my complicated life

our flight was at 8:00 AM via the Philippine Airlines, though the plane took off at around 8:30 AM already. 'twas my first time to take the philipine carrier so i was kinda excited and at the same time curious as to what it has to offer. 'twas also a first for me to pass through the terminal 1 of NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) airport, the terminal solely used for the philippine airline planes. the terminal itself is small and less complicated but with ample seats for those waiting for their flight shedule. the service of the PAL stewards were quite OK, still beautiful but older compared to stewards of other airlines. hehe, bad! the passenger seats of the plane were comfortable enough. the food was typical pinoy breakfast. i had longganisa and fried rice for breakfast, hehe. gutom eh! btw, their utensils were sturdier than Cathay. haha! finally! a plus despite its late departure against schedule. ;)

we arrived at HK airport around 10:30 AM. nanay and tatay were just so amazed just being at the airport. hehe. we exchanged just enough $US to $HK because the rate inside the irport is a dollar (USD) to $7.51 (HKD) only. we bought four HK$ 150-worth of Octopus cards on our way out (the seller suggested that the HK$150-card is more sulit if we are to use it for MTRs, buses, ferry...), grabbed maps and brochures for travellers (a must!), and did some picture-taking na rin! hehe. btw, they have promo for Airport Express. that is, you get 40% off the price if you buy in groups of 2,3, or 4. for example, AE would cost HK$ 250 only, good for 4 people. quite a deal, right? we plan to take the AE on our way home instead. hehe. =)

doubledecker buses to the city were at level 3, exit B. we took the Citybus A21 that will take us to Tsing Shah Tsui (TST) area where Mirador Mansion is located. the fare is HK$33 from the airport to TST. since we were forewarned that all transportation means takes exact fares, we used our Octopus Cards instead. hanep! as what a PExer attested (and we have verified ourselves!), you just have to place the card into the sensor, and viola! no need to even take it out of your wallet. galeng noh?! (o ako lang ang obsolete?) =)

tatay at HK airport's big luggage (landmark going to exit B)

Tsing Ma Bridge - said to be as long as San Francisco, USA's bridge

being confident that we were not lost (thanks to our bestfriend, the map! hehe), we alighted the bus adjacent the Holiday Inn Hotel (btw, the city is a right-hand drive so there's a different direction of traffic. the incoming vehicles takes the left side of the road while the outgoing vehicles takes the right side, getsch mo??!!!). anyway, nope were on a tight budget so we're not checking in that hotel! haha! we went to the building beside it, the Mirador Mansions. it was where most low-priced lodging rooms known as hostels were. i booked a hostel in Mirador a month ago online. i was charged 10% of the total cost as downpayment plus 2% service charge. i didn't encounter any problem with the website at all (http://bootsnall.com). i was billed correctly naman in my credit card although it gave me sleepless nights. after a couple of days, my worries made me make an overseas call from UAE to double check. haha. takot!

on the 13th floor was the Traveller's Friendship Hotel (ang corny ng name noh?! hehe) that Ms. Li (a chinese) manages. she showed us the 1 twin bedroom and 1 double bedroom that i booked. hmm... i was not happy about it. =( since i am very particular with cleanliness and safe feeling na walang surot dun, i was kinda dismayed with what i saw. ayan, ang napapala ng kuripot, hehe. anyway, seemed like the angels were on our side that day, Ms Li offered a family room (with 2 double beds, a private bath with hot & cold water, an A/C unit, a television, a big mirror and drawer cabinet, bedside cabinet, fresh linens everyday) which was newly renovated and furnished!!! as in, it smelled NEW in capital letters!!! even the bed, the comfort room, etc. all haven't been used!!! my sister and i made the facial pa-effect to look that we're hesitant to give in to her offer (although deep inside, we love the room already! hehe), so as to haggle some more. i guess, we're good actresses! haha! we were supposed to pay a total of HK$ 1242 for the two "ugly" rooms that i booked, but then, she charged us HK$1200 instead, for a much, much better room!!! kaya grab na namin agad yung offer nya before she changes her mind! we then took Room # 62 of the C4 unit in the 7th floor. inside that unit, there were still 5 rooms new rooms. the unit also has a common refrigerator, sink, microwave, and dining room outside. though we don't expect to use any of it because we will usually eat outside.

a photo of the room we stayed at - linis di ba??!

