Harrison and me at 60 - OUCH!

Harrison Ford got an earring at 60....I got a Tattoo!

I came back from Olongapo a day before my flight.....my anak, Aja, had told me about hedgehogs for sale here and I thought I'd check them out...Ashley always wanted one and I thought that would be fun....  Then, Aja told me that they were illegal in California and Hawaii...so hedgehog purchase lessened in importance for this trip....and the thought of Tattoos once again filled my head.

It seems that everyone in the PC gets a tattoo....and I've entertained that idea since my arrival here.  But, I couldn't figure out what to scratch on that I wouldn't regret.  Or, where to put it.  Then, I decided that I was 60 for God's sake, and didn't regret much these days anyway....most of my regrets have been in not doing things.

There were many PCVs here at Pension Natividad from the previous batch (#268) - uniting for their last get together before COSing (close of service).  I'm batch #269 and still have a year to go....but see the end in sight and want to do a lot before I COS.   So - figured that if I could, I would get it today!

I'd downloaded a picture that I liked and took it into the OUCH! tattoo parlor in Robinson's Place, a short walk from the Pension.  The first artist said it was too intricate for him to do, but he estimated cost at Php 5,000-6,000....OUCH!  Mashado Mahal!  I told them I was a PCVolunteer and his uncle, Norman, the owner, said that if I printed out the picture, he would resize it and draw it small enough to get to 4,000.  OK!

I'd been by yesterday, and a couple from Australia had been getting tatts...today the guy was back to complete his ENORMOUS design, which he said would have cost him $6,000 in Australia.  I asked him to describe the feeling - he said it was like a pinch on the skin - a hard pinch at the worst.  I decided later that this man - Phil - a boiler maker from the West Coast of Australia - had many fewer nerve endings in his body compared to mine.  We were together for 3 hours and he kept asking me if my skin had numbed yet.  No!  OUCH! was the perfect name for me - it lived up to its name...for about 3 hours.




Norman getting all the inks and needles ready

















Cleanliness is next to Godliness

First, Norman drew the shark on my back

Then, the first of the needles hit - OUCH!

You can see how he hung the picture for reference on the lamp

Intrepid Phil - "it pinches"

But wimpo disagrees:  "OW, OW, OUCH!"

Then he starts to add the color

Dark blue first and then the lighter blue is added

Amazingly accurate to the photograph!!

Close up of the finished product, complete with white dots!

And, wow - I LOVE the result (well, at least today I did - they told me that in the next couple days my skin will scab over and that I have to wash it lightly with soap and water tonight and then be sure to keep it soft and moist, with Vaseline for 3 weeks until the skin heals.)  One of the PCVs here told me not to go in the ocean for several days because the salt makes the color fade - Yikes, no one told me that (but most people here don't swim, so I should have thought to ask).


Can't wait to get back in the water with the sharks now that I am branded.

Exciting day for this old fart - and like Phil said - How great that you are doing something NEW!

Totally agree!