If the shoe fits, wear it

Posted on 25/September/2022 by John McCrarey

Another day and I lived to tell about it, so here goes.

I started my morning by doing my usual SSS (Saturday Solo Street) walk on the mean byways of Barretto (National Highway, Abra, Rizal, Columban, Jasmine, Gomez, Dagupan, Jolo, and Del Pilar). I finished at Sit-n-Bull, where I ordered some take-out food to reward my dedication to exercise and a healthy lifestyle (COCI–calories out, calories in).

***That’s 3/4 of the footlong ham sub sandwich. I gave the other portion to my helper. See, I’m not a total glutton.***

***But how could I resist the pecan pie? Yes, it’s small and expensive (200 pesos!), but I added a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream to flesh it out some. Yeah, maybe I am a glutton after all.***

I began my evening activities at It Doesn’t Matter, where I interacted with a new waitress named Juliet. She really tripped my triggers, so I introduced myself as Romeo and bought her a couple of lady drinks. She told me right up front that she has a boyfriend, Aussie, I think she said, and they have been together for several years. Just my luck. Juliet had heard of “Romeo and Juliet” but wasn’t familiar with the details of Shakespeare’s famous play. I did a quick Google search to make sure I got the sequence of events correct, then did a brief retelling of the sad tale for her enlightenment. It didn’t end well for the original Juliet and her Romeo, and here in the real world, our tragedy never got started. Just as well, the IDM Juliet has a happy life (and three kids), and I wouldn’t dream of intruding on that.

The next stop was the seldom-visited BarCelona. I had two beers while waiting for Hot Zone to open so I could use my “buy one, get one” coupon. When I arrived at HZ, my friend, the door girl, followed me in, and of course, I satisfied her desire for lady drinks. The Sit-n-Bull waitress also came in with menus (SnB services the neighboring bars), so I ordered up some chicken wings and chicken fingers. While waiting for the food to arrive, I regaled two of the waitresses with my lame jokes, and their polite laughter earned them drinks as well (I told you those discount coupons wind up costing me big time!). When the food arrived, I shared the bounty with the gals, and they were appropriately appreciative.

I had my “one for the road” drink at the nearby Green Room, then called it a night.

I slept in until almost 0500, then went about my morning rituals.

***Cranberry muffins were my breakfast treat.***

My cash supply was running a bit low, and as usual, the BPI ATM in Barretto was out of service. In those circumstances, I usually do the highway walk to Subic-town (around 5K each way), but it’s an ugly trek. So, instead, I had the bright idea to walk the highway in the opposite direction and use the ATM on the old Navy base. And that’s just what I did.

***It looked like this. And my actual pace was a little over 12 minutes per kilometer. I didn’t turn off the tracker while I was doing my business.***

Since I hadn’t walked this way for a while, I decided to do that “one photo every 1.6 KMs” in sync with the notifications from my Map My Hike app.

***Leaving my place. Since walking the highway is probably the most dangerous thing I do, I wanted to get one last selfie done, just in case.***

At ***1.6K on the National Highway in Barretto.***

***3.2K on the highway in barangay Kalaklan***

4.8K at the cemetery near the entrance to SBMA (the old Navy base). People living in Olongapo are not allowed to be buried here. Only the dead can get in. *ahem*

***6.2K at Harbor Point mall on SBMA. That’s where the ATM is located.***

I successfully withdrew the desired cash. With the money burning a hole in my ~~pocket~~ wallet, I walked a bit further into Olongapo proper and visited the SM Downtown mall in search of some new Merrell hiking shoes (the Merrell store in Harbor Point remains closed).

***8K at SM mall, and I eventually remembered to turn off the tracker.***

You can Relive my trek if you so desire:

I wear size 11, which always seems to be out of stock. I guess that is unnaturally large for most Filipino men. Hmm, I wonder what else is smaller? Anyway, sure enough, no Merrells in my size. For street shoes I wear every day, I’ve been satisfied with Skechers. They had some I liked at 40% off the regular price, and surprise, surprise, they even had two pairs in my size. So, I bought them both.

***I’m going to try out this pair for off-road hiking. I like that tread on the bottom.***

The shoes are actually quite comfortable. And I’ve never seen anything like those laces. They don’t actually tie. The shoe has an elastic stretch thing wear you just slip them on. I’m not sure if the shoe strings are only for aesthetic purposes or perhaps they help keep the shoe snug on your foot once you’ve slipped them on. Anyway, I hate having to bend over to tie my shoe when they come undone on trail, so this could be a nice feature.

***The other pair also has the tieless laces but not as much traction on the soles. I’ll use these for my every day bar visits.***

Seeing as how I had two shoe boxes to carry, I took a cab back home.

It looks like tomorrow’s Hash may be a wet one. A couple of us have already been discussing doing an alternative pub crawl if we get hit with a typhoon. The storm’s center is supposed to be south of us, but we are bracing for whatever residual impact it may have. Hold on to your hats!

Now I must go and prepare for the scheduled Sunday feeding of the Hideaway girls. Whatever it takes to keep them happy, I suppose.

Thanks for dropping by.

SOBsequently

Posted on 24/September/2022 by John McCrarey

Whatever happens next remains to be seen; here’s what’s happened already.

Started the day with a group hike out in the Philseco section of Subic. It’s always nice to get out of town and hike a seldom-traveled route. I’ll share some photos from the adventure later in this post.

Yesterday’s SOB was held at Queen Victoria, the first time I’ve attended the event at that venue. I was the first to arrive, and it was pouring down rain outside. I figured that would keep turnout low, but I was wrong–the place was packed with more attendees than usual. The show was pretty much more of the same: Wet Spot was the winner, followed by Alaska Club and Hot Zone. I’ll post some pictures once the event sponsor publishes them.

UPDATE: Some SOB photos:

***Alaska is second place. That’s Joy on the far left.***

***And there’s TinTin, my favorite from Queen Victoria.***

With my early arrival, I got my choice of seats. I guess they forgot to reserve a VIP table for the sponsor, Dave. I invited him and his guest to join me at my table, and it was nice to share the event with its founder.

Joy from Alaska and TinTin from Queen Victoria came and stood behind me after they had completed their dance routines. Naturally, I quenched their thirst with lady drinks. I’m getting to be quite the man about town these days, and the girls all love that big bulge in my pants! (I’m talking about my wallet, of course.)

I attended the Aftermath event at The Green Room at the conclusion of the SOB. That always keeps me out past my bedtime and requires ingestion of excessive amounts of alcohol (I stuck with San Mig Zero to limit the impact as much as possible). I didn’t get a chance at the big prize (turn over the joker and win over 20,000 pesos) but came away with some more “buy one, take one” coupons. It looks like I’ll be spending some time (and money) in Hot Zone this week.

Yeah, that never ceases to amaze me. And as often as not, what people think they “know” is wrong. Last night, someone told me they thought I was the owner of the now-defunct Kamto resto-bar. Nope, friends with the owner is as close as I got.

The Facebook memories feature took me back to my life in Seoul eleven years ago. That truly was a lifetime ago, and this life I’m living is about as close to the opposite of my former life as it can be. Many photos featured Jee Yeun, and those memories are still quite painful. Still, it was good to be reminded of those days when I was literally fat and happy.

