Friendly Filipino Folk.....

So this morning I got up and decided to check out this local travel agent to see if there's anything I can do for my final weekend in the Philippines coming up. Got my crap together and started to walk down there and as Im crossing this street this older filipino dude shakes my hand and says Hi to me. He asked me if Im staying at the Shangri-La and after I told him how I was he told me that he works there doing some cleaning. I thought it was just going to be a short conversation after he told me he had just finished his shift and on his way back home. He gave me some general directions on how to get there and I thought that would be it when I crossed the street. He started to walk with me like I was his best chum asking questions about me and such. You know the standard get to know you rubbish. I was starting to get a bit wary of him and he was apparently goona walk me to the place I needed to get to even though I already had an idea how to get there. I thought to myself as long as Im walking in a public area with people around I should be safe. We got to what appeared to be sought of a dodgy passage where I couldn't see much folk. Hesitantly I followed him staying behind him one foot. As we entered this dodgy passageway I saw this other fella walking out who looked rather suspect. He passed me but as I entered the passageway and looked around the corner of my eye to see if this other guy was gonna come back and try something on me. Nothing happened and the older guy I was following told me we are nearly there. He must have told me several times about how he has 3 kids, two which are twins. I was like "thats great" but it got rather old after he told me for the umpteenth time. We exited the mall on a main road and much to my relief, I saw the sign that said Asian Spirit (travel agency) which was only a few stores away.

As we arrived I started to thank him for his hospitality and helping me find the place but he started to come inside the travel agency with me. I started to get kinda weirded out again as I took a number at the door. He kept on asking me questions on which place I thought about visiting and such. He took a seat in the front row and I decided to seat in the row behind him but hte attendants were telling me how it was fine to sit up front. Not wanting to offend them I decide to sit upfront...next to this old dude who had somehow been transformed into a chum. Begrudingly I sat down next to him and I was in for another barrage of questions and such. Which vacation place are you thinking about going to, who are you going with etc etc to which I gave rather short responses since I was getting very uncomfortable at this point. Was this guy being a good samaritan or did he have something devious in mind.....so the lady at the front desk called my name and I went up front and decided on a trip and whaddya know dodgy old man is standing right there next to me at the receptionist desk. As I waiting standing up, I told the older man that it wasn't necessary to wait for me and that I know the way back to my hotel to which he said "I wait here until you get the ticket". Not being able to figure this guy out I just patiently waiting standing up while they printed out my tickets. They gave me the total and so I pulled out my wallet.

Opening my wallet to get my credit card yet I looked over at the older guy who was shamelessly peeking at what had I inside. I started to tilt my wallet away at an angle so he couldn't see but his eyes still followed it and it was at this point that I officially started to get kind of scared. Was this guy gonna mug me as soon as I left, get some of his buddies to tail me and rob me..I mean why else would freakazoid be so curious as to what I had inside my wallet. "Think fast, think fast Lehi" I repeated in my mind on how I could shake off this suspect fella. As the front desk handed me back my CC I asked if they had a bathroom and much to my relief they said they did but it was being used and if I didn't mind waiting. "I'll wait, it's not a problem" I told them. Turned around to face the older guy to thank him for his help he apparently got the hint and just nodded at me and left the store. A minute after he left I asked the front desk if it was normal for people to be that friendly as far as helping out and at first they though the older dude was with me. Much to my surprise they told me it's normal for this to happen coz that's how friendly filipino folks are. I told them how I was a bit scared because in America people aren't usually that friendly. It was then I kind of started feeling bad and I explained to the front desk that I didn't need to use the bathroom since it was just an excuse so he would leave. Maybe people are really good I thought to myself, there really are nice people out there who are willing to help their fellow man. Walking out the doors of the store, I chastised myself for my pessimism.
All of a sudden as I was crossing the street ( I went the opposite direction the old dude showed me ) lo and behold I see him again flagging me down. oh Jesus what did he want now. He came up to me and saying "Tip, Tip Please". Figuring we were in a public place with folks around I decided to pull out my wallet and much to his chagrin all I had was Hong Kong dollars. I decided to hand him $20 HK (about $3 US Dollars) to which he said thanks and he will get it changed but then he started asking for $10HK more. I had $50HK more but I wasn't going to be giving that to this guy. I refused several times before he got the hint and walked off in the sunset. I started to get pissed coz I was right all along, this dude was only being nice to get some money off me...filipino hospitality, yah right only at a price $$$$$$$$$.

btw I still love the Philippines.