A phoney excursion

Before any heads explode, I misspelled “phony” in the title on purpose. You’ll understand why later in this post.

My excursion last night was of the bar crawl variety. Yeah, I know; how is that different than every other night of the week? Well, I hit more bars than usual and ventured into a few places I rarely visit.

First stop–Sloppy Joe’s. It is fair to say this is currently my favorite bar in town. It’s a combination of factors–the option to sit outside and watch the world pass by, a friendly group of people I know, no lady drink pressure, good music, and the videos to go with it, just like the glory days of MTV.

You can see how good the music must be
The only time I’m actually inside the bar is when I go to the CR.
The kind of thing you see when you are drinking outside. I’m pretty sure that’s Jesus.

Second stop–It Doesn’t Matter. Bob’s gone, Cliff sold his share, and the buzz and vibe of the place is in transition. I wouldn’t bet against a comeback, but the last couple of times I’ve visited, it’s not been busy, especially compared with the “good ol’ days.” Bob’s widow, Luna, was there, so that’s a good sign that she has an interest in reviving the bar. I shared drinks with my old favorite, Agnes, and she mentioned some things were in the works to make IDM better than ever. It should be interesting to see how it all plays out. I’ll still be popping in periodically.

Third stop–Mugshots Bar. It’s been a LONG time since I visited here. The staff I knew there from previous visits are long gone, so I was pretty much a stranger when I walked in. Still, the bartender and the manager were friendly, and service was prompt. I decided to take my evening meal here.

You can’t go wrong with chicken wings, and I didn’t. I’m a coleslaw fan and would have appreciated a larger serving, but it was all good.

Fourth stop–Voodoo Bar. Actually, I didn’t plan to visit Voodoo–I was on my way to Wet Spot. Then, as I passed by, my old favorite Tia called out to me from the outdoor smoking area, so I stopped to say hello. And being the soft touch that I am, I decided to go inside and buy her a drink.

Tia is not getting any younger (rumor has it she is the oldest active bargirl in town), but she is a sweetie and still has a smokin’ hot body.

Not long into my visit at Voodoo, a couple of acquaintances came in, and after exchanging greetings, they sat at the table next to mine. Then promptly called all the remaining dancers down from the stage (six at least) for lady drinks. Now, these weren’t two-week millionaires; they were local expats (in fact, one is a Hasher). Good on them and good for the girls if they have the cash to spare and went to spend it that way. Probably more fun than handing it over to beggars like I’m prone to do. It was good to see Tia again, but it was time to move on.

Fifth Stop–Wet Spot. I ran into Daddy Dave at Sit-n-Bull when I bought that big assed burrito yesterday morning, and I told him I’d try to stop by Wet Spot during my barhop that night. I arrived shortly before he did, but then we had an enjoyable chat about his bar ownership days in Thailand. I knew he had been involved with a Voodoo clone there, but I was surprised to learn he had been an investor in seven Bangkok bars. This was all twenty years ago before he helped bring Angeles back to life and then later established himself as the Godfather of the Barretto bars. Dr. Fisher (yes, doctor as in physician) is quite the hobbyist! No Aine sighting, and I ignored the rude young one.

Sixth (and final) stop–Alaska Club. I was on a roll, so I rolled on down the highway to Alaska. Virginia wasn’t working, not that I cared; she was not worth the time and effort of trying to make the standard bargirl-customer connection. There were some guys from Alta Vista at the next table who recognized me, and they invited me over to join them. One of them is working on establishing a homeowner’s association to address some long-standing issues with the developer. As a renter, I doubt anyone would care about what I might say. Anyway, good luck with the effort.

It was getting to be past my bedtime, so I caught a trike for home. Made me a smoothie, then settled in for an episode of Lucifer before hitting the sack.

I woke up this morning and was doing my routine chores, and during the dog walk, I noticed that my phone was fucked up–the screen had broken, although it still functioned enough to read messages, albeit with difficulty. No idea when or what happened, but also not a big surprise ever since my big fall when I initially broke it; I knew it was just a matter of time because the phone was bent, which puts a lot of stress on the screen.

This picture of my old phone doesn’t really show the extent of the damage. The top left corner is where the screen is broken, but there are fuzzy lines to deal with when you open an app as well.

Anyway, as I was heading out for my Sunday stroll, I changed my mind and returned home, dropped off my backpack, grabbed a credit card, then went to the highway to catch a Jeepney to the mall in Olongapo. And I came home with this:

I upgraded from an A53 to an A54 for whatever that’s worth. Well, it was worth around $500. to Samsung. Here’s hoping it enjoys a longer life than its predecessor.

I picked up a couple of other items at the mall, then caught a taxi back home. The last time I took a cab, the driver wanted 350 pesos to Barretto, which I considered fair. Today, I was surprised to see the taxi was metered. I was very curious to see what my fare would be but expected it to be higher than before. It turns out I was wrong–from the mall in Olongapo to my front door was 216 pesos. I wowed the driver when I handed him my usual 350 pesos–“thank you so much for the tip, sir!” My pleasure.

Today is feeding day at Hideaway, and who knows what I’ll do after that. I’ll be getting up early in the morning for the trip out to San Antonio. Me, Scott, and Ed are the Hares for our Outstation Hash tomorrow, and we have a trail to mark.

Ruffles have ridges

Says so right on the bag.

Welp, Kalaklan has ridges, too.

Like the one there in the background that we climbed yesterday.

Our Friday hiking group caught a Jeepney out to the Ocean View Resort in barangay Kalaklan, then we crossed the highway and headed for the hills. I’ve said before there is no easy way up to the top of the ridgeline, but the route we took had a slower incline–takes longer to get up but not as ass-kicking as other trails, like the so-called Motherfucker. Some of my fellow hikers disagreed with my “easier” assessment, saying they’d rather get the climb done as soon as possible. Still, it had been quite some time since we’d gone this way, and it was a nice change of pace. It was a beautiful day, and that made the views from on high even more spectacular. I’ve got the pictures to prove it:

Our group for the day. Well, except for the woman second on the left. She was some loud drunk crazy person who we encountered at the 7/11 where we met up. She actually followed us onto the Jeepney and got out with us at Ocean View. I figured she wouldn’t make it too far up the first part of the climb, and I turned out to be right about that. Weird.
The beginning of the upward journey took us through this shanty village.
The higher you go, the nicer it gets
The first of many pauses to take in the views.
Off to our right was the area that used to be the U.S. Navy’s largest Pacific base.
And on our left was this view of the Subic Bay.
The ridgeline is a natural divider that separates Olongapo City from Barretto (keeping in mind that Barretto is technically part of Olongapo–the best part!)
Downtown Olongapo
Uptown Olongapo, including Gordon Heights
Seems like old times with that Navy vessel anchored in the bay. It pulled out this morning.
Rest stop
Looking back from whence we came
There are a few scattered families living up here; I dropped some cookies off for the kiddies.
I’m not sure what kind of trees these are, but walking in their shade was nice.
There is also a resort up here with a swimming pool and everything. I’ve never seen any customers on the several times I’ve passed through. There is no vehicle access to get here, so visitors have to hoof it up the mountain to use the facilities. I could see myself making the trek up, but I’d hate coming back down after a few beers. That concrete sidewalk is a new addition since my last time here, so I guess improvements are ongoing. I’ll say this, though. If there was a road up here and someone built a high-rise condominium, I would definitely be interested in enjoying these views every day for the rest of my life.
What’s not to like?
If you build it, they will come.
Hello down there, Barrio Barretto!
Dona is a swinger!
Broke tree mountain
Walkin’ the Great Wall
Making our way back down
Another cookie stop
Dynamite Dick provided the after-hike refreshments.
The path we took was 6.83 kilometers long. The day before, on my solo walk, the distance was also exactly 6.83K. What are the odds of that happening? There was one difference, though. Yesterday we had an elevation gain of +278 meters. My solo walk was +29.

It was a good day on the Kalaklan Ridge.

I did the SOB last night at Whiskey Girl, but the pictures from that event haven’t been posted yet, so I have nothing to share in that regard. The Whiskey Girl team did take the top spot again for the fourth week in a row. You can see their hard work and dedication in their performance. I’ll post pictures tomorrow, hopefully.

And if you are curious, Jen and I made our peace, and I bought her company via lady drinks during my attendance at the SOB. As I have admitted and explained to her, I was at fault for taking the “game” seriously and expecting her to care about my feelings. That ain’t her job, and shame on me for forgetting that fact.

