- February 18, 2012, Saturday.
I. The Preparation
- My friend Angela asked me days ago if I'd be able to help her tour her Japanese friend around Manila, knowing I sometimes give "unofficial tours" to people. Angela wasn't too well-versed with the places in Manila, since she herself wasn't a Manilan girl. Angela only based herself here since college started.
- I couldn't give my work to Angela, although I wanted to tour the Japanese friend badly, since it has always been my joy to introduce foreigners (even locals) to the wonders of the Philippines. Besides, I also wanted to practice my rusty basic Japanese.
- I was told yesterday that we wouldn't have morning rehearsals for this day, so I immediately messaged Angela the good news. I'd be able to tour her friend, Kotaro Sakaki, Angela also informed me that we'd be accompanied by her friend, Karen Ong. Angela met both Karen and Kotaro in Singapore last 2009, during their exchange programs. Karen is also a Filipino Chinese, who happens to come from our rival university. Then again, that "rivalry" didn't matter. (It doesn't really matter to me personally too.) Aside from this, Angela also told me that Kotaro would be bringing his best friend as well.
- Since I had to put my best mascot self forward, as a self-proclaimed cultural ambassador (any culture that is,) I thought of wearing something from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. It also happened that the look I came up with also matched the colors of the Philippine flag. I wore my Ifugao vest (Luzon,) T'Boli necklace and bracelet (Mindanao,) and my coconut belt from Bohol (Visayas.)
- Needless to say, I also prepared my maps of Luneta and Intramuros, and quickly browsed through the Japanese book I used in the university before. I had much information overload, but I guess I was able to grasp enough Japanese for the day. Hey, that's also added knowledge. Haha.
II. New Friends
- I rushed to Times Plaza at 9:30am after getting off at the UN Avenue LRT Station, so I could meet Angela and her two companions. Apparently, I got ahead of her, so I phoned her. Angela told me that Karen was there already, so she gave me her number. I texted Karen, but she didn't reply.
- I got hungry while waiting so I decided to eat at Dell's, a canteen-like restaurant at the second floor, where I usually ate during my internship days at the Instituto Cervantes de Manila. I saw this girl sitting near the entrance, and seemed to me like she was Karen, but wasn't too sure.
- Just as I was about to pay for my food, the girl at the entrance met my look, and I mouthed the word "Karen?" to her. She said yes, and we both excitedly shared a table and talked. We became instant friends because of the number of common friends we had, and possibly because of more or less the same Filipino-Chinese background.
- Angela came moments later with her two Japanese companions, and by that time, Karen and I seemed like we've known each other for years. Angela introduced Kotaro to me, and Kotaro introduced Yoshinobu Inadome (aka Yoshi) to all of us.
- I tried to give the Japanese guys a nice impression of me, so I spoke in straight Japanese while introducing myself. After brief introductions, I said the magic word "ikimashyou" (let's go) and off we went.
III. Tomodachi-tachi (Friends,) Mabuhay, and Welcome!!
- We started our morning by going to the nearby Luneta and walked through the relief map. I explained the three parts of the country (Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao,) and related those to what I was wearing. In the middle of the bridge, I had a dramatic ceremony of giving both of the Japanese guys a pack of souvenirs each. I hope they'll use them.
- We all walked towards the Rizal statue at the other phase of the park, which gave us more time to get to know each other, and throw in some trivia about the country, depending on what we saw. Kotaro had a special interest in Lapu-Lapu's bahag-like attire. He asked me why he was wearing something like that, and I told him it was hot in the country, and it was natural for people here to wear that during the old times.
- We had a quick photostop at the Rizal statue before Kotaro mentioned about a "castle-like structure" that wanted to see. I told Kotaro that we were on our way there, which excited him more. Yoshi, however, was still a bit tired from the early flight to Manila from Singapore (a stopover from Japan.)
- We arrived at Intramuros not long after - after crossing the street- and went to Silahis where Yoshi bought some native souvenirs. It was also a time for Angela, Karen, and me to rest a bit.