***Although I’ve grown accustomed to and attracted to Filipina beauty, there is something about a Korean face that is still appealing.***

***I had a lot more friend relationships in those days too. There is no one that I’m as close to now. I miss the passion I used to have for darts too.***

Oh, well. As I have often said, the man I used to be died a slow and painful death. The man I’ve become is what I am, for better or worse. Things haven’t always gone as planned, but I’m still in the game and ready for whatever might come next.

Alright, enough introspection. Let’s take a hike!

Sorry that this installment of hike photos lacks the diversity and quality you’ve become accustomed to seeing here. I usually steal from fellow hiker Scott’s collection. Alas, he remains in Facebook jail and was unable to upload his gallery from yesterday. These will have to suffice:

***The path our journey took, starting at Philseco, up into the hills around Asinan, then back to the Subic marketplace.***

***About a 20-minute Jeepney ride to get to our start.***

***Not so comfortable for us old geezers to get in and out.***

***Our assembled group, eleven of us, all told.***

***Ah, the shade is nice. When I can’t complain about the rain, I can still bitch about the heat.***

***Out in the woods in the middle of nowhere. Henry David Thoreau would have felt right at home here, no doubt.***

***Seems a little shady to hang a hammock there. Hope he’s the driver, so he doesn’t wake up to a nasty surprise.***

We caught a Jeepney back to Barretto and then enjoyed the hospitality at Dynamite Dick’s.

***I also enjoyed some chicken wings.***

And that brings you up to date. Stay tuned for more exciting adventures from Barrio Barretto.

Oh, I referenced Thoreau above, but despite my love of poetry, I was never a big fan of his work. Still, sharing some of his writing only seems fair since I invoked his name. I glanced at a few of his poems and couldn’t decide which of these two I liked best. So, I’ll post them both.

Epitaph On The World

Here lies the body of this world,
Whose soul alas to hell is hurled.
This golden youth long since was past,
Its silver manhood went as fast,
An iron age drew on at last;
'Tis vain its character to tell,
The several fates which it befell,
What year it died, when 'twill arise,
We only know that here it lies.

Free Love

My love must be as free
As is the eagle's wing,
Hovering o'er land and sea
And every thing.

I must not dim my eye
In thy saloon,
I must not leave my sky
And nightly moon.

Be not the fowler's net
Which stays my flight,
And craftily is set
T' allure the sight,

But be the favoring gale
That bears me on,
And still doth fill my sail
When thou art gone.

I cannot leave my sky
For thy caprice,
True love would soar as high
As heaven is.

The eagle would not brook
Her mate thus won,
Who trained his eye to look
Beneath the sun.

Fill your heart with a little Joy

Posted on 23/September/2022 by John McCrarey

Joy came over for a visit yesterday afternoon. It was pleasantly fulfilling. Afterward, I took her to Mango’s and treated her to the grilled pork chops. I guess she must have liked them; that’s what she wants for dinner on Sunday.

A commenter asked for the details of the relationship I have with Joy. However it might be characterized, a relationship is probably an overstatement. Joy is in her early twenties and has two young children. That’s pretty much a deal breaker for me. Don’t get me wrong; she is a very sweet and kind young woman, but as a mother, she is not free to provide me with the things I desire in a relationship. For example, I want to cuddle all night and wake up next to the woman I love. But since I’m not going to raise someone else’s kids at this late stage in my life, there is no potential future with Joy.

***I first met Joy (on the left) just over a year ago when she went to work for Marick at her new little bar. These days Joy works at Hideaway Bar, and Marick is in jail.***

So, nowadays, I visit Joy at Hideaway on Wednesdays and Sundays and feed her and the girls some dinner. Joy comes to see me at my place once a month or so. I reward her for her TLC, and she goes home happy. It is what it is, nothing more, nothing less. I guess that’s an example of me being a “sweet father.”

Another commenter has noticed the propensity of moles on the faces of many Filipinas. I also observed that phenomenon when I first arrived, but I guess I’ve grown accustomed to it now. Not sure if it is a genetic thing or just that Western women are more inclined to get the moles surgically removed. I suppose they can be a little distracting, but they are not that big a deal to me.

***A friend in Bohol. We’ve never met in person. I sponsor her son in school.***

***Then, of course, there is the ex-GF.***

I guess it is good to remember it is not what’s on the face that matters, but what’s in the heart.

After Joy left, I headed out to Cheap Charlies. I figured I’d have a couple of drinks and then visit Hot Zone when it opened at 6:00 to use my discount coupon. I could keep an eye on things from my vantage point at CC, but for some reason, Hot Zone failed to open at six as scheduled. So, I just said, “fuck it,” and ordered another round for my crew and me.

***I also enjoy the outside view from Cheap Charlies.***

I hadn’t used up all of my 500 peso voucher at Alaska Club, so I stopped there on my way home. It turned out to be a little expensive. I was the only customer, and my earlier drinks had triggered my generosity mode. I gave each of the six dancers a 50 peso tip expecting nothing in return. But those sweet girls pulled down their tops to show me their tits. Made me feel like a sweet father again.

I, of course, took care of my waitress and my second favorite Joy, with lady drinks. I’ll be seeing Joy #2 tonight at Queen Victoria for the SOB–she’s one of the Alaska dancers.

I started my yesterday with a beach walk on Baloy.

***Did an Alta Vista loop to add a little distance and ran into this old friend.***

I’m not sure what’s up with my Lucky dog. He’s taken to joining me in bed at night, and I’m okay with that. But he has his own way of doing it.

***Um, you are supposed to sleep like a dog.***

***“Fuck that; you sleep with your head on a pillow. I can too!”***

Fine, be that way.

I’ll leave you with this little gem:

Back tomorrow with a photo report from today’s hike and any worthy news from my SOB adventure.

Friendly skies

Posted on 22/September/2022 by John McCrarey

Finally, a hike with no rain! The Wednesday Walkers made the most of it with an enjoyable stroll out to bridge #4 and back. I’ve got a slew of pictures to share from our journey later in this post.

My evening hours were pretty much run-of-the-mill, not that that is a bad thing. I ordered pizza for delivery from Shamboli’s, conveniently located right around the corner from Hideaway Bar. In yet another example of small-town living, the counter girl said, “ah, the girls are hungry again?” Why yes, yes they are!

***The pizza was almost gone before I got around to snapping a photo.***

***I made sure I got one of Joy in action, though.***

***The cupcakes were very popular too.***

Speaking of Joy, she was featured in my Facebook memories from one year ago:

After the customary drinking, I said my goodnights and headed up the road to Voodoo. This is not a bar I usually frequent; in fact, I hadn’t been here since it last hosted an SOB. But I had a “buy one, get one” coupon to take advantage of before its expiration.

Josie immediately joined me at my table. I guess because I drank with her during the previous visits to Voodoo, she thinks I belong to her. Plus, I was the only customer when I arrived, which always makes for enhanced popularity.

Obviously, Josie is a bit long in the tooth for a bargirl/dancer. I had it in my head that she was forty or so years old, but during our chat, she revealed that her oldest child was thirty! I facetiously asked if she was ten when she gave birth, but it turns out she was twenty. She’s still pretty hot for an old woman.

