
Sam had been in the hectic newspaper business for twenty-five years when he decided that he was sick of the stress and quit his job. He bought 50 acres of land in the middle of Nowhere, Vermont. His place was so isolated that the postman came only once a week and he went to the grocery store only once a month.
After six months of near total isolation, he hears a knock on the door. He opens the door and a big bearded Vermonter is standing there. He says, “Names Enoch…your neighbor from four miles over the ridge. Having a party Saturday…thought you’d like to come.”
“Great,” replies Sam. “After six months of living like this I’m ready to meet some local folks. Thanks for inviting me.”
As Enoch is leaving, he stops. “Gotta warn you, though, there’s gonna be some drinkin’.” “Not a problem. After 25 years in the newspaper business, I can drink with the best of them.”
Again, as he starts to leave, Enoch stops. “More ‘n likely gonna be some fightin’, too.” Tough crowd, Sam thinks to himself. “Well, I get along with people. Don’t worry, I’ll be there. Thanks again.”
Once again, Enoch turns from the door, “I’ve seen some wild sex at these parties, too.” “Now that is not a problem,” Sam says. “I’ve been up here all alone for six long months. I’ll definitely be there.
By the way, what should I wear?”
Enoch stops in the doorway one last time and says… “Whatever you want. Just gonna be the 2 of us there.”
He’s fucked!
Theirs a write way to say it unless you are commatose.That’s what I am. Until August.
And now it’s time to get ready for a rainy day Hash. I’ll make a decision about what to do when it is time to start. (As I wrote that sentence, a bolt of lightning just exploded outside my window. I might be screwed.)
Today’s song is one of my favorites from Gordon Lightfoot. But I never knew until today that it was written about his then-girlfriend, Cathy Smith. What a crazy bitch! She’s also the one who fed John Belushi the heroin overdose.
Into each life some rain must fall. I’d better get used to it.
Harkening back to my days as a mailman, the Sweets Stroll goes on despite the weather.Unsurprisingly, there were not as many kids out and about as usual.I popped into the Sizzle and Glaze shop along the way for a brownie. Not as good as mine are!The view from here.
Once home, I prepared for the going-away party for the Kokomo’s Floating Bar.
What’s a party without a batch of my brownies?
There was a break in the rain, so we headed for the beach a little earlier than we normally do.
The sky looked like this as we left the house.But we beat the rain to the beach.Wait a minute! Something is missing here. Where’s the floating bar?Oops, I didn’t get the message.They pulled the floating bar out of the bay that morning because of the waves and heavy rain.The so-called “Tiki Bar” doesn’t have the same vibe as the floater somehow.Making the best of it.The view from the Tiki. It was raining, but the locals stayed on the beach anyway. And those folks out in the water must have gotten soaked!I was the only white guy in the place.When these two weren’t yapping, they were trying to mate.
After our time at Kokomo’s, we went to Treasure Island for some grub, then took a trike back home and brought our rainy day to an end.
From the LTG archives is this post from April 2009 of things I saw walking around Itaewon. I’m sure it looks different now.
Two years ago, I shared a Robert Frost poem that is often in my thoughts. If God grants me the do-over life I’m dreaming of, I will explore some of those paths I didn’t take.Six years ago, I shared a poem from one of my favorite poets, a former postal worker and a drinker like me.Eleven years ago, I was hanging out at my then-favorite Itaewon bar, Dolce Vita, with owners Jim and YJ. Seems like a lifetime ago now.
Today’s YouTube video talks about the curse of the Philippines’ geography. Well, luckily, there are also many blessings that come with living here. You just take the bad with the good and hope you don’t get blown away or all shook up.
Time for some Zen:
Support Bacteria. They’re The Only Culture Some People Have.
And on to the humor:
Time to clear the air.And halfway through the procedure, he noticed the doc had both hands on his shoulders…But even that might go away as I age.
So much for the rainy day that was, time to move on with the rainy day that is. ‘Tis the season!
…but this old man ain’t snoring (according to Swan, I don’t snore, I fart in my sleep).
Rainy season has arrived once more!
It rained off and on all day yesterday and into this morning. Having something other than the heat to complain about for a change will be nice. Wet with sweat or soaked with rain, it doesn’t matter. Life goes on, and so did our Friday group hike. We kept on the pavement and did a 7K walkabout.
It was good to have Scott back with us for a portion of the journey.Heading up the highway.The umbrellas came out later.The unique beauty of the Matain River.On the relatively quiet streets of the Santa Monica subdivision.And a rainy day view from Sierra Hills.Crossing the river again on Bridge #3.The route of our wet streets walk.
When the hike was over, we were standing in front of the McDonald’s in Barretto. Swan and I agreed it was a good opportunity for a “cheat day,” so we went inside. They didn’t serve the lunch items until 10:30, and my watch said it was 10:28, so we waited. And right at 10:30, the menus on the ordering kiosk (yeah, you gotta do it that way) switched to the burger items, and I proceeded to punch in my selections. Then one of the employees approached and advised that we’d have to wait another fifteen minutes to order. Fuck that, your food ain’t THAT good, so we departed. I didn’t need those unhealthy calories anyway, and when we got home, Swan prepared a nice steak and veggie lunch for me. Who needs McDonald’s?
So, with the rains comes the end of the floating bar season. Arizona is already gone, and today is the last day for Kokomo’s. They are having a send-off party that Swan and I will be attending later this afternoon. Tomorrow, the Alaska Club is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and we are also going to that. So, I had to rearrange my routines, and I did the Hideaway feeding yesterday.