Facebook memories reminded me of the time six years ago when I dropped a bomb at a friend’s wedding reception:

Boom goes the dynamite! That was at Shenanigans in Itaewon. Ah, the good ol’ days.

I did my standard solo Saturday street walk this morning

Just a little over 6K, but it ended well.
Brought home this burrito from Sit-n-Bull for my post-hike lunch.

And now Saturday night is right around the corner. What adventures will I encounter tonight? Can’t say for sure, but I’d wager beer will be involved. See you here tomorrow!

Cinco de Mayo

The thought isn’t original, but the image is–my very own Cinco de Mayo photographic illustration.

It’s more than a Mexican holiday or the traditional Korean Children’s Day.

It was 18 years ago that my first grandchild was born
Happy birthday to you, Gracyn!

And yes, I have struggled with the knowledge that my grandchild is the same age as Mary.

Six years ago, I was wandering around the streets of Seoul.

I’m not sure where this is now; maybe a back alley in Itaewon.

Five years ago, I was relaxing after my final climb up Younginsan in Asan, Korea.

I miss my Korea life; I wish I had appreciated it more while it lasted.
Yep, nothing to do but focus on the life you have while you have it.

My focus last night was on feeding the Hideaway girls, and that seemed to go well.

Joy wanted pork chops, so I made a stop at Mangos to satisfy her craving.

I don’t recall how or why I started this twice-weekly feeding thing, but those meals cost me between thirty and forty bucks each. So, when Joy wanted those expensive chops, I was a little taken aback. I told her, okay, I’ll get you the pork chops, but I won’t be able to afford anything for the other girls. Is that okay? She gave the correct answer, telling me to never mind her, but feed the others. I rewarded her kindness with pork chops.

The fried chicken was almost gone before I had the camera out.
And a pizza. With brownies and Orea cookies for dessert.
Pork chop going down Joy’s hatch.

That was that. I made a brief stop at Cheap Charlies on the way home, then my nightcap at Green Room. No incidents to report from either venue.

A nice hike up on the ridgeline this morning that I’ll post about tomorrow. But the good news is no real issues with the knee, despite a lengthy climb and a steep down. I’d say I’m about 90% recovered (I still feel a slight weakness, but not enough to cause a limp like before). Here’s hoping it stays that way. I do intend to get the ultrasound Dr. Jo suggested. I’m also going to visit this new clinic and get some bloodwork and other testing done to check on how other parts of my body are doing these days (liver, I’m talking about you!).

Back in Korea, I used to do an annual physical examination that covered everything. But this sounds worth a try. It’s been over five years since my last one.

I don’t lose sleep over my grammar and spelling mistakes, but this made me laugh anyway:

Am I ignorant or apathetic? I don’t know, and I don’t care!

I’m leaning toward doing the SOB thing tonight at Whiskey Girl. Gotta fill those hours somehow. Back tomorrow with some nice pictures from my mountain trek.

Floating my blues away

Time it was
And what a time it was
It was . . .
A time of innocence
A time of confidences

Long ago . . . it must be . . .
I have a photograph
Preserve your memories
They're all that's left you

Like the ebb and flow of the sea, the days come and go bringing opportunities for joy and sorrow. How you choose to fill the hours is entirely up to you. Here’s what I did yesterday:

The Wednesday Walkers had tentatively planned to be dropped off in Tibag and then walk the dirt paths through the hills all the way to Waltermart in Subic town. Alas, there was some miscommunication with the intended driver, who never showed up. So, we improvised a walk on the backroads and wound up at Waltermart anyway. Not as pleasant as the Tibag route, but that will be there for another day.

A tad over 8K from start to finish
Off we go!
We did manage to stay off the pavement about half the time.
Through the valley
Don’t mind us; we’re just passing through.
You looking at me?
The rice paddy is dry this time of year. Next month not so much.
A familiar peak
The nature of things
Fenced in, eh, Scott?
Not much room to spare when crossing Bridge #4.
An unintentional work of art.
Thick it is
Banana-rama
Up the old dirt road
A brief jaunt on the Govic highway
A visit to the local sari-sari for some liquid refreshments
Over the river
On the mean streets of Maga-Vaca
Destination achieved

A jeepney ride back to Barretto, some lunch, and then time to prepare for the rest of the day.

Sadly, I forget them by the next morning.

So, there was an all-day brown-out in Barretto, and businesses without generators were forced to close, including Hideaway. So, I was freed from my Wednesday feeding chore. Don’t worry; I’ll be making up for it by bringing vittles for the Hideaway girls tonight. I decided it would be a good day to visit the Kokomos floating bar on Baloy. I even baked a batch of brownies to share with the crew.

Ships on the water
A zoom view of the American Navy vessel still in town
“And my heart is sinking like the setting sun…”
“…setting on the things I wish I’d done…”
“…it’s time to say goodbye to yesterday…”
“…This is where the cowboy rides away.”

(from the lyrics of one of my favorite George Strait songs)

I drank alone on the floater last night and given my recent experiences with bargirls, that was probably for the best. The gals on board did seem to enjoy the brownies, though. When it was time for me to go, I walked the beach in the dark.

And caught a glimpse of the almost full moon.

I did my nightcap at Snackbar on the way home. Been quite some time since my last visit, and most of the familiar faces were gone. Not many customers either. I got home early enough for a couple more episodes of Lucifer before hitting the hay.

I hadn’t really considered that before. And I don’t remember Franklin saying that either.

So, a pretty good day all and all. Certainly better than the day that preceded it. Oh, and here’s an update on my knee: It was bothering me early in the hike yesterday, but I trudged on, and by the end of our trek, it felt almost normal again. Maybe I really did walk it off.

That’s the most steps I’ve managed in over a week.

No problems at all on my 7K walk this morning, either. I hope the knee problem is behind me for good.

Speaking of my morning walk, look what I found, Kevin Kim:

Two gloves are better than one, and some poor fella has none now.

Alright, time to go bake some brownies for the feeding tonight at Hideaway. And we’ll see how the night goes after that. Thanks for dropping by!

Ride ’em, cowboy!

The good, the bad, and the ugly

Yep, one of those kinds of days. Here’s how it went down.

Welcome to the Philippines! I started off with my regular Tuesday morning shopping excursion to the Royal supermarket. I also added in a successful visit to the immigration office to extend my visa for an additional sixty days. Next stop was at Baypointe Hospital for an ultrasound to determine the cause of my wounded knee. My heart was buried in disappointment when I learned the machine needed to perform the scan was out of service.

The mountain gal I support asked for additional money this week and offered a massage. This is becoming a weekly occurrence, and I’m very disappointed that my generosity appears insufficient and unappreciated. I responded that the extent of my charity was 10,000 pesos a month. She could continue receiving it in 2500 weekly stipends or a monthly lump sum if preferred. These constant “emergencies” are outside of my budget and are her responsibility. She was gracious in her acceptance and reassured me how much my help means to her. So, I guess things are fine now–I just don’t want to feel like I’m being taken advantage of.

Mary came by later in the afternoon to deliver some cookies I had ordered. She’s traveling to Manila this week and asked me to help fund her trip. I declined to do so but advanced her 1000 pesos from next week’s support fund. She only seems interested in what I can do for her and offers me nothing in return. Granted, I don’t ask for anything either–I don’t want my support for her studies to be on a quid pro quo basis, but it does seem telling that she shows me almost zero affection. That’s fine; it’s just good to know.

When Beer o’clock arrived, Mary joined me briefly at Sloppy Joe’s, then departed to meet one of her girlfriends on Baloy. She invited me to come along, and I declined. I stayed for a few more beers with my buddies Chris, Troy, and Jim, then started thinking about where I might dine. A conversation amongst us ensued where everyone talked about their favorite eateries, and from this, I decided it was time for a return visit to Hops and Brews.

Hops and Brews is one of the newer venues in town and offers the nicest ambiance you will find in Barretto. I plopped down in front of this big ass TV and enjoyed mother nature scenes while waiting for my food order.
The outdoor beer garden where I was seated. There is an indoor air-conditioned portion as well.
The bar area is also very nice.
The chicken burger was the daily special, and it was outstanding. My only complaint was the skimpy portion of cole slaw, but the burger did fill me up.

After I finished my meal, I decided to visit Wet Spot to put my “buy one, get one” coupon to work. I noticed Aine was on the dance stage, so I called her down to join me for a drink and some small talk. A few minutes later, the young cutie I had barfined on a “snuggle only” basis several months ago walked by, and she sat down on the other side of me, so naturally, I bought her a drink. I tried to engage them in the usual banter and small talk, but neither seemed interested. Then I put my camera in selfie mode to capture my moment with these two lovely ladies.

