My hotel is located right in the middle of where the action was almost fifty-eight years ago (near the gray square).
My first impressions of Hue are generally positive. I’m still in the tourist zone, but it’s not as oppressive as the one I experienced in Hoi An. Getting here took almost four hours, including a twisty-turny drive over a mountain. Saw plenty of nice scenery along the way, so no real complaints in that regard. Found some nice bars and restaurants in the backstreets near our hotel last night, and the exploration of which has just begun! One nice thing they do is close those roads to vehicle traffic after 6 p.m., allowing safer stumbling walking about.
Here are some photos of the getting here and our first evening out:
That mountain between Da Nang and Hue we had to cross.The Hai Van Gate is at the summit.You can read more about it at the link above.One of the fortifications.The ocean view on a hazy day.Who needs a shitty map?Coming down the mountain.An interesting-looking village we passed along the way.When you gotta go, you gotta go.Finally made it to our hotel in Hue.The view from our room.The DMZ, a restaurant/bar, is conveniently located right across the road from our hotel.I chuckled over this name and thought of It Doesn’t Matter back home.No thanks, I read the book.Looks like my kind of place.Nice ambiance upstairs at Browneyes.My blue-eyed view from Browneyes.At the dinner hour, we moved to the HotTuna and enjoyed the street view as an appetizer. I asked our waitress if they served cold tuna, but the language barrier aborted my attempt at humor.Some of the local food offerings at HotTuna.We had something called calamari……and grilled pork ribs. Talk about stepping outside the comfort zone!An after-dinner nightcap at DMZ.And then we climbed the stairway to heaven and called it a night.
A good day so far, despite getting lost on our hike this morning. Two more nights to go here.
And in news from home:
As I suspected, John’s place in Barretto is closing. The new location is going to be in Olongapo City, way out of my reach. It was good while it lasted. Thanks for the memories.
Back to the September 2016 LTG archives for part 3 of the bringing sand to the beach adventure.
Today’s YouTube video features combat footage from the Tet Offensive back in 1968—some of the heaviest US casualties of the war in that battle. I can’t help but think about all those who died here while I’m living the high life on the streets where blood was spilled. You can read the gory details here if you are so inclined.
And now for today’s lame attempts at humor:
Did you get a spanking?Well, I’m an old man with bladder control issues. Yeah, ever been to Switzeland?
A rather laid-back day there in Hoi An yesterday. In fact, it was almost Barretto-like: a morning hike and an evening in the bars. There is nothing wrong with Hoi An, which might explain why the streets are packed with tourists. I can’t complain about that since I am one too, but honestly, I think it would make it hard for me to live here as an expat. Then again, it is likely the expat community has its own side of town away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist district. The locals here do seem much friendlier than those I observed in Da Nang.
On with the day. It was a little over 5K from the hotel to the beach. Traffic isn’t so bad here, but you do have to maintain situational awareness, especially with the omnipresent motorbikes racing about. We began in the “old town” district near the riverside, then passed through some rice fields before reaching the beachside urbanization. Here’s some of what we saw along the way:
Over the river near our hotel.Hoi An has a history of being a major trading center (mostly spice exports) with the Chinese back in the olden days.The streets of old town are full of shops catering to tourists.One of the temples we passed along the way.This is the first McDonald’s I’ve encountered on this trip. It’s like no other McDonald’s I’ve ever seen. No drive-thru, no parking, and housed in an old building. There’s also a KFC next door. It seems so weirdly out of place.This park enticed us in for a quick look around.I couldn’t find anything about this guy in a Google search (everything was in Vietnamese), but the placard said he was a scholar who became a leader opposed to French colonization and was executed for his resistance.That’s what my mama called me sometimes.Through the paddies…What do they call a carabao in Vietnam?Even out here in farm country, they have set traps for the tourists.Working for a living.My first thought when I saw those houses was, “We must be getting close to the ocean.”A river runs through it.Life on the river.Where’s the beef?Destination achieved!I saw zero locals on the beach.You can see Da Nang from here. That’s a zoom shot.We found a cozy place to grab some lunch and enjoy the beach view.“I blew out my flipflop, stepped on a pop top, cut my heel, had to cruise on back home…”When is the last time you’ve seen one of those?The route of our journey. We took a cab back to the hotel.This fat fuck was hanging out in our hotel lobby.
At the appointed hour, Swan and I headed out to do some exploring and find a place to grab dinner.
I wasn’t in the mood for colonial food.Um, no thank you.Off with our heads?A very friendly young Aussie guywelcomed us to the restaurant.I was craving some pulled pork, but had never seen it on a bed of fries. Sure, why not?Hmm, more fries than pork. It tasted alright, though.The view from our table
Oh, and there was a vendor next door selling something called “smoke ice cream.” Swan wanted to give it a try.
Neither of us liked it much.
Lantern boats on the river.
We decided to go back to the LyLy pub for some drinks and music. We were welcomed there like regulars.
The same trio from last night was performing. I asked our waitress where the singer was from, and she said, “Vietnam.” In my defense, did say “kamsamnida” when people applauded at the end of a song. A Vietnamese girl who speaks good English and knows some Korean. Wow! What are the odds?
Here’s a song for you:
Then we moved on to the Bob Marley bar for our nightcap.
They remembered us here, too.
Here’s the Marley’s duo (Filipinos) doing a song:
And now I have arrived in the historic city of Hue (pronounced “Who”), where I will be spending the next three days. First time here, so it will be fun to explore some.
In today’s entry from the September 2016 LTG archives, the story of my taking sand to the beach in the Philippines continues.
Today’s YouTube video is an introduction to the things to see and do in Hue. I’ve never heard “Hue” pronounced as “He” before, but then again, I’ve been calling it “Hew” for as long as I can remember.
Now for the funny business:
Something doesn’t add up…Just turn the page.Aren’t they all?
I know someone who would be PERFECT for that role!
One week done, and one more to go. So far, it’s been a good time. I’m writing this post from the lovely river town of Hoi An. I’m honestly shocked to be surrounded by so many tourists in this area, many of them young couples. Lots of old-timer couples, too. It is probably the laid-back atmosphere here that makes it more desirable for some than Da Nang’s big-city vibes. Whatever, it is what it is, and I like both.
On the way here, we made a side-trip to visit My Son (pronounced Me Sohn), the site of ancient Hindu temple ruins. Until I read the history at the link above, I was not aware of why this area was so historically significant. Life is for learning, and I learned something new.
Oh, and best of all, it is not cold here! It is nice to be comfortably out and about in short sleeves again.
Let’s get to those heavenly photos, shall we?
A foggy morning as we said goodbye to Ba Na Hills.Into the cable car for the ride back down to the lowlands.I have a slight case of acrophobia, so looking down while our car was swaying made me a tad lightheaded.Swan had the barf bag ready just in case I needed it. I didn’t.Gettin’ down!I have no idea what this water was angry about, but it was ragin’.On the road to My Son.And here we be.A cart ride to the starting area.I would estimate that half of our fellow tourists were from India.Let’s go check out these ruins.Swan ain’t afraid of no ghosts.We saw a few monkeys along the way.Ruins, ruins, everywhere there’s ruins…Hello, there.I guess they had monkeys back then, too.A bridge too far. Meaning I didn’t take it.
As I said, the viewing might have been more interesting to see if I had known some of the history beforehand—still, not a bad experience. Our driver was waiting to carry us onward to Hoi An, about an hour away.
Checking in at the Lantana Hotel, right on the riverfront.My room came equipped with this high-tech device. I’m not sure how it works.
I must say, I have never seen such attentive, caring, and friendly staff before. At the reception, a woman sat with us and explained all the amenities available during our stay. This morning, when Swan and I were plotting our course to the beach, the receptionist came out, asked us where we were going, showed us on our map app, and suggested an alternate street where we would see more historic buildings. Thank you for that!
Hoi An is a tourist town, which means being besieged by vendors.This one was very friendly, even though I couldn’t understand a word she said.The Hoi An River slices through the middle of town.These boats offer “lantern tours” when the sun goes down.
It was beer o’clock, and we were thirsty. Where can we get a drink around here?
The riverwalk has numerous bars to choose from, some with live music. No dancing girl bars, not that that matters.We made the LyLy Irish Pub our first stop.That’s a Tiger in that Magners glass.Then I saw they had a “buy one, get one” happy hour deal, so I switched to bottles.The LyLy street view. No cars are allowed on this section of road, which makes it much more pleasant for everyone. Well, except for drivers.Our next stop was the Bob Marley bar. They had live music, and the singer did a pretty good job singing some Marley tunes.Those lantern boats I mentioned.Us chilling at Marley’s.
We’d seen a rooftop place called Sky Bar and decided to give it a try.
A sexy tree grows in Hoi An.Like a bridge over troubled waters.Swan says Sky Bar is right up this alley.
Yikes! Four floors of dicey stairs. And you have to duck at the top before entering the bar. They are even worse coming back down. I figured this must be an expat hangout since it is off the main drag and a pain in the ass to get to.
Despite the obstacles, Sky Bar had a good crowd last night.A Sky Bar view.And another.
It was time to get some grub, and Jeff liked the menu at LyLy, so we overcame the stairs and headed back to where we had started.
We are back!And the live music had begun. This gal had a fantastic voice and sang in perfect English. I don’t think she is Vietnamese, though. She looks Korean.Our pub fare included chicken nuggets……and fried shrimp.
I’d reached my limit, so we bid goodnight to Jeff and Davina and headed back to the room.
Onward to September 2016 in the LTG archives, and in this post, I recount the happenings of the first day in the Philippines with my Korean girlfriend.
Today’s YouTube video is a vlogger walking around An Bang Beach, the one Swan and I hiked to this morning. Nothing all that exciting in the video, but at least you can see what things look like around there.
And you knew these were coming:
What’s up, Doc?Hard to argue with that logic.Puns like this should be against the law.
Alright, I’ll stop now—time to get on with the rest of day eight.
It’s been a LONG time since I’ve seen a heating unit. I was very thankful for this one in my hotel room last night.
Damn, it’s been cold. I’ve become acclimated to the heat of the Philippines, and my body hasn’t responded well to the chilly winds at my current nearly mile-high altitude. All I have are shorts, but I’m thankful for that long-sleeved sweatshirt I purchased in Da Nang. Anyway, this too shall pass. We are heading down the mountain to Hoi An this morning for the next phase of our Vietnam adventure.
As for Ba Na Hills, I’ve never experienced anything quite like this place (other than my visit here last year). It’s got a unique beauty, and the buildings bring the vibe of a French village from long ago. If you are curious about the history of this area, here’s a good place to start.
We covered a lot of ground taking it all in yesterday, and I’ve got the photos to prove it:
Up at dawn, once again hoping to catch the ocean sunrise in Da Nang, only to be disappointed by the clouds hiding the sun. On the road to Ba Na Hills.Ba Na is around 35K from Da Nang.The only way to the top of the mountain is by cable car…the longest cable ride in the world. With our bags and us, we filled the car.Up, up, and away. (Yeah, this is actually looking down from where we started.Almost to the top.The highlights of being a tourist.
Dropped our bags at the Mercure Hotel (the only one on the mountain) and had three hours to kill before check-in. Here’s the sights we took in as we wandered about:
Reach out and touch someone.Yes, she’s my world.Pretty in pink.So many castles, so little time.Swan in a big red dress.Rock on!Don’t mess with me, motherfucker!Some nice pussy up here.We took a short cable car ride to check out the famous Golden Bridge.That would be it.I’ve got to hand it to ya…Then we toured the old French wine cellars.A wine lover in her element.The tour admission fee included a glass of wine at the end.On with the exploration.That guy in the back looks familiar.Dragon the line.Don’t monkey with me!The view from here.Another nice view.Take a picture, it lasts longer.Her name must be McDonald…the original Golden Archer.
It was time for some lunch (and beer), so we headed to the brewery.
My hero!Something’s brewing down there.The place was packed.Swan and I shared this platter.Let’s eat!
After lunch, it was time to check into our hotel rooms.
Nothing like being greeted on the TV screen.
Rooms were clean and comfortable. I got in a blog post and a nap before it was time to head out and meet up with Jeff and Davina again. I was surprised that so many places were closing at 6 p.m. (or earlier). I guess it really is the slow season, but damn, why book a room on the mountain if there is nowhere to go at night?
We did find this cozy bar close to our hotel that stayed up until 9:30.And our hotel bar was open until midnight, so we didn’t have to go without.The bar was at the bottom of these stairs. It felt almost like walking into a cave.But it was actually very nice inside.The fish and chips we had for dinner were surprisingly delicious!Ba Na Hills is quite a sight after dark.
Speaking of dark, I woke up at 4:30 and peeked outside the window. I asked Swan if she wanted to take a stroll with me for a better look around. She did.
It felt like a zombie apocalypse.Scary shit in the shadows.The end of the world as we know it?
Well, we made it back to our room without seeing any walking dead, so there’s that. It was a really creepy morning, though.
And now I’m writing this post from the lovely town of Hoi An. I’ll tell you all about the getting here and how things are going tomorrow.
The last post in the LTG archives from August 2016 features a recounting of meeting the American Ambassador to Korea in my new suit, having some birthday shots with friends at Shenanigans, and a brief mention of my upcoming trip to the Philippines that would include my new Korean girlfriend. They call that bringing sand to the beach. We’ll find out how that went soon.
Today’s YouTube video is all about where I am now. I visited here for a few hours last year and knew I wanted to come back when I had more time. Let’s see how two nights work out for me.
Maybe I can put a smile on your face with these:
I know what I saw lit me up.Imagine that.He’s on the sheep but he ain’t no lamb.
It turns out that Hemingway was commatose, just like me! A great short story that really touched me deep in my soul. It’s an easy read, go see for yourself.
Day five was pretty laid back, almost like being home. An 8K walk to the Han River and back, then some barhopping with a nice dinner at the end. The pictures tell the story better than I can.
Went to the beach at 6 a.m., hoping for a sunrise. Alas, the clouds said no.That’s the best shot I could get.
On with the walk:
I had to do a double-take when I saw this signage. I thought it was something more presidential at first.Seeing this really got my goat.Swan is such a poser sometimes.Who gives a rat’s ass?Made it to the river.I couldn’t bear to look.Then we came upon this nice paved road that was blocked to everything but pedestrian traffic. We decided to see where it led.Ah, a bridge over the river without any cars. Nice!The side of the river we had been on.The bridge that presumably replaced the one we were walking on.On the other side of the bridge was a nice commie park.Peaceful and well-maintained.A sculpture that caught my eye.Moving upriver, we came to the Dragon Bridge and decided to cross back over to our side of town.Ridin’ the dragon.Lucky for us, it wasn’t breathing fire yesterday.Heading back down to the riverside.We were getting hungry, but I wasn’t in the mood for sour kraut.A temple we passed along the way.As I said, we were hungry, so we figured we’d see what a Fly Burger was like.The 95 is 95,000 dong, around $3.50. Oh, and it turns out the meat was beef, not fly.Swan enjoyed her Fly Burger.And my chicken burger was tasty, too.
Back to the room for a shower and nap, then it was time to meet up with Jeff and Davina to enjoy our last night in Da Nang until next week.
We kicked things off at our favorite beach bar.Another clean, well-lighted place. I mean that Ernestly.The view from our seats.The view of us in our seats.Our next stop was a first for us, a joint called Game On. It was pleasant with nice street views, just the way I like it.My favorite Vietnamese beer, Huda, served in a San Miguel mug. The best of both worlds!Game On!Our next stop was a place called Loco Tay.Hmm…Some impressive artwork adorned the walls at Loco Tay.Now you tell me!That would be us.We were planning to go here for some shawarma eats, but alas, they didn’t serve alcoholic beverages. Thanks, but no thanks. We were on a roll.So we went around the corner to this open air food court.They even had live music.And my favorite local beer.I snacked on some wings.While Swan ate the feet.Dinner brought our pleasant evening out to a close.
And early this morning, we checked out of the hotel and headed for the hills.
