(1575) MY GRAB TAXI DRIVER IS A BEGINNER; I ALMOST MISSED MY FLIGHT TO 2018 WCO

           MY GRAB TAXI DRIVER IS A                                             BEGINNER;
  I ALMOST MISSED MY FLIGHT TO
    2018 WORLD CHESS OLYMPIAD

Everything is going fine 4 hours before my flight to Istanbul for the participation of Palau (Open and Women) Team to the 2018 World Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia on Sept. 23, 2018. 

Our flight on the night is 9:45 pm from Manila to Istanbul -- is 12 hours and another 11 hours stopover in Istanbul before flying to Batumi, Georgia and hope to arrive there and be able to attend the Opening Ceremony on that same night (9 pm).

My daughter Karen arranged my Grab taxi to the NAIA for 600 pesos where our flight leaves at 9:45 pm to Istanbul--12 hours. My son-in-law helped me carry my baggage at the intersection where the Grab red car took me to the airport.
I noticed that he is just a beginner as taxi driver because he is just following the "Waze" App being announced by a lady in the radio to avoid traffic.

He said he is just 6 days driving Grab taxi. He used to drive tricycle for a long time. That shows how inexperienced he is as we spent more than 2 hours where an expert taxi driver can bring me to my destination in half time of that.

We lost our way in Pasig City where he said it's his first time to be there and so do I! I am already uttering, "If I will be late in this flight, I will lose more than $2,000.00."

Being sorry for that inconvenience he caused me, he asked another taxi to drop me at NAIA. I still paid him $500.00. The expert taxi driver told me that the beginner driver should have drive taxi first for at least a few months before being a Grab taxi driver. The beginner told me that he is paying the owner of the car 800 pesos per day.

When I arrived there, I immediately fall in line and I saw my teammate Rustum Cabuso already and almost next in line. He is surprised to see me go straight to the lane where "SPECIAL ASSISTANCE" is stated. When the regular lane is vacant, I go there and was able to get my boarding pass and later paid my travel tax of $31.00. I told Rustum that I will be waiting for him at the cashier.

We proceed to the immigration. A staff there asked me, "Are you a senior citizen? How old are you?" I said yes and I am 62 years old. He said there is a special lane for senior citizen. Rustum is surprised again that I didn't fall in line at the long queue. 

The lady at the immigration asked me a lot of questions. I have every document that she asked me to produce... USA visa in my passport, invitation from the organizers of 2018 World Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia, my work permit in Palau.

At the last checking of personal items, I saw my teammates there--Baby Edna Mission, Angelica Morales Magno, Bobot Tan, Joan Gemota, Angelica Parrado, Angelil Sisior, Tito Cabunagan, Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr. but without Eric Ksau Surangel Whipps, his wife Joy Flores Whipps and Angelo Salvadora, who is still in line close to Rustum.

They said that they have a hard time explaining to the immigration officers about their trip to Istanbul especially Joan because she is first timer. Cyril has to help her by showing his Schengen visa in Norway that he participated already there under Palau and it helps.

They also said that Eric eyes are reddish that's why he is checked/quarantined for security reason.

My original plan if I am not late at the airport is to get all the documents of each of every member and only one (maybe me) will do the immigration interviews so that what happened to us in Baku, Azerbaijan Olympiad will not happen again. We fall in line separately also at that time with Joselito Marcos (Head of Delegation), me, Allan Alcid, Dennis Gonzales, Jeff Balbalosa and Paquito Suringa, Jr. Eric took a different itinerary.

EVERYTHING GOES FINE IN OUR 12 HOURS TRIP TO ISTANBUL.

I was able to ask the lady at the boarding lane to do my United Airlines Mileage account UA RY685853. I missed it twice in 2012 WCO in Istanbul, Turkey and 2014 WCO in Tromso, Norway where it is the responsibility of the Mileage holder to report it while boarding. Eric got my number in 2014. I thought he is the one to list it to my account. Those 2 missed flights record of mileage in Istabul is almost enough to get a free round trip ticket to Manila.


Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               December 29, 2002 -- September 26, 2018

               Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
               The Beginning of Chess in Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               Soon to be published as a book

               Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013
               http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
               April 25, 2013 -- September 26, 2018

              The History of Chess in Palau
              By Roberto Hernandez
              June 09, 2002 -- September 26, 2018

(1445) MUSIC AND ME (Aug. 31, 2017) FILIPINO FOOD AND MUSIC AT CABALEN FOR 300 PESOS

LATE LUNCH FOOD TRIP AT CABALEN A DAY PRIOR TO GOING BACK TO PALAU.
     A great food experience for me, my wife Flor, daughter Karen and son-in-law Mark Ghill Fabre Cando and grand daughter Luan Tiffany Hernandez Cando. I have tasted again foods that I haven't eaten for a long time. They play also pipe-in music of all Filipino composition songs and singers. A really rare Filipino experience in terms of food and music.