we rested for awhile before taking off. since it's a Wednesday (a day were museums have free entrance), we headed off first to Space Museum where we toured for awesome science-related space inventions and where me and my sister had the space walk! hehe. we also passed by the Cultural Center and the Clock Tower afterwards. magkakalapit kasi sila. it's really convenient to plan your itinerary beforehand based on the proximity of the places to visit. it saves energy. hehe.

nanay & tatay infront the peninsula hotel, which is just across the Cultural Center

after some snap shots here and there, we proceeded to the Avenue of the Stars. it's a long stretch of sidewalk along the harbor. the walkway offers a refreshing sea breeze and some entertaining statues and nameplate of HK stars (just like in Hollywood!). the folowing were some shots taken along the avenue:

all i know, is that, this statue symbolizes the movie industry in HK

hand printing of a new star! hehe

jacky chan's hand prints -
can be found near the souvenir store, about halfway the stretch of the avenue from the southside

we have walked the whole stretch of the avenue until we reached the promenade and then crossed back to the commercial area of TST. we had our dinner in one of the steaming resto along humphrey's avenue. grabe, we're starving talaga! we got back to our place in Mirador early evening. tatay opted to stay behind while the three of us (the girls), had to do our favorite activity of them all! shopping!!!!!! hahaha! we strolled along the Nathan Road amidst all the shops and fast-walking chinese people. we got to Temple Street and haggle the night away!! haha!

got up early at 6:00 AM today as the three of us (me, my sister and nephew AJ), planned to go to Wacker's Badminton Court in Paranaque. the place was an abandoned warehouse converted into a badminton court. a trend that's currently in practice at Manila eversince manufacturing companies relocate into nearby provinces. with it, respective warehouses transfers as well where it could be strategically beneficial for the business.

since it is a weekday, fee was at P55 per head for unlimited hours of play. there were 6 courts in placed. for this day, there were ony three groups who played (which already includes us). we only got to play for 2 hours, suko!!! haha! we were able to gulp up perhaps a liter of water each! quite exhausting and invigorating! probably, one of the things i will surely miss when i get back to UAE.

after the play, we went to Sucat to see the church inside Posadas Village, the Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal National Shrine. the church is situated on an elevated ground. quite a dramatic effect in my opinion and i love it! it also has a tall tower-like cross, as if it wants to extend to heavens.

anyhow, when marvin and i finally get to have our church wedding (hoping nothing unexpected incident happens before that), this church tops among my list of choices (after letting go of Nature Church and my Fernwood dream, sigh). just as so, this church has a homey feel and peaceful aura. so simple and yet so grand at the same time. =)

started the day by going to church in Simbayanan ni Maria Parish, my high school alma mater's church, with nanay. sadly, the school grounds as well as the church were a bit old and worn now. maintenance has been poor and building design has been destroyed due to the alterations made in order to accommodate more enrollees. =(

after that, we went somewhere in Tipas, Pasig to visit my mother's friends. as usual, my nanay had a long chat with the folks which i have grown to like as well with each passing minute. they were very friendly and hospitable.

about 3 pm, we headed off to Bagumbayan, Taguig. this time, to visit my friend Flor and her family. when we got there, only her brother Obet was at the house. Flor and the rest of the family had gone back to their home in Laguna. sayang nga eh. however, i was able to speak to her over the phone and scheduled to see each other some other time.

anyway, from Flor's house, me and nanay walked a few meters to where Villa Juanita was. it was the same reception where Rap-rap and Eva had their wedding. i was able to get their fees and came to like the place more than when i first saw it, as they were now able to combine a garden setting and a paved hall. good for rainy season affair. =) however, hall of the second floor was a turned-off since there was no solid walls around and all one can see were the house roofs from all sides. in addition, the stairs going to this part of the reception venue was tailored fit for a healthy citizen. it's too steep and narrow. despite the negative observations i have, i still find it as advantageous to us since rent is affordable and catering services can be availed of for a separate fee. it will now be on the list of my choices for a reception venue, if things turn out as planned.

view from parking lot

view from the upper hall

my sister, IA, AJ and me went somewhere in Manila to purchase our tickets to Hong Kong. it was AJ who drove the van and unfortunately, some policemen and "its" ("its" kasi nde sila tao..haha) cohorts tricked us into passing to a one-way traffic lane and caught us on-guard. damn! napamaskuhan pa kami to the last minute! tsk...tsk...

