PHNOM PENH

Pink Elephant's happy pizza is pizza without the happiness of 15 years ago.

And the Royal Sky Bar's signature cocktail is indeed a cock's tall tale. 

But the view from the Frangipani is worth a kill with placid Mekong up front.

That and Wat Ounalum, the Royal Palace, and the National Museum within 360 degrees.  

It's also the Khmer food like kapik rice and pork for lunch at mid-class Park Cafe.

Or burning meat and to-go fare at the lower ends of the Phsar Kandal Market. 

The Mekong is like an unfolding movie with predictable scenes and surprising twists.

It was my highway to Wat Phnom, ancient but a hut compared to the temples of Bangkok.

It brought me to the Central Market and a slide show of of local colors and smells.

And through it, I meandered into Central Phnom Penh and the Independence Monument.

Tuktuks cost more than Grab in Phnom Penh and the Himawari Microbrewery is on the high end.

But cocktails are 50 percent off on happy hour and beer is just 50 cents.

BOGOR

Some 15 years ago, the Packard Boys ate durian and gawked at the biggest flower in the world [Bunga Bangkay/Rafflesia] in Bogor.

This week, I travelled back there while having my first meeting in Adi's car that by the grace of God concluded upon reaching Bogor and as such, had more space to marvel at the tropical ambiance of the Novotel Golf Resort and Convetion Center, relish the local food, consult with partners, and reminisced the maladorous durian and huge stinky flower of 15 years ago. 

I wish I could stay more in Bogor.

But Jakarta beckoned and seduced me with a platter of Bebek Goreng [Balinese fried duck] at the Cilandak Town Square, a pot of Tongseng Kambing [goat stew) at the Koi Cafe and Gallery, and a bowl of Sop Buntut [oxtail soup) at the ASEAN Secretariat Building.  

Overall, I had 8 meetings across three days and that I memorialized with a big dinner of Nasi Bali and Sate Kambing in Kemang before flying back to Manila.    

I regret not heeding Adi's advise to rent a bike from the hotel and explore a nearby Kampung in Bogor.

So back home, I tried making up for that regretful lapse in judgement by interspersing two biking days with my obligations to the Craft   

And then it was Sunday again.

I'm on my way to Phnom Penh this time and decided to make the most of an overnight layover by having a barbecue dinner in Makati's Poblacion where I again reminisced on Bogor as I dissect the Thai in the Crying Tiger's Moo Ping [pork barbecue], rummage through the tender fibers of Holy Smokes' beef brisket, and redezvoused with Tambai's delicate Beef Rib Finger.

69

Do you like 69?

Apparently I do after attending the 69th Annual Session of the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite in the Philippines.

Witnessing the exemplification of conferrals of the 4th to 30th degrees in its full form and grandeur certainly gave me a more profound appreciation of the Scottish Rite and its symbolism.

I like the 69th.

It  gave me an excuse to taste test The Aristrocrat's Adobo Flying Saucer and chicken barbecue which I missed during the Supreme Session.

The solemn reception of dignified men in purple caps, the investiture of Kuya Carding's Blue Cap, and our Knight Commanders of the Court of Honor finally getting their long-delayed White Caps were proud moments for me.   

The 69th was awesome.

Beer and brandy flowed in abundance while across the street, ladies dressed to the nines pause  to check on their smart phones as a nearby couple in Table 6 indulged in a torrid public display of affection.

It was indeed a pleasure to see our new KCCHs wearing their newly conferred red caps.

But of ocurse, there was foreplay before the 69th.

And that was two happy days in the bike trail, reconnecting with old friends from PRRM, and reshooting the Regal Parish and National Shrine of St. Michael and the Archangels between work-related meetings.   

HAI[na]KU 28-30

-28-

Biking through Monday

My usual, her oddity

All week sans Sunday

-29-

We were Saint Matthew

Excising whiskey and beer

Five nights of seven

-30-

Balmy Saturday

Amaranthine pageantry

Three more and we're done

THE LAST GAVEL, probably

I was Master of the Lodge in 2014, a Royal Patron of the Court and a Grand Lodge Inspector in 2015, a District Grand Lecturer in 2017, and a Deputy Grand Royal Patron in 2018.

The power of the gavel came with these honorific designations which also entitled me to the coveted Seat in the East where I will again preside this year as a Venerable Master of the Scottish Rite.

And this my regular "pushers" celebrated by peddling cheap wine and brandy, and a rather expensive line of whiskey.  

Fermenting roasted meat and San Miguel Pale Pilsen rumbled in my ventriculus the next day as I pulled myself to a half-drunk early morning business trip to Quezon City.

Somehow, Microtel's pansit soothed my rampaging gastric juices so I again indulged on cheap brandy in Samal while listening to the amusing anecdotes of a man called Joker.

I got totally cured after so four bottles of my favorite beer later went with my dinner of laing, grilled pusit, dinakdakan and adobo rice at Gerry's Grill.    

Back in the East, I toasted the first of five installation rites with another cheap brandy and marked my first Lodge meeting of the year with loads of my usual beer.

These I concluded with a banquet at Alessandra's to greet my counterpart from the Cabanatuan Bodies and left before my liver gets busted further.   

I have a lot to burn and I only had two biking days...