Like most other bars in town, wages are low at Voodoo. The dancers make 300 pesos per day, but that is reduced to 150 if the lady drink quota is not achieved. That explains why all the girls on stage looked so damn thirsty! Even at my most generous, I’m not going to “ring the bell” and buy all the girls a drink. But I felt sufficiently sorry for them to pick one to come down and join us.

***I don’t recall her name, but I judged her to be the least attractive on stage and thus the least likely to earn a lady drink commission. Good deed achieved!***

Finished the night with one for the road at The Green Room, then triked on home.

Now a friend of mine back in the states has been complaining about Facebook ads showing up on his timeline that depict a penis (I guess for erectile dysfunction drugs or something of the sort). He has no idea how or why the algorithm for this ad targeted him. Trying to make him feel better, I shared this ad from my timeline:

***I don’t suffer from hemorrhoids, nor do I care to see what people who do look like “down there.”***

And then, in an ironic twist, fellow hiker Scott, who takes many of the photos you see posted here, told me he got put in Facebook jail for posting this photo from yesterday’s hike on Facebook:

These kids were cookie recipients. And yes, the little boy is pantsless. That’s not unusual around here, I guess, because diapers aren’t cheap. Anyway, I guess the perverts at Facebook project their perversions on everyone else.

Alright, let’s do the rest of the hike photos now:

***We had six in attendance this week. The path we walked was mostly flat.***

***Gathering up at the 7/11 on Baloy Road.***

***Charles is enjoying his first Wednesday walk since returning to the Philippines.***

***It’s the peak season for the thatch grass, as demonstrated by all those blossoms on top.***

***We won’t be cowed by tall grass, however.***

***The obligatory shot of Easter mountain.***

***It was a struggle at times, but we mostly managed to keep our feet dry.***

***This cutie was feeling camera shy.***

***Waiting on us slowpokes in Marian Hills.***

***Living la vida loca in barangay San Isidro.*** ***Well, about as crazy as it gets there anyway.***

***The long trek back on Sawmill road.***

***There’s something fishy going on here.***

***After hike nourishment at Harley’s.***

***The view of my lunch. I went with the grilled ham and cheese. It was quite tasty.***

***I hope you enjoyed this post, algae and all.***

You can’t take it with you

Posted on 21/September/2022 by John McCrarey

It has been said that money can’t buy happiness. That may be true, but it does buy things that make me happy. Yesterday’s big purchases were a cart full of groceries and a new desk chair But it is not just material things for my own benefit that give me some feel-good moments. The mountain mama widow I provide grocery money for each week always expresses genuine gratitude, and it feels good to be making a difference in her life in some small way. Yesterday she pleaded for a little extra because her kids all had some fever/congestion thing going on. Of course, I obliged. Her thank you message included this photo:

***I never have to worry that the money is not being used for the intended purposes with her. Helping make sick kids feel better, you can’t really put a price tag on that.***

Speaking of sick children, my friend Bhel is currently in Manila, getting her son’s heart condition reviewed at a couple of the major medical centers there. There are still some more tests to be done, but it appears he may be eligible for a program that will provide the required surgery at a significant discount. Here’s hoping things turn out that way.

I was reminded today of the project I initiated to train the woman I thought would be my caregiver here when I retired. Unbeknownst to me, she had different ideas, and next month will mark the fifth anniversary of the broken heart she gave in return for my generosity. Before I knew what was in store for me, I featured her in a post called “Pay it Forward.” In a weird kind of way, maybe that is what she wound up doing. I have no idea whether she’s still with the Englishman she dumped me for or not, but someone besides me will ultimately benefit from the training I paid for, and I guess that’s a form of charity too.

I came across another post called “Charitably speaking,” where I compare my friend in Cambodia paying to have a house built for his girl’s family and my rejection of beggars trying to nickel and dime me while interrupting me in my important work of beer drinking. Yeah, I can be a dick sometimes, too.

Of course, the lion’s share of my “good deeds” is directed towards the hardworking bargirls I encounter on a regular basis. I’m not talking about the prostitutes here; these are the girls working hard on eight to twelve-hour shifts to pay the rent. I’ve been asking around town, and it seems almost all the bars have a standard salary of 200 pesos per day. That’s the equivalent of four dollars, folks. So those lady drink commissions genuinely are a big deal in giving them the ability to make ends meet. I am sincerely glad that I’m able to help out my handful of regulars.

I had a 500 pesos voucher coupon for Alaska Club, and I put it to use last night. And now I have some more Joy in my life:

***Nice to meet you, Joy! A very sweet young woman. 33 years old. SIX kids. If anyone could benefit from a couple of lady drinks, she is a worthy recipient.***

Anyway, I’ve been thinking about a name to use in conjunction with my charity projects. What do y’all think of “Sweet Father”? It’s original but has a ring of familiarity, doesn’t it?

It’s feeding night at Hideaway Bar, and I’ll be providing a large Hawaiian pizza for dinner.

***And chocolate cupcakes for dessert.***

And I’m sure I won’t be drinking alone tonight, but it is for a good cause!

***Well, I’ll just be more selective in my reading!***

As always, thanks for your indulgence. I’ll be back tomorrow with pics from today’s hike and maybe some from whatever tonight brings.

Raindrops keep falling on my head

Posted on 20/September/2022 by John McCrarey

One of the wettest Hashes I can remember. I think the last time it rained that hard and that long, we wound up just doing a bar crawl instead. Once again, the rain held off until I was out the door and well on the way to our starting point on Govic highway. Honestly, though, I doubt I would have carried an umbrella anyway. I definitely needed my walking stick for the muddy slopes we traversed. Needless to say, I was as soaked to the bone early on. After that, it didn’t really matter anymore. The rain made it difficult to get many pictures, but here are what me and my fellow Hashers managed:

***The red line is the trail the Hare laid, and the green shows the sane group’s realignment. The Hare went up Black Rock which is not something I’d ever want to do in the rain.***

***On the highway during a brief respite from the rain.***

***Up a long set of stairsteps we go.***

***Walking through a hilltop village.***

***Baloy Beach road on the way to our On-Home.***

***When I first moved here, I rented a small apartment in Baloy. This is why I didn’t stay–the road floods every time it rains.***

***The traditional after-hike imbibing.***

***Hash Gash in the pool…I guess they didn’t get wet enough on the trail.***

***I was “honored” to sit on the ice in recognition of my completing 150 consecutive Hash runs. Yeah, I need to get a life!***

***Pubic Head was feeling the love in honor of his 900th run with the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers. Congratulations on achieving that milestone!***

***Ah, Get Your Rocks Off and What’s Up Doc were celebrating birthdays, and the girls made them a Hash cake!***

Yep, a wet and wild afternoon. I was soaked and feeling chilled. I stopped at McCoy’s after the circle for another beer, then caught a trike home. 6:30 is pretty damn early, even for me. But into each life, some rain must fall.