the church in mint green-colored walls

me and IA outside the church side door decorated in christmas spirit

after a night of singing stint in a hotel, the God's Flock Choir graced another gathering with the SerCo people. i dunno what's the complete company name basta, this is bro. jun's employer! =) anyway, the host of the party and most of its guests were expatriates. mostly brits although the wife of the host is chinese.

the carol singing was held on the villa's rooftop. the guests loved our performance and they have high praises for everyone. we sang Hallelujah twice. peborit yata nila ito, hehe. last year, this was the most requested song as well by this crowd.

on this same gathering, i met again this young, kind-hearted american lady (i confirmed that she was from Wisconsin, USA) who took the photo of us during one of the wedding ceremonies we sang for, some weeks back. we had a long chat about how she loves to hear us sing, that she likes the slanting cut of our dress, about her dog named twinkle, etc. still, i wasn't to get her name. tsk...tsk... ano ba yan, how rude of me! i hope our paths cross again sometime. eventhough i have missed to get this good soul's name, i am thankful i gained one good friend from soprano.

yep, arlene and me belong to the same group (soprano) but missed out to bond and talk. however, we were able to catch up on the lost opportunity of friendship and became closer than before even if it were the last few days of her stay with GFC. she'll be leaving the UAE for good to get married in the philippines. with just a day of being close, i have proven that she can keep promises and opens up honestly.

arlene and mai

as with what transpired between me and arlene, i therefore resolve that i would open up myself to my other choirmates starting 2006. hmm... sounds like a New Year's resolution, eh... well, i will first start off with those that i like to be friends with. =) perhaps, i could also work on the people shown below. hehe.

mai, jovy, edna and florence

this is the big night! after weeks of practice, tension and sore throats... we finally got to sing our special christmas pieces in St. Joseph's Parish, Abu Dhabi's Christmas Bazaar 2005. the bazaar was a whole day affair, full of games, food stalls, souvenir booths and program shared by catholics of different nationalities. God's Flock Choir formally closed the event around 8:00PM with three songs: A Christmas Praise, Pamaskong Paanyaya, and Hallelujah.

.....A Christmas Praise has an upbeat tempo with some rap-like portions. we had put in so much effort learning and practicing this song as it was too fast. non-traditional, very modern but still a beautiful song!

.....Pamaskong Paanyaya is a lively song dedicated to the filipino community. the El Shaddai group helped us by rendering an interpretative liturgical dance while we sing.

.....Hallelujah is the majestic song that caters to all races and even angels! perhaps, this was the pamatay of all choir songs. hehe. magkanda-bali-bali kasi litid namin dito eh! hihi.

God's Flock Choir's presentation showcased the talents of four voices (alto, bass, soprano and tenor) honed by determination and camaraderie. the choir members wore traditional filipino dresses -- the boys wore barong while the girls wore modern saya. ang gaganda namin, grabe!! hahaha.

today was the second day of eid and we have no work since yesterday until Sunday. my hubby and me went to Marina Mall for some stroll. they were different painted camels on display. nakakatuwa! i hope i can someday ride in one. next year papatusin ko na talaga yung camel ride sa carnival... hehe.

colorful camels on parade!

got up around 7:15 AM. pupungas-pungas pa... i heard the sound of flowing water from the shower as my hubby prepares for work. i rushed to the kitchen and prepared sauteed corned beef and fried rice for breakfast. i owe that to him as he always prepare my breakfast this past week. =) we had our breakfast around 7:30 AM, satisfied and full kami pareho. i cleaned up the kitchen right after he left and i had a quick shower as well. i did some last minute phone calls to friends (Charry and Eric). aba, i heard from Charry that Nelson was able to go back here in UAE sometime between August and September pa. ni hindi tumatawag! <inis> anyway, eric promised to relay the message as to how disappointed i am dahil nalimutan na nila ako. **sniff, sniff** arte!!! hehe. charry and me had a serious conversation regarding our friend tina. i won't divulge the details as she might go back and re-visit my blog sometime. hihihi, tamang guilty daw ba. peace tina!!! ;P

so, right after the phone calls, i went out around 10 AM and strolled along hamdan street to mashreqbank to pay my credit card debts. the weather was kinda nice these days. nde na masakit sa balat ang araw plus it's windy now! sarap nang namnamin ang pagdampi ng hangin sa pisngi! =) after i paid my bills, i passed by a grocery shop and bought some in by the nice weather. i saw some pinays working for Bhs (department) store setting up the Christmas trees by the store window. wala lang, the scene made me miss our Christmas tree back home in the philippines. =(

when i got home, i rested for awhile before starting to prepare lunch. instead of steaming the tilapia, i opted to cook it in the oven. less grime, less work. hehehe. that's what they call, smart cooking! =) i also prepared fruit salad for dessert. everything turned out to be tasty!!! sorry, i wasn't able to take some snapshots as proofs because i was on a rush and the fish was now flesh and bones that i won't consider capturing how the two of us enjoyed devouring the poor animal. btw, i had lunch by myself since i couldn't wait for hubby anymore as i have an engagement to attend to in the church. he just ate his meal on his own today as well.

