It was a reunion definitely worth planning for, and it started when everyone showed up one by one at the London Luton Airport for the flight that will bring us all to Glasgow Airport. Our gracious host in Scotland prepared a sumptuous welcome meal while waiting for the rest of the party to arrive. There were 25 people consisting of current Pinoy students, professionals and a few non-Filipino guests anticipating for this Highland gathering.
We drove our rented vans to the Highlands and what greeted us was this almost postcard like landscape.
This was my first trip to the Highlands and admittedly I was unprepared for its astonishing raw beauty. Driving through the Highlands was an amazing journey with its spectacular mountains, lakes and breathtaking sceneries. It was just like being in an IMAX theater, untamed and almost surreal. The Glencoe Village was the ideal venue with three secluded rented cottages, a river and the mountains as the perfect backdrop, for us to exclusively enjoy. You could almost visualize the scenes from the movie Braveheart, which I believe some of it was filmed in Fort Williams, a short 30 minute drive from Glencoe.
There was a lot of opportunity to walk around and enjoy the sceneries, do some sightseeings, enjoy loads of good Filipino home cooked meals, but mostly to catch up and talk, and yes endless talks we did until the wee hours of the morning. It was just pure party fun and bonding for four days, and not to mention the opportunity to finally eat tuyo (dried fish) and mangoes with bagoong (shrimp paste)!
The reunion was also the perfect opportunity to show some hidden talents: a neuroscientist cooked the all time favourite sinigang, a lawyer prepared a mouthwatering adobo, this combustion engineer expert set the perfect bonfire and a medical doctor doing ala Madame Auring with her fortune reading skills. I must say that Madame P has to re-think about pursuing her Phd as everyone was convinced about her supernatural talent. The rest of the group provided the never ending entertainment.
My husband is always amazed by the fact that we Filipinos don't need much time to get comfortable with each another. There is no need for the "how's the weather" icebreaker. Prior to this trip, I only knew half of the group, but bonding with the rest did not take much effort, and by the end of the first day, it was as if I knew most of them for ages. As one puts it, bring a dozen of Filipino strangers in one room, and within an hour everyone would be able to establish a connection of some sort--either through a relative, a friend, a neighbour, a former colleague, etc. I guess, we Filipinos are very good in connecting the missing links.
After four relaxing days, it was sad to say our good-byes at the airport, but certainly I know that there will be another opportunity to meet up somewhere. There is going to be another trip to look forward, new faces to meet and certainly more stories to tell....
I am glad that I discovered the Highlands. There is no one word to best describe its raw beauty, and it certainly made a very deep impression in my mind. I am convincing hubby (not that he needs a lot of encouragement anyway) to make another trip to the Highlands, this time an exclusive getaway for two.
The reunion was also the perfect opportunity to show some hidden talents: a neuroscientist cooked the all time favourite sinigang, a lawyer prepared a mouthwatering adobo, this combustion engineer expert set the perfect bonfire and a medical doctor doing ala Madame Auring with her fortune reading skills. I must say that Madame P has to re-think about pursuing her Phd as everyone was convinced about her supernatural talent. The rest of the group provided the never ending entertainment.
My husband is always amazed by the fact that we Filipinos don't need much time to get comfortable with each another. There is no need for the "how's the weather" icebreaker. Prior to this trip, I only knew half of the group, but bonding with the rest did not take much effort, and by the end of the first day, it was as if I knew most of them for ages. As one puts it, bring a dozen of Filipino strangers in one room, and within an hour everyone would be able to establish a connection of some sort--either through a relative, a friend, a neighbour, a former colleague, etc. I guess, we Filipinos are very good in connecting the missing links.
After four relaxing days, it was sad to say our good-byes at the airport, but certainly I know that there will be another opportunity to meet up somewhere. There is going to be another trip to look forward, new faces to meet and certainly more stories to tell....
I am glad that I discovered the Highlands. There is no one word to best describe its raw beauty, and it certainly made a very deep impression in my mind. I am convincing hubby (not that he needs a lot of encouragement anyway) to make another trip to the Highlands, this time an exclusive getaway for two.
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