As you can see, both declined to participate.

I wasn’t exactly pissed, and disappointed doesn’t capture the emotion either. Whatever it was, I knew I was done with both of their ungrateful asses. I had my second beer delivered, finished it without talking, and departed without leaving either of them my usual tip. I don’t know; being respectful to the customer and making sure they enjoy their visit seems to be an important part of the job when you are working for lady drink commissions. I certainly wasn’t going to pay to be subjected to their bad attitudes.

I walked up the highway and popped into Whiskey Girl to do some more of the “buy one, take one” thing. I noticed that my regular waitress and snuggle bunny Jenn was back to work. I’m not sure what was going on, but while she did come and greet me, she didn’t sit down and join me like she used to do. It wasn’t like she was busy; I saw her sitting off by herself across the room. So, I sat there alone, stewing in my juices. Again, it wasn’t exactly anger I felt, something more like disgust. And the person I was most disgusted with was me. Manager Mark, and old dart league buddy, sat with me for a while, and we had a nice chat about the bar biz. Hell, it’s hard enough being a happy customer; I’d hate to have to deal with the bullshit he puts up with daily. I finished my two drinks and departed, but I couldn’t resist letting Jenn know how disappointed I was in her behavior as I left. I’m sure I’ll be back at Whiskey Girl again (the SOB is there on Friday), but I doubt I’ll be spending time (and money) with Jenn in the future.

I crossed the highway (and lived to write about it) for my nightcap at Queen Victoria. Angie wasn’t working (I found out later she called in sick), so I settled onto my barstool to get the last drops of beer from my buy one, take one coupon. It wasn’t long before I was joined by a young woman I hadn’t seen before. She got right into her bargirl routine, giving me a shoulder massage. I didn’t tell her to leave me alone, but I didn’t encourage her to stay either. Before long, the head waitress appeared and asked me if I wanted to buy the gal beside me a drink. I’ve known this person for quite some time (I met her years ago on the Arizona floating bar), and I kind of lit into her, saying if I wanted to buy a drink, I would have asked the girl directly. I didn’t need her coming over to twist my arm. I said you should know better than to treat me like a tourist; I don’t appreciate it. She apologized and slinked off. Yeah, I overreacted, but I guess it was just a culmination of lousy bargirl experiences all night long getting the best of me.

After the head waitress departed, I told the girl rubbing on me that I usually tip for the massage, but if she preferred a lady drink, that was fine. She ordered a San Mig Apple, the dreaded double lady drink. I told her, no, I don’t buy double drinks. She could have a single. Naturally, she accepted the only alternative available, and that was that. I finished my beer, paid my tab, and took a trike home.

I had myself a big bowl of rocky road ice cream and turned on the TV. Yeah, that’s the way us grumpy old men roll, I suppose. Maybe tonight will be better.

And just so this post isn’t totally devoid of merit and value, let me share a couple of links some of my readers may find of interest.

This one talks about the renewed public standing together of the Philippines and the USA in the face of China’s aggressive action in the South China Sea. The recently completed exercise was clearly intended to send a message to the Chinese that the Philippines will be defended.

And here’s one that talks about how Korean women were allegedly used and abused by the American military in the early days of the alliance. That was before my time there, but the gals I personally saw in the biz were there by choice. Maybe history will be rewritten, and the willing prostitutes will become the equivalent of forced comfort women. Or perhaps I’m reading too much into it.

That’s all for today. See you tomorrow, hopefully with more positive perspectives.

Turkey trot

Maybe it’s all about survival of the fattest, but I made it through another Hash alive yesterday. The weather has been hotter than normal, and it was a roasting 95 degrees as we started our trek. To make matters worse, I walked the 2K from my house to the start of the trail, and on the way, my left knee started its tingly numbness BS again. By the time I arrived at the meet-up location, I had pretty much decided I’d be making my own trail on the streets. I was just too paranoid to get up into the hills and have the knee give way again. Turns out, making my own way wasn’t necessary. The Hare, Fireman, had provided two trails to choose from. That’s not unusual; there is usually a long and short option (sometimes called hard and easy). Yesterday, Fireman gave us an “eagle” trail and a “turkey” trail. I gobbled up the second option, which to my delight, was almost all street walking.

The green is where Eagles dare, and the orange is where Turkeys trot.
Gathering at the starting location
More early arrivals
Fireman explains the difference between an Eagle and Turkey
And we are On-On!
A couple of my fellow turkeys, Cumslinger and Whatever You Want
Angie joined us too
It was more like a walk in the park than a Hash trail
The On-Home location was at Fireman’s house. His Hasher wife, Ring My Bell, was celebrating a birthday, so we made a party of it. Fireman even provided free food for all the Hashers.
The birthday girl, Ring My Bell.
Some of the gathering
Circle up!
When I’m on the ice, I try to go to my “happy place” in my mind.
Celebrating with a Hash-style birthday cake

So, all in all, it was a good day. I had one beer after the Hash at IDM, then headed back home for some rest and recreation in the form of Netflix. Almost through Season Two (of six) of Lucifer. I’m not a reviewer, but I’ll share some thoughts and observations soon.

And remember, grammar is important!

It’s ballsy for someone who makes as many mistakes as I do to post a meme like this. I don’t feel crazy, but I sure do feel nuts!

An early departure

And another one gone…

A large gathering of friends at It Doesn’t Matter yesterday afternoon to say a final farewell to Bob. Well, we didn’t technically say goodbye to Bob; we just saluted his memory and drank in his honor. I was able to offer my condolences to Luna, Bob’s widow, and I gave her a white envelope to help ease any financial burdens associated with Bob’s death.

A temporary structure was erected in the street to accommodate the influx of visitors to the bar.
I arrived early and was able to get a decent seat.

The bar was packed. At least three biker clubs were in attendance (Thunder, Misfits, and Bob’s group, Eight Demons). Luckily, they all get along! It was the hottest day in recent memory, and sitting outside was a tad uncomfortable. The beer was cold, though, so I didn’t get thirsty. IDM doesn’t usually sell food, but they had a grill going loaded with sausages.

Damn, those dogs were spicy but good.

I arrived a little before 1 p.m. and stayed for over two hours. There were no formal toasts or speeches given during that time, which I thought was a little unusual. I did get to have a nice visit with another expat who I’ve seen around town the entire time I’ve lived here but never chatted with previously. It turns out he spent some time in Korea with the military, so we exchanged stories about our time there. And we also had Filipina horror stories to share. A good guy; nice to meet you, Jim.

I left IDM and made my way up the highway to the Jewel Cafe to order some food for the Hideaway girls’ Sunday feeding.

Prawns
Sisig
And Tocino for Joy
In Joy

Yesterday was a good reminder of why I don’t drink early in the day; I had reached my limit before the time I usually begin drinking. That really threw me off-kilter. But I knew nothing good would come of forcing myself to overindulge, so I said my farewells and headed up the highway toward home. As I walked, I had an internal debate about what I would do if I went home so early in the day. Ultimately, I decided binge-watching Lucifer would fill those hours nicely enough.

But what about dessert? For some reason, the image of a banana split popped into my head (told you I was drunk), so I went to Sit-n-Bull and ordered one to go. It was delicious, and I made it through episode 7 of Season 2 Well, I did have an intermission…went to sleep at seven, woke at 9, and watched some more. I think I might even remember most of what I saw.

And now it is Hash Monday, and I’m hoping my knee doesn’t cause any problems. Only one way to find out.

I’m all about unwise choices.

Saying goodbye

What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.–Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sorry to see you go, Alan

Yesterday afternoon we raised a glass in a farewell toast to a respected member of the Barretto expat community, Alan Magowan. Alan passed away earlier this week in England, where he had recently returned for cancer treatment. His suffering is over now, and may he Rest in Peace.

I was somewhat better acquainted with his long-standing girlfriend, Christine, a bestie of my ex, Marissa. It was sad to see her in tears, but that’s the way of death, it seems–no more suffering for the deceased, but the pain lives on in those who loved him. I gave her a hug and told her that if she ever needed anything, to let me know. She has big changes ahead of her, but I know she has a good heart and a strong will; she’ll get through this.

The gathering was at Harley’s, a venue I enjoy but seldom visit.

