Corleen , Beshy Father Christmas and the British Kabayan, November 2021 , Lost Paradise of Dilmun Water park, Bahrain
At the end of my 2020 Last Christmas in Bahrain Blog I wrote:
"With so many people having died of COV 19 in 2020 around the world it will be a year that people will want to see the back of!
I for one cannot wait to celebrate my first Christmas in the Philippines from September to December 2021!"
Sadly things did not get better in 2021. Several of my friends tested positive for COV 19 ( Thang, Cark Max etc.) and were quarantined, and worse still my good friend of 44 years from my college days, David Green , died of COV19 in his sleep. I know this Christmas will be a tough one for his wife Lynda, the kids Jhoanne, Alistair and Johnathan and their families, and my thoughts are with you all.
Lynda and David Green in the George Hotel Huddersfield in 2010
Please spare a thought for over 5 million families worldwide who will have an empty space at their table this Christmas. ( Pasko in Tagalog)
Secondly I am sad to say that I did not make it to the Philippines to celebrate my first Christmas there with my anaks this year either. My belongings remain in storage in Jhoanna's boarding house and my furniture and my farewell gift from Zainab is with Gracie at Poochie's kitchen. I , and one suitcase spent Christmas in Dubai and Corleen is looking after the remainder of my belongings in Bukawara.
However I was not going to let COV 19 spoil the fun for my Phillipino friends so I organised three separate Parties around the world for them in 2021!
First up was in November in Bahrain when we went to the Filipino Christmas party at Lost Paradise of Dilmun Water Park . I took Ate Tess, Beshy, Corleen and Coco ( sadly JC and Patrick had a last minute shift change and could not join us) .
We restricted Beshy to 50 selfies but he still managed to post 70 on Facebook as well as 3 live broadcasts when he thought Tatay was not watching. So here is the best of his photos of the day:
Beshy beside the LPOD Christmas tree
We had Christmas songs, waves, chicken adobo and rice ( not as good as Tatay makes, one tenth the portion, cold and 2. 8 bd - food cost 800 fills, profit per meal 2 bd, 1000 customers , nice one LPOD , plus 6000 bd gate money) .
It was a beautiful sunny day , around 30 degrees, not bad for November, and of course the Pinoys all hid under a shelter so they did not get brown.
TBK, Coco, Tess and Corleen eat lunch while Beshy takes selfies
As usual Tatay stayed dry and looked after the bags wile Beshy and Corleen went hunting for Pogi's
Guess who?
The day at LPOD was relatively easy to arrange - Facebook message to see who wanted to go, buy tickets on line, give away ticket when Patrick cancelled the night before!
You can see the full video that Chester made for my anaks on our You Tube channel
Last year I arranged for Jhoanna, her step sister Elay and step brother Making to stay for a night at the Microtel in Puerto Princessa. Making could not go as he gets car sick so Althea went instead and they all had a good time as the pictures they sent me showed.
Jhoanna and Elay at the Microtel Puerto Princessa in December 2020
So this year as I sponsored four students at University in Palawan ( Kit 19, Grecil and TJ who are 20 , and Jhoanna 21) I thought I would pay the Microtel so they could have a night away in December. They had a team meeting on line and decided to go on 18 December and I wrote to the Microtel in November but got no reply. I asked Jhoanna to call them but she got no reply so we agreed they would stay somewhere else. I tried Beth and Paul at LVF cabins ( closed until January), Eshantis in Port Barton ( same), the Glamping at Nacpan , and Angkla. At first Angkla said they could take them and then later they could not as they had a wedding party. They suggested another night when they had rooms or an Air B N B at Nacpan called " The one and Only". Rhoda got us a special promo rate at the Glamping and I left it to my anaks to have another meeting to decide what to do. They decided on Air B n B and TJ was elected to book the room and send me the bill and then charged 19,000 peso to my credit card. ( 142 bd or 283 GBP) . Once I realised how expensive it was I told them to cancel it and at that point the Microtel replied saying it was open to Palawenos and so they took a booking for a suite and an adjoining room ( 4 double beds) for one night for 8,000 peso.Beshy sings a Christmas song for my anaks
The next challenge was to get them to charge their food to my card as well- for that they sent me the menu and I had to get each person to choose their 3 meals ( 2 lunches and a dinner) so the hotel could send me a new credit card authorization for the food. As my printer is in Palawan and Miss Andrea is in UK I had to forward the documents to another former colleague at Bapco to print, drive to Awali (45 mins each way) sign and photograph them ( scanner in Palawan too!) and send them back to the hotel.
