Beached in Boracay

2008-02-09T00:02:00.000-08:00

Same old story back again
she's not a lover she's just a friend
I'm sick and tired for you to blame on me
now you think it's funny
now you wanna spend your money on girls
but you forgot when you were down
that I was around

call my lover,
hang up, call again
what in the world is happening
listen in, but don't yell at me
isn't it ironic
all you wanna do is smoke chronic
boy, you forgot when you were down
who was around

I can't eat, I can't sleep anymore
waiting for love to walk through the door
I wish I didn't miss you anymore
memories don't live like people do
I'm sick for ever believing you
wish you'd bring back the man I knew
was good to me, oh lord

everytime you say you're coming
boy, you disappoint me, honey
how well you forgot when you were down
and I was around

I can't eat, I can't sleep anymore
waiting for love to walk through the door
I wish I didn't miss you anymore
I can't eat, I can't sleep anymore
waiting for love to walk through the door
I wish I didn't miss you anymore

one of these days, it's gonna happen to you
missing a love like I'm missing you,
babe yeah yeah
one of these days, when your dreams come true
that's the one that's gonna do it to you
oh oh oh, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah

I can't eat, I can't sleep anymore
waiting for love to walk through the door
I wish I didn't miss you anymore

"Wish I didn't miss you" -Angie Stone -

2008-01-02T01:58:00.000-08:00

I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all my childish fears
And if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
cause your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone

These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
When you cried I wiped away all of your tears
When you'd scream I fight away all of your fears
And I've held your hand through all of these years
But you still have all of me

You used to captivate me
By your resonating light
Now I'm bound by the life you've left behind
Your face, it haunts
My once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away
All of the sanity in me

These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
When you cried I wiped away all of your tears
When you'd scream I fight away all of your fears
And I've held your hand through all of these years
But you still have all of me

I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
But though you're still with me
I've been alone all along

When you cried
I wiped away all of your tears
When you'd scream I fight away all of your fears
And I've held your hand through all of these years
But you still have
All....Of....Me

Evanescence - "My Immortal"

2007-12-07T00:47:00.000-08:00

Well, those who know me are probably aware that my personal circumstances have been a bit depressing recently, to say the least. It has been difficult to access my creative side, and even writing this blog seemed a mammoth task. But here are a couple of pics of some happier moments during the last couple of weeks...

Saturday night in Manila - a nice meal at Italianni's.

Big congratulations to our friend Cher on her engagement to Henrik.

2007-10-11T05:03:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Sunset in Malay

2007-10-08T02:31:00.000-07:00

Sadly our dear little cat Taco was savaged and killed yesterday by the vicious monster dogs from Sundown Restaurant. He didn't stand a chance.

2007-10-05T03:22:00.000-07:00

Freaky Food!

This bizarre looking critter is known as a coconut crab, and can occasionally be found on sale by a beach vendor. Always keen to try new foods (such as locusts, balut, monitor lizard, rabbit, goat etc), I couldn't resist giving it a go...

The crab turns from black to a reddish colour after cooking, and the meat is mostly in the claws. Despite the tail looking plump and promising like a lobster's tail, there was only goey brown gunk inside!

2007-08-17T05:13:00.000-07:00

Party Time!

August 1st saw the three year anniversary of Red Pirates Pub, though we actually celebrated the event a couple of days later with a small BBQ party. Can't believe we've managed to hang in there that long. Those who know us will have heard about the various obstacles we have struggled with over the last couple of years (including typhoons, break-ins and an attempted take-over) , so here's hoping that next season will be a little less stressful... and thanks to all our friends for sticking by us, Pirate Style!
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Freida, Joey & Stacey

2007-08-11T06:07:00.000-07:00

Lovely Low Season

2007-08-11T05:22:00.000-07:00

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Shameless pillaging of photos from:

http://www.wingbus.com/asia/philippines/boracay/red_pirates_pub/map/

2007-08-01T07:17:00.000-07:00

Spotted in a recent edition of "Smile" magazine, this nice article mentioning Red Pirates Pub -

http://www.cebusmile.com/2007/06/01/interview-with-johnny-depp/

2007-07-31T01:03:00.000-07:00

Just to keep Boracay lovers up to speed on current developments taking place to protect its shores and reefs, I have taken the liberty of pasting below the letter, to concerned parties:

Boracay Forever
“Preserving Our Shores”

Businesses, NGO’s, residents and individuals are joining together to support the movement to protect the shores of Boracay. Several businesses and individuals have already donated monies. (names removed)
These individuals and companies challenge other businesses and individuals to match their pledges to support the Global Coral Reef Alliance (GCRA) project aimed at preserving the shores of our Boracay.
The GCRA group is scheduled to come to Boracay in July 2007.
The Global Coral Reef Alliance is a small, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to growing, protecting and managing the most threatened of all marine ecosystems—coral reefs. Founded in 1990, GCRA is a coalition of volunteer scientists, divers, environmentalists and other individuals and organizations, committed to coral reef preservation.
“We primarily focus on coral reef restoration, marine diseases and other issues caused by global climate change, environmental stress and pollution.”
This challenge comes in response to a request from the Boracay Foundation Inc., (BFI), and the Boracay Windsport Association (BWA) to support a study to be carried out by the GRCA (www.globalcoral.org) in our reefs and waters.
The cost of the initial works is $10,000USD. The funds will be used to conduct a complete analysis of the coral reefs, shores and waters surrounding Boracay Island and to place a sample restorative system in one area of the reefs on Bolabog Beach in July.
It is time to take care of our island.
Please join the businesses, individuals, residents and NGO’s of Boracay in their battle to conserve, preserve and restore our island paradise.

Donations can be deposited at any “Boracay Foundation Account Number”:
Metro Bank-Boracay Branch
Account Number: 571-2-57100174-2

2007-07-09T05:29:00.000-07:00

Finally the raining season has kicked in here in Boracay, and seems to be making up for lost time, with extremely heavy rain showers. Thankfully we have now managed to repair the roof of the cottage, and only just in time.
Following a visit from the Magdongon family, owners of the the land on which Red Pirates is situated, it seems we are safe for now from the illegal interferance of the so-called caretaker - who is NOT authorised by the owners, and remitted none of our rent money to them. Since they visited her house last week to discuss the matter, she has given us no trouble, and was told in no uncertain terms that if she has a claim to make on the property she should hire an attorney! Fingers crossed that will be the end of it.
Otherwise, she'll get her head dunked in honey and then rammed into a nest of flesh-eating ants whilst being buggered by a pitbull terrier with bad breath.

2007-06-26T08:34:00.000-07:00

Enjoying late night drinks with Iris and Carmen from Hong Kong. Thanks for sending the photos!

2007-06-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

For the first time in years I was able to celebrate my birthday without it pouring down with rain! We just a had a cosy little BBQ party with a few friends...

2007-06-12T01:07:00.000-07:00

Everyone has been asking when raining season is going to kick in, as the weather has been unseasonably calm for this time of year (that's me in the garden enjoying my breakfast yesterday). It seems that today we have our answer, as it hasn't stopped raining all feckin day!

2007-06-09T04:56:00.000-07:00

We Have a Roof!!!