While waiting for the event to commence, I spent some time on the back patio taking in the bay views. That’s the Kalaklan ridge in the background; it’s a bitch to climb, but worth the effort once you make it up top.
Another water view. I envy the folks who live in that place on the water. The house ain’t much to look at, but I’d spend all my time on the back porch anyway.
The pub is a popular hangout for Brits and Aussies who enjoy watching “football” and rugby on the big screen TVs
And some of the best bar signage I’ve seen

When the ceremony for Alan was completed, I headed down Baloy Road to another venue I occasionally enjoy.

The Kokomos floating bar
A typical Saturday afternoon at the beach
Lots of boats and ships on the bay yesterday
And then this big-ass catamaran came cruising by and stopped near the floating bar.
I’d say Roam is a good name for a sailboat. Lots of folks aboard having a good time.

And then, they were all transported to the floating bar in the sailboat’s dinghy. Took two trips.

And they brought their party atmosphere with them.
Watching the sun go down
I’d heard rumors about floaters in the bay water, and there they are!
Time for me to head ashore and get some grub
Johan’s is right next door to Kokomos
I gave their Mexican Taco a try. Too big to fit in my mouth, so I ate the innards with a fork and broke off parts of the shell to get the crunch. It was spicy and tasty, but I prefer a more traditional size.

After Johan’s, I caught a trike to Queen Victoria for my nightcap and spent a little time with Angie. It was a nice way to end my night out. I came home and watched the first episode of Season Two of Lucifer. When I tried to watch the second episode this morning, I realized that I didn’t remember much from episode one, so I had to rewatch that first. A good lesson to remember–don’t drink and watch TV–it’s a waste of time.

At one o’clock this afternoon, I’ll attend Bob’s wake at It Doesn’t Matter. Then I have the Hideaway feeding to take care of. I expect I won’t be watching any TV tonight.

And I’ll close with this Facebook memory from five years ago:

My farewell party in Seoul just prior to my move to the Philippines. Good times!

Whatchamacallit

I guess it’s just a matter of pride with me because I’m sure no one would notice the difference, but I don’t want duplicate titles on posts here at LTG. So, part of my daily blogging ritual is searching to see if my proposed title has been used previously. And after all these years (4,580 posts), that is increasingly difficult. After ten minutes of trying different ideas today, I finally gave up and settled on “Whatchamacallit.” It turns out there is a proper spelling for that word which I had to look up—just another day in the life of a blogger.

My yesterday started with the Friday group hike, and we had another good turnout. Scott and I had talked about keeping it flat, but we had a few robust attendees who preferred something more challenging. We wound up picking a route that allowed the hill climbers to deviate from the pack and meet up again further down the trail. That actually worked out pretty well.

That path(s) we walked. The green line shows the two hilly deviations. Henceforth, I’ll call the hillclimbers “deviants.”
Waiting to get started
And off we go
Movin’ on up the highway
On the backstreets of barangay Matain
Bayside
Standin’ on the dock of the bay…
A bit of shade on a very hot day
Whatever floats your boat
Courtside
Beachside
Waterside
A narrow passage
Leaving the bay behind
Algae are nature’s litter
The human variety
Deviants to the left, everyone else, follow me!
Me, Angie, and photographer Scott were the only flat-earthers on this portion of the hike.
Time out for a cookie delivery
Waiting for the deviants to come down from the hills
With the group reunited, we proceeded with the invasion of Calapacuan
No need to cow-er
Your walkaholic chronicler…

A good day on trail.

My nighttime persona began the heavy lifting of San Miguel Zero bottles at Sloppy Joe’s. Good friends, good music, cold beer–does it get any better than that? Well, Mary messaged that she wanted to join me. Apparently, my Friday nights belong to her now. Oh, well, the more, the merrier, I suppose.

I opted not to attend the SOB last night. The Thumbstar bar does this thing called the SOP, which is really nothing more than a pissing contest with the SOB group. That being said, Thumbstar does offer a “buy one, take one” on drinks and food, and the food is decent. So, when the hunger bell rang, we survived a highway crossing and settled in for some half-price fun. Mary and I had chicken burgers, and I bought the waitresses some chicken wings. Good times.

Mary had never been to Whiskey Girl, so we made that our next and last stop for the night. It was kind of funny because my waitress confided to me that she almost asked for ID before serving Mary an alcoholic beverage. Yeah, she’s young but looks even younger. During our visit, the Whiskey Girl dance team returned from the SOB competition and excitedly announced that they had won once again–that makes three weeks in a row.

Congratulations, ladies!

Mary spent the night at my place but kept her pants on. Yeah, she literally slept in her jeans. I took that as a pretty clear sign she wasn’t interested in any hanky-panky with me. And that’s fine; these days, I want the passion to be reciprocated, not paid for. I’m helping out with some school expenses, but that’s with no strings attached. If she doesn’t want to fool around with Grandpa, I don’t have a problem with it.

Before bed, we watched two more episodes of Lucifer together. Interestingly, Mary had been watching the series on Netflix as well, and coincidentally we were both up to Season One, Episode Eleven, at the same time, so that worked out well.

I didn’t feel like cooking this morning, so after the dog walk, I took Mary to Sit-n-Bull for breakfast.

I had the pancake platter.

After eating, Mary caught a Jeepney for home, and I took some steps to start my standard Saturday street walk. Except, my knee issue flared up again, and this time it was worse than ever. Still no pain, but it was numb, and I was limping. I also felt like I was going to keel over from a collapsed knee at any moment. So, I cut my walk short and headed home. But, before I could make it all the way up the hill, I had to stop and sit down for a while. I was still limping a bit when I continued, but I felt like I had better balance. I got home and took a nap, and the knee felt normal again.

This afternoon I will be paying a visit to Harley’s on Baloy to participate in raising a glass in memory of Alan, the Brit who passed away earlier this week. I also hope to check on his gal Christine, who doesn’t appear (based on FB postings) to be doing so well. After seventeen years together, I’m sure Alan’s passing left a big hole in her soul. I hope she finds a healthy way to fill that void.

I wonder what is going to happen next. I don’t have a feeling of impending doom or anything quite that dramatic, but I also can’t stymie the awareness that someone is going to be next, and I fit that dynamic. All I can think to do about that is to keep on living until I’m not around to care anymore. So, let’s get on with it!

My night on the town

I arrived at Whiskey Girl for the second-anniversary celebration about thirty minutes before opening, so I chilled next door at the Outback pool bar to pass the time. I returned to WG when the doors opened and plopped down at a stage front table to enjoy the festivities.

I had my VIP ticket, which entitled me to drink for free from 5 to 6 p.m., so I went to work to swallow every drop of value I could before time ran out. A raffle was on the agenda for later in the evening, so I received a ticket with every beer. That made it easy to keep track of what I consumed. And now I know the rate at which I drink (when the beer is free anyway) is five bottles per hour. I couldn’t help but smile at the symmetry of my drinking speed and my walking speed of five kilometers per hour. As I like to say, I’m a walkaholic by day and an alcoholic at night. Hey, if you are going to do something, do it well, right?

I’d brought a batch of my brownies to share with the hard-working girls, and they seemed to enjoy them. Cookies for the kids, brownies for the brown knees. It’s nice to have balance in life.

My waitress friend and cuddle bunny Jenn wasn’t working (she’s still on a barfine), but another waitress volunteered to fill the void–literally–she sat down next to me and started to rub my leg. Naturally, I bought her a drink.

Is the glass half full or half empty?

My new waitress friend got up without a word and disappeared. I assumed she was either in the CR or taking care of a customer. She never returned to finish her drink, and I learned later that she had gone on a barfine with another customer. I’ve railed about that kind of behavior before–have the courtesy to finish your over-priced drink or at least to say, “Sorry, I have to go; my regular customer is here.” I’m always okay with that. Anyway, I didn’t let the rude behavior spoil my celebratory mood, but she’ll never earn another drink commission from me again, either.

The Whiskey Girl dance team has won the last two SOB dance competitions, and they put on their performance for the crowd last night (the place was packed, indeed). It was a great show, and I enjoyed watching it from my front-row seat. I felt some kind of reward was in order, so I called down my favorite dancer to join me for a drink.

A little long in the tooth, perhaps, but a smoking hot body and a very talented dancer.

The guy at the table next to me called the other four dancers down, and he bought them all bottled lady drinks, aka doubles, at 300 pesos each (I was paying 180 for my singles). I asked my new dancer friend if she felt slighted by my cheap Charlie ways, and she told me not at all. I explained that I wouldn’t pay 300 for a beer as a matter of principle, but I had no problem buying two singles so that she would not lose out on the commission end. I actually wound up buying her three and gave a very nice tip, so she seemed happy.