Still plodding through the August 2016 LTG archives. It is amazing to see what a difference ten years can make. But at least my journey continues to continue.
Today’s YouTube video is all about those hills I mentioned, Ba Na. It’s an amazing place and I’m glad for the opportunity to have more time to explore it this trip.
To the humor we must go.
Another stinky joke.Stop, you’re killing me!Hard to argue with the math.
Alright, I need to go out and enjoy myself in this fantastic place I’m at. Tell you all about tomorrow, time permitting.
I agree! Those young bucks need to back off and let us old fuckers have some fun with those sweet lasses!
Yesterday featured a walk, a cruise, and beer. Lots of beer! Let me show you what I mean.
After a couple of kilometers down the beach road, I turned left, thinking it would lead to the Han River. Turns out I was wrong about that. Or maybe I gave up too soon. I’ll try to find it again today.A couple of elephants.A Swan.And whatever the hell that’s supposed to be.A lion or tiger, perhaps?I didn’t eat here (yet).But we did give this place a try.OMG! They had birria tacos! And guacamole, just the way Swan likes it. They were damn good, too.That’s probably the biggest burrito I ever did see.Open wide!That’s what the innards looked like. Yep, those are fries inside, another first.We stopped in here to see if I could find a long-sleeve sweatshirt in my size.Yeah, it gets chilly at night this time of year, and we are heading up into the Ba Na Hills tomorrow.This one fit, so I bought it.Our loop was a tad over 5K. I’ll try for the river walk again today.
After a nap and a shower, we met up with Jeff and Davina for our river cruise. We couldn’t board until 7 p.m., so we checked out some of the bars down by the river.
Our first stop.Very large and well-appointed. A nice selection of craft beers, too.This place has a definite expat vibe about it. If I’m not mistaken, it‘ is Aussie-owned.
The signage in Bamboo’s restroom was also worth a couple of photos:
Wipe that smile off your face!Yep, that’s the wrong kind of lump in your pants.
Then we made our way along the river towards the boat dock.
A clean well-lighted place.The Marriott Hotel pays homage to its communist overseers.A Swan on the river.There she is again!One last beer at the Novotel before heading to the riverboat.The riverboat dock.Just like last year, we were booked on the Poseidon for our river adventure.Our table on the bow of the Poseidon.A heavenly view.We even saw Chloe, our waitress from last year,and she remembered us, too. The first of many Larue beers consumed during our two hours onboard. Two bottles of wine for Davina and Swan.Cheers!
After a decent dinner was served (Swan and I had the salmon), it was time for the cultural dancers to perform.
The live music…And those dancers I mentioned.
Here’s a short video of the dancing you might enjoy:
Thanks for the show, ladies!
Then it was time to hit the Han River:
Off we go!The lights of the city.Heading for that Dragon Bridge.There it be.And it’s a fire-breathing dragon.I guess the dragon spits but doesn’t swallow.
So, the cruise ended at 9:30 local time, which makes it 10:30 back home. My body had had enough fun for one day, so Swan and I caught a cab to the hotel. I think I did okay for an old guy.
In the LTG archives, it’s August 27, 2016, and I turned 61. The post has all the songs I like about growing older. Hey, it must have worked, because almost 10 years later, I’m still getting old.
Today’s YouTube video is a short (less than four minutes) presentation about the realities of Da Nang nightlife. It is spot on, at least from my limited experience here. Nothing like you are going to find in the bars of Barretto or Angeles City. The good thing is, I prefer the laid-back chill atmosphere that is in abundance here.
And that leads us to these:
That absolutely stinks!That’s gonna be some stinky ink.When he gets fired, he won’t have a wok to piss in.
And now for day five of the Vietnam experience. No specific plans for today other than a walk/exploration. Hopefully, I’ll spot a new place to try for dinner. We leave Da Nang proper tomorrow morning and will spend a night up high in the Ba Na Hills. I’ve been looking forward to that the most on our vacation itinerary. After that, we have stays in Hoi An and Hue before returning to Da Nang next week. Let the adventure continue!
Things don’t always go as planned, but they still go. The river cruise didn’t happen yesterday because we discovered that the early trip (5:30 to 7:00) doesn’t operate this time of the year. We’ll be doing the later cruise (7:00 to 9:30) tonight instead. We did take Jeff and Davina to the banh mi sandwich shop for lunch so they could enjoy that Vietnamese delicacy for the first time. They seemed to enjoy them. After the meal, we went our separate ways, with J&D going back to the riverside of town to see a museum and a cathedral. Swan and I opted to hike the boardwalk along the beach in the opposite direction from our hotel. Afterwards, we hit our favorite beach bar, Maia. For dinner, we went back to Dirty Fingers. Afterwards, we had a nightcap at the bar on the 24th floor of the Rosario Hotel. I deem it a good day.
See for yourself:
The beach view from our hotel room is minimal, but we caught a glimpse of the sunrise. We’ll try to hit the beach tomorrow morning and see the whole show.My complimentary breakfast to kick off the day.The hotel restaurant offers a Vietnamese cooking class.None for me, thanks.Eating Vietnamese style.The famous banh mi sandwich.Time for the beach walk, without toes in the sand.The Paradise Beach Bar is across the street from our hotel and is always busy.I’m glad Swan isn’t named Ann, otherwise reading this sign out loud would be dangerous!Hazy skies and rough waters. That flag is a “red warning” about not swimming.I haven’t been inside that building that looks like a cave yet. It’s on my to-do list, though.A beach bar we also haven’t tried yet.It’s always nice to see a pickup truck older than I am.There’s something fishy going on here.Damn, that’s a big bar. Mostly empty in the late afternoon.I wonder if Phuc Long Hotel translates to something like Hotel Viagra,Da Nang is known for its sunny beaches.Back to our favorite beach bar for some after-hike refreshments.That hits the spot!The view from our first seats at Maia.When another table vacated, we were able to move closer to the beach.Livin’ large, in more ways than one.The sign that greeted us as we arrived at Dirty Fingers for some grub.We were in the mood for some grilled meat.And the chicken and pork rib hit the spot.Satisfied diners.A street walk and elevator ride brought us here.Looking down from the 24th floor.Cheers!
And we let it be after that and headed to our hotel room to end our third day in Da Nang.
It is still August 2016 in the LTG archives, and big bad John declares himself to be in a relationship. When will he ever learn?
Today’s YouTube video is about the Da Nang nightlife scene. We’ll be taking the Han River cruise and visiting the Sky 36 rooftop bar this evening. One thing you don’t see here is girly bars.
And let’s see how you like these:
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.Don’t plug him in the wrong socket.I guess he stepped into that one.
Alright, Swan and I are going to hike on the other side of the river this afternoon, then we’ll meet up with Jeff and Davina (they rented bikes today) and head out for our river cruise. It’s an hour earlier here than back home, so this will be a late night for me. Wish me luck!
I went to the help desk at my blog host, HostGator, to find out why I couldn’t log on to LTG, nor could my readers. Here’s the highlights from that encounter:
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Me: (I explained the issue again.)
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And it worked! Mostly. I still have this when I visit the site:
Oh, well. I’ll work on that later. Let’s get to the good stuff. Here’s the story of Day 2 in the lovely city of Da Nang:
I’m on the 11th floor of HaianBeach Resort. The room is clean and comfortable, but doesn’t face the beach. Oh, and that crane is working on building a new high-rise next door. Must be a rush job because I could hear them late into the night.The room comes with a complimentary breakfast buffet. Damn, this is the best and biggest buffet I’ve ever seen. That’s what I had the first day, plenty more things to choose from during the rest of my stay.Happy breakfast diners.
Oh, and Kevin, I met this guy in the hotel lobby:
Buddha ain’t got nothin’ on me!
We met up with fellow travelers Jeff and Davina in the afternoon and took a stroll down the beach road to a place we had spotted the previous day.
The Hoy O Cafe just recently opened.A large open-air restobar with a very nice ambiance.Several old-fashioned electric bicycles were decoratively placed throughout the restaurant. And yes, I’m old enough to remember seeing those when I was a kid.Hoy O also features this fancy wood-fired pizza oven.That would be us.Jeff and Davina had pizza. Swan and I were still full from breakfast and snacked on the chicken wings.
