It is time for those wedding bells and this month my wife's nephew is tying the know with his girlfriend that he has been courting for six years.  Sadly, Priscilla has informed me that I am not allowed to attend the ceremony in my shorts and tank top and to leave my paperback book at home because I am one of the main sponsors.  Yep, that means dipping into my bank account and I am afraid I will have to shell out more than my usual P500.  Well, the rainy season started a bit early this year but June should bring on more frequent rains.  Not to worry, the party folks here never let a few rain drops slow them down.  I'm sorry to say that I was so busy last month that I forgot to look for my Tourist of the Month, hopefully I will do better this month.  Have a happy June folks, see you around the neighborhood.

TIDBITS

Hi Harry,

You don't know me but I kind of feel like I know you, from reading your column. I've been to Angeles three times and the Philippines eight. My wife is a Filipina from Mindanao. (not Muslim or suicide bomber)  I am writing because I am interested in moving to the Philippines, getting out of this messed up situation the U.S. is moving into with illegals invading us and our sham of a government refusing to take any action.

I have two young kids, a girl 3 and a boy 1 and I can't really see bringing them up in this "El Mexico Norte" over here that used to be America. Schools are bad, can't go to the store without hearing Mexican anouncements which just irritates the crap out of me, and a government that is more loyal to illegals than it is to the American citizens. The writing is on the wall here, and it isn't pretty.

I wonder if you have any connections that might be looking for an experienced manager for their hotel or bar. I'm 50 years old and have been in the hospitality business in the Hotel Casinos in Reno for 25 years. I also spent a year in Las Vegas. I'm self employed as an insurance risk inspector at present. I would appreciate it if you could keep me in mind if you hear of or know of anything. Maybe you get letters like this all the time, I wouldn't be at all surprised. Obviously you are well connected in AC.

I plan to retire in the Philippines at 62, so why not go ahead and start building my assets now and get my kids the benefit of a polite and sane society, since the U.S. I grew up in will soon be no more than a memory. I'm not a negative guy, Harry, just a realist about what I am seeing and the prospects for the future. I also really like it over there, and it's seeming like now is becoming the ideal time to make a move.  I can send my resume to you or to anyone you might want to put me in touch with as well.

Hope to hear from you, soon, later, or whenever you can. Please accept my thanks in advance for any efforts you might make on my behalf and for taking the time to read my letter. (Sent by Rick Wells) - I did respond to this letter from Rick and provided some of my limited knowledge on the job market here.  My advice was to save money, have a monthly income to live on and not depend on getting a job.  The usual form of employment for expats looking for extra income or something to do so they are not bored is as a manager in one of the clubs.  Many owners would like to have someone that is honest, does not drink too much, has a pleasant personality and is reliable but the pay is low enough that a man with a wife and two kids better have enough money coming in where any job here is just supplemental.  Additionally, Rick should be aware that for any local employment one should have a proper visa and a work permit and that takes time to obtain.  I can understand how Rick feels about the immigration situation in the States and the many negative results that it brings about but before an escape to Angeles City, one should take care of business first. 

I am submitting the message below from a visitor from Alaska because he included some good information about the Olongapo area.  I do not have the time to make the trip to visit that area even though I have been invited there by the dart players many times.  I am waiting for that Subic-Clark road to be finished and then maybe I can make it up there every week to throw some arrows.  This is the first time I have read about the phony silver dollar scam but why does that not surprise me!  Isn't it hard to believe that a Filipino will try to cheat a foreigner?  My goodness, reminds me of the Times Square Area of New York City in my younger years when you could observe a scam going down on every corner.  Billy also mentioned buying a condo on Subic and that might be something other retirees thinking of moving to this area might want to consider.  Oh yes, I have visited Mango's and I agree, it is well worth a visit.

"Hi group",

I made my third trip in three years to the Philippines this year and stayed for two months. I have decided I will start spending at least three months a year there in the Olongapo area. Manila is way too big for me. I was stationed in Subic with the US Marine corps in the late 60's and I think once you've been there you never forget it. I also married a filipina lady when I was stationed there. We have bought a condo on the old base and looking forward to spending lots of time there. When I was there in Jan and Feb of this year I spent a lot of time at Mangoes and it was a great place. I'm sure there are lots of other good places like the VFW and others but Mangoes for me was a great place and I never had any problems there at all.

I will say if you see anyone selling American silver dollars there don't buy them they are fake. I really got took on them. They are such good copies too. I have learned to not buy anything there that looks like a great deal because it probably is not.

