June 26, 1998
Dear Ojie,
Naka-isang mahimbing na tulog na dito.
Suko ang gulong ng maleta sa layo ng pinagparadahan ng minibus
ng hosts. Dinala lang kami dito at tapos e iniwanan na to rest for the
day, kaya napanood ko sa CNN yung arrival ni Clinton sa Xian.
Maulan kaya di ko alam kung makakapag-load
ng bigas ngayon. Baka makapunta sa warehouse at port, pero siguro e mas
libot ang magagawa. Sampung araw yung service minibus, eh.
Dalawang Vietnamese guys, isang Indian
guy, at dalawang Chinese girls in mini-skirts welcomed us at the airport.
(We have already
slept soundly for one night here. The wheels of the suitcase almost gave
up! It was quite a distance to the parking area where the hosts left the
minibus. They just brought us to this hotel, then left us to rest for the
day, so I was able to watch the arrival of Clinton in Xian on CNN.
The weather
is rainy, so I do not know if there will be loading of rice. Maybe we can
go the the terminal warehouse and the port, but the more llikely activity
is driving around. We'll have the service minibus for 10 days, I understand.
Two Vietnamese
guys, one guy from India, and two Chinese girls in mini-skirts welcomed
us at the airport.)
Nene
June 26, 1998
Dear Ojie,
Ngayong umaga, naglakad na kami sa
kalsada malapit sa hotel, at nakakita na nga ng talipapa na maraming pakwan,
peaches, kiwi at iba pa. Bumili na rin ng pagkain sa turu-turo, ang sarap
ng tanghalian for Y5 only!
Pumunta kami sa Pier 15. Nakatarapal
lahat ang mounds of palletized cargo, kasi umuulan. Pero nakita namin ang
terminal whse ng bigas saka yung tugs and barges sa Shanghai river.
Nagpunta na rin kami sa dept. store.
Sus, di ako maintindihan sa binibili kong beef jerky sana.
June 27, 1998
Gumising ako nang maaga at naglakad.
Bumili ng native almusal, parang piniritong balat ng lumpia na may laman
na greens. Bumili ng kiwi sa talipapa. Nanood ng mga nagbibisikleta sa
kalye, nag-ta-taichi sa compounds. Local color talaga!
(This morning,
we already walked the streets near the hotel, and already saw fruit stalls
with plenty of watermelons, peaches, kiwi, and other fruits. Bought food
at the sidewalk pushcart, lunch was delicious for Y5 only!
We went to Pier
15.Mounds of palletized cargo were all tarpaulin covered, because it was
raining. But we saw the terminal warehouse for rice as well as the tugs
and barges at the Shanghai river.
We have also
gone to the department store. How frustrating! I couldn't quite make them
understand that I want to buy beef jerky!
June 27
I got up early
and walked in the street. Bought native breakfast, it's like lumpia wrapper
with vegetable filling. Bought kiwi at the fruit stall. Watched the bikers
in the street, people doing tai-chi in the compounds. Truly local color!)
Nene
June 29, 1998
Dear Ojie,
Katakut-takot na libot out of Shanghai
ang ginawa, kasi umuulan kaya di maka-loading ng bigas.
Sangkatutak na mga estatwa ang nakita
ko sa West Garden. Sumakay ako sa upuang binubuhat ng dalawang babae sa
kanilang mga balikat sa Tiger Hill.
Ang lake nila dito, parang ocean ang
lawak. Horizon na ang makikita mo when you look out for its boundary.
Kahapon naman, pumunta kami sa ancient
city, parang Venice, panay canals! Sumakay naman ako sa tricycle na parang
calesa.
(We
did lots and lots of touring out of Shanghai. It was raining, and they
could not load the rice.
I saw many,
many statues at the West Garden. I rode on a chair
borne by two women on their shoulders, in Tiger Hill.
Their lake here
looks as wide as an ocean.You get to the horizon already when you
try to locate its boundaries.
Yesterday, we
went to an ancient city. It was like Vienna, full of canals. I rode a tricycle
similar to our native carriage.) Talked
to an artist.
