One of the things I love about the Philippines is that they are always celebrating something. Cakes and banners are big business here. My first Inanak, Cyrus, has had 6 monsary celebrations so far.
When I asked Chester to design a card for Elay (Jhoanna’s step sister and my latest scholar) for her 18th Birthday he told me that an 18th birthday in the Philippines is very important . He designed a special card using some pictures that Jhoanna obtained for me.
In the UK we always give Birthday cards (very rare in the Philippines) so I printed the card on photo glossy paper that I found when I unpacked my things. Chester also sent me a soft copy for my Blog ( see below) and I uploaded it to Facebook yesterday with my apologies for not being able to make it!
The Front/back of the card , above , and the inside, below
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As usual my heartfelt gratitude to Chester, who designs all my cards
When I invited Elay to Jhoanna’s surprise 22nd
Birthday she apologised and said she could not come as she had a rehearsal for
her graduation that day. She then travelled through the night with Kit and
Chalsee, stayed at Jhoanna’s boarding house and turned up at 3 pm with Danica to
surprise me. Well done to Kit, Chalsee and Jhoanna for keeping that one quiet.
The invite from Elay ( real name Janna Mikaela Campos)
Jhoanna reminded me it was Elay’s 18th on
17 July and asked if I wanted to go. I would not have missed it for the world!
We decided not to tell Elay that I was going . So when her invite arrived I
apologised and said I was sorry but it was too far to go ( 7 hour drive). Then
I asked Ritchelle to book me a room at Lio for 16, 17 and 18 July. When I
chased the confirmation a few dates later she said the reservations office was
closed to attend an Expo and a few weeks later she said she was sorry but the
reservations office was a little slow.
I tried to book through Agoda and Booking.com but the former would not process the booking without a prepayment on my credit card which was declined as back then I still had not paid the card off due to the problem with my UK Bank.
Booking.com no longer sells rooms for Huni! I chased Ritchelle again and tried to contact Huni on Facebook but got no response. Ritchelle said she was on holiday for a week and would check when she got back but as that was 7 July and the booking was for 16th I gave up and Lio lost another 27,000 pesos of my revenue.
It never ceases to
amaze me that they offer reduced price off season breaks on line and then it
takes a month to make a booking.
The view from my beach cottage at Nacpan- 1500 pesos a night
By contrast I messaged Ran who called MJ who booked the cottage at Nacpan for 3 nights
for 4,500 pesos, half the price of one night at Huni! I also asked Ran for a
new contact at Angkla, which he has now left for bigger and better things
(Congrats Ran). I wrote to book a table and birthday cake for 18th
July.
The maarte sosyal email from Angkla- no wonder they are selling rooms at 30% off- you would think they would be happy to take a lunch booking for 10,000 peso
They told me that they did not take bookings and meals
were on a first come first serve basis . This is a lie as the last time I was there a
big table was set up for a group who Ran told me were local regulars who
reserved a table to eat there often. They also told me that they could get a cake but it
would cost 3,400 Peso. I asked for a birthday cake not a wedding cake for 300 guests! The Hello Kitty cake for Jhoanna's birthday was just 900 peso. When I told Jhoanna
she had a heart attack and said we could get one much cheaper in El Nido.
Elay's birthday banner , designed by Chester and printed by Jayvee- thanks guys
No party in the Philippines is complete without a banner so I had one designed by Chester and got my Banner boy, Jayvee, to get it printed for me. Then I ordered the cake which arrived on Friday. Whilst Jhoanna is a Hello Kitty girl Elay loves Stitch so we had a stitch cake made by Little Things in Puerto.
Jhoanna told me that Elay loved her cake!
Finally I arranged for TJ to house sit and protect the windowless Blue House ( two blinds fell out and one window and Maggie, my landlady, has been pulling her hair out to find a contractor to replace them for the last 3 weeks).( Update- they came to fix the windows two days before I left- Thanks Maggie!)
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One of the kitchen windows that fell out when I closed it
A friend from Huni Lio , Jhoann, was looking for accommodation in Puerto for her and her brother on 14 and 15 July. I was happy to offer them a room at my house and offered to take them back to Lio on 16 July. The car would have been full as Jhoanna and Julimar had arranged to travel with me. Johann's brother, Jovan, is starting at PSU and has to enroll (Congratulations Jovan).