We finally got the roof on the bar (though not the cottage), and all has been quiet for the last few days. Hope it's not the calm before the storm!
There's still work to be done, as we need to fix the attic and finish the exterior, but it's a good start, and more importantly, it keeps the rain out.

After ego-surfing around Google, I just discovered this nice review about our bar. Nice, but strange, as it mentions our "freshly brewed beers" and "fine selection of cocktails" ....

http://www.asiarooms.com/travel-guide/philippines/boracay/things-to-do-in-boracay/nightlife-in-boracay/bars-&-pubs-in-boracay/red-pirates-pub,-boracay.html

Another here, with beautiful photos:

http://www.fabiovisentin.com/photos/world/2_6/Boracay-Red-Pirates.ashx

2007-06-01T06:12:00.000-07:00

After an interesting visit with the attorney, we have resumed construction on our roof, with no further trouble from those corrupt local officials so far. Last week, one Barangay 'policeman' even had the nerve to try to tell us that we needed a special permit to repair our roof - a lie which our attorney quickly put straight. The work is almost finished now, thankfully, as the weather has taken a turn for the worse.
Out of interest, tonight is a "blue moon", which occurs relatively rarely when there are two full moons in one month. I was hoping it would happen during summer when we were still having our full moon parties as it's quite a novelty. We have a long wait till the next one!

Blue Moon - Still Visible at 5am!

2007-06-01T05:57:00.000-07:00

I love what George Carlin had to say about religion:

"If you break any of these ten rules, God will send you to a place where you will burn, and suffer, and scream in torment forever and EVER! ...

But he loves you."

http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/George_Carlin

2007-05-24T05:02:00.000-07:00

Stressed is not the word! Last week Joey took an impulsive two day trip to Romblon Island, where he seems to have located the real owner of the bar, a lady named Pacita. She is quite happy for us to remain there, and gave Joe a signed note and her permission to the repair the roof - which we began doing. Two days into the work the "caretaker" (or should that be "pisstaker") called the Barangay Captain (who has taken her side wholeheartedly, for dubious reasons best known to himself) who duly sent several of his boys down to stop the construction.
The weather is very unstable at the moment, and I can't sleep for worrying about what will happen should a storm come up! We have a meeting with our attorney in the morning...

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2007-05-15T07:51:00.000-07:00

Chad (above) has informed me that there are some lads stationed in Iraq who have been known to check out this blog. If you are reading guys, get your asses over to Boracay on your next leave - there is a cold beer waiting for you at Red Pirates (and plenty of scantily clad chicks, of course)!

2007-05-15T07:32:00.000-07:00

Good eats, Boracay Style:

Cabbage rolls and mash at Kurt's. What this hearty grub sometimes lacks in presentation, it makes up for in taste. Usually I have a small appetite but when I find myself craving a big plateful of comfoting food I head to this Bavarian restaurant near station 3 to fill up on Jaegerschnitzel, Goulasch, Beef Rolls etc. Good stuff!

Hummous dip with warm pitta bread at Cafe Del Mar (near station 1) - a new favourite haunt of mine now that the noisy 'Bora' crowd have pretty much vacated the area. There are plenty of yummy sounding appetisers on the menu, and relaxing chill out music in the background. Also try the chicken satay sticks.

2007-05-15T06:25:00.000-07:00

Here at last, are some of the photos from David's birthday party last Thursday's at Crafts Rooftop Bar. All the usual suspects attended, and it was a thoroughly excellent evening. Cheers!

View more of David's party pictures at www.webshots.com/community/user/redpirates

2007-05-14T07:31:00.000-07:00

Enjoying the good times at Red Pirates. Thanks Nana for sending these!

2007-05-12T04:44:00.000-07:00

D' Mall - I swear it annoys me progressively more every time I go there! Why is it that as soon as the average person enters a mall they start to behave in the manner of a lobotomised monkey - staring vacantly into space, and gazing in any direction except that in which they are walking. If one more idiot shuffles into me because they are texting as they meander aimlessly about, I swear I won't be responsible for my actions! For me, that mall epitomises everything people used to come to Boracay to get away from - crowds, nasty cheap neon-lit fast food "restaurants", noise, and general tackiness. There are now people coming to Boracay specifically to hang out in the mall. There are even hotels being built for those people who are so addicted to mall culture that they actually want to stay IN the mall, as opposed to on the beautiful beach! It drives me nuts! How I wish we could turn back the clock.

While I'm having a good rant, an unfortunate thing happened on the beach today outside our place. Our friends who captain the paraw named Wave Song were arrested for trying to collect their customers from the shoreline. While there is a rule in place stating that all pleasure boats must pick up and drop off at either station 1 or station 3 (station 2 has been taken out of the loop, as usual), it seems riduculous that on the one hand they have turned our area into a marina/mooring area, with boats pumping their bilges out into the sea, and at the same time sailboats (which of course do not pollute) are prohibited from picking up customers in these areas. Which does the most harm? And why is the setback for these moored bancas not being enforced? Seems it's pick on the little guy, as usual.

And last rant of the day - the squatter area next door! They have set up a load of stalls on the empty plot between our bar and Tree House Resort with the intention of holding a peria fiesta - a month long gambling fest supposedly in aid of the church. As far as we know they will start operations on Monday, and continue until June 26. What a nightmare in terms of noise, mess, security, hygiene etc. Most of the nearby neighbours objected, but they were given a permit to set it up anyway. Normally these events are held away from the beach in the plaza, and in my opinion that's where they belong - not in tourist areas where they will cause significant loss of earnings to local hotels and businesses, and nuisance and damage to private homeowners and residents. The joys of living in paradise!

I'm off now, to celebrate Rolly's birthday with a good dinner and a few cold beers...

2007-05-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

This year, Joey's birthday party coincided with the full moon, the leaving party of another friend (Julia, from Diniwid), and the eviction threats being hurled about by the so-called caretaker of our bar. It was a quieter event then most of our recent parties, but a nice crowd showed up, and everybody ate well. There was even a huge pot of goulash and a plate of saurkraut (courtesy of Manfred) along with the usual treats on our buffet table.

Of course I'm worried sick about the possibility of being evicted, despite the fact that we have been advised that any attempt to kick us out would be unlawful. We are seeking legal advice, but I'm still losing a fair amount of sleep over this!

2007-04-17T05:49:00.000-07:00

Joey in Pirate mode! Photo pillaged from this blog:

http://ina-and-tim.blogspot.com/2007/04/philippinen.html

2007-04-07T04:32:00.000-07:00

Rained Out for Easter!

The Easter crowds have been driving us insane, and over the last few days yet more people have been arriving. Luckily our area is a little quieter than most, but boat station 2 is as busy and chaotic as I have ever seen it.