We enjoyed our lunch and, as time permits, might visit again. After eating, Jeff suggested we check out the September 2 Memorial. Called a Grab car to take us to the other side of the river, and off we went.
The September 2 Monument “offers visitors a serene space to reflect on Vietnam’s journey towards independence and resilience.“The view from the monument. Yes, that’s a Swan down there.Having seen what we came for, we decided to take a hike and see what else there was to see.An amusement park with the biggest Ferris wheel I ever did see.A wise man.Not sure what that’s all about.Pickleball is a thing here, apparently.A beer club, you say? Can I join?A little taste of home. To be fair, this was in a side street parking area.Our walk on the riverside was quite pleasant.You talking to me? And where are the “do” things you mention?The famous Dragon Bridge. It blows fire on the weekend.Another dragon?Why yes, yes I do!Hello there!The “A’s” have it!A Swan in the garden.Okay, now I’m thirsty.Luckily, we passed a bar. I had to pee anyway, and why not enjoy a local brew in a San Miguel holder?Making our way through the backstreets to visit a Catholic cathedral. Alas, Mass was in session, so we didn’t get in.We may have lost the war, but American culture still permeates. If I’m not mistaken, those are characters from “The Big Lebowski.”This oddly shaped building caught my eye.
After a 6K stroll, we grabbed a Grab ride back to the hotel.
Over the bridge at rush hour in Da Nang.
We regrouped later and went up to the pool bar on the 22nd floor for some before-dinner beverages.
We had the misfortune of being seated next to this large and loud group playing that game, the name of which I don’t recall…it’s sort of like soccer, I think.The views from up there were nice……sundown in the city.
We decided to walk to a restaurant Jeff and Davina had spotted on a previous visit. I enjoy getting off the busy boulevards and onto the backstreets and seeing new places.
Thank goodness we weren’t going here. I imagined taking a bite of my burger and saying, “Waiter! This isn’t beef! What kind of meat is this?” Sir, you are having a fly burger.This is where we ate.A huge place.Let’s do this!I went with grilled pork and got to eat with chopsticks for the first time in quite a while.
After dinner, Jeff and Davina went for a massage, and Swan and I headed for the beach.
Saw this old bug along the way.We did our nightcap at the Maia Beach Bar. Had this DJ blocking the view, but he spun some good music (all instrumental and at an appropriate volume).
We chatted a bit with our waitress and, despite the language barrier, came to understand that this is low season for tourism here, “too cold,” she said. She also confirmed that the tide is higher than it is in the summer, reducing the beach space.
Then, a short stroll back to our hotel, and day two of our trip was complete.
Still in August 2016 of the LTG archives, and in this post, I shared the photos from an evening out with my new girlfriend, Eun Oke. I cooked dinner for her, then we did an Itaewon bar crawl. You can’t have an ending without a beginning.
She was nice when sober.
Let’s see some more of Da Nang in today’s YouTube video. I’ll be seeing all of this and more before the trip is through.
And now let’s get this out of the way:
A great grammar shark for sure!You are better off without that smokin’ bitch anyway, Dan.Yeah, that comma after wife isn’t funny.
So, now it’s time to get on with day three of the vacay. Going to introduce Jeff to his first banh mi sandwich for lunch. Later, we plan on taking a cruise on the Han River (no, not that one in Seoul). After that, we’ll see. Check back here tomorrow if you are curious.
Greetings from the lovely city of Da Nang, where litter-free streets abound! Getting here proved to be quite the adventure, but it all worked out in the end. I’m about ready to get out and do some exploring, so here’s a quick recap on the way things went down yesterday.
Left for Manila a little before 5 a.m. with my fellow travelers, neighbors Jeff and Davina. We’d made arrangements with my landlord to park Jeff’s car at her house to avoid the exorbitant parking fees at the Manila airport. We arrived without incident (other than the notorious Manila traffic), parked, then called a Grab car to transport us to the airport. Again, other than traffic, we encountered no difficulties and made it to the airport just before 9 a.m. for our flight scheduled to depart at 11:55.
When I reached the check-in counter, the agent asked to see my Vietnam visa. After looking it over, she showed it to the agent next to her, then returned it to me and processed my boarding pass. Then she asked to see my visa again, chatted with the other agent again, and then asked about the duration of my stay, since only my arrival date was listed on the visa. I explained that I had been told that Vietnam immigration would enter that date. She nodded and handed me my boarding pass. I exhaled a sigh of relief.
I had a Subway sandwich for the first time in years for breakfast/lunch and proceeded to my boarding gate to await departure. They began boarding early, and we departed the airport ahead of schedule. I was exhausted for some reason and fell asleep before takeoff, then woke thirty minutes or so into the two-and-a-half-hour flight to Da Nang. When I got up to pee, I noted something that had never happened before in all my years as a frequent flyer: I hadn’t fastened my seatbelt before we took off. Swan says the flight attendant walked by checking, but must have assumed my seatbelt was on, hidden by the protrusion of my big-ass belly. Oh, well. I survived the breach of safety protocols, and our plane landed in Da Nang at 1 p.m. local time (Da Nang is 1 hour ahead of the Philippines).
Da Nang is a tourist hotspot, and the immigration lines were among the longest I’ve ever seen. It took me forty minutes to get to my turn with the officer. I gave him my passport and visa. He looked at the visa and started punching stuff into the computer. He paused, then took another long look at the visa. He pointed to the date, which I thought was the arrival date, and he told me it was the departure date. So, my visa had expired. I tried to explain, but he wasn’t interested and called someone over to escort me to a desk in the back. The officer there reviewed my paperwork, took my passport, and told me to take a seat and wait.
Ten minutes later, a couple of women in Philippines Air uniforms approached and asked to see my return flight information. They took my paperwork and walked away. Oh shit, I’m going to be deported! They returned after a bit and had me follow them to the visa on arrivals desk at immigration. Americans are not eligible for a visa on arrival, but apparently, an exception was going to be made for me. I had to fill out a new visa application (in duplicate), and I was so stressed that my hands were shaking. Then, out of nowhere, a young man in civilian clothes told me he was there to assist me in getting my visa approved. But it was going to cost me $135, around three million Vietnamese dong. I asked if I could use a credit card, but he said no. I said I’d need to go to an ATM, but since I couldn’t leave the immigration area, that wasn’t possible. I had given Swan four million dong I had gotten at an exchange booth in Manila. She was anxiously waiting in the baggage claim area for my situation to be resolved, so I sent the “agent/fixer” over there. Jeff had dong from his previous trip, and gave the necessary funds to secure my visa. Once the money had changed hands and the visa was issued, I was a free man again.
We got our bags, I hit an ATM to repay Jeff, and we caught a Grab ride to our hotel. I deny being an alcoholic, but after the shit I’d been through, I needed a beer big time. We put our bags in the room, then crossed the road to the Paradise Beach Bar, which I had enjoyed on my previous trip here. And guess what? It was chilly outside. All I packed were shorts and light shirts, but I’ll be shopping for a sweatshirt before we head up for our stay in the Ba Na Hills. It’s not cold-cold like winter, but it’s still uncomfortable for someone who’s become acclimated to the heat in the Philippines.
After a couple of extra cold beers, we took a twenty-minute walk along the beach road to my favorite eatery from last trip, Dirty Fingers. Still as good as ever. Then we headed back towards our hotel and stopped at the Roadside Bar for a nightcap. A couple more beers, and I had had all that I could handle, so we said goodnight to Jeff and Davina and made it safely back to our room.
Oh yeah, something went wrong with my blog, and I wasn’t able to log on yesterday. I understand my reader(s) were blocked as well. Hopefully, that issue has now been resolved.
