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I finally got to Ling's palasyo. Hinuhubad ang sapatos sa entrance. Inihilera ko na ang boots ko dun and changed into my slippers taken from the handcarry.

Ling and a welcoming Tess, home assistant, brought me to the bedroom opposite the master bedroom. Dito ka tonight. Tomorrow lipat ka sa other room. Espie and Ed will be here tomorrow. Hamo, papagpagin ko maige ang sheets.

Bago ang white Ikea cabinets ng room. Alam ko yun ang errand that Ling needed to do upon arrival on Monday, May 21 from the Philippines.

Ling showed me the guest bathroom (walang lock) saka yung toilet. The light automatically turns on when you open the door. Walang tabo? Kailangan mo ng tabo? Tess, meron ba kayong tabo? Bigyan! Presto, may tabo na.

Ling showed me the room to be occupied by us single girls. May two beds, each with a trundle bed. It will be occupied by Loida and Nonoy for that night. Eto naman ang bedroom to be occupied by Jojo and Kuya Ruds.

May nag-buzzer. Sina Loida na yan. Nako, walang luggage ang mag-ina. Hindi masabi ng British Airways kung saan naiwan or naligaw ang mga dala-dalahan. Duster muna ng Nanay ko ang ginamit ni Loida at T-shirt ng Lacanlale ang pantulog ni Nonoy. Shopping ang gagawin kinabukasan.

Tuloy ang tour ng palasyo. Dineretso ang corridor past the home assistants bedroom (with its own bathroom) and past the room with his and hers separate toilets. Itinulak ang door to the kitchen. Nagugutom be kayo? Hindi naman. Ling is particularly proud of her kitchen. Exit through the sliding glass door to the formal dining room. Then to the hall with the Romeo and Juliet balcony and to the three receiving rooms. He, he, he! Naligaw na ako at hindi na makababalik unassisted dun sa bedroom, kasi 3 doors na yung dinaanan. Dapat may map.

Back to the bedrooms and we were on our own. Dapat na ring matulog si Ling, may pasok kinabukasan.

I unpacked. Maya-maya, kumakatok si Loida. Panno ba daw patayin yung ilaw sa toilet. Alam ko automatic on, siguro automatic off din. Bakit ayaw? We tried. Ayaw nga. Hayaan na lang natin kahit on magdamag. Sige. Paano nga pala o-off e panay ang open namin ng door to see?

Natulog na, kilig to the bones na talagang nasa Vienna na nga!

I woke up to the early morning sun of Vienna at 5 am. Went back to bed and got up at 7 am. Met Lineth, our home chef. We had breakfast in the dining room counter. Ling and Eric have their breakfast table by the window. "Kami cereals lang talaga, but it doesn't mean na yung guests natin ay cereals rin lang ang kakainin," Eric instructed Lineth and Tess. So we can request for eggs sunny side up, etc.

Ling will be fetched by her driver at 8:45 am. She can take us to H & M for clothes. President Vladimir Putin will lay a wreath at the "Heroes' Monument of the Red Army" two blocks away at 9:30 am so that is also an option for me daw.

When we saw the people standing on the streets waiting for President Putin, Ling decided that she also wants to see Putin. So we alighted from the car and stood on the sidewalk. Parang mas maganda dun sa malapit sa atin. Tinawagan ang driver. We were fetched and brought near the French Embassy.

Ay, mas maganda yung una nating lugar, doon pala dadaan. Too late to go there. Closed na yung road. Mainit na. Nagpayong na ako. Una natatawa sila pero later e nakikisukob na rin. With my Tatay's binoculars, we got a glimpse of Putin when he laid a wreath at the monument to the Soviet soldier-liberators on the Austrian capital's Schwartzenbergplatz.

Ayos! Drive na kami to the ring, or the city center. Kailangang mag-CR. We went to Hotel Sacher. Tingnan mo na yung mga sachertorte, bulong ni Ling. Kumuha na rin ako ng card as souvenir. Nonoy took pictures.

We went to the tourist information center to get maps and events information. Ling withdrew some money from the bank ATM nearby. This is the road where the tourists go. Ayan ang mga kainan and shops. Itinuro ang H & M. Balik kayo sa bahay by 1 pm. Lineth will prepare pasta for lunch, bilin ni Ling. Then she gave instructions to Nonoy on how we walk back home.

Dun lang talaga kami ss H & M nag-ikot. Sos, nagsukat kami ng tops, skirts, dresses from sizes 8 to 14. Wrong body type kami. Walang nag-fit. Hindi nakabili si Loida ng kahit ano. Nonoy got basic clothing, pants, T-shirt, wrong body type din siya pero puede na. Umuwi na kami kasi he does not wear new clothes without having them washed first. Saka na lang muna yung toiletries, meron naman sa palasyo.

Very walkable ang bahay. Got back at 1 pm. Naku, ang sarap ng salad with seafood pasta! Tumaba na ako agad.

Bibili daw sila ng toiletries sa Spar, gusto ko bang sumama? Hindi, matutulog ako. (Buti na lang hindi ako sumama. Naglakad sila all the way to St Stephen's Church pala and gabi na umuwi.)

