The unusual design painted on this VW has been sent to me a number of times and I found it amusing but did not bother to save it or pass it on.  Shortly after returning from Vegas with a couple of photos of extremely big rear ends of female Americans that are becoming normal sights in the US, especially at the buffets in Vegas, I looked at this photo differently.  To tell the truth, some of those asses I noted, I am sure, if turned around nd, would just about duplicate the size shown here. OK already, there were some nice looking ladies with nice figures around as well but they are becoming a rare breed.  It is certainly good to be back in the Philippines where corruption is a way of life.  I was with my son in Arizona when he was stopped by a policeman in Arizona for speeding and I had to remind myself not to offer a bit of cash for "consideration" so my son has to attend some driving school in order to avoid points in addition to paying the fine.  After 28 days I find the political situation just as topsy-turvy as ever with GMA hanging on with desperation and the opposition trying to think of any black propaganda to topple her from office.  The construction of the SM Mall on Clark is moving along at a fast pace and that is wonderful, it will certainly be a good draw for this area.  The Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEP) is progressing but as usual, some local Mayors are causing problems.  Before it was Mayor Boking Morales that had a few objections and now Conception Mayor Noel Villanueva, a few weeks ago, confiscated dump trucks being used by the Japanese contractor for the SCTEP construction in order to try and force a change in the design of the toll road to avoid dividing the town.  Mediation between the principals is ongoing now but wouldn't it be nice to see a construction project meant to benefit the entire Central Luzon Region go on without too much interference. Let us hope that Mayor Villanueva can be appeased quickly so that the common folks will not suffer from any unnecessary delays.  The holidays are fast approaching with Thanksgiving this month and Christmas and New Years fast approaching.  For this month I want to send my thanks to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan whose lives are in danger every day, month after month and year after year.  It is a dirty, rotten war with no front lines and no clear lines of progress, and left wing reporters embedded with the troops whose only mission is to report anything that would make our troops look bad.  On this Thanksgiving may you eat well, and at least have one day of relative safety.

TIDBITS

OK, here is something I want to pass on that might be helpful to a few folks, but hard to tell.  A customer at the Blue Boar Inn that travels back and forth from Bangkok to the Angeles City told me that there is a business that will ship boxes to your address here in the PI at a reasonable cost.  It is called the Clem & Jhoan Cargo located at 101/26 Petchburi Soi 17, Soi Somprasong 4, Pratunam, Bangkok, 10400. Harry, could you put in your next Harry the Horse an item that VVA Chapter 887 is looking for contestants to compete in a local beauty contest for the Miss Chili Pepper contest in La Union on 26 Nov.   Our local selection beauty contest will be on 18 Nov at our monthly social.  The location has not been selected yet, but we are  trying for T Times. The chapter will pay for the winning contestant's and her female companion transportation and two night s at La Union.  We ask only that the bar/club pay her usual salary and any per diem and help with her costume (swim suit and long dress).  If you have any question stop by the DAV to see me.   E. Ralph 

How many of you remember the porno movie Deep Throat, starring Linda Lovelace?  It was put out many years ago but became a classic and set the guidelines for many movies to follow.  Well, Jerry (last name withheld by request) has copies to sell at $5 each and the quality is what you would expect from such an old movie but believe me, it is very viewable (yes, I had to check it out myself).  Jerry is taking orders and the copies will be available 12/1 so give him a call at 09107385814.

A reader of this column from Korea sent a comment about a message board in Cebu that has added a section that acts as a hotline for needed blood.  Capt Jack at PIH might be interested in getting with the AC Message Board moderator to see if something like this could be added to that site.  I know that Jack bleeds a little bit himself every time an emergency call for blood comes in and a patient has to wait so long for help, sometimes, it is just too late to help.  Thanks for the input Chris. "I was reading your Sep edition and you mentioned about the difficulty involved with blood at the hospitals.  I am not sure if you ever visit the Living in Cebu site ( http://www.cebuliving.com/forums/ ) or not, but the have a new section called "SOS Philippines".  This section is to help people that need blood and for other medical emergency needs. I always enjoy your news letter. Take care and have fun in Vegas. Regards, Chris"