Billy T Alaska

Very seldom will I insert a joke in my column but I had to put this one in.  The reason is that I wanted to dedicate it to all the Road Hogs that hang out at the Hang-Out and the American Steel lads that use the Hole-In-Wall Club and Restaurant as their home base.  Naturally, I thought of Garth, who with his sense of humor would no doubt appreciate this one.  I wanted to get a picture of Garth sitting on his monster bike but never got a chance to run him down.  The next time I have my camera with me and run into him I will definitely get a picture for my file.  

"A Horse, A Chicken & A Harley

On the farm lived a chicken and a horse, both of whom loved to play together.

One day the two were playing, when the horse fell into a bog and began to sink. Scared for his life, the horse whinnied for the chicken to go get the farmer for help! Off the chicken ran, back to the farm. Arriving at the farm, he searched and searched for the farmer, but to no avail, for he had gone to town with the only tractor. Running around, the chicken spied the farmer's new Harley. Finding the keys in the ignition, the chicken sped off with a length of rope hoping he still had time to save his friend's life. Back at the bog, the horse was surprised, but happy, to see the chicken arrive on the shiny Harley, and he managed to get a hold of the loop of rope the chicken tossed to him. After tying the other end to the rear bumper of the farmer's bike, the chicken then drove slowly forward and, with the aid of the powerful bike, rescued the horse! Happy and proud, the chicken rode the Harley back to the farmhouse, and the farmer was none the wiser when he returned.

The friendship between the two animals was cemented: Best Buddies, Best Pals. A few weeks later, the chicken fell into a mud pit, and soon, he too, began to sink and cried out to the horse to save his life! The horse thought a moment, walked over, and straddled the large puddle.
Looking underneath, he told the chicken to grab his hangy-down thing and he would then lift him out of the pit. The chicken got a good grip, and the horse pulled him up and out, saving his life.

The moral of the story?
"When You're Hung Like A Horse, You Don't Need A Harley To Pick Up Chicks"

This is a message I received on 15 May that I thought I should pass on. Now, I am not a bible reader and don't go to church and I also realize that the TV folks will do nearly anything to get good ratings and I do like "The Practice". Regretfully, I do not get to watch it that much since it is hit and miss on the Cable programming here. What I was very surprised at was the response from the ABC On-Line Webmaster which I thought was way out of line but does reflect the thinking of the left wing liberals in the US and the media as well.

AN ABC MESSAGE YOU HAVE TO READ

If more of us took a stand maybe we could have some decent TV programs. -Jim Nugent is a coach in Childress, Texas.

Jim writes:

My name is Jim Neugent. I wrote to ABC (on-line) concerning a program called "THE PRACTICE." In last nights episode, one of the lawyer's mothers decided she is gay and wanted her son to go to court and help her get a marriage license so she could marry her 'partner.' ! I sent the following letter to ABC yesterday and really did not expect a reply, but I did get one.

My original message was:

ABC is obsessed (or should I say abscessed) with the subject of homosexuality. I will no longer watch any of your attempts to convince the world that homosexuality is OK. THE PRACTICE can be a fairly good show, but last night's program was so typical of your agenda. You picked the 'dufus' of the office to be the one who was against the idea of his mother being gay and made him look like a whiner because he had convictions. This type of mentality calls people like me a "gay basher." Read the first chapter of Romans, (1:18 through 1:32, that's in the Bible) and see what the apostle Paul had to say about it.... He, God and Jesus were all 'gay bashers'. What if she'd fallen in love with her cocker spaniel? Is that an alternative lifestyle? (By the way, the Bible speaks against that, too.)
Jim Neugent

Here is ABC's reply from the ABC on-line webmaster:

How about getting your nose out of the Bible (which is ONLY a book of stories compiled by MANY different writers hundreds of years ago) and read the declaration of independence (what our nation is built on), where it says "All Men are Created equal," and try treating them that way for a change! Or better yet, try thinking for yourself and stop using an archaic book of stories as your lame crutch for your existence. You are in minority in this country and your boycott will not affect us or our freedom of statement.

Jim Neugent's second response to ABC:

Thanks for your reply. From your harsh reply, evidently I hit a nerve. I will share it with all with whom I come in contact. Hopefully, the Arkansas Democrat Newspaper will include it in one of their columns and I will be praying for you.

I have been meaning to get my horse's ass over to Moons Bar but I just never seem to find the time to get to the Diamond area but I did see this comment on the AC Message board from "Big Al" and figured that it would be fair to the owner of Moon's to see this favorable message. One item that caught my attention was the P25 and P35 beer/local drinks which is a damn good deal and should offset the jeepney price required to reach this bar. Once again I will categorically state that I will make it to Moon's but this time I refuse to say when. How bout before the end of the year, I hope. Maybe one of those cute GROs that was mentioned could qualify as my "I would if I could girl".

"Stopped by for the Grand Opening of the new Moons Bar last night--a fun time, especially when Bill (the owner, from Oz) got up and sang with the band...

Renovations are complete in the "Inside Bar" (aircon, new sound system, and iced mugs of draught beer!) which has been named Satrine Bar--satrine being a semi-precious stone that looks like crystal with gold flakes floating inside.
The "Outside Bar" (still called Moons) is now an enclosed patio; a few finishing touches are still to be done, but everything's a go from early-morning (7am?) until late-night (1-2 am, or as long as guys are hooting and hollering...)
No bikini dancers here, but the GROs--several cuties among their ranks, incidentally--are a friendly bunch, and have been known to climb up on the bar and thrash about to the music.
Prices range from P25 for draught, P35 for San Mig and local booze, up to P80 for the imports (Jack Daniels etc). LDs are P95...Well worth a visit.
(Location: on SR Lim St., Diamond Subdivision. Go along MacArthur Hwy, just past Savers, then turn left at A-Line Supermarket--Moons is 1/2 block east, just a few doors past the old Discovery Inn)" (I am happy to say that on Wed, 24 May, I was able to stop by the Satrine Bar (Moon's) and I was pleasantly surprised.  It had undergone a complete makeover from when I last saw it - clean, air-conditioned, friendly staff but it was the afternoon so not all GRO's were present.  I did not speak to the owner as he was on to one of the staff that had been working for four weeks and had not got around to submitting her paperwork for ID and license.  He was a bit hot and told her she could not work until a license had been obtained.  Good on you Bill, this is the rule and compliance will save you future headaches.  I was kind of surprised at the price of their EWR at P1200 since they are a bit off the beaten track from Fields Ave.  They do not have an operational kitchen but I was told that if there was anyone interested in leasing out the kitchen to see Bill and something could be worked out.  At this time the outside patio is still a few weeks away from being finished and there is also a small apartment being built that is already spoken for, on a long time basis, by a Canadian.  So, Bill, I did make it over since I had to attend a meeting at the Marlin Mansion Hotel and I must commend you on a job well done and I do look forward to the next time I can stop in for a cool one).

Well, I screwed up!  For months I had been hearing that our authentic Maori from New Zealand, Dave White, of Hang-Out fame was getting married in May.  This was an event not to be missed and I definitely wanted a couple of photos of Dave and Anita (Amy) tying the knot.  Unfortunately, I had to spend the weekend of 13 May at my farm and the event took place on Sunday, 14 May.  I did not make it and Dave is still mad at me and I am mad at myself for missing the event especially after I learned that the food was plentiful and absolutely delicious.  I am happy for Dave, Amy and especially Harold, their son who I have watched grow up over the years and now see him looking after his father who is so proud of him.  Congrats Dave and I shall always be around to help you cheer on the "All Blacks". 

A topic of hot discussion last month was the takeover of the Health Visions to include the Philippine International Hospital (PIH) by a consortium of Doctors and Rey Pineda, a private businessman in Angeles City.  The PIH will be renamed the Angeles International Hospital (AIC).  The takeover includes the building on Perimeter Road that was occupied by the DAV and a satellite of the Subic RAO as well as the hospital at Subic (the SBMC).  This did not come about overnight as initial discussions regarding PIH by this group began late last year as data regarding the operation of Health Visions and particularly PIH were gathered and inequities in the management and operation of the hospital were slowly uncovered.  On Saturday, 20 May, meetings with Homeland Security personnel from the American Embassy took place at PIH to discuss some illegal procedures that had come to light and required further investigation.  Mark Smith has been installed as the hospital administrator and this has raised a few eyebrows.  Some might question his qualifications for this position and all I can say is that he will definitely do as good, if not better than the last PIH Hospital Administrator.  I have been told that there are individual doctors assigned to PIH that are TriCare accredited so US Retirees can use those doctors but make sure you confirm this before trying to submit any claims.  At this time they have not come up with any TriCare plan like that offered at Dee Hwa or Pamana hospitals but this is being worked on.  Like any dramatic situation there will be many rumors floating around and some people jumping to incorrect conclusions.  For now, let the dust settle and lets see what the future holds for this facility and as I learn more details I will pass on updates here.  By the way, the DAV office and the Subic Satellite RAO office has moved to the Patio V apartments next to the VFW.  They were offered an apartment free of charge by Bill, owner of this complex and jumped at the opportunity as they were not assured rent free space at their present location which was part of the PIH takeover.