Pagkagising, ligo. Aba, hindi ko yata mabuksan ang shower. Consult the expert, siempre. I asked Tess. Push pala, hindi pull. Kaya siguro maluwag yung knob, marami na kaming nag-pull.

Linette invited me to orange cake and juice for merienda. Pagdating ni Ling, we listened to music and bonded over kornick in their favorite room of the palasyo, the orange room. She told me about how the rooms were composed and decorated. Ang jars, ginamit na tables and lampshades. She got may materials from the Philippines. The paintings came from various sources. The Joya is a loan from her sister-in-law. When she thinks of an alternative arrangement, she wants it executed immediately. The people around her already know HER look that means REARRANGE NOW NA.

She had changed to her tai-chi attire. She and Eric do tai-chi after office hours for exercise and relaxation.

Eric arrived just a bit ahead of Jojo, Kuya Ruds and Maripaz. Jojo presented Ling with a watercolor of three women. Sila daw yun ni Ling plus Mila. It was a painted smaller version of a bigger original.

Pino-problema ni Loida yung accommodations nila. Ibig pasundo sa pinsan. Sabi ko Maripaz can room with me and they can stay where they are, no problem.

All of us had dinner at the palasyo, pati sina Ruth and Ric who are already at Guessflats.. May preferred seats na rin kami sa counter. Ang sarap ng pork adobo, ginisang munggo, fish fillet and fruits. Meron pang Ilocanong luto daw yun according to Ling --big sili na hindi maanghang gulay dish.

Ling conducted two tours of her palasyo which Kuya Ruds religiously documented.

Of course, dun uli sa orange room nag-usap-usap. Nag-ayos ng mga celfone connections, nag-worry about Wilma's foot and the non-arrival of Daddie and Noel.. Nag-set ng breakfast sa palasyo kinabukasan.

Inuubo si Maripaz. Paano ba naman ay umikot ng mundo makarating lang sa Vienna.

 Sagana ang almusal sa palasyo today. Pancakes, bacon, egg, vienna sausage, fruits, cheese, orange juice and coffee for all the residents here at pati sa maglalakad mula Guessflats. Today is the official start of our reunion. We have to be out for lunch so that the place and the food may be prepared for the welcome dinner later.

Nagdaldalan at nag-kodakan sa isang receiving room ng palasyo while waiting. At about 10, na-contact ang hinihintay na hindi na pala pupunta sa almusal Lumabas na sila.I stayed home with Maripaz. Pahinga muna siya. Ako ay nag-computer. German ang keyboard, medyo nakakalito sa umpisa.

Sinabi na ni Jojo kung saan kami susunod for lunch. Kaso, ang taas ng BP ni Maripaz. Nako, in that warm weather, hindi siya dapat lumakad sa kalye. May restaurant nearby, puede tayo dun mag-lunch, sabi ko sa kanya. Ling called the house and instructed Linette to feed us kung ano ang type ni Maripaz. Seafood pasta was it.

Maripaz and I moved to the girls' room. Very busy sa palasyo. Na-clear ang hall. Napuesto ang mga collapsible dinner tables. Nabihisan, na-dekorasyunan. Ang ganda ng peonies, Ling's favorite flowers. May mga dagdag na home assistants sa kusina.

Dumating si Ling, kasama si Mila. Kasunod sina Elmer, Potit and Ed. Soundless tilian ang batian namin ni Potit. Alam ninyo yun, hands cupping mouths open wide? Ganun din with Mila. Eto na rin pala si Ataboy who came in a cab by herself.

Gutom sila. Sumigla si Ataboy nang madinig yung option na ginisang munggo saka adobo, ayaw pang mag-share sa iba. Ed and Potit had the seafood pasta.

Pagdating nina Jojo, may pasalubong na tote bag of Sisi from the museum.

Nagbihis na yata kami nung may early arrivals na for the welcome dinner. Nakakasalubong ng nagba-banyo ang nag-to-tour ng palasyo. Off limits ang aming kuwarto, magulo.

Lots of hugs, posing, pictures habang nag-wi-wine, chicharon and kornick sa welcome dinner. Prayer sa formal dining room where the buffet was elegantly set. Dig. Free seating. Sina Tay and Nay na may dalang kahon-kahong arabian pastries ang nakadaldalan ko about Syria and Turkey.  Exchange tables na nung mag-dessert.

Business meeting was called. Lhet gave the details of the reunion schedule. The fees to be collected were enumerated. Collection na pala. Kabi-kabila ang utangan at bayaran at suklian. Euros and dollars legal tender. Opps, may item na hindi nasali sa bayaran. Another round of utangan, bayaran at suklian! Hosme!

Class picture! Prom picture! Picture-picture! Yung mga maglalakad,gusto nang umuwi. Maaga ang gising kinabukasan.

O, tahimik dapat pagbukas ng pinto. The elevator shaft carries the sounds throughout the building. Shhh!

Pagsara ng pinto, maingay na naman ang mga naiwan. Nag-girls' bonding pa kami nina Ling, Ataboy, Jojo and Potit till waayyy past midnight.