Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Now

I needed a little push, spent the day away from work, and found these:

photo from the fancy





























Little Tanya's art work. She wants me to keep a file of them and I wish to share them here:


Bring Me to Middle East

I should have followed my instincts to write about my Dubai hangover right after my plane landed on the Philippine soil, so I could capture in all its rawness my emotions about the trip. But I did not. So my original plan of writing a bible-thick book about my Dubai trip did not materialize (yes, that thick, lahat ng bagay na na-experience ko gusto kong i-discuss, me in major OA-ness!!). Buti nalang uso na ang digital camera ngayon, so let these Dubai pictures paint a thousand words and tell you my March Story. The third of the twelve promised stories for this year.=)

For this experience, I have my boss and that real estate company which I am working for in MOA to thank. I am eternally grateful, ma'am's/sir's!

So we begin with one of my favorite topics: FOOD!

When you order a chicken in Dubai, you will be served, of course, with a chicken - plus rice, plus vegetable salads, plus pita breads and not one but three choices of dips. And most are in large serving. No wonder, Dubai-eños (haha, imbento word, parang Davaoeños lang) are big-boned and really tall - they need an extra human organ to store all these foodies. While the hotel food is glorious (and free, of course), the best way to enjoy a genuine Dubai foodie experience is to take that sexy belly to the Arabian streets. Dubai food is all spicy and  french fry-chie (meaning most of the value meals are bundled with fries) and dip-py (meaning most of the meals are with dips kahit parang hinde kailangan).And because I suck at descriptions and I make a bad food blogger (Lord, I forgot all the names of the food I've eaten) please, please enjoy these photos - my words won't do these gifts from the universe justice. One Dubai meal will last you the whole day - take that from me who is naturally sexy (naks!), eats like a construction worker and never really gets full.

Merienda after a long, hot afternoon scouring the Souks.
Wejdan Cafe and Restaurant somewhere near our hotel. Miss Toni and I were the only girls eating there one lunch time.

Buffet in the Desert



Then there's the only in Dubai travel destinations. Dubai screams "I am rich and still am preserving my culture". Dubai refuses to confuse itself if it wants to project an in-the-now-image, with impressive contemporary architecture and first-world cityscape, or an old-rich-traditional Arabian country because it has perfectly mixed both. Seamlessly.

I enjoyed Dubai Souks - the Gold Souk, Textile Souk and the Spice Souk. Neil Oshima, as featured in Rogue Magazine this April, considers "markets" as the windows to a place's culture - if you want to know more about places you are in, include in your itinerary going to Markets. And Dubai has interesting markets. Efficiently sectioned depending on the products they offer.This is Divisoria - if only it were in a developed country.

Pictures at the Souks


Pictures at the Souks


I told myself my only agenda in Dubai is to see the world's tallest building, Burj Khalifa, and see from afar the glass windows Tom Cruise has touched in his last Mission Impossible installment. Nakakilig.Hard core turista.=) Shopping malls are not really part of my itinerary in my travels (yes, travel with an "s", super feeling traveler talaga, haha!) as I prefer the real local experience but Burj Khalifa is best viewed from the Dubai Mall so I conceded.

Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall pictures.
My sex and the city moment happened in Souk Madinat Jumeirah, from where Burj Al Arab, the world's only 7-star hotel can be viewed from afar. I have no intention to shop since I am really low on cash and I do not think I am really much of a shopper (haha! rason ng walang pera), but Jumeirah is heaven. Jumeirah is a marriage of Dubai and Paris.  Colorful lanterns, camels glistening in gold, silky smooth dresses, and persian rugs. The place is so dreamy and every shopper's paradise.I was Carrie Bradshaw - only with my backpack, dirty jeans and sweaty kili-kili. 

Pictures at the Souk Madinat Jumeirah
You've never really been to the Middle East if you haven't set foot on a desert. So just hours before our flight back to Manila, we stubbornly squeezed in our itinerary the Desert Safari experience. We shared a ride with 3 other passengers - all from Brazil. Miss Toni was in near tears when our 4x4 ride stopped in the middle of the desert with the glorious sun setting amidst a backdrop of  endless sea of sand - happy and grateful tears. This is one of the occasions when I am regretful I did not pay close and serious attention to my English teachers because I desperately want to express in words how beautiful and wonderful and surreal this experience is. But I resolve to just saying Thank You to the hands of the Universe which worked their magic into making this experience happen.