And now you know the story of the first day of my trip. Here are some photos from the adventure:
Heading into Manila.We have arrived on the mean streets of my least favorite city in the Philippines.What’s to like?Well, they do have a train here, and look at that, a Wendy’s billboard! It’s been a long time since I saw a Wendy’s.I had an old hundred-dollar bill that I hadn’t been able to exchange in Barretto, but they gave me 2 million dong for it at the airport. I made Swan a millionaire!The bird that flew us to Vietnam.The bird I flew with.Lunch is served!Happy travelers.The angry sea on a chilly afternoon in Da Nang.Waiting for the beer to cure what ails me.Life’s a beach sometimes.That’s better!Give your girl a couple of million dong, and suddenly she wants to take this picture. Go figure.Love this place.We may not have won the war, but we can eat like we did.Yes, dear. Whatever you say, dear.The menu beckons.Swan and I shared an order of pulled pork quesadillas……and lemon grass chicken wings. Both were delicious!Hmm, I didn’t see that on the menu.Walked by this place, but didn’t walk in.We enjoyed our visit to the Roadhouse American Diner.The beer here seemed to make sense.You talking to me?
Yep, it was time to head back to the hotel and get ready for today.
Still in the August 2016 LTG archives, and work sucks, I’m walking and playing darts, and some new craziness has arrived in my life in the form of a gal named Eun Oke.
I haven’t had time to watch today’s YouTube video about Da Nang, but here it is if you are interested.
Laughter is better than tears:
Great minds think alike!A lion ass cheetah, you say?Why, is Jack off?
Alright, when I think about how screwed I’d have been if I had been kicked out of the country yesterday, I don’t mind paying the price to have my stupidity with that flawed visa rectified. I consider myself lucky. That stress from the blog malfunction added to the misery, but it seems I’ve overcome that as well, at least for now. So, let’s get on with the exploration!
I woke up at 3 a.m. after having set my alarm for 4. It’s all good, that extra hour will let me dash out another worthless post here for anyone who cares about my yesterday. The big events were the Wednesday Walkers trek and packing. Then I had some beers at Red Bar, Cheap Charlies, and Wet Spot for dessert.
Let’s get to it:
Fellow walkers Tim, Ed, and Scott.Peak-a-boo, I see you!(the spelling is intentional)Through the tall grass……and into the wide-open spaces.Get that cock out of my face!Nice to see Mountain Mama Onelia again.I’m overdue for a visit to the Kalaklan Ridge. It’s on my to-do list for when I get back from Vietnam.The view from here.A rare sighting of Mountain Mama MJ.And another one bites the dust.I don’t usually take photos of the graduation banners, but I swear I know this girl from somewhere, I just can’t remember where.It was the long version of the “My Bitch” trail (7K), not to be a dick about it.Got a haircut, then ran into Brian at Red Bar.The best part about hanging out at Cheap Charlies is ordering eats from the restaurant downstairs, Foodies. I went with the sweet-and-sour pork last night.Kare-kare for Swan.
A nightcap at Wet Spot, and some friends of Swan’s from Germany dropped by to join us. Had to bail on them early (though 8:30 is late for me) to be ready for today. And now today has arrived.
From the LTG August 2016 archives, I write about moving on with my life, poco a poco. I wasn’t quite as far along as I thought I was, but I was making steps in the right direction.
Here’s a YouTube video I haven’t had the chance to watch yet, but it seems relevant somehow. I’ll give it a view when I get to Vietnam and see if it saves me any money.
A quick stop in the Humor Department:
Next comes the agony of da feet.Don’t be such a chicken!What about the knight who paid extra for being late…Sir Charge?
Alright then.
All my bags are packed and I’m almost ready to go.
Gonna bake some muffins and take a shower, then load up in neighbor Jeff’s car for the drive to Manila. Next post will be from Da Nang!
Not much to my Tuesday as usual, but no complaints about that. Grocery shopping in the morning and the beach in the afternoon.
Soon it will be toes in the sand on the beaches of Vietnam.Kokomo’s owner, Steve, and his wife, Lizza, welcomed us aboard the floating bar.
Good music, pleasant chat, cold beer, and nice views. Does it get any better than that?
I figured the clouds would either block the sun or enhance the sunset’s beauty.I post, you decide.It looks almost explosive.Going out with a bang.Thanks for the show!See you next time, Kokomo’s.An unusually quiet night at Treasure Island.
But the food was good, as usual.
Swan’s chicken cordon bleu…And a pulled pork sandwich for me.
That’s all there was to it for my Tuesday.
Back in the August 2016 LTG archives, and it’s my first day back to work in my new old job. Got rid of most of my American life belongings, and also got an offer to buy my house. Life moves forward even when you are looking back.
Speaking of looking back, today’s YouTube video captures the essence of life in the 70s through photographs. Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you got till it’s gone?
Time out for some memes:
I’m feeling flushed right about now.I can hardly bear how bad this one is.This one’s a gas.
And now it is time to get busy packing my bags. We are pulling out for Manila at 0500 tomorrow morning, so I need to be ready to roll. A two-week trip is a lot more challenging to pack for, especially when I’m used to having my laundry done once a week. Swan says we can have some clothes washed while we travel, so we’ll see how that works out.
So, yesterday I completed my first Hash of the year. It was also my last one until I return from Vietnam at the end of the month. And oh, by the way, I did the entire trail without shortcutting. Yes, you read that right. Granted, it was the short version of the trail laid by the Hare (a little over 6K; the long was 8.5K), but I did it all without deviation. I was tempted in places to do things my way, but I overcame that urge and plodded on. In another first (at least in my experience with the Subic Hash), a fellow Hasher was run over by a motor scooter while crossing the road. He and the cyclist escaped with only scrapes and bruises, so in that sense, it was a lucky day.
Here are some photos from the Hash run:
We gathered at the Alta Vista Clubhouse, which made things easy for me (a five-minute walk from home).The Hare, Anal Receptive, gives last minute guidance on the trail.And we are On-On!Leaving Alta Vista behind.Through the familiar backstreets of San Isidro.They’ll be comin’ round the mountain when they come. Well, the guy in the blue shirt (a visitor from the US) was about to experience a major Hash crash.That’s my nightmare every time I cross a busy road here in the PI.Off-roadersOn-roadersSplitting the difference. Long goes up and over Black Rock, short goes around through the graveyard.Some of those long-trailers I mentioned.Entering the dead zone.Swan’s mom and brother are buried here, so we paused to pay our respects.Why did the turkeys cross the road?My come-to-Jesus moment on the trail.The view from here.I don’t blame the doctor; I wouldn’t want to go in there either.On-Home at Smokes and Bottles, my favorite Hash venue.It was one of the better trails I’ve hiked in a while.Gash chilling after the hike.Enjoying some liquid refreshment.I joined the Hare on the ice to show appreciation for his efforts in laying a good trail.The Hash crashers on the ice.
The usual after-Hash gathering at It Doesn’t Matter brought another day in paradise to a close. It’s good to be alive!
On to August 2016 in the LTG archives. This post is about hiking (Namsan and Han River), drinking (too much), and getting re-promoted as the Director, Human Resources, after a five-year retirement pause.
Today’s YouTube video talks about “barangay slum girls” in Angeles City—basically, just streetwalkers who ply their trade on Facebook. As I watched, I was feeling grateful that I was never really into the prostitution scene. And then I recalled some of my past “transactional relationships” and realized no matter what you call it, it is still exchanging money for sex.
Now let’s get to the funny business:
Wrinkles will soon be the least of his worries.Better to be safe than sorry, I suppose.That ought to do the trick.
Well, regular readers know how I roll through my Sunday routines, but things change occasionally, even if it’s not much of a change. Sweet stroll, floating bar, John’s place, Red Bar, Jumpin’ Jacks. What’s new and what’s missing? Read on!
My morning view from the patio.
As seen on the Sunday Sweets Stroll:
Adding some sweetness to their day.Lechon in the making.That sweet gal of mine.
So, no Hideaway feeding, but in its place:
The Arizona floating bar reopened for the season yesterday!On the sand at Barretto Beach.On the water.Lots of visitors for the Grand Re-opening.Nice to take in the views from here again, like where the ridge meets the bay.Boats on the water.Waiting for the sunset view.Damn clouds ruined the show.
