(655) KOREAN COUPLE ARE BACK AFTER 4 YEARS

THEY SAID IT'S 3 YEARS BUT IT'S ACTUALLY 4 YEARS.
     Korean Mr. Ron, 2nd from left, and his wife, 3rd from left, said they've been to Palau 3 years ago but it's actually 4 years (Nov. 24, 2009). This time, they have another couple as companions. The guy at right knows the Filipino word "tagay" which means "it's your turn to drink your alcoholic drink" or "cheers".
                                                     (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)


              BACK AFTER 4 YEARS
                MR. RON AND WIFE
 
ON NOVEMBER 24, 2009, Mr. Ron and his wife are having drinks at Breeze Bar. They gave Roberto Hernandez, the musician and the other 2 staff lollipops.
     
At 11:00 pm, Roberto joined them in their table. They gave him $10.00 tip and when they talked about music, they said they will send Roberto CDs of Korean songs upon knowing that Roberto knew only one Korean song -- "Chinkuya".

They are back again on Nov. 26 and gave Roberto candies this time, plus some personal hygiene set (nail cutter).

They confirmed that they will send the CDs at Palau Royal Resort P. O. Box 10108 as written on my business card. 

On Nov. 11, 2013, Ron and his wife are back again in Palau with another Korean couple. He dropped by at Waves Restaurant and greeted Roberto with ala Dolphy's (Philippines most famous comedian) smile and said they will wait for him at Breeze Bar at 9pm.

Roberto is looking for them at Breeze Bar at 9pm. They are not sitting at any of the table there. They are at the pool side and drinking their ordered drinks there.

At 10:30 pm, Ron came to Roberto and requested Korean song "Chinkuya". At 11:00, the other guy asked me to join them near the pool side.

Ron asked me if it's okay to continue their drinking with me at Breeze Bar. I set a table for 4 and we started to drink. I prefer the red wine. 

They put some finger foods on the table. Ron gave earlier lollipop to Devie (cashier) and Jeff Daizmo, the bartender.

During their conversation, Ron and his wife asked Roberto if he had received the 2 CDs (Korean songs) that they sent through snail mail using the address c/o Palau Royal Resort, P. O. Box 10108 Koror, Republic of Palau 96940.

They are very much surprised when Roberto told them that he never received any CDs from Korea. That if he had received it, he should have had many Korean songs in his repertoire now.

Roberto asked that maybe they used Korean characters in the address that's why it can't be read at the post office. But the wife said she is sure that it's not Korean characters because she is the one that sent those.

They are pouring Korean shochu to their beers. Roberto said that he has the same size and brand of that alcoholic drink with Korean characters written on it but he don't know that it's Korean shochu so it just stay there in his room.

When it rains, they moved to the table close to the bar and resume their conversation. Roberto had another red wine and they had photo session. The 2nd one is the following:

Mr. Ron also mentioned that many Filipinos friends of him are noticing his similarity with the late Dolphy (Rodolfo Vera Quizon), the Philippines most popular comedian. He really looked like Dolphy in his younger years.

When they finished at 12:00 midnight, they parted ways and said, "See you tomorrow." They mentioned also that they will check-in at Palau Pacific Resort for their last 4 days. ROBERTO DIDN'T SEE THEM AGAIN THE NEXT DAY.


Source: Chess And Music (Perfect Combination)
            The Beginning of Chess In Palau
            By Roberto Hernandez
            November 2013
            To be published as a book in the future 



      

    

(643) MUSIC AND ME (Oct. 31, 2013) A Week Of Good Tips From Int'l. Guests

MS. NORIKO HORIKIRI STARTED IT ON TUESDAY OCT. 22, 2013
         Breeze Bar has only one guest before 10pm -- a lone Japanese lady, who sits near the ocean by herself.                          (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)



THE week of Oct. 22, 23, 24, 25 (my day off), 26 and 27 (my day off again, is really international to me in as far as tips are concerned.

On Oct. 22 at Breeze Bar, we are just watching TV because all guests left early. At about 10pm, a lone Japanese lady became our last guest.

But she sits at a place where we can't see her even the coming guests.

It comes to my mind that I should be playing all-Japanese songs and maybe she will transfer to a table near me to hear those songs more closely.

I started with instrumental "Yume No Tochu" and "Como Esta Akasaka". I sang "Oribia O Kikinagara" and I hear some applause from her. 

After more Japanese instrumentals and some songs sung by me, she transferred to a table next (in front) to me.

      

I gave her 2 song books (Japanese and American) and she chooses a lot from those especially Japanese songs. Sometimes I ask her, "Are you a singer in Japan?"

She said no and requested "Oribia O Kikinagara" once more. This time it's her key. After she sang it, I asked her again the same question. She just smiled.

When it's time for her to go, she gave me $5.00 tip. She don't have a camera with her so I used my cellphone to take 3 shots by bartender Jeff Daizmo.

I've got her name from the drink coupon that she used with the help of cashier/bartender Devie.

  


The next day, Oct. 23 (Wed.) there is a group of Taiwanese in front of the piano when I played at Waves Restaurant.

Upon knowing that they are all Taiwanese, I played all Taiwanese songs. They applauded after each and every Taiwanese songs I've played.

Thirty minutes before they go, an old Taiwanese lady from that table gave me $10.00.

While they are going out, I was able to take a quick shot of the old lady, which is not a good shot as she is moving...

On Thursday, I had a breakfast with my wife before teaching Mr. Yoshiharu Kurata, a senior JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) volunteer from 11:30am-12:30pm. He pays me after every session ($15.00).

Back to PRR for lunch and teach Moded Whipps from 3:30-5:30pm. Her mom, Valerie, talked to me about the possibility of teaching her 5-year-old daughter Ngederong piano, after teaching Ultei guitar on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Valerie wants also to resume the 30 minutes piano and 30 minutes guitar for Ultei because she becomes bored with 1 hour guitar lessons.

While playing piano on that night, I noticed 2 American couples, some Japanese and Taiwanese guests.

So I played songs from those 3 countries. There are 2 birthday celebrants that night, one is a Japanese lady and the other is the American lady --her husband has white hair and the most appreciative among other guests when I'm playing American songs.

His wife was given flowers after the staff sings Happy Birthday song to her.

I played the most popular American songs in my repertoire --Mona Lisa, Misty, Somewhere My Love, Those Were The Days, Somethin' Stupid, Moon River, Too Young, etc...

While on their way to pay their bill, I saw him getting something from his wife's bag.

He comes to me and put down $20.00 on top of the piano. I don't have time to take pictures with them so I just fold the $20.00 lengthwise and put it in my empty water goblet and took a photo of them while they are going out of the restaurant.

      

When I proceed at Breeze Bar to play for another 2 hours 
of keyboard music, there is a long table of Russian guests.

There is another long table of Korean guests with a girl, and some Japanese couples.

I played a variety of songs --Japanese, American, Spanish, Italian and one Russian song --Those Were The Days, which is actually an original American song but it's the most popular Russian song that I know.

The Russian appreciated every song I've played. After more than an hour, I saw somebody collecting money from everybody.

When he finished collecting, I'm playing at that time the Italian song "Volare".

The Russian guy who collected the money comes to me, dancing to the tune of "Volare", and gave me what he has collected from the group -- $13.00.

The song is almost finish and when I ended it, I come to him and asked him, "Are you Russian?" He said yes and I proceed to their table and introduced myself.

I told them that I've been to Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia in 2010 and represented Palau in the World Chess Olympiad. They are surprised to see a man from Palau, which is a hot country, come to Russia which is very cold at that time,September 18-October 04, 2010.

One of the lady is sure that I played only one Russian song. The conversation goes on till I told them that I also represented Palau again in last year's World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey.

And that I'm no. 2 chess player in Palau now and that we will participate again in the 2014 World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway.

I was about to give my card to the guy who brings the tip but the lady beside him took it and I told her that my name  is written there in Russian and she said, "Ah, Roberto".

The guy beside him said, "Italian name".

I go back to play again to finish my schedule when a Korean girl and her father come to me and ask me if the girl can play the keyboard? I set the keyboard to the piano sound and the girl plays really good.

The father requested "My Way" and "Way Back Into Love", an original Korean song with English lyrics.

He gave me $2.00 tip. I forgot the melody of "Way Back Into Love" because I haven't played it for about 3 months.

I asked the mother of the girl to take picture of us with my camera...

  
They request to let the girl play for the 2nd time. She can play "The Entertainer" faster than me!

    

 When they request for the 3rd time, I refused because it's already 11pm and some guests are sleeping already.



At 6:30, Oct. 25, me and Mr. Kurata are preparing our equipments for the performance at Kramer's.

On our way up the stairs, I saw the same Russians that were my guests at Breeze Bar of Palau Royal Resort.

It takes us more than an hour to set the instruments and other musical things.

Our first song is "Donna, Donna, Donna", followed by "Besame Mucho". It was an hour of musical showcase of Mr. Kurata. He can play saxophone, ocarina, flute, keyboard, guitar, vocals and quena, Palauan record/bamboo flute.

At 8:45, I left to attend prayer meeting at Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ 4th Watch (Palau Locale).

I'm late already but was able to participate in the corporate prayer of 30 minutes.

