Out of necessity this will be told in installments, the safest way to get it there intact.
I arrived back here a several days ago, ostensibly to visit my now five year old daughter and see her new school, which I did.
My first two days were all about reconnecting with little Jalo. She somehow knew I was coming, telling her mom "my dad will be here soon." Good girl!
Two days ago, I took a day trip to Mindoro Island, not far from Manila. I had long heard about the beauty of Puerta Galera, a little beach community there. It was two hours by bus and then a one hour boat ride on a fast skiff to the island. The skiff has a powerful motor and is like a large canoe with pontoons on each side. Let's just say it's a thrill ride!
Once ashore, you are besieged by "guides" looking to steer you around, for a price! I told them I would prefer to walk and my girl and I headed down the beach into town. Lo and behold along a string of bars and restaurants, there is a small poolroom, open in front, typical of Philippine poolrooms. Naturally I was captivated to see pool in this resort area and walked right in. I cannot resist the allure of pool, even after 50+ years in the game. There were two games in progress, Rotation on the front table and Eight Ball behind it. I could see the two guys on the front table were the "players."
With no hesitation, the winner of the game asked me if I wanted to play. I love this about the Philippines. Reminds me of another time and place in the USA, when entering a poolroom almost assuredly meant action if you so desired it. I truly LOVE when someone asks me to play. I take it as a challenge and it gets my juices flowing. Even though I had barely played in the preceding months I came prepared with my tip shaper and small scotchbrite pad. With them I can fix up a house cue and make it playable. A guy handed me a cue, a cheap two piece, that surprisingly rolled fairly straight and had a decent tip.
Now the ritual began, one I know by heart. "What game do you want to play, Eight Ball, Nine Ball, or Ten Ball?" They know that foreigners like these games. I responded that I would play Rotation since I'm in the Philippines. That got a laugh out of the crowd, who I like to win over if I can. Just makes for smoother sailing in uncharted territory if you know what I mean. My opponent asks me to play for 100p a game and I accept. Right away several others want to bet with me as well. Now I know I'm playing their best player. Cool! I will play for only 100p, since I know that I'm the underdog and have little confidence in my game right now. Plus I'm playing on a strange table with a junk cue. Nice odds huh!
In the first game he runs a bunch of little balls and by the time five balls are left I need them all. I'm looking like a big duck so far, missing both times I was at the table. Of course I hadn't got a good shot yet. He misses the eleven and leaves it open near a corner pocket. I can make this shot and I do getting funny on the twelve, which is on the side rail near the side pocket. I can play safe (no way!) or try to bank it cross side or cross corner. It sits perfect for the long cross corner bank and I just see the shot real good. I whack it at warp speed and it splits the wicket! That shot elicits a few hollers from the crowd and I'm in pool heaven, a 70 year old man who thinks he's 30 again! I love this life, I'm reliving the youth of my 20's and 30's when I never passed a poolroom.
The cue ball went up table toward the thirteen, but it was very hard to control it on a shot like this and I'm now looking at a cross side bank on the thirteen. There is zero pressure on me, I'm having way too much fun. I can see that if I can make the thirteen the last two balls are sitting good. I bomb the ball cross side so hard the cue ball bounces a foot off the table. The thirteen swishes and I'm perfect on the fourteen. I make the last two balls and win the game. The crowd loves it, cheering for me and ribbing my opponent. Only in pool can a stranger pull off a stunt like this. Playing good always wins the crowd over!
Now my opponent had his game face on and when I fail to make a ball on the break, he runs down to the eleven. Game over in one turn. This guy can play, but I expect nothing less in the PI. Game three is close and comes down to the last four balls. I'm feeling it a little and run the last three for the game, a long straight in on the fifteen to win. BOOM! The next game he puts it on me again, running out early and so we are even. I know that I'm in a bad game and we are here to vacation. So I say my good byes, pay 40p in time and walk out a hero of sorts. The rest of the day, I see guys from the poolroom that say things to me like "Hello billiard man." I tell my girl that they will always remember me in that little poolroom, even if I come back a year later. I will admit I like the recognition, more than the little money I can win. I no longer play for a livelihood, I play for the love of the game.
We pass by the poolroom on the way out of town after visiting White Beach, just one more tropical paradise in the Philippines. We had enjoyed the surf, had mango shakes first, a chocolate rum drink later and a small snack at some little bar/restaurants overlooking the water. Back to the boat and the bus and we made it back home late that night. Next time I will definitely rent a room/cabana in one of the small resorts dotting the beach area. For $20-25 a night you can leave your windows open, smell the sweet sea air and listen to the waves crash all night long. Not so bad huh.
The next day I chanced into another small poolroom right across the street from my hotel. No sign, no nothing, just three tables tucked away at the back of a food court. I would get a more serious game in here. I'll tell you about that one later today, gotta go now, someone's waiting.
