The Embassy of Romania celebrated their National Day on Wednesday, December 1. This was held yearly and always at the Mandarin Hotel’s Grand Ballroom.
As usual I was the first one to arrive. I was told the event was from 6:30 to 8:30pm. When I arrived at a little past 6 pm, the staff of Mandarin Hotel was vacuuming the hallway, someone was carrying a ladder across the ballroom, the chef was giving instructions to the waiters, the buffet table had no food yet, etc.
I was tempted to ask the guy fixing the pin lights “And why didn’t you do that earlier?
The registration table was empty, no receptionist was there but the guest books and pen were ready.
I arrived way ahead of the hosts.
OPEN SESAME!
HELLO I’M HERE, WHERE’S EVERYBODY?
The Embassy’s official photographer
Ay Naku, wala pa kayo ha, ako na lang mag pose
Finallly, here comes the hosts,
Embassy of Romania officials.
Ambassador (far right)
Bert Fenix and Anton Sayo
Congressman Freddie Tinga of Taguig City (3rd from left)
Sergio Ortiz Luis, Jr. ,Honorary Consul of Romania (far right)
The wives (not desperate)
Cecil Varela (wife of Atty. Mike Varela), Ophie Dee (wife of Donald Dee), Erlinda Callaghan (now single again), Annie (wife of George Clooney and Edmund Yee), Margie (wife of Serge Ortiz-Luis)
Chian and friend Thea
Titoy Pardo (former Secretary of Trade & Industry and former Sec. of Finance during the reign of Pres. Joseph Estrada)
Sweethearts Serge and Margie Ortiz-Luis
I gulped one glass of pineapple orange before heading to the door at exactly 8 pm
