Sometimes life gives you a reason to pack your bags and head to the city, and this time, it was for the best reason possible. Joe’s sister Hanna was about to get the surprise of a lifetime. Her long-term boyfriend, Carl, had reached out to us in secret to let us know he was planning to propose and that he really wanted us to be there to witness it. We couldn’t say no to that!
The Long Road to the City
Our car was currently being fixed in Bulacan, so we had to find another way to get down from the mountains. We caught a bus around 1pm from Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya, heading for Cubao in Quezon City. It is a long haul—usually about a six to seven-hour ride—but it gave us some rare quiet time to ourselves. We love having our boys with us for all our adventures, but we were finally kid-free for the weekend, and it was honestly so nice to have some dedicated us time. Once we finally arrived in the city, we grabbed a taxi and headed straight to Ortigas to check in at the Marco Polo hotel.
Relaxation and Skyline Views
Because we were pretty exhausted from the travel, we decided to order room service for lunch as soon as we got to the room so we could have a proper rest. Once we felt refreshed, we headed to the hotel’s heated pool for a swim. I even managed to sneak away for a session in the sauna afterward. It was the perfect kid-free reset before the big event, allowing us to just relax and catch up without the usual chaos of travel with toddlers.
Before heading to the proposal, we got dressed up and made our way to Vu’s Sky Bar on the 45th floor of the hotel. Having a drink while looking out over the Manila skyline was the perfect way to start the evening.
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The Big Moment: She Said Yes!
When it was time, we took a taxi over to Antonio’s at PGA Cars in Mandaluyong City. The atmosphere was buzzing with secret excitement as we joined the rest of the family in a private upstairs section. Hanna arrived with absolutely no idea what was about to happen.
The moment finally came when a curtain was pulled back to reveal Carl standing next to a glowing neon sign that read “Will you marry me?” while holding a massive bouquet of flowers. It was so emotional, and to everyone’s delight, she said yes! We spent the rest of the night eating incredible food, talking, and celebrating the happy couple.
A Quiet End to a Big Night
After the celebrations wound down, Joe and I took a taxi back to our hotel. It was such a joy to be part of such a special milestone for the family. While we definitely missed the kids, having those few days to ourselves in the city was a much-needed change of pace. We headed straight to sleep, feeling very grateful for the quick escape and the chance to celebrate love in the heart of the city.
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