Photo taken by Erica at the lobby of the Diamond Bay hotel where the delegates are staying. Hiroko and Sun just had finished the taping of the National costume filming for the telecast. This is why their make-up is so strong. For the fashionistas…. Hiroko wears La perla and Colcci jacket, Sun wears a valentino long turquoise dress, and I wear a Patrizia Peppe top. The view from my hotel room which I share with Erica. We are staying at the Sunrise hotel, and many directors are staying here, incluiding Osmel and Magali. The swimming pool above Together with Erica who is Hiroko and Sun nutritionist (also of Kurara and Riyo) and with who I collaborate since 2003, Miyako Miyazaki. Erica is amazing!

All the delegates were filming for the opening number in their National Costume. Japan and Korea were right on the front… this is bad news maybe it means that they will not be in the finals? I hope not! Riyo practiced her final speech. This year it will be the first time that a Miss Universe will be dancing on stage during the opening number. Sun will be on the first row, same as Riyo last year. In general they always put the girls who have the best presence and can dance best on the front. In 2003 Amelia Vega was front and Riyo Mori as well last year. Hiroko will be in the back, I am not surprised because she cannot really dance well…. The girls that impressed me today are Czech Republic, Serbia, Russia, Nicragua, Ukraine, Netherlands and Turkey. I am now in the lobby at the delegate’s hotel, and we are all waiting for the delegates to come. We have an hour sharp to share with them tonight again. Gossip of the day: Miss Egypt is a real pain in the neck; she slapped Riyo backstage when by mistake she stepped on her dress. Then she was horrified when she realized she just had slapped Miss Universe! LOL She was saying –“I am sorry I did not know that it was you!!”… Riyo told her: “it is okay, but you should not do that anyway to anyone, this is not really nice”. She was mortified. Also she shares the room with is Canada and she smokes cigarettes after cigarettes and Miss Canada asked her kindly to pls go outside when she wishes to smoke. She turned around and said: “why? This is MY room?!” Nice girl indeed! Sometimes I wonder why this kind of girl bothers to come here…. Hiroko and Sun adore their respective roommates, they were lucky with Miss Ireland and El Salvador because they are the sweetest girls. I was seated with the directors of Angola, Antigua and Barbados, Ed of Global Beauties, Osmel Souza and Miss Dominican Republic’ mom at the rehearsals. The delegates started today at 5 am! And they rehearsed all day I will write later because Luciano, my good friend whom is the Director of Miss Italy just arrived and I can spot him across the hallway. I want to welcome here. Talk to you after I see the delegates.

oulala! I am so busy with interviews, I just finished one for AP (agence presse), and I am now going to th efilming of the opening in National Costume. Riyo just emailed me :Mama when are you coming? I saw Hiroko and Sun for one hour last night, they are so happy. Sun was so sexy-stylish last night, she is back! She overcame her food poisonning! The food sometimes stays out for hours and she must had a bad peice of salad…. I spent 3 hours with Riyo at the Anamandara hotel having a body massage and talking at the pool. It was so nice. We spoke about her year from now on, I told her the projects we had lined up for her and asked her about her goals. It was very productive, and I love her so much! She is an amazing humble and sweet person, she hasn;t changed at all. I will also be flying to NY right after the finals and go work with Jennifer Lopez for a one day fashion-shoot for a major ad campaign in Japan. I was just working on the details right now, food, clothes ect. She is such n icon and I am so gifted to work with her. I also like her husband very much, last time I saw them, I was received in their own home in NY and it bwas only 6 days before she gave birth to her baby twins! They are such a lovely in love couple and have such a positive energy. Their house is so beautiful and full of nice smells. Well I must run to the rehearsals now. I shall write form the Miss Universe production office later on. Love you all, Ines

I am back from the rehersals for tonight Presentation show and the best gowns are Belgium (black & white), Colombia (gold-shiyny), Japan (fluo-muticolor), Korea (dramatic-balck). and Spain (gold) Did not see PR, Sth Africa, Dominican R, Thailand and Venezuela dresses from the strong girls, T&T did not have her jewelry on but her dress is beautiful. Norway dress is too simple.   Australia wears a Scarletish gown, Germany looked too small on stage in her dress, India looked stunning but did not like her dress at all. Mexico has a chic-yellow gown, USA dress is beautiful but I do not like how she walked in it. I saw her next to me after the rehearsals she is really pretty, very unique face. South Africa is stunning on stage, gosh I wish I had her body, she is sexy. Greece is not attractive to me. Venezuela smiles too much and her lipstick is too red. I do not like her walking either but she s absolutely gorgeous let me tell you… Spain was a little stiff on stage but she is stunning. I would love to have an European winner this year and it would be Belgium, Norway or Spain.  Philippines did really well but I could not see which dress she decided to wear. Singapore looked nice but her dress is real bad, (too bad) Thailand looked really good on stage, she is our competition this year. (aieaieaie…) Her dress…oh actually now I remember,,,, I saw the bottom of it, she was wearing a jean jacket on top of it, but the bottom was white and silver at the waist. Kosovo wears a fushia gown, beautiful but her attitude on stage is weird to me. Sun still is not 100% well after her food poisonning… Hiroko rocks, she is with her full batteries on. I think Korea dress is the best impact wise. Saw Riyo, she was MCing the show and she opened her mouth largely when she saw me a few rows in front of her. We could not speak, she is sooooooooooo busy. Will see her after the show is over hopefully. Will email later. And will take pictures for you to see. Must ruuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!! Love to all, ines No time to read what I wrote… must run out of the door to drive to the Convention center as the show starts in one hour.