The first raffle of the night was at 7 p.m., and I wasn’t drawn, despite the massive number of tickets with my name on them from my beer and lady drink purchases. The next drawing wasn’t until 8:00, and given my consumption rate, I knew I wouldn’t be up for that. Besides, I had one more stop to make before going home–a nightcap at Queen Victoria.

I’d promised my new friend Angie I would come by and have a drink with her, and I try to be a man of my word. I really do enjoy her company, even if she’s not the cutest girl in the bar. She hadn’t had dinner, so I sprang for a pizza from Shamboli’s for her and her co-workers.

Yep, you can’t go wrong when you buy Filipinas a pineapple-laced Hawaiian pizza.

I didn’t stay long, but Angie said she would be joining today’s hike, and she showed up on time and everything. It’s kind of a weird dance we are doing. Angie has asked me twice if I wanted a massage, and both times I have declined. I’m just in this place right now where I don’t want to pay for physical affection–at least not directly. Yeah, I know, that is so unlike me. Maybe it is just a phase I’m going through, or maybe I’m just hoping to find someone who wants to touch me for the mutual pleasure it would bring us. Hey, it could happen!

Facebook memories reminded me of that time five years ago when I kicked Kevin Kim’s ass.

Technically, it was the trail I chose to climb Namsan in Seoul that did the ass-kicking, but it was still a good time.

Ten years ago, I thought I’d settled into my American life with my Korean wife. Had my nice little house all set up for my darting fanaticism, and it felt like I was living the dream.

Dreams die, and so did I. Or at least the person I was back then is long gone. I don’t even play darts anymore.

And John Kim posted this update on his Facebook page:

Luckily all my surgeries went well and now I am getting dialysis regularly. I have no pain and I must again appreciate for all the support. You guys saved me when I really wanted to give it up. Thank you.

Study says, average dialysis patient make it to 5 years. I have no complaints on that. Instead of getting all depressed, I want to live well for next five years. I love what I do, so I am lucky in that department. But I don’t want to be remembered as just a workaholic to my loved ones. I need to spend some time with them other than working together.

Starting from next week, John’s Sushi And Steakhouse will be closed on Wednesday. I want to and need to spend some time with my family and my coworkers. I want to see more of Zambales with them, before I am not able to move around. I hope you guys understand.

Well, I’m glad he’ll be around six days a week!

I’ve carved out some time for the devil in my life every day. I’m really enjoying Lucifer so far. I’m not a reviewer like the esteemed Mr. Kim, but I know what I like, and this show appeals on several levels–good acting and an exciting storyline with a mix of police detective work and Biblical references. It sounds crazy, but it works. I was born in Los Angeles, where the series is based, and the aerial views and street scenes bring back memories from my youth. (I was raised south of LA in Orange County but spent lots of time in the big city at Dodger Stadium and rock concert venues.)

Thanks for reading; I’ll be back with more tomorrow, including photos from today’s group hike.

Going my way

What other way is there to go? Here’s how I rolled yesterday.

A good hike with the Wednesday Walkers to start my day. Not too long (under 6K) but with two decent climbs that kept the sweat glands pumping.

And we are off! Largest turnout we’ve had in quite a while
Going off-road
Through a village
And up the first hill
A view from the top
For you Easter Mountain junkies
I don’t know if I was just slower than usual or if the group was more energetic, but I was lagging far behind all morning. Thankfully, no issues with the knee.
On one side, the valley
On the other, the bay. Not much of a house, perhaps, but you gotta love looking out the back door.
Down we go
Back in the flatlands
The group waits on me (again) in Marian Hills
The survivors back in Alta Vista
The route we walked
The lunch my helper prepared for me when I got back home from the hike.

A nap, a blog post, and another episode of Lucifer while the brownies were baking, then it was time to head for the Wednesday feeding at Hideaway.

Pork lumpia and fried chicken
With pizza
Some of the hungry Hideaway girls in action
It looks like it was good.

I was more generous than usual last night, buying all the girls a drink and several for Joy. My bar tab was almost 2000 pesos, and the food was another 2000 pesos. The Hideaway feeding has become my costly “charity” project, and obviously, the money could be better spent on those truly in need. But what am I gonna do? The gals look forward to being fed every Wednesday and Sunday, and I don’t want to let them down. I guess I’ll count it as a blessing that I can afford to indulge them.

After Hideaway, I walked across town to do my nightcap at Whiskey Girl. The last couple of times I’d visited, my cuddler Jenn was with another customer. I found out last night she has been on a two-week barfine (so far). Well, good for her. That’s why she’s there, and that’s how she makes a living. I’ve got no grounds to be selfishly disappointed because I didn’t get my squeeze. Actually, Whiskey Girl is celebrating its two-year anniversary tonight, and I’ve got a VIP ticket (free drinks from 5 until 6 p.m.), so I’ll be there for that. And I’m sure I’ll find a suitable substitute for Jenn. That’s the way the game is played in the bars, and rumor has it I’m a player.

I posted a comment on a post about the Go Fund Me page Bob’s motorcycle club has started on his behalf, asking if there would be a donation box at Sunday’s wake. Bob’s widow sent me a message saying there would be but requested that I make the donation directly to her (apparently, someone has been stealing from the box). I told her I would be happy to do so, and she thanked me, saying it was much needed and much appreciated. That’s one thing about dying–your problems are over, but not so much for the ones you leave behind.

That’s the way it was. And soon, I’ll discover what’s to be. I’ll share what I find out here tomorrow. See you then!

Stung by a B in the ass

Well, technically, it was a needle that stung me with an injection of B complex vitamins in my left butt cheek.

So, I consulted Dr. Jo and her physician husband for their advice on the intermittent numbness issue I’ve been experiencing in my left knee/leg. After some poking, prodding, and manipulation it does not appear that I have muscle or joint damage. They concluded that it is likely a nerve issue which will require an ultrasound test to confirm. They also suggested I add some B vitamins to my daily meds ingestion ritual and gave me the shot to get me started. I teasingly told Dr. Jo, “I didn’t have any pain when I came here today and now you have fixed that. Good job!”

That’s actually the good news in all this, I haven’t had to deal with pain. The numbness/tingly feeling is a bit disconcerting, but I can walk through that. The concern that prompted the doctor’s visit was having the knee collapse and causing a fall. The ramifications of that happening up on the mountain is scary as hell. It is somewhat comforting that this issue seems to be fleeting–I felt it briefly in the supermarket yesterday but had no issues on a rather challenging hike this morning. So, we’ll see. Looking at it from a positive perspective, if this is the worst I have to complain about, I’m doing pretty good for an old fucker.

I woke up to the sad news this morning that another person I’ve known here has passed away. Alan was a long-time resident and former manager at the Palm Tree Resort (that’s where I met him) and an all-around good guy. He had returned to the UK a couple of weeks ago for some medical treatment (I think it was prostate related). This morning his sister posted that Alan had died in his sleep last night. I feel very bad for his sweetheart Christine who was devoted to him. I sent her my condolences and told her to let me know if she needs any kind of help. She is facing tough times I’m sure.

I sometimes joke about the Barretto expat community resembling a retirement village. Most of us here are retired old farts, so it shouldn’t really be all that surprising that the death rate among us is going to be relatively high. I’m not all that morbidly inclined, but I can’t help but wonder who is going to be next, recognizing that one day it will be me. A good reminder to make the best of the time you have before it runs out. I’m not sure I make the best use of my time, but I try to do the things I enjoy best. Maybe that’s enough.

I’m not a big fan of Facebook and don’t engage there nearly as much as I used to. And don’t get me started on what a total douchebag Mark Zuckerman has proven himself to be. Still, it has its value in some ways. For example, it helps you keep in touch with old friends you might not otherwise ever hear from again after you’ve moved away–I routinely send birthday greetings to folks back in the USA and Korea that I’ll probably never see again in person. For some reason, I was thinking of an old friend from my Prescott, AZ days, Joe Heydorn. I did a search on Facebook and found an account that I thought might be him, so I sent him a message:

Remember me? I was the best man at your wedding sometime last century.

Six weeks later, I got this response:

Hello, John. It was exactly 40 years ago yesterday. Thanks to your training, I did 37+ years with the USPS. I’ll never forgive you.

HaHa! Well, I’m glad to hear he’s doing well.