On to dinner at John’s place. I have to wonder if this was the last one. No wine for Swan, and many more items on the menu that are no longer available. It seems like they are intentionally not restocking food supplies and are trying to sell out as much as possible before closing. I hope I’m wrong about that, but I don’t think so. Still, if you are losing money, you don’t have much choice but to close it down. It’s just not the same without John there.
The chicken enchiladas were okay.And Swan said her pulled beef was good.
A visit to Red Bar after dinner, and then a nightcap at Jumpin’ Jacks brought the evening to a close.
We did stop at the print shop on the way home to get a copy of my Vietnam visa.
(deleted visa photo for privacy purposes)
The trike made it to the house without incident this time.
And the full moon was there to welcome us.
It’s the last day of July 2016 in the LTG archives. I gotta say, this journey through the past has been heartrending lately. Back in the states, my kids were selling the contents of my house for me, almost as if I had died. And in a way, I did. One life ending and another yet to begin. But I made it through the storm.
Today’s YouTube video discusses ten things you don’t want to carry when you travel. I watched it just to make sure I’m up to speed for my upcoming trip to Vietnam. I recall the first time I visited Thailand, I was still into vaping and carried several e-cig pens with me. Somehow, I made it through customs without incident. Later, I was standing on a street in Bangkok waiting for the light to change and puffing away. A foreigner came up to me and said, “Dude, vaping is illegal in Thailand. The police will arrest you for that!” Damn, guess I got lucky.
Let me wipe that smile off your face:
That sure is sugar sweet.Tie that Thai down!She cums alone.
And now it is time to prepare for another Hash Monday.
We inadvertently walked part of the Hash trail during our Sweets Stroll yesterday. At least I won’t be getting lost today.
Back tomorrow with a full report.
When the winter rains Come pourin' down On that new home of mine, Will you think of me and wonder if I'm fine? Will your restless heart Come back to mine On a journey through the past. Will I still be in your eyes And on your mind?
Still plodding along on this road we call life. Yesterday morning we did our first Decay Dance (candy walk) in a couple of weeks. The break made revisiting the familiar path a little more refreshing than usual. But we did see some new things along the way that were not so pleasant.
Heading out once again on our mission to rot some teeth put smiles on kids’ faces.A funereal banner greeted us at the entrance to Marian Hills. Died on New Year’s Eve at 47. The work we came for.Greetings to you, my old friend.What the hell? He was only 21 and died on Christmas Eve.Crossing Bridge #3 about halfway through our “dance.”Wow! Only 15 when she died on New Year’s Day. That’s so sad to see.Loading up in a trike for a ride back home at the end of our walk. And yes, it is as uncomfortable as it looks.5K of Decay Dancing.
Our evening on the town started with some liquid refreshments at It Doesn’t Matter—the usual laid-back atmosphere, sitting on the patio and watching the world go by. Trikes are part of the lifestyle here, like them or not. Some folks even name their trikes. Like this one:
When the hunger pangs hit, we moseyed up the highway to Jewel Cafe for our usual treats.
Baby back ribs for Swan. She was shocked at how much the portion size had shrunk since our previous visit.My filet mignon was tiny as usual, but this time the meat wasn’t nearly as tender as it had been in the past.
Overall, a disappointing dining experience this time.
We crossed the highway rife with weekend traffic and did our nightcap at Cheap Charlies. Other than them being out of Zero beer (as are most of the bars in town), things went fine. Enjoyed watching the street scenes down below from our third-floor vantage point and then grabbed a trike for the ride home.
Except the trike didn’t make it, breaking down shortly after we entered Alta Vista. That’s the first time I’ve had that happen in nearly eight years of being a daily trike rider. The trike in the foreground was passing by the broken one and offered to carry us the rest of the way to the house. And yeah, if we had had to walk, it wouldn’t have been a big deal.
Nothing like a bit of excitement at the end of the day.
Here’s how I exploded some lefty heads on Facebook today:
Deposed a dictator without an invasion. That’s top drawer shit right there.Fourteen years ago, we met up with my high school pals, Rod and Pat, and spent the weekend with them on their sailboat in North Carolina. Rod is another old friend who has disappeared, and I fear the worst.
From the July 2016 LTG archives is another post about my comings and goings in the being single in Seoul chapter of my life. I tried to make the best of it, despite the aching in my heart.
For today’s YouTube video, we visit a Filipina vlogger who shares her thoughts on why there has been a dearth of tourists in the Philippines lately. According to her, it is mainly about a lack of value for the money. I agree that’s a big part of it.
How about some humor?
In my family, it was turkey for Thanksgiving and ham for Christmas. I laughed at this because it reminded me of a post on Kevin Kim’s blog about “Kevin” being the most unpopular name in France.It’s the thought that counts.Well, it could be worse. I’m hearing about some place called the Trump-Kennedy Center.
I hope I didn’t duplicate any memes today, but if I did, how much worse can it be than the first time you saw it? When your memory fades, everything old is suddenly new again!
Well, my definition of “fun” may differ from yours, but at least I’m easy to please. I woke up to a rainy morning, but that wasn’t going to stop me from making my first hike of the new year.
Only Gary was willing to join me for a wet walk.There was a wreck at our starting point. That black car, trying to turn left onto the National Highway, hit that truck. I didn’t see it happen, but I judge the car driver to be at fault since the truck had the right of way.In the Philippines, you earn a banner when you graduate and get another when you die. I only took a photo of these two because the recipients share the same last name as Swan. She says they may be relatives, but she has never met them.We squeezed through this narrow passage without incident.It was trash day on the highway.Beached boats on the bay.Making the best of the life you have.And then one day it is all over. This guy died on Christmas Day.Our 6.5K street walk route.
I had some business to attend to early in the afternoon: the annual Hash leadership meeting. All current officers were re-elected, the Hash made money last year, so there is no need to raise the fees, and we voted to allow drinking to begin at 3 p.m. instead of the current 3:30.
When the meeting concluded, I headed to Alley Cats bar and had some beers while I awaited Swan’s arrival. I didn’t make any formal New Year’s resolutions, but I do plan to buy a new set of darts and take up the game again. I won’t be a fanatic like I was in the old days, but playing in a tourney or two each week would be a nice addition to my other routines.
Swan arrived, had a glass of wine, and then we crossed the highway for dinner at Mango’s.
Our table at Mango’s.The beach at Mango’s with a busier than usual holiday crowd. Filipinos, not tourists.Our usual grilled pork chop dinner.
After our meal, we moved on to Gold Bar, one of the newer venues in town.
Gold Bar has a crew of dancers who actually move around on stage. But one of the things I like about this bar is the room behind the stage that has a nice darts setup. During our visit, an old guy (like I’m one to talk) came in, took a seat in the dart room, and then got out his darts and started practicing. Hey, that’s my dream!
Some beer, wine, and a lady drink later, we moved down the road to Queen Victoria for our nightcap.
Just chillin’ on a Friday night.And then it was time to go home.
As days go, it wasn’t a bad one.
On to July 2016 in the LTG archives. In this post, I came to terms with where I was in life and also accepted the me I was. Looking back on it now, it was an acknowledgement that the life I had lived before was over, and the future life was up to me to build. And here I am.
Let’s check in with the Filipina Pea for today’s YouTube video. Pea shares twelve unique aspects of Filipino culture, although I hadn’t caught on to most of them even after all these years.
Hold on to your hat, because here they come:
They say love is a drug…I’m definitely a sweetie.I don’t use much whipped cream these days, but I won’t be cowed from doing so, especially on pumpkin pie if I can ever find some here.
Or should I say, the best day so far this year? Honestly speaking, it wasn’t that great. The lingering effects from the late-night celebration to welcome the new year kept me housebound for most of the day. But when the clock struck beer o’clock, I dragged my sorry ass into town for the first time all year. I had initially thought I’d grab a stool at Cheap Charlies, but they were closed, as were several other drinking establishments. Sloppy Joe’s, a 24/7 operation, was open and waiting for me, thereby earning my patronage.
And there it is, the moment I’d been waiting for. My very first beer of 2026!