In order to lose a bit of weight I have started my nearly daily swimming at either Hidden Vale or the Phoenix Hotel.  I am also trying to strengthen my leg in anticipation of knee replacement surgery which I have been putting off for many years.  My reluctance is due to the time I would have to take off and of course, the painful recovery period which I am not keen on.  But, some folks that I have talked to have told me it is not too bad and that I should not worry about it.  Well, once, when at the VA Clinic in Manila, taking a blood test, I saw a veteran that had his left leg amputated nearly up to his waist.  I asked him what happened and he told me that, through the VA, he underwent knee replacement at St. Lukes Hospital in Manila and came down with a hospital infection.  they had to cut off his leg.  OK fine, that was a couple of years ago and of course, I did not opt for my surgery.  Then, last year a couple of Vets here in Angeles City had their knees replaced at PIH and told me it was a piece of cake and that there was not much pain involved.  Did I mention that I hate any kind of PAIN!  Lately, Priscilla the Horse has been on me to get the operation and I was building up my resolve to do so until I met "Les" at the Phoenix Hotel pool.  He noticed my knee brace and asked if I had a knee operation in which I told him no, but was contemplating one.  He then proceeded to tell me that he had the operation and it was the most painful thing he ever went through and would never want to get another one.  He described how for a straight 36 hours they put his leg on a motion machine and after he was out of hospital, he had to return for a minor procedure with anesthetic to force his knee to a 120 degree angle.  Needless to say, thanks to Les I must tell Priscilla that it will take me another one or two years to build up my nerve again.  Thank goodness no one has decided to shoot this old horse to put me out of my misery.

Jim Benz sent me the following information:  "According to Transparency International, a world coalition against corruption, the Philippines ranks in the bottom half of the world when it comes to rampant corruption.  The Philippines even ranked below such countries as Zimbabwe, Zambia, Vietnam, Ukraine, Palestine and Nicaragua .. .However, they did rank ABOVE such wonderful places as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Chad, Haiti, Angola, Venezuela, and Papua new guinea. Sad!"  (Jim, thank goodness, how else could I get by for so many years without paying any traffic tickets!)

Glad to read a note from Trev in Darwin regarding last month's Newcastletourists, I guess it brought back some memories:  "G'day, Just a note to say my Mrs was tickled to see Mark and Craig (the Newcastle Mob) in the October edition. She remembers them well from the Rhum Runner and ran into one of them up in La Union afterwards. If they read your pages she'd just like to say Hi and that she is married to the original drunken bum that stole her from said Rhum Runner in 88 and has a 4 year old boy and has been living in Darwin since 92. Love keeping abreast of happenings through your column. Regards Trevor and Sunsineth Wood."

Only once was I able to visit Arlington National Cemetery in Washing DC and observe the Honor Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  It was a sobering effect but at the time I did not know what these men and women had to undergo to be a part of that guard.  The description below has been passed to me a few times and after reading I deleted the message.  This time I thought I would pass it on for general information, especially for those of us that like a drink or two during our lifetime.

" For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be
between 5' 10" and 6' 2" tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30."  Other
requirements of the Guard: They must commit 2 years of life to guard the
tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on
or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the
rest of their lives and  cannot disgrace the uniform {fighting} or the tomb in
any way. After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on
their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only
400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their
lives or give up the wreath pin.

      The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat
and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the
top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt.
There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty
in front of a full-length mirror.

      The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor
watch TV.  All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid
to rest in Arlington National Cemetery . A guard must memorize who they are
and where they are interred. Among the notables are: President Taft, Joe
E. Lewis {the boxer} and Medal of Honor winner Audie Murphy, {the most
decorated soldier of WWII} of Hollywood fame.

      Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for
guard duty. 

