WttP: Welcome to Tagaytay Highlands

Every year, my extended family and I always have to go on some "posh" trip. Ther treat. For them, it's all about resorts, islands, high- class hotels, and living in luxury. I'm game.

This year, we headed out to the highlands of Tagaytay, where there was an exclusive resort and all that.

But really, the most interesting thing happened, when we were on our way to the resort. We stopped at a gas station. I should tell you what I was wearing at this point. Ok, I was wearing a blue Michael Jackson "This Is It" shirt. I'm a total fan. But I guess a much much bigger fan would have to be my mom. She loves him. I don't know how much I can emphasizes the word "love" here. She LOVES him. She LOOOVES him. Remember Abbey, my black and white cat? She would have been called MJ. Then my mom would be all like, "Ask me why that's her name. Go on." and after you ask her, she'd go, "It's because it's no matter if you're black or white." Yeah, I know right?

So anyway, while we were at the gas station, we decided to get something to eat. Some wanted the Pancake House, some wanted good old McDonalds. I wanted Starbucks.

So there we were in McDonalds, right, and I finished off my pancakes long before the others did. I decide to go to the bathroom. I headed for the bathroom. And walked passed it. I walked into Starbucks.

Now, in Starbucks, it was a little bit empty. There was no queue, so I just stood in the middle of the place, taking my time, when I notice the barristas staring at me.

"Where DID you get that shirt?" one of them asks. I say "Oh, this thing? Hong Kong."

She replies with, "Are you a superfan? Beacuse I"m a superfan, and my best friend is also a superfan."

I"m like, "That's nice. My mom's a fan too. You have no idea."

And then another onslaught of questions.

"Have you listened to Childhood? Apparently, you must have listened to it if call yourself a superfan.

"Do you dance, sir?"

"No, seriously, where DID you get that shirt?"

I was actually very intrigued at this point. Not at the fact that they were talking about Michael Jackson, but the fact that they could talk like that at all. People here are really friendly. And they will say what they want.

I told them something. "You know who you should quiz? My mom. She couldn't get out of bed for a few days after hearing Michael died. Wait here."

Like they were gonna go anywhere. So after a little convincing, my mom walked straight up to Starbucks.

I told her, "They say if you're a superfan, you have to have listen to Childhood."
She quickly responds with, "Oh, please. Let me talk to them."

She quickly asked me to point out who were the people talking to me. Immediately she asked, "When did the King win most grammy awards? How many did he win?"

And we had the barristas saying "Oh no, please," and so begins her conversation with her new buddies. Finally, we were able to leave.

Leave Starbucks, leave the gas station. Headed to Tagaytay Highlands. A little bit of horseback riding, bowling, swimming, souveneir shopping, and of course, my review of the place.

Yeah, nothing beat what happened at Starbucks. Oh, and the answer to that question my mom asked? He won eight grammys in 1984.

-J