Swan had spent the day at the family compound in Subic, so I was drinking alone. Swan messaged that she would join me at Sloppy Joe’s around 6 pm. I was surprised when a trike pulled up out front and dropped Swan and three of her Hashmates off. Swan had joined them for some New Year’s Day revelry and invited them along so they could play pool. I’d had about enough of Sloppy by then, so we moved the party next door to Green Room.
The expanded group (L-R): Beth (head waitress at Wet Spot), Honey, Grace, Ashley (IDM manager), Sheryl, and the Queen, Swan.
I enjoyed watching Honey and Grace play pool; they are both excellent players. The gals were in party mode, and I didn’t want to be that old guy who spoils the fun, so I sat at my own table and sipped some San Miguel Light beers (yep, the bars are running out of Zero again). Still, all good things must end, and I pulled the plug around 8:30.
And that’s how the first day of the new year went down. I’m sure they’ll get better.
Some good chatter in the comments section about why tourism is down in the Philippines. This post from the June 2016 LTG archives shares my tourist experience in Manila when taking a taxi to the airport. These days, most folks use the Grab app to arrange transport, which is a good way to beat the taxi scammers.
On one of the internet forums I frequent, I came across this thorough post describing what’s wrong with tourism in the Philippines. It’s worth a read if you are interested in this subject.
Today’s YouTube video provides an update on Vitaly, that asshole vlogger who got arrested last year for harassing Filipinos to make content for his asshole vlog. It seems he’s not doing well in jail and the prospects of him getting out any time soon are slim to none. Being locked up in a Filipino jail is my worst nightmare and would be tantamount to a death sentence for me (you have to wait years for a trial date). It’s hard to feel sorry for a dick like Vitaly, but I do have empathy for what he is going through, even it is well-deserved.
Let’s clean the palate with some alleged humor:
And I drew a blank on what to say about this one.Not to be a dick about it, but the red light is on top, and the green light is on the bottom, so a lack of colorization wasn’t dangerous.The lack of seatbelts is concerning, though.You are lucky to be alive…get well soon.
Time to get on with whatever the future has in store for me. Thanks for coming by.
Out with the old and in with the new. I said goodbye to 2025 with a nice morning hike to the seldom-visited Tibag community. And then I attended the New Year’s Eve gathering in the penthouse suite at the Rooftop Hotel. All my contributions (chili, cornbread muffins, brownies) seemed to be enjoyed, judging by the fact that there were no leftovers.
The party started at 4 pm, and I was the first to arrive. The only time I see midnight these days is when I get up to pee, so I wasn’t expecting to be around when the new year arrived. Another complicating factor was that there was no Zero beer available, so I was drinking the more powerful San Miguel Light. I limited myself to one bottle every thirty minutes, and that seemed to help keep me standing. And lo and behold, I was still on the rooftop when the fireworks started exploding over the bay. Yep, 2026 began with a miracle!
Here’s the day in pictures:
My fellow Wednesday Walkers who joined in the final hike of the year. That’s Scott’s brother Tim on the left, who hosted the upcoming New Year’s Eve party.And off we go!Dispensing some sweetness along the way.Getting back to the roots of nature.The way ahead.We don’t need no edukation.Heading for Tibag.A vacant house in Tibag sparked my fantasy of living a Filipino-style rural life. Leaving the pavement behind for a bit.Another cookie delivery.On the road again.Hmm, should I get out of town in 2026?A mountain view near the end of our journey.The 6K route we walked.
And then it was time to party! Tim spends six weeks a year in the Philippines (Pennsylvania is his home) and always rents the penthouse at the Rooftop Hotel. It is by far the biggest and nicest hotel room I’ve ever seen, more like a fancy apartment with three bedrooms, three baths, and a large, fully equipped kitchen. I understand that it was once the residence of the hotel owner. It’s on the top floor of the hotel, and the views are quite nice.
A view from the 5th-floor rooftop.Looking at Rizal Street from the patio.The barrio called Barretto.Another angle on the bay.A great place to watch the sun go down.What’s not to like?See you next year, Mr. Sun!The menfolk perched ourselves at the outdoor table.The gals nestled in the dining room.Darkness descended.
Time passed, and then this happened:
Boom!Bang!It was nice to see the show.
And then I was done.
And I made it to bed before 1 a.m.
A nice way to end the year. Let’s see what the new one brings.
Will tourists find their way back here in 2026? I’ve not seen any hopeful signs of that happening.
From the June 2016 LTG archives, I found myself unexpectedly in Manila for the weekend. I was coming home from a trip to Cebu and missed my connecting flight to Incheon. The airline couldn’t get me on another flight for two days, but they put me up in a decent hotel, and I got to do some exploring. I was still thinking of the Philippines as a potential retirement destination, but after this trip, I knew it wouldn’t be in Manila.
Today’s YouTube video is a short (4-minute) account of how the vlogger transitioned from being a visitor in the Philippines to it feeling like home. I’m approaching eight years here now, and I’ve still got only one foot firmly planted here. I just can’t seem to accept some of this culture’s norms, like noise and litter.
Let’s start the new year with a smile or three:
What’s left?Jill must have heard a comma that wasn’t there.Kind of like these “jokes” are painful.
I’ve been a lazy shit and haven’t left the house all year so far. I’ll take a nap and see if I feel like going out later. Staying up until midnight kicked my ass.
Now that’s some real motivation to get the punctuation right!
Let me begin this post with an apology. Some readers have complained in the comments about being redirected to another website while trying to log on here at LTG. I contacted my blog host this morning in an effort to find out what the fuck is up with that. After jumping the usual hurdles, I was eventually connected with a human being. I explained the problem, and he came back with something about my storage disk being near capacity, along with a sales pitch to upgrade for additional space. I asked what that had to do with my readers being redirected, and he told me that, with my nearly full storage, there was insufficient space for SiteLock to search for and remove the problematic malware properly. He told me all my problems would go away if I added space on the disk for “only” $500 for two years. Having no other viable options, I consented.
Thank you for your patience today while we addressed the security concerns regarding your blog, mccrarey.com.
I am writing to confirm that we have successfully upgraded your account to the Pro 200 Plan. As we discussed, this provides the 200 GB of disk space necessary to bypass the storage limits that were hindering our security tools. With this “breathing room” now available, I have officially escalated Case #03872324 to our specialized SiteLock team.
Our security experts are now performing a deep-level manual scrub of your files and database to identify and remove the malicious scripts causing those gambling redirects.
Hopefully, I didn’t just get scammed.
Alright, then. Here’s what I remember about Tuesday. It’s my shopping day, and one of the morning routines I engage in is baking some breakfast muffins. I share them with my support team (Swan, our helper, the driver, and street urchin “Mama” when we see her). For whatever reason, I spaced out doing the baking until it was too late to complete the task prior to departure. Oh well, shit happens.
So, we were well on our way down the highway (like twenty minutes) when it suddenly dawned on me that I had forgotten to put my credit card in my wallet. Shit, I had no other way to pay for the groceries, so there was no alternative but to turn around and go fetch the card. My driver shrugged it off, but I wasn’t happy about this latest brain fart. I guess that’s just part of life in the 70s. At least I didn’t have a cart full of groceries at the checkout when I remembered I’d forgotten my card.
Other than the chocolate candies we give the kids still being out of stock, the shopping went fine. I was feeling lazy, so I skipped my usual neighborhood walk. Then I spent hours on a picture-filled post about the Sampaloc Cove Hash outing that didn’t generate the interest I expected. That’s okay, it is what it is.
It being Tuesday, next on the agenda was our regular weekly outing to Baloy Beach.
Yesterday was a holiday here (Rizal Day), so the beach was busier than usual.Our destination awaits as we await the arrival of the transport raft.A sun shot from the beach while we waited.I almost always enjoy the ambiance that comes with rockin’ on the water.And then some folks we know came by in their boat. They pulled alongside the floating bar, but didn’t get out. We bought them a drink, and they offered to take us for a spin. I declined, but Swan joined them.Swan returning from her ride.She said it was fun.Meanwhile, I feared those clouds were going to spoil my sunset view.Turns out, I was wrong about that.Going……going……gone!
A bit later, we headed ashore for dinner at Treasure Island.
I was in the mood for enchiladas and wasn’t disappointed.
