Older and younger sister enjoying some quality sketching time before lunch.


Want some soy sauce with those chillies?


After a nice seafood lunch. My mohawk covers up lesser people.


Found an even better juan, either 96 or diesel.


That night we went to go see some bands perform. Shitty pic, but this band is called Archipelago. I've never heard of them but I really like them now.


Next morning I was able to catch the taho man. Taho is a warm drink snack thingie that you can only find in the morning. A guy has 2 large cans. One with soy bean curd, the other with 2 sections, one for boba and one for syrup. The syrup is just a simple syrup but made with brown sugar, not white. When I was a kid I used to sit outside on the curb every morning and wait for the vendor to come around with two big glasses and money in hand. I did the same today.


This is what it looks like. You can still get this at Filipino fast food joints like Chowking.


New Year's Eve. We only let my little sis play with sparklers.


Found a cool bamboo wall.


These star-shaped lanterns are called parols. They can be as simple as this, or can be pretty extravagant, like the one in front of governor uncle's house.


I got my little sister a Hello Kity digital camera but it's a piece of crap. Found it kinda funny that it had a tripod hookup though.


My little arsenal for the evening. Usually when the whole family gets together, it's a lot bigger than this. But I was on a solo flight, so this was all my money could buy. I really did waste the last of my money on fireworks. Not pictured are the 100 rockets I bought, but didn't set off because it was really windy and the first few rockets I shot went to my neighbor's house. Doh...


It's really unsafe to light firecrackers with a lighter, so I prefer to use a sparkler, which is also...somewhat dangerous.


My aunt had this lame idea and bought a "wish balloon." Inside is a block of wax, that when lit will make it a hot air balloon and it'll fly away and send your wishes up to God...or somesing like that. Anyway the block did light up after 10 minutes of lighter abuse but wasn't flying anywhere. LOL


Mostly because she wouldn't let go of the damn thing.


Our more festive parol, with 4 sec exposure.

hardly check it... but ok

 

This little guy is actually the grandson of my grandfather's dog. Crazy...


Up top!


Went out drinking with the cousins. First time I've ever seen street food served at a bar/restaurant. More chicken colons (isaw).


Going out was actually her idea, and she's only 17 :rofl: Done after two drinks.


Cousins pic #121462374 (father's side this time)


The next night I drove myself into the city to meet with more friends for drinks and shenanigans.


And then went to the club to dance my socks off. Can't stop, won't stop...


Couple lamers that don't dance...


I ran track with the girl and the guy in blue. Managed to keep in touch with the girl after 8 years, and we hooked up so it's all good.


There was a giant inflatable Jager bottle outside after the club closed.


Swear to god I wasn't drunk, just faking it for the pic.


Introduced these two lovebirds that night. Never really thought of myself as a matchmaker, but good for them.


Finally left the club...


...And went to the Yarbucks downstairs. Because a lot of Filipinos work at call centers, lots of places are still open late at night and into the early morning.

 

The next morning I went and got my sister's suitcase fixed for approx. $5. While waiting, I bought some "dirty ice cream" on the side of the road. It's called that because it's homemade and not really regulated.


This tiny serving was about 10 cents.


After that I went to visit my old school, La Salle. I spent 13 years here.


the atrium used to be...an atrium. now there are two levels, the upper one is like a mini cafeteria.


My old classroom when I was a senior.


The old first grade area. If you notice all the boys are wearing long pants. All boys used to be required to wear shorts until high school, but with the recent outbreak of Dengue Fever, pants became mandatory to cover up the legs against mosquitoes.


The new chapel is bright and refreshing. The old one was scary as FUCK (no pics, it was locked).


The view from gate 1. The parking lot used to be all gravel but now it's nice and paved.


This was the old Home Ec building, that was also shared by the Guidance Counselor. The stairs used to be really narrow and steep, and a lot of people got dizzy going up and down. Now it's a little more user friendly.


Under the atrium is a computer lab.


The room beside it is a netroom, where students can whore out Facebook on fancy Macbooks. I don't ever remember my school having enough money for this. Every year my school holds a money drive to raise funds for various projects to make the school better. Guess now they can afford air conditioning for every classroom, new chapels, Macbooks, etc. Students now have it pretty good compared to my generation.


Outside the cafeteria. I got into a fight where that orange cone is...forgot what about though.


Inside. There used to be tables where I was standing, and it was like the permanent spot for my homies.


This used to be the prep area, but now it's for 3rd and 4th grade I think. A flagpole used to stand where the playground is situated, and we would line up and race from the building to the flag.


