cookie shot

voice symphony wedding engagement,
originally uploaded by Vanie.

just want to share this photo -- the girls of our choir. this was taken last saturday, just before the wedding we sang at. we were "killing time", remember? :p anyway, since i've been telling you about the choir most of the time, why not plug it right?!? :D

Voice Symphony is a group of young people who loves to sing. we (the members) all came from different choirs in Marikina. we're basically "wedding singers", but we also sing in different engagements. Ü

so for those couples out there who are looking for a choir on their wedding day, we're IT! ;)

the weekend that was

(hectic weekend part 2)

hmm.. where was i? oh, so after the engagement last saturday, i had to go home first to change then i had to meet my sister at Megamall where she bought a DVD player for our mom. afterwards, we went to Riverblend Bar and Cafe to meet with the choir (again). :p during "coffee", we swapped ghost stories and stories about other stuff. we went home around 12mn. the following day, i was supposed to watch a movie after lunch. however, my lazy body refused to go out so i just attended another choir practice in the evening. as usual, the practice finished around 12mn. that sunday practice was cool for me because i was able to finally learn the alto part of ngayon at kailanman (one of the songs that we'll be singing at my sister's wedding).

yesterday, i was basically a couch potato. but my boring day turned to an adventure for me and my choirmates. an emergency meeting was called for the gig we're planning (a mini-concert in tuguegarao). since it was raining hard, one of my choirmates picked up most of us so we'd be able to attend the meeting. while we were passing by the Marikina River, i noticed that despite the heavy rains the tiangge was still open. there were some shops closing, but most of them were open. that was around 9pm.

anyway, when we got back to our village the streets were already flooded. there was some sort of "river wild" on most of the streets so we all decided to walk. when we got to the house, we dried ourselves then we discussed the issues of the tuguegarao gig. we were able to finish the meeting at around 11:30pm. since it was already late, my choirmate who picked us up also dropped us off at our houses. again, we passed by the Marikina River. at that time, i was shocked at what i saw. the water was so high that there wasn't any tiangge in sight! we were speechless for about a few seconds then all we could say was "GRABE!". when i got home, i honestly prayed that there were no casualties in the flooded Marikina River.

hectic weekend part 1

yes, i know i've been awfully quiet these past few days. i've been really busy with practices and stuff. Ü last friday, we had a practice from 9pm to 12 mn. then we had a meeting afterwards, so i was able to go home around 1:30 am already. then i had to wake up at 6:30 am to prepare for our engagement. around 8:30am saturday morning, i left the house to meet with the choir so we could be at the church at 9. when we got to the church, we learned that the wedding would start at 11. since we still have lots of slack time, we jammed songs that were not fit for the wedding. songs like break it to me gently, separate lives, this time i'll be sweeter, and the like. :p after some time, we vocalized and prepared for the wedding which started exactly 11. during the wedding, we sang the responses of the mass then it was the pictorials. at the pictorials, i had to sing panunumpa solo. my choirmates said that i rendered the song beautifully, except that kinakapos daw ako. my excuse? i was hungry! :p anyway, we sang 3 more songs at the reception -- seasons of love, longest time and you.

hmm.. i gotta go, so i'll just finish this later. ;)

pictures

this is my niece Abby. last night, she took this picture of herself. vain, huh? i guess vanity runs in the family. :p




these, on the other hand, are the views from my desk in the office. notice how the clouds shifted and showed the sunlight. nice, noh? ;) it's drizzling earlier, so you could also see how dark the clouds were. those clouds are even darker now. seems like it's going to pour later. :p

relax and control...

...or something like that. haven't tried that product yet because i still have some palmolive aromatherapy left. also, because i believe don't need it. my hair looks great even if i use ordinary shampoo. haha. vanity is the key! :p i know, you won't agree with me. but, what the heck! i'm feeling uppity today. ;)

anyway, it's a very relaxing day for me. there's not really much to do here in the office. i was able to finish the code and database optimization yesterday. what's left is the analysis of the data warehouse design. woohoo! :)

oh well, i'm really really really happy today! :D seems like nothing can bring me down. i feel high! but don't get me wrong.. i'm not on drugs or anything like that. this is a natural high i feel. and it feels GREAT!

cheers! :)

office stuff

it's another long day. seems like there's so much going on here in the office, but it feels like i'm not really here. it's like i see the things going on around me while looking from the outside...