i arrived 10 minutes before 2 pm in St. Joseph's Church. the choir was just starting to have its last minute practice. the wedding ceremony started a quarter past 2 pm. it was the most organized, solemn and elegantly celebrated and decorated wedding ceremony i was able to witness here in abu dhabi. despite the small number of gfc members who was able to make it, the choir's performance for this wedding was superb, too. feel na feel! =)

the photo above was taken by the sweet young white lady (american?) who volunteered to take the shot for us. she's sweet alrighty, but she also has shaky hands... bad ko... hehehe. actually, she already caught my attention when we were singing during the ceremony. she loves singing with the choir kasi while she sat back on the seat near the couple. we just waited for the ceremony to end before we posed below this arch decorated with so much roses. too bad, considering almost everyone has a digital camera of his/her own, no one brought one today. bad timing talaga. ayan tuloy, we just contented ourselves with a mobile phone cam. we used my mobile phone, by the way, which was admired by the white lady. <yabang!> the photo below was supposed to capture only the arch. anyway, as you can see there was an abundance of flowers in this wedding.

as we went outside when the ceremony adjourned, we saw that the bridal car was a two-seated top-down sportscar. we later realized that when the owner pulled the top down, of course! pero hanep talaga! we couldn't resist to have a photo taken with it as souvenir. ganda talaga eh! oh well, even the idea was great! as it was a two-seater car, only the bride and the groom will drive away! now, i just dunno if it will be the bride or the groom who will be behind the wheels.. hehehe.

i went straight home after i bade goodbye to my choirmates. we were still supposed to go to Taza food store in hamdan. well, they did went but i passed on the invitation. i was kinda shy kasi... asus!!! hahahaha. anyway, all's well that ends well.

my hubby and i joined the filipino Manila Ecotourism Club (MAETRICS) in the tour they organized, called "Lakbay UAE". assembly time was at 5:30 AM infront of Abu Dhabi Mall. since there wasn't any cab yet at that time (muslims [including taxi drivers] were celebrating, EID), hubby and i walked from our flat to the mall. we left the house at 5:00 AM and got to the meeting place exactly 5:30 AM!!

the buses left Abu Dhabi at exactly 6:00 AM. two of kuya's officemates and their husbands were on the same bus as we were. we had breakfast on the road. we headed first in Burj Al Arab and Wild Wadi.

after that, we went to Al Wasl Park to have our morning snack and before heading off to a long travel to Fujairah.

i wasn't able to keep track whether it was a two-hour or three-hour trip from dubai, as i dozed off occassionally. =) however, i was able to take note that there were fewer and fewer buildings as we got to Fujairah. the first laps were mountainous regions. UAE mountains were inclined 45 degrees and rather pointed and slippery. it was in Fujairah mountains were i saw examples of "fanning" and "bedding". terms i learned from the sedimentary petrology classes i attend to (omigosh, i sound like my boss now!). from a climber's point of view, climbing UAE mountains would be a nightmare!!! either you die from sliding from the top down to the foot or you get punctured from sharp protruding rocks. however, i definitely look forward to climb one. ngahaha. tigas talaga ng ulo!!!

upon reaching the town proper, we noticed that they also have KFC, Pizza hut and Golden Fork restaurants. not bad... =) however, it also caught my attention that there were some houses which looked like Iraq villas. not that i have been to Iraq, but the way some houses were built in Fujairah really looked like the small box-lix houses i saw on CNN when they feature news in Iraq. we reach Khor Fakhan beach just in time for lunch. we had picnic together with the other pinoys. only the little ones took a dip as grown-ups were not enticed to the water anymore or should i say, to Fujairah amenities. =(

we left the beach area around 2:30 PM and stopped by to Al Badiya Mosque, the oldest mosque in UAE. after taking photos, went off to the market to buy souvenirs. the road has been congested this time as people were coming and going in & out the different emirates in time for a workday tomorrow (does not include me and hubby, though!).

