Sailing the Seven Seas

The call from Ms Goya came through and she instructed me to get in touch with Ms April of Ansco Casto Tours. Apparently I had been assigned to guide a group of Latin Americans who were arriving on board a ship on 02 March 2010.

I was in touch with Ms April and she then informed me to meet Mr Sedrick Hodgens at the Manila Hotel at 9:00 am.

I arrived at the Manila Hotel at 8:00 am just be sure I was way ahead of Mr Hodgens who hired me for the day. I was in uniform and ID and I looked extremely professional. I was at the lobby coordinating with Ms April while waiting for Mr Hodgens to arrive.

I was approached by a waitress at the lobby and was asked if I was ready to order. I informed her nicely that I was to meet with an important client and that should I decide to order anything I would call her attention. I had already had breakfast and was waiting earnestly for the vehicle that would pick me up. I was told by the same waitress that I was at a restaurant outlet of the hotel and that in order for me to stay there I would have to order. She directed me to spend my waiting time at an area near the doorway. In other words, I was being discreetly shooed away. I chose not to order anything even if I could afford it. I was being discriminated on in a historic hotel in my own country. I felt insulted. Whatever happened to goodwill in Manila Hotel?

It was already 9:00 am and still no sign of Mr Hodgens. I got in touch with Ms April and she gave me Mr. Hodgens' contact number. Mr. Hodgens was able to get in touch with me. Apparently, the ship wasn't arriving until 11:30 am. It wasn't anyone's fault. So I decided to wait elsewhere instead of having coffee in tghe lobby.

I was back at 10:30 am at 11:00 I got a call from Mr Hodgens. he said he was outside in his van and that I should go outside. We then proceeded to Pier 13 right behind the Manila Hotel and I was surprised to find a cruise ship. Apparently the guests were on board the Seven Seas Voyager. Oh, the lifestyle of the rich and famous!

They were indeed Latin American. The guests were from Guatemala. I instructed the driver to bring us to Intramuros. The first stop was at Fort Santiago. However as it was nearing lunchtime the guests declined a tour of the fort. I felt it was important for them to have an idea of what the fort was about so I gave my commentary on the van.

From there we moved on to San Agustin. I continued to give my commentaries of the Palacio del Gobernador, Plaza Roma, Ayuntamiento and the Manila Cathedral. As we reached San Agustin, it was already closed for lunch. Sra. Fernandez has been in the country prior to this tour and she missed seeing the san Agustin Church. This was the second time she missed it.

I brought them instead to Casa Manila which they relished with gusto. After the tour of Casa Manila, Mr Hodgens decided to go for lunch. Apparently the guests wanted to try Filipino food. All of them are in the food business. We drove to the Mall of Asia. They decided to go to a Watson's drugstore and then we went around the mall where they purchased Leonida's chocolates. Then they went around the food alley of MOA. After that we went to Chris Sports as Sra Fernandez needed an ankle support for her foot which she injured in Singapore.

I brought them to Makati in Greenbelt 5. It was a bit daunting to give commentaries are they were all in an animated conversation in Spanish. But I managed to get some vital information in especially on the real estate prices in Pasay and Makati.

They ate every morsel of lechon. The first part of the meal was Sinigang na Hipon. Then they tried the Bagoong Rice, Asparagus ala Pobre, Pritchon with 7 different types of dressing, and then the rest of the Lechon was deep fried in garlic. I tried to explain the food as much as I can in English and Spanish. After that some of the guests started taking Lipitor.

As with any other latino guests, meals are taken at leisure. We finished lunch nearly at four pm. They wanted to go to a Mercury Drug outlet. Then They said they wanted to buy pina barongs for the women. Mr Hodgens immediately opined Rustan's would be the perfect shop. Surprise! There were limited stocks and the guests weren't too crazy about the styles on the rack. The daughter in law did buy a banana fiber shawl wrap. Mr Hodgens decided to show them Rockwell as he lives there so the American Cemetery was scrapped.

We went to Rockwell and when they saw traffic building up in EDSA the guests said they had to be back on the ship by six pm. We coasted along the area and then decided to take Buendia. NO traffic there miraculously. We got to Roxas Boulevard in record time. Then there were police escorts for two Tourist busses that were taking their guests back to Pier 13. I told the driver to convoy and never lose sight of the busses. We got there on time with the guests having ample time to view Manila's famed sunset while on the van.

I bid them goodbye on the dock and gave them my business cards. Apparently, they do the cruise every year so I told them I hope to see them back...