A night in Baguio

Dinner with Kevin the salesman. I've mentioned him before. We had pizza at Carlo's close to the hotel in the Mile High Village a couple of hundred metres from the hotel. It really is a mile or so above sea level and let me tell you, it feels like it after climbing a 200 step stair.

After satisfying the hunger side of the equation we retired to the bar for a drinking session.

Of the conversation perhaps the less said the better; much of it was the internal politics of the office; the rest was blokey stuff said over one too many wines and best forgotten.

What was more interesting are the people not of our party. The Romeo who is with the third different woman in three nights. Not a particularly unusual sight as it turns out. The last time I was here I saw one middle aged guy (he might have been 5 years older than I am) 7 nights in a row. 7 different girls. It gives me hope for my future. Not so much for the variety as for the ability. :-) Incidentally, these guys are always middle-aged and always westerners.

Then there was the guy with the long white beard and the red shirt and enormous belly. Nope, not Santa Claus unless Santa has become a Korean. He spent much of his time running his fingers through his beard. I was thinking how odd it was until I noticed that I was running my fingers through my long hair. 'Nuff said!

Then we have the nondescript parties of teens and close thereto. Still actuated by desires both carnal and ethareal and not sure which is the better. Lots of confident and not so confident smiles and laughter.

And finally the waiting staff. Someone, somewhere, told them that to succeed they have to bow down and suck up and all the rest of the gamut of servility. Thus the degrading sight of a cigaratte lighter appearing from out of sight to beat mine to my cigarette. That's become a bit of a game with me; I try and sneak the smoke out so they can't see it, and have it lit before they notice.

In short, a fairly representative night at the hotel we skulk in here in Baguio.

There are worse ways to spend an evening.