A familiar voice in high seas

MANILA, Philippines – I did a double take on the signage — The Pig N’ Whistle Pub. The name brought memories of the traditional watering holes of days-gone-by, which instantly transported me to the end of a fulfilling work week in a neighborhood borough of London, to the Cotswold English countryside on tranquil long weekends, and to some Commonwealth nations for tourism promotional trips abroad.

And would you believe, that this hallowed spot is actually on the Royal Promenade, a unique feature of the Royal Caribbean’s cruise liner, the Voyager of the Seas. The mobile esplanade is home to boutiques, shops of timepieces and interesting trinkets and the ever-present sidewalk cafés.

To make it even more intriguing, I was pulled off-track during my daily paseo, as I heard a distinct Filipino voice, which sang a truly Pinoy choice of song, accompanied by guitar strums, which emanated from the interiors of the old guards gathering hall.

What greeted me was a plaque with imprints of history, which explained the origin of the restaurant’s name: Two English words, namely, piggin — for Pig N’ — a lead mug; and wassail — for Whistle — a wine drunk at the Yuletide season, thus Pig N’ Whistle.

Apparently, the well-known bar actually originated — contrary to common belief that it is British — in Hollywood, Los Angeles, in 1927, and has been a frequent destination of movie industry celebrities and accomplished film directors ever since.

As I settled into the rustic tavern, I noticed large wooden ceiling fans, which were more aesthetical than functional. Comfortable leather chairs, well-aged sturdy tables, all proved magnets to the curious cruise holidaymakers — both the sober and the merry.

On the polished wooden panels, I admired the old sepia photos of revered sailors and dioramas of ships in antique frames, as well as numerous badges, awards and recognitions for naval competitions.

The focal point was the beer-and-wine, spirits-and-cocktails-lined bar, where cruisers ordered a drink and relaxed in privacy, groups of new-found friends who met up for beer, and a number of saloon regulars, more like country club members, who busily socialized.

A Filipino waiter casually pointed out that the on-the-spotlight artist at the entablado is our countryman named Carlo Rafanan.

He skillfully dished out ballad and jazz melodies, pop and pop-rock hits, as he interacted with the appreciative audience and gladly accommodated their requests for songs.

Eventually, he announced a 15-minute break — and that’s when I struck up a brief chat with him.

Born and bred in Iligan City, he graduated from St. Michael’s College with a degree in Computer Science, and pursued a career as a programmer.

But he has always loved music, and yet, did not take any lessons at all.

While being featured in several local musical TV shows, he captured the attention of an internationally-known American songwriter, and YouTube sensation David DiMuzio. In time, the two became a duo and adopted the name Taglish, a play on the words Tagalog and English. The act achieved viral status with its own rendition of Sunday Morning by Maroon 5 and Against All Odds by Phil Collins.

“One fateful day, I received an unexpected e-mail, which offered me to be an entertainer on board this cruise liner,” he revealed. “I grabbed the opportunity and immediately processed my documents.”        

When asked about his big break, he said he absolutely enjoys it, “since I am doing what I love best.”

“The accommodation is great, food is beyond compare, work environment is everything I’ve wished for, and I haven’t even talked about the pay yet!” the vocalist gushed on.

Though he is living la buena vida, he still misses his girlfriend, family and friends. Nonetheless, location is no longer an issue, thanks to the power of technology.

Just as he began to talk about his dad, Gumer Rafanan, a Palanca Award winner for Cebuano stories, our conversation was abruptly interrupted as his break was up.

He quickly excused himself, headed for the raised platform, sat on his high stool to a warm round of applause from an anticipatory viewership. He smiled back, picked up his beloved instrument and then plucked his first few notes.

When I realized how quick time passed us by, I then strolled down the Royal Promenade, where I surprisingly bumped into King Julien of the Madagascar series, and thought to myself “Could the Dreamworks Parade be on its way?”

But then again, that is for another story, for another time.

(For more information, call Arpan Air, Inc., the Philippines’ international representative for Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises & Azamara Club Cruises at (632) 892-2701 to 03 or e-mail at [email protected].)