Cebu Philippines Trip Report – Day 2

After reading today’s tragic news from Stick, The End is Near, I now only have this week to complete my series on Cebu. I truly hope there is a solution for Stick to keep this site going and the majority owner realizes that with no Stick, there is no weekly column, no reader submissions, and I will assume no more paid advertisers.

Beginning of day 2 started with Ms. Viking and I saying our goodbyes as she headed to class and I was headed to IT Business Park. After a leisurely 15-minute walk, I arrive at my destination. This place is filled with call centers which equates to 100’s of educated ladies that speak better English than your average Filipina. I strolled around looking for a busy coffee shop to start my shopping for the day. Several can be found in and around the Park but I settled for old faithful, Starbucks. The place was quite full and I was lucky to find a small table in the corner to enjoy my caramel café latte, check my emails, read the news, and wait for the right moment to make the approach. After an hour and 4 failed attempts to strike up a decent conversation, I was about to cut my losses and go elsewhere when I noticed a nice lady standing in line to order. I didn’t know if she was going to get and go or was she going to order in. All the tables were occupied and most were full while mine had 3 empty seats. She did order in and started looking around for a place to sit. I quickly got up and head in her direction under the guise of going to the bathroom (referred to as CR, Comfort Room, in Cebu). I stopped and asked her if she needed a place to sit explaining to her that I was about to leave when I return from the bathroom. She readily accepted and thanked me. I pointed to the table in the corner and asked her to keep an eye on my laptop until I return.

After I finished my business in the CR, I returned to my table with no intention of leaving, not yet anyways. I sit down and we start the usual conversation of where are you from, what do you do, etc. She’s from Davao, 29, has worked at one of the call centers for 5 years, and lives with a few girlfriends. We had a few things in common such as, she has relatives that work in Dubai and some in the U.S. and my ex-girlfriend is from Davao. She seemed to be more interested about my ex-girlfriend than anything else. We had some laughs especially when I tried to say something in Visaya (the language spoken in southern PI). Her lunch break was about over so I asked if she would like to meet later that evening or on the weekend for dinner. I got the sorry but don’t know you reply. I was disappointed since I thought we had clicked on a small level at least. I gave her my number on a piece of paper anyway and told her it’s in case she changed her mind and I don’t bite, at least not on the first date. She laughed while tucking my number in her purse.

I decided it was time to go for my afternoon long walk and slung my backpack over my shoulder and just started walking with no clear plan of where to go. The objective was to get some exercise, see some sights and sounds around Cebu City, and not get mugged or pickpocketed.

I returned to my hotel around 2 hours later, took a swim in the pool, and then decided to go for a massage of the legitimate type. Not sure of where to go, I asked the concierge and he gave me directions to Cebu Holiday Health and Fitness Center which was about a 5 min walk from the hotel. An excellent 90-minute massage was had for $6 plus tip. For those of you looking for a happy ending massage, I was told there are few around but I am not sure if it’s just a hand job, BJ, or all out sex on offer.

I return my room, take a shower and get ready for the night’s adventures. Grab a $2 taxi and go straight to Mango Square area. I settled into a stool at one of the beer bars next to Mango Square and order my SML. Waitresses are cute, friendly, funny, and non-bar finable of course. It’s not the waitresses at this bar that catches my attention but it’s the welcome girl standing at the entrance to the sports bar Semi-Final that gets my attention. She is an absolute doll with beautiful big brown eyes that would place any man in a trance. I sat there for about 2 hours, had a couple of SMLs, a little pub grub, trying to flirt with one of the waitresses and Ms. Semi-final at the same time but in a covertly manner. One of the cute waitresses seemed to fancy me (maybe it was the shots of tequila I bought her) and I didn’t want to ruin any chance by seeming to be a playboy. As I paid my bill and was about to leave, the cute waitress said she hoped to see me again soon. All I could say was definitely.

I proceeded to Semi-final hoping to have a chance to talk with Ms. Brown eyes but since she worked the door and the bar was upstairs, this would be a challenge. I made it upstairs and took a seat at the bar. The place was quite empty at this time with only a few patrons in the bar area and then several in the back room playing pool. I order the usual and start a little small talk with the guy sitting at the bar. He soon departs and I was about to leave when a little vixen enters and has a seat at the bar and she is soon joined by 2 average looking girls but with great bodies attached. I start talking to Ms. Vixen asking her about the nightlife and for suggestions of some of the better places to go. The other 2 seemed to be in a hurry and hadn’t even ordered a drink. To keep Ms. Vixen there a little longer, I offered them a drink to which they happily accepted. Ms. Vixen is filling me in on some of the spots around town; the best discos, the best sports bars, etc. and tells me I should try Time Out Sports Bar. She had worked there for several months and only had good things to say about the staff, the owner and the great American food they serve.