Desert Safari





















HERE ARE MORE PICTURES:

...because I like taking pictures of my feet even if they look awful

















...because I am addicted to DOORS, yes, doors!


























...because I like stories of people...
...because I have the highest respect to the OFW's who bravely left the comforts of the Philippines in search of a better future for themselves and for their families; because it is only them who really know and recognize and embrace the word sacrifice
...because I love my brother so much and I pray to the Universe, that whatever his intentions are for leaving the country, I wish they all come to fruition, I pray that he be protected at all times from any harm, that he has an infinite pool of legit reasons to be happy even if he is away from his family, that he is OKAY - in every sense of the word. I am a "supladita" sister and all the guilt of being one magnified on the night he dropped me off my hotel after we had our dinner - I love you kuya and if I can not outwardly express my love to you because you are far away from us, I will always include you in my prayers and I promise to shower Tanya and Theo love the same way you could have done if only you were here with us.



I end this lengthy (but still not bible thick =)) entry in praise of the wonders of the Universe, in gratitude for the many blessings in my life (and sorry Lord, if I am such a whiner at times) and in prayer that the Lord bless all OFWs and their families.

Thank you!
Thank you!

Mark It


Pretty little things which make me happy.

Some women get their hair and nails done. For others, spa does the trick or shoe and bag-shopping. My stress-buster, my refuge from corporate monstrosity, my you-calm-and-slow-me-down place, is Fully Booked or maybe any bookstore anywhere – I just tend to gravitate to Fully Booked because it is nearer my work place. And they have a nice playlist. Two Tuesdays ago, they were playing Backstreet Boys songs. A bookstore and Backstreet Boys are perfect substitutes for Disneyland. At least for a 25-year old. Life is beautiful. =)

So I think we have established some facts about me.

Backstreet Boys rocks my world.
Book stores calm me.
I love reading books – a habit which I have strongly committed to starting this year only.

And naturally, things which excite me other than books are book-related – thus my teeny-weeny bookmark collection. I own six of them! Yes, SIX!!!! I am a bookmark magnate! I am starting a bookmark empire! I am a bookmark-illionaire! Move over you, uhm, whoever you are who own the most bookmarks, make way for your match!!

Here are the first super six bookmarks I am raving about (haha!!) modeled by David Sedaris' book, Naked:
















DON’T WORRY + MUKHANG-CANE BOOKMARKS
These are Eva’s gifts for my first birthday spent in that real estate company in MOA. She thought the bookmark read “Don’t Work” (because people at my workplace think I work so hard – har! Har!).













L BOOKMARK
It is a gift originally intended for my cousin Lean. He gave it to me because he is too macho to own things with flowers on it. Until now, I have yet to assign a meaning to this bookmark’s “L”-ness. Love. Learn. Lust. Legs. London. ‘Langya. (haha!)













THE BOOKMARK FROM CHINA
I received this from Miss Charisse, my architect-colleague, when she got back from her China trip. Envious!! It is a paper bookmark with Chinese-inscription on it which meaning I don’t know, and I don’t think I will ever know. Sabi niya, “naalala kita nung nakita ko 'to dun”. Aaaww!!
























DR. SEUSS BOOKMARKS
I have two of them!! Lorax and “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut”. These were especially made for me by Alan and just the thought of having somebody actually do things, NOT BUY, for me – it makes me feel extremely special! Plus, once upon a time, I nurtured an addiction to all-things Dr. Seuss. =)

















GIFTS FROM THE ARABIA
I was low on pocket money in Dubai but I have to buy them – a book rug reminiscent of Aladdin’s magic carpet and a “metallic” bookmark for peace (I got one for my good friend Mei – for love).

Now, you know what to give for my birthday. ;p





Sunday, April 22, 2012

Cue

Bookmarks: Pretty little things that make me giddy.

I am starting a bookmark collection! How geeky! I hope to share some of the pretty ones I own and the story behind each one. Bookmarks can be found anywhere and they may not be that "challenging" to collect thus they do not really make for an ideal collection. BUT I have set a standard to preserve their novelty. My only requirement to qualify a bookmark as my "collectible item" is that...yes, it has to have a story. I am sentimental that way.=)

For now, I'm drooling over these pretty things I found in the net.=)

both photos from the fancy

Yoda

For Star Wars Fans in love.=)
Yoda.

photo from the fancy

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Kiss Me!

Kiss me camel, please.=)

Monday, April 9, 2012

I will.

Happy Thoughts from Mother Theresa.=)

via Pure Nourishment

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Ultimate.