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

      In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching   Washington ,   DC , our  
US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC  
evening news, it was  reported that because of the dangers from the  
hurricane, the military  members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of  
the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They  
respectfully declined the offer, "No way, Sir!"  Soaked to the skin,  
marching in the pelting  rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding  
the Tomb was not just an  assignment, it was the highest honor that can be  
afforded to a serviceperson. The tomb has been patrolled continuously,  
24/7, since 1930."  

Some exciting changes are taking place at Hidden Vale!  Recently, Mark Smith and Rey Pineda took me on a walk through to explain what is going on with the new construction and some of their plans for the rest of this year and next year.  There is a major construction project going on to turn the T-house into a first class facility that will feature a fine-dining restaurant, bar, meeting rooms, lockers, sauna, changing rooms, massage rooms, Jacuzzi, and so much more.  Oh yes, a name change is in the works as well wherein Hidden Vale will become the Angeles Sports & Country Club.  This time, I believe that the present construction will see completion and some of the amenities that members have been waiting to see for a long time will finally be a reality.  There is more, much more but because many tentative plans are not final at this time management has asked that I hold off a bit longer.  No problem, it is enough just to see construction activity going on again.  Now, I did not broach the subject about membership costs and monthly dues because I simply did not want to know.  No doubt, like gas prices, increases will follow like what has happened with the current food menu, but, well, it sure will be a quality club and quality does cost more.  Oh well, see you around the swimming pool, at least for the remainder of this year.

TAPS:   James Lloyd "Jim" Frisby, a well liked member of the VFW passed away last month and was cremated on 14 Oct.

Who says business is slow in Angeles City? According to Mo he had tremendous sales in October and I am sure there have been similar sales in other Clubs.  One late afternoon I had the opportunity to visit Magic Moments and they were doing a rather brisk business.  Naturally, some businesses will be slow as there probably are not enough tourists to fill up all the clubs but this should change this month.  One sign of how much money is spent by Tourists and Expats in and around Fields Ave and Angeles City is that the bank has informed Mo that the ATM located at Mo's Place averages P400,000 a day in withdrawals.  This is a lot of money but as with many ATMs it goes off line too often and occasionally eats the card and the customer gets mad.  Mo is thinking of removing the machine because o of the complaints that he has no control over.  I was surprised to hear how much money is being withdrawn on a daily basis and the figures were taken over a 17 month period.

There is a little bit of drama taking place at the T-Times Club on Perimeter road as it was illegally padlocked by the previous owner who claims he was not paid.  The previous owner is an American and Kevin, the present owner is an American.  Kevin swears that he has paid all that is due and has the receipts to prove it.  This is a sad incident as Kevin has sunk a large sum of money into renovating the Club and it appears that the previous owner might be trying to regain control using rather underhanded, illegal methods.  In any case, the lawyers for both sides are trying to sort the mess out and T-Times has reopened but electricity, for now, has to be provided by a generator.

On Saturday 29 Oct I made a quick trip down the road to see if the new owners of Cherry's Club wanted to continue their ad in this column.  I was able to meet and talk with Les who is a fine, friendly lad from Australia but so far, I have not been able to meet the second half of this team, Charlie.  To my surprise, when Les sent a text to Charlie to ask about the ad the answer was no, because Charlie had had enough and wanted to sell out.  Boy, if sold this would have qualify as one of the quickest turn-a-rounds for bar ownership in recent years.  So, even Les was a bit surprised but he also indicated that owning a Club can be a bit of a hassle and he is not sure if he will buy Charlie out, sell just Charlie's share to someone else or just give up the ship completely.  Bottom line, if anyone is interested in buying a share of Cherry's Club, or possibly the whole operation, please stop by Cherry's Club and get in touch with Les or Charlie. Who knows, Jerry himself might buy it back, at a lesser price of course.  

