For Some Joy,

for some sorrow, yes we are back! I made my way to Bangkok airport on Saturday, to fly to the Philippines to meet Diana and her family, crossing the foot bridge from the car park I could not help seeing these multi coloured taxi's, the new airport is huge, as I have said before Heathrow in London makes me so ashamed when I see how well Thailand has made it's premier airport,

and who was there? none other than Joe,

inside the airport there are many examples of Thai culture, like this Royal pavilion,

a view looking along the outside of the space frame that holds it all together,

and of the serpents head, part of a Thai folk tale,

food at last!

all of the concourses are huge, light and airy,

our Cebu Pacific air bus A 320,

after the 3 hour flight plus 1 hour time difference, we arrived 4 hours later at Clark Air Force base (local time),

then a walk to the terminal,

we had a taxi to the Orchid Inn, 350 pesos, for a 50 peso journey, same as Thailand, gouge the tourists as soon as they arrive! what was worse using the same taxi, not until you are ready to leave with suitcases all ready to go you are told 500 peso's to the airport, try and get another taxi when they are all booked going to the same place at the same time, welcome to the Philippines! but the good news was that Diana and her father made the trip from Salapungan to meet us,

smiles all round,

we then decided to grab a bite to eat at the Orchid Inn,

the restaurant was fairly basic but clean,

Ah! together again at last,

then it was out on the town with Joe leading the way,

we meet up with Aileen outside the Orange Lion,

we had also arranged to meet up with Glen, Mae and Casey, Glen like to make the funny face on his cottage pie,

cheers! from all of us,

Casey was there to,

The Fantasy Club, I guess they were trying to say that ladies were inside!

although the streets looked empty the clubs were packed, we tried to book in a hotel a couple of weeks earlier but most places were already fully booked, a total change from Pattaya from what the MOT are saying, it looks like Angeles City has got it right, as an aside the plane we were on was fully booked both ways, so if you are thinking of a trip book everything early,

we called into Camelot where we stayed last year, the rooms are nicer here than the Orchid, but the rooms at the Orchid for 1,600 pesos a night were OK, the Camelot was fully booked this time,

next day breakfast downstairs at the Orchid, Diana had a Filipino dish, I had fried breakfast, I think about 420 peso's at the time it was 47 to the $, 79 to the £,

"Good Morning!" from all of us,

at the back of the building is the La Cantina restaurant, that is one thing about the Camelot, it does not have a pool,

Joe tried sitting on one of the motorcycle taxi's side saddle, not a great success I am afraid,

the problem being getting in and out of the sidecar can be lets say awkward, even for a fit guy like me!

we were on our way to a huge S & M shopping mall, when I say huge I mean it! even Joe said was big,

now this I found a little bit scary dairy, the "kid" pulling the trike was actually a mechanical model, its legs and feet being battery operated, 30 pesos for 3 minutes, it appeared to be a walking child, but I do not know why it seem a little strange, also some of the kids when another one of these was coming near them they seemed to be a little uneasy as well, Diana has some video I will try to put it on the blog if I ever get to grips with how to get it off her phone,

a very pretty collection of cakes,

we were at the mall to buy Diana's family a small computer, the nearest Internet shop is in town, a good 30 minutes drive away, so I thought it would be nice to have one with a web cam at home, so after buying it it was home to see the folks, Mum, Diana's younger sister Donna, Diana, myself and Dad, little and big sis along with little bro were not around at that time,

Joe and Aileen were also here, it was Rona's birthday, she is on the right, she is a cousin of Diana's so there was a small party at the house, when I say small I mean that only the two streets were invited!