     FILIPINO FOOD AND MUSIC
    AT CABALEN FOR 300 PESOS

MY 22-day vacation to Philippines with my wife from July 21-Aug. 11, 2017 was the most hectic but very enjoyable and unforgettable one, surpassing the 2011 vacation.

                Right from the very first day of vacation, July 22, at 8:30am, we go (20 of us including the driver of a rented van) to Tagaytay, the pineapple capital of the Philippines. While eating lunch at Bulalo Restaurant, we were offered 11 pieces of medium size pineapples for 100 pesos! In Palau, only one pineapple costs already double of that (200 pesos). It’s my first time to be there and I didn’t realize how progressive it is now with no tricycles on the main road, only electric tricycles which is environmental friendly. We dropped the others in Muntinlupa City (my sister-in-law Marivic, her daughter Kristel and husband and their son Kobe, Harold, my brother-in-law Bernie and his daughter Cathy. My daughter Karen and her husband Mark stayed in Quezon City and we bring with us Karen’s son from Jamir—Zach and their daughter Luan Tiffany to our house in Hagonoy, Bulacan for another 3 hours trip.

                The next day, I was able to attend the Sunday services of the Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4^th Watch) Halang Hagonoy, Bulacan locale where Pastor Susan Lopez is now the head pastor. She started the PMCC Palau Locale together with Pacific Coordinator Pastor Gallagher Concepcion in 2005. After lunch, Jamir Gregorio, the father of my grandson Zach, said he can’t fix/reformat my new and old laptops so I asked Welhem Belgar to look for a good technician. He’s got Louie, who was able to download Chessbase 14 to my new laptop. He was able to get it for free instead of paying 80 Euros. My BFF CM Joselito Marcos bought a CD of that one last year from Germany for $150.00. I asked Louie to download first the Swiss Perfect software because I’m now the one doing the pairings of the succeeding Palau chess tournaments as Jeff Balbalosa is not doing it anymore.

                On July 24, me and my wife Flor together with Zach and Tiffany meet Karen and Mark at SM Shoemart North EDSA to have lunch together, buy toys for grandkids and new cell phone for me –Samsung J7 Prime worth 14,000.00Php ($280.00).

                On July 25, I and Flor meet her cousin Tess “Bunini” Reyes at Robinson’s in Malolos City. She gave us more or less 10 kilos of ripe mangoes like he has given us all in our vacation in 2015. She is with her granddaughter and we invited her for lunch but she refused. We just give her chocolates, Tupper ware set that I won during PRR 2016 Christmas party, and cash for the girl. After they left, we had lunch at Pizza Hut of medium size pizza, green salad and cucumber drink.

 I started to update my 1,405 posts at http://palau-chess.blogspot.com upon the recommendation of my BFF CM Joselito Marcos. The photos now are Extra Large which makes it better to view—the Chess in Palau, music, heritage, traditions, FIDE events, national championships, etc.

The internet connection is fast that’s why I took advantage of it. In Palau, I will spend more than a hundred dollars to update those.

                Flor bought a new 42” TCL television for 14,900Php in July 26. The new dining table and sofa set is coming on Friday, July 28 in the afternoon it will be delivered. Karen visits us and we have female crabs worth 800.00Php or $16.00. Welhem cooked those in coconut milk and we have lunch and dinner of fat crabs. Male crabs are bigger but not fat as female ones.

                The next day July 27, Flor, Vilma and Karen go to Divisoria, a place to buy cheap retail goods/clothing. Flor bought me 2 denim pants, 5 sandos (undershirts), T-shirts, 2 shorts, and 1 long sleeve shirt that I will use for next Sunday worship at PMCC. While they are shopping there, I took care of Tiffany and Zach while updating the chess/music posts when they are busy playing.

                I went to the town hall to get my Senior Citizen I. D. The residence certificate costs only 7.00Php but I need to go back on Tuesday for the issuance of my I. D. together with 1 more photo as I have provided them with only 3 photos. I forgot to use my business card photos for it. While I am updating the chess/music posts in late afternoon, the dining table and sofa set come. I thought they will not fit at the door but they were assembled by the workers of the furniture company. I asked my wife Flor and Welhem if they feed the workers. They said yes and gave them tips also.

                On Saturday, July 29, my brother Romy invited me to attend their Classmates Reunion of Hagonoy Institute Class 1974 in Kapitangan, Paombong, Bulacan. I’m 2 years older than him. I and my younger brother Jerry were dropped by Welhem at the spot where a small bridge is under construction that cause lots of traffic. We ride in Jordan’s nice Toyota car together with Nanang Guya and Tatang Subring, who been married for more than 50 years. I gave her PRR white towel and 1,000.00Php to each of them. They were dropped near a river for a boat ride home. Jordan, Romy’s youngest son, gave them another 1,000.00Php.

