WEDDING DAY - AUSTRALIA

WEDDING DAY – AUSTRALIA
Saturday, July 7, 2001

We checked in early at the Regent Sydney Hotel for the pictorial together with the Policarpio family and the whole entourage. At room 703 the boys gathered and dressed up. Paolo, Redmond, Merwin, Chino, Otan Bryan and myself. Later Denis and Hens joined us. At four O’clock in the afternoon the formal wedding took place at the prestigious St. Mary’s Cathedral beside Hyde Park. The bride and the groom, together with their families were brought to the Cathedral by two different limousines. It was a fascinating wedding complete with all the trimmings.

After the wedding we proceeded to the Opera House area where for a while we waited for the small “ship” that transported us all to the Pontoon where the happy reception was held. The Pontoon was a beautiful wedding venue for reception. It was like a floating crystal ball from where the guests could see the beautiful panorama of the romantic Darling Harbour with the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge as backdrop. The fascination however was somehow dampened by the erratic waves that made some guests seasick.

Cris, the son of Toti got too nauseated that they have to leave early through a water taxi, accompanied by Ate Leng, Oma and Yee. It seemed that Terry’s relatives did not f eel the joy of the celebration except for Jasmin and Nicol who danced wildly and stayed ‘til the early dawn.

During the reception when the father of the groom was asked to say something, I stood up, put on my cap and said:

“When I put on my cap, it means I feel jittery… and when ever I feel jittery, I mean business. Now I just want to take this opportunity to remind Paul and Mikee that what is going on tonight is just one big event…one happy wedding celebration. After this celebration, when all the guests are gone, and the lights are finally turned off, it will be the beginning of a lifetime commitment. A lifetime commitment has no other meaning. It means a commitment f or as long as you live. May Gob Bless you!

And to you ladies and gentlemen who are witnesses to this lifetime commitment, Thank You Very Much”.

A Pontoon celebration in Sydney was definitely a different experience not only for the glamor of its surroundings but more so for the challenge of an erratic wave that makes the experience nauseatingly more enjoyable.

One incident worth remembering was when my daughter, Beth called me because one of the guests was experiencing severe headache and was feverish. Unfortunately the boy scout in me was temporarily set aside when I forgot all my emergency medicines at t he hotel. Anyway that was a professional challenge right in front of me so I did what I knew about acupressure and I myself was surprised when the fellow was actually relieved and was able to dance. But more interesting still was when I saw all the guest at that table doing acupressure on themselves.