september 2010.
just got back from Las Vegas.
our 4th visit but definitely our most succesful.
we stayed in a timeshare property called the Carraiage House. it cost us £125 for a week in a luxury suite. just 5 minutes walk to the strip. we paid £376 for our flights. then i spent £801 on $1200 for the trip.
i put this into two "pots". $200 spending money. $1000 gambling money.
despite the fact that we had been there 3 times before, we still ended up running around Vegas, into 40 casinos and gambling 38 times!!
when i had a win i split the money. 20% to the spending money and 80% to a new "pot". the "take home to u.k." pot.
end of the week on the friday i lost the last of the $1000. but in the "take home" pot was $1300.
in the end i brought back $1323. i cashed it back in and received £803. i made £2 on the cash.
the first thing my wife said when we landed was "when are we going back?" .

it's now february 2007. we were here in the Philippines again for some special reasons and some not so special.
on the 4th we had to attend a wedding. one of our nephews. it was an expensive,(over 500,000 peso) over the top affair. the reception was at Coconut Palace. great occasion and we finally saw all the family together, dressed in their finery. one neice brought her Canadian fiance, and another brought her English boyfriend. so, at least i was not the only foreigner there.
then we trekked down to our place in Quezon province. we hosted a big family reunion party for distant relatives. i got drunk on beer and performed as usual on the karaoke. everyone else consumed about 30 bottles of brandy between them!! next morning i got up for breakfast and was surprised to see some of the relatives from afar drinking Brandy for breakfast!! i'm sure they all live on the stuff. ( current brand favorite is "Generosa").
we had to stay a week in order to attend another party on the 14th feb. so, i spent the week snorkelling, reading and lazing about. one day i walked to the next town. there had been an attack by bandits on some people nearby and someone was killed. also, the NPA had been fighting the army in the area as well just the week before we got there. so, when it was found out that i walked the 7 km to the next town along the railway tracks, there was a bit of a general panic! but the only danger for me was from getting pissed off from all the "hey joe"s that i got!
also, it was 11.00 am when i walked. only mad dogs and this lone englishman were out in the midday sun, so no danger there. the dogs barked. i barked back!!
next week i have an english friend coming down from Hong Kong. there will be drinking involved. anything could happen!!?? thats the next post!

the month is now july and i am enjoying the summer in u.k. but, back in may i was in the Philippines for my 2nd visit of the year. i was at my property in Angono Rizal and at my beach place in Quezon province. i also managed a walking tour in Manila.
i made my way to Cubao. from there i boarded the lrt2 and travelled down to Recto station. then i wandered through the crowded streets of Quiapo. there was the usual markets but also a busy time because the Quiapo church had some special celebration for the "Black cross". i then made my way across china town and up towards Recto avenue and eventually to Tutaban. the mall was crowded but at least a bit of air-con cools me down a bit. then i emerged at the other end of the mall and went across to Tutaban railway station. But this is now a museum and the boarding point for trains to the south go from the next station.
so, i went back up along side the mall and back to Recto. i turned right and walked along Recto until it came back to the exit of the Pasig River. this area was pretty rough and the people gave a surprised look on seeing this mad foreigner strolling amongst them!! i walked ahead with purpose and pretended i knew where i was heading. a few "hej Joe"'s but no other interest.
i eventually crossed the M.Roxas bridge and turned left into Intramuros. a pleasant stroll down the main street of Intramuros and then i crossed the park to Ermita. time for a few beers in the bars before walking up to Taft and the Lrt to EDSA and then the MRT to Shaw and then an FX to Angono and a tricycle home.
the trip cost very little. my feet were a little sore. but i enjoyed people watching the whole way, getting all sorts of reactions from the people i encountered. mostly friendly. some a little bemused. most ignored me. just the way i like it.
p.s. one guy, sitting with his mates, shouted: "hej Joe". i walked over and said "hello Frank". he looked confused and said "my name is not Frank". i said "my name is not Joe". i then turned and walked away. 1-0 to me, i think...............................................

Philippines. my home from home. i have a house there in Angono, Rizal. about 10 miles from the city of Manila. one hours drive from the international airport. i also have a plot of land ready for development nearby. we also have some beachfront properties about 200 miles away in Quezon province. my wife and i were there in February this year and now look forward to our return there in a couple of weeks time.
we have a busy time when there, first in Angono, then we travel to Matinik, beside the sea in Quezon. we will attend two parties for the fiesta in Matinik. then i will travel back to Angono, pick up my golf clubs, then travel to Matabungkay in Batangas province for 3 nights R and R down there. my wife will remain in Matinik doing some needed construction on our properties there.
then we meet back in Angono to finish our trip with shopping and charitable duties! its the start of the school year coming up and we buy school clothes and materials for a few kids that we are responsible for. some relatives, some not.
i will spend a day or two in Manila then we will have a send off party in Angono before returning to u.k. that will be the May trip finished and our friends and family there will have to wait until November for our next visit.
i love my time in the Philippines. i am very familiar with Manila and surrounds. i have travelled a little in the Philippines but i plan to travel the whole country in the future. if anyone is planning to visit Manila and needs advice as to where's good, where's not etc etc, then i would hope i could be of assistance. this coming trip i will be walking in Binondo and plan to visit the train station at Tutuban. then across the Pasig River to Intramuros. even in the high temperatures, i love walking in Manila. i would love to find others interested in exploring the depths of Manila.