I have really enjoyed this month with so many visiting friends in Puerto and going to see old friends like Adam, Malcolm, Lovely and Rose in Port Barton. It is a welcome relief after the hassles and stress of May and June! Or so I thought!
Jovan and Jhoann at his High School Graduation
Of course nothing in my life is a simple as planned and first Jullymar had to work, then Johann and Jovan had to stay two more nights in PPC due to enrollment problems at PSU. Then after a 7 hour drive, and collecting Rodel from work at Huni we arrived at Nacpan to find the cottage locked, the beach bar closed and our contact MJ was in El Nido and did not have the caretakers number. Rodel , Rhoda and I had dinner at Sunmai and then checked the hotel next door but could not find the owner. We checked for rooms on Booking.com but none were available and then , finally, managed to get the last tent at Nacpan Glamping ( someone had checked out early).
Matilda and Tito Ungoy joined Rhoda and I for our free breakfast on Sunday at Sunmai
I wrote part of this blog yesterday at 430 am listening to the sea washing up on the beach outside in a big double bed inside a huge tent. I had a nice hot shower at 4 am and then waited for Rhoda to wake up, At 7 am Rodel ( who went home after dinner) met us for breakfast with Matilda ( who also had no idea that I was here in Nacpan!) . When Rhoda went to work and Rodel went to change for work I took Matilda for a walk on the beach and then we went paddling and collecting shells before I took her home to her Tata's and collected Rodel. We drove back to Lio at 930 am and I went to see Ritchelle. After more coffee and pancakes at new Lio restaurant Liam's ( owned by the owner of Charlies hotel whose son is called Liam) I went shopping in El Nido, and delivered a gift (Pasalubong from Dubai last year) to Tandiken cottages for Mama Jam.
The ladies of Barutaan had prepared an amazing feast for everyone
The men were kept busy cooking Baboy- special thanks to the two Baboy who gave up their lives to feed us all- charizz
I was running late so went back to Lio, collected Ritchelle at 2 om then her boys Kobe and JP and just made it to Elay's house for the start of the party at 3 pm.
Everyone had spent hours preparing the Marquee, stage, seating and balloons
Brother Remegio led us in prayer and Sister Angielyn praised the lord in song and many tears were shed . She has such a beautiful strong clear voice and was well supported by the musicians and other singers. The assembled congregation ( Her head teacher, English teacher, Ninong, Tito, Friends and family) then gave their best wishes and blue notes , flowers and cakes to the Debutante. I enjoyed surprising Elay and then I was surprised when the Brother Remegio surprised me when he called upon Tatay Neil from Bahrain to speak! I tried to remember all the Tagalog my friends had taught me while I waited for a year to get my visa and move to Palawan . I managed:
" Magandang Harpoon. Kamusta Ka. Happy birthday Elay, Ingat Palagi!"
Good afternoon , how are you, Happy Birthday Elay, take care !
It was the shortest speech of the day!!
Finally the formalities were over and Jhoanna's mum, Jing, and her team of helpers delivered the food to the tables and we all tucked in as the rain started to fall.
The grey haired balding fat guy in the pink tee shirt on the left is TBK!
Jhoanna. Elay , Aira Langis and the two Baboy who gave up their lives so we could eat!
After we ate I took Ritchelle and the boys home and drove through heavy rain to Nacpan where they had the key and I moved into the cottage and unpacked! And then I slept a long deep sleep.
So as I end this blog special birthday wishes to our Debutante , Elay, and I am honoured that you agreed to become my 5th scholar . Study hard and I look forward to attending your graduation when I am 65 years old!
Thanks also to everyone who worked so hard to make Elay's 18th birthday so memorable.
I am really learning to be a Kabayan now having attended a Pinoy wedding, a Pinoy 18th Birthday and become Ninong ( twice) and had my first Inanak ( next one due in September from Ate Sheila)
What's Next, oh yes, nearly forgot! I am about to be a real father with the arrival of a puppy dog on Wednesday- Salamat Ate Agnes!
Until then this is the British Kabayan or Tatay Neil signing out from Sunmai restaurant on Nacpan ( thanks to the Baristas for all the coffee, and the Chef for his amazing Steak last night)
Ingat Palagi
PS Don't forget our latest vlog-recorded in April, when we took a trip down memory lane to El Nido cove is now on our You Tube channel
Hello, I am The British Kabayan! Feel free to read my stories.
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