Lunch in barong Tagalog with MrD's family.

Every year around MrD's birthday we take his family to the Makati Shangrila for a buffet lunch. Me being the trophy husband in the country that does not mention anything closely related to the "G" word is always seems to be a bit macabre but then I do like that side of things.
I have a wonderful relationship with MrD's family. Over the years I have become godfather to about three or four of the nephews and nieces. The fact that I am not a Catholic does not seem to bother anyone. I did once have to sit through a rather long and nasty pre baptism speech from a Catholic worker who explained to us all that if we committed some kind of sin then when we died and went to hell a giant worm would eat our insides but we would never be consumed. Good news for us atheist/agnostic non Catholics in the room.
Today I got all the guys in the family to wear the barong Tagalog which is the national costume for the discerning Filipino male and trophy h's of same. Traditionally they are made out of fibres from the pineapple plant, woven and embroidered with astounding detail but now artificial materials are mostly used. Office workers wear a cotton version that is not see through. The see through thing must be avoided with a white undershirt which just makes sense anyway when the tropical sun sweats us into oblivion even with the air conditioners wiping out the ozone layer.
I asked a photographer to come and take the family portrait before we went into lunch so if anyone spilt sauce on their shirt it would not matter.
My barong Tagalog was made for me a few years back when MrD's sister got married. I was not asked to be in the family photo way back then and MrD has suffered with my lament about that ever since.
The buffet at the Shangrila is probably the best thing about Manila. No it is the best thing about the world in general. They have whole sections of the large room sectioned off with Japanese, Western, Indian and Filipino foods. The absolute best dish in the restaurant is the flour less chocolate cake that I diet between visits just so I can have a slice and still fit into all those designer outfits I have to wear to make MrD look good.
Buffets in general are a no no but if you can learn to only eat a little then you can manage. It took me some time to go from "all you can eat" to "eat what you need". Practise makes perfect.
Tomorrow night we will take our Manila staff back to the same restaurant and I will have to eat more chocolate cake. How many hours on the treadmill can I log in before then? I really wish I had some talent for bulimia but sticking my finger down my throat does nothing for me.