The Hideaway feeders enjoying their meal.In Joy!
With my Hideaway mission accomplished, I crossed the highway and met up with Swan at John’s place for dinner.
We shared some Korean-style chicken wings……and you guessed it, birria tacos.
After our meal, we proceeded up the highway and made Red Bar our next stop.
Traffic going towards Olongapo was insane. I found out later there had been a bad accident a few clicks up the road.Swan enjoying the patio ambiance at Red Bar with our waitress friend.
When it was time to move on for our nightcap, I thought Cheap Charlies would be a nice option. The waitress brought me my Zero beer and Swan thought she heard her say that they had sent someone to get her wine. They’ve done that before and I appreciate the gesture.
Looking out towards The Maze of bars: BarCelona on top, Tryst in the middle, Alaska, Green Room, and Wet Spot at ground level. Sloppy Joe’s will be back in the mix next week.And across the highway, Hot Zone.
So, when I finished my beer, there was still no wine. When the waitress returned, she claimed she had told us no wine was available. Alright, fine. We’ll take our business elsewhere. I was almost out the door when I realized I’d left my umbrella. When I returned to fetch it, the bartender said something to Swan in Tagalog. Swan didn’t look happy when we were back outside, and I asked what happened. Swan said the bartender told her that I was stupid for getting angry at her. First of all, I wasn’t angry at the employees of Cheap Charlies. Yes, I think it is lame for a bar to not keep an inexpensive bottle of wine in stock (or get one across the street if need be), but that’s on the management, not the worker bees. I’m not the regular at CCs I used to be, but during my last visit just over a week ago, I bought the staff dinner from Foodies downstairs and plied them with the usual cookies and lollipops. Why would you call a customer like me stupid? Hmm, maybe I just answered my own question. Needless to say, I won’t be back. Who needs Cheap Charlies?
It had been a long time since my last visit to Hot Zone, and now seemed like a good time to rectify that. There were a few other customers when we arrived, and the owner, Jay, directed us to a table where he was sitting. It was nice to visit with the former Grandmaster of the Subic Bay Hash again. I complimented him on his crew of dancers, who were by far the healthiest-looking (meaning not fat) I’ve seen in town. I did my 50 pesos each thing for all the girls, waitresses included (stupid is as stupid does), and dispensed the cookies and lollipops that were intended for that bar that can’t be bothered to keep wine in stock. I’d forgotten how nice Hot Zone is as a hangout. If they opened earlier than 7 p.m. I’d probably visit more often.
Triked home after the Hot Zone experience and whipped up a batch of sugar-free vanilla pudding for my bedtime treat. And so ended another night out in Barretto.
It’s April 2009 in my journey through the LTG archives. I wrote about a road trip I made to Korea’s east coast at Naksan. I was happy to see that all the photos from that trip are still up and viewable. I think losing the old domain is what caused the loss of pictures on those older posts.
From Facebook memories:
Seven years ago, I said goodbye to my first crush as a retiree in the Philippines. It was Joana’s last night as bartender at Treasure Island before moving overseas to live with her foreigner boyfriend (hey, I didn’t say the crush was mutual!).Eight years ago, I was exploring my new stomping grounds in Pyeongtaek.Nine years ago, I was enjoying a Han River hike in Seoul.
Twelve years ago, I shared this hilarious clip, “What kind of Asian are you?” Still funny after all these years:
And today’s YouTube video is about those damn foreigners who constantly complain about the Philippines. Yeah, I bitch here about the things I dislike the most, like litter, noise, and insane drivers. But what I don’t do is harangue the locals about it. If I did, they’d be right to tell me to go back to my own country if I don’t like it here.
Oh, and sorry I forgot to post yesterday’s YouTube until a commenter let me know about my brain fart. It’s up now.
Today’s Zen thought:
 I Drive Way Too Fast To Worry About Cholesterol.
And the daily dose of humor:
Damn, I hadn’t thought of that. I figured it was just politics.Well, I identify as a thirty-year-old, but the age bigots won’t accept it.The future leader of the (D)ims is well-qualified.
And that’s all for now. Still raining outside, which doesn’t bode well for the Kokomo’s Floating Bar send off, but we’ll head out there for a look anyway. Tell you all bout it tomorrow.
When was the last time you listened to Blue Ă–yster Cult? Damned if I could remember until I came across this one in my Facebook memories:
I asked Swan where she wanted to hike, and she told me Baloy Beach. I didn’t have any better ideas, so I figured it was as good as anywhere to start. Of course, even though the official name is Baloy LONG Beach, it’s less than a kilometer in length. So, I thought it would be nice to do the beach walk, take a boat ride across the river, then continue our hike on the streets of Matain and Calapacuan. We did just that, but we encountered some surprises along the way.
I’d never seen the tide this high before.So, our beach walk included a fair amount of wading.At high tide, the river has difficulty emptying into the bay. So, we stood in water over our ankles as we waited for the boat to the other side to arrive.All aboard!We took a detour through the grounds of a long-abandoned resort in Matain.It would be a great location if they ever did a sequel to “The Shining.”This boat got a little tipsy.And then this happened. I don’t know if the flooding is tide-related or something else.We trudged on through, but it was dicey in places.Back on the highway in Calapacuan, another temptation is nearing completion.We walked the high route to avoid the puddles on the low path.When the water backs up, so does the garbage that the locals upstream have tossed. Disgusting.Coming to a beach nearby soon.Wait! Is that a litter-free spot over there? No, never mind.She stroked and pumped, and nothing came out. Where have I seen that expression before?We cut our journey short at just under 7K because Swan’s feet were hurting. Walking in wet shoes will do that.