The 2 hot bods finished their drink and were ready to leave. Ms. Vixen smiles, thanks me for the drink, and suggests I join them at J Ave. I politely declined and mentioned that I don’t think her friends would appreciate an intruder on their night out. She laughed, squeezed my hand, and said, you don’t know unless you try.

No sooner then they left, Ms. Brown eyes makes her way upstairs. She accepted the drink I offered and we talked for about 10 minutes before she had to go back downstairs. I asked but no number was given. She said I know where to find her if I want to talk. Fair enough I thought.

I went back for an SML to see Ms. Cute Waitress at the previous place. Small talk continued and we agreed to meet when she got off of work around 2. I ventured the 50 meters or so to Mango Square and went straight to J Ave. looking for Ms. Vixen. The place was getting crowded and I couldn’t see her among all the other short dark haired ladies. I decided to stand at the end of the bar, enjoy my beer, and people watch for a while. I am facing the bartender ordering another beer and I get a tap on my shoulder. It’s Ms. Vixen standing there; all of about 5’2” with heels. We try to talk but the music is way too loud so I suggest we move to the outside area. She said something I couldn’t hear and the next thing I know, she had dragged me onto the dance floor. I felt a little uncomfortable because I was probably 30 years older than the average person in there. I love to dance and have been told I am quite good but looking around at all those much younger people made me feel out of place. Even the other non-Asians were much younger.

We danced a few songs and now it was approaching 2 am and I didn’t want to miss out on Ms. Cute Waitress. I made a motion for us to move toward the door that led to the outside area of the disco. She didn’t understand so I grabbed her hand and led her out. We talked some more outside; she was 24, from a city about a 3 hour bus ride from Cebu City, taking a break from attending university in Cebu City to help her mom at home and was staying with her 2 friends for the night but leaving the next day to go back home. No chance in hell I thought. We did exchange numbers and I said give me call if you make it back to Cebu City in the next couple of weeks. I went to give her a kiss on the cheek but she surprised me and planted one on the lips.

I make my way back to see Ms. Cute Waitress but the bar was already closed. Apparently the bars don’t have set closing times. If they are busy, they will remain open. If not, they close. I was a little disappointed but went straight to Semi-final to see if Ms. Brown Eyes was there. No body was outside and I thought Semi-final had closed as well but once I got to the entrance, I could hear the music. I navigated the steep stairs without incident and saw Ms. Brown Eyes as I entered the bar. But something was different; she had changed clothes and was apparently off duty. She gave me a hug and said they had been waiting for me. Waiting for me I asked. Her and Ms. Cute Waitress are friends and they hoped I would stop by since the other bar was closed. She takes me by my hand and leads me to a booth where Ms. Cute Waitress and another waitress from the same bar were sitting. I join the trio and offer to order drinks but they say no. They want to go to Karaoke. I’m game.

So they take me back to Mango Square tucked in the right back corner on the ground floor is a very nice Karaoke place that has individual rooms. They do most of the singing and I try my best with Hotel California and Friends in Low Places. Ms. Cute Waitress is quite the singer and could probably sing in a band with proper lessons. Two hours later after a couple of buckets of SML, some food (always offer food), and the private room, I pay the $35 tab. A night like this in Dubai would be no less $200.

The whole time while we were in Karaoke I was trying to get Ms. Cute Waitress to agree to come back to my room to ‘watch a movie’. All she kept saying was ‘her friend’. I didn’t know what she meant by ‘her friend’. Is her friend interested in me? If so, which one?

We are walking back toward the main street so they can catch a taxi home. Ms. Cute Waitress whispers in my ear to wait for her at the entrance to Mango Square. Ok, but how long I ask. She replied I’ll drop them off and then I come back in the taxi. I order some food from the food stand while I wait. I am approached by no less then 10 ladyboys offering various services. Just say a firmly no and they will typically leave you alone.

Ms. Cute Waitress does appear about 30 minutes later with apologies saying she needed to get a change of clothes and some other items from home since she told her mother she was going to stay with a friend that night.

What Ms. Cute Waitress meant by ‘her friend’ was that she didn’t want her friend to know of any plans with me. They are very discreet in this manner. This was the first time that a girl came back to see me after dropping off her friends but wouldn’t be the last.

We make it back to my room around 5 am and finally get to sleep around 7 after ‘watching a movie’.

I wake around 11 to begin day 3 which was probably my worst day. Stay tuned…

The author can be contacted at : rich.clay65@gmail.com