Anniversary Celebration

Somebody asked me if I enjoyed my stay in Villa Escudero. She pointed out it wasn’t a great experience for her when she visited. I guess if you are looking for an adventure, artificial waterfalls wouldn’t just do it for you. The place is just meant for relaxing and to just basically enjoy the rustic ambiance. I don’t think one can really say much about it for just a one day visit without staying for the night. It wasn’t really exceptional. I guess what made it special was not so much the place but the significance of the day when we stayed there.

Days before our anniv, we were running around so much that we weren’t able to plan for a nice getaway. Two days before our first wedding anniversary, all the places we originally wanted to go to were all fully-booked. I wasn’t really expecting much. To be really honest, I was looking forward to my anniversary gift more than the celebration, hehe. I had so many projects and finished quite a lot of things days before, I just felt exhausted. I thought we needed to do something special on our first anniversary or I’ll regret it. When in fact, I just really wanted to stay home and have a nice dinner somewhere.



There were quite a few people when we got there but they started thinning out around 4 in the afternoon. By dinner time, we found out we were the only guests for the night in the whole villa. Jamby M. came in with her entourage and they booked the farthest hut down the hill so I basically felt we were still alone for the night…and I totally loved it. I loved swimming alone with all the lights up.



As we were hanging out by the hammock looking over the river, I heard guitar playing and male voices unmistakably singing Kundiman songs. I realized they were outside our hut and I was being serenaded! Paolo and I went outside to see three men singing outside our hut. Suddenly, Paolo jumped in with the crooners and started singing with them. I was so pleasantly surprised that he knows kundiman songs! As he always says, he is a promdi at heart. I felt like a true-blue dalagang Pilipina inside my kubo by the river with a harana outside my window.






At dinner time, guests usually have a buffet inside the hall but since we were the only guests for the night, they decided to arrange a table by the pool under the stars with our food being served on our table and with a nearby harana. I felt so special. =)



It was a nice experience and Villa Escudero was charming. But then, its not so much about the place but the person beside me. ;) I guess we were meant to stay there on our anniversary night because I don’t think we’ll be able to have the place all for ourselves ever again. =)