AFTER FIGURING IN a life-threatening accident in the US, beauty queen and actress Maria Isabel Lopez started to heal completely — and as usual, back in circulation.
As a matter of fact, Lopez recently packed her things up and travelled as far as Europe to get a sight of a new day to mesmerize and cure her residual body aches.
Momentarily leaving her husband, labor lawyer Jonathan Melrod in Sebastopol, California, Maribel flew to Switzerland in a much-needed rest and to meet her loved ones with the alps as backdrop.
It was another memorable reunion, this time with extended family, particularly son-in-law Chandler Booth who saw her for the first time after the car mishap.
For Maria Isabel, it was a longer filial vacation that reunited her with daughter, actress Mara Lopez and nine-month-old granddaughter Lana Lopez Yokohama Booth.
So, the frolic.
In her social media spaces, the 1982 Binibining Pilipinas-Universe proudly announced that her latest travel was a Switzerland family trip. “A journey of healing and recovery with the Chandlers,” she exclaimed.
Only light activities were prescribed to the actress known for “Isla,” “Silip,” “Kinatay (The Execution of P),” “Cochera,” among other classic films in her visit to the Swiss territory.
“I didn’t miss the Pier in Iseltwald where ‘Crash Landing on You’ was filmed. I missed the biggest spa in Europe at our hotel because my wound is still healing,” she said.
“But I did a three-hour hike in the Swiss alps,” she added.
Maribel and the Booths stayed at the Burgenstock Hotel. “Oh! From where we were, I saw the breathtaking view of Lake Lucerne,” she conjured.
As a visual artist herself, Lopez didn’t miss the rich artistic traditions of Switzerland. “I experienced the town of Lucerne and the works of Picasso at the Rosengart,” she said referring to the artworks of Pablo Picasso being curated at the Rosengart Art Museum.
“Thanks to the Booths for the trip of a lifetime,” said Maribel with a heart emoji.
Before her Swiss sojourn, though, the beauty queen had simple and easy public appearances because the wounds in her intestines are still open. “If you’re wondering, I still have a 0.5cm open wound from the accident. But I’m doing ok,” she assured.
Just a few days ago, Maribel was one of the special guests at the 80th anniversary of the Philippine-US diplomatic relations at the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco, California where her new works are on exhibit at the Kalayaan Hall of the embassy until June 19, 2026.
The actress also attended the screening of her film “Diamonds in the Sand” directed by Janus Victoria at the Arte Film Festival in Livermore California where she talked about the creative process of the film during its Q&A portion.