" Funeral is not only for dead but it is for the living too"
The above statement may sound indifferent but in my experience it is true. This happen when we went to attend my aunt's burial.
The original plan of one week's leave and to start on Wednesday did not come through. Since the burial is on Sunday. My parents successfully obtain three days of compassionate leave. This kind of leave is only given if your immediate family died. My father and mother are very happy to get a total of five days off. Two days from the weekend and three days from the compassionate leave.
On my side, I ask permission from the school to take three days to leave from school after the weekend, to attend my aunt's funeral, and to synchronize with my parent's plan. The school agreed after they confirmed with my parents. So my parents book an air ticket to travel on Friday afternoon and a hotel room nearest to the funeral homes where my dead aunt is.
In order not to panic packing, We pack our bags and gifts for my aunt's family members beforehand. My parents plan to travel after their work and school for me.
Friday came, My mom and dad are waiting for me already when I arrived home. They seem to get permission to left work early. I rashly change my school uniform to skinny blue jeans an oversize black shirt and black sneakers. My dad calls a taxi to pick us to go to the airport.
This is the first time I travel by airplane and I am excited of course. My airplane travel experience is smooth and hassle-free. After an hour of air travel, we arrived on the main island called Maharlika. We took the airport cab and went directly to the hotel that my mom book.
We arrived at the hotel and directly went to the hotel reception. The receptionist saw us and smile sweetly and introduce her name and she welcomes us to the hotel. Dad gives our booking information to the receptionist and she checks the computer. Then she opens a drawer in front of her and take a credit card size card and told us that this card is our electronic room key. Our room information is their and anything we used in the hotel that requires payment can be charged in our room using this key and the account will be settled later after discharge. Then she called the hotel porter to assist us and the porter help us carry our bags and placed them in the trolley. He asked which floor and room number then guided us to the guest elevator. We're on the 10th floor overlooking the sea.
When we arrived on the tenth floor. The concierge guided us to our room and he barrow the room key and instructed us on how to open the room. He also said that anything we requested to add in the room just pressed zero in the phone inside our room. Then he places our bags in the rack. My dad gives him tip and he smiles happily and says thank you. My dad replied your welcome and thank you also for your good service. The porter grin with gratification.
The hotel room looks elegant with a home feeling and it is clean. My mom smells the bed sheets and they are fresh.
The room that my mom book is a deluxe family room. It had two beds. One Queen size and one single bed. The bathroom looks sterile with free toiletries and with folded towels and bathrobes place in a stainless steel open panel.
The room also has a small refrigerator with snacks beside a wooden table with a chair. A wardrobe with six pieces hanger and a small safe attached inside it. A huge size smart tv is attached in the middle of the wall of a 24 Square meter room. It is directly in front of our bed.
We freshen up and decided to rest in the room for half an hour before dinner. I took a nap instead. While my parents were browsing the smart tv. When I wake up my dad says let's go and have dinner. We can unpack later. Then tomorrow, will go to the funeral parlor and stay for the vigil. I ask dad what's for dinner. Mom replied let's have dinner in the hotel. I grab a brochure earlier in the hotel lobby. They have a rooftop TGIF buffet dinner and it's discounted fifty percent for hotel residents. Wow! That sounds good mom, I added. Dad warned, it's better to be more meat in the buffet or we're eating ala carte.
We take the elevator to reach the last floor which is the twelve then walk the open-air stairs to reach the rooftop as instructed in the brochures. When we reach the dining area we can smell meat barbeque that is being grilled. My dad smiles happily.
A receptionist approaches us and greeted us good evening then she introduces herself and welcomes us to the TGIF dinner buffet on the rooftop. She asks us if we're going to eat dinner. My dad says yes. Then the lady asks if we're hotel guests and if we have our room card key for identification as hotel guests? My dad says yes and shows her the card. Then the lady asks if we're paying cash, credit card, or charged? My dad says charged to the room. Then the lady seated us to the vacant table with the city view. Then the waiter quickly asks us for a drink. He said all drinks are included in the buffet except alcoholic ones.
I order a diet root beer my all-time favorite beverage. Of course, the married couple ordered a bottle of red wine. Since they plan to gorged in beef.
The good thing about this buffet is you can ask the chef to cook your beef according to your taste. The buffet table is divided into meat dishes, vegetables, salads, desserts, bread, soups, noodles, and sushi. There are already cooked dishes of beef, chicken, pork, and seafood. The buffet even has roast lamb with herbs. The spread is abundant and has lots of variety.