One half of the gym. It used to be a lot smaller and darker. I remember getting hit in the face with a stray volleyball.


The other half. They tore down the old gym and combined it with the one above to make one big one.


Inside this building is the alumni office, and another eating area. Above is another basketball court.


The soccer field. There used to be a big tree at the very end, which is where people used to sit and play Magic. Near the screen right soccer goal was the fence some kids used to sneak out of class. I never did though.


Bleacher area. A lot of class pictures get taken here.


Like this one. Someone tagged me in a 7th grade photo. FFFUUUUUUU--


One of the music rooms. I used to play in a group called a Rondalla, where we played 16-stringed instruments. Sometimes I'd sub for guitar and double bass. Rarely drums though because I sucked at it. I also came out with a lot of old sheet music, so I'll try to play them again someday.


Gate 3. See the yellow stripe on the side? It's padding. Lots of kids hit their heads on these things and go dumb...like me.


Back to the cafeteria to take this one shot. To the right was an awesome dim sum stand. No longer there though because they were a mom and pop operation, and the school wanted real businesses to set up shop. To the left was another spot where I got into a fight.


During 3rd grade us boy scouts camped out in the school playground (where the chapel used to be). They woke us up at 3am to wash up. My friend and I saw a ghost at the very end of this hallway.


And we yelled like girls and ran down this path.

 

Chem lab. One of my teachers boiled some agar for bacteria cultures and it exploded. Some of the hot crap landed on my neck. I got sent to the clinic, and when I got back I was told to be more careful. Riiiiiiiight......


Graduating classes get their pictures hung on the wall. This one is of my sister. I asked the principal why my class (the next one after my sis) wasn't up yet and she said she doesn't know... maybe they gave up. Or my class was an embarrassment.


GIMME THE MAP, SCOTT!


Creepy statue of our patron saint, pointing the kids to where he has some candy.


Mad Max. This was the car that all the students learned to wrench on. It's been taken apart and put together 198247619487624 times. Rumor has it that it's going to be retired this year and a newer piece of crap will be brought in.


I drove around a bit after school, just to find some older sites. This is the country club. When I was in grade school I used to fly little balsa wood gliders in the soccer field. In high school we raced golf carts. One of my friends tipped his cart over in a sand trap like a boss.


Woodrose. It's an all-girls school. All the sluts came out of this camp. Rad!


Driving down Acacia Ave. (unfortunately there's no #22)


St. James Parish. My school sent students here to get first holy communion and confirmation. Also a good spot to pick up chicks.


Cuenca park. I used to shoot hoops here. Not pictured, but there is a playground to the left where I learned how to smoke cigarettes.


Another old childhood friend. Been friends since I was like...12 I think.


She's into cars too. This is her whip. It's an SiR (same as the EM2 Si in the States) but it's a sedan. She had JDM ITR suspension and wheels put on though.


Some kid begging for money on the street


Magnet Cafe, where we saw that previous band. We went back for Rockeoke Night, which happens every Monday. The house band picks audience song submissions, and will play the song. The one who submitted it has to sing it though. What a fun night. Too bad we got there late and my song (99 Red Balloons) didn't get picked. I missed out on another chance to make an ass of myself.


I tried to hook up with the girl on the left but it didn't work out. Oh well, I think I'm happy batting .500. Also the beer on the right, you can order it "Sub Zero" in the Philippines, meaning they cool it with Nitrogen or some shit. Comes out pretty much close to ice. Very refreshing and drunkable.


Figures, the first cockroach I see in this whole vacation was at my dad's house in KL again. Fuck this motherfucker, you're getting the boot.


My dad's turtle. He gets excited and falls on his back, but he can't right himself so someone has to help him :rofl:


Stopped over in Taipei. Yup, still depressing.


We bought some almond milk tea just so we can say we bought shit in Taipei.


My transit pass to get back on the plane. Get it...pass...enger?

THE END

 

Hey Dom did you drive legally there? Howd you do it? Insurance? I know our licenses work there but I don't know anything else to do it legally... I usually just drove and figured I'm related to 2/3 of the baranguy anyway so oh well if I'm in trouble lol

 

damn. crazy stories

 

nice watch

 

Awesome pics. Nice work batting .500, if I'd hit .500 back in the day I'd be like Craig.

 

awesome pics dom. looks like you had a blast. how long were you there? 2/3 weeks?

 

sweet pix Dom, I killed better part of an hour reading h: