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I will take some pics this trip and post them when I return. A few more random thoughts. Driving here is INSANE! It's every man for himself as every driver fights for position. Forget about traffic lights and cops. There is literally no control of the roadways, with even the traffic "enforcers" largely ignored. I've never heard of anyone getting a traffic ticket. It's kind of like bumper cars for grown ups! Walking on the crowded sidewalks is like being a running back dodging tacklers. I feel like a broken field runner when I want to move fast. You are constantly jossling and brushing against people. But no one says anything, they just keep walking. Definitely not for the squeamish.

Two nights ago I was invited to visit Dennis Orcollo and his family for dinner. I had been to his home once before. He lives in a gated community of very nice town homes, but small by our standards. Dennis has a beautiful family and he is a devoted father and husband to Ronah. They have been together since she was 18 and still very much in love. Their son Ralf is 10 and daughter Aliya is 6. Ralf was named after Ralf Souquet, Dennis' favorite player. The village clubhouse is amazing, with all kinds of sports facilities, even a boxing ring. Nice basketball court, Olympic size pool, and a large poolroom with two well set up Gold Crowns especially for Dennis. He is a celeb here and everyone recognizes him wherever we go. He is on TV here as much as Tiger Woods in our country!

Yesterday he called me to tell me he had a game at One Side. He was playing Lulong (the house player) Rotation for 27,000p (almost $700). Dennis would be giving him 29 points, an unbelievable spot. I met him there and watched the first few games. Dennis literally had to play perfect to have a chance. I'm talking run out every time he had an open shot. Lulong jumped ahead 3-0 in a Race to Fifteen. I didn't like the looks of it. Four hours later Dennis prevailed 15-13! I told him he outran the nuts. He just laughed.
 
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Jay, great posts. Please give us some more and I'm looking forward to pictures. Some of us (at least me) are living vicariously through your adventures. :)
 
Some more please Jay. I always like these PI stories.
$700 is obviously a great days take by PI standards.

But scary close just the same.
 
jay helfert said:
I will take some pics this trip and post them when I return. A few more random thoughts. Driving here is INSANE! It's every man for himself as every driver fights for position. Forget about traffic lights and cops. There is literally no control of the roadways, with even the traffic "enforcers" largely ignored. I've never heard of anyone getting a traffic ticket. It's kind of like bumper cars for grown ups! Walking on the crowded sidewalks is like being a running back dodging tacklers. I feel like a broken field runner when I want to move fast. You are constantly jossling and brushing against people. But no one says anything, they just keep walking. Definitely not for the squeamish.

Two nights ago I was invited to visit Dennis Orcollo and his family for dinner. I had been to his home once before. He lives in a gated community of very nice town homes, but small by our standards. Dennis has a beautiful family and he is a devoted father and husband to Ronah. They have been together since she was 18 and still very much in love. Their son Ralf is 10 and daughter Aliya is 6. Ralf was named after Ralf Souquet, Dennis' favorite player. The village clubhouse is amazing, with all kinds of sports facilities, even a boxing ring. Nice basketball court, Olympic size pool, and a large poolroom with two well set up Gold Crowns especially for Dennis. He is a celeb here and everyone recognizes him wherever we go. He is on TV here as much as Tiger Woods in our country!

Yesterday he called me to tell me he had a game at One Side. He was playing Lulong (the house player) Rotation for 27,000p (almost $700). Dennis would be giving him 29 points, an unbelievable spot. I met him there and watched the first few games. Dennis literally had to play perfect to have a chance. I'm talking run out every time he had an open shot. Lulong jumped ahead 3-0 in a Race to Fifteen. I didn't like the looks of it. Four hours later Dennis prevailed 15-13! I told him he outran the nuts. He just laughed.
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Traffic tickets are very common actually. And because the fine is steep and may involve confiscation of the drivers license on the spot, the cops ask for 100 peso bribes and the driver escapes.
 
jay helfert said:
I will take some pics this trip and post them when I return. A few more random thoughts. Driving here is INSANE! It's every man for himself as every driver fights for position. Forget about traffic lights and cops. There is literally no control of the roadways, with even the traffic "enforcers" largely ignored. I've never heard of anyone getting a traffic ticket. It's kind of like bumper cars for grown ups! Walking on the crowded sidewalks is like being a running back dodging tacklers. I feel like a broken field runner when I want to move fast. You are constantly jossling and brushing against people. But no one says anything, they just keep walking. Definitely not for the squeamish.