The Happy Days bar on Perimeter Road has gone the way of the old TV Series, it is now history.  Terry decided he wanted to handle fish and shrimp instead of booze so he sold the place (for a good price of course) to an American, Ron, who hails from Chicago.  Ron is fairly new to Angeles City but never-the-less is jumping in with both feet on the ground to do a complete new concept for this location.  Surprisingly, Ron decided to keep the name "Happy Days" for his new building that will be two stories with a two bars.  On the first floor will be a girlie bar with entertainers and on the second floor will be an open Karaoke bar with a separate entrance.  The regular bar will be open from 1100 to 0200 but the Karaoke bar will remain open to 0500 hrs.  These are the initial plans and of course between now and the projected 1 Dec opening those plans could change.  It is a different concept in that Ron is attempting to attract both the foreign and Filipino trade at the same time.  This could be a good idea as long as the Filipino customers are not mixing with the expats in the girlie bar.  Most foreigners are a bit nervous of being around Filipino men when they are drinking excessively because of the possibility of violence and all too often, gun play.  My suggestion to Ron was that he consider closing in the Karaoke Club because of the noise factor.  Too many local lads and ladies sing horribly and it is no pleasure to be trying to sleep between 0300-0500 and have to listen to some loud idiots on the microphone.  If left open, the sound travels and there are residential areas behind the Club.  I took a picture of the ongoing construction but will hold it as a comparison next to the completed building.  Be advised though, that there are more and more clubs opening on Perimeter Road which feature lower drink prices lower take out fees.  This is made possible by lower overhead costs and the fact that the owners on Perimeter Road are willing to make a little less in order to attract the customers.  That makes sense to me!

FOR SALE - The AC1 Gym on Friendship Highway if up for sale.  The asking price is P4.5 million but that is negotiable.  Stop by the Gym for further information or call (45) 887-3165 or 0917

A lot has been written about putting slot machines in come clubs on Fields Ave - the following comments were sent to me by Terrence Skeet:  "G'day Harry, this is about the impending slots for Fields.

Here in Australia their called 'Poker Machines' & you can find hundreds of them in every pub or club (RSL-Sporting etc) all over this big land & they spell TROUBLE! I know that you yanks have zillions in L.A. but here every town, ever so small, have 'pokies.' and they are forever in your face & eventually 'suck you in.' And, of course you lose those hard earned bucks. Which brings me to Angeles. What concerns me is not the tourists or ex pats that might get sucked in (when they drop say ps1500 & they realise what that could have bought last night at the bar - they'll say shit & move on) it is the Filipino girls that worry me big time. Harry, Filipinos are big time gamblers! Here in Australia, any day, in my town you will see Filipino ladies at all times hitting the pokies. They simply love them! So what might happen in AG. The girls (some) working in the bars will gamble all or most of their earnings, can't send money back to support their family - become depressed (suicidal?), scam more to recover what they lost last night - and become more addicted than flying on shabu. Ok, call me an alarmist. But I've seen it happened here in Oz. Pokies are bad for Angeles, they are not entertainment - they are a social evil. Ok, you don't have to play them - but Adam didn't have to eat the bloody apple either! Piss them off. Angeles doesn't need them. Cheers, Terry (Ah Terry, I am sure many folks will agree with you but the lure of gambling is that there is money to be made and it is true that many people are definitely drawn to putting a bit of money in the slots.  But, Las Vegas, various Indian Reservations in the States, Macao, and many other locations accept them.  There will always be pro and con opinions but I think that if they do make it to Fields Ave that the end result will be a better, more exciting Fields Ave with more upscale clubs and much more entertainment available.  The project remains stalled because of difficult negotiations with the companies that must provide the slot machines).

A clarification message was received from Jack McDonald , PIH Administrator, regarding the death of Shane Rickie and the question about the availability of blood for a transfusion that was mentioned in my Sept column:   

"Shane Rickie came to the PIH Emergency Room on August 15.  He was diagnosed with internal gastro-intestinal bleeding and told by no less than our Hospital Director himself that he needed to be admitted and receive an immediate transfusion.  Shane refused all treatment.  The Director then explained to him and to his wife that if he did not, he was in danger of dying at any time in the near feature.  He even offered to transfer him to the government hospital, Ospital Ning Angeles (ONA) if expense was an issue.  Shane refused and departed. 

