Hayahay to end my Day 1

The waiter asked me where I wanted to sit as if there were a lot of vacant spaces! But I told him I wanted to settle at the second floor preferably on those “tree-house” style areas where the music was not too loud. And so I got what I wanted – what with all the endorsements from the kid. The place available for me was a little table kissing the wine bar and good enough space for at least two people in a crowded and cramped Hayahay on a Saturday night! Whoa!

After ordering SanMigLight, I quickly reviewed the pictures on my camera. I remembered I took a picture of a waiter’s shirt during lunch that had the band schedule of this place. Oh so this was “Saturday Rock” and there were three bands on queue. I asked the waiter, which band was that currently playing and I was told it was the 2nd set of the group called “Bored of Trustees”. Whoa! While their music was good, the sound system was too loud for me that I thought my ribcage was vibrating with the drums. Seeing that most everyone here were having a good time, I conditioned myself to also feel the same and enjoy. I did! They call their kind of music “alternative rock”. Whatever, they sounded to me like a mix of Fra Lippo Lippi, Earth Wind & Fire with a lot of Depeche Mode touches. Something like that… generally good to my ears, sometimes I would swing with the beat and at other times I wanted to cover my ears when there were shouting portions in a song hehe! I was amazed though that most of their songs – even their originals – were in English.

Aside from my cigarette pack, camera and the ashtray, my table was empty as I always cling to my bottle. So it was easy for a waitress to recognize a “need”. She came forward with the menu and asked if I wanted anything to eat or munch on. The hefty meal at Jo’s was still solid and full in my tummy so I opted for gambas – I was sure it would have been just a few pieces of shrimps as it usually is anywhere in this country! Ah, don’t get me wrong hehe, since am a lover of shrimps any serving is always “not enough” for me. Always!

True to the endorsement, seeing that I was alone amidst the loud music and even louder shrills and shrieks of many tourists trying to converse, the waiter did stay near me. When not busy taking orders or delivering drinks, he actually stood by the bar and talked to keep me company. This is where I learned more about Hayahay, its owners and its habitués!

Okay, I already told you in my lunch topic that the restaurant (fine dining) is Lab-as Restaurant. That’s on ground floor and about 20 meters away from me now. Where was I? The official name of where I sat was the “Hayahay Treehouse Bar & Viewdeck”. Yes, it is a tree house since the house/hut was built around a live grown tree that also serves as the main post/foundation of the structure. There is a wine bar here and about 6 or so tables of various sizes for various numbers of guests in a group. What is the view? Well, the stillness and darkness of of sea dotted by little blinking lights from fisherfolks’ gas lamps out in the open sea. Hey, this was that place I climbed unto earlier at lunchtime – where I had a good panoramic daytime view of the same body of water.

The stage (and therefore the band too) is downstairs at ground level where there’s a sea of tables for the sea of diners that apparently frequent this place by the sea. Oh, there’s another 2nd floor but it’s not a bar nor view deck. It looks more of an extension to accommodate the swelling number of patrons. The concrete structure looks like an extension of the main house “azotea” style and laden with more tables and chairs. Further away is the complex’s attempt to have a pizza joint called Chez Andre Gourmet Pizza and just the same it was also jampacked as it too is a very clear hearing distance to the bands at play.

Another unexpected… what else, the kid came to join me! I did not at all expect him to come back since I know races amongst barkadas – it could last until morning! But good, I had company! He obviously already had a drink or two. After the “how are yous” I asked, where his bike was. The reply was “somewhere downstairs and securely parked”. Then I dropped the bomb… either 1) he send the motorbike home and come back to drink more with me and on me; or 2) continue drinking in the place but away from me! Rationale explained: I don’t want to later feel guilty nor be blamed for a youngster’s DUI accident. No no no, not me. I told him he could park it at his house then come back via a tricycle.

The kid obviously irritated with a frustrated look in his face stood quite grudgingly and left without saying a word. I thought he was even cursing and/or making faces. In my mind I was silently laughing for I could imagine that the kid was so irritated with my “old-man-attitude” hehehe! But actually I meant everything I said. I was sure he wouldn’t come back.

But he did! Grinning, again with that almost trademark cigarette on his lips, dancing a bit to the band’s music, he approached my/our table and slammed a key. A Honda. I said “what is this?”. Reply: “It’s a CRV”. I said “I know, and do you actually know…” then two of his fingers stopped my ready-to-nag mouth and said “look down there” pointing across the street and by the edge of the sea. “That is my car, and the Manong standing beside it is our family driver. And teasing… “any more complaints, sir?”. I did not say anything and he said “may I drink now, please?”. In a toast, we raised and banged our bottles rather hardly that the sound caught attention of almost everyone in the other tables. But no bottle broke – buti na lang!

And the night went deep into morning, the bands were still playing in succession, guests were still a plenty but we had to call it “done” after sometime. So I went back 'home' to Harold’s in a CRV. And the rest is history hehe…

Thank you kid for keeping me company! C ya at @#$%^& soonest, my flight lands there at about the same time your ferry will anchor! Oo na!

For a chronology of stories on this trip, click the following article numbers: