PH>VN: CEB T2, Second Time

Previously, we covered my transfer-bus experience from domestic terminal T1, until I got off here!

Anyway, I walked to the terminal itself. Hmm, it was brighter this time. 10:34AM kasi, not 05:03AM!

Yes I looked back, dahil ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan, ay di makikita ang nakaraan! Hahaha?

And forward again... saying "Terminal 2, here I come for the second of many times... kaya umayos ka"!

Hey, these overhead signage are clearer this time. I could read them all. Unlike the last time hehehe!

I also said in that last time, that their Check-in Islands (Check-in Rows) are identified from right to left, arranged D, C, B, A instead of ABCD! Walay magbuot! Walang basagan ng trip! Arabo ang gumawa eh!

And yes, I turned left again to enter, since I was flying on Air Asia again - even if to SIN, not KUL.

The guard told me though, it doesn't matter where you enter - as long as you have proper documents.

Wait... isn't something the matter with the floor in this area?

Note from my meticulous atrevida mind: even if this is an outdoor space (all 5 photos above), or even if it rains (today was sunny hot), the floor should never look like that. There surely is something wrong!

What are those seemingly patched or wet areas, na me mga linya-linya, kabang-kabang? Ah, whatever they are, that is not standard, not normal, not acceptable for any new building, of any kind whatsoever!

Ayayay... nagduda na ako sa quality ng building na ito! Let's hope it's not something serious, simbako!

Alright... check-in, travel tax, terminal fee were all the same as before. But I had to take a pic of this!

I saw and took a picture of this area before. Those were not there! I mean the white tent/canopy thing whatever it is called hehe. Is it a lounge chair? Malayo pa lang I already knew it's a Cobonpue creation.

And the red thing, I mean the girl, not the throw pillow hehe! I think she's a 'customer whatever' staff of the airport authority, not the airlines. I didn't see anything like her last time. Aw, basi'g 8 to 5 ra na sila!

I had a lot of time, I made sure of that, so I went-a-strolling around just to see things here and there...

Nice di ba? Maaliwalas yan, my picture just looks a bit dim, because that's all my phone could give me indoors. Haizst! But see how the sun illuminates the place, even creating artistic patterns on the floor!

Mind you, I stood under that wash of light, it's not sunny hot. I think it's not really the direct rays of the sun. There probably is a "filtering material" up there. Otherwise, rain would make this place wet, right?

I could feel the architect's or designers's intentions in many aspects of this building. Magaling! But, sa 'design' and/or 'concept' lang yun. I/We cannot (yet) say, everything was executed well by the builders!

Builders? I think "local contractors" ang tawag sa mga yun (Engineers, Foremen, Laborers and so on). Did they use correct materials and/or follow proper procedures? If so, ba't ganun ang sahig sa labas?

In here, maayos naman ang floor. Except that, to give respect to the designers/architects, they should not put anything overhead that creates a shadow ruining the artistic effect sa gitna. Sayang photo-op!

I took that picture above, by the way, while I stood in the very middle of the check-in area. Rows D and C are to the left, and Rows B and A are to the right. As I said earlier, pakaliwa kasi ang ABCD nila dito!

Here is Check-in Row B. Behind this is Check-in Row A. At the end is Cobonpue's artistic lounge chair!

I think that Cobonpue thing doesn't look good being there. Probably because of it's color, or maybe it's placement (bakit nasa isang sulok lang), or maybe because it is alone (mas maganda if there were at least three or four). I do know a perfect spot where that thing should be placed - sa sala ng bahay ko!

Okay, I walked to the left wall (it's all glass), just curious how the two terminals are connected now.

Well what do you know! It's not done, but I could see we could already properly walk on that pavement to and from these two buildings, right? There is even a woman walking with her trolley bag. Pwede na.

Then I trained the camera a little bit higher to show the nearest point where the two buildings meet.

Yep, the topic on my mind was "why can't they be connected by a walking bridge" - it can even be done both on landside (public area) and airside (security-checked area) - which is very important for transit passengers. That way, no need to go out of any building and go through the hassle of walking outside.

Example: when there was no T2 yet, once you got your bags (domestic or international), no need to go out, just turn to the elevator or stairs, you'd be up at the check-in counters (domestic or international).

Sometimes I do wonder... do they... wheh, masisira lang araw ko. Let's go inside na nga lang!

Aha! Something new! The table for filling out immigration cards had only one pen, pero gumagana!

I used that pen, although as I have told you a number of times, a pen is one of my "travel must-haves", especially when it involves international trips like this. So there's always one or two in any of my bags

Tip: Think of your passport as incomplete if there's no pen beside it. The world is not yet that hi-tech.

Before entering immigration and putting my phone away (bawal magkodak!), I took this picture...

Nice that they have those monitor displays everywhere in this airport. Because of helpful gadgets like those, I now even have a new joke - pag ikaw nawala at naiwan pa, mabuti pa mawala at maiwan ka na!

