Every year I bemoan the yearly drive to the Mega SM Mall in San Fernando Pampanga. One and one half hours drive away. Do we have a New SM Mall in Olongapo? Why yes we do but it’s different in Pampanga as it was explained to me.
My Daughter, granddaughter and Son-in-law Chris arrive at my gate in their Innova. I find my niece Shay and her mother Clara is joining is. Did I ask why? Of course not I stopped questioning anything years ago, I just grin and climb in to the car.
It’s 0830 departure, I thought wow that is early and my daughter YoHanna who processes her own “Time Zone” is early for the first time. Then Chris started laughing and said: “Dad we were supposed to be here an hour ago!” Ah the world is back on track once more.
The major decision to take the National Road, vice the expressway was made at a higher pay grade than mine! So I just looked out the window and watched the pastoral beauty of rural life pass by. Rice Paddies the Mountains and people going about their business while clogging the road with more Tricycles and Pedicabs than any one human could count. A typical day in the province!
Kano traveling in a car full of Filipinos, of course hunger came up, and as we entered into San Fernando a MacDo’s appeared and 10 minutes was wasted finding a parking spot, but that’s okay we still have an hour before the mall opens. Chris was driving!
I dearly love the attitude of the Pinoy; disappointment seems to roll off them like water off a ducks butt. The ladies room was closed for repair I’ve been in a car for an hour with six women, so that was not a good thing. Someone re-wrote the menu as they ran out of sausage paddies. And substituted Longanisa which made sense as Pampanga makes the best Longanisa. (Talk to them if you disagree because that was what the sign said as we entered town) Did I mention that there were no hash browns either? But there they were standing in line attempting to make an order that would work for all. When my voice from in the back said; “Ladies do you still need a comfort room?” Back to the car and down the road with the girl at MacDo’s still trying to figure out what happened.
In the mall there is a Kenny Rogers Rib and Chicken joint. Will a Pinoy eat that in the morning? Just watch-em, and Ribs and mashed potatoes for breakfast, this Kano had no problem with that. SPOILER ALERT they have corn-on-the-cob rolled in crushed bacon. I hereby nominate the inventor of that for Sainthood.
My Florida shopping is done, I put $350.00 dollars on my Daughter Ymir Thea’s NFCU Debit Card to buy a $ 140.00 Radio Flyer red wagon for my grandson Jaden (pneumatic tires and wood sides of course) and the rest for her. Jaden hasn’t stopped saying; “Thank you Lolo Daddy Bow”: That’s the name he gave me, so it’s my other name!
But here I must go into a store and find a present for my wife, daughter and granddaughter. Colleen made it easy as a few days before she cornered me and mentioned LeBron James shoes by Nike
A type of rubber shoe that are the must have for a young lady in the Philippine islands. (Ya-Ya Dub must have a pair?) Remember I left Olongapo to be here in San Fernando? The particular type of Nike both in color and size were not available in this San Fernando’s mall’s store!!! BUT, in the SM in Olongapo City they had in stock the pair needed. Because they cost in excess of 6,000.00 pesos the phone call was made manager to manager about the shoes. Of course Colleen knew the Manager in Olongapo and found that the shoe was still there. I took the phone and asked her (The girl in Olongapo) to take the shoe and keep them until the morning where I and Colleen would buy them when we arrived. But sir that is not….And I added; I will give you an extra 500.00 pesos for helping me. They’ll be here in the morning sir. But I knew that. She’s my granddaughter, and her Lolo Daddy Paul will push a mountain aside for her?
Well Colleen was impressed by Lolo Daddy Paul (That’s what she named me years ago) now she will help me shop for my presents for her mother and Lola. And a fine job she did for the old Kano.
I’m done, off to Starbucks for a “Coffee Amerikano” A regular coffee with cream and sugar that can be ordered in less than 5 words spoken. (I point to the size of the cup I want).
I have with me on this rare occasion my Cella Phone so when it’s departure time I can be found. Chris has been missing for hours; I respect the hell out of that guy!!!
All my Christmas shopping is done; I’ll start squirreling away money in January for next year. I moan and groan but the truth is, it really is “My Favorite time of year” So from here up on our mountain in Bataan I’m wishing you all a most joyful Christmas season to you and your family.
