Day 2 - EDSA Megamall and Shangri La Plaza, will I make it through the day.
I am pushing GIN GIN to take us to the Malcanang Palace, I want to see where the President lives, but the girls and by the way, its 1 guy, thats me, and 4 girls, they are having none of it, "What do you want to go there for they ask" as though I asked them to jump over the edge of a cliff.
We wake up Friday morning, and Gin says to me come on, we are all going in the 2nd room to chat and have breakfast, what is it about Filipinos who are known for rising obscenely early in the morning, this happend this morning, and has always seem to happen for all the times I have been in country.
They have already been out and bought things for breakfast, I say, "Are we going to breakfast in the hotel", "No she replies, we already have been down Makati avenue and bought Jollibee for breakfast", we thought we would all eat together in the room, this is the way of Filipino families, forget any notions you have about privacy, they simply don't think that way.
They would rather go and buy food for everyone, and then take it to the room, and all sit and eat, this is how it has been for me, this is my experience, and its great to tuck into Pancake sandwiches and coffee.
Although I was wanting to rest and take a nice hot bath, I am told, we are all going, and to be quick and get ready, the girls want to go to EDSA mega mall, I am not looking forward to this, as the heat is already coming up, and its going to be a hot day again I can tell.
We all jump in a taxi again, which is fine because I come out of the hotel, jump in a aircon taxi and everything is fine, get off the other end, and go into an airconditioned mall, thats fine also.
EDSA Megamall is 3 floors of shops selling everything known to man, brands I have never heard of, again I end up dragging around behind the girls with my Iphone playing music, this is boring the pants off me, and Gina wants to put me in the cinema again, I am relucant since the place is huge, I have been to EDSA before, but our cousins have not, I forget, that here I am having travelled 6000 miles on a regular basis, and here we are, with family, who have never left the provinces I content myself with the thought that this is really for them.
One of the cousins is excited to buy something, and purchases a pair of shoes, and a blouse, Gina tells me, they will be ecstatic to take something back from Manila, everyone will get the hear about it....and they of course will be talking about their trip for days to come.
One of the young cousins is constantly on her cellphone, she never stops texting, I ask her, who is it Inday who is on the phone ?
"Oh its my boss at shoemart, she is wanting to know what I am doing, how is the mall, I said, but you have been texting all day, yes she said, maybe 100 texts, but I am keeping her informed, that is how it is..............texting all day, to keep other people informed of how the emerald city at the edge of the rainbow is....its hard to keep up with all of this.
After 2 hours of totally being dragged around, my Gina asks me, "Honey areyou ok, I can get you a drink, oh you are so kind, the cousins are so happy, they are shopping, why are you so nice...going around with us...(I choke at the thought), actually I am falling asleep, but I am trying to put on a brave face.
We decide to come out, and walk around to Shangri La Plaza which is about a 5 minute walk from EDSA mega mall, the Shangri La Plaza is more up market, with stores such as Gucci, Prada, Chanel, and alot of European brands, I am amused to see Debenhams, and Marks and Spencer are there, and many Italian brands, but the place is like a ghost town, there are a few sosyal type Filipina's prancing around, Gina calls them Ekra...! with their pencil slim skirts, Louis Vuitton handbags, and Blackberry phones, thats another thing Guys, it has to be Blackberry or the dont want it.
Something in the Philippines about cellphones, you have to buy them a Blackberry, that seems to be the in thing, doesnt matter what the phone can do, as long as its Blackberry.
But the plaza is almost empty, Gina tells me, not many come here, as its expensive, and even by London standards, things cost more here, because they are imported, its cheaper to buy these goods in London she says, "I am not paying these prices Gina tells me", its amazing how she calculates the difference, she has the advantage of course of living in the London area....and tells me, hmmmm there are no sales here...
ITS A HARD LIFE...NO 50 PER CENT. NO 70 PER CENT.....IT SIMPLY WONT DO "!
A couple of hours later, and intense purgatory for me, the girls call it a day, I am told we are off to eat Malaysian food, and she knows a good restaraunt locally to our hotel, I am happy, if my feet are anything to go by, my reputation as an ardent mall visitor just shot up...
My feet are killing me, where is the taxi....we are going to this Malaysian restaraunt, I forgot the name guys sorry it serves absolutely superb, King Crab Chili, and this is what the girls are being treated to.
Gin Gin's sister in law is asking about money, she says, we are spending too much on them, Gin Gin tells her...no...we are so happ to treat you...isnt that so, hubby ?
I LOL, I wish I had a button on my neck that she could press, and every time she presses it...It has a digital voice recording that says.. "Happy to help, happy to help" well what else am I there for, if its not to pay...
The bill is not much, about P2000.00 for 5 of us to eat out, and eat King Chili Crab all dressed in salad, and other gourmet items, I hardly flinch, thinking that in any event I could not afford to eat this at home...so why worry.
By 10.pm I am all out, its time to go and sleep, Gina tells me, tomorow we will all have a lie in, I am not sure what they mean by this, and I welcome it, my feet are killing me, I am hot, and I need to relax, by 11.00 my head hits the pillow, its been a long day, FILIPINO style, malls malls malls eat...malls eat malls eat....malls eat...
Tommorrow I am flying home....I am not looking forward to the goodbye stage...its finally hitting me..its all over...
