My Granddaughter Heather Colleen Sanguyo’s Birthday is what happens, now I know this isn’t a Nation Holiday, but its right up there with the biggies. Well, that is, as far as I’m concerned. Monday the 3rd of October she turned nine. This presented a bit of a problem for me as Toy’s “R” Us is no longer the store of choice for her. The Hula Hoops were my last purchase there, and I’ll miss the place.
I called my daughter Yohanna May, and asked for the inside information as to what would be the best gift for Colleen, (AKA Ling-ling). I was informed that because her number one activity is being on the “Dolphins Swim Team, and going to all the meets around Luzon, her focus was on swimming gear.
Saturday morning (1st of Oct.), my son-in-law Chris and Hanna and Ling-ling pick up Mayang and me, and not to forget Mayang’s sister Claira and of course my niece Shay-Shay, and off to the mall in San Fernando we go, I gave Shay-shay P 1,000.00 pocket money so she’d feel good at the mall and spent some time with her as she was shopping. Her birthday is in December and I’ll take care of that party.
Straight to the food court for lunch, and Pizza Hut was their choice to eat. I have little say in matters such as that. After every item on the menu was ordered and partly consumed, the doggie bags appeared and were promptly taken to the car by Chris.
Off to the Speedo store, and yes, I did say Speedo. I was surprised at all the merchandise they sold aside from those bathing suits so loved, by over sixty European men.
Goggles, nose plugs, stretchy hats and flippers and bags to haul everything in, all of this just to aid you in reaching the other side of the pool. Plus we can’t forget the prices to sink you, while standing right there, in the mall.
I sat for over an hour, while the looking and touching of every item in the store was going on, and saw nothing that I would be pleased to buy for my special girl. So I asked the sales girl why didn’t they sell swimming watches, you know the kind that you can wear under water up to 300 meters? Her simple reply was: “Sir, that’s our other store, as she points across the way.”
I turn to the ladies, and then noticed Chrisanto was MIA, gone, down the road and somehow avoiding all of this. I sure do respect that guy, for he was smarter than me, I found out later that he was in the Hardware store grunting in a manly fashion. I now like him even more.
Across to the watch store to look at the latest fashion in swimming watches, now this perked up the excitement in Colleen, a brand new SPEEDO watch, the cat’s meow!
This is where it got interesting, for there were many watches in every shape size and color of the rainbow. I turned to my wonderful wife and told her to call me when it was done and they needed me to pay. This I knew would free me up for manly grunting of my own, down in the hardware store.
I then sat at Starbucks and enjoyed the many lovely views as they passed by. One hour plus had passed when I was summoned back to the SPEEDO watch store, as the selection process was down to two watches. I made all the appropriate noises the Wow’s and the Ahh’s until the choice was made. The price was just over hundred bucks but that was what I’d planned on anyway.
My son-in-law was still missing; he was making me so proud of him. But; Yohanna his wife? Not so very much.
When we were back at my house, Chris showed me something he found while wandering around. It was a small one piece speaker system for I-Pod’s Cell phones ECT. Then I found it would also play USB’s, and now I started in on him; “Chris, it never occurred to you to get one for me?” I asked. I went on for ten minutes joking about it, and then he tried to give it to me. I politely declined and asked him to pick me one up, when next he saw one. He will, this is a given!
So with her birthday on Monday and Texas Joe’s being closed that day, Tuesday about twelve of us from both families met up that night to hold a little birthday party as it is my Ling-ling’s favorite restaurant.
I know you want to ask, so yes the mall on 1 October was in full Christmas mode, and had been for a few weeks. I have a short break, until the shopping starts anew on a much grander scale.
My son-in-law Chrisanto was not hurt or injured in the writing of this article I really do love the guy!
Ah, the Smiggle speaker I suspect? Astounding quality for such a small thing really!
Jim;
Is that the name of it, it sounded as good as my Panasonic boom box and rechargeable too! Oh, I want one.
Yeah, shaped like an egg, and about the size of a duck egg? Comes in about six lovely colours too!
Jim;
They do come out with stuff now that is totally amazing, and to think that the 8-track got us excited those many years ago.
Hey Paul,
Great article, but I’m still trying to get that man in a speedo image out of my head. Maybe if I put some bleach in my eyes.
