The pre party

I woke up at midday today, and it wasn't because I'm on holiday (well, being a freelancer, I guess I could just say I took the morning 'off'). Getting to bed at 3:30 at the age of 30 ain't the same as it used to be at age 21 when I'd be able to wake up for an 8am class. Oh, but wait, I used to skip those classes too and go right back to bed!

Bride-to-be cousin's bachelorette party had us dancing on the rooftop of a bar in Jbeil like true purple-clad party gals. What started off with a fun night at her parents' home, with a Q&A session with her on-screen fiance, a game of 'guess who the g-string is from' and some sipping on a cocktail with her name in it, became a night of husband-to-be's shirt being unbuttoned and blown-up condoms flying through the air...

In between, bride-to-be cousin was whisked of to the Roadster diner to show off her skills at cleaning (shame, the poor thing is not the world's most domesticated, and the Q&A session revealed that she doesn't think she's expected to cook any meals, while future husband seems to be expecting her to don the apron and stick something in the oven four times a week!).

At Jbeil's Laho, bride-to-be cousin fitted in perfectly with her white dress and flower-topped veil. The place is very swanky - white leather couches and funky white walls, tinged in purple, touching the dark-black sky. I loved the fact that, while listening to a band called Green Pepper (with a very groovy chick on guitar and vocals) covering songs by U2 and the like, we had a majestic view over one of the world's great ancient ruins at Byblos.

After midnight, as is custom at Lebanese bachelor parties, the groom-to-be and his men arrived to join the party and cut a cake. Oh, and did I mention that - although the events were all a surprise - the actual date of the bachelor and bachelorette parties are announced to the couple in advance so that they can prepare. Bride-to-be cousin had both her hair and make-up done yesterday afternoon in preparation, and was told what colour to wear...

Although a little calmer than bachelorette parties back home (I don't know how people stay that sober after so many drinks and shots!), this was one super-cool night of fun to wish bride-to-be a brilliant life of being bride.