We arrived back at the house just in time to accept a long-awaited delivery from Lazada.
Sugar-free pudding has been out of stock for months.
When the time arrived to head into town, we started our fun at the Outback Resort.
As close to a beach bar as it gets in Barretto.The tide had receded.
When we were ready to eat, we walked up the beach to Mango’s.
The view from our table.We were the only customers.Swan soaking up some beach views.Our usual pork chop dinner is served.Manager Gerch offered to take our photo.Ain’t we sweet?
I had a “buy one, get one” coupon due to expire, and since we were on this side of town, we stopped into the seldom-visited Queen Victoria bar. Back in the day, I was a semi-regular here. It was a dart league venue and a place to stop on the way home. They still have the dart boards up, but they aren’t playable (tables in the way now). The pool table is still there and was seeing some action last night. But the big change in the vibe was erecting a dance stage.
Not a big draw for me, but then again, I was there because of an SOB coupon, so I guess it worked.
Queen Vic has a big room in the back where live music is performed. Probably the best place in town to see the bar bands. The music doesn’t start until nine p.m., and that’s my bedtime, so you won’t find me there.
I paid for two Zeros and drank four, so my mission was a success, and we headed home.
Swan got a little creative with my ice cream dessert. It was yummy! And yes, I get the irony of eating ice cream with a cabinet full of sugar-free pudding waiting to be consumed. I was too lazy to mix it last night.
In my final post from March 2009, I answered the challenge to list ten things I liked about Korea. I still miss that life.
Today’s YouTube video features a vlogger I’ve watched before talking about his purchase of an abandoned house in a Filipino neighborhood. Sometimes on my walks, I fantasize about what it would be like to live amongst the locals, Filipino-style. Some mountain dwellers don’t have electricity or running water, which would not work for me. But this guy has a small place that, with some work, will be more than comfortable. He said the neighbors are friendly and he’s happy with his decision to make the move. Good for him, but I probably don’t have the balls to willingly give up my creature comforts.
Time for a moment of Zen:
The Early Bird May Get The Worm, But The Second Mouse Gets The Cheese.
And some things you may or may not enjoy:
Probably the only book AOC ever read.Most Filipinas love pineapple on their pizza. I don’t know about the sister thing.I see a lot more roosters than cats around these parts. Just sayin’.
And that’s all I’ve got to say today about yesterday.
It’s nice how the same old, same old can be made to feel new again with just a tweak or two. Yesterday was a good example of that. Yeah, I did the group hike with the Wednesday Walkers and later in the day had dinner and drinks in Barretto as usual, but it was different enough to seem fresh. So, I report, you decide:
We’ll start with the walk. Only four of us turned out for the trek, and as we discussed where we might go, I realized I wanted to go somewhere I hadn’t been for a while. The problem is that without our trail master Scott along, it’s hard to have confidence that we’ll be able to find our way in unfamiliar territory. Sometimes you just gotta roll the dice and hope for the best. On the other side of Subic town is a subdivision named St. Theodore. I only recall walking through there twice in all the time I’ve lived here, and it has been two or three years since the last time. I vaguely remembered that on the development’s backside was a trail going up and over the hills. Could I find it again, and if so, would I know where it would take us? Only one way to find out. We loaded into a passing Jeepney and took the long ride to the St. Theodore entrance.
My fellow travelers, (L-R) Ed, Swan, and Chris.On the streets of St. Theodore.
We spotted a trail heading up to the hills, and it looked vaguely familiar. As we began the climb, we came to a junction and were unsure which path to take. We spotted an older local walking our way, and Swan used her Tagalog skills to ask him how we should proceed. The man responded that the path we were on did not continue beyond his shanty. What about the other one? He shook his head and claimed it was also a dead end. Hmm, I was sure we’d been up this way before, and I suspected he just didn’t want us passing through the land he was likely squatting on. So, we turned back to the junction and took the path that allegedly led to nowhere. Well, it did lead to another shack, and the woman living there told us to stay on the trail, and it would lead over the hill and down to the other side. We rewarded her kindness with a bag of cookies, and she seemed pleasantly surprised.
The friendly woman even had a guest house on her property.Our view from the top of the hill. We recognized those buildings from previous walks, so knew we were on the right track.And way off in the distance, we could see the top of Easter Mountain.The down was steep and treacherous, but not as bad as the one I’d done Sunday in Angeles. I didn’t have slide down on my ass, at least.I’m always amazed at finding these almost inaccessible shacks in the middle of nowhere. This one even had glass windows.So, we made it back down to the pavement and confirmed that we were in the Mangahhan barangay.That’s the first time I’d seen banners in support of former President Duterte, currently in custody of the UN’s ICC at The Hague.No one ever gets arrested here for this crime.We came to this fork in the road and took it. All the way to Naugsol.Well, lookee there, we have covered some distance.A tree along the road we walked.Go see for yourself if you are so inclined.The view from here.Yet another Duterte fan.This gave me a smile, the Filipino version of “Squid Game.” That’s Bridge #4 up ahead. We took it, walked through the Naugsol Valley, and then back up into Alta Vista.