I find it really baffling that some tourists actually like staying in that area as for me, going there at this time of year is just frustrating. It takes forever to walk anywhere, the noise pollution from all the events and parties in Balabag can be heard as far away as Angol, you can't get a table at a restaurant, the ATM's are all empty, and the Manila crowd are prone to throwing their trash all over the beach.
As a result of there being way more people here than this small island can comfortably accomodate, there are power cuts several times a day as the electricity supply is strained to breaking point, and as an additional annoyance, the weather has taken an unpredictable turn, with monsoon rainshowers every night for the past few days. Considering that our roof is still in a dire state, this is not a good thing!
I can't wait for all these "bewilderbeast" (you know, those open mouthed, vacant eyed tourists shuffling aimlessly about) to bugger off back from whence they came - and take their garbage with them! I know that a lot of our income is derived from tourism, but the attitude of these hoards of package tourists makes me uncomfortable - they have no respect for the island or the environment. Give me some decent backpackers or travellers any time.

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On a lighter note, our full moon parties are still drawing a friendly, chilled out crowd - thanks to our friends Bebot and Django & all the boys. Special thanks to guest musician and new friend Jon Elstar for contributing his considerable talent on the harmonica.
Jon and his wife Elayne are off on their travels again, to Sipalay, and then on to Enigmata Treehouse in Camiguin. We'll miss you guys!

2007-03-23T05:38:00.000-07:00

Fire dancing (Poi) on the beach at Red Pirates.

2007-03-21T05:52:00.000-07:00

Day Tripping - Nabaoy

On the spur of the moment a small group of us decided to sail to the mainland for a picnic and a little exploring, so we threw a few things together and took off for an adventure.

The fun started sooner than expected as JoJo suddenly spotted an enormous squid floating in the sea when we were about halfway across the channel. He insisted on stopping the boat midsail, leaping off, and fishing it out. Surprisingly it was still alive, though most of it's legs had been chewed off by something or other (I'd rather not speculate what). More disturbing though was watching Hiroshi take a bite of it himself!

Our friend Nonet had arranged for a trike driver to collect us from our landing point in mainland Cubay, so after we'd secured the boat on the beach and had a poke around the sad remains of Marco's Orange Sky Club (home of the original full moon parties) - which was destroyed in the typhoon - we set off to meet him.

The icebox was balanced precariously on the roof of the trike, along with Raymond and the squid, which expressed it's displeasure by discharging large quantities of black ink all over everything, and which continued to drip from the roof (and onto the passengers inside) for the duration of the journey!

While I managed to avoid the ink, I was unable to avoid the ill-placed dangling handle inside the tricycle, whose only purpose seemed to be to whack me smartly between the eyes every time we encountered a bump or a pothole in the road. Which was often.

Remains of Orange Sky Club

Look at the size of that thing!

We arrived at Nonet's place, and he showed us around his house and workshop, pointing out the fallen trees and typhoon damage. At least the driftwood and debris had given him plenty of material to work with, and his carved furniture is both beautiful and original.

Lunchtime. We all sat down to a meal of BBQ'ed chicken, bread, and the dreaded squid! No, I didn't eat any.

Beautifully carved totems and furniture in Nonet's garden

From Nonet's place we hopped back into the tricycle and proceeded on to the river at Nabaoy. The squid was still exacting it's messy revenge on us despite the fact that it had already been eaten, as the remaining ink from the roof continued to drip all over Joey. He looked like the victim of a crazed henna tatooist, and he smelt worse than the wet market!

Less than ten minutes ride through rice fields and small barangays we spotted a couple of signs indicating picnic areas and (horror!) videoke. I was convinced that we'd come to the wrong place. There were a few other day-trippers there (most likely having also come from Boracay) who seemed oblivious to the beauty of the spot, preferring instead to sit inside the small bamboo bar and create the worst case of noise pollution this side of Manila. We looked at each other in dismay! Why on earth would people come to a remote and scenic spot such as this one only to sing videoke and spoil the ambiance? If they want to do that, they ought to stay in the city!

We crossed the river via the precarious log bridge with a view to finding a better spot...

Once we had strolled a few minutes upstream, the awful noise from the videoke machine faded into the background, thankfully.

There are several little decks and cabanas along the river bank, and if you wish to avail of the cooking facilities (BBQ grill) this can be arranged for a small fee. Cold drinks are available, and you can also ask to try the "tuba" (coconut wine).

Our little deck was set under the huge hollow "Centennial Tree", which seems to be local landmark.

A lovely restful spot...

Bubbling water surrounded by tropical forest and stands of bamboo.

Hiroshi enjoying a refreshing swim (while dodging stones hurled by Princess!)
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We bade farewell to our host (Bong) and thanked him for sharing his tuba. We'd even bought some in a bottle which we downed on the boat ride home.

As the sun set, we sailed slowly back to the bar after another chilled day out in paradise.

2007-03-21T05:25:00.000-07:00

FULL MOON JAMMING

2007-03-03T02:09:00.000-08:00

AHOOO! Another Full Moon Party at Red Pirates!

Is it really that time again already? After a somewhat stressful week (the 'caretaker' decided to cut off our water and electricity in an inhumane attempt to screw more money out of us) we are still going ahead with the jam session, with the aid of a generator. Our water has now been restored (from another source) and hopefully the power situation will be resolved some time next week...

In the meantime, we have a party to throw!

2007-02-28T00:15:00.000-08:00

I was just farting about on Google and I came across this aptly named beverage!

I wonder how we could go about procuring ourselves some?http://www.redpiraterum.com/

2007-02-23T23:44:00.000-08:00

Summer Is Here!

We've been using this boat (named "Diango" after it's owner, who kindly lent it to us) since the typhoon so we've still been able to run the sailing & snorkeling tours. This has been a pretty quiet season so far though, with Chinese New Year being much less hectic than usual. People can still recognise the Pirates by the Jolly Roger (skull and crossbones) flying from the mast!

Joey is up at the crack of dawn as usual, attempting to fix the hose so he can water the garden, which has grown back a fair bit after the typhoon.

i've found the perfect spot for my siesta - away from the crowds, with a view of the boats floating lazily in the bay...

Spending a leisurely afternoon sailing with my friends from Melbourne, Australia aboard the good ship Tamarind! For just P1300 per person you can enjoy a 2 and a half hour cruise on this lovely 40 foot yacht with all drinks and snacks (fruit and cakes) included in the price. Just don't call it a "booze cruise" in from of Captain Mike!

Those beautiful Boracay sunsets just keep on coming, and the days seem to go by so fast...

2007-02-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

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Boracay Nightlife News...
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Paradiso Bar (formerly the legendary Bazzura Disco near boat station 2) is reopening this weekend. The new bar looks like a classy set-up and will hopefully attract a lively crowd. Best of luck guys!

2007-02-16T07:57:00.000-08:00

Live Music at our Full Moon Party

The first Red Pirates full moon party was a huge success despite the fact that the power went off at around 9pm due to a blackout! Luckily the area was lit with flaming torches on bamboo poles, and the moon couldn't have been brighter. Unfortunately our DJ, Steven, was only able to play for an hour or so before the electricity died, but Diango and the boys kept the party going strong until the early hours with their bongo drums & percussion. They must have been utterly exhausted after playing non-stop for so long.

Thanks a million guys!

Entertainment was provided by poi & firestick dancers Gary and Mark, and master-chef Rolly was responsible for the delicious buffet.

See you all next month!

2007-02-01T00:26:00.000-08:00

BORACAY'S FULL MOON PARTIES HAVE A NEW VENUE!

