TBK Travels- " Welcome home, sir! A blog and vlog combo

 
     My home in Manila since 2010- The Heritage Hotel in Pasay

When you have been waiting to go somewhere for 14 months you build up a long list of things to do! So I engaged Chester's services to assist me. We agreed he would spend a day in Manila and then I would return with him to Marikina for a day . You can see that vlog/ blog combo by clicking the link below: 

https://thebritishkabayan.blogspot.com/2022/04/tbk-travels-to-sleepy-city-of-marikina.html

Things did not start well- the plane arrived late and we were all ushered into a lounge and told to get our documents ready. They said we would be processed one at a time for health screening and contact tracing and to see if we needed quarantine or not. I felt very sorry for the OFW returning home who had waited 2 years to see their children, and those with onward connections. The military guy in command was having no excuses and only instructed us by microphone in Tagalog. My special thanks to the Pinoy from KSA in an Almarai Dairies fleece who translated for me and said that Seniors and PWD ( People with Disability) could go to the front of the queue. I limped, Zaid Style, to the soldiers and showed my age on my passport and was saluted! They sent me to the front of the queue of maybe 300 people. By the time we got to the luggage carousel my bag was one of the first off and there was a long line of taxis outside. Having been ripped off many times at Manila airport I opted for the metered taxi and asked for the price at the desk. The man told me it was metered and pointed to the word "Metered" on the side of the taxi like I was Tanga or Bobo. He said I did not need to worry! We set off in the usual bad Manila traffic and the driver was very chatty taking about my retirement and the upcoming Philippine election. I was tired after the long flight and did not realise until we got to the hotel he had forgotten to turn the meter on. When I asked the fare he said "whatever you paid last time". I gave him 1000 peso ( 7 bd /£14) and he drove off, It should have been 250 peso, 2 bd or £4 I found out when I returned to the airport a week later. I then remembered the advice of all my OFW friends in Bahrain - " Do not trust ANYONE in the Philippines!"

        The sign on my door- sadly they missed the ant nest under the desk

The Heritage had been divided in two physically with guards checking vaccination cards before allowing anyone in the vaccinated part. Half the hotel was designated for guests without vaccination who had to undergo quarantine, They were allocated the lower floors with no access to the restaurant or pool. Us lucky vaccinated tourists with negative PCR were given the top floors with access to the restaurant and pool. At this point I want to thank my brother Richard, for insisting I was vaccinated and Vince for insisting I had a booster before I left Bahrain !

My lunch at The Heritage. With a Malaysian GM for 25 years they have a great selection of Malaysian and Singaporean food which I love.

I was whisked by the doorman , once he checked I was on the vaccinated list , to the 9th floor and checked in at the old Executive ( Millennium Club ) check in. After dropping my case I went straight downstairs for a late lunch. The buffet part of the restaurant was closed ( only used for breakfast and one might for a buffet dinner) and I was sat by the lounge and given the a la carte menu.

If you want to see more of my week in Manila check out the Vlog here:

I was so excited to finally be in the Philippines but as it was Grecil's 21st Birthday on 26 April I had not told them of my early arrival. All my friends played along and I posted daily on Facebook as if I was in Bahrain. Then on April first I taught them all about the English / American concept of April Fool

You can read all about that in my next Blog from the Philippines by clicking the link below:

https://thebritishkabayan.blogspot.com/2022/04/tbk-travels-truth-behind-april-fool.html

It was sooo funny! I was so frustrated to be so close to the ones I love, yet not able to contact them, so as not to spoil the surprise for Grecil ( in my arms in the picture at the foot of the Blog)

     TBK with the beautiful restaurant greeters and seaters and supervisors

I spent an enjoyable few days acclimatizing ( hot and humid in Manila), catching up wit old friends at The Heritage like the HR Director who I met with Marco in 2018, and the waitresses and supervisors in the restaurant who have been there for over 20 years.

           Mass at Baclaran church , a short walk from the Heritage hotel

I also got in my 5000 steps a day by walking to the beautiful Baclaran Church for Mass and to Mall of Asia and Manila Bay. One day I walked to the Sofitel along the bay and as it was a Sunday saw all the bagets out cycling. They were all so friendly , waving and shouting as I filmed them as they rode past.

You can read all about my joyous return to Manila in the coming blogs.

Kita Kits Palawan.

Ingat Palagi!