 |
 |
 |
 |
   
I don't know about you, but at least I find it hard to think about any better tune for this adventure
Friday 4th of March 2016 and my friend called me 20 minutes past 7. His son wasn't feeling well so our morning exercise was cancelled. OK, we will have to take on the exercise next week when I'm back from my whale shark adventure in Donsol. Anyway, the cancelled exercise session gave me a lot of time and how to spend the time?  I will claim the VAT for the lens and x2 III converter at the airport, so it will be a lot to carry around. And I'm only going to use my small back pack and my lap top bag so no room. Well, I will get the camera when I return from the Philippines. But I sent them an e-mail and I was not happy. I'm wasting time and money going around town in taxi to repair the camera.
And we can see how concerned Canon are on their reply to my first e-mail. A standard apology and then they top it up with a phone number if I want to know more about their other products. Isn't  this what we call a SPAM? Well, I will ask them if they can provide me with a number to Nikon so I can inquiry about THEIR products!
I asked the taxi to drop me at Gate #10 at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, that is the far end of the airport and this is  where the TAX Refund office is located. I handed them my receipt and tax papers from the shop and I got the stamp. Everything took less than a minutes.
Now I had to walk back to Thai Airways check in, at the other end of Suvarnabhumi International. I noticed a change at Suvarnabhumi since I was here last time. Now there was self check-in machines Is this a sign of things to come? For sure, I don't hope so. Two of the worst airports I have ever been to regarding check-in is  Copenhagen International and Las Vegas. Machines everywhere and no sign of any staff available for help with the check in.
Convenient to just have to hand them my passport at check in and I have my boarding pass in a jiff. No need to keep track of ticket numbers etc. Thai Airways check-in was empty and the check-in took a minute. Security and I was alone so this took like 30 seconds and the immigration about the same. It was very  smooth and I was soon in the escalator going down to Thai Airways Lounge.
Today I got pass word to the WI FI on a paper slip. As I usually does, at least until the last few times here in Thai Airways Lounge. You get a password by scanning your boarding pass. Then they can keep track on you, what you have been doing on the internet while waiting for your flight. The machine did not work today so I can visit all kinds of web pages without risking anything. Well, I had time to update my web page gate and flight TG 624 to Manila. I stopped at the VAT Refund kiosk and I got the  cash for my tax refund.
Boarding was late, no surprises there. And we had to go by bus, well, I knew this already at check-in, gate E2A is always by bus. But I was surprised when finally, they started with the boarding. Royal Silk passenger and Star Alliance Gold card holders to board first. The girl saw me in the back and she told the other passengers to move so I could come up to board. She took my boarding pass and she screamed that it was business  class boarding while holding up my boarding pass.
I was standing there embarrassed, my plan to sneak on board without any one notice me. That plan was down the drain and I grabbed my boarding pass and I went to the bus. Took us a few minutes to get to the plane, a Boeing 777 plus something else. I had arranged for an empty seat next to me at check-in. The flight was almost full but I had an empty seat next to me and I was in a good mood when we left Bangkok. Actually, I was a sleep when we took off and I was surprised to discover that we were flying high above Thailand when I looked out the window. I thought that we were still on the runway.  Boarding Thai Airways flight TG 624 to Manila
 Boarding Thai Airways flight TG 624 to Manila
 Boarding Thai Airways flight TG 624 to Manila
 Refreshments
 Approaching Manila
 Approaching Manila
 Approaching Manila
 Flying in circles waiting for landing permission
 Flying in circles waiting for landing permission
 Flying in circles waiting for landing permission
 We have landed at Ninoy Aquino International, terminal 1
 Time to leave the plane
 Leaving the plane behind
I asked for a big cup of tea but as they didn't had any big cups or pots I got a small cup. The Stewardess told me she would refill the cup so I would never notice the cup getting empty. And yes, as you understand I was sceptic. But she managed to impress me, the cup was full all the way to Manila. I started a movie and after a while they brought dinner. The food was excellent and I was kind of enjoying the flight  and that we were going to arrive 25 minutes ahead of arrival time just made it better.
But we had to circle above Manila for 20 to 30 minutes due to congestion and we landed after scheduled time. But it had been a nice flight. Immigration was empty and I was through in a jiff and as I didn't had any checked luggage there was no need to wait for any bag. To get cash was the same routines as last time, only one ATM was working. I need a SIM card to have internet in Donsol so I stopped at one of several booths offering “FREE” SIM cards for  tourists. Of course it was not for free. I bought one SIM card but it was not possible to activate so it turned out to be a waste of time.