Did we walk 10K on yesterday’s hike?
Nein!9.12 to be precise.
Anyway, it was a good hike; some new, some familiar, but done in a different manner and direction. And the fun had just begun! I enjoy my nights on the town, but sometimes crave new venues. That’s why I’ve designated Wednesday as my “seldom visited bars” night. There’s a place in Barretto I almost never go to, and it had been so long that I couldn’t remember why. So, I told Swan she was in for a surprise. She kept asking as we made our way into town, so I finally told her we were going to the only topless bar in Barretto.
Swan burst out laughing when we arrived here and headed up to the roof. (Sorry for the fake photo, I forgot to take one of the building yesterday, and I’m too lazy to search my archives.)Riding the glass elevator to the top floor of Barretto’s tallest building.Swan seated at our roofless (topless) table. She really loves the vibe and the views here.Barretto Beach, Subic Bay, and the Kalaklan Ridge, all in one shot.Looking in the other direction, that peninsula and the other side is Baloy Beach.My little town.And there’s Easter Mountain on the right photo bombing me.The infinity pool.Dinner is served.I went with the meat loaf, mainly because I’ve never seen it on a menu since I moved here. It was quite good, even though it is not one of my favorite dishes. Growing up poor, it was one of my mother’s inexpensive dinner staples(I liked it better than liver and onions, though.)Beef Stroganoff for Swan. She said she enjoyed it.Posing by the old ’53 Corvette on the way out.
We very much enjoyed our visit and meal at Central Park Reef and agreed that we will try to come here more often.
Next stop was our old favorite, the Green Room. I had a “buy one, take one” coupon to use.
There are worse ways to spend your time than sipping on a beer while watching the young ladies shoot pool.
We did our nightcap next door at Wet Spot, then headed home at the appointed hour (8 p.m.) And so ended yet another day in paradise, this one with a twist or two.
Today’s LTG archive find was a post from March 2009 where I provided my insights regarding Korean women. At the time, I found them to be the most attractive women in Asia. Since then, my heart has warmed to the Filipina look and attitude. Your mileage may vary.
Today’s YouTube video is from that sweet Smart Girl Philippines, and she explains in her unique fashion why Filipinas reject feminism. Hard to argue with her logic. See for yourself:
Today’s Zen moment:
Depression Is Merely Anger Without Enthusiasm.
Humor me this:
You can almost feel the electricity in the room!Yeah, I posted that shit on Facebook back in the day.Oh well, money can’t buy love.
Back in the Tuesday groove: shopping, a walk through the hood, and a Baloy Beach outing.
I took note of the fact that I’m now spending over a hundred bucks a week on candies and cookies. Yeah, that money could be spent in a more productive charitable fashion, but we’re filling our niche, and the smiles we get in return make it feel like a worthwhile cause. So, dispensing sweetness will continue unabated for the foreseeable future.
Back home, groceries unloaded, I set about my neighborhood stroll.
An Alta Vista view.Greetings, my friend.I set foot on almost all of the streets in the ‘hood.
At the appropriate hour, we headed for the beach.
A Swan on the sand.Kids having fun in the sun.Our adult playground awaits.Our trusty raft operators tug on the rope to propel us to our destination.There was a downpour of rain across the bay in Olongapo City. It never reached us, however.The view from the other side of the floater was not threatening.Not many people out on a Tuesday afternoon.Storm clouds were replaced by a rainbow.Another happy ending to daylight.
We changed things up a bit and went to DaKudos after departing the floating bar. An acquaintance of mine, Norman, is working there and asked us to pay him a visit. So, promise kept. There was a time when DaKudos was a popular spot on Baloy. The new owner set about changing that and had a great deal of success. There used to be pool league teams, horseshoe tourneys, Zumba dancing, and Hash On-Homes there. The owner put a stop to all those. Last night, Norman was the bartender and only waiter. So, the only other customers during our visit (a large table of Filipinos) were not getting the kind of service I would expect, through no fault of Norman’s. There is only so much two hands can handle. Back when Mango’s owned DaKudos, we enjoyed the pork chop dinner, so we tried it again last night.
The chops were okay, but we like Mango’s better.
We stopped by Treasure Island after our meal, mostly because we’ve been bringing cookies and lollipops for the worker bees there, and I figured they’d be expecting to see us. I was right about that! I recognized some new faces at TI. Owner Bert recently purchased Sloppy Joe’s bar, and while it completes renovation, he brought the staff members he’s retaining to work at TI in the interim. One of the gals informed me that June 6 is D-Day (sorry, couldn’t resist), that Sloppy’s will reopen.
Swan and I shared a banana split for dessert. I didn’t remember to take a photo until dessert was severely damaged, but damn, it was irresistible!
The trike dropped me off at home around 8 p.m., and Swan continued on to visit a friend celebrating her birthday (Marissa’s twin sister). I was sound asleep by the time she returned. And that’s how the weakest day of my week, Tuesday, went down. Yeah, if that’s the worst, I’m doing pretty damn good!
There was a time when playing darts was my main passion and a big part of my life. This post from March 2009 recounts my performance in a big tournament with the Seoul International Dart League. Even though I’ve retired from the game, it was nice to look back on this aspect of the story of my life.
Facebook memories from this date in my history:
I shared this photo of my mom and dad before they were my mom and dad. That’s probably around 1950.Both passed in 2011.Eight years ago, I was in Pyeongtaek andcaptioned the photo, “This bar is as empty as my life.” That year I spent outside of Seoul was a sad one for me, and looking back, that was my own damn fault. I had one foot in Korea and the other waiting to be in the Philippines. I wish I had let myself appreciate how great my life then truly was. Oh well, maybe in the do-over I’m hoping for.
Eleven years ago, I shared a link to this post on Facebook (something I no longer do). Anyway, it’s a bird’s-eye view of some cultural aspects of life in Seoul, as seen from my apartment balcony.
Today’s YouTube video features Reekay talking about self-healing and past forgetting. Those are things that each individual must accomplish on their own. Simply leaving it all behind and moving to the PI won’t get you there. I can relate. Truth be told, my wounds didn’t (and haven’t) healed through the miracle of beautiful surroundings and kind-hearted people. That said, when I look back at what was, I see the happiness I missed by not embracing my blessings and failing to live in the moment and appreciate them. These days, I often take a step back, look around me, and think, damn, I’m a lucky SOB. The past is history, the future a mystery, and today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.
That Zen thing I’ve been doing:
He Who Laughs Last, Thinks Slowest.
And the humor attempts:
I choose…celibacy!The science is settled.I drink Zero! Everyday.
I went around about from my house getting to the start of yesterday’s Hash trail, and I was dripping sweat when I arrived. Along the way, I ran into the Hare, Vienna Sausage, who was heading back after finishing marking the trail. He told me the climb up to Kalaklan Ridge he’d selected wasn’t steep. I believed him, but I wasn’t feeling like making it, so I’ll give it a try another day. Instead, I elected to do a long street walk around Barretto to Johansson’s, the On-Home venue. My trail was longer (7.5K) than the Hare’s (6.5K), but much flatter.
Well, look who I found! Vienna Sausage was taking the same route to the trailhead that I chose.A view along the way.The trail began near the end of Rizal Extension. Not many folks elected to do a Vienna Sausage trail on such a hot day. Me included.Did I mention the Hare hails from Austria? (That’s a 55)The Hare’s trail goes up that way.I chose to go this way. A tad boring, but a good route for a hot day.This was painted on a wall we walked past. Deep thoughts that felt somehow relatable.Back on the official trail near the end of our trek.The trail I walked.And the one I didn’t.Circle up!The rewards that come from being last to pay the Hash fees.Hares on the ice!Gash on ice is nice!Me chatting with Always Wet, the cute Hare.The usual after-Hash gathering at It Doesn’t Matter.
Back-to-back Hashes are over and done with. Not bad for an elderly man.
On my journey through the LTG archives, I was surprised that February 2009 was completely devoid of posts. I knew something must have happened, and this post from March 2009 reminded me what it was. Someone purchased my then domain (johnmccrarey.com), and it took me several weeks to straighten out that mess. And that’s how mccrarey.com was born. What a fiasco that was!
From Facebook memories, I’m reminded that three years ago, I had a date with Joy:
She was indeed much skinnier back then.But don’t blame me, these days I only feed her once a week.Eight years ago, I walked right on by this restaurant in Pyeongtaek without stopping for more than a photo.Doggone it!
Today’s YouTube video is one I found linked on another blog (sorry, I can’t remember which one now) where Queers for Palestine protesters are interviewed during a demonstration. Well, it proved to be a demonstration of their ignorance. If you have three minutes to spare, look and see for yourself.
A moment of Zen:
Remember, Half The People You Know Are Below Average.
And maybe you’ll like these:
Keep that up and you may not live to see tomorrow.Say what pops in your head, Mary.It’s no big deal.
Here dead we lie Because we did not choose To live and shame the land From which we sprung. Life, to be sure, Is nothing much to lose, But young men think it is, And we were young. –Alfred Edward Housman
Today is the day we set aside to honor the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives in service to our nation.My Uncle Frank (my grandmother’s brother) stayed in Europe after the war.
And here’s what I remember about the Angeles City anniversary Hash yesterday. Sign-ups went as scheduled at the designated location. Our Hash fees included a Hash shirt.
One more for the collection
We loaded into three Jeepneys and departed for the start of the Hash trail, a thirty-minute ride away. When we arrived, the Hare advised there were two trail options: Long (six kilometers with four hills) and short (four kilometers with two hills). And with that, we were off. It was a hot day, with little shade on the trail. Early on, we encountered a helicopter taking off. That was something different to see, but it was very loud. I guess they were practicing takeoffs and landings, because the chopper kept circling overhead. The noise got to be a bothersome distraction from the otherwise serene countryside. The hill climbs were short but very steep. But the coming down was insanely steep and slippery. There was no option for most of us than to take a seat on our ass and slide down. I didn’t like that one bit. Otherwise, the trail was well-marked and enjoyable. The Hash Circle was held under a highway overpass. I hadn’t had the foresight to bring along my foldable chair, but the Hare kindly lent me one, which was much appreciated. It seemed like a very long wait for the Circle to begin, and once it did, it seemed to go on for an excruciatingly long and tedious time. My mind began to wander, and for some reason, I thought of my softball playing days. Looking back at those happy times, I wondered if I had truly appreciated that special period of my life. And a light went off in my head (however dim it was), and I realized I ought to be enjoying these Hash moments while I still have them. That perked me up a bit, and the circle became more enjoyable.
And we are On-On!Gaining some elevation alongside a little-used roadway.That noisy whirlybird.How does it stay up with the blades not turning?Up we go on the first hill of the day.The view from up top.A brief interlude on flat ground.And then it was up again.Getting back down was the hardest part of the trail.Hmm, short or long. Which way should I go? I bet you guessed short, and you would be right about that.Encouraging words.A rooster farm.The bridge that is our destination.The bridge down under.The sun during the Circle.And on the ride home after the Circle.
Swan made a video with highlights from the hike and the Hash Circle.
Once the Jeepneys dropped us off, I was hungry. My favorite Angeles restaurant is Tequila Reef, but it was on the other side of town. And then I spotted a trike sitting there waiting for a passenger, so Swan and I jumped aboard.
The Tequila Reef view from our table.This was in the spice rack on our table, but I’d never seen anything like it before. Great name, though!I did a combo plate (enchilada, burrito, Spanish rice, and refried beans. Best Mexican I’ve had in the Philippines.These bars are near our hotel. We stopped in one last night on the way back from dinner.
And then it was time to call it a night. My driver arrived on time for our 8 a.m. pick-up, and we arrived home safe and sound.
The tunnel of love on the way to SBMA.
Sunday’s report card: 14,176 steps, 10.9 kilometers walked, 3515 calories burned. (I did look it up, and “the number you see on your Fitbit device is your total calories burned for the day.”
In January 2009, I posted about the fourth-year anniversary of my arrival in Korea. The transition from my American life was pretty much complete and there was no going back.
Facebook memories reminds us why the floating bars are put away BEFORE the rainy season begins. This is what happened to the Arizona floater after a freak storm few years ago.Fourteen years ago, my father passed away.That photo is from around 1960. He lived to be 83.
In today’s YouTube video, Reekay poses the question of whether expat life is paradise or purgatory. My response would be “both.” I mean, I call my life here in the PI “paradise,” but sometimes it feels like a stop along the way to somewhere else. I’m hoping it’s that do-over life I’ve been dreaming of. I’ll get it right next time, promise!
Time for a smile or three:
What a burden to bear!What a nice mouth you have, dear.Seriously? Let me try it on my phone…Well, I’ll be damned, it really works!
Another day, another Hash. It’s a Vienna Sausage trail today, so I’ll need to find a workaround. I’ll let you know how that goes tomorrow.
Or should I just say, SMH? Things didn’t go according to plan yesterday, which can be frustrating. Still, we made do with our own alternative, and in the end, that proved to be as satisfying as our original intentions. Funny how that works.
Sat 24 May at 3.00 pm: BEACH run (men only). Start at T-Backs (Thunder Girls) bar. P100.
The Angeles Hash provided the above information regarding the BEACH run and my fellow SBH3 mates, Rob and Erik, were up for it. Swan was meeting some old friends of hers here, so I was free to join in the guys-only fun. Things went awry, and I’ll take some of the blame for that. When I saw “T-Backs,” I assumed they were talking about a restaurant/bar about a kilometer from my hotel. We arrived around 2:30, so we enjoyed a beer while we waited. Twenty minutes later, when no Hashers had appeared, I knew something was up. We asked our waitress about the Hash event, and she didn’t know what we were talking about. Then she suggested it might be at a bar named TBACs on Perimeter Road. Duh, we had walked right past it on our way here. So, we grabbed a trike and headed for the other bar with a similar name. And there were no Hashers there either. WTF? Seeing our perplexed faces, the waitress asked if we were looking for someone. When we mentioned the Hash, she told us they were coming at 6:00. Damn, so this must be the last bar on the hop. Now what? I checked the Angeles Hash Facebook page, and nothing was posted about the Beach Run. To hell with it, we ordered a beer and decided to do our own bar hop and finish here when the Hash arrived.
And that’s just what we did. The bar we went to next told us the Hash was coming at 5:30. We laughed about doing the barhop in reverse. But we enjoyed seeing some new places and having them all to ourselves.
We didn’t go to this bar. I’m not sure if that was a good or a bad decision.I got a laugh at the different names for restrooms on the door to the toilet at this bar (Garfield’s Last Stand)I had a quesadilla for dinner at Margarita Station. It was quite good.My barhop buds, Erik on the left and Rob on the right.That looks like a ’53 Ford pickup in mint condition.My dad had one of those, and that’s what I learned to drive.Two of our stopsGarfield’s is the kind of place I’d frequent if I resided here, good music (even some country) at low volume, no dancers, just people hanging out.
I bailed at nine, but Rob and Erik kept going, all the way to the notorious Walking Street. It was a different experience barhopping in this part of town, and overall, I enjoyed it. We didn’t go big on buying lady drinks, but I rewarded a couple of the thirsty young ladies. I was back at the hotel before Swan. Damn, did I lose my balls somewhere along the way?
Oh, and when we ran into the Angeles Hashers later, I learned that they had started at Jollibee’s and did a 5K hike before beginning the barhop. Thanks for letting us know. (To be fair, the Hash webpage was updated, even if Facebook wasn’t. I just didn’t know about the web address. Now I do.)
In January 2009, I wrote about the dynamic changes in Itaewon I had witnessed over the preceding four years. That only escalated after the Army Garrison at Yongsan moved down south to Pyeongtaek.
Today’s YouTube video deems Angeles foreigners to be “lowlifes.” Not everyone here is a whore monger, and even those that adopted that lifestyle have their reasons. Why judge? I preferred Barretto’s more laid-back lifestyle, but I understand why some like Angeles better. To each his own.
