This is the final blog about my recent visit to the Philippines. All in all it was a successful trip and though planned, it had some random events and happenings of note.
My plane to PH was on Philippines Airline and a big Boeing 777. I did not pay for an ungraded seat with more leg room or a bulkhead and certainly not the expensive Business/First class. I did however, select an advance seat I knew was situated near the bathroom, 38H. For those who know this aircraft's configuration that seat is a good choice with no extra fee. I also had the same seat on my return flight.
The arrival flight took over 14 hours in the air but was smooth and Philippines air has an approach like United or American used to have with cute stewardesses, well mannered and well dressed offering a high level of polite service even in economy. The food served was not only edible but good and thoughtfully chosen by the executive chef. 3 meals were served in flight, the basic order being a dinner, a light lunch and and a traditional PH breakfast about 2-3 hours out of Manilla.
Manila airport was bustling and not that impressive but PH staff made it better and provided good assistance to my connecting Flight to Cagayan De Oro just 2 hours after arriving. That was pretty tight but I made it and the domestic flight was uneventful and short at about 1 hour 40 minutes. The CDO airport was manageable and efficient. My local CDO friend Robert had recommend his driver Joseph who was a handsome born and raised Filipino of the area and quite knowledgeable about it and its history. Every ride taken had a tour within and one was memorable including St. Augustine's Cathedral a Spanish built Catholic church and almost a local Lourdes of sorts. My visit included a prayer in the beautiful interior and brief encounters with the “professional” beggars who were hardly shy about extending there hands out for pesos, preferably bills. I had coins, so they did get them and gladly so. The remaining tour that day included the inner city and wet markets and my first real insight into PH traffic which is more less chaos on wheels. The horn blares were like a symphony of various notes but never seemed angry and often thankful for the courtesy of allowing an entry or a turn where one seemed impossible. This was cityscape traffic and not dissimilar everywhere I trekked. I did not hop onto a scooter which is cheap and ubiquitous. I did take a Jeepney which could be said to be fun if not so damn hot but also cheap and more or less readily available 24/7. Just 20 pesos almost everywhere. Take that CTA.
I am not a night life person ,so I did not frequent bars or late night cafes etc. and stayed focused in daylight. My room, an Air B&B, had a 10th floor view which took in the entirety of CDO to the ocean. Only one rainy day but no power outages and decent internet. The room building was part of the larger complex of condo residences and called Primavera Verde, which was situated just minutes from the Uptown (higher elevation) area's SM mall and a very good Starbucks, my morning haunt. The stay included 5 nights which for me was one too many. I departed on a domestic flight to Cebu the 24th which was on a puddle jumper prop plane but a good flight. i had been in touch with my friend from Manila who was meeting me out of Manila in Cebu airport. Together we checked into Tambuli resort on Mactan Island about 45 minutes taxi ride from Cebu airport on the same Island. Mactan is historic and very much like a province with 100s of roosters, and assorted animals and the always present dogs. Magellan suffered his death there. The grounds were gorgeous and the buildings modern and well appointed. I was more satisfied than my traveling guest. We did not avail ourselves of the attached small beach but I did walk the grounds daily during the 4 night stay. We had a wonderful local dinner at Casanta's Secret Garden restaurant said to be a steakhouse, which I had promised to my friend. It was a very good restaurant though the short distance as the crow flies was a long taxi ride due to winding streets that seemed more open butcher shop than homes. Nothing is uninteresting in a PH taxi if you look.
My planning had booked an all day tour with a capable professional guide Leila. We had initially hoped to include many stops of interest but focused on Osmena Peak a 2 hour ride into mountains for the 1000 foot ascent…a tough climb mirroring my own Sierra climbs. In the ride up into the area we stopped at a wet market and wholesale produce center that supplied the broad needs of many restaurants etc. and had some terrific local food vendors. The lunch was traditional and my fish stew was a beautiful meal. The base of the peak to be yet climbed had a coffee house. The gathered locals were already singing to the performance of a young obviously talented man and his beautiful Canadian Made Guitar. I was impressed and was readily accepted by all as a participant. It would be a highlight remembered. The climb was arduous and remarkably a coin fed internet connection was available to purchase nearing the top so we were connected, an unexpected treat. My guides were 3 in number Leila the head guide an affable knowledge filled Filipina of some 40 plus years who spoke fluid English and Japanese. It was a tough climb to an incredible view and an easier descent though potentially dangerous. The ride back seemed long and I was exhausted so I skipped other sites favoring a return at around 7 pm after starting around 7 a.m. The 12 hours was well spent. My friend was sitting out on the balcony and a bit perturbed that I stayed out so long. To be clear, she opted to not go and frankly I do not believe she'd have fared well on the climb. In a way her not going was a blessing. I did have many excellent conversations with my friend and found her to be quite smart if not brilliant. Here eyes lit when speaking of her students and her own autistic son, one of two children out of wedlock which is not at all uncommon in PH.
