TRAVEL | UP Tour

UP Tour

I don’t want to forget this day. So despite my spent condition, I am continuing this journal.
As promised, I met my Korean friends in front of ShopWise[1] at 3pm. Took a cab since I was running late. The funny things was that, I got up from bed, changed clothes and went out immediately. No brushing of teeth, not even washing face. But I had to drop by Dolly’s place to hand over the money and eat lunch.


So, this story starts with my encounter of the stupid taxi driver. After arriving at ShopWise, I told the taxi driver to bring us instead to UP. The driver asked for an additional 30 Pesos saying that I didn’t tell him that we’ll change course. I didn’t agree. I said, what change would it make if I asked him to bring us to UP instead. He answered that he could have got another passenger and earn 30 Pesos if we I didn’t ask to drive us to UP. Anyway, I decided to write down the conversation between us.

ME : Manong, pa derecho na lang po sa UP. (Please take us to UP)
DRIVER : San kayo sa UP? (Where in UP)
ME : Sa may Oblation lang po. (Just around the Oblation statue)
DRIVER : Magdadag-dag ka ng 30 niyan. (You need to pay 30 Pesos more)
ME : Ha, bakit naman? (Huh, why?)
DRIVER : Eh sabi mo kasi ShopWise lang kayo. (Coz you said you were only getting off at ShopWise)
ME : Wala naman sa usapan natin Manong yung ganun na magdadagdag ng 30. (We didn’t talk anything about adding 30 Pesos)
DRIVER : Hindi mo naman sinabi na magpapahatid pa pala kayo. (You didn’t say you were getting off to another place)
ME : Bakit? (So?)
DRIVER : Kung hindi kayo nagpahatid eh may 30 na flag down ako sa susunod na pasahero. (If you get off, I could have taken another passenger and that’s 30 Pesos for flag down)
ME : Bakit, gaano katagal po ba bago ang susunod na patak sa metro? (Why, how long does it take for the next flag meter to come after the flag down?)
DRIVER : Mga 100 meters. (About 100 meters)
ME : Eh manong, wala naman sa usapan yang magdadagdag pag nagbago ng isip. At saka responsibilidad niyo ang pasahero niyo. (But that’s not part of our deal. Besides, you are responsible to your passengers)
DRIVER : Kahit kanino’ng driver ka magtanong, ganun talaga. (Even if you ask other drivers, that’s how things are)
ME : Hindi manong, mali yung prinsipyo niyo. Dahil nagbago lang ng isip, magdadagdag na kayo ng 30. (No, that’s wrong. Just because I changed my mind, you’ll charge me additional 30)
DRIVER : Hindi mali yun. Magtanong ka pa sa iba. (That’s not wrong. Even if you ask other drivers)
ME : Eh sana manong, sinabi niyo na muna sa akin na magdadagdag pala kayo ng 30… (You should have told me about this additional 30 before)
DRIVER : Hindi mo naman kasi sinabi sa akin na magpapahatid pa pala kayo… (You didn’t tell me that you’re rerouting)
ME : E sige, kunin ko na lang plaka niyo. (I’ll just get your plate number)
DRIVER : Bahala ka kung ayaw mo magbigay ng 30… kahit itanong mo pa sa ibang driver. Kelangan magbayad ng 30… (I don’t care whether you pay or not… even if you ask other drivers. You have to add 30)

I just don’t see the logic of this taxi driver. I keep on understanding them but it’s just impossible. Filipino taxi drivers would really try to rip you off as much as they could not knowing that it is them who are losing in the end. For one, I am now AVOIDING WHITE TAXIS since most white taxis are really annoying. They are so dishonest, they’ll try to go around or the long way to your destination. Sometimes their meters are broken and they even use this device to speed up the meter. Or bluntly ask for additional money. Filipino taxi drivers are just shameless. These days, I only trust YELLOW TAXIS since I have never experienced anything rough with drivers of yellow taxis. So to those who will come to the Philippines, use the yellow taxis. It’s far better than those scumbag white ones.

Anyway, the lesson from this experience is to always reason out with drivers and not let them have their way. In worst case scenario, just get off and bid the driver to hell.

  
AROUND UP 

I was very disappointed at UP Museum. Why, the concierge or something like that didn’t even have the decency to tell us that the museum is under construction and that the main attractions are closed. We went up the third floor just to see three paintings of which Juan Luna was featured, the other two were plain amateurs. They had some sort of exhibit of this fat model’s painting all over and that even added insult to injury. I sometimes feel like Filipinos are hopeless. Nothing good can come out of this forsaken country. Filipinos try to rip fellow Filipinos off, or so lazy to care about another’s welfare. Why, if you care about your visitors, would you let them go inside a gallery that has nothing inside it? Would you let people go upstairs only to see three paintings? Isn’t that pathetic?

We had coffee after at Café Iana. We drank Café Mocha. It was good, perhaps because the coffee they used was from Batangas. Sitting there, Shiny started talking about so many things. I was amazed how she can keep going and going. I felt tired but she just kept firing questions like what is my favorite song, what is my future plans, etc. I appreciate her effort to make the atmosphere more comfortable but Jake just couldn’t catch up. As I have imagined, Jake and Shiny just won’t be matched when going out. Jake was actually quiet most of the time. If Jake wasn’t there it would have been fine but I really felt uncomfortable. I think next time, there should be someone to talk to Jake when we go out again. When that would be, I don’t know.

We continued walking the oval, talking about all sorts of things. Shiny kept asking questions, as I try to point out to them the different buildings in the campus. My feeling was a little gloomy though so I couldn’t really enjoy this trip. Shiny is just too old as a companion and talking to her is like talking to a professor. Jake on the other hand doesn’t talk much so I am torn between talking uncomfortably with someone whilst bearing the thought that Jake couldn’t understand much of our conversations.

I decided to take them to the University’s shopping center and showed then the cheap photocopying shops available. We passed by Miranda, the shop for university memorabilia. I am going to come tomorrow to buy the sweater in the shop. It has been long overdue and I guess even if I don’t have enough money, I’ll buy the sweater. After all, it’s getting cold already and as the girl in the movie Confessions of a Shop-aholic said, buy things you need. 


DINNER AT BURGOO’S  

I decided to take them to Cubao for dinner. We went to Gateway Mall, and had a look at the big Christmas tree. It was lovely. Makes you feel the spirit of Christmas already in the air. Actually, it’s already November and Christmas won’t be that long. Only less than two months to go. There were people lining up so Shiny asked me what people were lining for. Later I realized it was for Sarah Geronimo’s concert. I was supposed to watch this concert but well, plans change.

We ate at Burgoo’s, the expensive American restaurant. We ordered some seafood salad, carbonara, and grilled barbeque. It was a feast and I really enjoyed the food. This was the best part of the trip, the dinner. We just stayed there for a bit longer then paid the bill after. On our way home, we stopped by the toilet and as usual, the free toilet for men is crowded by gays awaiting for some hook ups. 

On the taxi bay, we were fortunate to get a yellow cab although we had a problem since the yellow cab was second in line and the first cab was just hard headed he won’t move to let us through. If that time I had a gun, I could have shot that stupid driver. I just hate taxi drivers. Their logic is simply twisted. And as I was about to get off in Philcoa, the taxi driver called me MA’AM. I guess that’s because of my voice and I think I should get used to it, being mistaken for a woman because of my soft voice.

All in all, I didn’t enjoy this trip except for dinner. I need to rethink my plans for the next activity.

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[1] Ate Irene said this was SaveMore, but it was only later I realized this mistake.