Late addition: Two new families moved in to out Purok with a few young kids. While on my roof patio I noticed they came out with this tired old ball that no longer held air and played with it until it got dark. So while in town I bought all of them a new ball. (That Christmas Spirit was just abounding around me.) Needless to say the kids loved them. They all ran to their house to put them away and came back with the old flat ball. Mayang explained; “They don’t want the new balls to get dirty, because they are new.” It makes sense to me!
Merry Christmas and a very loud New Year; to all our friends on LiP! ! !
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family.
Sounds like stores and items change but in general, Christmas shopping is similar if you make it family time.
A good time with family can mean more than any gifts as we grow older.
LeRoy;
I can see your point, but eight hours in a mall will stretch my Christmas Spirit. This year I noticed the SMB Beer kiosks were missing from the malls so Starbucks was my hidey hole this year. We did get together to eat again before we headed home.
Hi Paul,
A Merry Christmas to you and your Family.
Thing I hate about Christmas is all that shopping among the masses, so I get mine done in November, LoL.
Chas;
If only I could… But given my druthers the money on the debit card is the way I’d like to do with all of my Christmas Shopping. But it looks so tacky with all those cards under the tree! (lol)
Wishing the Thompson family a very Merry Christmas & happiness in the new year.
Loren;
And the same to you and yours, no Mongolian until after the New Year, they are holding Christmas on Friday. But Dempsey’s on Wednesday for lunch and cocktails would work for me. Use your phone! (lol)
Hi Paul, was shopping in mega mall the big one in Manila never seen so many people ,
I love that mall in San Fernando it’s got a huge hardware store I usually spend a hour or so
In yeah it’s great to have a coffee and let them shop, good thing about the Toyota innova
You can fit a lot of people in them, here’s a daft question have they finished fixing the
National road from olongapo to San Fernando yet ? Happy Christmas to you and your family, hope to get to subic soon I need a holiday away from Manila.
Derek;
Chris’s family has two Inova’s, he has a Getz, but yes they are a nice ride. The Ace hardware is nice but that HUGE Home Depot across the rotary (Round-about) is my four hour hang around grunting space. Give a shout and we’ll do lunch!
Hi Paul, will give you a shout like to have a couple of days in subic over the Christmas holidays wife already planning a trip to Bicol in January her home
Province 8 hour drive I’m looking forward to that, Derek in pasig.
Derek;
Myself and two friends just spent a few hours setting up a lunch for this Wednesday, normally this is done in 5 minutes. But the three ladies have to check with the families to see if this interferes with prior Christmas commitments.
I do like Christmas but am looking forward to January when life returns to a simpler time. But it’s once a year, so I guess we owe them that.
Paul,
May you and your family have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Oh and may your cup always be full of SMB! I always enjoy you articles. When you mentioned corn on the cob rolled in bacon you grabbed my full and undivided attention. I agree the person who thought that up should be made into a saint. And when you bought the kids a new ball you helped restore some of my Christmas spirit. Here in the US Christmas has been striped of all thing that made it special. Praying that I can get the business wrapped up that is holding me up so I can move soon.
Scott;
Life moves at a nice pace here, and you can even slow it down more by just doing that. No one gets upset, move at your own speed, because you are never late as long as you’re on the way.
I’ve said before that I removed an expensive Rado watch from my arm in the year 2000, handed it to my father-in-law and never missed it. I have no idea how to set the clock in my car, and it reminds me of a VCR in 1980, plus my cella phone remains in my room on the dresser but I will check it once or twice a day. That is what you hav to look forward to, it’s not a bad thing.
Hi Paul Mery Xmas & advance happy new year to your whole family. This is Mae ann friend of ate Mayang. Finally found you here. Can you please tell ate Mayang that I sent her a message to her Facebook. I’m sure you don’t remember me but ill give you a hint I’m one of Rich or Richard Blair girl before he married to Riza. I wonder if Richard still alive lol. My last time talking to him was 2009 and he mentioned it that he divorced Riza. Anyway regards to ate Mayang and im hoping I can talk to ate mayang soon.
Mae Ann;
Thank you for your greeting and yes I remember you, Rich never divorced Riza, and he passed a few years ago, I’ll ask Mayang if she got your msg. Nice hearing from you again. (Nice new last name.)
Hmm I wonder why he told me that. Anyway thank you so much for responding. I’m glad that you got my message, I always remember ate Mayang and cant forget both of you even though I met you guys for only 3 months, shes a nice person. I was looking for ate Mayang for years you know lol. Please can you give to her my email address? thanks again.
Mae Ann;
Who knows what used to go through Rich’s brain…
Mayang found you on Facebook and saw your pictures. But Mayang sending an E-mail will never happen in our lifetime. Stay well and have a Merry Christmas.
Paul, thank you and I understand about the email. If she has seen my facebook page, maybe you can help her send me a message there? nice to hear from you again!
Mae Ann:
I will but right now we are heading to the Barrio for lunch with a few friends.
Paul,
Does the driver start to pull into an area then question her decision? Then drive around another way and end up in the same place she started at? My wife does that.
Have a Merry One and Happy One.
Rusty
Rusty;
Chris (Son-in-law) is direct at all things he does; he’ll whip into the lot and be parked before I’ve seen the parking space. Now my wife……………….Best of Christmas to you and your family.
Merry Christmas and thank you for the entertaining articles!
Denzil:
A wonderful Christmas to you and yours, and thank you for reading them!
Paul,
We are getting ready for our big Christmas Eve Party for the Laguna part of Anne’s Family. This is the first Christmas she has spent with them in 10 years. Should be special as we bought bikes for all the kids for total of 7. Than Christmas Day we will be going up to Angeles to be with her Pampanga Family, which several members i have never met before. Spent a lot of money this Christmas, but i really enjoy giving to people who have very little and we would rather do that than spend money on ourselves. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.
PapaDuck;
My nephew Steven and his mom are in from Holland, and we were laughing about this poorly assembled bike his dad had bought him. He’s 15 now and while we are laughing he said; “Uncle Paul I don’t remember that, where is my bike now?” He had a straight face, and then started smiling, great teenager and sharp too.
Enjoy your Christmas visits.
I hope you and all your family have a very Merry Christmas , Paul. I cant believe its only 4 days til Christmas. Where did the year GO????
Here in the states, I do my best to NEVER go to Home Depot or Lowes, (There are so many better places here) but there , where nothing like them are found, I very much miss them and sure do wish they would build one in Davao. Yes, I know I am great at contradicting myself, but thats part of the difference between living here in US and there in Philippines, where many tools are not available, and I take things for granted til I need it and cant find it there and have to wait 4-6 months to have it sent to me by Balikbayan box.
You usually seem to sneak off with your son-in-law, what happened?
Bill;
When I took his daughter with me, he bugged out, I can’t blame him, just envy him.
That old song: “You never miss the water until the well runs dry” applies to your situation. Before Home Depot we had ACE, and Wilbers (All things Chinese made) But when I built my house it was search and search for every little item.
Paul –
A very Merry Christmas to you and your family. I’m shutting down the house for the winter here in North Carolina and after New Years am heading to Laguna to get married after dating my fiance for three years! Probably won’t be long before I’m buying $130 rubber shoes for relatives also….haha
Will look forward to your many exploits in 2016!
Steve B.
Steve;
North Carolina winters aren’t that bad! Who and I kidding all winter is bad. It sounds like a good plan. BTW I never wore sock, except on the ships, but I’ve been sock free for 16 years.
Thanks for taking us along on your Christmas Shopping experience again this year Paul.
Merry Christmas and best of the season to you and your family. It has been an unseasonably warm December here in New York with a predicted near 70 Deg. F. for Christmas.
Bob (NY)
You are welcome, but it would be better if I could send someone to do it for me and stay home with a chilled one.
Wow that is warm; you could open the ball parks again.
Paul,
Do banks have something like a Christmas, or it might be called another name, account? Something one can open with very little start-up funds. Then add to it throughout the year?
I thought I read somewhere that they, meaning banks/Philippines was/were trying to get people/kids to start saving money.
Rusty
Rusty;
As my wife is the only banker in the family (Never let Obama know where your money is, is what American’s have to do.), I’ll go ask her. I’m back; and she said; “Not that she’d ever heard of.” If anyone has more information for Rusty, please chime in!
Right on. I’m one of those who believes Obama/the government knows about every key stroke that we take.
I believe what was said in the movie Enemy of the State. In that movie they said the telecommunications companies have been in bed with the government since the 50ies.
Now they could care less about my emails. As all I talk about is wanting twinkles for Christmas.
Rusty;
I give my tax paid money to my wife, she has it here in her name (She is not a US Citizen) So under the new money reporting treaty I have nothing to declare in the RP. I’m not allowed to deduct on my taxes the cost of my house, so why should they get anything from me.? It just seems like I’m being fair.