A moment for ZEN
 Honk If You Love Peace And Quiet.
And some funny business:
So does “whatchamacallit“Everyone loves his sister, Sara, too!I’m melting!
Time for me to prepare for an Angeles-style Hash. I know where it starts, we’ll see how it ends.
Well, by my low standards, yesterday’s 10K group hike was practically a marathon. And did I mention it was hot? I had suggested two options for the group: a hike up Kalaklan or a flat valley walk. When two Jeepneys passed by completely full, I changed my vote to the valley, and off we went. En route, I opted to forego the typical circumnavigation of the valley and instead took a seldom-used trail that led to a Govic Highway rendezvous. It was a nice hike, but wound up being longer than I remembered. Oh well, it is all part of the adventure.
My Friday hike mates.Hearts afire. They must be lovin’ the trail.We passed through a seldom-visited village.Down in the dumps.Through the valley.Crossing Bridge #4.The river is as dry as it gets, but come next month, it will be raging.Taking the road less travelled through a banana tree forest.I only pass this way a couple of times a year, but the kids remember and come running for cookies.How now carabao?All in a day’s walk.
The other “big” event in my day was attending the SOB dance competition at Wet Spot. A couple of good performances, with Wet Spot taking home top honors. It was good to see Daddy Dave in attendance again.
Two of the groups had a candle dancer as part of their performance. Hot wax on my tongue would not be fun!
As usual, I drank my money’s worth (750 entrance fee, free drinks from 6-8 p.m.) and I’d had my fill by the end of the show. A trike ride home, some dessert, and then off to bed.
A couple of memes I saw took me back to those crazy times in the 1970s:
I wore my hair long, but didn’t adhere to the “hippie” mentality.I was definitely highly educated. I recall an English exam in high school that required writing an essay. I wrote about trying to write an essay after smoking a joint before class.
Of course, we are still living in crazy times, I just don’t have any drugs to ease the pain these days.
At least I was one of those “conspiracy theorists” who saw through the scam.The science is settled!
Welp, I made it to January 2009 in the LTG archives, and it seems I’m posting with more regularity. The posts are taking on that “day in life” quality that I rely on now. Here’s a blissful recounting of my ignorance one day.
A sad memory from nine years ago–the passing of one of the most unique individuals I’ve encountered in this life, and I was blessed to call a friend, Bridget Werner.
We met through darts, but we developed a mutual friendship that extended to other aspects of our lives. Herhusband, Chris, was in the military and stationed at Yongsan. When his tour finished, he moved on to the base in Columbia, SC, where I spent half my time, and we continued to share adventures.Here we are on a weekend getaway to the west coast of Korea. Sadly, Bridget’s son died a couple of years after she did.
I was surprised to come across a YouTube video featuring someone I actually know–Matt, the owner of the Mope Resort in San Narciso, where I frequently stay. Last year, he was involved in a motorcycle accident that resulted in the loss of a leg. We had a chance to sit and chat during a recent visit to Mope. I was so impressed with his positive outlook and attitude. An avid surfer (that’s why he opened his beach resort), he was looking forward to getting his artificial limb and riding the waves again. Indeed, you can’t keep a good man down. We’ll be back to see you soon, Matt!
Today’s Zen moment:
I Feel Like I’m Diagonally Parked In A Parallel Universe.
And the humor:
Yeah, I don’t want to kick the bucket, but fuck it, you gotta live your best life.A match made in heaven for sure!Isn’t that sweet?
And with that, I’m done. Time to finish preparing for my weekend in Angeles City. I’ll be participating in some events associated with the AC Hash anniversary, including tomorrow’s trail. I will head back to Barretto on Monday morning, and hopefully, I will arrive in time for our Hash trail. I’ll make sure to update you tomorrow.
Either there is beer in heaven, or I’m going to hell!
Nothing special about yesterday, but that won’t stop me from telling you about it anyway. I will endeavor to keep it as brief and painless as possible.
Swan and I are going to Angeles City for the weekend (leaving in the morning), so we decided to do the Saturday Sweet Stroll on Thursday. Y’all have been on that walk with me (vicariously through photos) several times, so I won’t bore you with multiple pics again.
It basically looked like this throughout our journey.There were trees to enjoy along the way as well.This was something we hadn’t seen before. Apparently, in this neighborhood, there is no piped-in water available. So, once a week, the residents put out their barrels and containers for the barangay water truck to fill. Talk about a Thirstday!
After sweetening the lives of the children we encountered, it was our turn for some fun. When beer o’clock arrived, we headed into town. Swan wanted to get a haircut, so I waited for her patiently at Red Bar.
Watching the cars go by from my patio seat at Red Bar.
Swan joined me an hour or so later and had her usual glass of red wine (she drinks slowly; I do about three beers per glass of wine).
When it was time for some dinner, we crossed the highway and strolled to Jewel Cafe.
Our view as we walked the highway to Jewel.
Another glass of wine for Swan, and I’m too much of a gentleman to let her drink alone. Dinner was served while we drank.
This tiny filet mignon hit the spot for me.
After our meal, we moved on to It Doesn’t Matter. You guessed it, Swan had a wine, and that meant I was forced to drink yet more beer. And that’s not all; we went to Cloud 69 for our nightcap and did it again. When we arrived home, Swan declared herself “tipsy” and went to bed. I was fine, so I played some on the internet before joining her slumber there.