Some time later or the next day he went to ONA on his own where subsequently he suffered a heart attack.  He was transferred to PIH by our ambulance at the request of his wife.  He was immediately admitted and treated by our Intensive Care Unit, but expired about two hours later of a second, massive coronary. 

PIH has a small blood bank.  Normally it does not contain a supply of the rarer blood types, such as O-Negative, which are unique mostly to non-Filipinos.   This is because there are a very limited number of donors and the shelf life is only 30 days.  We have access to the large HVC blood bank at Subic Bay Medical Center (SBMC) and also can contact local hospitals to obtain blood."

ACE HITS THE BIG FIVE O

It has been 17 years since I celebrated my 50th year of life and I was so glad to have survived that long that I threw a rather large bash in celebration. On 14 Oct Ace, that jolly rotund fella with the ready smile hit the same milestone and put on a great feed with plenty of booze and soft drinks at Josephville II club house.  What made the event special was not only did many of his local mates attend, but many of his relatives from various points of Australia flew in for the event.  Lets see if I can read my notes correctly, family in attendance were:  two sisters, Coleen and Jane, brother-in-law Noel, nieces Jane Marie and Sheree, nephews Damian, Rodney (with girlfriend Carly), and daughters Katherine and Julian.  I hope I got that right, all in all they stayed in town for 18 days and enjoyed the hospitality of the Sunset Garden Hotel. My goodness, I have known Ace for some time and I never asked him for his real name, so, sorry mate, I forgot to get your full name or that of your Mrs. see, that is what happens to one's memory 17 years after celebrating the 50th. 

THE COLD DROP

Last month I wrote about the downfall of "The Last Drop" on Friendship and its reopening under the new name of "The Cold Drop" and it appears that my words led some folks to believe that I was disparaging the reputation of "Kenny Mac".  Believe me, that was not my intent, in no way would I intentionally write anything negative about this fine individual.  Kenny is one of those honest, intelligent, professional individuals who, during his time in Angeles City has had the misfortune to team up with some folks in ventures that just, over time, do not pan out. I was able to interview both Kenny and John Davis and as usual, there are two sides to the events leading up to the closure and the end result was a voluntary action by Ken to rectify a situation he was not happy with.  But, what is past is past and the present finds The "Cold Drop" open with John at the helm who is doing his best to bring back the customer base that Kenny Mac had built up.  Most tourists will spend their time in Angeles without ever getting past the Checkpoint but if possible a trip to the Friendship area to check out this establishment would be worth the time taken.  The Cold Drop is an outdoor patio bar surrounded by a garden effect that makes one forget that the Friendship Highway is only a few meters away.  They feature a large contingent of friendly, very friendly, good looking waitresses that are willing to cater to your every need.  They are open at 0900 and close whenever there are no more customers.  A restaurant is available serving a full menu that features Indian curries prepared by "Curry Steve".  I was able to sample the chicken vindaloo offering and enjoyed it but I admit to not being a good judge of curries, I only want it spicy, tasty and enough to fill me up; I will leave expert judgments to others.  The restaurant offers a variety of pizzas in two sizes and I very much enjoyed the large 14" pizza prepared for me.  I happen to enjoy a thin crust pizza and this is another area where opinions differ dramatically so all I will say is that maybe it is time for Mo to hold a new "Best Pizza" contest with very neutral judges since there are two new players in the Pizza business.  OK, back to business!  I strongly recommend that you get Manager Dave or John himself to take you on a tour of the establishment he is putting together, it is very impressive.  Go beyond the patio garden and check out the rooms for the girls that live on the premises, the "special room" where one can relax after too many drinks for the reasonable price of only P800 that features a bathroom with shower, TV, bed, towels, soap in fact, so comfortable and clean that one would not want to leave.  Additionally, 8 self contained suites are under construction that can be rented for P20,000 a month or avail of the daily and weekly rates.  The size of the suites range from 33 sq meters to 55 sq meters and John has been taken reservations so if you are interested, hurry on over before they are all spoken for. 