Does the Pizza Hut have the spicy chicken wings?
Hudson;
It’s in my head forever after being on the beaches of Southern France, with topless women, and spoiled by that. No Wings here!
Paul
I just want to let you know something Paul. Out of all the ppl out there in the Philippines, In all the blogs and ALL the everything about expats in the Philippines. YOU are the one I want most to have a beer with and spend a hour or two just sitting there talking about whatever is under the sun. You are the one that has gotten IT. I have read blog after blog and have visited site after site about living in the Philippines, and you seem to have IT. I cannot expalin IT, but you know what I mean, I hope…. I want to Thank you for your insite. I will be there next first week of July. If you want or need something from the USA, just let me know. post your email or something . I would be more than happy to deliver.
Robert;
All I need is someone to have a beer with, my needs are simple. I write about how life is here as I see it, Politics and social reform or stopping people from smoking on Jeepneys just doesn’t interest me. But having a good time and staying stress free, is how I like to live. I’ll see you in July, and the beer will be cold!
Thanks for the visit to the Mall, Paul. That USB flash drive player really got my attention. In fact, the first time I saw something other than a PC, laptop etc. that would play music from a flashdrive was in a mall in the Philippines about a year ago. It was not a small item but a full sized stereo amplifier / reciever with a USB plug on the front of it. A shopkeeper was using it to provide music in the store. Things like that are starting to appear here now and sooner or later I’ll probably end up having one. Recently I read somewhere that Ford will replace the CD players in their cars next model year with AM-FM-USB players.
I guess this will put our former 4 and 8 track players another notch down the list of music players of the past.
Bob;
What dump the 8-track? My Car Stereo, home unit, and boom box all use USB. In the car I stick it in and hit random and change it out at the beginning of next month and never hear the same song twice. CD’s never again. The Smiggle Speaker (Thank to Jim I now know the name) will be good for the beach, and here in the neighborhood when I’m have a cold one outside with my buds.
I think it’s great as they only cost a couple of bucks, and if you break or lose it, just reload a new one.
Lol, when I was back there last May, my nephew’s homemade Owner-Jeep have the USB player w/ radio, very small but drives a large speaker system at the back–all homemade-Pinoy ingenuity!
Was in Savannah GA, last week and getting ready for estate sale, found an old RCA stereo w/ 8 track and still working–got to play the Matt Monroe track still in the slot.
Mars;
USB’s have been popular here for a couple of years, the US is catching up just now! Matt Monroe on 8-track, now that’s an oldie but goodie for sure.
Yep, got to listen to “Born Free” and “More”. Driving back down there in a couple of days to facilitate sale.
Still amazed at all the high-end malls and advance gadgets the kids have available to them. Picture this in 1993-when texting wasn’t even popular here in the US, contest was going on in Manila for the fastest texter. While in the Visayas, at the same time, observed a kid with tattered shorts, no shirt, riding on a water buffalo (Carabao–w/ “C”) and texting. A classic picture, wished I took picture of it back in ’93.
correction: the kid on the carabao experience happened in 2003–not 1993.
Mars
Oh that’s okay, my years run together too. (lol)
Mars;
Cruising” A1A with the top down and Matt Monroe tunes cranked up on your 8-track, is the picture of cool. The kid on the Carabao texting is funny. But the guy riding his 90CC Honda motorbike with his toddler on the tank, two more small kids and his wife on the seat behind him while he was texting, as they rode past my house was the strangest thing I’ve ever seen. Wish I took that picture.
Hey Paul, as far as Christmas mode, it’s the same here in the states. October had not even come around yet and the K-Marts, Walmarts, Targets, and the like, at least in my area, had the Christmas trees and decoration out, with the Halloween stuff. It use to be that you would not think about or see Christmas stuff till the day after Thanksgiving. No longer, LOL. BTW, I Like reading your articles. Very informative. Thanks :o)
Manny;
The Philippine Marketers have taught the rest of the world about selling at Christmas. Like you, when I was a kid we had to wait to get excited about Christmas. Channel 5 news here has a count down to Christmas every night.
