RETURNING FROM A HECTIC TRIP FROM THE MANILA

Dear Auntie Pattie Koh,

My wife and I just arrived 03Mar at 3pm at O'hare International Airport from our trip from the Philippines. It was one hell of change of temperature. When we left last 17Feb, it was snowing, and there was at least three inches on the ground. I have to park my car at my office parking lot by the airport and took the shuttle bus of the company direct to the departure area. It was so cold.

When we arrived in Hongkong, there were lots of traffic and the flights of Cathay Pacific to Manila was oversold because of the Chinese New Year. So we decided to stay overnite in Hongkong. We have attended the fireworks display and the parade infron of the Hongkong Peninsula Hotel which was facing the cultural center. It was one hell of a firework display and the parade is unbelievable. Traffic from Kowloon to the airport and Tsing Yi was cancelled. We have to wait until the trains and the buses resumes their operations.

Next day 19Feb, we took the first flight out of Hongkong onboard Cathay Pacific. When we landed in Manila, we were hit by the heat and humidity. It was so hot. My sisters are all telling me that the summer season and warm temperature has started. Quaresma is on hand.

We stayed in Manila for three days then we headed to Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya to visit my wife's relatives there. It was on hell of a trip, five hours night trip and it was as if I went to Los Angeles from Chicago. I cannot complaing because I dont want to offend my wife. We stayed there for the weekend and drove back on the afternoon of saturday. I will not try again going by public transportation. There is no airport there and the closest one is in Baguio and Tuguegarao and still a long drive by car. Oh well.

I took my wife to the Mall of Asia and we had a good time with all my nieces and nephews. We tried the many restaurant and when we went shopping at Shoemart, the problem and the fun begun.

My wife purchased some summer dresses and I purchased some Pinoy CD's and DVD's. The total amount was around Pesos 4,300.65. I was paying with my ATM/Credit card, but the cashier does not want to accept the card because she said there is no signature at the back and it says, "Ask for ID". The saleslady said she cannot accept it even if I am showing a pictured ID. I demanded for the supervisor that came after 15mins of waiting. We asked for an explanation why the ATM/Credit card is not being accepted, when I have just used it at another SM store, their South Mall in Las Pinas plus I just withdrew Pesos 10,000.00 from Metrobank ATM machine. The supervisor said that is their policy not to accept card with no signature at the back. Arguments and explanations, so I decided to pay in cash and give a piece of my mine to the supervisor who is asking me to call my bank and ask them to replace my card immediately. I told her there is an expiration at the back and it is still to expire until june'08. But the supervisor still insists on it. So I told her, she does not know what she is talking about and most probably does not have a credit card.

And so Auntie Pattie Koh, I left that store and vowed not to return and do any business with them when I returned back this July. It is so hard to make these people understand things that they dont want to understand.

Oh well!!