Joe and Aileen having a beer,

"Happy Birthday" to Rona!

well the cake says it all, one great thing about the Far East, when you have a party everybody calls in,

lots of guests,

and food,

with more arrivving all of the time,

and the party continues in the street,

a bit of a tight squeeze in the sidecar,

and back to the hotel,

if you want to stay here this is the sign to look out for,

and this is their card,

lots of other hotels in the area,

and a local market just along from the Orchid,

in the intrests of the art form of body painting which was on the blog a few days ago this is the Philippine version of it, all done in the best possible taste,

one thing they have over here that I have not seen in Thailand is these King sized party poppers, they are 100 peso's each, but as a bounus for the ladies you can put notes in the top of them as a gift for them,

the bank notes then rain down like confetteie,

Joe is side linned by one of the smaller bars,

another one of Joe's favorites, The Dollhouse,

the next evening we made it to the Cottage Kitchen Cafe, owned and run by Jim Sebree, twice before on previous trips we tried to come here as even in Thialand the reputaion of the Cottage Kitchen is well known, well the first year it was a Monday and they are closed on Mondays, the Second year there was a private funtion there, but this year sucess! was it worth the wait? a resounding 100% yes! I had the nicest most tasty fried potatoes I have ever had in my life, I asked for some bacon and onions in with the potatoes, they were perfect, not that I am saying the steak was not, that also was 100% if you do nothing else and you like good home cooked food go there, you will not be disaspointed, as an added bonus I cannot remember exactly how much but I do remember thinking is that it was not expensive!

steak, vegtables and thoese delicious fried potaotoes, a meal to remember!

Jim center with two friends, we are all looking forward to our next meal with you,

details of the Cottage Kitchen Cafe,

next day a walk along the strip

in the distance Diana's favorite in the fast food steaks Joilibee, notice the Pattaya like electric wires everywhere,

another shot of the strip,

just across in the next street Eager Beavers, we did not have time to have a look, it is on our "to do" lists for next year,

and the view of our hotel from Eagers,

Joe firing still more money at the stage,

then all to soon time to go, the family call round to see us off,

then it was for our last meal so it was off to the Oasis resturaunt, it is inside the compound where the US airforce officers were housed,

Glen, Mae and Casey joined us for the meal,

we started with salomn twists and soup of the day, with a selection of steaks, fish and seafood main courses, 2 bottles of wine and 2 deserts about 6,000 peso's and we were all full to bursting,

Joe getting on well with Casey,

at the end of the meal Joe was so full he could not walk, so he went back to his second childhood! good job Casey's buggy was up to it!

then a night cap at Atlantis,

and this is their card,

and off to the hotel, next day goodbye's to old frinds, then the 500 peso ride to Clark, we paid another 250 peso's to stay in the VIP lounge, not such good value as the one in Manila but it was 150 cheaper, but, the toilets were backed up so you had to use the outside ones and the free internet signal was not there, dispite the lady in charge saying she would keep the door open,

a fully stocked bar, at a price, except no soda water, so no vodka soda for me,

the lounge with just 4 of us in it was large, the chairs comfey as well,

Joe in to magican's mode does some tricks,

the A320 waits for us on the tarmac,

up, up and away!

3 hours later and coming in to land at Bangkok,

we called into Joe's 3 floors of offices on the way back, I spotted this car opposite, it is a Audi V10, but the expensive RS model, how much? I hear you ask, well first it is a 5.2-litre V10, in essence we are talking about 572 wild German horses confined only by ten cylinders, translating to a sub 4.0 second time on the 0 – 100km/h flight, with a cruise limiter of 200 mph, Power bhp (kW) at RPM: 386 kW (525 hp) @ 8000 rpm Torque lb-ft (Nm) at RPM: 530 Nm (390.91 lb-ft) @ 6500 rpm Redline at RPM: 8700 rpm the above figures are for the standard model as is the price, the RS figures I could not find, but the price of the standard one? EUR 142,400, to save you getting out the calculator, US$ 234,828 in UK £122,201 these are at todays prices from the XE currency exchange, I am not sure about importing one over here, but I think it is 200% import duty and then a further 7% VAT, I will let you do the math on that one!

so then home and as it was getting late and not much in the house a visit to the food stalls,

the owner getting the soup ready,

soup in hand it was along to the bug stall,

in the Philippines Diana does not eat these, but over here she loves them, then it was brave the police motorcycle stops, they seem to be on Third Road everyday now, must be getting desperate for cash I surpose, then home fo food, feet up and watch TV.