christmas party
there's a lot of buzz about the christmas party already, but that's like 3 weeks away. the theme: 80's. very original, huh? i've been to a lot of parties wherein the theme was the 80's, and i think that theme is corny. but knowing myself, i'd come fully dressed. might as well join the fun, right? i just hope the party would really be fun. :p

projects
our department has a lot on our plate right now. they are all working their asses on some major project. i'm not saying that i'm not working, because i am. it's just that i'm working on this project for the longest time, and i'm the only one working on this project right now. my co-developers were assigned to other projects already, and i feel like i'm not part of the department. although i am still handling other projects but those other projects were put on-hold because of other important projects. whatever!

a tribute

yesterday, one of my officemates told me that he already told his manager that he'll be leaving the company soon. it's just sad that one of the best developers of the company is leaving. but i'm happy for this officemate of mine because i know he's moving on to greener pastures and he'll have a brighter future with the company that he'll be transferring to.

well, to my officemate: thanks for everything. i learned a lot from you. hope you'll still communicate with us. i'll miss you as my yosi buddy, my confidante (sometimes) and my friend. i know you'll be successful, and i hope you'll get what you really deserve. cheers! :)

web applications group

Web App,
originally uploaded by Vanie.

just wanted to share this picture which was taken last week by our manager, after our department meeting. the meeting was held in one of the conference rooms here in the office. coolness! :p

vulnerable

have you ever felt like you're losing a person and you feel helpless because you love the person so much that all you could do is let go, even if you don't want to? then you just want to hold that person close to you for as long as possible so you could make that person feel all the love you have? then afterwards you just want to cry... pour your heart out and just hope that you wouldn't lose the person... hope that you were wrong thinking you're losing that person who you love so much?

whenever i feel like this, i usually lose myself in music. i'm currently listening to a CD which my friend gave me. this friend of mine is the keyboardist in the group called Sole Acoustix. the CD is actually a recording of songs that they play in their gigs:

- kahit ika'y panaginip lang
- constantly
- for you
- the art of letting go
- dream of me

the compilation also includes 2 of their originals:

- tahan na
- in your arms

* sigh *

it seems like a very long time since i felt this way. just hope everything works out fine.

freak accident

last night, me and my officemates witnessed remnants of a freak accident at J.P. Rizal Street here in Makati. we saw a man whose lower half body was under the front right wheel of a jeepney. there was a pool of blood where the victim laid, but my officemates were positive that the man was still alive. it was not a pretty sight, as most accidents are.

because of the traffic that the accident had caused, the driver of the cab we were riding had to change route. after we were able to drop-off one of my officemates, we again passed the accident. this time, my officemates had a better look at the scene. they did, i didn't. i didn't want to see it up close because i didn't want to have nightmares.

anyway, during the rest of the trip home, vehicular accidents were our topic of conversation. what we've seen, experienced, etc. i didn't have any personal experiences to share so i just kept quiet the whole time. i'm just thankful that i am still in one piece.

another day of meetings

am i a blog addict, or what? i believe this is my 3rd post for the day, but what the heck! i'm in-between meetings anyway. :p

oh well, this is just another day full of meetings for me. it feels like i'm not really accomplishing anything, but i am positive that the things we discussed would solve a lot of problems we've been experiencing. i also know that because of these discussions and meetings, our processes and implementations will be standardized and improved. so i know it's good. and it's right, right?

am i making sense? oh well..whatever! :)

remembering davao

here's a list of the songs in the compilation given to me:

Usher - Yeah
Nina Sky - Move Your Body
Twista - Overnight Celebrity
Lumidee - Never Leave You
Mario Winans - I Don't Wanna Know
J-Kwon - Tipsy
Mis-Teeq - Scandalous
Twista - Sunshine
Jojo - Leave (Get Out)
Usher - Confession Part II
Tamia - Officially Missing You (Remix)
Ciara feat Petey Pablo - Goodies
Christina Millian - Dip It Low
Jamelia - Superstar
Beyonce Knowles - Naughty Girl
R. Kelly - Happy People
Lil Flip feat Lea - Sunshine
Punjabi feat Jay Z - Beware of the Boys
Juvenile feat Soulja Slim - Slow Motion
Usher - Burn

i've been listening to these songs since i was able to rip the CD. :) is that piracy? nah! ;p

what a day!

