The Freeman’s 86th Anniversary

Sunday: The 10K Fun Run (or a Walk With Mary for the four of us ) attended by professional runners and TF employees

Yeah, I was one of the runners, in the employee category (3K), that is. Not actually a runner but a walker. We joined not to run but to have fun. Still it was exhausting even with only walking the 3-kilometer stretch in Cebu Business Park. But in fairness to the four of us (the last pack of runners) we were also forced to run: everytime we did not see the people ahead of us or when there were cars coming.

After over 40 minutes, we finally made it to the finish line. No awards of course, just pure exhaustion, sweat-drenched t-shirts and why-did-I-ever-join looks.

Monday: July 18, the anniversary itself.

We heard mass at the Cebu Cathedral then proceeded to the Waterfront Hotel for the lunch and the “speech” program (except for some dances and songs from UV Chorale everything else were speeches from columnists, owners, etc).

The best part was, of course,the lunch. But I was really disappointed with the food and the service the 5-star hotel offered. The main dish included tanguege (fish!), the taste was bland. Glad, chop seuy saved the day. There were appetizers and other side dishes which were satisfactorily yummy. But I’d rather sit in KFC and devour its hot and crispy breast chicken than be in that place waiting in vain for stuff they call food. It was past 12 and you wouldn’t be picky at this hour.

The coke. Each was given one glass of either coke or sprite. Of course, I asked for my all-time favorite Coke. The meal had four courses with only 1 round of Coke. Mine was gone during the second course and when I asked for a second round I was given water. I was thinking of Red Ribbon where you get to have a pitcher of softdrinks all to yourself.

Five-star hotels are supposed to impress their guests. But this one, the cup in which my soup was placed had dark smudge in its brim, the table napkin of my seatmate had yellow stains on it, my friend’s fork looked unwashed, most of the chairs’ covers were really dirty, an insect in the pepper, etc. etc. Our opinion editor who sat with us actually published the following day a blind item about all of it.

I can't wait to dine there again. Will the waiter spit on my coke? Or put roach on my salad?