There's so much that I want and to tell you honestly, I lose sleep plotting schemes on how to get them, how to achieve them, how to make them mine.
I feel guilty of such selfishness but this is the way I am.

For this Sunday, this poster pretty much sums up my Easter Dreams - a garden and a library.
My ultimate dream (this and of course, traveling).
Happy Easter!

from dapattylaurel.blogspot.com (via etsy)

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Forever Summer

Don't you just love the word?
Forever Summer.
travelfactor.org

Say Cheese!

There’s Angelina Jolie’s full pout, Julia Robert’s wide smile, Jack Nicholson’s devilish grin, Robin Padilla’s twitched smirk, there’s Kris Aquino’s half open-mouthed scripted pang-BEAM toothpaste-commercial smile, then there’s Tina Bacud’s-walang poise-can’t-contain-my-enthusiasm-mouth-wide-open-smile. I noticed, that’s how I am in most of my pictures when I get extremely excited seeing how things I only get to see in my dreams before unfold before me. Miss Toni whom I have been with in my 5-day business trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi was tolerant enough of how often I get so giddy or what I dub as, my exclamation point happy emotion.

Illustrations:

Burj Khalifa, OMG, kinikilig ako!!
Dubai Train Stations, super clean and mukhang space shuttle, so out of this world!!
Souk Madinat Jumeirah, I feel so sex-and-the-city, I’m the happiest girl alive today!!!
A camel, a real live camel!!!!
Disyerto, this is heaven, ang ganda!!!!

If only the world sees its everyday through a first timer’s eyes, a pleasant mix of fear, excitement,  gratitude and appreciation. Things are seen and experienced a hundred times more beautiful, a thousand times more wonderful, a million times more breath-taking.

Illustration

First Timer: Hi Sir, can you give me directions on how to go to the Union Train Station?
Old Timer: Three blocks from here you’ll see a white building, turn right, go straight, 
you’ll find the entrance to Baniyas Station linked to Union Station.

Fairly easy to understand. But the first timer sees everything else differently. On the corner of the first block is where a simple yet elegant mosque stands. Three men dressed in white robes are removing their slippers as a sign of respect to the sanctity of the place. An Indian man crosses the street on his bicycle, expertly driving his way through the pedestrian traffic. The street has a confused smell of shawarma and sweet perfume. The Nepalese, Indians, Thais, Filipinos and the locals and believe it or not, even the tall and blonde Europeans blend seamlessly in the street, all melting into the mini-United Nations that is Dubai. The first timer turns right as instructed and sees a white building with a sign written in Arabic letters. The letters look like frosting in a cake, all wavy and artsy. And the doors, oh my God the doors. In Dubai Souks, no two doors are alike and every piece is a bit of history taken out from a museum or well preserved from several centuries ago. A garden leads to the train station and entering the train station abruptly changes the scene from old-and-everything-is-made-in Gold Arabian market to the future where everything is automated, enclosed in glass, blinking in different colors of LED lighting, voice overs translated in different languages, wide-spaced fast trains; there was a brief moment when the first timer wanted to go back to the Philippines , grab Noynoy Aquino from his Malacanang seat and bring the president to Dubai and say, “Di ba ako ang boss mo? Puwes, gawin mo sa Pilipinas ‘to!!” I will run out of adjectives in painting a picture of this adventure, yes adventure, which the locals will easily qualify as a routine.

Beautiful Colorful lamps sa tabi-tabi lang, exclamation point nasobrahan-sa-buka-ng-bibig- overjoyed smile!!!




May dalawang pinto sa paligid-ligid lang, exclamation point nasobrahan-sa-buka-ng-bibig- happy smile!!!




 Oh, pati isang pinto sa tabi ng paligid-ligid lang, exclamation point nasobrahan-sa-buka-ng-bibig- WOW smile!!!




Burj Al-Arab kahit sa malayong point of view, exclamation point nasobrahan-sa-buka-ng-bibig- gusto-kong-mag-tumbling-smile!!!


Sa wakas, nakakita na rin ako ng desert kahit wala akong makitang camel sa paligid, sige pa rin, exclamation point nasobrahan-sa-buka-ng-bibig- jump for joy smile!!!


To many many more happy exclamation points moment!!

Shukran Universe!!=)

Monday, April 2, 2012

Sun, Sand, No Shore

I feel like I'm a desert goddess. Charot!
I am extremely grateful for the experience - and I promise to share them with you soon.=)


Desert Safari. Dubai.