A BX BIRTHDAY PARTY

When Priscilla and I were visiting Las Vegas we were happy to gather with old friends at the Nellis AFB, BX Food Court to attend the birthday celebration for Carmen Barnes, lovely wife of Charlie Barnes.  This was a first for me, to attend a very small, intimate party at the BX but it was very touching.  Those few in attendance were close, long time friends and it was a special, touching event.  The group picture depicts a crew of aging veterans that frequently meet at the Food Court for coffee in the morning and I always try to make at least one meeting with them when I get to Vegas each year.  When I sent an email to Charlie asking how old his wife was he responded as follows:

"Some people think I may be a little old for my 39 year old wife. But not really.. When we got married we were the same age... well..same numbers anyhow 52 and 25.  When she was 27, she was half my age.  I am 66, she was born in 66.  She is 39, I was born in 39.  It has been the best 14 years of my life."  Well done Charlie, what more can a man ask for!  May you enjoy many more years of marital bliss.

I WOULD IF I COULD

Have you been looking for a decent lady that you would be proud to court and marry - well, look no further, here she is. When I took this picture of Decy, she had worked at the Swagman as a waitress for only two months and already she had four offers of courtship from two Aussies, one Korean and one Japanese so that gives you an idea of her charm.  She is from Angeles City and lives with her grand parents while her Mom works in Manila and gets home only one day a week. I got so carried away talking to this young lady that I forgot to ask her age but she is level headed and told me that she is not ready to have a boyfriend, she has other plans for her life first.  But, as you know, the heart can play tricks on the mind, so who knows, one determined lad might change her mind.  It would take a lot of work and if she agreed to see you, no doubt, you would have to go through the proper courtship procedures but somehow, I think it would be worth the effort.  Do me a favor though, whoever succeeds in winning the heart of this lady, let this old Horse know, I want to be at the wedding. 

ONE YEAR ALREADY

It is hard to believe but the ACTA Tourist Police celebrated their one year anniversary at Hidden Vale Resort on 23 Oct.  PS/Supt Segubre was on hand to offer congratulations and to pass on to the lads/ladies that he was proud of the fine work that they have been doing.  The Tourist Police (TP) number over 60 personnel now and they are all volunteers except for 7 paid positions.  As with any new program, there have been some ups and downs but as time passed the community began to accept these men in black and call on them for assistance.  Initially, the patrol area for the TP was Fields Ave only but it has now been expanded to include MacArthur Highway to Friendship and they have developed a close working relationship with the PNP.  Theft incidents have been reduced, the card hustlers have moved off of Fields, and with the additional show of uniformed personnel as well as bomb sniffing dogs the entertainment area has become much more secure from major incidents than before.  Hopefully, eventually, the visiting forces for exercises will be allowed to venture off base due to the safety factor.

BATTER UP

The spots field adjacent to the Bahay Bata Street Children's Center has been completed and is ready for soccer, rugby, base ball and other sporting events.  During my recent visit to the States I purchased three baseballs for the  use of the kids but of course, more sporting equipment is required, i.e., baseball gloves, bats, soccer balls, etc., so any donations along these lines would be appreciated.  

ALIENS?   -  I have no idea who these lads are, can anyone identify them.  The names given when forwarded to me were, L-R - "Nok", "Toes" "Panda" and "Wozza".  I do not know what the occasion was for these remarkable pictures to be taken so if anyone can come up with the real story I would appreciate it.  The pictures were just too strange not to be shared with my readers.  I think that "Toes" should be called "Camel Toes" and "Wozza" must be a Kiwi.