When visiting the Hang-out I was saddened to learn that Bretto is quite ill in St. Luke's Hospital, Manila.  I wrote last month that he had fallen and broken his hip and was to have an operation.  Now I have been told that he is jaundiced and undergoing dialysis treatment every day and continues to suffer with an enormous hernia as well as prostate problems.  He is not eating and cannot have a bowel movement or urinate.  He is not well at all and his many friends here are very concerned.  It seems that after his fall and later admittance to hospital his health deteriorated rapidly as complications arose.  His morale is quite low and it is feared that his will to fight for survival is weakening. Many of us feel helpless as we can not make it to Manila that easily to visit him but his mate John has passed on our concern and hope that he will rekindle his inner strength and beat this illness. If he does, there will be one great big celebration as the "big guy" is a friend to many lads here in Angeles City.  Bretto, good luck mate, we miss you. (I received an update that he is off dialysis but needs blood transfusions of O positive blood and seeking donors.) (second update - he is now confined at AUF hospital in AC but still needing blood transfusions every three days)

What is the deal with La Pasha?  My goodness, they are doing a "Mo" with their expansion plans.  In addition to being a key player in the buy-out of Rick's Cafe and the new construction there, I have just learned that they took over the Bananitas Club and will reopen it on 1 Jun under the name of "Typhoon".  My source told me that it was just "too good a deal to pass up".  I wonder how Mo missed out on this deal?  No doubt he was too busy putting things in order with the Arizona Hotel in Barrio Barreto, Olongapo.  Anyway, congrats to La Pasha's Jorge for his business acumen and this Horse wishes him a successful run for his money.  It will be good to see a darkened building brought back to life.  By the way, on 1 Jun drop in and greet manager "Gordy" who is excited to be at the helm at what promises to be a very active Club. 

More and more businesses are opening beyond the checkpoint, along what is known as Perimeter Road.  A source informed me that the property near the Hotel La Casa, facing Perimeter Road that was leased by Rey Pineda has now passed to two gentlemen (British and German) who plan to build a hotel.  No further details are available but I was able to confirm the news.  It won't be long before every empty piece of land on Perimeter Road is grabbed up for construction of hotels, night clubs and apartments.

We are getting closer and closer to seeing the introduction of slot machines on Fields Ave, maybe as soon as July or August of this year.  Yes, there will be a lot of debate on pros and con of this form of entertainment but I think it will transform Fields Ave into a mega entertainment area with first class entertainment and a face lift that will attract many more tourists.  Some of the income from these slots will be earmarked for Fields Ave improvement projects as well as the Tourist Police.  The Angeles Clarkfield Tourist Association (ACTA) will benefit for it is hoped that some funds can be granted in order to pay for a master plan to bring about changes that the City Government could never pay for.  The ACTA is still hoping to change a portion of Fields Ave into a walking street.  The Mayor wants this and so does ACTA but it is taking time.  We expect to experiment with a one way system in the near future.  The Balibago Barangay Council under the leadership of Barangay Capt Attorney Flores has agreed to work with ACTA to establish a one way traffic system and this spirit of cooperation is essential for any degree of success. 

Many of you might have noticed that the sand that was dumped in front of the stalls on Real Street has been removed.  Angeles Clarkfield Tourist Association (ACTA) member Dave (Mo) approached the President of ACTA and Executive VP Jimmy D with the suggestion to ask the Mayor if the dirt could be removed as it was not serving any purpose at all except to irritate drivers of vehicles and the owners of the legitimate businesses on the North side of the street.  We all agreed that it would be better to clean up the street but it depended on convincing the Mayor that it would be beneficial to everyone concerned.  Mayor Lazatin was approached and, being a wise man, concerned with the well being of the local citizens agreed to the removal of this eyesore.  By the way, the issue of the legality of the stalls on Real Street is still awaiting a final decision from the courts but until that decision is handed down it is better to allow one and all to continue their operations in peace.

Make sure that you make it over to the Angels Club and say hello to Hans, the new manager that has been there for a month now.  I took this picture very early in May and of course it has to wait a whole month before being published.  Angeles is one of those medium size clubs on Fields Ave that is a pleasure to enter and meet the very friendly staff and for sure, there are a few top of the line ladies that can grab your attention in a heart beat.  Check it out and give Hans a greeting, he loves to meet with the customers and chat a bit.  Tell him "Harry" sent you.  Why?  No reason except that I like saying that even though it won't get you anything but hell, it might get me a free drink.  Remember, be kind to horses!

One of the most popular restaurants in town, Cottage Kitchen, has experienced so much success that Jim Sebree has found it necessary to create more seating room.  Jim said "the Cottage Kitchen Cafe opened February 1995 and is now on it's third generation. It recently expanded, taking the building next door, and can now easily seat 62 people on the ground floor. With the additional seating at the second floor function room, the restaurant can now accommodate 100 guests comfortably. Along with the expansion of the seating area came an expansion of the kitchen, along with a major, overall upgrade, to effectively handle the expected customer load."  Great news Jim, your success is shared by your many customers as without you we would not be able to experience the great original Cajun  cooking taught to you by your grandmother.  Please do not let success go to your head to such a degree that you think about leaving us and opening a restaurant in the States as we folks in Angeles City will hogtie you to your oven before allowing you to leave us.  Fine cuisine, soft sounds of jazz, tasteful decor, excellent service and Jim's personal visits to your table are all combined to make the Cottage Kitchen a favorite dining out experience.  Check it out!

