Except for the lady at right, the other 3 Japanese guests have given me $10.00 tip each on Dec. 21, 2015 at Breeze Bar of Palau Royal Resort. The lady at right gave me $12.00 after requesting "Tennessee Waltz". (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
MY BEST NEW YEAR'S DAY AT
BREEZE BAR OF PALAU ROYAL RESORT
ALTHOUGH I've got $60.00 tip on New Year's Eve of 2014, I've got nothing on New Year's Day, Jan. 01, 2015 playing piano at Waves Restaurant and keyboard music at Breeze Bar of Palau Royal Resort.
2016 is different. Although I've got no tip on New Year's Eve Gala Dinner at Waves Restaurant, I've finished playing piano at 10pm. Just watch Filipino television drama "On The Wings Of Love" at 12:00 midnight by myself. My 2 roommates are still working till 2am and the other one is having a drinking session with fellow co-workers.
There is a Palauan duo that performed for the New Year's Eve countdown at Breeze Bar.
I attended the New Year service of Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch) Palau Locale at 10am. I was given a special number to sing before the message by Bro. Gilbert Navarro.
I sang the Barry Manilow's "It's Just Another New Year's Eve" changing some lyrics to make it appropriate for a New Year and Christian song.
I brought more than half of the fruits that I always prepare for every New Year's eve... grapes, apples, watermelon, tomato, honey dew melon, Mandarin oranges, mangoes and Valencia oranges. I kept the kiwi, grapefruit, Fuji apple, papaya, banana and pear.
We decided to have lunch at the Japan-Palau Friendship Bridge and we brought the food that everybody brought to share.
It was an enjoyable lunch with brethren and a lot of people especially kids spent also their lunch time at the bridge.
At 3:30pm, we go home. I took an hour nap before dinner and play piano at Waves Restaurant from 7-9pm. I ask the Supervisor (Fe Bruto) to prepare my birthday cake at 9pm. Palau Royal Resort is always giving an 8 inches cake to all employees on their birthdays.
While playing piano, I'm not sure if the couple in front of me is Japanese or Chinese/Taiwanese so I alternately played Japanese, American and Chinese songs. The guy seems to appreciate Japanese and Chinese songs so I'm still not sure of their nationality. There are no drinks on their table so I guess they are Chinese.
Before leaving the restaurant, the guy gave me $5.00 tip. Before proceeding to Breeze Bar to play for another 2 hours of keyboard music, I follow-up about the cake, which is not yet ready so I said I will just pick it up at 11pm.
While setting the keyboard, I notice a Japanese family sitting at the same table where they sat 3 days ago. There's a very cute Japanese girl with her grandpa, grandma and mom. Before playing, I took my Japanese and American songs songbook and gave to them saying, "Requesto, daijobu. This is Japanese songs, and this book are American songs.
They appreciated it and their first 2 requests are "Oribia O Kikinagara" and "Chako No Kaigan Monogatari" in which the song book was was brought to me by the girl with the pages folded so that she will not miss the right songs.
It's time now for American songs and they requested "Stand By Me" and "Imagine". The girl brought the song book again.
Then came Mr. Andy Uerbelau, who sat at the very far end, behind the bar. I started to play his favorite songs -- Too Young, Tennessee Waltz, etc. and when I sang "Harbor Lights", I played it with my right hand holding the song book because the notes are very small and my left hand playing the chords of the song written in key of Eb (E flat).
After that song, here comes the free drink from Mr. Andy. I prefer red wine this time. After finishing the song that I'm playing, I go to him and greeted him "Happy New Year! It's my birthday tomorrow and I'll be 60th years old." He said, "You don't look like you're 60. By the way, when I was in Philippines, there was that Enrico Hotel where I stay and there is an old pianist there and just like you, he can play the old songs of my generation."
I said it's very nice to reminisce your younger days through music. But I have to continue playing and I resume playing Japanese songs again because there are newly arrived guests, 2 Japanese ladies, a Japanese guy and an American guy in front of the keyboard.
The oldest lady in this group is singing when I'm playing. The American guy made a gesture that I thought he's telling that lady that many keyboard players are just 'pretending' to play but actually just following "recorded songs."
With this is mind, the next songs that I played didn't use the rhythm section of the keyboard, just plain piano. The songs are "Nada Sou Sou", "Kawa No Nagareno Yo Ni", and "Anata" which I sang without looking at the songbook.
When I have 'proven' to the American guy that it's really me playing the keyboard, I started to play again using the rhythm section of the keyboard. At that time, Andy is leaving. He made a gesture of pointing his index finger upwards which l learned later that he gave me another glass of red wine as a birthday cheers.
I forgot to tell him that I featured him in the 1138th post of this site:
http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/12/1138-music-and-me-nov-26-2015-andy.html
Andres 'Andy' Uerbelau, right, likes oldies but goodies songs. It's a first time when I was requested to play "Harbor Lights" in key of Eb (Eb). When I sang it, I realized that the lyrics of that song is not the usual theme that a man working on a ship (military or commercial) found a girlfriend when on the shore. It's the lady in this song that on a ship.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
ANDY UERBELAU and the
'HARBOR LIGHTS'
ON Nov. 26, 2015, a Palauan guest is waiting for me to
play piano at 7pm. I remember him came more than a month ago and he requested a
song which I can’t remember at that time. When he passes to me to go to the
Coral Bar of Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort, I asked him, “Would you
like to request a song or two?” He answered back, “I hope you remember what I
have requested you.”
That
makes me think for a while. I have played 5 more songs before I realized that
he requested an unfamiliar song to me because it is in key of E flat (Eb) and I
know only 3 songs that I play in that key. That song is “Harbor Lights” by The
Platters. When I played it instrumental, I guess that he will like it more if I
will also sing it. I’m not mistaken!
After
the song, he asks a waiter to give me Asahi beer. When he comes to me, he said,
“I’m very happy that you remember my favorite song.” I answered back with a
little exaggeration, “It’s because it’s one of the only 4 songs that I play in
key of Eb.” Actually, it’s only 3 as I have written in one of my posts. It will
become 4 now with the addition of “Harbor Lights” when I update it.
He
said also that when he visited Philippines, he always goes to bars and asks the
musicians to play that song and some other oldies but goodies songs. Before he
left, I ask for a photo and his name. He said “Andres” but I can call him Andy.
And that his family name is Uerbelau and he has a brother, which I know as
Victor, who also writes at Tia Belau Newspaper once in a while.
On
Dec. 17, 2015, Andy is back at Waves Restaurant all by himself again. After I
played and sang “Harbor Lights”, a waiter asked me what do I’d like to drink. I
should have said “Red Wine” should I saw it earlier that he’s having red wine.
I said Asahi again.
After
going to the rest room for a 5-minute break, I saw 2 requested songs written by
Andy at the piano –Love Letters in The Sand and An Affair to Remember. NOW I
KNOW WHAT HE LIKES!
From
then on, I played all oldies but goodies songs –Mona Lisa, Too Young, Only You,
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Ebb Tide, Somewhere My Love, Moon River, Strangers in
the Night, Fascination, Something Stupid, Yesterday and more…
At
9pm, before going to Breeze Bar to play for another 2 hours of keyboard music,
I talk to Andy for a few minutes. He will come again to listen to me play those
oldies. He mentioned again about his trips to Philippines and enjoyed those
kinds of music played live by a variety of musicians. He saw some senior
musicians still loving to play piano and keep doing it for the love of music.
He
also said that he can’t find any place in Palau that have a musician like me
that can play old songs in his generation. I mentioned to him that I once got a
letter from a Japanese lady that is written in Japanese downwards that I have
to ask our GM Isao Takahashi to translate it to me. It says there that when I’m
playing those old American songs, she reminisce the time when she was young
enjoying those music. And that it looks like she’s young again because of that.
She also included $30.00 tip inside the envelope and left it at the front desk
of PRR upon checking out in 2009.
I
also mentioned to Andy that Chief Justice Arthur Ngiraklsong also enjoyed my
music at Breeze Bar and that he likes Greek songs also because of the movie
Zorba, the Greek. He said CJ is a colleague and also his brother Victor. Andy
is also a lawyer.
Sources: Music and Me
By Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
March 15, 2012 -- April 2013
http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
April 2013 -- November 26, 2015
Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
The Beginning of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
To be published as a book in the future
When the family with a cute Japanese girl is about to leave, the mother gave me $10.00 tip with her saying to the girl, "Give that $10.00 that you're holding to him." I remember 2 years ago, there's a Japanese boy that refuse to give to me the $10.00 that his father asked him to give me and he keeps the tip. So the father get another $10.00 from his pocket and gave it to me instead.
After finishing the first red wine, the bartender Renz gave me the 2nd one from Andy. I still have 10 minutes to finish it as it's 10:50 at that time.
The group in front of me ask for their bill. Before leaving, the oldest Japanese lady, who always sing when I play Japanese songs, gave me $20.00 tip.
Devy is envious (jokingly) and mentioned something that happened to me in Jan. 05, 2008, when the Queen of Koror, Palau gave me a glass of red wine, $10.00 tip and a slice of her birthday cake.
Devy said, "You have everything now for your birthday -- money, food (cake) and drinks (red wine)."
Roberto Hernandez plays piano at Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort from 6:00-9:00 pm every night except Friday (his day off). From 9:00-11:00 pm, he plays keyboard at Breeze Bar, about 30 meters from Waves Restaurant.
(Photo by: Jaime Guevarra)
MUSIC EXPERIENCE OF ROBERTO HERNANDEZ
(THE CRYING OLD JAPANESE GUY)
BEFORE CHRISTMAS 2007, the Queen of Koror, Palau Bilung
Gloria Salii, her husband Carlos and daughter Uroi had dinner at Waves
Restaurant. They gave me $10.00 tip and a glass of red wine.
Before they go home, I talked to Bilung and said, “I would like to give you a Christmas present. I will tune your piano for free before the end of this year.”
I became very busy and haven’t done my promise.
On her
birthday, January 05, 2008, they had dinner again at Waves Restaurant with 3
other guests. I played all their favorite songs. She gave me $10.00 tip, a
glass of red wine and a slice of her birthday cake.
After three
weeks, they had another dinner at Waves and after giving me $5.00 tip this
time, I asked for her telephone number at home so that I can set the date of
tuning their piano. She said 488-6216.
On March
19, 2008 (Wednesday), I saw her at the entrance of Surangel’s Department Store.
I said I will call her on Tuesday (March 25) and will tune their piano on
Wednesday (March 26) which I did. After tuning their piano for 2 hours, she is
ready to issue me a check but I said I promise to tune it for free as Christmas
present. She gave me bananas instead!
The next day, God gave me more that I expected.
While halfway
on my piano playing at Waves Restaurant, a lone, old Japanese guy sits at a
table about 7 meters from the piano. Ten minutes later, I started to play the
Japanese song “Kawa No Nagareno Yo Ni”. In the middle of that song, I saw him
get something from his front pocket- it’s a handkerchief! He is crying and was
carried away by my expressive playing.
The two waitresses Maricar Baules and
Maricel Carlos saw him crying and asked why. He pointed at me and I played with
more expression. Goosebumps are all over my arms and body which I rarely feel
when playing with much expression. I followed it up with another Japanese song
“Subaru”. He cried more. The handkerchief is all wet!
When I played the song "Kou Jou No Tsuki", he pointed at the sky as the song is about moon. Tsuki is Japanese word for moon.
When I played the song "Kou Jou No Tsuki", he pointed at the sky as the song is about moon. Tsuki is Japanese word for moon.
Fifteen minutes later, he
gave me tip. I put it on the piano music stand. Edgar Cayanan, the Assistant
Food & Beverage Manager said, “Kuya”, (Older brother) “I don’t think that’s
the color of a $5.00 bill.” He checked the tip and said “It is a hundred
dollar!” I just continue to play and ignore him as I don’t look at the amount
of tip I get until the giver has left.
Edgar told
about it to Maricar and Maricel. The two also checked the tip and said. “It’s
really $100.00! Can we have some?”
When the
generous man left, a Japanese couple sat at the same table where he sat. The
guy requested 3 Japanese songs (Goodbye My Love, Itoshino Elly and the third
one, I forgot). I was able to play all those 3 songs and he gave me $1.00 tip!
Philippine
Ambassador to Palau Ramoncito Marino, the biggest supporter of chess in Palau,
and his wife Issa were having dinner at that time with an old Japanese lady
guest. When he sat down at the piano to play a couple of songs, that’s the only
time I look at the tip- it’s really $100.00. I said to the Ambassador, “Look,
sir, a Japanese guy gave me $100.00 tip without requesting and another guy who
requested 3 songs gave me $1.00”.
The next
day, Friday, Edgar said that the man who gave me $100.00 tip last night said he
made a mistake in giving me that amount. I said, “It is okay, I haven't spend it yet and when he comes
back, I’ll give him back the $100.00 and it’s up to him to decide how much he
really wants to give me.”
On Saturday
evening, he comes back. While having dinner at the same table, I played all the
other Japanese songs that I didn’t play on that Thursday night. When I play the
2 songs that made him cry, he didn’t cry anymore.
After his dinner, he comes to
me with Cathy (Chinese waitress) by his side. He said, “Do you know the guy who
plays piano in the cruise by the name of Norman?”
I said, “No. Does he play Japanese songs also?” He said yes but only a few.
Then he gave me tip again and I put it in my polo shirt pocket. And he left for
Japan.
Maricel saw that he gave me again and asked how much. I looked at it and it’s
another $100.00!
He didn’t make a mistake. Edgar is just kidding me and maybe jealous.
Source: Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
The Beginning of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
December 2007
To be published as a book in the future
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