After my hospitalization in October 2008 (I shared that post yesterday), my almost total lack of blogging continued for over two months. I was indeed a Long Time Gone. I finally returned with a post on December 23, 2008, appropriately titled, “It’s been a long time comin’,” where I talked vaguely about what had been going on in my life, and once again promised to post on a more regular basis in the future. I’m still unsure why I took such a lengthy break from the blog. I got promoted to the GS-15 Director of Human Resources job, which created some stress in my life. My marriage to wife #3 had ended, as had my relationship with the Korean woman I’d been dating (she moved to the USA to attend graduate school). I’m also pretty sure this was the time frame during which I met Jee Yeun, who was destined to become my final wife. Back in those days, I was not as inclined as I am now to write about the drama in my personal life, and that seems to have been all I had going on.
You may have missed a recent comment from James, a long-time reader here. He notes that my blog content is not as enticing as it was in the days before I began my relationship with Swan. Yep, much less drama and sexcapades. Here’s what James had to say:
Long time reader, haven’t visited in a while. Glad to see that you’re keeping up with your correspondence, as it were.
As you may recall, I was one of the readers who showed no enthusiasm when you settled down with your lady. And I come here to celebrate your success 🙌 But of course it’s no coincidence that your readership may have dropped, or at least changed demographics. Now that you’re a man settled down, there’s less drama and conflict to write about, fewer bar visits and new random characters introduced, and there’s only so much information you can convey to a potential tourist when you’re living the sedate married life.
I say all this because I am still shocked at what Browser wrote all those years ago. Last year I think you attracted some political commentary that animated the blog for a while. But to imagine there was once a time when you were berated for not writing on your own blog; I am shocked. What was he even thinking 🤔 Writing daily is hard And yet you keep writing ✍️ My gratitude and admiration will never cease. You inspire me to pick up a pen and write, starting with just my grocery list. There’s something soothinng and invigorating about writing down one’s thoughts daily.
and for those who miss the drama, let me say that Joy – she of the feeding scheme- has gotten fat. We’ve all gotten fat, but I don’t have a mirror and I have a side-by-side photos of Joy’s face. Boom! There’s some drama for you addicts
Again, thank you for the daily writing ✍️
James
Today’s YouTube video is short and sweet about the five things a first-time visitor observed about the Philippines. It was nice to look back and remember my first trips here, where I pretty much saw the same things this vlogger talks about. For me, the first thing I noticed that was shocking was the poverty that so many here endure, which made all the positive traits noted in this video all the more impressive. Filipinos are a special breed.
Today’s Zen wisdom:
Light Travels Faster Than Sound, Which Is Why Some People Appear Bright Until You Hear Them Speak.
And now for the funny stuff:
Where is this place?They are off to a good start!I used to be into Scrabble big time. And Monopoly and Risk.
My last night in town will be spent at the SOB. I’ll try to dash off a post in the morning before we hit the road to Angeles City.
Nothing changes much with me, for better or worse. Since I ain’t complaining, I’ll just take each day as it comes, filling up those hours, however comfortably and well. For example, this was my yesterday:
Kicked things off with the Wednesday Walkers group hike, a pleasant 6K jaunt through the hills above Barretto. We finished up at The Rite Spot for some food and cold beverages.
This week’s group.Getting downAnd heading up.A Barretto-eye view.A brief respiteA new framing of Easter MountainThe Subic side of things.More Barretto.Beth is harvesting some mangoes at Onelia’s place (with her permission, of course).Hilltop dwellers need sweets too!The grass is high but we’re holding on…This tree looks thirsty…Valley view.Down we go.Some of our Sunday kids in San Isidro saw us coming.Back in my neighborhood.Up on the roof after our hike.Lunch Filipino style.We went thataway.
Swan wanted a “me night” to visit some friends, so I had Barretto to myself. I kicked things off at Annex Bar and saw a couple of folks I know there to chat with for a bit. Then I did the Cheap Charlies thing, and to prove that I’m not a cheap Charlie despite my refusal to buy overpriced lady drinks, I ordered some food for the girls and wings for me.
The food came from the downstairs restaurant, Foodies. Usually good, but I was disappointed in last night’s effort.From my seat, I could look at one of the hills I climbed earlier in the day.The blue arrow points to Cheap Charlies. Everything is a matter of perspective.Time was passing…And so was the sun.
I went to the Green Room after sundown, then finished my evening at Wet Spot.
I only drink on days that end in “y”.
Things can always be worse, as this post from October 2008 reminded me. My first overnight stay in a hospital since my birth was a decidedly unpleasant experience. You can read all about it here.
As I review my Facebook memories daily, I can’t help but notice the Groundhog Day quality of my life.
For example, three years ago I was also at Cheap Charlies.Nine years ago, I was lovin’ my life in Seoul. I may not have appreciated it as much as I should have, though.If I recall correctly, these guys on the bench were intended to prevent people from committing suicide by jumping off the bridge. It worked for me!A view worth living for. I Seoul U!
Coincidentally, I came across this YouTube video that says Korea is the saddest nation in the world. I had my moments of depression when I lived there, but that was on me, not the country. If things had gone according to plan, I’d still be living there half the time.
Time for a moment of Zen:
42.7% Of All Statistics Are Made Up On The Spot.
And the humor:
That adds up…She’s definitely not flat…She’ll get a charge out of this one!