Great job of writing Paul….pointing out many of the great (and not so great) things about the Philippines…Different cultures, different ideas, different schooling..all things that need to be relized by thoe of us that come here to retire………………….And Christmas here starts in September and lasts through the months that end in “ber”, 4 months of joy to be shared with family, friends and neighbors…….
My christmas tree is up now, waiting to be decorated by the wife and the nephews, as I didn’t bring any of my children from America here with me..but rest assured, they will not be forgotten.
Six months here now and headed to Manila this week to get my passport stamped with my TRV (13a). been waiting more then a month for this to happen. Again, all of the writers here on LiP are right…It was with the wifes help that it has taken so short a time for me to get the paperwork finished and then delivered into the correct hands so I can get this part of moving to the Philippines finished…Now for the next year to pass so I can get my Permantent visa stamp..
Met Paul K the other day, he is back from his extended vacation to the States.
What I had thought would just be a brief “Hello, glad to meet you and your family” turned into a few pleasant hours of chatting and a bit of tax advice. Nice to know you Sir…still need to call your number so that you can save mine..hehe
Everyone have a great day…TWYL Davila John
Paul,
Hope you had a good time with the b-day party at Texas Joe’s. That will be on my shortlist when i come next year. Going shopping for b-day presents for the Granddaughter will get you warmed up for the really big Christmas shopping day in a couple of months. But shopping is with the kids is what a Lolo and Tito are supposed to do. Chris really had the good idea. Going to the man cave store to kill some time. That smiggle speaker sounds neat. Will have to remember that. Want to Bring some back to the states. Take care my friend. Thanks for sharing another good chapter of your life in the Philippines.
Papa Duck;
When I’m with my granddaughter even the mall seems like fun, Christmas shopping is different as my job is to take her off on our own so her Mother and Lola can find presents. That BTW was Chris’s last time sneaking away without me with him. I’m meeting some friends at Texas Joe’s Friday for lunch, I love those baby back ribs, and my dogs love the bones I bring home to them.
Davila John;
There are a lot of hoops we must jump through here to get things done, but in the end it’s worth it. Good advice about listening to our wives, they seem to know how to “Git er done” around these Islands, I know I’d be lost if I didn’t pay attention to my wife.
Another great article about life in paradise.
The mall experience sounds about the same I get to go through whenever I can’t think of an excuse to get out of going. (You can only sharpen lawn-mower blades a couple of times before that excuse doesn’t fly anymore).
I’m glad to hear they still sell Speedos there. Back when Speedos were popular, I was too slim and trim to wear one, but I’ve got a gut now, so I’d look perfect in one.
I’m glad to hear your granddaughter had a great birthday!
Billy Mac;
I can’t remember the slim guy wearing a Speedo, it’s always the old fat guys that leave that image burned into our retina’s. Blades need to be honed to a fine edge weekly, you just have to do a better job selling that idea to your Lady!
Paul-
I gave up on the blade sharpening ploy a long time ago. Now she goes to the mall and I go across the road to Academy Sporting Goods. I can spend all day in that store and never be bored once. I call it the $200 store, because I usually don’t get out of there without spending at least that much.
Billy Mac;
A place to grunt and look at manly things, much better than sharpening blades. Like a hardware store, a “Man Cave” away from home.
Christmas merchandising already ? I thought we were just getting over the Back to School sales here a few weeks ago.
Speaking of early Christmas, it’s never too early to think about the Adventures of ” Minda-Clause ” and the ” LIP ” Christmas Drive. I wonder where it will be taking us this year.
I’ll have to start looking for my box of Christmas 45’s and dust them off to start playing them soon. Maybe I should put them on a USB Flash drive so I can be part of ” The In Crowd ” ! LOL
Bob;
The merchandising started in September. Christmas 45’s? did all your 78’s break? My wife has her own USB full of Christmas music, and I’m waiting for that to start soon.
Paul,
Smiggles, Speedos and Christmas….I can just imagine that conversation while having a few SMG…:-), no one would ever believe it. Only in the philippines :-).
John;
That’s the reason we drink SMB’s! (lol)
Hi Paul,
I’m playing catch up here, glad to hear your nieces birthday was eventually a success.
Regards,
Chas.
Typo, i mean’t Grand daughter, lol.
Chas;
Thank you for you kind wishes!