I woke up early and took a taxi to Debbie's place in Labo St. La Loma. Naka-duster pa siya, kagigising lang at 6:30 am. Showed me the ceramics wall decors in the kitchen that she brought from Italy. All 10 kilos of it. Tsismisan kami sa breakfast table. She asked me to fit a top while she dressed. Kasya!

Maripaz arrived at 7 am. Libot konti sa bahay ni Debbie. Alis kami at 7:20 am to meet up with Wil, Ella and Zeny in Sucat Road at 9 am. Debbie insisted na madali to take Lacson Ave going to Makati instead of going through Quiapo. Oo nga. Marami din kaming tsismisan at tawanan on the way. Kinausap pa nga ni Debbie si Suy sa celfone.

Alas otso lang malapit na kami sa Sucat so kinausap na ni Maripaz si Wil kung saang bahay ba kami pupunta. Dun daw sa Jollibee Sucat na lang para hindi para hindi masabak sa trapik , magmamadali na lang sila.

Amazed si Debbie na kakain pa kami ni Maripaz ng pancakes for breakfast while waiting dun sa Jollibee. Tingnan mo nga yan, o, P80+ lang for both of us, she pointed out. Compared nga naman sa kape lang na two euros at least sa Europe.

Nauna si Wil dumating. Na-interrupt daw ang pagtina niya ng buhok pagtawag ni Maripaz. Next ang Zeny K, dala ang album ng Vienna Reunion, suot ang Infant Jesus of Prague silver pendant. Pagdating ni Ella, hinanapan ng camera. Meron namang dala.

And on we went to Tagaytay. More tsismisan and tawanan. Major topic ang Italy stint nila. And their stay with Debbie in Piacenza. Sina Wilma, Ella, and Zeny stayed in Debbie's house while Loida and her son Nonoy was billeted by Debbie in a nearby convent. Sabi ni Wilma ang ayos ayos at maganda ang compact apartment ni Debbie. Masyado daw OC (obsessive-compulsive) si Debbie kaya everything is in its place and her place is immaculately clean especially her bathroom with its Valentino tiles. At ngayon lang daw sila nakapagsukat ng tunay na mink coats of several colors and length na nakasalansan sa cabinet ni Debbie. At saka yong mga Prada bags ni Debbie "nakaPrada" din daw sa closet. And they spoke admiringly about the house of Andrea (Debbie's partner for more than 30 years) na sobrang laki at parang museum in itself sa dami ng articles made of ivory, rocks with precious stones that are so big that you can make hundreds of earrings just from one rock and a huge Swarowski and Lladro collection. Andrea shares his house with his Mother na akala nina Wilma would look like a typical mother-in-law but who turned out to be so demure looking and actually was so nice and sweet to them.

First stop, Ponderosa Country Club para silipin ni Wilma ang venue ng kasal ng pamangkin niya. Ganda! Picture-picture. Pinakyaw ni Maripaz yung wooden rosebuds dun sa shop. Bumili si Zeny ng jams.

Next stop, Ericson's Silang Farm. In place na yung Divine Mercy na malaki dun sa yard. Picture-picture. Silip sa ating rambutan, buhay na!

Muntik nang malimutang i-text si Girlie na dadaanan sa kanto ng bahay nila. Si Elvis Presley (tawag namin kay Ben na asawa ni Girlie kasi kakabakasyon lang nila sa Graceland mansion of Elvis) , ayaw sumamang kumain sa amin.

On we went to Tagaytay Highlands. Naks, ganda, ngayon pa lang ako napunta, saka si Debbie din pala. Dun kami sa buffet sa veranda ng Tagaytay Highlands Country Club nag-lunch. Masarap. Asian theme. Picture-picture.

Naiinitan na at nagpapaypay na si Ella. Tinanong ang waiter about the sked of the cable car and the funicular. 2 pm.

Got up to go down. Uy, may carpet ang elevator. Branded. Tagaytay Highlands. Sumakay kami.

Daan tayo sa bakery, bili tinapay. Pinakyaw na yata yung mga tinapay sa estante. Naubos. Raisin bread, prune and raisin bread, taro bread. I got a cracked monay, masarap kahit walang palaman.

Picture-picture sa bridge, sa mga halaman, sa view of the houses up the hill.

Nagpalagay ng tuwalya sa likod niya si Maripaz before we drove off to Midlands. Picture-picture. Baka di makaabot sa 2:30 funicular. Ay, okay. Reversible pala yung escalator. Yung sinakyan pababa to the view, yun din ang aakyat. Akala ko tatakbo sa stairs!

Ang steep ng funicular ascent! Sayang, hazy ang view ng volcano. Dapat pumunta uli for a better view.

Nag-freshen up. I got a map of the place from the desk. Debbie did, too.

We dropped off Girlie at their little hideaway. Ang cute! One bedroom pero may loft kung saan puwedeng tabi-tabing matulog ang mga apo. May bahay kubo sa likod, perfect for inuman. May maliit na porch looking out to a little garden. Very neat and compact. Uuwi din sila at 4 pm, there are guests waiting in Angono.

We went to the home of Ms. Sesy Fernandez, friend of Maripaz, who lives near another clubhouse that can be a venue for a wedding reception. Ang cute din ng bahay, dun talaga na siya nakatira! Pinakain kami ng kung anu-ano, at ni hindi na nga pinuntahan ang clubhouse na masyadong high end naman daw ang rates.

Tapos, nag-casino kami. Marami din silang ipinatalong money and time, pero mukhang nag-enjoy naman. Nanood kami sa ibang nagsusugal. Saan kaya nila kinukuha yung mga libu-libong piso na saglit lang kung ipatalo?

Nag-decide dumaan sa 16-room home ng brod and sis ni Maripaz, Gary and Gladys Tiongco. Wow, ganda. Busog na kami kuno, pero nang mahainan ng fresh langka, dinuguan, sotanghon soup, at Carlsberg beer pa, hindi na natinag sa hapag-kainan. Inabutan na dun ni Ms Fernandez with her brother and sister and their friend, who turned out to be the wife of a former Petron officemate ni Wilma, na nagyaya pa rin sa kanila for tacos daw. Wilma very firmly declined kahit sinabi pang bukas na lang siya sumabay umuwi sa kanila.

Napag-piano pa si Debbie bago kami lumakad at past 7 na. Pinipilit pa nga kami na dun na mag-dinner kina Gladys.

We made several shopping stops for fruits and mango tarts and other pasalubong items. I got espasol made in Nagcarlan.

Na-traffic nang husto dun sa may Susana Heights ba. We dropped off Zeny K first, then Ella next at McDo Sucat , Wilma at her home, Debbie in La Loma. Ayaw pumayag ni Maripaz na mag-commute ako from Luneta (puwede sana) kaya nihatid rin nila ako halos midnite na. Kumain muna ako ng espasol bago natulog, sarap!

It was quite a fun day! Kinabukasan na dumating by text ang divided by and utang huwag kalimutan kay Wilma.