There is a place in Olongapo known as Tatlong Krus. This translates to “three crosses” and they are found at the top of 500 steps heading up a mountain. Hence the three musketeers (Kuya Joel, Caesar and I) climbed to the three crosses and arrived in the crisp morning air of 5:53am. Looking over the upside down twinkling stars of Olongapo city I could see ant sized Jeepneys roving around and new “stars” appearing from every window of every house.

Sunrise was the best time hands down, there was about 4 minutes of amazing light and then it was blue skies and a sunny morning. Photography is a rushed art I think. Nevertheless from that brief exposure I was rewarded with the following.

We consumed our breakfast of bread and water (a bit short of holy communion sadly) and admired the sights for a little longer. Now, the sun was shining down and instead of burning the horizon with rays of orange and yellow it was starting to burn us. So we trotted back down the 500 steps and in my opinion the descent was a much more tiring experience.

Insert 1 hour of general time wasting and mere existence here. Although at least this bus ride had terrible martial art movies playing… The types where the villain is identified by having the coolest hairstyle. But just as I was arriving at Manila I realised my uke has stayed behind in Olongapo, first my phone and now this… Doesn’t any inanimate object love me? Well I hope it enjoys its extended vacation. I’ll have to investigate the postal service here it seems.

At home there were a few errands to be run so I hopped on back off the motorcycle to experience the rushing winds and exhilarating acceleration once again. The bike was only bumped once by a car but apparently that’s unusual and a first for Mr B.

In other news Miss B number 2 has arrived, Miss B’s sister who we shall refer to as Miss J. The two sisters make quite the dynamic duo and I’m not sure quite how having two sisters is going to pan out. But on the whole Miss J appears to be of very pleasant character, I sense a slightly sarcastic humour but a warm heart nonetheless.

Is there a better way to bond with siblings than Christmas cookie decorating? I think not. Admittedly the art I am most critical about is my own. That being said please take this special opportunity to admire my burning Christmas tree cookie.

Entry log 324: The sibling bond is at the point where towel whipping is acceptable. I can’t write for long… Oh no! They found me. Both of them… I don’t know how long I can sur……Arghhh!

After that bout of punishment we finished the day with trivial pursuit (my American knowledge both geographically and historically is below average apparently) and I concluded my evening by passionately quoting classical literature with 2 fellow enthusiasts (the dynamic duo of course) it was Cyrano De Bergerac and I have never met another soul who knows it. What a frankly bizarre way to finish the day.

Christmas entry:

Insert my warm and loving Christmas holiday here. Lots of food, games, Tagalog Christmas carols, a very poor performance at bowling (on my part), an armed regiment in the shopping mall (picture below) and the ukulele and I were reunited in a very touching scene. We even rode off into the sunset on a motorcycle (which is more painful on the eyes than most would guess).

Oh and by the way we survived the super typhoon that passed through. Thank God…