On both days, our guides are very
intelligent young people. Kahapon nga, ini-order pa kita ng
(Yesterday, I even ordered for
you a) left wrister from the guy who is a sales agent of AMF here
in Shanghai, boyfriend nung secretary ng shipping company who was our guide.
I hope he gets one.
Nene
July 1, 1998
Dear Ojie,
Nasa Bund kami kagabi. Ang liwa-liwanag,
ang ganda! Babalik yata uli mamaya. Ini-treat kami to an Indian food dinner,
ang sarap!
Hindi kami nakapasok sa Yuyuan Garden
earlier in the afternoon kasi nandoon pala si Clinton sa isang temple at
blocked ng pulis ang area. Pero nakipagdaldalan naman ako sa isang sophomore
ng Shanghai University habang nasa cordon ng pulis, kaya okay lang.
Nung umaga, pumunta kami sa pier at
nanood ng loading. Ang ganda ng weather kaya siguradong maganda rin ang
pictures.
We decided to go to Beijing earlier
than scheduled. Lilipad na kami bukas pa-doon.
Pero talagang last flight of Cathay
out of HK pa rin kami on July 7. Depart HK 9:45 pm, arrive Mla 11:45 pm.
(We were at the
Bund last night. The lights were so bright, it was beautiful! We will go
back there, maybe later today. We were treated to an Indian food dinner,
it was delicious!
We were not
able to enter Yuyuan Garden earlier in the afternoon because Clinton was
there in one temple and the polcemen have cordoned off the area. But I
conversed with one sophomore student from Shanghai University while we
were next to the policemen, so it was okay to wait.
In the morning,
we went to the pier and witnessed the loading. The weather was so fine,
surely the pictures will turn out great!
We decided to
go to Beijing earlier than scheduled. We fly tomorrow.
But we are taking
the last flight of Cathay out of Hongkong on July 7.)
Nene
July 2, 1998
Dear Ojie,
Lumilipad na kami papuntang Beijing!
Mamayang hapon e aakyat na sa Malaking Bakod! Naaga nang dalawang araw
kasi tapos na ang misyon, kaya may apat na tulog na gagawin sa Beijing,
ayos ba?
Kilig na kilig (to the bones, ika
nga) si Ateng!
Tama ka, iho. Mura nga lang sa Shanghai.
Hindi ko naubos ang budget na allotted ko para doon.
Nakupo, yang si Clinton naman e laking
abala ang idinulot sa amin sa Shanghai. Kahapon nang umaga pagpapalit ng
schedule ng ticket e na-traffic po nang husto, wala nang nagawang iba nung
umaga. Nung hapon naman, ang unang stop namin na temple e cordoned off
dahil padating ata siya, ang pangalawang pupuntahan e ubod traffic rin
so we turned back, ganoon ba. Kaya nang dumating kami sa former residence
ni Sun Yat Sen, sarado na. Nung gabi naman, sa 'Bund' area, sangkatutak
po ang tao, at expected din daw doon. Pagpunta namin doon sa may piano
bar on top of a structure commanding a good view of the Bund, aba't bawal
lumabas dun sa veranda nila. May pulis na nagbabantay.
(We are now
flying to Beijing! This afternoon, we will already climb the Great Wall!
We are two days ahead of schedule because we have already accomplished
our mission, so we have four nights sleep in Beijing, isn't that grand?
Your elder sister
is positively thrilled!
You are right!
It is not expensive at all in Shanghai. I did not use up the budget I allotted
for it.
That Clinton
was a lot of bother to us in Shanghai! Yesterday morning, when we went
out to change our flight schedules, we hit the traffic and were not able
to accomplish anything else.In the afternoon, our first stop was to a temple
where he was expected to arrive so it was cordoned off. Traffic was also
tied up in our supposed second stop, so we turned back. So when we finally
arrived at the former residence of Sun Yat Sen, it was already closed.
In the evening, at the Bund area, there were again a lot of people expecting
the arrival of Clinton. When we went to the piano bar on the top floor
of a structure commanding a good view of the Bund, we could not go out
to their veranda. There were policemen guarding outside.)
Nevertheless, I enjoyed a non-alcoholic
mixed fruit juice drink (prepared by the Filipino bartender) with our host,
to cap our last evening in Shanghai.
Nene
