SHE THOUGHT "SUKIYAKI" IS KOREAN SONG
The Counselor of the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Philippines, Ms. Tran Thi Nam Phuong, middle, has visited Palau Royal Resort twice in 2013 and recently this time with her son. Roberto thought she is Chinese and played Chinese songs. When she's not receptive, he played "Sukiyaki", she appreciated it. Roberto asked her, "Are you Japanese?" When she said she's Vietnamese, Roberto didn't let go not to have a picture taken with them for meeting Vietnamese in Palau for the first time.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
VIETNAMESE COUNSELOR VISITS
PALAU TWICE IN 2013 AND 2015
ON AUGUST 20, 2015, as I was playing piano at Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort, a Chinese/Japanese looking lady is watching me play.
When I play Chinese song, there's no reaction from her. When I play "Sukiyaki", she likes it and asked for the title of it. I said it's a Japanese song called "Sukiyaki" and I asked back, "Are you Japanese?"
When she said, she is Vietnamese, my "pattern" in recognizing Chinese/Taiwanese or Japanese was not applied because she's not at the table for me to see if she has drinks or not. My "pattern" then is if there are drinks on their table, they are Japanese. If only water, they are Chinese or Taiwanese.
She also mentioned that she's been to Palau Royal Resort in 2013 and she saw me playing piano at that time.
I gave her my card and she gave me her card, too. She is with her son and she asked him to take a picture of us. I asked a PRR staff to take a picture of us.
She requested an encore of Sukiyaki and recorded it in her cellphone. She also said that she is working in the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Philippines at 670 Pablo Ocampo St. Malate, Manila, Philippines. And that they are going back to Philippines on the next day (Friday, August 21, 2015 via United Airlines which flies twice a week flights to Manila (Tue. and Fri. both in the evening).
Unlike in 1992, when I first arrived in Palau, the Continental Airlines arrival time in Palau is 1:30pm. I can see the beauty of Palau from the window of the plane. Today, all flights from Manila, Guam, Japan, Taiwan and Korea are night time. Tourists from these countries can't enjoy anymore the beauty of Palau from above.
Two days later, when I check my Facebook account, our photo was posted with her Vietnamese caption. When I used the translator, it is said there that Sukiyaki is Korean song.
In just a day, there are more than 40 likes of the post which are mostly Vietnamese friends of Ms. Phuong.
Source: Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
The Beginning of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
To be published as a book in the future
Music and Me
By Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
March 15, 2012 -- April 2013
http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
April 2013 -- September 17, 2015)
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