I Do

March 26, 2007 was indeed a busy day! I had two weddings to attend to both in the morning and in the afternoon (none of which I cannot NOT attend because I was part of the entourage for both weddings) and a baby-shower-turned-dinner-party in the evening.

Shay and Jon's wedding, a sprinkle of yellows and greens, was held at the Manila Cathedral with the reception at Villa Immaculada. Janelle and Joseph's, on the other hand, was a simple hawaiian wedding at San Martin de Porres church in Bacoor, Cavite with the reception at a nearby clubhouse.

I have been able to successfully pin the veil on both brides without drawing any blood from them (it was my first time to have been tasked as a veil sponsor) despite the fact the we missed the wedding march during Janelle and Joh's wedding (we blame our absence on the heavy traffic!) .

Both weddings have been beautiful. Makes me wonder who among us would be the next one to march down the aisle!

Sharing the pics that day....

Wedding Bells at Intramuros

Shay and Jon

with Accenture friends at Villa Immaculada

Wedding Bells at Cavite

Janelle and Joseph

Raynee, Jho and myself with the Diwata bride

Una Vez Mas!

Sharing the photos from last weekend!

Meeting them again in Madrid after four long years....

the big bosses Gonzalo (Turin), Angel, Jose Maria (JM) comparing their tummies =)

at the airport with my good friend and former seatmate Goran (glad to see that smile in this photo)

with the serious(?) but fun JM

with Javi, Sylvia and the babies (Sammy and Irene) at Retiro Park

Meeting them the first in Manila and then in Madrid after two years...

catching up with Ivan at Fuenlabrada

visiting Tapi at home

Meeting them first virtually and then upclose and personal...

with my lovely hostess, Laura

with Mr Tall and Funny guy, Antonio

And of course meeting new friends in between glasses of sangria...

eating and drinking marathon with Angel, Sylvia, Laura, and Gonzalo

getting drunk with Goran, JM, Laura, Mery, Cristina, Rueben, Sheila, Antonio, Turin(front)

... and on my way to Munich before I even got to Madrid!

thanks Doreen for keeping me calm all throughout the flight (was so nervous I wouldn't catch the flight to Madrid because I checked in myself only to the flight to Munich! hehe)

Hasta que nos veamos la próxima vez, mis amigos y amigas!

Falling Inlove All Over Again

It was only for two days but somehow, I fell inlove again. With Madrid.

It was not only the beauty of the place that once again caught me breathless (infact I haven't had enough time to take in Madrid in the two days I breezed through the city) but also the warmth and the friendship of the people who have spent their time with me.

I had a great time drinking sangria (discovered I could drink more than 10 glasses without even getting dizzy until that one glass of vodka cola!), barhopping, shopping in Fuenlabrada, and spending the two afternoons just catching up with old friends. There was so much to talk about in the last 4 or 2 years that I have not seen them and if I could only stop time to make my stay much longer, I would have done it. I knew I would be missing them more than I had ever before.

I thank the following friends for this short but wonderful weekend:

Goran, Turin, JM, Angel -- for tha sangrias, vinos, vodkas, stories, and laughs during the last two days. It was a wonderful surprise seeing you all at the airport.

Laura -- for welcoming me into your home and making me feel comfortable as much as you can despite the fact that this was the first time that we've personally met each other.

Sylvia, Cristina, Ruben, Mery -- for adding more fun to this weekend. I'm sorry if I wasn't able to talk to you that much, I promise to practice my Spanish more next time!

Antonio and Sheila -- for driving all the way from Granada to spend time with me. You both look good together!

Javi and Sylvia -- for letting me hold and laugh with Sammy and Irene even for awhile.

Tapi -- for entertaining Ivan and myself when we went to visit you. Hope you start playing football soon!

Ivan -- for driving all the way to Fuenlabrada to spend the afternoons with me. I had a beautiful afternoon at El Dorado with you. We still have to buy our lottery tickets!

To those whom I have not been able to meet (Vicente, Rover, Juampa, David, Jesus), you each owe me one glass of sangria the next time I'm there!

I hope to see you again soon, be it in Manila or Madrid! Will be posting the pictures soon!

Quidate mucho!

In Full Bloom!

I just love spring in Europe! The flowers are in their freshest and most vibrant colors, the new leaves once again start to adorn the gray trees... everything seems to exude life.

standing prouder than ever

a sprinkle of colors

witnessing the white and yellow crowns

a bed of tulips

blooms in Gamla Stan

proud to be red

Exploring Stockholm

We went around Stockholm last Sunday using the Stockholmskortet or the Stockholm Card and it is indeed more value for your money.

Stockholmskortet can be bought at T-Centalen and prices can range from SEK 290(valid for 24 hours) to SEK 540 (valid for 72 hours). It makes going around Stockholm easy and convenient as it gives you free admission to over 80 museums and attractions all over Stockholm, free rides on bus, ferry, and subway (regardless of any Stockholm destination), and even free boat sightseeing!

Regular fare for local transportations would be around SEK 40 and admissions to museums and attractions range from SEK 60-110. So if you're planning to explore Stockholm without spending too much, Stockholmskortet is for you. A pocket guide (given upon purchase of the card), a good pair of walking shoes, and a warm jacket (especially if you are taking the ferry or going around Djurgården) are all you need to enjoy the capital of Scandinavia.

We just bought the 24hr Stockhomskortet and it was enough to give us a glimpse of how beautiful Stockholm really is! Sharing the some of stockholm's best... enjoy!

the rose garden at Skansen

The Royal Palace

a fault turned into a national treasure at the Vasa Museum

a cloudy day in the archipelago

The Museum of Biology

the City Hall and the Tower Museum

Will be posting some more photos soon!