Gentlemen, please do not pick up any street girl walking on Santos Street and then take her to your room or to a short time hotel around Santos or Vian Street.  If you do then you are setting the scene for a scam that can cost you big bucks.  In this case I was informed that a tourist who is a regular customer at Treasure Island did, in fact, pick up a lady walking on Santos Street and took her to the Vian Lodge. After settling into a room a girlfriend of the lady he was with entered the room and asked to use the shower.  He allowed her to do so and shortly thereafter the police (PNP) broke into the room with M16 in hand and accused him of having an underage girl in the room and even produced a birth certificate.  Does this smell, big time, of a set-up?  You better believe it!  Then they took the subject to the Tourist Police Office after which the PNP led him to an ATM machine to withdraw money and then escorted him to station four where they let him go after allegedly receiving $1,000 from him.  According to the subject, he was scared to death and they put the M16 to his head and threatened to kill him if he said anything to anybody about the incident.  The ACTA is investigating this alleged incident because there are many questions to be asked and answered.  (This information was called in to me by Mo as related to him by the victim the next night.  I immediately called the Tourist Police Director and asked them to investigate because of the tourist police being involved.  That night, at 11 PM I was called to the TP office to discuss the matter with a Captain DeGuzman and Police Sgt Reno Dayrit along with Mo.  As it turned out it was NOT the Vian Lodge but the Sunlight Motel and it was not a lady he had picked up but a "Billy Boy".  Never-the-less there was no unlawful act committed until the tourist allowed a friend of his "lady" to enter the room under the pretext of wanting to take a shower.  He allowed her to do so and then within a few minutes the police entered the room and told the tourist he had an underage girl in his room.  They took him to the TP office and then to Station 4.  During the course of this discussion the police representative indicated that there was no M16 involved, that a family member had reported to Station 4 that an underage girl was with a foreigner, and that the tourist voluntarily agreed to pay the family some money. 

In my opinion this scenario smelled of entrapment but the one mistake of the TP was that they did escort the tourist to Station 4 but then left the area and returned to their patrol and also, did not call an ACTA representative to the scene.  The American tourist was left alone to fend for himself.  The importance of this incident was that an ACTA representative was able to meet with the police involved and procedures discussed and also the TP were able to tighten up their procedures and learned not to leave a tourist alone until final action is taken.  In this way, no money could be extorted with the TP presence or with an ACTA representative on the scene. 

After all this, 3 nights later I get a call from the TP at 11 PM telling me that a Japanese tourist was picked up by a policewoman from the Station 4 Women's Desk.  It was reported that he had an underage girl in his room at the Central Park Hotel.  An ACTA representative was able to go to station 4 and review the situation with the police and the tourist.  He explained that on the way to his hotel, in front of the Orchid Inn, he was approached by two ladies and one of them talked him into taking the lady with her to his room.  He had had a few drinks and even though he could only speak very limited english agreed to take her.  But, he did not keep her long and according to the girl and the tourist there was no sex between them. 

Regretfully, the girl, according to a birth certificate was 15.  Now, again this appeared to be a set up.  Point one - it was after 10 PM when he was approached, there is a curfew for minors starting at 10 PM.  Point two - after he leaves with the girl a friend goes to station 4 to report that her friend, a minor, is with a Japanese tourist at the Central Park.  Point 3 - A birth certificate is given to the police right away.  Point 4 - a member of the family indicated that the girl had snuck out of the house.  Point 5 - the girl was made up with lipstick, earrings, and make-up and could have passed for 18.  Point 6 - the similarity between what happened three nights earlier indicated a pattern here, except that a Billy Boy was involved and was teamed up with the underage girl. 

What is the bottom line lesson to be learned here?  Do not pick-up any street walker on Real and Santos Streets, male or female, especially if they are young in appearance.  There definitely appears to be an organized scam taking place to entrap tourists in an attempt to extort money from them.  There are hundreds of licensed ladies working in the various clubs so it is not necessary to take a chance on the street walkers.  Those looking to save P1,000 to P1,200 could end up losing 50 to 100,000 pesos instead.  Being caught with an underage girl is serious trouble, even if you were tricked into thinking she was older.  The TP and ACTA cannot interfere with law enforcement, all we can do is assure that the foreigner is treated with due process and not abused in anyway or attempts made to extort money.  Please guys, stick to the Clubs who have spent large sums of money to provide you with safe, decent, care free entertainment, that is your best bet to hold on to a "stay our of jail" card.

The connection has been really slow lately especially during the day time. I thought it was only me but was visiting a friend on Field Ave yesterday and they have a 1 Meg connection. I asked if they had changed their package to a slower speed since it was so slow but they said it has been like this for a while and getting worse.
Jimmy D. says he is unable to use his VOIP for more than 10 secs before it start starts dropping packets so bad he can not carry on a conversation.

I heard you were out of the country, but I am sure you are in touch with all your senior staff. Please light a fire under their respective asses and get them to fix this.

I tried to contact CSG on duty at night around 12:15am and nobody answered.

Regards, Chuck"

I WOULD IF I COULD

There are times I get a little frustrated when trying to feature a good looking girl in this column because many do not want their picture taken with some being extremely negative about it.  One evening I went out to get a good picture to feature this month and decided to try "My Bar" which turned out to be a disaster.  Only two customers on board and the dancers that were present would have been OK if I was desperate for a picture.  There were two new ones that were kind of cute but they were dancing without ID's and I was told they did not have their licenses yet.  This is a no-no so I left well enough alone.  My next stop was at "D Club" as I had not been in there for quite some time. It was a Wednesday night, after 9 PM and the place had only two other customers besides me (It appears that Wednesday must be a slow night). It was definitely rather quiet, made me think of the Blue Boar Inn. But the ladies were on stage dancing their hearts out and trying to make their three customers enjoy themselves. I surveyed the line-up and nearly gave up on finding one good looking enough to take a picture of but at the last moment spotted one that fit the bill. I told the Mamasan (who definitely has seen better days) what I wanted and I asked the dancer if I could take her picture as publicity for the bar. She refused to do so and really got an attitude about it though she claimed she did not have a boyfriend or any children. Oh well, that is part of the difficulty in bringing these pictures to you. So, what to do, I did not want to give up so I entered the Camelot Club and boy, what a difference. It was loaded with customers, the girls were better looking, the atmosphere was lively and thank goodness for a good manager in Tony who greeted me and helped me find my girl of the month. Now I was glad that "My Bar" and "D Club" were so boring or I never would have made it to Camelot. What a great difference. So, meet Emelyn, 20 years old, hailing from Mindanao. She does not have a boyfriend or any children but, sorry guys, she does not want a boyfriend older than 30. She used to work in the Champagne Club but her presence at Camelot is a great asset to them. This lady has personality plus and a very charming smile as well. She really brightened up my night and after looking at her picture while inserting it here I must say that I think I made a great choice, with the help of Tony, of course. 

CHECKING OUT SM MALL

The opening of the Clark SM Mall was welcomed by thousands of customers but, as predicted, the traffic situation is a mess.  Getting into and out of the parking lots was a challenge and a cause for much frustration.  My question was why not allow those people driving in from the Friendship Gate enter SM without having to go out the main gate and then hit all that traffic going around the building.  When I spoke to CDC official Lauro Ortille, he insisted that the traffic pattern was experimental and that adjustments would be made as necessary.  I must say that the traffic flow on 1st street has improved with the removal of the parked jeepneys that reduced this street to two lanes only.  There remains the congestion on McArthur Ave itself, especially during the rush hour periods.  Now, how about the Mall itself?  It is a hikers dream but a bit of difficulty for an old man like me with a bad knee and back as it is a lot of walking if one wants to explore the entire area of the mall. 

It would help if they had put some rotunda seats at various locations, like they have at SM Mall, San Fernando, so folks could take a bit of a rest from all the walking.  By and large though I am pleased to have the Clark Mall here so Priscilla and I can cut down on the time to travel to San Fernando, especially now that the petrol prices have jumped so dramatically. What I have noticed is that some of the stores that are in both Malls have downsized at the Clark Mall, i.e., Kenny Rogers, French Bakery, ACE Hardware and a few others.  Some spaces will not be opened for business until June or July and I await one in particular, Sbarro which has some great Italian food and pizza.  The supermarket is impressive but again, Priscilla tells me that some of the items she bought at the San Fernando Mall are not available at Clark. 

The National Book store is large and well equipped and the Cinemas are great.  I will insert a few pictures here of the Mall interior and a few of the patrons I ran into when walking around.  The most popular shop that always has a line is the "GoNuts Donuts" which became well known in Manila.  Question - has the opening of SM Mall had a negative effect on the local businesses?  Right now it is too early to tell but I was surprised to learn that the Cinemas at the Nepo Mall downtown have closed and additionally, the Kenny Rogers outlet at that Mall closed as well.  The Jenra Mall business has been dramatically reduced but that started when the Nepo Mall opened a couple of years ago and has been in steady decline.  Lets give it a year and see what happens. 

