A PHILLIPPINE FAIRYTALE - Back To Base, Chennai To Cebu - 16 December 2022

4.30 am was the time agreed with Jonathan for airport drop from the Marco Polo Residences. I was at the reception well in time, but there was no news of Jonathan. I called him up and was told that he had been to a morning mass, it being the first day of the 9 day novena leading to Christmas. 16 December is a very special day for Filipinos, inherited from the Spanish times.

Jonathan arrived at a quarter to 5 am and I was sweating under my collar not knowing when I would get to the airport. He added steam to it by saying that roads are crowded everywhere with people attending the 4 am mass. Evidence could be seen in the way to the airport. Jonathan drove fast, but safety was his primary concern. He told me that the nine day novena, signifying the search for lodgings by Joseph and the pregnant mother of Jesus, would culminate in the Misa del Gallo, the midnight mass on Christmas Eve. He said that people would go back from the mass and feast as if there would be no tomorrow.

Jonathan got me to the airport within 20 minutes and I proceeded to complete check-in smoothly. Since the flight from Cebu to Manila was a domestic flight I would have to retrieve the baggage in Manila. Fortunately, there was enough lay over time in Manila. Another stroke of luck was that from this day the Air Asia flight from Cebu to Manila lands in Manila International Terminal 3, instead of Terminal 4, avoiding any terminal transfer.

The flight took off on time and I recapped a few learnings from the Philippines tour. Fuel prices almost doubled due to the Ukraine war, from 38 PHP to 72 PHP a litre. Interestingly, fuel prices are revised every Tuesday. The upward or downward revision is announced in advance so that people can act prudently. There has been a downward trend over the past couple of weeks. Traffic enforcers are used effectively at traffic points to regulate and smoothen traffic flows. Unauthorized parking and crowding are thus avoided.

A variety of transport is available for the common man. Tricycle, e-bikes, jeepneys, buses and taxis. In Cebu there were three types of taxis, white, black and yellow, ranging basic to premium. An additional month's compensation is mandated by law for every 12 months' work. This is valid for private and public sector employees. The additional salary, with bonus, if any, has to be paid before 24 December every year.

Nowhere did I find anything even remotely resembling eve teasing. The dignity women enjoy in Philippines society is incredible. This is not to say that there is no crime against women. But, the abiding value system in South East Asian countries of treating women with respect can be seen here too. Road side Romeos and the men who strut around thinking they are God's gift to womenkind are happily absent. Pedestrians also are similarly treated with respect and they are given the right of way at pedestrian crossings.

The profusion of Carendieras ensure cheap, healthy and hygienic food at wayside eateries. That is the place to try out local foods, a kind of a laid out buffet from which one can choose. Filipinos are generally a happy lot, smiling and respectful. They are invariably unhurried and patient. There is not even an iota of aggression in their daily lives. They are honest, trusting and truthful. They deliver what they undertake to.

The flight landed in Manila a half hour before time. I rang up Alex, my nephew, after retrieving baggage. He suggested that we go out for breakfast after checking in the baggage for the Manila-Kuala Lumpur-Chennai flights. At the check-in counter I was told to wait another hour. Hence, I went with Alex for breakfast to Marriott, close to the airport. The hotel restaurant was choc a bloc.

We opted to have a la carte instead of the huge buffet. Even the set breakfast turned out to be a huge feast. Mango juice and fruits (watermelon, musk melon, orange and pineapple), milk coffee, bacon, sausage, rice and scrambled eggs. With great effort I got through most of it and scrambled back to the airport for the check-in. Alex and Gael were perfect hosts during my Philippines sojourn. They were always there supplying information, connecting people, providing logistics support, volunteering hospitality and showering affection.

After immigration and security I still had some time to kill at the Manila International Airport. I went on a leisurely tour of the duty free shops and picked up a bottle each of Don Papa Rum and Mango Rum Liqueur. In one of the stores I spent extra time looking for souvenirs. I picked up a fridge magnet and a shot glass. Thereafter, I had to walk a fair distance to my Gate. When I was settling down near the Gate I realized that I did not have my phones with me. I thought back to where I could have misplaced them. It could either be while picking up the liquor or buying the souvenirs. When I was striding fast towards the souvenir shop the young man who had attended to me there was walking towards the Gate trying to locate me. I went to the shop, retrieved the phones and thanked the staff.

The flight from Manila took off 75 minutes late. Fortunately, there was adequate time for the connection to Chennai. At Kuala Lumpur the walk was so long to get to the Gate printed on the boarding pass. But, when I got there I realized that the Gate had been changed. It was truly exhausting and a bit frustrating. However, the security checks were so quick that I did not have to wait very long for the multiple checks I had to take because of the Gate change. I reconfirmed from an airline staff too, not wanting to rely purely on the display, the correct Gate before settling down to a cup of coffee and croissant.

The flight to Chennai took off a half hour behind schedule. The thud on landing at the Chennai International Airport woke me up after three and half hours of flying. Since I was among the first to reach Immigration the clearance was quick. Chaos reigned supreme at the airport exit. The Multi Level Car Parking had been inaugurated at the airport, evidently without any thought to the processes involved. Massive confusion for arriving passengers, snaking queues of outgoing vehicles and hapless supervisors waving their batons and exercising their lungs. No method in any madness. Welcome back to Motherland.

A PHILLIPPINE FAIRYTALE - Last Day in Cebu - 15 December 2022

I had arranged with the biker who I had engaged last evening to take me on a tour of Mactan this morning. He was to have reported at Marco Polo at 9 am. When I didn't see him till well past that and with no response from his mobile I engaged another bike taxi after detailed rate negotiation. I explained the places I wanted to visit in Mactan to avoid any confusion at a later stage. According to Google Maps the round trip would be about 60 km; a fairly long distance on the pillion through crowded, polluted streets. The rate agreed to was 700 PHP for three hours.

Busy period traffic can be overwhelming in Cebu. The biker, Herman, ploughed on nevertheless. With me clinging on for dear life, but putting on a nonchalant countenance by humming a few Bollywood songs, the ride was a tour of Cebu's business district and the Port area. Past that we got on to the Marcelo Fernan Bridge to cross over to Mactan. It is the second Cebu-Mactan Bridge spanning the Mactan Channel connecting mainland Cebu to Lapu-Lapu city. It is also the second longest cable stayed bridge in the Philippines at 1.2 kms. The original name of Mactan was Opong. As the islanders turned to piracy it came to be referred as Mangatang - to wait in ambush - which evolved with the dialect into Matan and then Mactan.

Magellan's Marker and Lapu-Lapu Monument are together known as the Mactan Shrine. The shrine was established in 1969. While Magellan's Marker is dedicated to the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, the bronze statue commemorates Lapu Lapu, a native leader who defeated Spanish soldiers led by Magellan.

The site is believed to be where Magellan was killed during the Battle of Mactan in April 27, 1521. The large memorial grounds face the Magellan Bay. A matter of interest to note is that the monuments in Manila overwhelmingly focuses on Jose Rizal and Cebu is all about Magellan and Lapu-Lapu.

ShangriLa, Mactan is very close to the Mactan Shrine and this super luxury hotel offers more than 500 distinctive rooms with views of the Mactan Channel. I went there to check out water sports activities they have advertised. It was a super hot and humid day and I must have looked quite cheeky to try out parasailing, jet skiing and banana boat ride.

The hotel grounds are manicured and huge with exceptional views of the waters. I passed through a small golf training course, a couple of swimming pools and a spa before reaching the Scotty's adventure point. The price they quoted for less than an hour for all three activities combined was a ridiculous 9800 PHP, while it was announced for less than half that at many other locations. After walking around a bit more taking in the glorious sights I got back to the bike to seek out the famous floating restaurant, Lantaw.

When we reached the Lantaw Floating Restaurant through very crowded streets I was, frankly, super disappointed. Firstly, there was nothing floating about the restaurant. Someone tried to explain it away by saying that it was low tide at the time of my visit. Whatever, the restaurant supposedly serves authentic traditional food. There were quite a few during that hour in the restaurant.

I didn't stay for lunch because of the contract with the biker to be back before 12.30 pm. Beside the Lantaw Floating Restaurant is the Korean owned cafe, the 10000 Roses. Its USP are the 10000 led lit roses and a glass fronted viewing deck. Because of its uniqueness, it is popular for weddings and corporate get-togethers. The sun had become insufferable by then.

From the Floating Restaurant we backtracked a bit to get to the highway that would connect the recently opened third bridge, Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway, in short CCLEX. It is the third bridge across the Mactan Channel and the longest cable stay bridge in the Philippines, at 8.9 km. The tolled expressway is a beauty. Bikes are charged 60 PHP for a one-way trip. It connects the southern part of Mactan to the Cebu mainland. The views of Cebu skyline and the Mactan Channel as well as the architecture of the lovely bridge are indeed awesome. CCLEX was inaugurated on 27 April 2022, just eight months ago.

With that ended the tour of Cebu and Philippines. Whatever I wanted to see was done. Of course, the water sports activities didn't happen. Maybe, that's for another time, another place! I told Herman to drop me at Anzani, touted as the restaurant that serves new Mediterranean cuisine. One look at the menu and I knew it would be the costliest meal in Philippines. Regardless, I ordered a soup and pasta. Disappointing was the portions. The wild mushroom cream soup was extraordinary, but the pasta was just so-so.

The day had been hot and humid. Tough to walk around, but the skies held. Late in the evening it rained heavily with drums of thunder and slivers of lightning accompanying it. When the rain eased a while I made haste to the Marco Polo Plaza. I was told there that the Chinese restaurant in the Hotel had very recently reopened. I decided to give that a try.

With the steward's guidance I ordered a small portion of mushroom noodles and pork belly. In one of the larger enclosures of the restaurant a Christmas party was in progress. The people in there didn't care for others in the restaurant. They were raucous and too loud for comfort.

When the noodles and pork arrived I wondered when I would get through the portions. In the end, most of it got packed up for an onslaught en-route! The food was outstanding. The manager of the restaurant told me that he had worked in Mumbai for a couple of years and had learnt to cook many Indian dishes, biriyani being his favourite.

The Philippines stay has been enjoyable and informative. The weather was almost always in favour of the outdoors. The bags are packed and a short nap away is the ride to the airport.

A PHILLIPPINE FAIRYTALE - A Laid Back Day in Cebu - 14 December 2022

The activities scheduled for this day included Parasailing, Jet skiing and Banana Boat Ride. Since the previous morning I had been calling up, emailing and messaging companies that organise such activities. None of them returned the calls or responded to the emails and messages. Disappointed at not being able to do the activities that remained on my bucket list I decided to spend a good part of the day near the IT Park and the Malls near it. With that intention I took a taxi, after a breakfast of honey and berry cornflakes in cold milk, to Ayala Mall.

The Ayala Malls Central Bloc is said to be the hub of young urbanite Cebuanas. It is a vibrant hang-out destination for those seeking work-life balance. It features refreshing retail and dining outlets, book stores, IT related shopping experience, home stores and venues to chill out. It is one of Cebu’s most hip and happening Malls. I reached the Mall a little before 10 am and found a fairly long queue in front of the entrance because the Mall was not yet open to business. I looked around the blocks adjacent to Ayala Mall and found a preponderance of new age businesses located there, particularly those related to IT. It must be noted that much of the province's economic activity is driven by manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles and real estate. However, in the recent past IT and related industries have made an impact in employment and skills development.

While walking around the Ayala Mall my eyes fell on an outlet of Mang Inasal, which is a must try while in the Philippines. It was too early to try that but their promotion of Halo-Halo, the national dessert enticed me. Even at that early hour the outlet was busy serving its delicacies, foremost of which was the unlimited rice and Chicken Inasal. The Halo-Halo was delicious, but the quantity was huge. After taking my time over it I spend considerable time in the Mall admiring many of the displays in the retail shops, particularly locally produced jewellery, souvenirs and gifts.

Even when I was window shopping in the Mall my mind was rooted to the Chicken Inasal. Unable to control the 'urge' I decided to have an early lunch at Mang Inasal. It was fortunate that I found a place within the restaurant. My order didn't take long to come. I hadn't chosen the unlimited option, instead it was single rice, Chicken Inasal and Sprite. Along with that came chicken broth and soy sauce. Heavenly, it was. It was not just an ordinarily grilled chicken. There was something to it that made it very different, yet was a grilled chicken. No masala at all.

With that done, I came out of the Mall wanting to hire a taxi to the flower garden. That's when I spotted the habal-habal, the bike taxi. One of them agreed to take me to the Flower Garden, the Terrazas De Flores. It is considered to be a proud work of art by the local farmers using interlocking stones. Terrazas de Flores is a terraced botanical garden. Having read about the salubrious environ, the cabanas and viewing decks I reached the place only to find it closed. Disappointed, once again.

Without a doubt, one of the top attractions of Cebu City is the Tops Lookout. Last evening Jonathan had strongly suggested a visit to the La Vie in the Sky restaurant on the way to the Tops Lookout, which was closed due to inclement weather and landslides a few days back. In fact, all along the ride up the steep roads to Busay I could see many landslide locations at a distance. A part of the Busay road too was under the supervision and control of traffic enforcers.  It became much cooler as the bike took to the winding mountainous road.

La Vie in the Sky is one of the recent additions to the many mountain top restaurants on the Tops road. It has taken French dining experience to a new level, according to reviews. The location of the restaurant is such that people started going there just for the views. To discourage that and promote their business the owners now charge an entrance fee of 100 PHP that can be set off against the food and drink order. The restaurant is reputed to have some fine wines in their stock.

The decks offer glorious views of the skyline, the topo and the waters. The restaurant has been so aesthetically fitted out that it gives the feeling of actually being in one of the Parisian cafe-restaurants. After a leisurely cup for coffee on the deck, soaking in the magic and taking in every detail of the superb surroundings I left as I felt a few raindrops on my corpulent cheeks.

After some rest in the condo I walked down to the Luhag centre, briefly walking in through the wet market, where business was brisk after office hours. Fish and meat were on sale in plenty. Polite bargaining and quiet nods were the business tools. Many shopkeepers tried to entice me with deep discounts!

Not far from the Luhag junction was the JY Mall. The Supermarket in the Mall was incredibly busy with late evening shoppers filling their bags before returning home from work. I had a beef wrap in one of the eateries in the JY Mall and took a bike taxi back to Marco Polo. Cebu is on the radar of those who prefer a perfect blend of city and suburban life. It certainly has good food, beaches, a thriving entertainment scene, rich culture, happy people and modern conveniences for a comfortable life.

A PHILLIPPINE FAIRYTALE - Whale Sharks & Waterfall - 13 December 2022

Yesterday morning, when giving me a ride to the Yap Sandiego Ancestral Home, Jonathan had told me that he does trips to Oslob with guests for the Whale Shark viewing. Even though I had initially decided to hire Jay R for 4500 PHP, he sent me a message saying that his car had to be taken to the workshop and hence, would send me a friend of his with another car.

This was the second time he was palming me off to other drivers. So, I politely refused his offer and contacted Jonathan for the duty, which he readily agreed to. His charge was slightly higher at 5000 PHP, but the car was far superior, a 2.8 litre, superbly maintained Toyota Innova. Moreover, I found Jonathan to be easy to chat with and full of information.

We had agreed on a 3.30 am start. On the dot we left Marco Polo Residences. I was adequately armed with extra clothing for the shark viewing tour and a visit to the Tumalog waterfall.

Jonathan and his nonstop conversation ranging from economics to politics, family to jobs, development of new age businesses to industrial and agricultural transformation, food to liquor, I found him an amazing conversationalist. Naturally, his first job was as a salesman for more than 15 years. I could fathom that he was quite successful at what he did. For the past twelve years he has been driving a taxi and building friendships with most of his guests.

Jonathan is a good natured person and a very keen student of history and politics. His knowledge of Filipino politics is astounding. We discussed presidents from Magsaysay to Marcos to Aquino to Duterte. He explained how Naga city, which neighbors Cebu City, was transformed from a municipality to a city due to the hard work of a single person who brought in power plants, cement plant and generated infrastructure and jobs.

We reached the whale shark viewing area close to 7 am. Oslob is a tiny seaside town located on the southernmost edge of the Cebu mainland. It has lately become a popular tourist site due to whale shark expeditions.

While there are year-round whale shark sightings, the best time to visit is supposed to be March to April when the highest concentrations of these magnificent fish come to visit. The time for whale shark viewing, the year around, is from 6 am to 12 pm. Lots of people had reached the viewing area by the time I reached there. I collected what I needed for the tour such as waterproof footwear, comfortable clothing and GoPro.

I went to the enclosure to go through the four step process to get a boat; registration, payment, number allocation, briefing. Instructions are strict about how to conduct oneself in the company of Whale Sharks. Diving and snorkelling are time-and people-limited activities that are done in batches. Each group is given 30 minutes to see or swim with the whale sharks. I was given a safety vest to wear and was asked to wait for the call. I had chosen 'swimming with the sharks' option.

When I was called to a boat it had three crew and eight guests. We cast off and less than a hundred metres from the shore we were asked to fix the goggles and get off the boat for viewing the gentle giants. It was 30 minutes of unadulterated fun. The sharks seemed totally at ease with the human trespass. Their huge mouths seem frightening. I handed over my GoPro to one of the crew and asked him to film me underwater. The large guys passing by your side, sometime even brushing you, was an unreal experience.

Once I came ashore I had a shower and changed. I was ravenously hungry by then. Jonathan and I had breakfast at the WinWin restaurant close to where the car was parked. I had beef noodles and chicken adobo and a cup of coffee while Jonathan had a portion of rice and eggs.

Tumalog waterfall is a turnoff just a few kilometers on the return to Cebu. The steep drive to the car park of the waterfall is about a three kilometers. But the road was a newly laid concretised one. Beyond the car park there are motorcycles that ferry guests to and from the waterfall. I hitched a ride in bike 11. He told me that he would return when I was through with my session at the waterfall.

Weather wise the best time to visit Tumalog falls is supposed to be between December and June. The water at Tumalog falls isn’t too deep, so even a person like me, who isn't a swimmer, felt confident and comfortable because I could touch the floor of the fall pool at all times. The fall is approximately 100 metres and the water is relatively cold. And, since it was hot and humid I did not mind the cool water at all. In fact, I was reluctant to come off from the pool.

Guests, particularly young girls, use the falls and the pool more for photography and less for the glorious time in the water. I went right under the falls and felt the sharp thuds of water on my neck and back. It is supposed to be therapeutic in a sense for those with neck and back pain. A rainbow added to the ambience.

The water from the falls cascades down a few levels and flows though in a narrow stream beyond the falls limit. There are toilets and changing rooms as well as a dining deck at the entrance to the falls. After the fun time I had in the falls I changed clothes and took the motorcycle ride with number 11 back to the car parking area. There I paid 50 PHP for the motorcycle ride and was told that entrance fee to the falls of 50 PHP is waived for senior citizens!

Almost the entire trip back to Cebu I dozed off and woke up about 30 km short of Cebu. The traffic was incredibly heavy and that seemed to get under Jonathan's skin. He cursed at times and weaved expertly to make it to my next tour station, the Taoist Temple, built by the affluent Filipino-Chinese population of Cebu in 1972.

At 110 meters the temple has glorious views of the city and the vast areas beyond. The multi-tiered, many-hued temple is open to both worshippers and non-worshippers alike, who have to follow a strict set of rules while inside the holy premises. Photography of the altar and anything rendered holy is prohibited. There is curious custom of washing one's hands, lighting a joystick and dropping a couple of wooden blocks on the ground to find an answer to one's question before the altar. The 81 steps to the temple represents 81 chapters of the Taoist scriptures.

Once the temple visit was done Jonathan dropped me back to the residence, where I paid him the fare. I also requested him to drop me off at the Mactan International Airport on 16th morning for the first leg of my flight back to Chennai.

In the evening, while on a stroll to find something to eat, I chanced upon a Japanese eatery, the Ori restaurant. The seafood noodles and mixed mushrooms were fantastic. A couple of cans of San Miguel Light later I was ready for bed.