Carry $2000 US dollars on the plane? Ridiculous me for thinking safety first. Not even banks take traveler's checks here.
The afternoon after I arrived in Manila, Tito Manuel drove to the working class neighborhood where his driver, Marlon, was cruising? running errands? specifically to fetch him. Why? Because Marlon, affectionately dubbed "The Scientist" by by Tito and Tita, knows his way around Makati better than Tito Manuel. And upscale Makati is the neighborhood where the American Express office is located in Manila. And the Amex office was the only place in town that would accept my traveler's checks for conversion or purchase. It was an hour's drive through 4pm traffic and heavy rain from Cavite, normally 30 mins outside MetroManila, to Makati. "Sayang," Tita Lydia said. "Their rate is 46.70 on the dollar. You could get much better than that if you had cash instead of checks."
Tito Manuel and Tita Lydia are living the retired life. Tito had a beautiful house in Cavite built a few years ago. Tita said Guam didn't have enough action for him. They live a ten minute walk from the SM Mall in Cavite. Earlier in the day, Tita took me to the mall to go to the bank. Doting and anxious Nanay had sent Tita money to open a bank account for me so I'd have some cushion when I arrived. (Isn't Nanay the best?) So Tita opened a joint account in both our names, with herself as the primary account holder. I had to become a cosigner so I can use the account for my banking for the next 6 months. Every single worker except the security guards at Banco de Oro were women, wearing black pinstriped suits. A rated-G version of that Robert Palmer video comes to mind. "For cosigners we need 2 ids, a passport-sized photograph, and since she's American, we need barangay clearance." Our worker told my Tita in Filipino. "Barangay clearance!?" My Tita responded. "You've got her passport right there!" "Policy, ma'am." There are few things more frustrating than understanding 60% of what you hear in another language -- it's enough to almost get the gist, but not enough to enable real participation in conversation, even if it's conversation about your ability to engage in sanctioned financial transactions in a foreign country. It's just enough comprehension to be dangerous. I sat there stupidly while Tita and the lady discussed alternative account structures, minimum balances, waiting periods for withdrawal. I'd break in occasionally in my jacked up Taglish to confirm the necessary details with the bank worker, who humored me generously.
Off we went to see the barangay captain to get clearance. Fortunately the barangay office is right across the street from Tita and Tito's house. The barangay is the smallest political administrative unit there is in the PI. The word barangay means boat, or canoe. Not as big as an ahupua`a, not as big as a zip code, about as small as a neighborhood. Three middle-aged aunties talking story and watching a variety show at the barangay office helped us. I had to show my passport, give my Tita's local address as my own, sign a form, and put blue thumbprints by my signature. Afterwards Tita had me run to them a bag of some of the pasalubong chocolates I'd brought from Honolulu. "So they'll remember you."
Eventually I got everything done that day -- got my bank account set up, got my traveler's checks cashed, got load for my cell phone.
What I ate while staying with Tita and Tito for two days: pusit in ink sauce, steamed hipon, grilled spicy chicken, sweet shrimp omelet, pritong bangus, upo with fishballs, squash and green beans and taro leaves in coconut milk, and steamed snapper that melted on my tongue. Tita and Tito do not mess around in that dirty kitchen. Asparagus and tofu, and steamed fish in light soy sauce from Max's. Plus the killer kakanin: ube cream, a dessert made of a rich ube halaya covered with an even richer coconut cream, sprinkled with crumbled ube and latik. I can die now. In two days, i think i put on 10 pounds.
I felt ready to make the 6 hour bus ride north after all that pampering. Spoiled Amerikano ako!
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