THE ORANGE LION

It is hard to believe that the Orange Lion Hotel was one year old in Apr but I was reminded about the passing of time when I received an invitation to attend their first anniversary celebration on 29 Apr.  Regretfully, I missed out on the snacks as I was delayed in getting to the event because of attending the performance of the Welsh Choir from Wales, England.  This fantastic choir has been performing for 28 years but this was their first visit to the Philippines.  The all male choir is made up of 15 different nationalities and I must say there are a few of the lads that like a bit of beer after their performance.  OK, back to the Orange Lion - you see I thought I could make both events so when the Choir finished their fantastic performance at the Wild Orchid Inn I was ready to make it to the Orange Lion.  Mother Nature was messing with me as she decided to create a bit of a down pour and I was without a vehicle or umbrella.  I waited and waited but it would not stop.  I did not want to let Pascal down as I  promised I would be there to cover his event.  OK already, I could not wait, I walked quickly through    the rain (my running days are over), slogged through the puddles, got my feet wet and a bit of an overall soaking.  I made it, though close to 10 PM, and pulled out my camera to take a few pictures.  I missed out on the snacks but I figured I would get a big hello and smile from Pascal.  Alas, not even a nod of the head.  I was completely ignored as he was busy chatting up his mates at the bar.  Not to worry, I took my pictures, chatted a bit with Big John, called the Mrs to pick me up and quietly left for a nice meal at the Chic and Ribs.  By that time my feet had dried up a bit but I was happy, I had kept my word.

CHERRY'S - STAMPEDE - GENTLEMEN'S CLUB

My goodness, that ex-deputy sheriff from Calif. is on the move for bigger and better things.  Jimbo has taken over, with the help of Shane, Cherry's and Gentlemen's Clubs so within one month they have entered the realm of the big boys club in town.  It couldn't happen to a nicer guy and I hope that this all leads to a big success for Jimbo.  Right now though, Shane is running the whole show as Jimbo had to return to the States to address a medical problem that we all hope is not too serious.  I was able to visit Shane at the Gentlemen's Club as he was popping his vitamin pills since he has to run the whole show until Jim gets back from the States.  I was surprised to see so many dancers on hand and there were quite a few good lookers doing their thing on stage.  Seldom do I go to the Gentlemen's Club, not because I don't like the place but because I have a hell of a time getting up the stairs.  For those healthier and younger than me, the trek up the stairs are worth it.  It is not that any renovations were necessary so it is the same as it has been for a few years but the atmosphere is different.  It just seems to be more lively and more fun than before.  That special room is still available for short rests and the prices remain very reasonable.  I wonder if Shane and Jim will continue their expansion or just maintain the status quo for a while. 

A FIELD OF DREAMS

Last month a dream did come true, little league baseball made its first appearance at the Bahay Bata Street Children's Center's newly completed sports field located adjacent to the Center.  This property was donated to the Foundation and the thought was to turn it into a multi-purpose sports facility.  Two Rotary Club of Clark Centennial members, past president Bill Wright and director Lionel Claydon were key to the successful completion of this project.  Bill spearheaded the development and construction of the field and Lionel arranged the construction of a large changing room as well as gathering various sports equipment. This was a Club project but when Bill left for the States it was left to club member George Watson to pick up where Bill left off and to take the time to introduce the kids to little league baseball and to train them.  What started out as a sugar cane field was transformed into magnificent sports field where baseball and rugby can be played.  The success of this endeavor was realized when the First Philippine Pony League Baseball Tournament was played over a five day period last 9 - 13 May. The tournament was conducted by Boy Tingzon, Jr, the President of the Philippines TOT Baseball Foundation and a member of the Rotary Club of Pasay Silingan.  Almost 100 youngsters aged 9 to 12 representing 8 teams participated.  Our team, the "Angels" was made up of street kids that had no idea what baseball was until George took them under his wing and developed them into a cohesive, competitive unit within 6 weeks of three times a week training.  The visiting teams came from Bacolor, Guagua, Porac, Florida Blanca, Mabalacat, Olongapo, and Morong all of whom had years of experience.  The Angels did not win but they earned the respect of the other teams as when they went up against the veteran teams on two occasions they lost by only one run.  Additionally, a great moment of pride came about as one of the "Angels" had the honor of hitting the first grand slam home run on their own field. What a magnificent five days it was.  The President of RC Clark Centennial, Joey Pineda, extended an invitation to all the teams to come back next year and if possible even before then.  Maybe at some time in the near future an international tournament for youth baseball can be held at the Maria Wright field and for sure, by then, our ex-street kids will be ready to show all of the Philippines how good they are.  More than anything, sports teaches the children cooperation and helps develop character and strength to face the world when they eventually leave the Center.  This, together with the education provided to them, I am sure that their names will be associated with business, military, police and political leaders of the future.  I hope I live long enough to see this. 