yesterday, i had a really busy day at the office. i started the day by creating a SharePoint site for one of the projects i am handling. during which, i coordinated with the assigned developer to update one of the documents needed to deploy the application correctly. afterwards, i met with our project manager for the activities of the planning and preparations of the acceptance and turnover of our project in davao. unfortunately, our meeting was cut short because i had to attend another meeting. this time, with my fellow team leads and our manager, along with our CEO. the 2nd meeting was about problems about stuff that we have to address urgently. thus, another meeting took place afterwards. well, not really "immediately after" because after the 2nd meeting we had to take our lunch then i went to the bank for some reason. anyway, the 3rd meeting was about delving into the causes of the problems we discussed in the 2nd meeting and the solutions that we could propose. afterwards, a developer had to demonstrate the tracking application he created. this was part of the "solution" we proposed.

in a nutshell, my day was full of meetings. good thing it ended with me playing badminton with some friends. :)

this and that

our project manager gave me a CD compilation of songs that were "in" during our stay in davao. do you know what the title of the CD is? it's Remembering Davao. nice, huh? ;p

-----o0o-----

i've finally confirmed our accommodations for the davao trip with my friends. we'll be staying at Blue Waters Resort during our first night, and at Casa Leticia on our second night. now, all i have to do is book our flights! :D

rest, rest and more rest

it's a holiday! Ü i know, i have been quiet for the past 2 days. i've been sick again. i had the flu. I was coughing terribly, i had a hard time breating, and i had a slight fever. good thing my tonsils do not have a pus anymore, thanks to the antibiotics that the doctor gave me. ;p last saturday, i had a full-body massage. it was heaven! of course, i just stayed home yesterday to recuperate and feel the full effect of the massage. now, my body doesn't hurt as much anymore. i may still feel some of my joints "popping" every now and then, but i'm generally ok. i may actually go out later. :D

anyway, i can say that this long weekend was pretty much just rest for me. i had fun being a couch potato. now it's time to go back to the "real world"! ;p

fun turned nightmare

as i was doing my status report last night, my sisters called me. they wanted me to join them at Krocodile Grillery in Libis. since i already had prior plans, i told them that i would go there after having dinner with my officemates. that is what i did. i had dinner with 5 of my officemates at some bar in Carlos Palanca St. (sorry, forgot the bar's name) then went to Libis.

when i got to Krocodile Grillery, the calamares i ordered was already served. :D one of my sisters was drinking tequila, and the other was drinking beer. in the spirit of fun, i had 3 shots of tequila. on our way home, we had a minor accident. my eldest sister drove like a possessed woman. when she slightly pulled over, i grabbed the opportunity to remove the key from the ignition to stop the car. we then forced her to the backseat, then her fiance drove us home. when we got home, my dad and i had to carry her from the car to our living room. after two hours of talking to her, she finally calmed down.

i'm just thankful that nothing really dangerous happened to us.

december davao trip updates

earlier, i was able to contact Blue Waters Resort (thanks to yong for the numbers). it's 2 beaches down from Paradise Island. when i asked about their amenities, the girl said that they have a videoke machine and they also have games (volleyball and other sports). i asked if they have available rooms and she said that she will confirm through text. i forgot to ask when she would text me, so i guess i just have to wait. i just hope that it will be soon (as in right now. :p).

anyway, i was also able to book me and my friends 2 nights at Casa Leticia. we were only supposed to stay there during our 2nd night, but i booked us for 2 nights just in case i wouldn't be able to find accommodations at Samal Island for our first night.

i feel good about being able to move forward with the preparations for this trip. :D

company politics

the other day, we had a company meeting. the CEO talked about the current status of the company. the gist of what he said was already understood by the employees. nobody was alarmed, because there really wasn't anything to be alarmed about. however, a manager spoke up and contradicted what the CEO discussed. her intentions were probably good or she probably didn't mean to sound harsh, but because of what she said and how she delivered it the employees are disgruntled. her choice of words are now the laughing stock of most of the employees. imagine using these phrases: "be scared. be very scared." what the f*ck!

anyway, it's been more than 2 years since i joined this company. there have been a lot of politics going on, but i can confidently say that only one person causes all of them... and that's HER! it's just so sad that our CEO is blind and deaf when it comes to her. she's his favorite manager! therefore when one of her developers f*ck up, it's not a big deal. but when "others" make a mistake, they're spanked big time!