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2007-01-26T04:15:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday the bar played host to a big lively beach party to celebrate the joint birthdays of Paul, Jenny & Margo. Live music was provided by Butch, Bebot, Jude & others, as well as the talents of Django & the bongo boys and our firedancing friends. A fantastic night was had by all!

Wah! We're All Getting Old!

Poi/firedance Performed by Gary, Rolly & Jenny.

Colombo, Rico & Birthday Boy Paul.

Bongo Drums, Dijiridoo and Native Instruments.

Jamming, Red Pirates Style!

Marie Takes Centre Stage

Party People

2007-01-11T04:11:00.000-08:00

http://goodgirlria.multiply.com/photos/album/28

2007-01-09T07:30:00.000-08:00

Leaving drinks with Ziggy and Abs

2007-01-01T03:29:00.000-08:00

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Well after all the recent upheaval I'm really glad to see the back of 2006. We didn't really bother with christmas this year, and although we enjoyed a meal on the beach to celebrate New Year with our neighbours Peter and Lyn and some friends while we watched the fireworks display, we didn't hit the town afterwards like we usually do. When Joey finally headed back to the cottage some time in the early hours of this morning he discovered that we'd been broken into again. Happy New Year!
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2006-12-24T02:56:00.000-08:00

Take note!

Dismantling the ruins of the bar

Calm again

2006-12-20T01:52:00.000-08:00

Talk about getting kicked while we are down! Last night (we estimate around 10pm) someone broke into our cottage and robbed us. I'm guessing the offenders were probably kids, and they didn't have very long to rummage around, but cash was missing, and my Ixus camera. No doubt we'll discover that other things have been taken in time; it's hard to catalogue everything you own.
Above is a picture of the grotty building next door to what's left of our bar which we have been lucky enough to have the use of for the last few days. We call it the 'refugee camp'! PD already caught someone trying to break in through the kitchen window there a couple of days ago.

2006-12-18T00:51:00.000-08:00

Well, considering the amount of typhoons this country has experienced this year it seems it was only a matter of time before one of them finally made it's mark on Boracay. We've dodged the bullet for too long I guess and our luck ran out! Typhoon 'Seniang' made landfall in Boracay on Saturday the 9th and was a direct hit on the island - and the worst storm for over 50 years. Both our little bar and our boat were wipd out completely.
It was an extremely frightening experience, and I spent most of the night hiding in the bathroom with a candle, hoping the roof would stay on. The cottage was shaking like crazy, water was pouring through the roof, and I had this mad fear that it would take off spinning through the air like Dorothy's house in the "Wizard of Oz"!
While we will be building another boat, we are still waiting to hear from the property owners as to whether we can rebuild the bar. At the moment we are camping in the old building next door, and still managing to serve ice cold beer from the cooler!
The island was without running water for a couple of days, and we only just got electricity back in our area. It's been pretty dire, but we're still alive, as well meaning friends keep reminding us.
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One week prior to the typhoon...

After the typhoon

All that's left of our little boat

2006-12-06T06:02:00.000-08:00

Yes, we're still alive. Typhoon Durian (which caused extensive damage to some regions but had minimum impact in Boracay) has departed, and all we suffered was a bit of wind (!) and a little rain.
What have we been up to? Last Monday evening Joe and I were treated to a massage treatment at the fabulous Mandala Spa, which was my first experience there. All I can say is it's a magical, tranquil place with soft lighting and extraodinary attention to detail - especially the lovely tropical flowers strewn casually but deliberately all around the place. While I was having my Mandala Signature Massage (with exotic oils and soft, ambient music in the background) I could also hear the chirruping of the crickets and cicadas outside our cabana, as well as geckos and even an owl hooting! Fire flies flitted in the trees outside, and the treatment itself left me so relaxed I had trouble getting up afterwards! Later, we were given ginger tea and relaxed in another pretty bamboo cabana.
I'm glad we went there in the evening as there were very few people around, and it's quieter at night.
Afterwards we headed out for a delicious Indian meal at Crafts and I managed to spill orangey brown tandoori sauce all over my white pants. Not a good look!
Since then nothing much exciting has happened, at least not to me. Joey, on the other hand, has gone on a free all expenses paid trip to beautiful Palawan, courtesy of a wealthy friend of his. He left yesterday. I'm very disappointed not to be going along, but trying to keep a cheerful face on.

2006-11-24T04:30:00.000-08:00

Guess who's been doing a spot of modelling? Some lovely artistic shots of Joe (and also our friends Billy and Lee) were shot in our garden a few months ago for an upmarket clothing company (Kapital). I've scanned some of the nicest ones and posted them here:

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/555561188TpChXF?start=0

http://www.kapital.jp/collection/view.php?fCT=18&fN=4

2006-11-15T06:49:00.000-08:00

Angol - Our Quiet Corner of Bora

The November weather is glorious, and at least for now we still have a peaceful spot on the White Beach. Let's hope the bulldozers (and Korean developers) stay away for a bit longer.

Found another link to a lovely review of our bar - see below:

http://www.travguides.com/2006/11/hot-spot-bora-bora-filipinas.html

2006-11-15T06:33:00.000-08:00

Boracay's Ferris Wheel - What a Cock-Up!

When this bizarre looking contraption arrived on the island last year, people were more than a little surprised. Yet another attempt to turn the island into some kind of Disneyland like theme park (see the Hobbit House for details!) we thought.

It stood in the middle of the mall, lit up like a garish christmas tree, and no doubt cost way more simply to run (without customers) than it has ever made in profit.

So when I passed by the other day and saw it in pieces I was secretly hoping that they had finally seen the light and were going to get it's supreme ugliness out of here. Apparantly not. Due to a malfunction - bearings or something - there was an 'incident' on the wheel recently (frightening half to death those who were riding it and those who were sitting outside the restaurants below it) and it is now being repaired. Damn!

The cars are strewn around the mall making the area look an ugly eyesore, and many business owners wish the owners would just remove it and replace it with something more attractive and suitable. A nice fountain centrepiece, for example, or a bandstand where live music and events could be held.

We can but hope!

2006-11-08T04:44:00.000-08:00

Taking advantage of the calm sea and great weather we packed pizzas and wine and sailed off to a quiet little beach near Baling Hai for a sunset session.
We couldn't help feeling sad though, when we saw yet another enormous, ugly hotel being constructed on the hill in Diniwid, and a 6 storey monster of a place being built near Fridays. When will they stop?!

2006-11-06T08:31:00.000-08:00

Boracay Full Moon Parties

ORANGE SKY CLUB

Ticket to the Moon!

DJ Mans

Paul & Joey

Happy Travellers - James and Johan

Me and Malou Chilling Out

Joey & The Bonfire

Strictly speaking the parties are not actually held in Boracay, but on Cubay Beach (mainland Panay). Every month a little group of chilled out Boracay party people board a wooden banca boat and sail to Marco's Orange Sky Club for a night of dancing on the beach under the stars. Interested in going along? Contact Joey or Jen at Red Pirates Pub, or inquire at Lapu Lapu Dive Center.