Tropicana Suites, we left the airport and I asked the taxi driver if he knew where he was going. - No - THEN GO BACK!!! I asked the TAXI staff at the airport if they knew the hotel and I told them to explain for the taxi driver. I have had it with drivers just taking off without knowing where to  go. Of course, they tell you the know and then you end up wasting time in the car going around looking for a place the driver had told me he knew very well.
The driver put the taxi in reverse and I asked where we were going and we were off again and I checked in to Tropicana Suites 30 minutes or so later. I put the back pack in my room and I was off to look for Tempura Japanese Grill. I walked to Robinson Place, 3 minutes away from the hotel. I went to see if they had big bottles of juice for my e-cigarette. The girl recognised me and I asked her if she could have 20 bottles by  Tuesday when I was back in Manila again.
I bought some clothes at Marks & Spencer that I will pick up on Tuesday as I don't have a space in my bags. As we know by now the Tempura Japanese Grill is closed at Robinsons Place, but there  is one on UN Avenue so I took a taxi.
We turned in to UN Avenue in search for Tempura and we were lucky, we turned in the right direction and I was soon seeing the Tempura Japanese Grill yellow sign. I paid the taxi and I stepped outside. The guard asked me if I was looking for the, yeah, whatever the name is of this coffee place they have all over the world now. But I said that I was here for Tempura Japanese Grill. I opened the door and it was like getting hit by a train. The smell from mould was not a pleasant smell. They really need to sanitise or tear down the building. Well, I got used to the smell after a few minutes. The bacon wrapped beans are no longer in the menu, this was something I noticed already last time at Tempura Japanese Grill. And I'm not happy that they have move from Robinson place as  that was a nice restaurant and you could sit alone.
Tempura Japanese Grill at Mall of Asia is almost like a mess hall, not a pleasant experience even though the food was good. But this place was for sure not looking any good. Never mind, I looked in the menu and I asked for my usual teriyake or whatever they called it. A mango shake and I was sitting at the table waiting. Time passed by and they brought me a glass of water. I told them  that I had ordered a mango juice.
They waved a paper cup at me from the bar. They told me that the mango juice was ready. Paper cup??!! I asked what they were up to, I wanted a glass. They brought a paper bag with my food and I asked what the duck was going on. - Didn't you order take away? - No - Oh! Sorry. He took the paper bag and he told me that he would be back, they would fix this in the kitchen. WHAT THE DUCK!!!?? He was seriously thinking that I wanted to eat food that they had put in paper bag and then on plates. Needless to say, I just left the place. And I was for sure not going to pay anything. What a disappointment! The first thing I was thinking when I got the news about daily whale sharks was Tempura Japanese Grill. Going to Manila and of course I take the opportunity to eat at Tempura, a simple restaurant, but the terijaki sauce is the best I have ever had. I was NOT happy when I took a taxi back to Robinsons Place. Tempura, I had really been looking forward to the Tempura Japanese Grill. I walked around Robinson Place to look for a restaurant.  And they have opened a H & M shop so they have rebuilt the place and many of the restaurants are gone. Nice restaurants replaced by clothes made by slave labour. Well, they don't call it slave labour anymore, now it is minimum vages and that's a different tune.
Well, I passed a Persian Restaurant and I decided to check it out. Persia, it is the same as Iran and I was thinking Baklava so I went to ask if they had baklava. Persian food and Turkish food, pretty much the same and I love it. I ordered steamed rice and 2 different kinds of meat. I discovered that they had DILL steamed rice and WOW!!!! This was  something I had to try! Dill steamed rice, first time ever I have heard a about dill steamed rice.
For sure, I have had enough of menus with side orders like: • Steamed rice • Scooby Doo steamed rice • Worse than Scooby Doo steamed rice The food was good, the best I have had in long time, and the baklava, 2 orders. One order almond baklava and one order of pistachio baklava. FY FAN VA GOTT DET VAR!!! The only set back was the tea, they didn't had any tea I recognised and I was drinking water. But I will try to steal a tea bag before going there next time so I can enjoy my food with some nice tea. For sure, I will go back when I'm back home from Donsol. I asked the hotel staff to wake me up tomorrow morning at 6 o'clock. My flight is at 10 o'clock and I need to leave the hotel at 8 o'clock. And if you want to find out if I make it to the airport tomorrow morning in time you just need to click HERE 
    
  You are visitor no.
To www.aladdin.st since December 2005
Visitors from different countries since 26th of September 2011
|
Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas
Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!
Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!
Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra
Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!
คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next” ข้างบนนี้
Вы говорите по-русски? NJET PROBLEMA! Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!
E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.
Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.
 |
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
||||