HERE...
It was a perfect day for cruising, perfectly planned by Noel and Annie Arandilla onboard their super-modern, glistening white yacht. As residents of Park Point Residences (PPR) at the Ayala Center Cebu, they wanted to interact with the present and past officers of PPR and so they invited the group for a whole day spin onboard their luxury yacht on Independence Day. Present were past chairman lawyer Jun Muntuerto and wife Nora, past vice chairman, lawyer Julius Neri with yours truly; and the new officers—chairman lawyer Briccio Boholst and wife Judy, director Narcing Solon, and Rogelie Morris representing her husband John who was out of the country.
First stop was the lovely beach haven of outgoing PPR chairman Jun and Nora Muntuerto who graciously hosted lunch for the group. Located in the northen town of Sogod, the spacious and beautifully furnished house is perched on a little cliff that looks out to the big blue yonder. The romantic hideaway is surrounded with blooming bougainvillas, lush greens and various tropical plants. And yes, there’s an infinity pool fronting the cozy gazebo.
Destination after lunch was the idyllic island of Kalanggaman near Leyte. Once there, Noel took his grandson Philip for a spin in one of their jetskis while the others took the rubber boat to the bird-shaped island.
Can you believe merienda onboard was a whole lechon, calderetta, grilled tanguigue, rice, of course, and all kinds of yummy sweets and snacks? Annie thought of everything so that everyone would have a wonderful time. And we all did!
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There...
Hong Kong was wet and gray when the hubby and I arrived on a Sunday afternoon, but our spirits were high because we were having a rendezvous with our son Jayjay, wife Lotlot and their four blessings who had left a day ahead of us. The trip, organized by Jayjay, was actually a joint celebration of our wedding anniversaries—a silver anniversary for them which was in late May and an anniverary past the golden mark for us in early June. Bonding was the name of the game along with eating and shopping. Thoroughly enjoyable!
The hubby and I had a very pleasant surprise when Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel welcomed us with wine and cheese, cake and fruits and a happy anniversary card. How very thoughtful of director of communications Samantha Poon! Wouldn’t be surprised if she was tipped by Marco Polo Plaza’s director of sales and marketing Lara Scarrow and communications manager Manna Alcaraz regarding our wedding anniversary.
I have a soft spot for Marco Polo Hong Kong because of its ideal location. Its harbour view rooms give a magnificent vista of Hong Kong island, and when the lights of the island are on at night, the scene is breathtaking. The hotel has a direct link to the shops and to the countless dining options in Harbour City. Another thing is its proximity to the Star Ferry which, for me, is a “must- ride” to get a feel of HK each time we’re there.
Aside from its location, the hotel has well-kept and spacious rooms and excellent service. This goes for the two other Marco Polo hotels (Marco Polo Gateway and Marco Polo Prince) in the area which are all under the efficient management of general manager Dalip Singh.