More info at:

http://philippines.macalua.com/2006/07/14/philippine-travel-philippinewide/

2006-11-06T08:26:00.000-08:00

Benny and Daniel dropped by on Thusday, and an impromptu sushi party ensued. Thanks guys, it was delicious, and thanks to our new friend Anna for the lovely write-up on her blog!

http://enuhski.blogspot.com/2006/11/backlog-1-enuh-beach-bum.html

2006-11-02T05:44:00.000-08:00

A Fab, Flamboyant Halloween in Boracay!

2006-10-31T03:41:00.000-08:00

October 29th saw the 2nd official reunion of Joey's extended family the Gelito clan. The celebrations were held at the Manoc Manoc school and according to organisers more than 1500 people attended (still only half of the island's Gelito family members).
For some odd reason the party started at 7am - most likely to get the obligatory prayors, songs and speeches out of the way (these can go on for hours). We arrived late as usual, and luckily most of the food had been eaten, so I avoided having to chew on plates of fatty pork and pretend to like it! Filipino party food tends to consist of lechon baboy (spit roasted pig) and buffet foods such as cold sweet spaghetti and pancit canton (noodles with mystery meat and vegetables). not my cup of tea.
Instead we were handed glass after glass of local brandy and coke, which was a little tricky at 3pm on a hot day. Thankfully the sun wasn't out or it would have been scorching.
Pete and I were the only foreigners present, and we recieved quite a few funny looks wearing our Gelito clan t-shirts (Pete's partner is Joey's cousin Raquel Gelito). But we were both made extremely welcome, and much hilarity ensued as the brandy began to kick in.
As the party ended around sunset, we repaired to cousin Welbec's bar (Club Paraw) for more drinks to the sound of a lively reggae band.

2006-10-31T03:29:00.000-08:00

This recent article from the Panay news is an eye opener:

"BORACAY – The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Aklan called for a stop to the series of “bad publicities” the island resort of Boracay has been getting lately.

“These deliberate demolition job against the island and misleading statements would hamper the tourism growth of this famed resort island,” Vice Gov. Ronquillo Tolentino told Panay News.
He also expressed dismay over the “the uncalled statement” of Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano about Boracay.

Durano had said Boracay was in “critical condition” due to its “uncontrolled development.”

He “is sending a wrong signal to our investors and tourism players,” said Tolentino.

During the SP’s joint out-of-town session here over the weekend with the Sangguniang Bayan of Malay, local legislators passed a resolution requesting Durano to refrain from making statements “that would downgrade and destroy the top tourist destination of the province.”"

As a resident of Boracay, I have to say I agree with Secretary Durano's comments 100%. Development here is uncontrolled, and he should be applauded for saying so instead of perpetuating the myth that all is fine. There is a conspiracy against telling the truth about the situation in Boracay, and we will all suffer because of it.
Sadly what these officials fail to realise is that by supressing the facts about the "critical condition" of this once pristine island they risk damaging Boracay (and it's tourism industry) permenently.

2006-10-23T05:31:00.000-07:00

Before - Lush and Green

After -

All these lovely plants have been ripped up. It's unbelievably sad. I've been seriously depressed since this happened. Despite the fact that we removed the driftwood and seats from the beachfront according to the ordinance paperwork we were issued, the police still insisted on smashing up all the plants we'd left there, out of spite it seems. How can they call the destruction of a beautiful garden 'progress' or 'beautifying the beach'? These local officials have no souls. All the love and energy Joey put into creating a beautiful space for everyone to enjoy, wiped out.

This is what the 'powers that be' call "upgrading" and "beautifying the beach". Their next pointless project apparantly is to pour concrete over the sandy beach pathway. What a joke.

2006-10-22T06:48:00.000-07:00

Before:

Our Lovely Driftwood Garden...

Gone!

Red Pirates regulars will no doubt be saddened to learn that our unique driftwood garden is no more. In their infinate ignorance the brainless beaurocrats have decided that it will in some way benefit the island if tourists are not allowed to sit down (at least not during the day) and all chairs, tables etc have been removed from the vegetation area.

No longer can you get a fruit shake, a snack or a beer and enjoy it sitting outside under the coconut trees - not until after 5pm. Most tourists do not come to an island such as Boracay only to be forced to sit inside to eat, and many are questioning the logic of this decision.

Worried that our benches and driftwood would be hauled away be overzealous policemen, we had to take action and dismantle out little garden. Better that than risk the officials tearing it apart themselves.

If beautifying the beach is their objective then they would do better to start with the most obvious eyesores - the ugly advertising banners which festoon the island during high season, the stray dogs roaming the beach and the unpleasant neon signs, to say nothing of the noise pollution from some of the bigger nightspots which can often be heard for miles around.

Joey's garden had such character and was a much loved part of the area. A little more of Boracay's magic has been lost.

2006-10-16T06:21:00.000-07:00

In honour of our friends Max and Nina (who met on a sailing trip to the waterfalls with us 5 years ago and have since married) we decided it was high time to throw another BBQ party at Red Pirates. Aside from our usual fare of grilled fish, chicken and pork with salad and new potatoes, Malou and Nina made delicious spaghetti with tuna & cream sauce and a spicy Thai curry, and Rolly made his special kinilaw - my favourite.

2006-10-13T04:23:00.000-07:00

With high season just around the corner, I have to confess I am dreading the return of the the 'telecom wars'. Every year 2 or 3 of these phone companies compete with each other to festoon our little island with as many ugly banners as they can, and even the paraws don't escape this relentless ad campaign. Last year, the sailboat association of Malay accepted a large sum of money from one of the said companies in exchange for a promise that every boatman would display the corporate logos on their sails. This was not to be done on a voluntary basis, mind you. All boat owners were told that they must comply or risk losing their working permits. Most boat men were happy to accept the free sails and the cash payment offered to them, but those who did not want to deface their paraws with this kind of ugly advertising were bullied and threatened with expulsion from the association. Joey and I stood our ground and refused to display the sails, and thankfully the association backed off after I threatened to submit an article to the local press about their appalling behaviour!

Considering that all the tourists and expats I have interviewed strongly dislike this kind of all-pervasive advertising, some thought should be given as to why it is allowed to continue. It ruins the view of our beautiful beach, and makes the island look cheap and tacky. Who benefits? No-one but the telecom companies (and whoever they are bribing on the island in order to be allowed to deface it in this way). Who suffers? Everyone who has to look at these ugly banners day after day. Last year the CocaCola logo even made an appearance on the sails. What's next? McDonalds? Is that really the image that the island wants to project?

Let's keep Boracay beautiful - ban the banners!

2006-10-10T06:54:00.000-07:00

The local 'English' newspapers here in Boracay can be a source of great amusement, as anyone who has read one can confirm. Many of them appear not to have been proof-read in any way whatsoever, and you can find a great many funny mistakes. For example, a recent article stated that a member of hotel staff had been 'placed on a rooster'. This conjures up quite a picture, but I'm assuming the unfortunate maid was in fact placed on a 'roster'. I do hope so.
Even correctly spelt articles can display a strange logic - as displayed by the wording of a recent article which stated that two teenaged boys had been arrested for theft. The first was named as "Jose Rodriguez, 14 years old, single..." Single? Since when is the marital status of a child worth a mention?
And way back in the classifieds (along with the 'prayor which has never been known to fail') I discovered an advertisement which stated "Driver Wanted. Male. 25-35 years. Must be able to drive". Really? Would that help then, do you think? Duh.

2006-10-06T05:49:00.000-07:00

Thankfully Tropical Storm 'Neneng' seems to have burnt herself out, and again the weather is calm. Here's hoping it stays that way as I haven't been out for a sail in ages.
Skimming through Google I just discovered a lovely Boracay blog with a great review about Red Pirates:

http://stefandpaul.blogspot.com/2006/09/philippines-very-pleasing.html

It's nice to be appreciated!

2006-10-06T04:48:00.000-07:00

Boracay's Rare Green Turtles

Few people know that Boracay is home to a nesting colony of Green Turtles, locally known as Pawikan.
As well as the endangered fruit bats which roost there, Banyugan Beach (also known as Punta Bunga) also plays a role in the life cycle of these rare creatures, which are in grave danger of extinction.
So you'd think the local authorities would consider the survival of these creatures, and try to protect them - particularly as they nest in a 'marine reserve'. Not so.
Banyugan beach, along with neighbouring Panoly Beach, is currently being destroyed to make way for a huge resort complex. The forested hillside has been shaved almost bare, and the wildlife which lives there (including monkeys and tropical birds) has virtually no place to go. No-one in a position of power seems to have any interest in protecting the turtles, and their survival on the island now seems unlikely.
Sadly, this is just another example of the greed of these relentless developers, who, if allowed to continue unchecked will not stop until there is nothing left to destroy.
It is a shame that those who have the power to protect Boracay also stand to gain the most by spoiling it. The long term future of the island is overshadowed by thoughts of short term profit.

Every day a little more of Boracay's magic is fading away.

http://exn.ca/AnimalTracks/Reptiles/Story2.cfm

http://agham.asti.dost.gov.ph/1998/3rd/extras/maan/maan2.htm

2006-09-30T04:14:00.000-07:00

Calm and peaceful again...

And for anyone who might be interested, check out my article in Philippinewide magazine:

http://www.philippinewide.com/pdf/boracay_magazine.pdf?PHPSESSID=6d5df3a8980bb3e50286...

2006-09-29T04:05:00.000-07:00

There are still people swimming and sailing despite this dismal weather.
Luckily for us the typhoon which hit Manila had a minimal impact on Boracay - we've had a few days of rain and high winds but the storm has already passed over the country.

2006-09-26T04:57:00.000-07:00

The sand lost after the last storm is slowly returning to White Beach. Each tide brings a new layer - sometimes gravelly, sometimes powder soft. I've spent some nice breezy afternoons just sitting on the beach reading & watching the boats go by - still sailing despite the choppy conditions. Yesterday I even observed an eagle dive and catch a fish from the sea just in front of where I sat.

2006-09-24T04:22:00.000-07:00

The weather has turned a bit messy again, but I took this lovely peaceful shot a couple of days ago.

2006-09-18T03:53:00.000-07:00

Ole!

Joey contemplates his enormous beer...

I'd been dying to get back to this popular Spanish Tapas restaurant in the mall since my first visit with friends Jeffrey and Minda a few months ago. Then, we munched on cold cuts and appetisers while enjoying a couple of beers. This time, Joe and I headed for the main course menu with something a bit more substantial in mind.

According to the menu, the owners are not Spanish, nor have they lived in Spain, but they were inspired to open Ole by their love of Spanish cuisine. Not having been to Spain myself, I am unable to comment on the authenticity of the food, but I did notice a couple of Spaniards sitting at tables outside, and that's a good sign.

As a starter, we ordered a dish of artichoke, ham and onions in olive oil, served with garlic bread. I'd had this dish before, and liked it so much I even learned to make it at home. This time it was a little heavy on the onions, but still really good.

For our main course we ordered chicken skewers (sorry I can't remember the Spanish names) and chicken breasts in a mushroom, wine and cream sauce. This is where we made our mistake, if you can call it that. Both dishes were very large, and had we known in advance we would have ordered just one and shared it between the two of us. The food was excellent though, and the waitress was happy to box up what we couldn't finish so that we could take it home. Evidently our friends at the next table experienced the same thing, as they came over with a plate of delicious seafood spaghetti which they too were unable to finish.

Ole is pretty pricy, but bearing in mind the size of the portions, it balances out. Unless you are particularly ravenous, one main course will probably be enough for two.

All in all, we thought this place was great - friendly staff, efficient service, nice ambience, and of course, good food.

We'd definately recommend this one.

2006-09-14T07:01:00.000-07:00

Sailed up to Puka Beach and spent the afternoon there, eating sandwiches washed down with cold beer, and then laying around reading. White Beach (especially around station 1 and 2) is getting pretty busy for low season, and Puka is nice and quiet in comparison.

We stopped at Manana on the way back for a plate of nachos and one of their enormous frozen mango daquiries, and were then treated to a stunning sunset on the ride home.

2006-09-12T07:33:00.000-07:00

On a full moon night, what else is there to do but hang out on the beach and drink beer?

Old friends and new enjoying the scenery.

2006-09-10T05:10:00.000-07:00

Look what this toad is eating...

My friend discovered this big toad in her outside bathroom this afternoon. As you can see, it has a mouthful of her underwear. Even when she carried it out into the garden to show us, it refused to let go of it's prize! There's no accounting for taste...

2006-09-09T04:34:00.000-07:00

That sunday feeling is creeping in already. With just a couple of weeks to go before I have to return to cold, miserable England, I'm already getting that knot of dread in the pit of my stomach. If it was raining season here it wouldn't be so bad, but just look at the weather we've been having! It's sods law.

2006-09-06T05:02:00.000-07:00

Red Pirates Outing to Puka Beach

The Pirates ventured up to Puka Beach yesterday, taking advantage of the nice weather. The beach was almost deserted, and we had a lovely morning, swimming and enjoying the scenery.

Unfortunately, the weather also took advantage of me, and my sunburn is pretty painful. I ought to know better. Ouch!

2006-09-06T04:12:00.000-07:00

Mongkok

We must have passed Mongkok a hundred times since it opened, but a couple of days ago we finally decided to give this restaurant a try. We grabbed a table outside (much cooler) and began to peruse the menus. Bewilderingly, there were two of these - one with photos and no prices, and one with prices and no photos, so having found something on one which looked appetising, we then had to search for it again to discover the cost.
There are a number of interesting items on offer, such as Century Egg, Fish Head Dimsum, Tripe Dimsum and more than one dish involving chickens feet. However, we were feeling a little more conservative and chose Salt and Pepper Squid, (below) together with Beef & Broccoli with Oyster Sauce, and Salad Shrimp Puffs. Our side order of fried rice had to be specially arranged, as the only fried rice listed on the menu was the Yang Chow Fried Rice, which comes with meat and vegetables, and is almost a dish in itself. The chef was able to accomodate us without any problems though.

The squid was excellent - soft and tender, cooked in a light batter, with just the right amount of mild chillis. It came with a vinegar dip, which was the perfect compliment to the dish.

The Beef and Broccoli was also pretty tasty - though I personally found the meat a little fatty and slightly chewy, the broccoli was cooked to perfection (on the crunchy side, just how I like it) and the sauce (with carrots, ginger and green onions) was delicious.