Raindrops are falling on my head
And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed
Nothing seems to fit
Those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep falling

So I just did me some talking to the sun
And I said I didn't like the way he got things done
He's sleeping on the job
Those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep fallin'

But there's one thing I know
The blues they send to meet me
Won't defeat me
It won't be long 'till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep falling on my head
But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turning red
Crying's not for me
'Cause, I'm never gonna stop the rain by complaining

Because I'm free
Nothing's worrying me

It won't be long 'till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep falling on my head
But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turning red
Crying's not for me, 'cause,
I'm never gonna stop the rain by complaining

Because I'm free
Nothing's worrying me

Not much sun for a Sunday

Posted on 19/September/2022 by John McCrarey

Well, to be fair, the sun was shining until I tried to walk. Then the rain took over. I had to abort my morning hike at 5K and catch a trike home (heh, any excuse will do, right?). Shortly after arriving, it was sunny again. Stayed that way until I headed into town sans umbrella. I didn’t want to spend my evening dripping wet, so I popped into BarCelona, the first open establishment I came to (it was still a few minutes before 4:00) to wait out the storm.

***It’s hard to capture rain in a photo, but the wetness “shines” through. You can barely see the Kalaklan ridge off in the distance because of the rain.***

***The rooftop deck was not a popular place to sit during the storm.***

The rain eventually let up, and I continued my crosstown journey to Hideaway bar. I made a stop at Chooks to Go and picked up two roasted chickens.

***The picture I took of the actual chicken was too blurry to be usable. Oh well.***

Joy loved the cornbread muffins the best. She’s usually quite generous with her co-workers, but she kept three of the six muffins I brought for herself.

***The look of love. She ate all three while I was still there.***

The chicken and brownies were popular with the other girls too. That’s what it’s all about.

After feeding the crew, I went across the highway to John’s place to feed myself. Sat up in the third-floor bar area.

***Where I enjoyed this view while waiting for my meal to be prepared.***

***I did the Philly cheesesteak, and it was scrumptious.***

After my dinner, I popped into Cheap Charlies and enjoyed Roseanne and Alma’s company while imbibing some alcoholic beverages.

***Well, I do appreciate a good view while I’m drinking.***

Finished my evening out with a beer at Snackbar. One of the waitresses was celebrating her birthday, so she got a drink too. The person I had come to see wasn’t there even though she had invited me. That put me in a foul mood, but lesson learned.

But the sun came out this morning, and I had a pleasant dog walk.

***There were water droplets on the pine needles reflecting the light from the rising sun. Naturally, I wasn’t skilled enough to capture that magical moment.***

***An excellent way to start the day. Let’s hope the weather holds into the afternoon.***

Made myself a burrito for breakfast.

***I’m getting better at that tortilla searing.***

And now, it is time to prepare for another Hash Monday. Leech My Nuggets is the Hare, so I expect a challenging trail. We finish up on Baloy Beach at the Viking Resort. I’ll post the ups and downs and slips and slides tomorrow.

***Yes, except I’ll be taking pictures as my excuse!***

Thanks for stopping by!

Running dry again

Posted on 18/September/2022 by John McCrarey

The gathering to honor the memory of Don Bullock at IDM yesterday was thought-provoking. Lots of people we both knew were there, so it was good to see some old familiar faces. I offered the usual condolences to his widow and enjoyed seeing his children looking healthy and happy as they might be under the circumstances. It’s cliche to say “life goes on,” I suppose, but for those in attendance, that seemed to be the modus operandi. What else are you going to do? Don ain’t coming back, and we are still here doing what he’d be doing if he was alive. Cheers to a life well lived and to the friends you left behind!

I guess maybe it is my selfish nature to use the occasion of someone’s death to think of my own inevitable passing. Not so much about the when and how; ultimately, it doesn’t matter if I go from COPD, crossing the National highway, or being fucked to death by a sexy Filipina. Obviously, I’m in no hurry to reach that final destination, but the day comes for all of us. I guess what’s been on my mind is the feeling that my death won’t matter because I’m not an important part of anyone’s life. Sure, I have my kids, but I’ve not seen them for three years and rarely even hear from them these days. They are living their lives, and I’m not part of that. That’s fine; after all, this is the life I’ve chosen to spend on the other side of the world. I’m sure the people I know here would be sorry to see me go, but I wouldn’t be leaving any voids to fill either. And that’s okay, too.

I just wonder why that is. If no one is close to me, it must be my fault for not allowing them more than peripheral access to the person that I am. Or maybe they’re not trying hard enough to know me. Or both. It really doesn’t matter. I’ll continue on with my lonely journey, and perhaps one day, I’ll encounter a fellow traveler to join me. If not, then at least no one will have the power to hurt me again.

Enough of this mental masturbation. Life is what it is, we make the best of it until it is gone, and then we no longer have to worry about whether or not we are doing it right.

***Yes, beer is better than tears, for sure.***

There are traditions that must be honored, like feeding the hungry. Tonight the Hideaway girls will be enjoying roast chicken from Chooks to Go. I baked up some cornbread muffins to add substance to the meal.

My sampling revealed that they taste as good as they look. I did the adding a can of corn to the mix thing, which enhances the flavor in a corny kind of way. Honestly, I like plain cornbread just as well, if not better, but these aren’t for me, and I think the gals will enjoy having some corn with their bread.

***And, of course, brownies for dessert.***

Yeah, I guess the Hideaway girls will miss me if and when I’m gone.

Oh, please help me,
oh, please help me,
I'm livin' by myself.
I need someone to comfort me,
I need someone to tell.

I'm sorry for
the things I've done,
I've shamed myself with lies,
But soon these things
are overcome
And can't be recognized.

I left my love
with ribbons on
And water in her eyes.
I took from her
the love I'd won
And turned it to the sky.

I'm sorry for
the things I've done,
I've shamed myself with lies,
My cruelty has punctured me
And now I'm running dry.

SOB mob

Posted on 17/September/2022 by John McCrarey

***I’m sure you will be smart enough to like this post.***

The Green Room was packed for last night’s SOB competition. It’s a nice bar but not the best venue for a dance contest. Without an actual stage, if you aren’t seated upfront, you are going to have an obstructed view. I got there early and secured what I thought was the best table in the house for watching the dancers. Then a combination of late arrivals and the GRO employees all gathered around in front of the tables. It got a little frustrating at times, but the girls at least were squatting lower so as not to obstruct the view so much.

There was a large group surrounding the table next to mine. Not sure if they were expats or tourists, but they were spending like two-week millionaires. They had a bunch of the bargirls in their company and bought multiple shots of tequila and several rounds of lady drinks for them. I know this because their “dates” used my table as a drink holder. No big deal. They also threw three or four buckets of balls (at 300 pesos each) to see the girls scrambling on the floor to gather them up (I understand they get 10 pesos for each ball they collect). The guys were drinking Red Horse, a popular local brew not served in the Green Room. At first, I thought, why is the bar allowing outside beverages? Then I realized that with the kind of dough these dudes were dropping, it was prudent to ignore. It also dawned on me that your drinks are free during the SOB, so a customer bringing in their own beer actually saves the bar money.

Anyway, it looked like they were all having fun, so who am I to complain? I kept my old man grumpiness to myself.