                When we reach the venue of reunion, I put the shochu that was given to me by my Korean roommate to the spot where the drinks are located. There is “tamales” on the table and I ate a lot of it because I haven’t eaten that for more than 20 years. I took a lot of photos of Romy and his classmates. Jerry thought of a perfect idea. Since we are 3 brothers already there and our youngest one, Bernie, is just a few miles away, he called him and in 30 minutes, we have a mini reunion of our own! Bernie came with his only daughter Hannah and his wife Ester.

                We sang karaoke songs with Jordan and Hannah singing new songs while I, Romy, and Jerry are singing old songs. In the song “Devoted to You” by Everly Brothers, Bernie is singing it. It’s a duet song and there is only one mike. We shared the mike and sung it beautifully with harmony. There is a mango tree where we are singing karaoke. When strong wind blows, we pick the big green mangoes that fall.

                When I sang the Japanese song “For You”, at least 4 classmates of Romy know the song, too. Minutes later, it was sung again by 2 different ladies. When it’s time to go, Bernie, Hannah and Ester left in their tricycle. Jordan and I gave Hannah 500.00Php each.

                While on our way home, we agreed while inside the car to visit our nephew Willy Calonzo in his house in Pandi, Bulacan to settle the issues of a small part of land in Hagonoy. We will meet at a Eurobake Bake Shop in Tabang, Guiginto, Bulacan on Aug. 5 at 9am. Jordan dropped us to our house and I resume the updating the chess/music posts, where I am more than halfway already.

                I attended the Sunday service of PMCC wearing the new white polo shirt that Flor bought for me. It’s high tide and the town market is flooded. I wear a slipper and brought my shoes wrapped in plastic bag. Before entering the church, I wear the shoes. I took 11 photos of the brethren, gave my tithes (500 Php), love offering (100Php) and another 500Php for the construction of Shiloah building in Marikina City. I didn’t attend the Evangelistic Night and resumed the update of chess/music posts.

                On Monday, July 31, I help Welhem in painting the house with green-like-avocado color. I took off the sliding window and replaced the rotten woods with used thin plywood put together. While doing that, an old lady asked me if I am renting the space where the computer shop of Willy used to operate there. She is looking for a place to stay and said she can pay the monthly rental through the money being sent to her by her son abroad. I just said the issue about the ownership of that place will be resolved next Saturday when we will have a reunion to settle it.

                I was able to get my senior citizen I.D. on Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 01 with my grandson Zach. I was given 2 booklets to record the items that I’m buying in big department stores or drugstores. In the buses or jeeps, there’s no need for those except if the bus conductor ask for it. Lately, I was able to use it in Light Rail Transit (LRT).On Aug. 09, 2017 (Thu.), a day before going back to Palau with my wife Flor, we had late lunch at Cabalen Restaurant that serves Filipino dishes (buffet) for only 300 pesos ($6.00).

I and Flor had a good time for food trip. We have good appetite. It is also the first time that I ate again snails cooked in coconut milk for more than 30 years! There are grilled catfish, too. There are more side dishes, drinks and lots of desserts and 4 kinds of fruits –papaya, watermelon, bananas and sliced pineapples.

               

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez

               Tia Belau Newspaper

               December 29, 2002 -- November 09, 2017

               Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)

               The Beginning of Chess in Palau

               By Roberto Hernandez

               Soon to be published as a book

         

               Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez

               Tia Belau Newspaper

               March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013

               http://palau-chess.blogspot.com

               April 25, 2013 -- November 09, 2017

              The History of Chess in Palau

              By Roberto Hernandez

              June 09, 2002 -- November 09, 2017

                                      

(1410) MUSIC AND ME (June 08, 2017) MY EXPERIENCES WITH TAXI DRIVERS IN PHILIPPINES

FANTASTIC RESTAURANT WITH A VIEW OF TAGAYTAY
     The whole day trip to Tagaytay in July 22, 2017 is worth it as proven by a generous Japanese in this article. From left, Bernie Miranda, my brother in-law, me, Gil Cando, Welhem Belgar and my son in-law Mark Ghil Fabre Cando and the baby of Kristel Enriquez Kobe.
                                            (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)


   MY EXPERIENCES WITH TAXI
     DRIVERS IN PHILIPPINES

SINCE 2009, I always take a taxi in going to Oceania Zonal Chess Championship and World Chess Olympiads because it’s cheaper than hiring a private vehicle to drop or pick me up at the airport.