The Salad Shrimp Puffs were a little disappointing though. Perhaps they had been cooked in advance and then reheated, as the edges were nice and cripy while the middles were soggy and not very appetising looking. The mayo dip was pretty uninspiring too.

All in all I have mixed feelings about this place. To be honest, we already had pre-concieved ideas about this kind of neon-lit, generic chain restaurant, and in many ways we were pleasantly surprised. However the prices were higher than I expected (though not ridiculously high), and this conflicted with some other aspects of the place. For example, our drinks being served to the table in the can, complete with cracked plastic glasses? - a little shoddy.

The staff were attentive, though at one point I almost wanted to asked them to back off a little while we were eating and give us some space - they hovered a bit too much. The ambience was OK - not what you'd call romantic, due to the busy location in the mall plaza, but nice nonetheless. Live music was provided by the Hobbit House band across the street, and it was fun people-watching as the diminutive sized touts tried to hustle the customers inside for an overpriced beer. Would we go back? Yes, I think we would, if only for another plate of that pepper squid. The soups look pretty good too, so I wouldn't mind returning to Mongkok at some stage.

2006-09-02T04:55:00.000-07:00

Relaxing during the day...

...and partying at night.

2006-08-30T04:56:00.000-07:00

August Sunshine

Angol Beach - 8 am (yes, I was awake!)

Sailing in the afternoon sun

We have been so lucky over the last few days - the weather at the moment is more like March than August. No complaints here though! We've had the BBQ out several times, been sailing, played beach tennis, fixed up the garden and generally pretended it was summer. Hope it lasts a while longer.

On Wednesday we said goodbye to Jeff and Liza, who have headed back to Manila. We all went for a slap-up meal at Smoke, which left us completely stuffed! Last night was Rumba's (and Paul's) birthday party, so we got pretty sozzled at that. I'll post some pictures soon.

2006-08-24T05:17:00.000-07:00

After a beautiful day, sunset this evening was breathtaking.

2006-08-21T05:49:00.000-07:00

Another late night jamming session at Red Pirates. Lana on guitar and Rolly on drums. Various people in the background shaking rainsticks and making noise!
Rain never stops play!

2006-08-19T07:18:00.000-07:00

The BoraCats

Here at Red Pirates we share our bar, our food and sometimes even our bed with these three characters:

Tinker - the princess. No one can do utter scorn and contempt like Tink. And they say cats have limited facial expressions! She also shares my addiction to crisps, and goes bonkers when she hears me open a bag.

Tuba - a sweet and gentle soul, he likes nothing better than to stretch on the bed all day and sleep. A cat after my own heart! Unlike his bolshy brother, he doesn't like to fight, and prefers instead to watch TV.

Tango - the alpha male. He's loud and demanding, and can't resist a fight - even if it's not his business! Despite this, he has a loveable nature and isn't at all spiteful - he likes nothing better than a good belly rub.

2006-08-14T06:20:00.000-07:00

Oh the boredom. I could really use a vacation. Last night I was sitting in the bar, on my own, reading a book (which was only marginally better than watching paint dry), and trying not to pay attention to the two young Koreans who had chosen Red Pirates Pub as their 'make-out' venue for the evening. Aw bless, they were quite cute really, but the squelching noises of their face sucking session started to get on my nerves afetr a while. It was all I could do not to shout at them to 'GET A ROOM!' Four hours? Enough is enough!
The only other thing of interest was seeing a huge spider stomping across the bar. No big deal, you might think, but this thing was so massive that it had killed a large cockroach, tucked it under it's arm (leg?) and was cheerily strolling home to enjoy it's dinner. It reminded me somewhat of a fat bloke coming home from the pub with his package of cod and chips under his arm.
Oh dear, see what the boredom is doing to me?

2006-08-13T04:26:00.000-07:00

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be" Douglas Adams

2006-08-13T02:35:00.000-07:00

From this...

To this .

How i wish it would stop raining....

2006-08-11T05:33:00.000-07:00

I miss summer!

So I'm going to cheer myself up with some nice shots of the island instead. Right now the beach doesn't deserve to have it's picture taken! So much sand was washed away by the recent storms (a couple of meters at least) that now the high tide reaches all the way up to the tree-line, and sections of the pathway have been washed away entirely, as has most of our garden. It's the worst raining season in years, and I'm sick of it. Still, Joey finally got around to fixing the roof today (after much cajoling and an argument) so that's something....

2006-08-09T07:47:00.000-07:00

First - Paella

Then - Tequila

More than a week late (Boracay time!) we decided to celebrate the second anniversary of Red Pirates Pub. Binggoy came through once again with a delicious paella, and we all stuffed ourselves silly. The weather, surprisingly, was appalling - but the tequila was flowing and much hilarity ensued. Cleaning up the puke afterwards (not mine - I don't drink tequila) was not the highlight of my evening though...

2006-08-09T06:13:00.000-07:00

Comedy Buns!

Honestly, we couldn't not buy one of these rude looking hot-dog rolls from the all-night bakery behind the mall. We'd just stumbled out of Rumbas - that explains our childish and drunken sense of humour!

2006-08-06T06:15:00.000-07:00

The Source of my Morning Misery!

2006-08-06T05:45:00.000-07:00

Ants Ate My Earplugs!

On the dressing table next to my bed, I keep a pair of earplugs. I need these because I live next door to a small chapel, and the noise which comes out of that place first thing in the morning has to be heard to be believed.

Bear in mind that this chapel is roughly the size of a shoebox, and seats about 6 people (alright, it seats more than that, but that's usually the amount of people who actually show up for the service). Bear in mind that you could easily hear a mouse fart on the other side of the room. The 'church ladies' (this is a sort of unofficial club who derive great pleasure from sweeping the building, arranging the linens and fannying about with the fake flowers) insist on broadcasting their endless 'hail Marys' and tuneless hymns through a sound system, blasted out at top volume, and disturbing all the decent folk in the neighbourhood who are trying to recover from Saturday night's debauchery. Earplugs are essential, as it is completely impossible to sleep through this cocophony of noise.

Every week I wake up to what sounds like a family of rabid cats being strangled in a bathful of soapy water, together with the insane clanging of the chapel bell. This is not, as you might imagine, a nice melodious sounding bell. Oh no. It gives off a sound not unlike that of a large tin cooking pot being struck with a stick. At 7am.

At Christmas we get a special treat. For the 10 or so days leading up to the event they start this crap at 3am. Every day. And it goes on till at least 6am! One morning I could stand it no longer, and fell out of bed (looking like the Kraken) to go and bawl at the priest. "Doesn't is say in the bible that one should love thy neighbour? Where does it mention waking thy neighbour at that unholy hour of the morning?" He just gazed at me what that blank expression the clergy are so good at pulling when questioned about anything.

I'm not going to start at rant about the sanctimonious nature of certain religious folk, and how utterly inconsiderate they can be... oh hey, I already did! Suffice to say that they evidently believe that by behaving in this way they are scoring more 'Brownie points' with god, and will be rewarded accordingly on their judgement day.