all i can say is this: until our CEO sees her for what she is, this company would have a very hard time growing. :p

paradise island

i called Paradise Island Park Resort a few minutes ago to confirm the reservations i made through their website. the receptionist told me that all their cottages were already booked from December 28 to 31. when i asked her about the website, she asked me which website i visited. she then said that the resort has no website anymore. apparently, the site i saw was farce. WTF! anyway, i'm still looking for other accommodation options in Samal Island. i just hope i find one immediately.

whatever

thanks to our project manager, i'm now blogging from this cool blog tool. ;p

anyway, i have a lot of projects. again. lots and lots of things to do. again. i just hope everything will be finished before the holidays. ;p

speaking of the holidays, i'll be spending part of my christmas vacation in davao. some friends of mine will be with me. we'll spend our first night in Samal Island at Paradise Island Beach Resort then our second night will be in the heart of the city. i'm not sure yet which hotel, though. :D

etc., etc.

i was feeling sentimental the other day. i guess it's because of the article i posted about pseudo-relationships. i was able to relate to some of the situations discussed in the article. i've been there. i've experienced being in that kind of relationship before. oh well, no sense remembering those events. :p

-----

i'm kind of pissed off at my mom because she's pissed off at a friend of mine. weird, huh? i know, it's bad to be mad at your own mother. i'm not actually mad, i just want her to lay off the topic. she kept on texting me about this a while ago, and i'm getting annoyed. here's the deal: my friend "recruited" her to join a networking company. the company released a new catalog around september. my friend promised her that he would give her the new catalog. it has been almost 2 months already and my mom would only get the catalog tomorrow. i know that my friend is at fault here, but i just want my mom to accept my friend's apology. whatever.

-----

i'm so happy today. i'm able to use my computer again. well, technically it's not mine because it's owned by the company. :p anyway, the cpu arrived last saturday and i thought i wouldn't be able to use it today because the sysads told me that there was no allocated monitor, mouse, keyboard, etc. for me to use. but lo and behold, everything was set up when i arrived this morning. coolness! :D i've been listening to my mp3s all day while working, and it feels good to hear my collection again. ;)

pseudo-relationships

got this from a friend. nice read! :)

----------------------------------------------

Parang Kayo, Pero Hindi
by noringai
http://www.peyups.com

She is a 24-year old copywriter. He is an architect. They met and became lovers in college. They broke up last year but remained to be "friends." They send sweet text messages and he calls her often to make sure she's okay. They still date. They still have sex. They don't see anyone else. It is obvious that they still love each other but when asked about their situation, she doesn't know the real score. Even her friends are in the dark. "Parang sila, pero hindi."

She works in a telecom. He is reviewing for the board. They are in the same barkada. They talk on the phone till 4 am. He gives her chocolates, flowers and CDs even when there is no occasion. Their friends are suspecting something. Bakit sila nagsosolo kapag may overnight inuman? Why does he hold her close on the dance floor? Bakit sila magkaholding hands lagi? Sila kaya? "He hasn't admitted anything," she rants. "But I let him hug and kiss me. Parang kami, pero hindi."

They work together in an ad agency. After office, they would watch movie, have dinner and stroll at Glorietta. She gave him Harry Potter books for his birthday in exchange for posing as her boyfriend to make an ex jealous. They made out during the company outing in Subic and never talked about it. He said "I love you" once but she wasn't sure if she heard him correctly because they were both drunk then. But one thing she is sure of is her feelings for him. She likes him. And she's assuming that with what he's doing to her and with her, he likes her, too. There's just one hitch: he has a girlfriend!

She is a 28-year-old virgin. He's a 35-year-old bachelor. Both mountaineers, they became close during their climbs. After a few dates in posh restaurants, he brings her to his condo where they would make out. They have been doing this for months. She wants to believe that "sila na" but then she's not really sure about it. "We don't talk about it but it doesn't really matter," she'd tell her friends. "What's important is I am enjoying this -- whatever it is."

The "parang kayo, pero hindi" stage. Others call it MU or mutual understanding. Pseudo-relationships. Pseudo-boyfriends. Flings. Almost like a relationship, but not quite. It is a phase where the persons involved are more than friends, but not quite lovers. Puwedeng may verbal agreement, puwedeng wala. One or both of you may have admitted your feelings, possible ding hindi. You just let your gestures do the talking for you. Walang pormal na ligawan na nangyari. Hindi kayo mag-dyowa. Pero sa kilos niyo, sa mga sinasabi niyo, parang kayo, pero hindi.

