<Receptionist (smiling)>: Hello Sir, what can I do for you?
<Me>: Well, I’m searching for a room for the night, do you have anything available?
<Receptionist (smiling)>: Yes sir, we have a room for 450 pesos, its our cheapest accommodation.
<Me (thinking, wow, that’s really cheap)>: Sounds good, can I first see the room?
<Receptionist (even more smiling)>: Of-course Sir. Here is the key. My colleague will accompany you to your room.
Pongos Hotel Ormoc, picture taken from other website
What follows is a 1 1/2 minute walk through the hotel, until we finally arrive at the room.
<Boy>: This is your room sir, do you like it?
<Me (observing the room, which shows many signs of severe lack of maintenance)>: Well I do understand why this room is that cheap, but for one night it will do I guess.
<Boy>: So you will take the room sir?
<Me (getting a bit suspicious now since he is really pushing me to take the room)>: Well, let me also have a check in the bathroom, ok?
<Boy>: That’s ok sir, the bathroom is there (pointing with his finger to a door)
When opening the door, everything still looks “ok”. The bathroom is in the same condition as the room itself. Just before leaving the room, just as a habit I open the shower curtain … And suddenly there they are: Two giant cockroaches!!!! I estimate the first one to be taller than 4 inches, excluding his tentacles. The other one is slightly smaller, but thicker. I think this one eats a lot of rice. Now I can make jokes about it right now, but both creatures scare me to death at the first encounter. I slightly jump backwards, which is noticed by the boy …
<Boy>: Is everything ok sir?
<Me (closing the curtain and directly walking outside the room)>: Yeah yeah, let’s go back to the reception. When looking back to the bathroom I see the boy looking also behind the curtain. He laughs ….
At the reception, the following conversation takes place:
<Receptionist (smiling)> : So what do you think about the room sir?
<Me>: Your room is full of cockroaches!
<Receptionist (still smiling, not showing a single sign of being surprised)>: Oh, there are cockroaches there sir?
<Me>: Yes. And big ones. I rather sleep on the beach then in that room.
<Receptionist (continue smiling and showing signs of sincere pride)>: But sir, we also have rooms without cockroaches!
Now once in while I’m speechless in this country. It doesn’t happen a lot, I use to have my answers ready, but for the next 5 coming seconds in this conversation I have no answer available. I mean, I think my lips are moving, but no words coming out. I just look him straight in the eyes, finding words, finding my mind back. Just to win time, I restart the conversation by repeating the last sentence.
<Me>: You also have rooms without cockroaches?
<Receptionist (showing now an even bigger smile)>: Yes sir, we have!
<Me (having my brains now on full power back, thinking)>: Sir, can I ask you a couple of questions?
<Receptionist (still smiling, but his smile shows now for the first time signs of worries)>: What is it sir?
<Me>: Here is the first question: If you know that you have rooms with cockroaches, why don’t you get rid of them in the first place ….
<Me (continuing my questions, starting to increase the volume of my voice)>: And the second one: Why on earth do you offer me a room with these mutants!!!!
<Receptionist (showing me a full smile again, apparently happy that he is able to answer them both)>: Well sir, the room we offered you remains in the old part of the hotel. There are always cockroaches there. And we thought we wanted to offer you the cheapest room possible. The rooms without cockroaches cost 800 pesos.
For the second time in this conversation I have troubles finding the right words. I am not sure if I should be offended (do I look that cheap?) right now. Whats even more astonishing for me is that apparently this hotel has given up rooms to the cockroaches. Its like in the battle between cockroaches and humans, the creatures mow own the old part of the building. I am not sure is there is some kind of status quo right now between man and animal, but analyzing the behavior of the whole hotel staff, I do not have the impression that the old part of the hotel will be conquered back soon. I also wonder why they do not advertise for rooms with and without cockroaches…..
<Me>: Well…I hope you understand that I would like to see the 800 pesos room too before I choose, if that’s ok for you?
<Receptionist (happy)>: Yes sir, here is the key. The girl (pointing to a co-worker) will accompany you to the room.
When walking on the hotel stairs to the room I discuss my findings with the girl. When asking her about the old part of the hotel, she tells me she doesn’t like to go there, cause she’s scared of cockroaches …
The 800 pesos room looks basic but fine. No cockroaches have been seen during my stay anymore. It seems that “The Gate Between The Old And The New Part Of The Hotel” is also the border between two worlds. I wonder why the cockroaches never asked for my passport.
27th of December 2012
Philippine Diaries 