The itinerary I chose is also somewhat wacky.  My hubby and I flew from the Philippines to Amsterdam and I stayed there for a week to attend the wedding of my sister in law.  After 5 days I knew I could only stand living there for one more day.  It seems that everytime I visit Amsterdam, I feel more and more of a stranger to the country.  What with all the stares I get and all the awkward conversations I had with both Dutch people and fellow foreigners (allochtonen) like me.  At some instance, I even had a fellow foreigner bully me into listening to her strange stories and crazy comments about me and my hubby.

When I was called for second interview right at the port of entry (and a thorough luggage search) I wasn’t surprised after telling them my weird but true story and the fact that I flew to North America by way of Amsterdam.  I knew I might trigger red flags. However,  after also spending a week with my family in Canada whom I really missed I also felt out of place and couldn’t find a quiet place to do anything worthwhile. The kids were all over the place (and all over me). I needed room to breathe.

That is why now I continued my sojourn into my past.  I found myself an affordable but comfy place right in South Jersey where I used to live.  The flight yesterday was quite painless.  The only trouble is that traveling alone without my hubby is such a chore with 2 pcs of luggage I had to roll around by myself across the Philadelphia airport towards the rental car shuttle and on towards the rental car office.    I was pretty sure my reservation said Prius or any midsize car but for some reason the agent said that is 10$ extra per day.  Are they scamming me or what?  I was too tired to argue so I just said fine whatever.  It turns out they didn’t even have a Prius. Oh well, nevermind then.  I ended up with a cute Kia Soul which I am not even sure counts as midsize.  With the insurance added, the total cost doubled.  Grr.  Can I downgrade? They said no.  Ok fine here’s my card.

Driving was so easy.  I didn’t even have to use my phone’s GPS which suddenly lost it’s voice.  It bailed out on me.  I’m just so glad I still remember the area (in general).   I used to live there back in 2002 anyways.    I arrived in the hotel without getting lost.

The (stupid)/(careless) concierge told me my name was not found in the computer.  I told her it was prepaid.  She said maybe I booked in the other branch. Duh!  I was about to show her the documents when she suddenly said she found my record.  She was looking at another date.

The room I got was fine although the TV was quite outdated and the remote not working right: every button was just adding -1 to the channel and there is no working power off button.  I decided to keep my dinner simple by buying something I like from the supermarket.  After all, I have a nice little fridge here.

I didn’t have a nice long sleep but I felt rested nevertheless.  I had free breakfast downstairs.  The breakfast was of course not remarkable.  The eggs had a weird smell to it so I kinda skipped it. They had canadian bacon though which I gladly put in between 2 slices of brown bread.  Fresh juices on the vending machine and cereals. They also had muffins too.  After that, I asked the concierge (new shift) if I could change to another room that is not adjoined (has door that opens to other room).  Creepy especially for someone alone like me.   Luckily she allowed me to move to another room.  The TV was the same, remote was the same but this time the channels can go forward and backwards.  Don’t get me wrong.  This hotel isn’t a scary bates motellish motor inn.  It’s kinda even +1 in luxury compared to Best Western: the beds were comfy, everything was also very clean and a high rise with elevators.  A plus for a security conscious and half scared / half brave adventurer like me.

I have talked to my cousin today who is currently in North Jersey and had received an invitation from a friend from the Philly suburbs for a stay this weekend.  As of now, I am still not sure whether I should go with my cousin on the 4th of July to watch the Manhattan skyline fireworks with her friends or attend a July 4 party in the suburbs.  I am partial to the fireworks but my cousin said if it’s possible I should do both.  There is another friend I contacted by email (who has a baby) but has not answered my phone calls.

I also received a short but thoughtful email from my nephew back in Canada. Today, I revisited my favorite PHO restaurant for lunchwhich MrC also liked.  The small bowl of pho was still $6.  I also tried to visit an Apple store but there was no Ipad with 3g available.  I got myself a phone mount.

When you get to a taxi, the driver can either start by playing hard ball just to let you in and want to prenegotiate a price.  Don’t let him fool you. Insist on using the meter.  If you have successfully made it to step 2 then he will try to be friendly and talk to you finding out if you are rich.  If he decides that you are, he will go on pity party mode and tell you how hard his life is or that his car is barely working .. then it would hopefully lead you to give him a big tip — which would not be that bad if his car didn’t overheat in the middle of EDSA.

As you arrive in your resort, or wherever nice place you want to hangout, or even while inside the car aggressive vendors would beg you to buy their wares..  You would almost buy those things out of pity even though you know those necklaces would just join all the clutter you have left back home.  Why don’t they just sell me something good to eat instead huh? some crunchy snack or perhaps a shirt which I can hopefully wear after 3 washings.

We had our car repaired for a small ding.  It took more than a day for it to be finished.  The next day, we sent the driver to pick up the car and he was waiting for hours until someone from there called me on the phone.  He asked me to call my driver.  I called him and asked why and he told me the guy fixing the car is asking for money for merienda (snack) but he was ashamed to tell me in person.  Most people from other countries would find it too in your face if someone from the shop asks you the same thing.  Maybe there is a reason for him to be ashamed. But still he asked.  I think I would not even hesitate to give him a nice tip if he did his work fast but in this case he asked for tip even before doing a good job.  He says he is ashamed but it is false shame because he knows he is asking for something he doesn’t deserve.

Sometimes, you would be approached by people who would tell you they represent their local religious/academic/whatever organization and that if you buy their trinket you would be helping them in their education/whatever good thing.  If you decline, they would use the “religious card” and sell you something religious like a rosary or prayer card.  If you tell them you’re an atheist they will just admit to you that they are desperate and need your help so please GIVE!  I think the best way is to pretend that you don’t speak English or Tagalog.

Then there’s the extended family. Yes, this the hardest to resist.  You want to help them so you try to let them work for you.  After a while, they start to ask for an advance.  A little crying,  a little sad story and you are parting ways with money.  Nothing wrong with that, you are helping them out.. It’s an emergency after all.  After another month, they ask for money again and again and again and you wonder where it all goes to.  You want to teach them how to fish.  You give them a regular job but that’s not enough.  You end up sending their kids to school. Later you lend them bigger money and they promise to give it in “Four Gives” and you realize later that it is spread out in years rather than months.

Hey, someone’s knocking at the door.  It’s your barangay tanod. Did I do something wrong?  They have a piece of paper, what is it? It’s a Death Certificate. Someone died a few blocks away and his family needs some money for his funeral/burial.  They do not even explain in words what it’s all about.  The Death Certificate and the letter from the Barangay Tanod explains it all.  How much do I have to give? Darn! When will this all end?  A week after another Death Certificate is shown to me all over again.

A day before election, a young lady knocks on our gate.  She was holding a piece of paper.  When I asked her about it she just she mumbled and groaned.  I realized she was deaf mute.  I understood now, she’s here (again) for money!  This is sad but all these stories are true.