This kind of "relationship" can happen at different stages for different reasons. It can happen after a break-up. You still love each other, and you want to be with each other but you broke up for a reason. And for reasons that you alone know, ayaw niyo na muna magkabalikan.

It can also happen before a relationship, iyong pareho kayong nakikiramdam. Possible din na ayaw niyo munang mag-seryoso kaya kunwa-kunwarian lang muna. Testing lang.

Puwede ring hindi puwedeng maging kayo kasi isa sa inyo --usually the guy --may ka-relasyon na. Kaya habang hindi pa siya nakikipag-break doon sa girl (sabi niya makikipag-break siya soon pero di naman niya ginagawa), wala muna kayong relasyon para nga naman hindi siya nangagaliwa kasi "hindi naman kayo."

This pseudo-relationship stage, for a time, can be fun. Lalo na kung naghahanap ka lang naman ng "kalaro."

Pero huwag ka lang mag-e-expect na may patutunguhan kayo kasi wala talagang kasiguraduhan.

So bakit ang daming nagse-settle sa ganitong set up ganoong hindi naman sigurado kung may patutunguhan?

Iba't ibang dahilan. Puwedeng for fun lang. Puwedeng "buti na iyan kesa wala" or puwede na iyang "pantawid-gutom." Meaning, habang wala pa iyong the real thing, doon muna sa kunwa-kunwarian.

For those who are not in a serious relationship, they would think that pseudo-relationship is better than no relationship at all. It would be fun, if all you are after for is that "kilig" feeling.

Aminado naman ako na once upon a time, may mga pseudo-relationships din ako. No commitments involved. For the simplest reason that they couldn't commit, because they were either committed to someone else, or that they weren't ready to commit.

My rationalization, "okay na iyun, kesa wala."

Ang habol ko lang naman, iyong kilig feeling. Iyong merong nagtatanong kung kumusta araw ko. Iyong merong ka-cuddle sa beach outing. Iyong kapag tumunog ang cellphone, mapapangiti na ako dahil alam kong galing sa kanya ang message. Iyong merong laging kasama. Habang wala pa ang the real thing, puwede na itong pagtiyagaan.

But then I learned that although it was only a pseudo-relationship, the emotions were real. And usually, in this kind of set up, ang babae lagi ang lugi.

Una, you can't ask him to commit. Since it's not really a relationship, you can't demand commitment from your partner. Ano ba kayo? May K ka nga ba magpasundo ng hatinggabi? You will always be uncertain about your role in his life. You can't expect him to be always there with you. And if you feel jealous of the other girls, you just have to keep it to yourself. Ano ka ba niya para magselos?

Pangalawa, what if you fall deeply in love with him? You can't be sure if he feels the same way. Baka nag-a-assume ka lang na mahal ka rin niya. Even if you are dying to tell him you love him, you can't. Because you're not sure if he'll like it. Baka mapahiya ka lang. This stage will always make you wonder where you are in the relationship. Or if there is a relationship at all.

Pangatlo, what if you become attached too much? What if you have invested all your emotions and this man hasn't? What if you remain faithful to him, not entertaining other guys, only to find out that he is seeing other girls?

Isa pang downside ng pseudo-relationships, it is fleeting. When a disagreement sets in, or when one of you gets cold, then that would be the end of it. Unlike in a serious relationship, hindi mo alam kung saan ka lulugar sa isang pseudo-relationship. Wala kang pinanghahawakan. Kasi sa pseudo-relationship, there is no "us." Meron lang "you and me," hindi "us."

Buti sana kung pseudo-pain din lang ang mararanasan mo. Kaso, hindi eh. Real pain. And usually, kahit tapos na ang pseudo-relationship, hindi mo maiwasan umasang one day, may karugtong pa rin iyun. And you will be miserable, hoping to bring back what you used to have, only to find out eventually that the guy is in another pseudo-relationship with somebody else.

Ang hirap, ano? You agreed to this kind of set up for fun and then you'd end up hurting yourself in the process.

Pero puwede naman maiwasan ang pain eh. Puwede naman na hindi mo muna isipin ang future and just enjoy the feeling, without thinking of the consequences.

But if you are certain that you are going to hurt yourself in the process, kailangan mo mamili. You can be happy and live the moment without worrying what would happen next. Or you can stop settling with pseudo-relationships and wait for the real thing.