The monthly expense of maintaining the Bahay Bata Center currently runs at P300,000 a month and we are grateful to the many donors that for many years have helped the foundation to meet all expenses but this year they have been struggling and Corporate sponsors are being sought that would be able to commit substantial monthly donations. 

Believe me, any amount, big or small is needed and much appreciation goes out to people like Ray Kelly and Peter Bellamy who conducted a short notice fund raiser that brought in P200,000 plus and another fund raiser put together by Chef Chris at that Italian restaurant that I said I would not mention for a while in conjunction with Rey Pineda's birthday that brought in P300,000.  Raffles and auctions were conducted at both functions and thank goodness for the very generous participation of so many different folks whose bids helped to make these two successful evenings.  Only through the help of the community and hopefully, some corporate sponsors can we continue to keep the doors of the Bahay Bata Center open, any help would be appreciated.     

DOLL HOUSE RESTAURANT

The Doll House owner, Clay, might be in the junk business back in Hawaii but the new restaurant and hotel they have built directly across the street from the Doll House does not bear any resemblance to junk, instead it reflects the new decorum for Fields Ave which emphasizes quality and class.  The hotel is not open yet but the 24 hour restaurant is up and running and I was impressed with the menu, interior design, good service and professionalism of the three charming waitresses on the night shift.  The prices are not bad, hell you can get 10 mini-pancakes for P75 or if you want, select the top of the line breakfast for P215.  I don't think I will go for the Doll House Burger at P250 but the P125 for the DH Hotdog might suit me but then I am a bit of a cheap c--t who does not eat out all that often; but this is such a nice place to eat and relax that I might have to stop by once in a while and order up a plate of oats or some of those delicious chicken quesadillas that all Mexican horses love.  Oops, forgot, I'm Irish, maybe they will have a beef stew available.  

WHAT A GREAT PIECE!

My goodness, when you have the chance to get a great piece like this the only thing you can think of is to sit down and eat it right up.  It was so moist, juicy, filling my mouth with its nectar, and giving me such pleasure and satisfaction.  It was 11 PM and I was so hungry that beautiful Irene, the manager of Sub-delicious could sense my hunger and immediately presented me with the biggest slice of pizza I ever had the opportunity to consume.  That slice filled me up so much that I had trouble finishing it but you better believe that I will return for another.  I don't know what was more irresistible, Irene's smile or the pizza.  After many, many years Irene finally took my advice and that of her boss, Tom and was able to please me with that new smile of hers and it was such a pleasure to stop in to visit Sub-Delicious again.  You know, it is, at times, a pain in the butt to be so busy that one neglects taking the time to eat out at some favorite locations.  Now that I am hooked on that giant slice of pizza I will definitely take the time for a return trip, smile or no smile for that was one great piece that has whetted my appetite for more. 

THANK GOODNESS

No matter how many actions they take to clean up Santos Street or other areas of the entertainment district there remains, quite often, a bit of sadness.  This poor soul was sound asleep on A. Santos street despite the noise of construction, vehicles, tricycles and pedestrians.  Just above I wrote about eating a slice of pizza and as I took this picture I thought of how lucky I was to be able to eat whenever I wanted to, to sleep in a comfortable bed, take a shower, have clean clothes, and have a great wife and family to look after me.  I knew that just a few feet down the road folks were drinking, laughing, playing with the ladies and on the other side of the street multi-million pesos were being spent to build hotels.  Life is wonderful when you have enough but what is enough?  For this person sleeping on the sidewalk maybe just being able to find something to eat is enough.  For me, I don't know exactly how much is enough, but for now, as I took this picture, I thought, "thank goodness for what I do have" and if I gain no more, may the good Lord allow me to be satisfied and always remember that slumbering human being who has so little.  

OK gang, that is it for this month.  Hey, how do you like my moving horse.  My computer guru Chuck was able to get Daddy Al (aka Detroit Al ) of Angel Witch a very talented graphics guy to create a Gif for me.  I really am impressed with those folks that create this kind of art on the computer.  Fantastic!  I must thank Ron Larson who is staying at the Central Park Hotel for carrying my Vonage router to me.  Every time we check at the hotel for him to say hello and to buy him a drink he is never around.  No doubt he is a very active tourist.  Ron, many thanks for a very big favor.  I'd also like to say hello to Ernie Flynn, Graeme O'Regan and John Gulessenan who corresponded with me last month. My apologies to to Mark Lord for not reporting on Clearwater for this column is long enough already.  I will do you justice next month because I was really impressed with my visit and many thanks for your time.  The pictures I took in Angel Witch will have to wait as well and there are a couple new clubs that I have to get to.  Wow, time flies, bear with me folks and catch me next month.  In the meantime, be kind to horses.