And of course, the other thing Facebook provides me is a flashback with its daily “memories” feature. I was pretty much a fucked up mess during my last year in Korea which is all on me and something I really regret–wasting what could have been some of the best times of my life. So, five years ago (about two weeks before I moved to the PI) I posted this:

It seems to be taking longer than I hoped, but I think I’m finally getting there.

Tonight I’ll continue down the road to my destiny. I’ll begin the evening with my Hideaway feeding and then decide where I might drown my sorrows next. I’m joking (mostly) about that second part–I’m over the sorrows and well into the acceptance mode. This week I had a gal beseeching me for a “second chance” and didn’t relent on my denial. When she kept pleading “Why?” I simply responded, “Because I don’t need the drama that comes with you.” That seemed to shut her up.

Alright, that’s it for now. I’m going to go spend some time with Lucifer.

An encounter with Lucifer

I’m not calling yesterday’s Hare, Leech My Nuggets, the Devil or anything, but it was hot and hellish on the Hash trail yesterday. Or at least the half of it I did was. Still got in a tad over 7K, including the walk from my place. I’ll put up the photos from the hike at the end of this post.

So, Angie (the gal I recently met at Queen Victoria) brought her friend Rose along to join us on the Hash trail. They arrived at my place a little after 11:00 a.m. and I had my helper fry up some chicken wings for our lunch (I heated some broccoli for our side dish). With lunch out of the way, there was still an hour to kill before it was time to head out for the Hash. It had been months since I’d turned on my TV, but I wanted to keep my guests entertained, so I started scrolling through the offerings on Netflix. I admit some of the shows looked interesting and I also noticed the new season of Manifest is available. I guess the fact that I’ve not felt compelled to continue where I left off last year is a review of sorts. Anyway, Rose said she liked scary shows, so we clicked on a series called Lucifer.

I’d never even heard of this show, but it ran for six seasons (three on Fox and three more on Netflix. I found the first episode of season one very entertaining and enjoyable, enough so that I’m thinking about squeezing an hour or two into my daily routine to put that Netflix subscription I’m paying for to use. Stay tuned.

Heading out for the Hash with Angie (on the left) and her pal Rose
Yesterday’s trail. The green line is the shortcut the “sane” group took
Gathering up at the starting point
And we are On-On!
The trail featured a hellacious climb near the start
The hill was like an Eveready battery, it just kept going, and going, and going…
Are we there yet?

A rest break near the top
And then continuing the quest
Eventually, things flattened out some
Leech’s trail continued up to the top of Kalaklan ridge near that tower, but the “sane” among us said “fuck that” and took our shortcut
Cookies and candy for the kids that live up here. I’m only out this way once every three months or so, but damn, they seem to know when I’m coming. Hearing them squeal when they spot me does fill my heart with joy.
Time to make our way back down
The downs, at least for me, can be every bit as difficult as the ups. Thankfully, this trek wasn’t so bad.
Heading back to town
On-Home this week was at Johansson’s. Rose was a Hasher in Angeles several years ago and has a Hash name, Morning Dew. This was Angie’s third Hash, and first in a long time. They both professed to have a good time and say they want to come back again.
Both of my guests forgot that if you complement the Hash trail you have to join the Hare on the ice. Rose had to sit again later because as a named Hasher she is required to wear Hash attire.
You might say this image captures the essence of the Hash Circle spirit
This would be the PG version

Anyway, it was a good day on trail overall. My guests drank enough to make the 300 pesos entrance fee a bargain (especially since I paid). Oh, and I just remembered this incident. Someone (we didn’t see who) had dropped a 500 peso bill just outside the front door at Johansson’s. Angie rushed out to pick it up, and when she sat down she exclaimed, “Now I can buy milk for my baby.” I was thinking whoever dropped the money would likely be looking for it, and I was curious to see what Angie would do. Sure enough, a gal was walking around near the door and I asked her what was she looking for. “I dropped my 500 pesos somewhere.” Angie immediately said, “I found it” and returned the money. Good for her. I gave her 1000 pesos and said you can now buy twice as much milk for being honest. Oh, and later on I put the money dropper on the ice for “littering.” Heh.

Rose and Angie were still finishing their beers when I told them goodnight and headed out. I was hungry (I’d bought them something to eat earlier) and had a hankering for my favorite from Mangos:

Yep, I’m talking about the grilled pork chops. I was not disappointed.

Did my nightcap at Sloppy Joe’s just across the highway. Only one other customer and the waitress said the Hashers had all gone to It Doesn’t Matter. Yeah, I figured but I wasn’t wanting to walk that far. Had my beer and caught a trike for home.

Speaking of It Doesn’t Matter, looks like I’ll be spending Sunday afternoon there this week:

We raised a glass for him at the Hash as well. Bob’s Hash name is Ride It Up My Ass. It was funnier when he was alive.

I’m going to visit Dr. Jo this afternoon to discuss some issues I’m having with my left knee and leg. No pain, but occasionally numb and tingly. I was in a walk-it-off mode yesterday morning, at least until my knee collapsed and I found myself sprawled on the ground. I was worried about doing the Hash but had no issues on the hike. This morning at the grocery store, it went tingly again. Makes me nervous that the knee might give out at the wrong time and place and I’ll be in deep doo-doo. My internet sleuthing didn’t turn up anything consistent with my symptoms, so we’ll see what the good doctor has to say.

Sees ya all tomorrey then. (Yeah, it’s probably brain damage)

A Jewel of a meal

It’s Hash Monday, and it seems that Angie (the gal from Queen Vic) is indeed going to join me for today’s adventure. The trail starts on Banaba Street, which is about 40 minutes away from my house on foot, assuming I shortcut over the mountain, as is my current plan. So, time is of the essence this morning hence this limited post about last night’s feeding at Hideaway Bar.

My Sunday custom is to order off the menu at Jewel Cafe and then have the food delivered to Hideaway. Last night’s selections:

Chicken quesadillas
Pork sisig
Garlic prawns
And fried chicken

I also brought some chili and cornbread from home. The dessert was Choco Pies and Oreo cookies.

A taste of my chili
A bite of my cornbread
A prawn soon to be gone
Say goodbye to the Choco Pie

The girls seemed to enjoy their meal, and I, of course, enjoyed seeing their satisfied faces.

After the food was gone, I challenged Joy to a game of pool.

Give me a break!

I don’t play that often, and when I do, I usually suck. I made a couple of shots that surprised me and managed to prevail in my battle with Joy. Jen challenged me next, and although it was a close game, she won in the end. Ah, well.

I did my nightcap at Cheap Charlies and watched the world go by for a bit.

Nerissa was there to keep me company as well. I made it an early night, coming home at 8 p.m.

Pretty exciting life, huh?

Leech My Nuggets is the Hare for today’s Hash, and as usual, he’s laid out a challenging trail. Also, as usual, I’ll be shortcutting. Of course, my walk to the start will add some distance, but that’s okay. I’ll let you know how things turn out tomorrow.

Rollin’ with the flow

Having some log-on issues again, hopefully this post will find the light of day when I hit publish. The only way to find out is to write one, so here goes.

A short 5K solo street walk in the morning and a visit from Mary in the afternoon were the highlights of the daytime hours. But let’s talk about Saturday night, even if there wasn’t anything extraordinary about it. Still, a typical night on the town beats sitting around feeling miserable, right?

I didn’t have a date, but I wasn’t alone.

I walked to the far side of town and grabbed some grub at John’s place. It was nice to see him up and about and on his feet again. I perused the menu and went with my old favorite, the pulled pork sandwich. And John’s is the best one in town.

As yummy as it looks. Or maybe more so, given my lack of photography skills.

I got bored while my meal was being prepared and decided to snap pictures of the menu for my foodie reader(s) to enjoy. Again, sorry for the lack of quality, but you’ll at least get an idea of what’s on offer.

Hungry yet?

With my stomach full, it was time to get to work. I dropped into It Doesn’t Matter to see if there was any news regarding a gathering to honor Bob’s memory. Apparently, there was a viewing taking place at the funeral parlor at that moment.

This photo is from a friend’s FB page. I’m not interested in seeing the remains, but I would like to raise a glass to honor Bob’s memory. Still no word on whether such an event will occur.

I finished my one beer at IDM and moved on.

This coupon from Friday’s SOB was burning a hole in my pocket. It wasn’t 5 p.m. yet, so the only SOB bar open for early birds like me was The Green Room. Fine, let’s go!

The sports bar ambiance of The Green Room is comfortable, the waitresses are friendly, the music is good, and the beer is cold. I always sit near the pool table, and watching people play can be entertaining (no dancers in this bar). And then I did something I don’t recall ever having done before in a bar:

I ordered a cup of coffee. No, it wasn’t Starbucks, just a packet of instant. The night was young and I was yawning like crazy. The coffee did seem to perk me up some.

I managed to spend 500 pesos of the 750 on the coupon and decided it was time to move on down the highway. Next stop, Sloppy Joe’s. I gotta say, if I updated my Bars of Barretto rankings, this joint would be my new number one.

My pal Chris was handling the music again, and I was enjoying hearing my old favorites from the 60s and 70s once more. Lousy picture, but that’s Jim Morrison of The Doors on the big screen. Yeah, the music videos are pretty cool to see as well.
My other viewpoint from the barstool is the National Highway. Watching traffic can be entertaining as well (and a little scary at times). That’s Barretto’s finest hotel across the street.
And something else that’s always nice to see is a round of shots for all the customers courtesy of the manager. Thanks for that!

I had chatted with Angie earlier in the day and told her I’d try to pop into Queen Victoria to see her on my home. Being a man of my word, I made Queen Vic my nightcap venue. When I first sat down at the bar, Irish approached me, but I told her sorry, I’m here to see Angie. And soon enough, Angie was there at my side. I really enjoyed her company last night, and I hope she really does join me at the Hash on Monday.

Having now exhausted the remainder of my coupon (and then some), I caught a trike for home, once again arriving prior to my self-imposed 9 p.m. curfew. I had some pecan pie from Sit-n-Bull in the fridge, so I warmed it up in the microwave, slapped a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream on top, and indulged my sweet tooth before dragging my fat ass to bed.

Speaking of curfews, FB memories showed me a post I’d made on this date in 2020 at the height of the scamdemic craziness. I was kind of proud of the fact that I saw through the bullshit from the beginning and also a little surprised that Facebook hadn’t censored it at Uncle Sam’s bidding.

Those were the days. Hopefully, everyone has wised up to the con now.

And now I’m in the arms of a quiet Sunday.

Took the boys for their morning walk
Enjoyed the bay view from the ‘hood
Then took myself on a 7K solitary Sunday stroll

I’ve got a batch of chili in the crockpot, and I’ll bake up some cornbread to enjoy with it when I return from my Sunday evening drinking duties, starting with feeding the girls at Hideaway.

Life is good. We’ll see if it gets gooder.

This came up on the playlist that Spotify suggested. Hmm, I can relate, even if I’m not Charlie Rich fan.

Drama time

Try as I might, I just can’t seem to avoid drama, even if it doesn’t directly involve me.

Mary invited herself to join me for last night’s SOB, and I accepted her invitation. After the show, she wanted to come home with me, and I didn’t resist that overture either. I went to bed, and she lay beside me, busy on her phone. I actually found it rather irritating because I was feeling a little frisky. Anyway, suddenly, she sprang up and said she had to go. Apparently, her drug-addicted uncle had beat up her grandmother. This has been going on for some time. Why anyone would tolerate that kind of behavior is a mystery to me, but I guess Granny can’t find a way to tell her son to fuck off. The bottom line for me was I woke up alone again this morning.

My part-time helper, who lives in the maid’s room downstairs, messaged me with a plea for 6,000 pesos to bail her brother out of jail. He got busted in a drug raid at his friend’s house in Subic. His story is he wasn’t aware his friend was involved with drugs and is an innocent victim in all of this. He’s making other allegations of police corruption, but methinks he might be protesting too much. If you choose to run with the wrong crowd, this kind of thing will happen. Anyway, I made the loan because it would suck to be stuck in a Filipino jail indefinitely waiting for a trial, especially if you are innocent. If he is guilty, he’ll be back in soon enough. One of my friends with benefits got busted for drugs, and I ceased all contact with her after that. I do not want to be around anyone doing illegal shit; the potential consequences for innocent bystanders are too severe.

This morning Darlene messaged me pleading for a second chance. I didn’t give her one but tried to be nice in my rejection. Her parting shot was that I give up too quickly. I bit my tongue and let it go. Who needs the drama?

Hmm, I see now that I was writing about darts drama back in 2018. I feel a little bad about that now because the Drama King I wrote about died a few months later.

UPDATE: I was just chatting with one of the Cheap Charlies gals I know, and she said lots of the staff there are afraid of me because I throw “tantrums.” Shit. Maybe I attract drama because I’m so dramatic. Still, whenever I’ve been upset in Cheap Charlies, I had valid reasons. But I guess that is also a matter of perspective. Something to think about.

No drama involved with the Friday group hike. The closest we came was a new landowner who has chosen to erect fences that interfered with the My Bitch trail. We were able to find a walk-around this time, but this kind of thing doesn’t bode well for the future.

This kind of fence.

It was an otherwise pleasant hike. Here are some photos from along the way:

Our path, as seen from above
This week’s iteration of the Friday hikers
An Alta Vista passage
Then into the hills
Another hot day. Much better in the shade.
Hello, Easter mountain
Arriving at my mountain friend Olivia’s place
It was Olivia’s birthday, and her kids and grandkids were there. That’s Jennifer and her baby.
Just passing through
Bottled in
Looks cozy
Heading back down to the valley
Paying our respects to Mother Mary
How now, brown cow?
Just about done
See you next time, EM!

The SOB was at Alaska Club last night. Before the show, I went to Angel’s Bakery next door for something to eat.

It’s been quite some time since I last ate there, but this roast chicken salad was outstanding.

The SOB went well, with the Whiskey Girl team taking first place. A very close contest this week.

That’s me at 35 years old, enjoying a cold can of Busch beer. Hey, all the cool dudes were doing it.

Alright, let’s see what Saturday night holds in store. Thanks for dropping in.

Counting my blessings

Yeah, things don’t always go the way we hope they will, but then, life would be pretty boring if everything went according to plan every time. And it also occurs to me that some of those things that go wrong may actually be blessings in disguise. I get down in the dumps occasionally, but it is easy to find reminders that I truly am a lucky man. As long as I keep waking up each morning, I’m still in the game. Ultimately, experiencing all that life throws at you, good and bad, makes living worthwhile. I’m resolved to continue my journey as long as I can and see where this road I’m traveling on leads me. Experiencing the adventure is the greatest blessing of all.

None of the above musings has anything to do with the TikTok video Mary sent me. She’s an attractive, sweet, and intelligent young woman, but I’ve known from the beginning she’s not the one for me. I’m continuing to support some of her educational goals and needs, and we sometimes share companionship hours, but that’s all there is and all that it will ever be.

Joy wanted to spend her day off with me, but I ignored the request. I enjoy Joy’s company, but I prefer to confine it to the feeding days at Hideaway. I’m not sure why that is, but I suspect it is because I’ve lost interest in scenarios that involve payment for services rendered. I mean, I get that you always pay one way or another, but I prefer pretending that intimacy is coming from the heart, not the wallet.

I saw Nerissa briefly last night, and it was fine chatting and laughing with her. But whatever interest I had in a possible relationship is gone now. Ever since she revealed her drama queen tendencies, I knew I was better off without her. There are worse things than being alone.

And more and more, I’m coming to accept that being alone is my destiny. My date with Darlene seemed to underscore those feelings. I want to emphasize my acknowledgment that I’m as much or more to blame for my romantic failures as anyone else. I am what I am, and I’m unwilling to compromise or settle for anything less than what I want. Of course, if I actually knew what the fuck I wanted and expected, I’d be a lot further down the road to finding it. Anyway, here’s the lowdown on our first and presumably last date.

She was thirty minutes late for our agreed-upon meetup time and location. I cut her some slack because she had to rely on public transportation, including two different jeepneys, to get to Barretto.

I was not physically attracted to her. That’s all on me, obviously. I was not expecting a “love at first sight” scenario, but she also didn’t look anything like what I imagined. Her Date In Asia profile said her body type was slim, and that’s pretty much what I prefer.

Darlene was shy about having her picture taken.
But I snuck this one as she exited the CR. I’m not being critical of her appearance; just noting that we define “slim” quite differently.

Anyway, we met at the 7/11, and Darlene agreed to walk to the floating bar on Baloy, so I give her props for that. She had never been to a floating bar and was excited about the experience. The water was rough, and it took her a while to adapt to the motion, but before too long, she was having a good time. I was a little surprised to see her order a Red Horse beer, that’s a favorite of the locals, but it is also high in alcohol content (8% if I recall correctly). So, it wasn’t long before she was feeling buzzed.