When I was younger and in a pseudo-relationship with an unavailable guy, a friend told me, "Sige, kung ayaw mong magpapigil, bahala ka. Magpakasaya ka. Pero huwag kang iiyak-iyak pagkatapos, dahil tatadyakan kita."

Ang bottom line lang naman, kung magpapasaya sa iyo, gawin mo. Ihanda mo lang ang sarili mo sa consequence. Dahil ang "parang kayo pero hindi" stage ay bihirang nagiging totoo. Usually, hanggang doon lang siya… almost, but not quite.

rants and raves

it's almost 9pm and i'm still at the office and i still have lots and lots of things to do. i actually just went out of a meeting with my fellow "team leads", our manager and the company's CEO. the meeting was all about the company objectives, how our team could help meet those objectives, etc., etc. again, lots of things to do! :p

------

it was freezing cold here at the office the whole day! good thing i brought chamomile tea bags. since i don't drink coffee, i had tea instead. ;p

------

i'm feeling better now. my throat doesn't hurt like crazy anymore, and that makes me very happy. Ü

------

i wanted to go out tonight, but i don't have company. (poor me.) i wanted to check out the bazaar at the Marikina River Park. i also wanted to check out a school mate's band. they're called Vibratto and they're playing at Papa Jek's (also at the Marikina River Park). however, i don't have company (as i've mentioned earlier). WTF! it's friday night, but i can't go out and have fun. oh well...that's life!

and another

got this text message from another friend...

being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. it just means you've decided to see life behind the imperfections. so don't say you're happy because everything's all right. be happy because everything sucks but you're doing just fine.

oh, these friends of mine! they really know when i'm feeling blue. but i guess i should be happy. despite all my problems, i'm coping well. ;)

anyway, i went to the hospital earlier for a check-up. the doctor said that i had a pus at the left side of my throat. he forbid me to eat and drink sweet or cold food and beverages. he also advised me to drink lots of fluids. he then prescribed 140-peso antibiotics.

when i told my friend about this, he scolded me for smoking a lot. :( oh well, i have been laying off sweets for a few days now. i've also cut back on my smoking and cold beverages since i learned of the stupid pus. i just wish this would go away as soon as possible. i won't be able to sing unless my throat heals.

* sigh *

slow day

bed weather again.
dark clouds.
cool winds.

not feeling well.
clogged nose.
head aches.

not enough rest.
want to sleep more.
want to go home.

:(

i wonder...

got this text message from a friend:

tunay na love?
madalang lang byahe nyan...
kaya pag dumaan sa yo,
parahin mo,
sumakay ka,
kasi baka di na bumalik yun.
siguro babalik pa...
e paano kung may sakay ng iba?
sasabit ka na lang ba?

hmm...i wonder...would i just ride along or would i just wait for another trip? if i do wait, am i sure another would come along?

trick or treat

it's tuesday, but somehow it feels like another lazy monday morning. is it because of the long weekend? problably.

anyway, my sister asked me to accompany her and her family last sunday. her kids took part in Ayala Alabang's yearly Halloween Trick or Treat. she asked me to bring along the youngest child of our other sister. they picked us up at around 2pm, then we headed off to Alabang. the trip was generally ok since traffic was fine, until we arrived at Alabang Town Center. it took us almost an hour to enter the village. anyway, when we got to the house of our host (Carlo J. Caparas, the director), introductions were made. the kids were immediately given treats (an assortment of candies and chocolates).

after an hour, we went trick-or-treating. it was one tiring but fun experience for me, photographing the kids as they enjoyed asking for treats from the houses that we visited.

while we were touring the village, i noticed that the villagers really went out of their way to decorate their homes for halloween. there were a lot of dummy witches, monster masks, and "Happy Halloween" banners. it was cool. i just never thought that the halloween tradition was practiced here in our country. ;p

anyway, when the kids were already tired from all the trick-or-treating, we headed back to our host's house to rest. since a lot of people were there, we decided to go to Parque España to eat. it wasn't easy getting out of the village because traffic was very heavy. it took us almost 3 hours just to reach the gate. we eventually learned that the guards weren't organized. they had a hard time looking for the driver's license of the visitors. (oh well, shit happens.) when we got to the hotel, we ate pizza then headed home.

all in all, it was fun. i'd probably accompany my nieces again next year, but i wouldn't want to go through all that traffic again. ;p