At 8:00 pm on Oct. 26, as I'm playing piano at Waves Restaurant, Mrs. Satoko Uehara came to me before going to Mandara Spa. She gave me $20.00 as she used to do every time they come. 

Before 11:00 pm at Breeze Bar, she came again to me and ask if I will be working tomorrow. I said it's my day off and I asked them, "When did you come to Palau?" What I mean to say is "when will they come back to Palau?" and asked for Mr. Uehara. They said there are only two of them who come.

They also said that they went to Dragon Tei on Tuesday night but were unable to talk to my wife Flor as she is busy taking care of bento boxes. 


Source: Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
               The Beginning of Chess In Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               October 2013
               To be published as a book in the future
    


     


 

(408) MUSIC AND ME (March 14, 2013) Mickey Mouse, Alona and Friends

2 NIGHTS WITH MICKEY, ALONA AND FRIENDS
It was an unforgettable 2 nights with Mickey (Mouse), right, Alona, middle with lei and friends. Singing, talking, sharing sad and happy experiences at Breeze Bar of Palau Royal Resort -- THE PLACE TO BE! (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)



              MICKEY MOUSE, ALONA
                     AND FRIENDS

IN MARCH 04, 2013 (Monday), a Japanese guy with his Caucasian wife had dinner at Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort. Roberto Hernandez played mostly Japanese songs while they are dining.

Later, the guy gave him $1.00 tip and Roberto is thinking, “Is he really Japanese?”

The next day, Tuesday, they had dinner again and he gave Roberto another $1.00 tip while they are paying their bill. They didn’t have dinner on Wednesday but they are the only guests at Breeze Bar when Roberto came there at 9pm.

It’s raining at that time so Roberto sets up the keyboard very close to them—about 3 feet. When he gave them his card, the lady was able to read the Russian name of Roberto because she’s from Ukraine. She can speak fluent Japanese, English and of course Russian languages. Roberto told her that he’s been in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia to represent Palau in 2010 World Chess Olympiad where Ukraine been the Olympiad champion.

She became the translator of her husband when their conversation is in English.

Roberto mentioned to them that exactly in the same spot as they are now and about 2 years ago, when Hernandez played and sung the Japanese song “Ameno Bodjo” , it rains very hard. That song is about rain (ame).

They asked him to sing that song. During the 1^st and 2^ndstanza of the song, the wind is blowing gustily and when Roberto started to sing the chorus “Ame, Ame, Ame, Fure Motto Fure” it rains very hard and Roberto got wet. He told them, “I told you so!”

They moved more inside to avoid getting wet with Tonet Medilo(cashier) and Jeff Daizmo (bartender) helping them. The Japanese guy gave them $10.00 each and a glass of red wine to Roberto.

***The published report of Roberto was cut up to this part. Sorry, no more space for this issue.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE CONTINUATION OF THE ARTICLE:

Roberto’s 2 hours with the couple is very educational, fun and unforgettable. He also mentioned to them about his experience with the ‘crying’ Japanese guy in 2008 and the $103 dollars tip in 1994 where the $100 is in between the 3 one dollar bills.

The Japanese guy’s name is Mickey and his Ukrainian wife is Alona, who told Roberto a very sad and embarrassing story of their trip to Jellyfish Lake: Before swimming, Mickey put his $280.00 in a plastic bag and put it in his pocket. Naturally it floats, and a security guard of Jellyfish Lake found it and asked Mickey, “Is this your money?”

He said yes and when he counts the money, it’s only $80.00 and the $200.00 is missing! The guard keeps on saying, “I didn’t take any money! I didn’t take any money!” although Mickey is not asking about the missing $200.00.

Half of Roberto’s time at Breeze Bar is talking and the other half is playing and singing. Alona sang one Japanese song. They gave Roberto another glass of red wine.

When Roberto mentioned that they will be featured in his Music and Me column at Tia Belau Newspaper on March 14, 2013, they had one photo taken. It was later changed to another photo that includes their friends (a Japanese young couple) that they’re with on Thursday evening where Alona sang “Wakatte Kudasai” this time.

Another $10.00 and another glass of red wine were given to Roberto. Mickey asked Roberto to sing “Ameno Bodjo” to test if it will rain again but Roberto politely declined upon seeing the weather is very good and no sign that it will rain even if he sings it twice. IT WAS ALONA’S BIRTHDAY ON THAT THURSDAY, MARCH 7.

This is supposed to be the original photo for this article but when their 2 Japanese friends came the next day, that's the one being published -- THE MORE, THE MERRIER!

Tonet said Alona looks like a goddess--really beautiful! Especially with the lei.

Source: Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez

Tia Belau Newspaper

Page 13

Volume 22

Issue 21

March 14, 2013