We both enjoyed watching the sun go down.

Darlene laughed at my jokes, liked my deep voice, and held her own in our conversations and interactions with the bar staff. In other words, she was good company, and I enjoyed our time together on the floater.

When it came time to eat, I took her to Treasure Island. From what I recall, we had a nice meal and more beers. In fact, I realized it was time to call it a night before she had too much to drink. We caught a trike back to the 7/11 jeepney stop, and I gave her some money to take a trike the rest of the way home from Olongapo (didn’t want her to have to make that transfer to another jeep). Darlene did mention she was feeling dizzy and wanted to wait a bit before going home, but a jeepney pulled up, and I thought it best that she take it.

She sent me a nasty message later that night saying it was wrong of me to have her ride the jeep while not feeling well. I responded, “Sorry.” The next day, she accepted my apology and said she had fun, and I said I had fun too. Then the next day, she sent a message asking for my help. She decided she wants to return to Qatar to work and needed to travel to Manila to complete the application and paperwork requirements. So, I wired her 3500 pesos, and she thanked me profusely. I do want to note that she was not begging and offered to provide services (she is a certified caregiver by trade) in return for the money. I told her that wasn’t necessary, and I was glad to help her achieve her goals.

So, I guess one way to assess the date’s success is to note that Darlene was the first woman who didn’t want to stay in the same country as me after our meeting. Would I have considered going out with her again? Perhaps, but probably with the understanding that we were just together as friends. Again, I enjoyed her company but didn’t feel a romantic attraction. But seriously, I think she knew we weren’t right for each other romantically, so she was ready to move on to a life as an OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker).

So, what’s next? Well, hopefully not this:

If you are not a pervert and didn’t look up her skirt, take a gander now. She’s a girl with something extra!

But maybe this:

This is Angie, who works at Queen Victoria bar

I saw Angie for the second time last night, and we had a nice conversation. She’s early 40s and showed me a picture of her 20-year-old daughter, who is working at Wet Spot. I was thankful that her daughter is not one of the girls I ply with drinks there.

A photo from my first meeting with Angie, which coincidentally took place after my first (and last) date with Darlene.

Anyway, Angie has been Hashing before and wants to Hash again. And she is off on Mondays. I told her I would be happy to sponsor her (i.e., pay the 300 peso entry fee) anytime she wants to attend. We are also Facebook friends now. So, we’ll see if she is only in it for the drinks or if maybe I’ll have a Hash buddy to hike with.

Some people may think my life is pathetic, and perhaps it is, but it is the best damn life I currently have, and I intend to make the most of it. One way or another.

Hiking to the C.

C = Castillejos.

The Wednesday Walkers loaded up in a jeepney and traveled to the far side of Subic, starting our hike in the Philseco area. We then marched through the backroads, fields, hills, and dales, making our way to the Babaytay section of Castillejos. A hot day, but a pleasant change of scenery and an enjoyable 8+ kilometer hike.

The path we took
in the jeepney
Out of the jeepney
Hitting the road
Scott on the road

That’s where a former Hasher I had the hots for in 2018 lives. She chose someone else over me. And this is how that’s working out for her. I feel sad for her but not pity.
And she did get (another) kid out of the deal, something I could never give her.
Up the road
Heading for the hills
Waiting on the slowpokes
Off the pavement
Up we go!
The old fat guy in the group
They are building a bypass road that will provide a shortcut to the shipyard in Cawag.
Someday no one will remember what was here before the road.
Oh, yeah? Just watch us!
The view from here
Early traffic on the new road
Heading back to the greenery
A beautiful day to be out of town
Cookie time!
A murky pond
On the road again
Another cookie delivery
Green acres
Flatlands
If you say so
Road work
Over the river
A tree that is even older than me
Waiting on a bus back to Barretto.

A good day on trail.

When beer o’clock came around, I headed out to Hideaway for the Wednesday feeding. Last night’s menu was pizza, pork liempo, fried chicken, rice, and freshly baked brownies. The food was gone in a flash, so no pictures.

Well, except for this one of Joy’s satisfied face

I was in one of “those” moods last night and decided to take my melancholy attitude elsewhere. Walking down the highway, it struck me as appropriate to show my respect to Bob by lifting a bottle to his memory.

In retrospect, probably not a good idea. That’s the “boss’s table” where he always sat. It just won’t ever be the same without him.
The ashtray with Bob’s motorcycle club logo

Anyway, I had one beer and left. Too soon for me now, but I imagine there will be a wake or other sendoff for him soon that I will attend.

I parked my ass at Sloppy Joe’s next, and the place was rockin’. Chris was in charge of the music and playing tunes that helped us old fuckers recall the happy days of our youth. When the people I knew left, I went next door to Alaska to say hi to Virginia.

I was very disappointed to receive the silent treatment from her, despite paying for two lady drinks. Honestly, it was so bad I resolved never to buy her another one. I finished my beer and left.

To her credit, Virginia did message me this morning to apologize, saying she had a headache last night. Well, she could have told me that then and maybe I’d been a tad more understanding. She’s lost her status as my favorite in Alaska now, and IF I go back there in the future, I’ll pick someone else to drink with.

Not a great way to end the night, but it’s a brand new day today, and I won’t let yesterday intrude on my pursuit of a good time today. And yes, I know I owe you a report on my date this week. I’m still working through my thoughts on that event, but perhaps I’ll have something to share tomorrow.

Vaya con Dios

Sad tidings have come to our little town with the news of Bob Kuehl’s tragic death. Bob was the owner of the It Doesn’t Matter bar and an avid motorcycling enthusiast. It was the latter that ultimately led to his passing. Bob was a member of a biker club called the Eight Demons, and they were making a cross-country tour of the PI. Out on the distant island of Mindoro, Bob was attempting to pass a slower-moving vehicle on his big Harley-Davidson when he had a head-on collision with an oncoming car. Bob died in the hospital yesterday.

Bob was well-known and well-liked throughout the community. I understand he was 62 years of age when he died.
He leaves behind his lovely wife, Luna. I don’t know if he has family back in the USA.

Bob’s untimely death is a stark reminder that you never know which day will be your last one on Earth. From all appearances, Bob lived his life to the fullest and did it his way on his terms. Riding that Harley was one of his passions, and perhaps some comfort can be found in knowing he was doing what he loved to do at the end of his life.

Rest in Peace, Bob. You will be missed by all whose lives you touched.

A peaceful easy feeling

A pretty laid-back Hash trail yesterday, with one moderate climb and a mellow down. That suits me just fine. I started the trail ahead of the pack and left the Hash circle before it was over. Ah, the freedom to do what you want, when you want, with whoever you want is definitely underrated.

The trail started at the VFW, then up into the hills on the My Bitch path, down into Marian Hills, back through Alta Vista, then out to Baloy Beach for the On-Home at Da’Kudos.
The Harriers gather for instructions from the Hare
On-On!
The climb begins
Steppin’ it up
It got a bit steep in places, but not for long
Once up top, it was almost like a stroll in the park
A Barretto view
And another from on high
Tree hugger
The Easter Mountain shot
Folks doing some work in the wilderness
It was a well-marked and easy-to-follow trail
It was hot in the sunshine yesterday
That’s Alta Vista off in the distance
Going down
The long and the short of it. I chose short.
Cookie delivery in Marian Hills
Leaving Marian Hills
On the streets of Alta Vista
The trail included a beer stop at Snackbar
I made it On-Home to Da’Kudos
Calamari for dinner
And beer for dessert.
Time to circle up
Hares on the ice
To be honest, I sometimes find the circle rituals a bit too much. But I also tend to be not all that sociable, so who am I to judge? The floating bar was enticing me, and before the circle ended, I had made my escape.
Three birthday girls getting the cake treatment
Sunset on the beach
Sunset on the water
The floater wasn’t too busy yesterday
The Hash circle, as seen from my new and improved vantage point

After a few beers on board, I walked up the beach to McCoy’s for my nightcap. I even sang a couple of videoke songs. All in all, a pretty fine day.

I’ll be back on Baloy this afternoon for my first date with Darlene, the gal I “met” on Date In Asia. Looking forward to seeing her in person. When I was telling her about the Hash, she must have done a Google search because she sent me some pictures of me at the Hash. And they were from my blog! It’s a little scary to think she may be reading my diary, but since she hasn’t backed out of the date, maybe I haven’t scared her away. Yet.

I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.