I arrived back here a several days ago, ostensibly to visit my now five year old daughter and see her new school, which I did.
My first two days were all about reconnecting with little Jalo. She somehow knew I was coming, telling her mom "my dad will be here soon." Good girl!
Two days ago, I took a day trip to Mindoro Island, not far from Manila. I had long heard about the beauty of Puerta Galera, a little beach community there. It was two hours by bus and then a one hour boat ride on a fast skiff to the island. The skiff has a powerful motor and is like a large canoe with pontoons on each side. Let's just say it's a thrill ride!
Once ashore, you are besieged by "guides" looking to steer you around, for a price! I told them I would prefer to walk and my girl and I headed down the beach into town. Lo and behold along a string of bars and restaurants, there is a small poolroom, open in front, typical of Philippine poolrooms. Naturally I was captivated to see pool in this resort area and walked right in. I cannot resist the allure of pool, even after 50+ years in the game. There were two games in progress, Rotation on the front table and Eight Ball behind it. I could see the two guys on the front table were the "players."
With no hesitation, the winner of the game asked me if I wanted to play. I love this about the Philippines. Reminds me of another time and place in the USA, when entering a poolroom almost assuredly meant action if you so desired it. I truly LOVE when someone asks me to play. I take it as a challenge and it gets my juices flowing. Even though I had barely played in the preceding months I came prepared with my tip shaper and small scotchbrite pad. With them I can fix up a house cue and make it playable. A guy handed me a cue, a cheap two piece, that surprisingly rolled fairly straight and had a decent tip.
Now the ritual began, one I know by heart. "What game do you want to play, Eight Ball, Nine Ball, or Ten Ball?" They know that foreigners like these games. I responded that I would play Rotation since I'm in the Philippines. That got a laugh out of the crowd, who I like to win over if I can. Just makes for smoother sailing in uncharted territory if you know what I mean. My opponent asks me to play for 100p a game and I accept. Right away several others want to bet with me as well. Now I know I'm playing their best player. Cool! I will play for only 100p, since I know that I'm the underdog and have little confidence in my game right now. Plus I'm playing on a strange table with a junk cue. Nice odds huh!
In the first game he runs a bunch of little balls and by the time five balls are left I need them all. I'm looking like a big duck so far, missing both times I was at the table. Of course I hadn't got a good shot yet. He misses the eleven and leaves it open near a corner pocket. I can make this shot and I do getting funny on the twelve, which is on the side rail near the side pocket. I can play safe (no way!) or try to bank it cross side or cross corner. It sits perfect for the long cross corner bank and I just see the shot real good. I whack it at warp speed and it splits the wicket! That shot elicits a few hollers from the crowd and I'm in pool heaven, a 70 year old man who thinks he's 30 again! I love this life, I'm reliving the youth of my 20's and 30's when I never passed a poolroom.
The cue ball went up table toward the thirteen, but it was very hard to control it on a shot like this and I'm now looking at a cross side bank on the thirteen. There is zero pressure on me, I'm having way too much fun. I can see that if I can make the thirteen the last two balls are sitting good. I bomb the ball cross side so hard the cue ball bounces a foot off the table. The thirteen swishes and I'm perfect on the fourteen. I make the last two balls and win the game. The crowd loves it, cheering for me and ribbing my opponent. Only in pool can a stranger pull off a stunt like this. Playing good always wins the crowd over!
Now my opponent had his game face on and when I fail to make a ball on the break, he runs down to the eleven. Game over in one turn. This guy can play, but I expect nothing less in the PI. Game three is close and comes down to the last four balls. I'm feeling it a little and run the last three for the game, a long straight in on the fifteen to win. BOOM! The next game he puts it on me again, running out early and so we are even. I know that I'm in a bad game and we are here to vacation. So I say my good byes, pay 40p in time and walk out a hero of sorts. The rest of the day, I see guys from the poolroom that say things to me like "Hello billiard man." I tell my girl that they will always remember me in that little poolroom, even if I come back a year later. I will admit I like the recognition, more than the little money I can win. I no longer play for a livelihood, I play for the love of the game.
We pass by the poolroom on the way out of town after visiting White Beach, just one more tropical paradise in the Philippines. We had enjoyed the surf, had mango shakes first, a chocolate rum drink later and a small snack at some little bar/restaurants overlooking the water. Back to the boat and the bus and we made it back home late that night. Next time I will definitely rent a room/cabana in one of the small resorts dotting the beach area. For $20-25 a night you can leave your windows open, smell the sweet sea air and listen to the waves crash all night long. Not so bad huh.
The next day I chanced into another small poolroom right across the street from my hotel. No sign, no nothing, just three tables tucked away at the back of a food court. I would get a more serious game in here. I'll tell you about that one later today, gotta go now, someone's waiting.
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