- I decided to have a short detour at the Baluarte de San Diego, a concentric-circular fort located along the way. It was also my first time there, so it interested me quite a lot.
- We headed towards the seemingly-far-but-not Fort Santiago, and headed quickly to the famous inner gate. Here, I had my first of a series Japanese fails.
Gilbert: Shashin o tabemashou. (Kotaro gave me a strange stare.)
Karen/Angela: Why??
Kotaro: He said that we eat the pictures.
Gilbert: Huh?? I said torimashou. (Torimashou = Let's take (photos)!!)
Kotaro: You said tabemashou. (Tabemashou = Let's eat!!)
Gilbert: OH REALLY??.....................Fine I'm hungry. :)) :)) :)) :))
- We went inside to find the embeded golden footsteps of Rizal, showing the route to his execution in Luneta. I explained it to the Japanese tourists, but they didn't quite understand. I dragged Karen hurriedly, and asked her to play along.
Gilbert: Karen-san wa Rizal desu. Watashi wa Supein-jin desu. (Karen is Rizal, I am a Spaniard.)
Japanese guys: OK.
Gilbert: Karen talikod ka!! Makiride ka lang. (Karen turn your back!! Just go with the flow!!)
Gilbert: ICHI....NI....SAN....BANGU!!!! (1....2....3....Bang!!)
(Karen does a theatrical pretend-death from the invisible bullet I just shot.)
- We all laughed at this but thankfully the Japanese both understood. Apparently, this second Jap-fail wasn't the last. The next one -and the last one- happened after the visit to the Rizal Shrine. The Rizal Shrine visit was brief, and aside from showing the usual things Rizal owned, we showed them Rizal's Japanese girl friend, O Sei San, and the Japanese translation of Rizal's "Mi Ultimo Adios."
- The exit of the shrine led to the river-side, where the dungeons with open-but-grilled-ceilings were located at basement-level. The reason for that is because when the rain came, the river would have a high tide, flood the area, and kill/drown the prisoners. It was hard for me to explain this in Japanese, so this is how it turned out....
Gilbert: Shita wa...."dungeon" desu. Puhrizonahhh....uhh....Reinu-shhhh....Pasig River....TSUNAMI!!!!....JIN....SHINU!!!!
(Below....is the dungeon. Prisoner/s....uhh....Rain-(making splashy sounds of rain)....Pasig River....TSUNAMI!!!!....Person/people....DIE!!!!)
- It was fun and embarrassing to do this in public, bu the Japanese guys seemed to understand me. That was the most important thing. Hahahaha. We all had a good laugh about this.
- We were later on our way to have lunch at Max when the rain fell hard. We took shelter at the door of the unusually-closed Manila Cathedral. Since Max wasn't too far away, we walked there just as much of the rain subsided.
- We had a feast at Max. We ordered sinigang na hipon, kare-kare, Max's chicken, and pork adobo (Kotaro's request and favorite.) We also had two dessert samplers for all of us.
- Karen and I had to leave after lunch, as for me it was because of rehearsals. I don't know about Karen though. As for Angela, she took the two Japanese guys to see the San Agustin Church, and let them rest the whole afternoon afterwards.
- Karen and I had a good walk-and-talk back to Binondo, a bridge away from Intramuros, and walking over the mighty Pasig River. Karen and I soon parted ways, and I got myself ready for an afternoon of rehearsals.
IV. Rehearsals
- One statement. Everyone had ADHD. I don't know why, but it seemed that everyone had much sugar to consume, and so the comment. Rehearsals were fruitful though, at least I'd like to think so, but everyone was a lot of fun.
- Scout Oliver dropped by as well, since he was with his scouts at the adjacent room, and wore the thobe/kandura and keffiyeh he brought back from his scout-thing in Sharjah, UAE. His costume complemented my costume oh too well. Haha.
- Rehearsals ended at half past six, tired everyone was, but little did I know, oh goodness, everyone's ADHD struck again. Haha.
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