Commentary on hookahs, smoke rings, and The Dream

And why Il Ponticello is so Ill.

I lost count of how many countries the Hobo‘s been smoked in at about 20, but by far one of our favorites is the Philippines (as seen here).

My prior post requires one correction. I had mentioned $4 bottle of rum, but in fact they are only $1.50. It’s hard to believe your eyes, but doing the math over and over confirms that yes, you can get 750ml of legit rum for under $2. This is what makes the Philippines one of the unsung heroes of South East Asia and why it should be on any Party Pioneer’s map, no matter what budget you roll on.

We took the Hobo out with us a few nights and there were many a piqued local eye wandering over to our table. Our favorite night was at Il Ponticello, a slightly hidden den on the 2nd floor of a rather non-descript building.

We were much obliged to share the Dream in old “Ponti” and it was met with much fanfare, along with no less than 2 invites to different beach houses should we be privy to such gatherings. Rocking out to a little Van Halen, sharing the 2-for-1 shakers of Blue Magic and passing around the hookah, one can’t help but wonder what a better night would be.

The Hobocans crew had its own agenda though, and that included surfing at La Union and diving the shipwrecks of Coron. As one of the best shipwreck dive spots in the world and with its relaxed approach to “requiring dive certification,” even a novice diver can get in on the action and see just how bad these boats must have gotten pwned.

As a country made up of basically thousands of islands, you can’t go wrong in taking a boat out just about anywhere and finding your very own nook or cranny to set up shop with your fellow compatriots. The melodic, almost lyrical way the Filipinos speak and overall kindness of everybody means you won’t struggle to find helping hands and wise guides to help you on your party way.

Thank you Philippines, we will definitely be back for another round. Rocking Remy Martin and watching the sun set over a little shisha on our very own island was not a bad Independence Day.

Put the Philippines on your radar and keep the Dream alive.