Allll right. So where so I begin. I was going into this weekend with no expectations. I was pumped to be able to see Jon and to just explore a new city and see what kind of trouble we could get ourselves into. My flight was smooth...slept the entire time. I had no clue how I was going to find Jon once I got off the plane....but I knew the hotel we were staying at and I knew I was bond to run into him.....at least thats what I was praying for. People stared a lot. Who is this white chick rolling up. alone. what kind of business could she be conducting here. Plus I had my backpack so I was looking like a real traveler.A brave one.
As I exit the airport I hear my name and a very nice dressed gentlemen holding a Hyatt sign with a big smile across his face. "Oh yeah that's me!!!" "Mr. Walton is on his way over from the other terminal, he should be here in 5 minutes. Then the car will bring you guys to the hotel"
Sure enough Jon strolls up 5 minutes later. It was wonderful to see another familiar face on this side of the world, big hugs and huge smiles!
So I will go ahead and just say everything that happened and the way we were treated was wonderful. Mr. Walton and his line of business got us some pretty sweet hook ups and very special treatment.
We got escorted up to the 10th floor lounge for our check in where we grazed on finger food and cocktails. I was beside myself. Food I have not seen in months.
We went up to our room and I freaked out again. BATHTUB. I did not think I was going to get a nice soak for a year. I took a total of 3 baths this weekend...just the best.
Jon and I first met in Nashville umm maybe 2 years ago. In Nashville we dressed up like cowboys and cowgirls...it was a crew thing... everyone that weekend was in costume. So 1st night on the town in Manila what do you think we did? I was in my boots and western dress and Jon was in his snap cowboy shirt and cowboy hat. We did some pregame in the room then headed to the Hobbit house. This great little bar. Run, owned and operated by midgets. We had some live music and we caught up and drank BEER. go figure.... I like beer??? I drank a Stella and a Guinness. I was a happpppy camper. My 2 fav beers, in Manila with some fish and chips and friendly midgets. We of course bought T-shirts...mine says....SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL.
When we were walking there and home I almost kidnapped a child. There was a mother and her 4 children sleeping in a row on a sidewalk. All of them very small and skinny. But a BABY, baby. It broke my heart and I just wanted to take it and feed it and hold it. But Jon said I would probably get in trouble for doing that and had to literally pull me away from the situation. The only other thing that happened this weekend that gave me a bad feeling was the check for car bombs before cars drove up next to the hotel. Better to be safe then sorry.
Friday morning we woke up and ate a great breakfast at the 10th floor lounge...once again I will tell you about the food later. We took a cat nap....then we went and sat by the pool or lagoon whatever you want to call it. It was raining but we sat under the umbrellas and had lunch and just watched a few really sexy couples...old, large, white men and small decently younger then them Asian women hangout poolside. Very entertaining.
Friday night we were going to do it big. We went to Mall of Asia and got Jon some clubbing shirts and I got some big earrings to jazz up my outfit. The Mall of Asia is HUGE and the Christmas elves decorated it from floor to ceiling. Which means I HEARD CHRISTMAS MUSIC FOR THE FIRST TIME! So to get in the Holiday spirit we hit up a Starbucks...I was happy to see their Christmas Cups were out for the season. Ordered myself a skinny vanilla late and walked around the mall. Oh and what do we find in the mall???????????????? ICE SKATING RINK. We promised ourselves we would get Christmas like outfits more coffee and take a couple laps around the rink. We never did. But the idea was good....we just ran out of time and we were low on energy.
The hotel car picked us up we got ourselves all pretty and went up for cocktails and finger food. Free from 6-8 every night. Just the best thing ever. Some of Jons buddies were also in town so we had drinks with them and some of their friends. We tried to convince them to come to the clubs with us but we lost.We went up to the room put jeans and t-shirts on and headed to some local watering holes. Both bars we went to that night had live girl bands. Just groups of girls 3-5 dressed in pretty much nothing singing for the bar patrons. They had pretty good voices...and most of them had decent dance moves. Getting to know some of the people we were hanging out with was great....I actually got some creepy things said to me by one of the guys...which was probably just because he was drunk. He did get put into his place that evening....and we also found out...he was a porn star at one point in his life. So I can cross that off my list of things to do...get hit on by a porn star. CHECK.
Saturday morning we woke up....breakfast on the 10th floor with big comfy chairs and couches looking out over the Manila Bay. We headed right down to the pool and get our tan on. Then Jon made some game changing moves. SPA DAY! We both got 60 minute massages. You know because we had such crazy stressful weekend of finger food, free wine, poolside naps, and free cookies...we needed to destress. After we got pampered we had 30 min to be showered, dressed and ready for steak dinner. I know.....this day was terrible...
A few of us pile into a Taxi and we go to another part of town that is pretty quite but with office like buildings. There was a very small sign saying the steakhouse was on the 3rd floor so we walked up and sure enough. Steak house or in this case steak room. When you first walked in there was a bar then to the left was big leather couch's and chairs with a floor to ceiling case full of old books and all different kinds of wines. We sat in there for a minute and waited for the last of our group to arrive. There was about 10 to 15 tables in the restaurant and we were seated in the back corner at a huge round table. We had a party of 8 and everyone was so great! Everybody worked in some branch of the Army except for me and one other women who was visiting her husband. OH man did they have some great stories.
Dinner. Filet minion, fresh bread, baked potato with sour cream, french onion soup, salad, duck liver (thats right....I tried it, I liked it!~) bottle of red wine....died for an hour and was in heaven. I think I might have even cried a little when my soup was gone. AMAZING. secret. steak house.
AND THEN THINGS GOT WILD
After our meal we headed for some after dinner drinks....this very classy place called Ringside. You could get yourself a lady, a massage while you drank your drink and watch midgets box and wrestle. What happened at Ringside stays at Ringside...or on this blog.
-Jon and I got propositioned by a little hottie with glasses. She did not just want one of us. She wanted both of us. We said we would think about it.
-After some of the girls boxed they cornered Jon in the bathroom with their manager and batted their eyelashes and asked for tips for doing such a good job in the ring. SUCKER! I do believe he tipped them.
-Some ladies of the night helped my fix my straps in the bathroom as we argued who was the most beautiful.
-I got in the ring and oiled up 4 midgets then they wrestled.
-While drinking a jack and coke I got a massage.
-Jon and I got into the DJ booth and put on the backstreet boys
-We all left wondering what the hell just happened the last 2 hours. CRAZYNESS?????
We then headed to this club for VIPS. We of course got a table and a bunch of bottles of booze, right next to the DJ booth. We were over looking the club and partied, partied, danced, danced.
Sunday-Spent laying at the pool. Wishing the clock would just stop so I would not have to leave my little weekend paradise. Packed up my bags told my weekend adventure partner and midget meeting friend he better be safe out in the jungle....and when we were in Chicago I owed him a nice dinner. I also told him if he escorted us on our bike trip in a few months I would buy him a motorbike. We need someone like him making sure us ladies will be safe out on the dirt roads of Vietnam. Who would not want to go on a dirt bike trip with 4 girls??? hahaha that might be a mans worst nightmare.
Weekend in Manila I will never forget! Can not wait for the adventures to come.......