Actually, honestly (because honesty is the best policy di ba?), I did not really snap that pic just for that information screen hehe! It was about the two items to the left! 1] that apology announcement - good! 2] that thing installed near the ceiling (is it a speaker?) - not wisely installed, basta lang binutasan ang dingding for the wire to get through, there is even another similar hole to the left (ay, nagkamali yata)!

Talk about being professional. In my view, kahit carpenter ka, dapat tumingin ka naman sa ganda ng gusali mo at itanong "ang ginagawa ko ba eh bumabagay"? In this case dili Dong, bati, dinali-an, bogo!

Wheh, kung sa bahay ko yan, I will have them do it again and cleanly!

Anyway, no pictures during 'passport control' (immigration) and the final security check. However, as I went out of that area, I saw a "Mabuhay Girl" (PAL's Mabuhay Lounge Crew) walking-by. They are CSAs too, but I call them "Mabuhay Girls" and it's okay with them! We had a quick 'hi hello' (they all know my face) and I asked if she was on 'gate duty'. She said "no, lounge pa rin", and my eyes (I think) flickered!

I instantly concluded, but I still asked "so your Mabuhay Lounge is already open at this terminal"? As if to brag, she proudly beamed to say "yes sir it's beautiful"! I dared ask "can I see it?". She said yes. YES!

I excitedly went with her to see the Mactan-Cebu International Terminal (T2) Mabuhay Lounge. Yeah!

Her colleagues instantly recognized and welcomed me into the lounge. Of course they knew I wasn't a PAL passenger this time, since their most recent flight just departed, and it was early for the next one!

Thankfully they allowed me in, perhaps because as I entered I immediately said "makiki-osyoso lang"!

Cozy. And I like those long tables - very representative of Pinoy hapag-kainan. Community, Communal!

But for the loner and individualistic, there are still the usual tables-for-two-or-a-few everywhre else.

It's a modern lounge, but you can still feel a native vibe. Maybe the colors and artworks does the trick!

Syempre it has all the 'signature' Mabuhay Lounge fare. I could see the big black pot of Arroz Caldo!

I like their use of that open cupboard (where alcoholic drinks are). Classic homely feel -sa-bahay epek!

Hey hey, tempting as everything might have been, I did not touch anything. Nakitingin lang, peks man!

As with all other lounges, the TV area (for news, and it's still always CNN) must still be present!

Is it the wall color or wood style or both that makes the place look vintage? Tanders me like it anyway! And all the printed media (dailies, magazines) are placed in just one location, that table below that TV.

I like this place. Of course wider and better than at T1.

When I went out of the Mabuhay Lounge, I saw that next door is this Plaza Premium Lounge.

I peeped in, that guy was even so kind to let me look aorund, but I could not take photos as there were many passengers. If you're not aware, 'paid lounges' like this usually have many "Karens". Mahirap na!

But I can tell you that like all others (I think they have more than 1,400+ in the world) this plaza lounge is also vast and 'businesslike' (that was the trend in the past decades) with good food and everything!

They are so good, many airlines worldwide use their services instead of putting up their own lounges. But I think we better talk more about them when I actually use them again soon. I did sometime ago!

On my way out and up, along the hallway, I saw standee-advertisements of airlines other than PAL, but I did not check if they have their own lounges in the area too or if they use the Plaza Premium Lounge.

Hmm, did I just say "out and up"? What does the "up" mean? Oh, these lounges are actually located at a lower floor level than the departure area. You go down to them via the elevator right across Gate 20.

As you can see in the photo collage, I was riding the elevator from the lounges (Level 1) goin' up to the departure gate areas (Level 2). Level 1 is technically the arrival level, but its walls are closed - no door.

My flight was to be boarded at Gate 16. I was early but went there anyway to exchange some money.

Not that I had to, but I just realized I had so much peso currency (again!) that I didn't need for this trip.

Oh I now also recall, there is a similiar-looking desk at right side of the departure check-in area, across Check-in Row A. And yes I also now remember, there is a Unionbank ATM on the left side of said area!

Let me tell you too, I'm not very good at mathematical computations (lalo na pag divide o multiply), so I'm not good at quickly telling if I will lose or gain with the exchange rates, when I see them. Though it does not bother me much, since I seldom need to exchange, dahil wala naman akong maraming cash in the first place! I have friends who can compare rates between banks, credit cards and these desks!

I find that topic/activity too complicated for my pea of a brain! Ganito yan, they would start looking at the "Buy"(Buying) and "Sell"(Selling) rates. Eh, yun pa lang, napapa-tunganga na ako! When I see those 2 columns ni 'di ko alam kaninong point of view yan, sa kanila o sa akin? Who is buying who is selling?

I remember my friend Kathy, she would just casually look at those rates and already say "if we change here, ang P1,000 magiging ganito in dollars, pag doon tayo magpapalit, magiging ganito. But, kung mag-withdraw tayo sa ATM doon, lalabas na ganito ang charge, so ganito ang worth ng one thousand. While kung i-cha-charge natin sa credit card ganito ang rate. Therefore, pagka-landing na, doon tayo mag FX".

When the topic is like that, my usual answer is "oke"! Kesa tumagas pa ang dugo sa ilong at tenga ko!

Yup, nose-bleed tayo dyan! But I have a practical advise to you my fellow Pinoy Travelers: when going abroad, estimate the pesos you will need from the house to the airport. The rest leave them behind or already convert into the currency of your destination. It is okay to lose a few pesos in FX conversions.

Unless milyones ang halaga ng mga aangkatin mo doon! Eh kung coke-in-cans lang naman o yosi ang mga bibilhin mo doon, okay na yan, don't bother about those Buy and Sell rates. Sakit lang sa ulo yan!

Take note: even if 3 pieces of 1000 bills lang ang dala mo (meaning tatlong papel), sa kakasukli nang kakasukli, dadami yan, kakapal ang wallet mo. And, if you are used to keeping your wallet in your back pocket, masakit sa pige yan, sitting 3 hours on a plane! That was my case here, so I used the FX desk.

Hep-hep! Did I hear you say "why not put your wallet in your front pocket, or put it in your handcarry"? Okay lang, but remember 2 things: 1] transferring items (especially wallets) into unnatural or unusual places than what you are used-to, can be a cause of you misplacing them for good! 2] placing cash in your handcarry can be a clue to thieves, or can be 'red flag' to customs folks if they see it during x-ray!

Pag dating mong Singapore o Vietnam tatanungin ka "wachu doing here, how long you stay, how much you have, why you have  so many? Da! Kasi, if they see cash in your handcarry, they may automatically think that's other-than what you have in your pockets. You can explain, but the hassle of being asked?

Alright, enough of that "money talk"!

Bakit ko pa kasi pinictyuran ang FX Desk na yan? Ayun, ang haba na tuloy ng kwentutan natin! Oh, for those not familiar, FX or forex is Foreign Exchange or Foreign Currency Exchange ibig sabihin palitan ng pera natin at ibang bansa and/or their banks (that accept/honor our money). It doesn't apply to all.

Ah eto scoop!

Alone at Gates 16 and 17 (Pier A), I already knew those standees at the back have charging ports.

I was going there to charge my phone. But look at the floor on the lower-right corner of the pic. There's clearly something wrong, right? Further back, ganun din, me lamat! Eh this isn't even 4 months old yet!

I moved on anyway, to charge my phone, and I saw these broken tiles. Da! That's only 3.5 months old!

From the looks of it, that thing they applied (plaster? glue? masilya?) are already dry, so don't ever tell me these happened only yesterday. Where's the contractor? Why can't it be rectified now? Or that's it?

Ahaka! After more than just 3 months, ganyan na ang "beautiful T2? OMG, ano ang susunod?

As if that floor issue was not enough, I saw the electric outlet, yes "the saksakan". This...

I may not be an engineer, but at less than 4 months after the building was so very proudly inaugurated by the president of the coutnry, ganyan pala ang airport na ito? There surely is something wrong there.

Wheh, don't tell me "inararo kasi ng pison kaya nagka-ganyan" o "nalaglagan ng 747 kaya ganoon". Ano ang ginamit na materiales at paano inilagay yan? Low grade tiles at naka-Elmer's Glue na socket? Ha?

So, forever na yan ganyan? Ganito na ba talaga ang Pilipinas?

Anyway, while seated there, charging my phone, playing games, writing some drafts, nagutom ako!

Time to try this fastfood. Not that I haven't tried them, I am frequent at their Ayala Cebu Branch. I tried BK and CBTL last time, I thought it was time for Bonchon, not the one w/ a hanged strangled duck yet!

Bonchon's dining area is the best if you want views of plane's passing-by...

I do hope Bonchon or MCIAA could set decency standards for contractors at passenger-visible areas.

I observed the two men were busy discussing things they were constructing (repairing) somewhere in this place. Before they sat down, talagang itinaas na ganyan ni manong yang t-shirt nyang yan. Hilasa!

O eto comedy relief. I saw this 'reminder' behind the door of one of the toilet cubicles!

I don't know, but I believe such things should be recognized as reason why its fun in the Philippines!

Hay hehehe! Anyway, flight was boarded on-time and I opted to be one of the last to enter. Trip lang!

Aw I took that picture as the flight before ours was on its final call. But the process is the same. When boarding is called, you line up, present your boarding pass at that counter, and you go down the stairs or escalators to Level 1 (there are seats there too) then enter the aerobridge connecting to your plane.

That's it pusit! In no time, my flight to Singapore took off.

Let's talk about that flight in my next story. We'll also talk a bit more about my transit in Singapore and evetually the third and final leg of this journey, the flight from Singapore to Ho Chi Min City in Vietnam.

Abangan!