I hope they enjoy their meals in Senordamla restaurant, run by Chef Arnel- friend of Mama Jam!
The night before they were due to gather in Puerto, and while Kit was heading south in a van to join TJ and Jhoanna tragedy struck. Typhoon Odette hit Palawan on 17.12.21 with trees blocking roads. Sadly Kit was not able to make the event neither was Grecil. She was heading from Brookes Point in the southern tip of Palawan where she is studying to Puerto when the roads were blocked . Sensibly she managed to get to her brothers place ( he is also at University in Puerto) and stayed there the night before a horrendous journey back home to Nacpan. She tells the story here:
I was upgraded free to a suite overlooking the Big wheel at Ain Dubai
My favourite hotel, where I stayed in December 2020 with Erickson, is the JA Ocean view hotel.
"Located on Dubai’s famous The Walk on Jumeirah Beach Residence just steps away from Jumeirah Beach and offering endless shopping, dining and leisure facilities. JA Ocean View Hotel is ideally located whether you’re traveling on business or leisure, with its scenic Arabian Gulf views, 6 restaurants and bars, infinity swimming pool and free WiFi throughout the property.
All rooms and suites at JA Ocean View Hotel feature sea views and a private balcony"
Source : https://www.booking.com/hotel/ae/ocean-view.html ( accessed 30.11.21)
Wendy pointed out the Boxtones ( a band that originated in Awali) would be playing in their sports bar on 23 rd. December so will be there to cheer them on and listen to their great new track, "Winter is Here" https://boxtonesband.com/home#winter-is-coming-the-boxtones-christmas-single
To find out more about the Boxtones click here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boxtones
I return to Bahrain on 15 February. My one way first class ticket to Manila with Gulf Air expires at the end of February ( and my flexi visa to stay in Bahrain in May) . Let us hope that when I return to Bahrain Mid February 2022 , I can pack up my things here, send them to Palawan, and finally after a one year wait, retire in the Philippines.
Now that would be the best Christmas present ever!
Happy Christmas Beshy, Kuya Coco and Ate Tess
Finally, as I have most years, I had a Christmas dinner for my Pinoy friends in Bahrain. Ronnie could not make it, Jake is back in the Philippines and Joshua is in Dubai, Patrick in Germany, Ram in UAE and so this year there was only Beshy, Corleen and Coco! They decided they wanted Baboy Adobo, so that is what I cooked. However we did manage a Video call with Patrick who was busy cleaning his house in Germany while he waited for his husband Matthias to come home!
Corleen's present from his ever loving Tatay- an Apple pencil
Corleen bought the rice which Beshy eventually cooked in between Selfies and Tik Tok, Coco and Corleen bought me cards, and Beshy gave me a bag from Baguio to keep my condoms in! Corleen, fed up of cleaning my 2 year old 5 bd rubber shoes from Puerto bought me a new black slip on pair, and following Patrick's training got one free! Coco continued with his travel gift theme with an eye mask, earplugs and a pump action bottle for my Baby oil ( I am sure they will all be put to good use in Dubai Kuya!). I gifted Chef Coco my kitchen spices, flour etc. and Beshy had the xmas lights for his new flat while Corleen took all the cleaning materials!
Corleen, Coco, TBK join Beshy for a selfie while we wait for the rice to cook
On Saturday I went to Amwaj for a walk and lunch , and then met up with Gaye Bentham who gave me one of her 2022 calendars. I finally got my HP laptop back from JKR with a new screen and new RAM and quickly backed up the contents of both laptops and ,my phone before another disaster happens!
Later in the week I met up with Steve Lever and we went to the American Woman's Association Christmas Fayre at the Diplomat Hotel. It was so cold and even the Non Alcoholic Mulled wine did not hit the spot! After 30 mins we had visited all the stalls and left!
So , having planned not to celebrate Christmas this year I think I did a good job ensuring my loved ones, who have looked after me all year, had a good time!
Christmas is a very important festival for the Phillipino's starting in September and running through to February
So let me end by wishing you :
A Merry Christmas
Ma ambeng nga ka paskuwan kanindo
Maligayang Pasko
Maayong Pasko kaninyong tana
( That's English, Cuyunon, Tagalog and Bisaya- just 4 of the 700 languages / dialects spoken in the Philippines- I am learning fast!!)
 |  |
Hello, I am The British Kabayan! Feel free to read my stories.
No comments:
Post a Comment