Not only is this the centennial anniversary of Baguio, it is also the 30th anniversary of our high school class. With anticipation, excitement and a bit of anxiety, Jeanne and I returned home. For me, this was not just a Boys High Reunion, it is also a reunion with family, friends in Girls High 79 and of course friends in Holy Family Class 79.
View from Modernsite, Aurora Hill
More than anything, we met old friends, made new ones and wondered why we never cross path before. To a few like Ric, Egay, Raul and Arnel – I wondered why they were not close buddies way back then. As for the ladies of Girls High and Holy Family, Vicky and Eileen who are just drop dead gorgeous 
I wonder why I did not even notice them before. I even asked Jeanne to show me High School photos just to make sure they were really there . I missed Vangie but she sent over a dozen text messages on her trip from Baguio back to Gapo. Her text brightened my day as I lay quarantined for a day nursing a bad sore throat from too much partying.I’m keeping her text messages – maybe one day I can blackmail her
SMF and the children of Gethsemane Orphanage
Whoever thought of renting a Cottage at the Court of Appeals to act as a 24 hour center for the reunion is genious. It means that anyone could go there and hang out and would always be with friends. It offers a place to crash for anyone who needed it. It also simplified the start of activities ‘cuz all you have to say is meet at the cottage and we’ll go from there.
Baguio was almost transformed to the city we knew – less the traffic and the uncontrolled and seemingly unplanned mushroming of edifices – it still feel like home. Thanks to Ric and Tess who introduced us to the Forest House – a place where they play music of our years, and after a few rounds we even dared singing with the band. It’s like being in a folkhouse in Assumption Road way back then – but this time with a touch of class. Not just drinking beer but red wine or tequilla.
The photos I’ve taken in this trip are not of places and art but of laughter, bright faces and food … food … and lots of food. Our friends and family have shown thier love and affection in a form of rich food. From the moment we landed we were ushered to Cabalen (Kapangpangan Smorgashboard) in Greenbelt. Every meal from there on is a meal to remember, from home cooked breakfast to picnics and endless gathering of friends.
During our short stay, we attended breakfast dates, brunch dates, lunch dates, dinner dates, cocktails, bonfire, family picnics, and meriendas. When Doc Flerida invited us for lunch, they were already cooking merienda while we are still having lunch. We were also planning the coming dinner and cocktails as we pause to feel our bulging tummy. We had a 3-hour break and
reconvenned for cocktail which lasted til 1 am. And if that’s not enough, coffee til 3am in Rumours with Pilar. The exchange of wits and unpleasntries betwen Pilar and Raul kept us entertained until we could not laugh no more. We burst into spontaneous clapping with their great come backs.
Selecting the photos is no easy task – here are some taken of the main reunion. For all other photos please feel free to download your copy off my Flickr Collection
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Rommel Pascual is the Web Administrator of the SEAWIND Network
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wow! great article about d reunion. you encapsulated in ur piece d joy of d get-together, d wonderful camaraderie and d typical hospitality of pinoys in each of us. d best thing about ur article though is realizing that u find me drop dead gorgeous. lol.
more power to u and ur blog site.
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Rommel Pascual reply on December 27th, 2009 9:09 pm:
Palakpak ang tenga mo no?
Di bale – tutuo naman 
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vicki j reply on December 27th, 2009 10:03 pm:
di lang tenga ang pumapalakpak, hahahaha. i should hire u as my confidence-booster at times when i feel down.
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hello kuya…just dropping by to say some greetings of holiday season…hope your family and friends will enjoy the Christmas and New year…hahhahah…im not updated with my blog….busy sa work…babye…next time again…
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Rommel Pascual reply on December 28th, 2009 12:15 am:
Hi Sakura – Merry Christmas too! Sayang, we were in the Philippines for a month – didn’t have a chance to eye-ball. Hope the New Year will be great for you. Will be watching your blog.
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Awesome Pasky!!!…especially on the article about Vangie. I wonder what those text messages were all about. But anywei..we really had so much fun that evening and the following day too, though we were not formally included in your line of guests.
Reunions are very important part of our culture. As we get older, we become more nostalgic and have a greater interest in revisiting the past. So thanks to all those who spearheaded the gathering and more so to you, for sharing us all the pictures you have taken during the event.
Happy New Year to Jeanne and the entire Pascual family.
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Rommel Pascual reply on December 28th, 2009 1:43 pm:
Gretel – Great to see that Vickie’s announcement produced some traffic to my blog
– Ahh, Vangie’s text – that’s interesting…
It was great to see you all in the reunion, you were the life of the party. Can you imagine if it was all blokes that night? – We’ll probably end up being too pissed to remember (pardon my french).
Happy New Year to you and your family too.
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