Two nights ago I was invited to visit Dennis Orcollo and his family for dinner. I had been to his home once before. He lives in a gated community of very nice town homes, but small by our standards. Dennis has a beautiful family and he is a devoted father and husband to Ronah. They have been together since she was 18 and still very much in love. Their son Ralf is 10 and daughter Aliya is 6. Ralf was named after Ralf Souquet, Dennis' favorite player. The village clubhouse is amazing, with all kinds of sports facilities, even a boxing ring. Nice basketball court, Olympic size pool, and a large poolroom with two well set up Gold Crowns especially for Dennis. He is a celeb here and everyone recognizes him wherever we go. He is on TV here as much as Tiger Woods in our country!

Yesterday he called me to tell me he had a game at One Side. He was playing Lulong (the house player) Rotation for 27,000p (almost $700). Dennis would be giving him 29 points, an unbelievable spot. I met him there and watched the first few games. Dennis literally had to play perfect to have a chance. I'm talking run out every time he had an open shot. Lulong jumped ahead 3-0 in a Race to Fifteen. I didn't like the looks of it. Four hours later Dennis prevailed 15-13! I told him he outran the nuts. He just laughed.
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Yea well Dennis O. is pretty fast! :thumbup:
 
Jay, you need to start typing whatever it is you type in a text file. Go to the desktop rightclick and open a new text document. Type away there. When done, just copy and paste it here.
 
Phillipines Rocks

The dancing Filipino Cop made my day. :dance:
Jay take care and keep up the stories. :bow-down:
 
Not pool related, but just the same I will share with you. I go where no (or very few) foreigners go. Down the little side streets and off the beaten track. Where my daughter lives in Pasay you will never see a foreign face. But by now they recognize me. When they see me arrive on the trike, someone starts yelling for Jalo, telling her that her daddy is here.

I also ride the trains in Manila, by far the quickest way to get around this big city. It is cheap (12-20p per ride) and CROWDED! I mean they pack them in like sardines, hundreds of people on each car. You literally are in a crush of people. Almost always I'm the only foreigner in a sea of filipinos. :wink:

You can also take a Jeepney for 8 or 9p. They go everywhere, but it's a slow way to get around. For short hauls I ride a Trike (a 3 wheeled motorbike). It's a quick way to get around the neighborhood. Usually the charge is 40-50p. I also walk miles every day and may lose 5 to 10 pounds while I'm here. I get my exercise over here, that's for sure!

Large air conditioned buses are good for long distance travel on each island. I rode from Manila to Angeles today (about 45 miles) for 140p.

Flying domestically here is also reasonable, with island to island fares as low as $25, and maybe $50 for last minute fares. You can take the slow and cheap route, going by boat, but that's not for me. I get seasick too easily. :p

I finally rounded up my cue last night so I feel more ready to play. I will either play pool or poker tonight. Poker is booming here now and many of the pool players are into it (just like in the USA). Most of them aren't very good yet, but they don't know that. Being a good pool player is not a barometer for success in poker. Okay catch you later.
 
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I'd suggest Metrowalk in Pasig - there's PokerManila for poker and Elbow Room for pool. be safe Jay and drink lots of water (friggin hot these days in manila)
 
Thanks for sharing your experiences with us, Jay. Your writing style is so good that we are there with you, every step of the way.
 
Played a little pool yesterday in a bar here in Angeles City. I had to get out of Manila, the air is so polluted I get sick after a few days there.

ALL the bars have 9' tables. You can't find a bar table in the Philippines! I have to get used to my cue again. I couldn't make a ball in the ocean. Fortunately we were only playing to keep the table with no money on the line. My reputation exceeds me in Angeles. They think I'm a pro, ha ha. :smile:

Then I went to the poker room and blew 6000p (about $150). That was in the "big" game here. After I got my money in with A,K only to lose to A,J I knew it wasn't my night. Time to quit!

There is no place on Earth like Angeles City (okay maybe in Thailand). The former site of Clark AFB and the home of thousands of ex-pats and Aussies. The streets are lined with bars (almost all have a pool table and a team), with pretty girls out front beckoning you inside. Not really my cup of tea since I don't drink, but I can look anyway. :D
 
Much thanks for the write up, Jay. I've always enjoyed reading your write-ups.

Bataan, now that brings back some fond memories for me.

I lived in a refugee camp in Palawan for almost 4 years and moved to a refugee camp in Bataan, lived there for about 8 months. The Bataan refugee camp was located right next to Subic Bay. I was invited to stay at this Naval Officer's house in Subic Bay for 1 night (he must be an Admiral because I remembered he had a couple of stars). I remembered clearly that it was like being in heaven going from a refugee camp to his house. Everything in Subic Bay was absolutely beautiful and amazing.

I would love to have a chance to go back and visit Palawan and Bataan.

Have fun and safe travels.
 
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