Nightlife after Haladaya 2009

It was past 8PM and I was sure food to buy would be bleak. In fact the many commercial places I have passed by were already closed. Decidedly headed to the same restaurant where I had lunch. They were just about ready to close and there was barely anymore delectable food to be served. They were preparing a big table for the crews and owners to have their dinner. Seeing that I was probably desperate to eat anything, the owner picked some food from their dining table to just about serving size and offered it to me. The feeling was as if I was a beggar in desperate need for anything I can eat. My wallet was thick at that time (I must say this) but it was worthless since there was nothing worth a dinner to buy anywhere! Whew! I profusedly thanked her anyway hehe!

Nightout? There is virtually none in Daanbantayan even if you say it was fiesta time. Well, for the younger set, there were some rock bands playing over at a venue near the plaza. For the even younger ones, there was also the perya where rides and games were aplenty. And it seems the whole town was also there. For most of the residents and visitors, THIS was the “main event” of the fiesta eve. And I liked watching people having fun. That was nightout for them - hitting balloons with darts, throwing coins to squares, winning coins or stuffed toy or kitchen utensils and so on. How about me? I have to guzzle at least a bottle of beer, right? Hehehe!

Walked around the center of town, watching out for brightly lighted areas that may indicate the makings of a bar or anything similar. None! But a store with karaoke-cum-grill-resto on the side was some few corners from the perya area. The style was… anyone buys drinks and other eatables at the store, then head for the few seats and tables in front of the karaoke inside the compound. I did buy a bottle but opted to just stand around outside of the store as I people-watched hehe! After three bottles I walked back to Vince Anthony for an early night’s rest, trying to convince myself that I was going early for Malapascua tomorrow morning anyway.

Oops, on arrival at Vince Anthony’s, I saw the manang and an older woman (probably her boss) happily seated on the garden set and drinking rhum-coke! Yeah! And when they asked me to join them, of course the ‘almost alcoholic’ in me readily plunged in hehe! When they asked what I wanted to drink I said just a bottle of red horse but I would like to taste what they were drinking. And so they told me to cross the street and better buy those now as the store was about to close hehehe! I did!

As we drank the night away, I discovered that madam older woman is a trusted caretaker of the Lo-ots in their many real estate properties all over Cebu island that are being rented. Whoa! And Vince Anthony’s was owned by a lawyer who just died and for some reason, I think, the Lo-ots and/or Shimura have a hand in its management. Oh well, for you who will go in the way of Daanbantayan and Vince Anthony’s, if you find any issues, you can probably go to the mayor, vice mayor for help hehe! Nice “drinking-spree” with the old ladies. Learned too many things about the Shimuras and the Loots, not only in Daanbantayan but all the way to Mandaue and everywhere else! Ah I was such a gossip that night! Hmm, a new discovery? Drink with the women and you have a nightful of facts and fiction!

Headed back to my closed but not locked room (they rammed the knob earlier this morning, remember?) It was rather cool than I expected. Heard the foreigner and his Pinay spouse/gf having some kind of a high pitched conversation. At first I said uh-oh… war is raging on the other side of the wall. But later I would hear some sudden thuds, heels thumping on the wooden floor, slapping sounds and either or both of them moaning in what seemed to be an ecstatic phenomenon! The female was particularly noisier with her very much audible ah ah ahhs! Ah I left them to it as I tried to catch some sleep.

When all was quiet (probably a ceasefire or end of round 1 hehe) at the other side of the wall, and as I was just about to drift away, I smelt something that made me jump out of bed and immediately scan the whole dark room. I thought I unconsciously lit a cigarette and left it burning somewhere. Gosh that scared me! But one part of me was sure I did not and will not smoke in this room. Nothing… but where was that cigarette smell coming from?!

OMG! The exhaust fan of the air-conditioned family room is positioned such that the air from there is transferred to my lowly room. No wonder it did not feel warm even when I first entered during the night. Hey, I am a smoker, but one of my ‘hatest’ is the smell of a burning cigarette (not the puffed exhalation) – and I don’t like it even if it comes from my very own cigarette! I was already so sure where it was coming from. So, without even putting a shirt on I opened my door and knocked at the other.

First there was no reply, but when I knocked again (and a bit harder), the cuacasian man tried to holler with “yes, who is it?”. Leaning closer to their door (as if to avoid disturbing people from the other rooms) I said “the occupant of the other room beside you”. There was some quick talk between the two of them and he opened the door (still panting in just his boxer shorts hehehe). I courteously requested him to put the exhaust fan off since his cigarette smoke was being transferred to my room and I said it choked me. He said okay. I could hear that the woman said some admonishing words to him and sooner that exhaust fan went dead. I was happy.

Thinking though, I can’t imagine why Vince Anthony’s would position that exhaust fan the way it is. Even if both rooms were strictly non-smoking, I would still consider the way that contraption was installed as ridiculously boorish. I would rather feel the warmer outside air circulated by a fan than breathe cooler air that I knew is mostly exhalations and cigarette fumes from people I don’t know in another room. Can’t imagine doing that kind of thing in my house though! Gosh!

Oh well, I did sleep well and woke up to another warm and beautiful morning.

In general, a notably interesting sojourn in Daanbantayan! Learned a lot hehe!

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