We departed for our next leg, 3 nights in Bonifacio Global City a modern designed cityscape of western influence and a part of Manila's sprawl. The domestic flight was fast being about 45 minutes or less and the airport experience again a good and relatively smooth one. The ride to BGC and the Hotel 101 was tedious and filled with so many close encounters as to be an alien film. My God the traffic was wild. The Hotel was busy and welcoming. The room itself under appointed but decent and had a killer view of BGC which I featured in the previous part ll blog. I quickly walked this very walkable city and found it to my liking. I also quickly decided it was the most suitable of areas seen for my sensibilities if ever considering relocation to PH. One Saturday, I walked a full 11 miles admittedly passing a few buildings more than once when lost but the walk was enlightening. The famous High Street area a walk only boulevard of high end shops, restaurants and various goings on was fun and filled with an interesting array of local and foreign foot soldiers. We had been joined by my friend's niece who a cute charming albeit delinquent Filipina of 22 years. I will not elaborate but suffice it to say she was like the the traffic, wild. We dined at Italianni's a very good “franchise” where the food was excellent and I entertained my guest and servers in a laughter filled evening. I was willing to walk the short distance but these two insisted on a Grab, PH's Uber. It took much much longer than it needed to but I tolerated their demand to ride in comfort. After all I was but a visitor in their country.
The 3 nights were interesting and we visited the huge and modern SM Aurora Mall. Actually a mega mall even by US standards. It was filled with upscale shops and restaurants all decked out for Christmas which in PH takes in about 3 months before the December 25th day. A few good meals in the mall but one very lousy one as previously mentioned at Dynasty Chinese…ugh! I have had better Chinese food in Chicago.
The trip quickly came to my last night where my friend and niece abruptly left in a huff or some unknown disagreement that later was explained as some odd jealousy between them about me. I t was a sad odd event and partly describes what I said about the niece being wild and delinquent. Perhaps the disagreement was about who would get more of my generosity than the other or some such goofy thing. It must be said that Filipinas have an expectation about foreign men having money and they have an almost inherited DNA characteristic of getting their fair share of the potential loot. I was willing to be generous and actually considered their company which was non sexual, a pleasure that enhanced my stay. I remain in close contact with my original Manila friend and admonished her about too much association with her troubled niece. She agreed.
15 days all in including travel days is too brief for such a large country of some 7000 Islands. Years could be spent exploring it and its cities, provinces and its beautiful smiling people. I may have missed its best years for vacays but would go back and have a short list of places to be included in any future visit.
Travel has been part of my life for business and for pleasure. This ranks high on my favorite explorations. My return flight was 11 hours 50 minutes in mostly clear calm air. Arrival back in San Francisco required I pick up my car left at the local SF hotel Loft A. All went well and my night time 3.5 hour drive back to Reno Nevada was fine and felt vacant of others when compared to PH especially Manilla traffic. One last adventure before leaving the PH was my Grab ride to Manila airport…the driver attempted a short cut around traffic taking us down dark alley ways which can only be described as something out of the terrifying Hostel movies…I thought this could be some local ploy to serve up foreigner flesh at roadside pop ups. It was not that but the normally 30 minute ride took over an hour and not unscathed as my drive hit two trucks in his clumsy maneuvers and took a wrong turn requiring me to enter the airport through a cargo area..it was not fun. When he checked his phone for my charge which was to be PHP 650 he could not get connected. I had a 1000 pesos note, handed it over ran away but quick. Thus ended my stay. All in all a great success.
I did work throughout my visit and other than phone communication problems perhaps of my own making it was fairly easy to remain connected to the USA and my clients. Again a successful aspect of my trek.
It is always interesting to see the USA from abroad and this was no disappointment in that regard. Take the time to visit and I believe you may enjoy the PH as i did. Oh, my interest in my Manila friend advanced to a fledgling romance. A surprise to me but maybe not to her. She seems a bit too clever to be that innocent but I accept it as a blessing rather than a curse.
Best,
Donn Marier
DM- Your Own CFO