***The Green Room dancers took third place.***

***And the Wet Spot gals took the first place honors.***

***The Wet Spot candle dancer put on an impressive performance.***

(the photos above are courtesy of the event host)

I also attended the Aftermath event next door at Wet Spot. That kept me up well past my bedtime–I didn’t get home until almost 10:30! But now I’ve got a pocket full of discount coupons to use up this week. We’ll see how much those discounts wind up costing me.

Saw this today, and it gave me a chuckle:

***I’m reminded of a story I read back in my high school daze: “I have eternal life, and it’s killing me.”***

My other “big event” yesterday was the Friday group hike. Five of us turned up, and it fell on me to lead the way. I took some mostly familiar trails, including a goodly portion of My Bitch, two climbs, and 6K or so. My fellow hikers seemed to enjoy it, so there’s that.

Here are a few photos from the trek:

***Started out on the streets of Alta Vista.***

***Living off the land means using what nature provides.***

So, that was my yesterday. Today there will be a memorial for the recently deceased Don Bullock at IDM that I plan to attend. Not sure what else the night holds in store for me, but I’m sure I’ll have something to say about that tomorrow. Assuming I survive.

***Rest in Peace, Don. You were one of the good guys, and you will be missed.***

What is your nation?

Posted on 16/September/2022 by John McCrarey

Glad you asked! I’m from Vaxxy nation. Fully, of course.

Yes, I got my second dose of Sinovac yesterday afternoon. That’s as vaccinated as I’m going to get. The booster isn’t due for three months, and I will need to travel before then. If the Philippines government is to be believed, I will just need a PCR test before flying back if I don’t have the booster. That’s all I can do, so I’ll get on with the business of planning my trip. My first choice is Cambodia, but I’ll need to check flight availability. I prefer flying out of Clark in Angeles rather than making the journey to Manila. So, we’ll see. Lots of options in this big ol’ world.

I’m not feeling any real side effects from this second dose, just a little sore in the shoulder where they jabbed me. The person who gave me the shot said something that sounded like “…drink alcohol for three days,” so I got started on that last night.

I didn’t drink on an empty stomach, though. I invited Joy and her co-worker friend Jen to join me for a pork belly dinner at a relatively new place in town.

***I’m not sure what it is with Filipinos and samgyeopsal, but I’m seeing more and more of this type of joint opening.***

***The menu. We opted for Set 3, the premium samgyeopsal package.***

***Joy enjoying her pork. We all did the lettuce wrap thing for most of the meal. I’d declare it average at best. I doubt I’ll be back anytime soon.***

The girls walked home after dinner, and I went with them as far as It Doesn’t Matter. There was no one there I really knew, so I only stayed for a couple of drinks. I had gotten a message from Lydell, who used to work at the now-closed Kamto, letting me know she was now employed at Adam’s bar. I decided to pay her a visit.

When I arrived, Lydell was busy doing some paperwork. I guess that’s her job, keeping track of who’s earned what lady drink commissions. I did get a chance to buy her a drink, and we chatted some. She just started the new job yesterday, but she says she is enjoying it so far. I’m glad she landed on her feet.

***It seems for a moment I was the second most important thing in Lydell’s life.***

***But Shantelle was happy to see me. Too bad she has a boyfriend.***

I probably need to do an update of my review of Adam’s. Last night I took note of the multitude of attractive ladies on staff, but talking to the ones right next to me was almost impossible because of the loud blaring music they were playing. Good songs, just way too much volume. I likely would have stayed longer last night but for that, and with so many other options available, it will be a negative factor should I consider a return visit.

I finished up at Queen Victoria since it was just across the street. The bartender told me a Ray’s gay band was playing later, but I wasn’t in the mood for live music either. In fact, I wasn’t in the mood for anything except going home to bed. I blame the vaxx. Maybe the vaxx caused that bad pun for reggae too.

Oh, well. Today’s another day, and I’ll be SOBing at The Green Room later this afternoon.

Lose the mask

Posted on 15/September/2022 by John McCrarey

I’ve been maskless for quite some time now, but President BongBong made me legal again by finally lifting the outdoor mask mandate. About damn time. I’d say about 30% of the population continues to wear their slave masks voluntarily, but that’s their choice, pointless though it may be..

The Wednesday Walkers had a very pleasant hike yesterday morning through the back streets and hills of Subic town. I’ll share pictures of that adventure later in this post.

I paid a visit to my doctors yesterday, but not on my own behalf. I brought my friend Bhel in for a consultation regarding her eight-year-old son. He has a severe heart condition that requires surgery, but she doesn’t have the means to pay for it. Bhel asked someone she knows at the Rotary Club if they could help, and she got a response saying yes, they would, provided she had the surgery done in India. That raised some serious red flags in my mind, and I knew Dr. Jo’s husband had done work in India, so I wanted her to hear their opinion. Not surprisingly, they didn’t think it was a good idea either and suggested some other options in Manila. Whether Rotary will pay for that remains to be seen, but Dr. Jo believes we can find local charities to help if need be. Anyway, the bottom line is that Bhel will schedule appointments in two different Manila hospitals to explore surgical options. It’s a start.

After leaving the doctor’s office, I crossed the highway to visit the shwarma shop at Thumbstar. I ordered up some chicken curry soup, some chicken on a stick, and some shwarmas for the Hideaway girls. I went inside the bar for a beer while I waited for my order to be prepared. I got to chatting with the guy seated next to me, a tourist from Florida. He was telling me about his trip so far, and I told him how much I enjoyed living here with the daytime hiking and nighttime drinking. He said he had read about the Hash and hiking groups on some blog he had found when he did a Google search before starting his trip. Oh really? He couldn’t remember the blog’s name, but when I suggested Long Time Gone, he replied, yes, that’s the one. Small world, eh? I never got around to confessing I was the author, though.

And then, I got approached by a friend from San Antonio (the one in Zambales, not Texas) who was in town for shopping and was having some beers before heading back home. I had a nice chat, and he invited me to stay at his place if I wanted to get out of town for a weekend visit. I love that area and could use a change of pace, so I’ll be making a plan to take him up on the kind offer. He’s got a great big house, and he says the wife will be our designated driver when we hit the beach bars in Pundaquit. Looking forward to that!

***Joy enjoying her chicken curry and rice.***

In another odd twist, the manager of Thumbstar was at Hideaway and recognized from the smell it was food from his place. He came over and gave me a fist bump. Manager Griff gave me a free drink. And so another Wednesday feeding ended successfully.

My next stop was a visit to Cheap Charlies. Same old, same old.

***She gave me a back rub, I gave her a drink.***

***She inspired lust in my heart, I gave her a drink.***

I guess that qualifies as a win-win. A couple of more drinks for me and I called it a night. My Fitbit says I went to sleep at 8:30 and was up at 4:00 to begin another day in paradise.

Here’s those photos of me hiking in paradise I promised:

***We took a Jeepney to the market area of Subic town, hiked up into the hills, then circled back around to finish at the market.***

***Five of us altogether offloaded in Subic.***

***The first of several water crossings. All involving bridges, thankfully.***

***Backstreets and alleyways were the paths of the day.***

***A brief jaunt along the rvierside.***

***A cookie delivery on the way to the top.***

***What are we waiting for? Oh yeah, the slowpokes.***

***Friendly natives. Almost everyone in this hillside village greeted us warmly.***

***Heading for the other side of town now.***

***A brief interlude on the National highway.***

***Love the name of this burger joint. “Reach your burgasm!” Hilarious.***

***No point in trying to impress your neighbors when you are stuck in a graveyard.***

***A big ol’ fish pond. When does a pond become a lake anyway?***

***And we ran into Reggie (What’s Up Doc) who lives nearby.***

***The Subic market. Renowned for fresh fish and veggies.***

***Me looking comfortable on the Jeepney ride back to Barretto.***

As days go, it was a good one.

Irresponsible

Posted on 14/September/2022 by John McCrarey

***Don’t blame me for another worthless post!***

Not much to say about another boring Tuesday, but I’ll say it anyway.

The first stop of the day was a visit to the immigration office. My replacement ACR (alien registration) card was supposed to be ready for pick up in three weeks. I waited for four just to be sure. Alas, it still wasn’t available. I’ll try again next week.

Grocery shopping was uneventful, especially if you can avoid injuring your neck from shaking your head at all the inflated prices. I also just shrugged off the many out-of-stock items I had hoped to purchase.

I had a nice massage in the afternoon. My masseuse was still uncomfortable about my breathing attack during her last visit and didn’t want to risk another, so she gave me an ending that didn’t require much effort on my part. I was satisfied with the outcum. *ahem*

My friend with the retired military mailbox messaged that my replacement credit card had arrived, so I went to meet him at It Doesn’t Matter to pick it up. I treated him to a couple of beers for his trouble, and I enjoyed some soda and gin drinks.

When it came time for a change in scenery, I moseyed down to Sit-n-Bull to order up some dinner. I had a 10% discount coupon from the SOB I needed to use, and so I went with the club sandwich with a side of slaw and had them deliver it around the corner at The Green Room. I had a couple more drinks there while I enjoyed my meal.

Next up was Alaska Club, where I had another “buy one, get one” drink coupon to utilize before its expiration. Owner Jerry had just returned from a trip home to the states; it was good to say hello. And thanks again for the free drink! Anyway, those coupons are only good for one night, so you need to drink a lot to maximize their value. So, obviously, I’m not responsible for over-imbibing. But since I felt compelled to buy lady drinks for my waitress and one of the dancers, the longer I stayed, the more it cost me. Those coupons really aren’t such a good bargain after all.

I left Alaska but wasn’t quite ready to call it a night. I intended to pay a visit to Queen Victoria, but as I passed Johansson’s, I saw my Hash friend Reggie (What’s Up Doc) sitting alone at the bar. I thought I’d stop in to say hello, but as I walked through the door, her new boyfriend appeared and embraced her. I sat down on the other side of the bar and ordered a beer (I thought it would have been awkward to turn around and walk back out). After finishing my brew, I continued my journey to Queen Victoria.

I ordered up another beer, and before long, my friend (on FB anyway) TinTin joined me at the bar. Naturally, I bought her a lady drink. I was a little too far gone at this point to remember to take a picture of her, but here’s the one I took last time we met:

***She’s tall and thin and 21 years old. Maybe I’ll tell her my joke about there only being one thing better than long legs wrapped around your back–short legs trying! Or maybe not.***

Anyway, I was one and done at QV, walked outside to be greeted by a trike driver, “going home, John?” I have no idea how these guys found out my name, but it does make it easy when they know the way to my house. Once I arrived home, I ate too much ice cream (chocolate almond this week) and then went to bed.

Facebook memories brought back some of the good ol’ days this morning:

***Thirteen years ago, the McCrarey’s had the last family reunion while mom and dad were still alive. Miss you!***

***Seven years ago, I threw some of the best darts of my life.***

***And four years ago, I was featured in a meme. Well, technically, I made the meme, but still…***

Some days just aren’t worth writing about, are they? I’m not responsible for your wasted time if you read this one. It’s bound to be better tomorrow. See you then!

Hare it is

Posted on 13/September/2022 by John McCrarey

***Being a Hare is dirty work sometimes.***

Everyone survived yesterday’s Hash which is always my primary goal as a Hare. A handful did the entire trail, and as I expected, the “die-hards” found it boring for the most part. Eh, you can’t please everyone. We tried to incorporate a hill climb but found the conditions too slippery for the group’s safety. So, sorry to disappoint, but not sorry.

Now, we did have a part of the trail early on that was pretty challenging. I had wanted a new way out of Alta Vista, and my co-Hare (and neighbor) Anal Receptive found a pretty rugged path that has been little used of late. In fact, he had to go out with his machete and do some whacking in places to make the path passable. There were also some rocks to be climbed, and he sprayed them with a bleach solution to kill the algae. All credit to him for that effort.

Let’s go to the pictures, which I obviously didn’t take. Thanks to Pubic Head and some other Hashers for documenting their journey. The fact that no photos from the “long” version of the trail exist says a lot. We had 39 in attendance; I’d wager no more than 5 of them did the whole trail. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. Hell, I’m notorious for my own shortcutting!

***The trail we laid as seen from above.***

***Your humble Hare providing last-minute guidance to the kennel.***

***A wall in the middle of nowhere that appears to serve no purpose. Someone put a lot of time and effort into building it, though. There must be a broken dream story in there somewhere.***

***This was not the path I had envisioned when I had my big idea about a “new way.” Anal Receptive tried my route, but it was a dead end. So, this was plan B.***

***Everyone loves a challenge, right?***

***Okay, everybody. The hard part is over.***

***One false step, and you’re a wet man!***

***And yes, we have a couple of folks who actually run the trail.***

***Jessa is crossing bridge #3 with her new beau, Covid-69. This was her third Hash, so she’ll get named after two more.***

***Approaching the intersection where the trails split–short turns left, long goes straight.***

***Heading up Govic highway to the On-Home.***

***This week’s On-Home venue was Smokes and Bottles.***

*Hares on the ice along with anyone else who professed to like the trail.* ***A Hash tradition.***

S-H-I-T-T-Y T-R-A-I-L
Shitty trail, (it sucked!)
Shitty trail (it really sucked!)
The Hares have laid another shitty trail
I would rather drink this beer 
Than run your shitty trail
S-H-I-T-T-Y T-R-A-I-L

***Jessa’s first time on the ice, she was charged with littering on the trail. She dropped her sweat towel, and someone behind her found it and brought it back to the circle for investigation.***

***And no post would be complete without some Hash Gash, or Harriettes, if you prefer.***

I drank my share of San Mig Zeros, then hitched a ride back home with my co-Hare. It was an early night, even by my standards, but I’d had enough. Besides, there is always tonight.

Bars of Barretto: John’s Sushi and Steak

Posted on 13/September/2022 by John McCrarey

***The second floor is an air-conditioned restaurant; the third floor is an open-air bar.***

I tend to call this venue “John’s Place.” The steaks are good (and I don’t eat sushi), but this is a bar review, so I’m just talking about the space on the top floor. Still, all the menu items are available in the bar, so you never have to be hungry. Honestly, whenever I journey out to this side of town for a visit to John’s, my priority is the food; drinking is a secondary motivation.