TOURIST OF THE MONTH

The distinguished looking gentlemen holding a set of steel tip darts is Richard, and he comes to us all the way from Las Vegas Nevada.  Richard spends every weekend playing steel tip blind draw doubles at either the CD Lounge or the Rum Runner on East Desert Inn Road just past Pecos McLeod.  He is ex-military and had not been back in the Philippines (Angeles City) for 14 years so he was thrilled to be able to see some old friends that were still in town and to witness the many changes since he was last here.  He did remember Dave White from the Shamrock who has been the owner of the "Hang-out" for many years.  On this trip Dave did not remember him but then you have to talk to Davey before 4 PM for him to remember anything and Richard waited until 7 PM, way too late.  After kicking my butt at darts Richard told me he was going to join a soft tip league when he returned to Vegas because that is where the money is now but he won't give up steel tip.  Steel tip, to me, is the pure game of darts Richard but I can understand your desire to jump in to soft tips as you are a fine, talented player and I am sure you will be in the money.  Say hello to Stacy Bromberg and Grumpy for me. 

TOWN HOUSE FOR SALE

This beautiful, quality constructed Town House located at 562 5th St, Balibago is up for sale.  They were newly built in June this year and have not been occupied.  The owner would rather sell than rent but due to being busy have not taken the time to market the units.  The location is convenient, only about a four minute drive from Clark's main gate which will be a convenience once the SM Mall opens up.  Each unit has two bedrooms, a maids room and four bathrooms.  I liked the toilet and sink design on the first floor in an alcove separating the casual area from the kitchen.  A sink was situated in an alcove and to the left one went down two steps to a closed in toilet.  A clever, efficient use of space.  The sink counter tops were made with natural granite stone which is not cheap to install.  These town houses were made with much care to detail, and quality, even to the attractive built in emergency lights (three of them).  Each unit is wired for 110/220, and is telephone/cable ready.  Each unit is priced at three million pesos each but if someone wants to buy all three then the price can be negotiated.  They are easy to find, just turn down the street next to Jocson College, go to the end and turn left, they are midway down on the right hand side of the street.  Personally, I think these are ideal units to rent out but the owner wants to sell, so, at the right price this property is definitely worth a look-see.  For further information call 45-887-3165 or 0917 342-9460.

THE NEW BRIGHT LOOK OF THE SWAGMAN - I was pleasantly surprised to walk into the Swagman dining/pool area and see the new look.  It really brightened up the place and made it look so clean and appealing.  The flooring, tiles, color scheme and the new look pool has really made a difference in appearance.  It is good to know that Bill and Remy are not just sitting around dreaming of changes but are actively pursuing new ideas to bring in new and old customers.  I was particularly impressed with the suites next to the pool.  Our Swagman model, Daisy, is sitting on the beautiful Jacuzzi in a room that is large and comfortable and hard to reserve because it is booked most of the time.  The room goes for P2,500 a night but that is without 21 year old Daisy, who was born and raised right here in Angeles City. 

I t is time, again, for me to hitch up the ole calesa and trot on out of here.  It has been a tiring day and a learning one.  For the first time I have inserted the pictures without assistance but, I am not all that brave.  I am now waiting for my computer guru Chuck to arrive and see how many mistakes I have made.  Then I must deal with zipping the file and sending it off to the Duck.  Yep, I am at least one day later than I wanted to be.  I just got a call from Mark Smith (Sat, 1900 hrs, 29 Oct) telling me that the Friendship bridge is open to two way traffic but the funny part is that there are people standing in the middle of the traffic flow trying to collect money.  I suspect this two way traffic is temporary because the approaches are not properly finished yet.  So, why start the two way traffic? Because it is that time of the year when City officials, using infinite wisdom, allow MacArthur Ave to be closed down to allow for the Tigtigan Terakan Keng Dalan Festival.  This is a money maker for the City Government but it is one big inconvenience to motorists who must suffer congestion, confusion, and detours for two days so teenagers can party.  It must be a lot of fun for many people and it brings in money for the City coffers, but, darn it, this Horse is just too old check it out.  Hey, we have received three out of the 8 FOREX boxes sent door to door so far.  With my poor memory it is like a surprise every time we open one because I forgot what we packed.  Priscilla was smart enough to make a list, I just don't want to look at it.  That's it folks, remember, be kind to Horses.