So this morning, as per usual, I reached for my trusty earplugs only to discover that they had been invaded by sugar ants and were now full of little holes. Is there nothing these bloody ants won't eat??? It's bad enough that my books are full of termite tunnels (to say nothing of my floor), my roof leaks, my clothes are developing a strange musty smell (due to the raining season damp) there's gecko poo on top of the telly and last night I found a large hermit crab in my bathroom. Now my earplugs have been eaten too.

Welcome to Boracay....

2006-08-05T09:16:00.000-07:00

It's back again... Our once-lovely garden is now a total mess.

2006-08-03T04:22:00.000-07:00

What a sunset! After days of rain, we finally had a respite today.

Nothing much has happened recently, apart from Joey's escapade with the bees. While practising his Tarzan-style antics up a tree at the end of the beach, he managed to annoy a swarm of bees, which launched an attack and stung him several times. No real harm done though, and he can laugh about it. At least he didn't sit on one as I did last year. You'd think it would be safe to sit on the bed without looking first, wouldn't you? Not in Boracay - expect the unexpected!

2006-07-28T05:26:00.000-07:00

Binggoy's Birthday Party at Red Pirates

2006-07-28T05:01:00.000-07:00

The Changing Face of Boracay

November

January

March

At Easter

In May

During Typhoon

Now

Yes, it's the same beach. Just an example of the many faces of Boracay. Anyone who thinks the island is crowded all year round definately has the wrong idea!

2006-07-27T05:57:00.000-07:00

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. -- Mark Twain

“There are things you just can't do in life. You can't beat the phone company, you can't make a waiter see you until he's ready to see you, and you can't go home again.”
Bill Bryson

http://thinkexist.com/quotes/bill_bryson/

2006-07-26T07:11:00.000-07:00

Boracay's Best!

I see we have made it onto one of 'Boracay's best' lists. now there's a compliment! Check out the review here:

http://www.kriyayoga.com/philippines/boracay/boracay_island/best_of_boracay.html

http://www.kriyayoga.com/photography/photo_gallery/v/beach_life_fun_action/red_pirates_pub_boracay_dsc03191.jpg.html

Another useful Bora site:

http://www.travel-library.com/holidays/asia/philippines/boracay_islands/

2006-07-22T04:47:00.000-07:00

Red Pirates Rainy Season Party - Blossom, Marcello & Joe

A big thanks to Nadine for organising a rainy season 'pot luck' party at our place a couple of days ago, despite the dismal weather. A great crowd showed up, bringing a variety of delicious food and wine. Just what we needed to perk us up a bit!

2006-07-21T01:53:00.000-07:00

A customer of ours drew this lovely sketch of our bar today. Raining season seems to bring out everyone's creative side.

2006-07-19T03:19:00.000-07:00

Breakfast Comfort Food

This is great for those rainy days. Order takeout and eat in bed while watching TV. My fave is egg fried rice with beef in gravy. Yum! 3-5-7 restaurant is inexpensive and convenient.

2006-07-17T04:12:00.000-07:00

Stormy weather - the high tide ate half our garden!

Red Pirates - out of action!

Radio Boracay launch party at Bamboo Lounge

Will it ever stop raining?! The tide was so high that half our beach garden was washed away, and we had to prop the boat high up on stilts to prevent it from being smashed to pieces. It's quite depressing being stuck in tho house all day while it pours down outside.

Still, it did stop raining long enough for the Radio Boracay 106.1 launch party to be a roaring success. The even was held at Bamboo Lounge (Freckles Resort), and a great time was had by all. Good food, good company and free flowing wine - you can't go wrong with that recipe!

2006-07-10T05:59:00.000-07:00

I knew this would happen. Poor little Jack was savaged to death by the vicious dogs from Sundown Restaurant right outside in our garden. I jumped in and managed to get him away from them, but it was too late to save him, and the bloody dogs bit me too. They should be locked up. Or worse.
Thankfully it was over quite quickly, but he died in my arms, either from shock or internal injuries - I don't know.
We hadn't had him that long, but he charmed all of us with his friendly, playful nature, and we're so sad to lose him. I keep telling myself 'he was just a cat', but it's not working....
It never rains but it pours.

2006-07-06T16:29:00.000-07:00

They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique
And a swinging hot spot

Dont it always seem to go
That you dont know what youve got
Till its gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

They took all the trees
Put em in a tree museum
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to see 'em

Dont it always seem to go
That you dont know what you've got
Till its gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Hey farmer farmer
Put away that d.d.t. now
Give me spots on my apples
But leave me the birds and the bees
Please!

Don't it always seem to go
That you dont know what you've got
Till its gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Late last nightI heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi
Took away my old man

Don't it always seem to go
That you dont know what youve got
Till its gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Joni Mitchell

2006-07-04T08:48:00.000-07:00

I get my kicks from watching people
Running to and fro
And if you ask them where they're going
Half of them don't know
They're the ones who think I'm crazy
But they don't realize

That I'm just groovin', groovin'
Grooving out on life
I'm just groovin' ooh groovin'
groovin' till I die

I see a river flowing by me
Heading for the sea
I get a feeling deep inside me
It's so good to be free
I've got sunshine in the daytime
And moonlight every night

And I'm just groovin', groovin'
Groovin' out on life
I'm just groovin', ooh groovin'
Groovin' till I die...

UB40

2006-07-04T07:02:00.000-07:00

This morning, instead of the sound of the birds, we were wakened from our slumber by the unbearable noise of a chainsaw at work just a few metres from our cottage.
Now that the trees have been cut down, the songbirds have all but disappeared from our area, as have the noisy family of irridescent blue kingfishers that lived there.
Even my trusty earplugs couldn't shut out the sound of the chainsaw butchering the remains of those lovely trees.
Joey and I both share a deep sense of sadness about the wanton destruction of beautiful things (and places), especially when it is labelled 'progress'. What could be further from the truth?
We managed to salvage a few young saplings from under the 'mother tree' and hopefully one day we will find a place to plant them, but it probably won't be on this island!

2006-07-02T07:24:00.000-07:00

Little Jack has stolen our hearts!

2006-06-29T07:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I woke up to a relentless chopping noice, punctuated every now and again by an earth shaking crash.
There were many dismayed faces here in Angol as we witnessed the destruction of the beautiful old 'fire tree' which has for so long been a part of our scenery. This huge, majestic tree has stood on the vacant lot between Alyssa Resort and Red Pirates for years. Every season it erupts into blazing red bloom, and carpets the ground below it with millions of red petals. A real sight to behold.
But sadly, a few months ago this plot of land was sold, and the new owner has hired a gang of local guys to strip it of all it's foliage.
Quite a crowd gathered nearby to protest, and asked the workmen if they had a permit to cut all the trees. But they just carried on regardless.
For us, it almost felt like losing an old friend, which I have known since I first arrived on the island nearly 8 years ago. I even remember Joey pointing it out to me in all it's glory on one of our first dates!
I was so sad to see that lovely old tree being hacked to pieces. For me, it is a symbol of what is happening all over this island, and a reminder of how little time we have left here before Boracay is totally spoilt.

The fire tree had already been destroyed when I took these photos. The guys are finishing off the smaller trees amidst the carnage of wilting red blooms....