***John has some of the best food in town. It ain’t always cheap, but you pay for top-quality ingredients.***

***The interior of the bar floor is spacious and dominated by a pool table. There are pool league matches two or three days a week.***

***That’s my usual perch up front, where I can watch the street action.***

***From the back looking to the front.***

So, what else can I say about John’s place? He serves all manner of drinks at a competitive price, including imported beers for only 90 pesos. It’s a regular bar, no girls. You can treat your waitress to a drink, but she likely won’t be able to sit you, as she will need to continue to serve other customers.

***The waitresses are young and cute, though, if you enjoy eye candy.***

***But when I’m at John’s, I’m mostly looking outward.***

I’d definitely visit more often if John’s were on my side of town. As it is, I usually drop in once a week for some food and drink. Give it a try and see for yourself.

The rankings:

It Doesn’t Matter
Hideaway
Snackbar
Cheap Charlies
Wet Spot
The Green Room
Alley Cats
Mango’s Beach Bar
Bar Barretto
Lux
John’s Sushi and Steak
Blue Butterfly
Dynamite Dick’s
Mugshots
Alaska Club
Hot Zone
Queen Victoria
Whiskey Girl
Adam’s
Thumbstar
Voodoo
Rock Lobster
Outback
Rosie’s
Annex
Bottoms Up
Palm Tree
BarCelona
MacArthur’s
Redz Pub
Chill

Day turns into night, night turns into day.

Posted on 12/September/2022 by John McCrarey

And so the circle of life continues.

***The afternoon view as I left my neighborhood and headed into town.***

My mission was to feed the hungry. My destination was Hideaway bar. The dinner was tacos.

These giant tacos from The Coffee Shop are reputed to be the best in Barretto. Sure, they are tasty, but they are too big to eat like a taco should be–picked up and stuck in your mouth. Joy cracked the shell and laid it out flat on her plate, then devoured it like a taco salad.

***I neglected to capture Joy in the act of eating, so this shot will have to do.***

After I completed providing nourishment to the bargirls and enjoying a few drinks, including a free one from the manager, Griff, it was time for me to move on to my next destination–John’s place. Putting duty before self, I had not as yet had my own evening meal.

***The best-pulled pork sandwich in town.***

***I ate upstairs in the bar area and enjoyed this highway view along with my sandwich.***

***And appreciated the beauty of my cute waitress.***

***My soda and gin. There is more to life than drinking, but drinking takes you to places where life can be enjoyed.***

I had a dual purpose in visiting John’s place; it will be my next review in the Bars of Barretto series.

After my meal, I hoofed it to the other side of town and finished my night at Snackbar.

***Meet my new favorite, Jen. She’s so damn cute and so sweet. She’s also 25 years old with three kids. She’s hard to resist anyway.***

When my time was up and my night was done, the girls fetched a trike to take me home. A banana-mango-pineapple smoothie for dessert then I was off to bed.

***Another morning dawned, and I was alive to see it.***

It’s Hash Monday, and I’m a Hare, so that meant an early start this morning laying paper, powder, and chalk to mark today’s trail. I guess I should say trails. We are doing a short and long version–one 6K, the other around 8K. The trails split in the middle of the hike and rejoin towards the end. Both are mostly flat. We were fortunate to have some sunny weather this morning; hopefully, that holds up through the afternoon.

***Hmm, just now looked outside ,and there are storm clouds on the horizon. Oh well, the Hash goes on, rain or shine.***

I had my hands full with trail marking paraphernalia, but here are a couple of shots I took along the way:

***Leaving Alta Vista was our highest elevation.***

***Avoiding puddles will be the biggest obstacle on an otherwise easy trail.***

***I marked the short trail, and my co-Hare, Ed, did the long one along with his gal, Helen. I waited for them for about thirty minutes at the location where the two trails rejoin.***

***Almost done. Our On-Home is at Smokes and Bottles today.***

And now it’s raining again. I hope our trail markings hold up.

I’ll be meeting the 2:00 group at the VFW to provide trail guidance and answer any questions. Some Hares will re-walk the trail with the Hashers, but I’m going to take a pass on that this time. Honestly, it just isn’t that challenging to the point of being boring. Once is enough for me!

Trying to think of a song to bookend with the title of this post, but couldn’t really find a good match. Considered the Door’s Break On Through, but that was more of a stoner song. Gonna settle for some Juice Newton instead. Hope your Spanish is up to speed!

Tropical paradise
But the beauty escapes me
Everything should be so right
For falling in love

Two hearts belong
But one heart remains so unhappy
Nothing else matters to me
No nothing at all

Puedes traerme tu amor
Adiós mi corazón how I love you
Puedes traerme tu amor
Adiós mi corazón
I hope the words are right
'Cause they're the only words
I know tonight

Oh! The nights are never ending
I don't know why
No comprende
Days are longer than
You'll ever know
Adiós mi corazón

Shame on me

Posted on 11/September/2022 by John McCrarey

My memory may not be what it once was, but I didn’t forget the anniversary of 9/11/2001. What I did was fail to honor the memory of that day in proper fashion. At a minimum, it warrants a stand-alone post.

I was reminded of this when today someone commented on my post from 2009 recognizing the sacrifice of firefighter James Raymond Coyle who gave his life trying to save others in the World Trade Center towers.

I was honor to walk for James during 9/11 Stair climb in Charlotte, NC 2022
Thank you and we will Never Forget!
Ania and Mya Vanderkolk

That’s the way you properly honor a memory. Thanks, Ania and Mya!

I also recognized another firefighter back in 2005–Samuel Oitice. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten.

The world changed that day, and so did I. My political outlook was broadened, and I discovered the wealth of information on the internet that the MSM couldn’t be bothered to report. That’s when I started reading Instapundit, for example. Ultimately, I felt driven to do something more meaningful with my life than being a nobody with the U.S. Department of Education. I applied for Defense Department jobs all over the world, and I was offered and accepted a position with the Army in Korea. Nothing has been the same since.

Goodbye Cameltoe

Posted on 11/September/2022 by John McCrarey

First things first:

***I will always remember the day when everything changed.***

I wasn’t hungry when I left home yesterday, so I didn’t go to John’s place to start my evening. I had some drinks at It Doesn’t Matter instead. Then a few more at The Green Room. While I was there, I got a message from Lydell at Kamto asking if I wanted to join them for their last night.

Yes, a favorite hangout is closing. The sad thing is that it is closing because the landlord won’t renew the lease. Apparently, she decided that’s a nice little business they’ve got there, and so she’ll just keep it for herself. That kind of fucked up shit happens here more often than you’d think.

***The last shot of the crew and me at Cameltoe. Gonna miss them.***

They went out with a bang, at least. I bought several rounds of drinks as a going away present.

Went out with Ed this morning to finalize the Hash trail for tomorrow. Naturally, it was raining. The part we needed to scout out was the hill climb portion.

***Most of the way up wasn’t too bad.***

But this rock outcropping proved to be treacherously slippery. Ed and I share the same Hare philosophy: don’t put the Hashers in unnecessary peril. In the end, we decided this climb wasn’t going to work on a wet day.

We came up with a workaround trail that will have to suffice. We’ll mark it up with chalk, paper, and powder tomorrow morning.

