I was thinking of ways I could get inside

The day was clean, warm, and breezy. It was 9 AM, and I was at the Maharajah Hotel, where I had retired to leave the bachelor pad to Erwin and his girlfriend, who was in town for the night. The website had me at "60's boutique hotel". It was totally deserted, except for me and Wills, who I brought with me, since we all know a stay-cation is much more fun if you bring a stowaway.

The lobby was large, dim and warm, with a swirling black iron Gothic chandelier, zebra print leather chairs and white couches (kind of Kelly Wearstler Lite), a balcony level, a circular indoor garden- *very* 60's. The room we got was inches from the pool, which was lovely. Turquoise, with slightly faded tiles and tatty poolside furniture (looked like it hadn't been changed since 1965), and a tiny little plunge pool off to the side, it was secluded, and eerie, while being beautiful at the same time. It was Anne Bancroft in Great Expectations- super glamourous, sad, faded, iconic, deep, and everything you want in a Third World Eden. The landscaping was lovely- deep emeralds, the hot pinkish red of flowers and new palm bark growing up to the old- the sun glancing off everything, making it sparkle and hold still, shimmering in the heat.

Several cool pix on this link:

http://www.asiarooms.com/en/philippines/pampanga/181861-maharajah-hotel-gallery.html

We dropped our things and had a swim in the late afternoon, then dinner at a Mexican joint up the street, then watched the fortuitously timed Charlie's Angels- Full Throttle, then sleep.

The next day was a mix of sun and clouds that resolved itself to sun, and I got some sun while Wills got some shade, as he wanted to avoid getting darker. (Kind of a lost cause, since his skin is already espresso dark), and we carried on a high volume conversation about our favorite Tim Burton movies (the atmosphere fairly cried out for such topics). Even the towels were super chic- white, rough (the way I like towels to be) with a faded, preppy laundry stamp in true red- a circular design of the iconic "M" that makes up the first letter of the hotel's name. So cool, really wanted to buy some.

Breakfast was fresh, if a bit bland, and then all too soon it was time to leave- but hoping to come back soon.

So nice. Loved it. This was the reason I came here- the place was laughably cheap, and I could never do stuff like this at home. Tropical vacation is literally up the street here- every other weekend I could go "spa day" for the day and never leave my home town.

Third in line to the throne

So I went on a date last night. Here's how it happened:

About a month ago I was chilling in the kubo with my coworker Jess, and this very unusual looking guy rolls by in a pack of friends and Jess jumps up- "So and So! [didn't know his name then]" She screams, recognizing him. "Bebe! Get over here!" So he comes over to say hi, it turns out they worked together at another call center awhile ago. Anyway, he toddles off and I told her "That's a cool looking guy. What's his story?"

"Super nice too. Extremely polite. This other job took a chance on him because of his looks [ he has a very artsy look], but he was like, top of the line, work wise. He's an artist and a musician, he's from [surf town in the north]. Great dude."

Now I trust Jess, since she's a single career gal who's been there through every romantic fiasco of the last year, so we'll see.

So then I kind of forgot about him, until I saw him at the other training facility recently, and I was knocked out by his looks and I was like "Do I know that guy? Time to GET to know that guy."

He's hard to describe, but he's about 5'8" and bone thin, narrow frame and delicately made, has dark skin (coffee with no milk), with large eyes, and delicate "true Filipino"features (Filipinos are mostly a melange of other races, and most have soft, round faces with "European" eyes and rosebud mouths, full cheeks, and wide, softly-made noses. Those who are "true" have dark skin and sharp, delicate features- like Elves from Lord of the Rings- that "otherwordly" look that some people have) - including something I'm obviously very into, which is that exaggerated cupid's bow mouth with a slight overbite, deeply cut into the face around it, so that every movement when he speaks is elegant and arresting. In his case his mouth is deep plum, he has the "purple" lips of some dark skinned Asians. Watching him talk is a deep rush off the diving board into pleasure, especially since Filipinos have a wide repertoire of mouth movements that are not used for Americans, including the "frown of yes" and the "caught- out speaking vernacular" smile that's a a complex half bite, half smirk.

His most striking feature is his long, curly-curly hair, hanging in luxurious ripples to his waist. Jet black and fine, put plentiful, very classic Asian hair. He was wearing it twisted into a perfect obsidian knot at the back of his head when I saw him, something that normally would be a huge turnoff but somehow this guy was makin' it work, ya know?

He's not traditionally good looking, he has one of those faces that's "arresting" or "interesting" rather than "handsome", but that's his appeal for me, he looks like a piece of artwork. His face has the sharp contours of the very slender, the camera would probably love him. When I first saw him I wasn't sure if I was attracted to him, but I knew I wanted to study him closer. At least that's what I told Jess, heh. "I think I need to examine that person from a closer range."

So when I saw him waiting for the shuttle in the lobby after seeing him at the other off site facility, I approached him to say "hi" "on behalf of Jess", and when I saw him, I thought "Yeah, he's a looker." Anyway, it so happened that after that little chat, the next day I ran into him at the Mini Stop where he was having an after work beer with his friends. I toddled into the store to check out kilo bags of superfine sugar (oh, the glamourous life!) and he came in and approached me to say he was sorry for not shaking my hand when I saw him the other day, "it was so rude, I hope you can forgive me." SCORE! Mama didn't raise no fool. I know a man taking his shot when I see it, so I rolled with it, having it. So the upshot of this is that he told me that we should hang out sometime and to get his number from Jess and text him anytime.

Needless to say I was on it like white on rice and got his number and we set up a dinner date.

The date was fine, we like a lot of the same things, he's the oldest of 3 (one of each, just like me!!), we had some drinks, we talked, he treated me like a gentleman (a girl could get used to having a man fuss over you like you're in some kind of Disney movie), and of course, like every guy, he took his "Hail Mary" shot at the door:

"So, want me to stay, like...overnight?" He asked.

I told him "Um, maybe later. After I know you better."

"I'm serious!" He gurgled. I laughed. EVERY guy is "serious" about trying that "long shot" at the door.

"I'm serious too, Trip, time to go home. I'll call you later." (He's a "Roman Numeral" Guy- William Garcia III, (yes, children I somehow located an Asian with a super- preppy name) so I was teasing him, calling him "Trip" when he couldn't be any less of a "Tripster" if he tried.)

I'm kind of taking my time with this one. I like him, he's my type, and we have strong chemistry, but you know the one thing... I know it's crazy, and it's hard to relate to, but it's very hard to trust guys over here- being dated because you're a trophy sounds great until it happens like 4 times in a row.


Dating a white person is a status symbol, and some guys can't really see beyond that. I have to say I'm being a little careful, because he did say "You're the nicest client I've ever met" (he is under the impression I work for the accounts, not the Back Office company, even though I told him I work for the BPO).

In a way, I *do* work "for the client", I represent "North America" but I'm not "the client", in the sense that I didn't arrive in Clark to be treated like a king and have people fawn all over me and tell me what I want to hear....oh, wait, I guess I did.

Heh. But I don't like it!!! I'm not like those other white people!! I'm different!! I don't choose my partners for their gorgeous exotic looks and then try to buy their love!! I don't try to make myself understood by shouting! I don't swan around throwing my money at any problems oblivious to how awful it looks! I don't complain about terrible service while 7 dark skinned people try to meet my every whim while I sulk like the Queen of England visiting a hill town "in the colonies"! I don't carry on jargon laden conversations with heavy- jowled white guys in bikini bars, everyone bored or pretending to be bored by the beautiful babies in scraps of clothing dying for your money! That's not me AT ALL!!!

Uh, shit. Reality Check much?