Home by our usual 8 pm and in bed shortly thereafter. My weary brain needs its rest.
From the June 2016 LTG archives is a post where I write about a writer who writes about Thailand. I hadn’t been there yet, but I found some of his stories on a Thailand-based website I followed (sorry, the links to those stories no longer work). Steve Rosse and I briefly became Facebook friends, and I purchased some of his books. Why aren’t we friends any longer? Welp, once Steve discovered I didn’t adhere to the leftist dogma, he blocked me. Stephen King is another good writer, but just as indoctrinated.
Today’s YouTube video is about a Brit who wound up homeless in the Philippines. I can’t believe people come to a third-world country and fuck it up for themselves, but it happens more often than it should.
Humor me:
I’m still rockin’I doubt I’ll be awake five minutes before midnight.Nothing to get fired up about.
And on that note, the final post of the year is nearly complete. I’ll be celebrating New Year’s Eve at Tim’s hotel (he’s Scott’s brother and visiting from the USA). I’ve got a crockpot full of chili to share. Also, some brownies in the oven, and if I don’t forget to bake them, a batch of cornbread muffins. I don’t expect I’ll be awake to see the new year arrive (the party starts at 4 pm), but you never know. I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.
Damn, I forgot what I was going to say. Oh yeah, it was about yesterday’s Hash at Sampaloc Cove. We had 102 Hashers in attendance. There would have been more, but the boat the Corona Hashers from Angeles City were going to use broke down, and they never made it to the cove. As it was, we had five boats carrying twenty-plus each on the one-hour-and-fifteen-minute cruise to Sampaloc. None of them sank!
This was my fourth journey to the beautiful area just outside Subic Bay on the South China Sea. What makes the place unique is its utter isolation, with access only available by boat or a several-hour hike over the mountains. Oh, and there is no electricity either. Yikes! I’ve fantasized about a rural Filipino-style life, but I’d be hard-pressed to even do an overnighter in the small village we visited yesterday. Yeah, I’m addicted to the internet and they ain’t got none. I guess I could get a Starlink connection and use solar panels to charge the phone/laptop. But they ain’t got no bars either, so what’s the point?
Anyway, kudos to the Hares, Buddy Fucker, and Yogini, for their efforts at organizing this huge event. Being the grumpy old man that I am, I had some complaints with the timing of the events, but I still managed to mostly enjoy myself. Still, an all-day outing with no avenue for escape was tough on me. We sat around for an hour or so after arrival, then did the Hash trail up to a local waterfall area. There and back again was less than 2K. Then we sat around some more while the Gash put together the potluck food buffet. Of course, there was plenty of beer to be consumed, and like the good Hashers that we are, we worked hard at emptying those cans.
After the food was consumed, there were some games that I chose not to participate in. I didn’t even bother to watch, staying in my shady chair and enjoying my beer instead. The game portion seemed to go on and on, and the Hash Circle didn’t begin until well after 3 pm. I was a tad concerned about returning to Barretto in a rickety boat after dark. However, we finally departed Sampaloc Cove around 4:30. It was still daylight for most of the trip, although it was nighttime when we disembarked at Baloy Beach.
Lots of pictures from the day to share, so let’s get to it:
I awoke to hazy skies. Most of it had burned off by the time we arrived in Sampaloc.How much beer will 100+ Hashers consume in the course of the day? Here’s what we brought with us.Gathering on the beach at Treasure Island prior to boarding our banca boats. Loaded up and ready to roll, er, float.See you later, Baloy!Sampaloc here we come!The way ahead.My boat mates.The Philippine Navy has a shipyard on the bay.Hyundai is now running the former Hanjin shipyard.Sampaloc Cove is just around that peninsula point in the bay.I was intrigued by these dwellings on the hillside: no road access and no beach for a boat landing. However you get there, it must make for a hard life.The lighthouse where the bay meets the sea.Goodbye Subic Bay and hello South China Sea!And up ahead is the cove they call Sampaloc.Our venue for the Hash Outstation awaits.Disembarking on the sands of Sampaloc.More boats on the cove.Let’s do this!Lining up to pay the Hash fees. 800 pesos per head for all-you-can-eat, drink, and be merry.Hanging out waiting for something else to do.Gathering for the Hare’s guidance regarding the Hash trail.And we are On-On!Heading for the good kind of falls.Some nice scenery along the way……no ifs, ands, or butts about it.The waterhole at the top of the trail.There was a nice rockslide into this pool, although I chose not to partake.Fun in the sun.A house in the middle of nowhere.Smoke signals.Why did this chicken cross my path?Perhaps the shortest Hash trail in history.Chillin’ after the hike.A view from my perch.Killin’ time.Setting up the food table.There’s something fishy going on here.Still hanging out in the shade next to the ice chest. I brought my own San Miguel Zero since the Hash couldn’t find any for sale in town.The Hash Gash doing their thing.I was getting bored, and Pubic Head joined me for a beach walk.It’s a whole other world living out here in isolation.Some of the kids we bestowed with cookies and lollipops.Finally, it was time to do the Hash Circle.Having our usual block of ice was not logistically feasible, so we resorted to what the La Union Hash calls a “bucket brigade” and doused the victims with water. I definitely prefer the ice!When the time came to board our boats for the trip back home, I was more than ready to go. Cums Alone got in a quick swim before we departed.Meanwhile, the locals were jumping off rocks.The drunken boat ride back to Baloy.But at least we all made it back alive.A race with the sun on our return journey.A ship heading out to sea.The sun won, and we deboarded in the dark.
And so ended a LONG, but mostly good day.
Life goes on, and it is now June 2016 in the LTG archives. In this post, I talk about bad decisions and weddings. Heh, my area of expertise! Re-reading these posts from this time period has been like pulling the scab off an old wound. I guess some things in life never leave you—especially the painful ones.
Today’s YouTube video is a golden oldie I also found in the LTG archives. It’s still pretty damn funny and less than three minutes long, so give it a look.
Let’s keep the humor rolling:
There’s more than one way to bang a girlfriend…I’ve used this one before, but maybe not here on the blog. That’s one benefit of losing your memory, I suppose–everything old is new again.There are always consonantes in life.
No, I didn’t spell “symbolic” wrong. Today’s Hash is an outstation run at the cove named Sampaloc. The cove is only accessible by boat, and it takes over an hour to get there. We’ll be departing from Baloy Beach at 0830 this morning, with a scheduled return at 5-ish. So, I’ve got a long day of Hashing/Drinking (but I repeat myself) ahead of me. Which means it is now or never for today’s post. So, let’s get to it.
This will be my fourth time visiting the scenic cove, and I’m looking forward to it. Here’s the post from my first trip in 2019, and it is chock full of photos if you want to see what I’m in for today. My return visit the following year resulted in some insanity amongst some of my fellow travelers, something I hope I’ll never experience again. I guess I’ll find out soon enough.
Not a lot to report about my yesterday. We did an abbreviated candy walk (still out of chocolate) and then got on with our modified Sunday routines. One modification was the lack of a Hideaway feeding. I’ve decided not to continue that event going forward. My charity budget can be better spent on other projects.
Another change was venturing out to the Arizona floating bar. Alas, it is not yet open for business.
So, next up was our Sunday dinner at John’s place. I’m happy to report that they were open, although the menu options were limited. No birria, no pulled pork.
Swan opted for the chow mien……and I went with the Philly cheesesteak.
I’m not sure what the future holds for John’s place, but it’s not looking good from my perspective.
We did our usual after-dinner visit to the patio at Red Bar, then on to Jumpin’ Jacks for our nightcap.
And that’s all there was to Sunday.
From the May 2016 LTG archives is this post about a memorable weekend in Seoul. Lots of photos of friends and places that will always hold a special place in my heart.
Today’s YouTube video features Sampaloc Cove. See for yourself.
Some quick humor before I go:
Whatever you say, dear. You’re the boss.And now we know why.Not bad for 78…
Gotta run. Having a trike pick us up, along with all the stuff we’re bringing, to take us to Treasure Island, where we’ll be catching our boat. At least I’ll have something of interest to post tomorrow.