What else? Well, Facebook reminded me that I didn’t wake up alone six years ago.

***I’m a little surprised I actually posted that risque photo on Facebook. Shame on me! I’m posting it here only to illustrate what a fucked up person I must be.***

Which I guess explains this:

How about a bit of nostalgia from the good ol’ days? This ad for 7-Up certainly resonates today.

***Maybe he could mix that 7-Up with something, um, harder…***

That’s all I’ve got for now. Thanks for stopping by!

Sometimes you just gotta SOB

Posted on 10/September/2022 by John McCrarey

Had a productive visit with my doctors (husband and wife) yesterday. I will be trying some different meds to cure whatever it is that ails me. I spent almost an hour in consultation/treatment (I had something squirted up my nose to treat my sinus condition). Total fee for the office visit: 1050 pesos (less the twenty dollars). The docs also told me they would be moving into Alta Vista soon. Welcome neighbors!

I had a couple of hours before the SOB began, but deemed that not long enough to go back home and return. Hey, any excuse for an early start will do, right? But first I went to the salon for a haircut. I wanted a foot spa too, but two gals were waiting ahead of me, so never mind. Doors at Whiskey Girl, the SOB venue, weren’t scheduled to open until 5:00, so I decided to kill an hour drinking and eating at Cheap Charlies.

***My beef stew dinner was delivered from Foodies downstairs.***

Then it was up the highway to Whiskey Girl, where I settled into a front-row seat and waited for the show. I didn’t wait alone, though; I had Jen, my favorite WG waitress, by my side. Alaska won the contest, and Whiskey Girl was the runner-up. I’m starting to notice a home-bar bias amongst my fellow judges. I’m not judging them; just making an observation.

***I can’t imagine walking in those shoes, let alone dancing in them.***

I decided not to attend the Aftermath gathering at Wet Spot following the SOB. Instead, I planned to go to Thumbstar and watch Joy and the Hideaway girls perform a dance routine there. I had some time to kill before the 9:00 p.m. start, so I dropped in for a quick beer at Johansson’s. A dart tournament was underway, so I got to say hello to some of my old darts friends I hadn’t seen in a while.

Thumbstar has opened a shwarma shop on the patio in front of the bar. I’ve been meaning to give it a try, but haven’t eaten there yet. I wasn’t hungry last night, though. That beef stew was very filling, not to mention all the beers and finger foods I had enjoyed during the SOB. I was very surprised, though, to see my old friend Rica was running the shwarma kitchen (there are other things on the menu as well). She kinda disappeared during the scamdemic, so it was nice to run into her again.

***I bought her a drink, and we chatted a bit. She has a well-earned reputation as a great cook, so now I’m really looking forward to sampling her wares at the shwarma shop.***

The Hideaway gals arrived a few minutes after nine. Joy spotted me right away and joined me at my table. Her friend Jen accompanied her. So, yeah, more lady drinks were served. Turns out the dancing didn’t start until 10:00, and I knew I wasn’t going to make it that long. So, I said my goodnights and caught a trike for home.

Based on last night’s reconnaissance, I updated the Thumbstar review.

Feeling somewhat better today; hopefully, that trend continues. No big plans for my Saturday night, but I’m thinking about starting out at John’s place for some dinner and maybe a visit to his upstairs bar. I still need to do a review there for the Bars of Barretto series.

And that’s where things stand as of now.

Early out

Posted on 09/September/2022 by John McCrarey

As I mentioned yesterday, I felt like shit all day. Of course, that didn’t stop me from heading out to the bars when beer o’clock came around. It seemed logical that a few gin and sodas would ease my suffering. Anyway, it was worth a try.

The first thing that happened when I arrived at It Doesn’t Matter was hearing the news that a long-time acquaintance had just died.

***Rest in Peace, Don. These are photos his wife posted on her Facebook page.***

Don was only 62 but had been in poor health for several months, and he was recovering from a broken hip at the time of his passing. Apparently what killed him, though, was his COPD. The guy telling me about his death had been at the hospital with him, and the doctors couldn’t get the respirators to oxygenate his blood. At least, that’s how I understand it. Don was a heavy smoker right up until the end, and if you are suffering from COPD, that’s going to kill you pretty quick. Anyway, Don was a good guy, and I’ll miss seeing him around.

Thankfully, whatever is going on with me is nowhere near that severe, but I’m going to see the doctor this afternoon for advice on how to keep things stable. I wound up not staying at IDM very long, turns out the drinking wasn’t making me feel better after all. Still, I had one more mission to accomplish–the long-awaited review of Lux bar.

***Walking up the highway to Lux afforded this pleasant view.***

I didn’t stay at Lux long; two beers (buy one, get one during happy hour) and out. I took a few crappy photos before leaving and wrote a bar review this morning.

***The waitress kept handing me a tissue for my runny nose. I took the hint and fixed the problem.***

I slept better and woke up feeling better, or at least stronger. I did the Friday group hike this morning and survived, but man, those hills sure do get me huffing and puffing.

Time to shower up and see what the doctor says. And after that, it’s SOB Friday at Whiskey Girl. What a life!

Bars of Barretto: Lux

Posted on 09/September/2022 by John McCrarey

Lux is one of the newer bars in town, open for around six months now, I suppose. I visited during their grand opening and one other time before last night. It is actually a very impressive bar, roomy, and possibly the fanciest place in town. The signage around the front door lets you know you are in for something unique.

***When you enter Lux, you encounter special effects like this lion statue.***

***There is also a pool table if that’s your thing.***

Several large-screen televisions playing music videos of a genre I’m not really fond of, just a bit too loudly. But then again, I’m an old fucker; you young whippersnappers may enjoy it.

This is a “girly” bar, meaning it has sexy dancers for your viewing entertainment. I understand takeout is available as well.

***Sorry the dance floor photo came out so dark. The dancers were all wearing hot miniskirts with tiny thongs underneath. I think that is what’s known as eye candy.***

Even though girly bars aren’t my thing, Lux has taken the concept to a whole new level. It felt like being in a palace as much as being in a tavern. There was just one other customer and me at this early hour, but the dancers were still quite energetic. That’s not the case in many bars.

***My company. The gal on the left remembered me from her days at Queen Victoria. I didn’t remember her at all, and even now, her name escapes me.***

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that during happy hour (until 7 p.m.), there is “buy one, get one pricing.” I didn’t even need a coupon! I understand beers are regularly priced at 90 pesos. That’s in the low range for this type bar.

Bottom line, if you like bars with girls on stage dancing for your entertainment, you definitely want to give Lux a visit. Hell, I’m bound to come back just for that happy hour drink deal!

The rankings:

It Doesn’t Matter
Hideaway
Snackbar
Cheap Charlies
Wet Spot
The Green Room
Alley Cats
Mango’s Beach Bar
Bar Barretto
Lux
Blue Butterfly
Dynamite Dick’s
Mugshots
Alaska Club
Hot Zone
Queen Victoria
Whiskey Girl
Adam’s
BarCelona
Voodoo
Rock Lobster
Outback
Rosie’s
Annex
Bottoms Up
Palm Tree
Thumbstar
MacArthur’s
Redz Pub
Chill