Seldom did I do that when I am with my wife for vacation on odd years (2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 and lately this 2017 22-day vacation, where we were picked up at the airport by a rented van for $30.00 or 1,500.00 pesos.

In going to 2010 World Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, I took also a taxi, where the driver is an avid chess player but not playing seriously in tournaments. I gave him my card and he suggested to pick me up also on when I come back from Russia, which didn’t happened because he’s way far off the airport when I come.

Instead, I took a metered taxi where the driver is very much interested in singing than chess. I suggested to him about my first article in Tia Belau Newspaper “Learning The Lyrics of a Song The Fastest Way”, where I set an example of learning the lyrics of Tom Jones’ “Green, Green Grass of Home.” I said to him to read the lyrics first as if he’s reading a story. When I speak to him the lyrics in English, I also translate it to Tagalog so that he will fully understand it as if I’m telling him a story.

He appreciated it very much that the idea is really practical and effective. He said he’s singing that song in karaoke but doesn’t mind about the meaning of the song.

My driver in going to the 2012 WCO in Istanbul, Turkey is very much involved in chess locally and we are already at the airport and our conversation is still intense about chess. I gave him my card and suggested that we communicate more about chess through Facebook or email.

In going to 2014 WCO in Tromso, Norway, my taxi driver is quiet and not interested in chess and I fell asleep in the taxi and he just wake me up when we arrived.

In going back to Palau after participating in the 2016 WCO in Baku, Azerbaijan, my taxi driver had some experiences also with generous Japanese. Our trip is from Tandang Sora, Quezon City to the NAIA airport terminal 1. He knows the way in going there without using the Efipanio Delos Santos Avenue (popularly known as EDSA or Hi-way) because of heavy traffic.

During our 2-hour trip, he mentioned that he likes watching bands perform live and that he can play some musical instruments. I mentioned to him about my experience in this link: http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2012/01/music-experience-of-roberto-hernandez.html

                He said he had also some experience with generous Japanese whom he dropped at a hotel in Tagaytay City, where we spent a whole day (20 of us) in the 2^nd day of our vacation with my wife from July 21-Aug. 11, 2017. He said that Japanese asked him many times to stop when there is a fantastic view and he will take a photo of those views. The Japanese said, “Don’t worry, I’ll give you tip.”

                When they reach the hotel, the generous Japanese gave him 3 “lapad”—a Filipino term for 10,000 yen which is equivalent to almost 5,000.00 pesos! So, it’s already less than 15,000.00 pesos. “Lapad” means rectangle, the shape of 10,000 yen. He’s already on his way out of the hotel when the parking attendant called him. He said the Japanese guest is looking for him and added another 2 lapad!

                One of his more interesting story as taxi driver was when he was stopped by an old lady, who said “Can you dropped me to this building in Makati? But I don’t have money.” Makati is the financial capital of the Philippines. He experienced already numerous passengers that said they don’t have money and many times, he dropped them especially if the distance is not far.

                After dropping the old lady at a tall building, she was recognized by the front door man and called the daughter and son-in-law of the old lady. The daughter talked to her and she doesn’t like to get off the taxi. She is supposed to be picked up by her or her husband but they forgot.

                The daughter talked to him saying, “Look, I know my mom. She will not get off the taxi because of what happened. Could you please drop her off to our house in the province. I will give you 30,000.00 pesos. I know you don’t have passenger in coming back.”

                It’s a very long trip to the province and he learned that the old lady is from Romualdez family, a well-known family of former Philippine first lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos. The house stewards assisted her and he was given lots of goodies, fruits, canned goods, sacks of rice, etc. that the trunk of his car is loaded with groceries.

                In going back to Manila, he decided to rest and checked-in at a hotel to get some rests. He was offered by a pimp to choose any of the 3 girls (high school students) for 500.00 each ($10.00). What he said to the pimp surprises me, “Why choose any of them? I’ll take them all!”

                He said he’s already old and didn’t touch the 3^rd girl. When we reached the airport, our conversation is still ongoing. We had learned something from each other—about life, music and chess.

                In going back to Palau on Aug. 11, 2017, my daughter Karen hired a car to drop us at the airport. It’s the Uber transportation system that uses private cars to drop passengers through online negotiations. It’s very effective and safe way to get to your destination – far or closer. The price varies from time to time. At the airport, it is 509.00 pesos and I gave him 600.00. We talked a lot also, including the stories of the taxi driver (Romualdez old lady) with my wife mostly sleeping.



Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               December 29, 2002 -- August 21, 2017

               Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
               The Beginning of Chess in Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               Soon to be published as a book

              Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
              Tia Belau Newspaper
              March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013
              http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
              April 25, 2013 -- August 21, 2017

              The History of Chess in Palau 
              By Roberto Hernandez
              June 09, 2002 -- August 21, 2017