"outside the Al Badiya Mosque"

"towers above the Al Badiya Mosque"

after Fujairah, we had another long travel to Al Ain's Jebel Hafeet mountains. my hubby and i were not ecstatic this time, as we have gone even to a grander part of Jebel Hafeet before. at the top, i even had a feat with some arab women. pinainit nila ulo ko!!! i raised my voice and scolded these hard-headed arab women, saying "don't you know how to fall in line, people!!!". they really got into my nerves! after that, ayun, i was finally able to take a pee in peace. hahaha, line pala sa comfort room!

our last destination was in Green Mubazarrah Garden Park. the park has hot springs and green grassy areas. however, i have a feeling that these were just man-made though. i'll check out with the professors when i get back at work on Monday if my guess was right. however, had fun climbing the high areas. proving i really miss mountain climbing!!!

the pack was able to reach abu dhabi at 2:00 AM. my hubby said that i slept like a baby on the bus so i have no absolute excuse to claim otherwise. =) the tour has been memorable in itself except for the fact that i have been disappointed with the organizers. maybe because i do organize events myself and for them to have tours like this on a regular basis, the way things went on today hasn't been a superb job for nth-timers. just my piece of honest-to-goodness view.

we (me, hubby, big bro and big bro's friend) had an early swim near the Ladies Beach at the back side of the Emirates Palace Hotel. we got there at 7:30 AM and swam until 10:30 AM courtesy of kuya's friend, kuya Ed. he got a car thus we were able to roam around abu dhabi. we don't have any BBQ or any kind of food as it is still Ramadan period. anyhow, the dip has been refreshing! kakatawa... this beach has no public restrooms that's why when we were finished swimming, we dress up on the parking area just along the street. para akong lalake! hahaha. and then, a police car just passed by. buti na lang, we were finished dressing up na... =) kakaibang trip!

my hubby and i went to Hamed Center and bought a PS2 console, the slim-type. eid vacation (the last few days of Ramadan which are usually declared as non-working days in UAE) will be next week thus we deemed we need something to spend the time with. we got the unit for 690 AED including an 8 MB memory card, 1 additional joystick and 10 free CD games. the PS2 console was already modified, meaning it has the capability to play both original and p****** softwares. hehe.

the CD titles we got were mostly the violent and morbid ones. selected the list from the top-rated games in pinoy gaming console forum www.pinoypsx.com. quite a helpful site for game beginners like us.

Game list:

1. Call of Duty
2. Devil May Cry 3
3. Mercenaries
4. God of War
5. Tekken 5
6. Medal of Honor
7. Mortal Combat Shaolin Monks
8. Stealth Force
9. Black Hawk Down
10. Gran Turismo 4

i can foresee that this can be another distraction for both of us. unahan na naman ito!!! ngahaha.

went around town by myself and wired some money to evangeline. she borrowed some money since she just started at her work and has no budget for the coming month. i lent her my ticket money for the meantime. we've been friends since high school so i have no worries about trust or whatsoever when it comes to her.

while i'm in liwa centre, i went around jewelry shops and was so happy to see this bracelet! actually, i've seen it before in another shop but i have forgotten the offer. as for the shop i was in today, the vendor quoted it for 500 AED. i was able to lower it down to 450 AED. it's a 22K singaporean gold. it has some round and heart-shaped dangling studs. i liked it because the studs looked like the necklace that my sister gave me years ago, which was snatched from me while i was walking alone street near the marketplace in Bicutan. =( anyway, i got this bracelet a bit pricey than the saudi or emirate gold, probably because it is imported from Singapore! hehe. but then, i just love the dangling studs that i just couldn't let go. ;)

i bought the bracelet before i change my mind however i felt guilty when i finally got hold of it. i told myself kasi that i won't be buying anything for myself from now on since i am going home by december and needs as much money for the HK trip. pero ayun, i had let myself be tempted and uncontrollable. =( nakakainis talaga. i am so weak.... hay...

i was watching the filipino business TV program titled Kumikitang Kabuhayan when a topic about chocolate cake was featured. it looked so yummy kaya tinakam ako and decided instead to bake my own. =) well, this time i have been successful!!! i have a perfectly baked two-layered cake topped with creamy chocolate icing. everyone in the house just cant get enough. hehehe.

i had a terrible day. been working from 8:30 a.m. till 3:00 p.m. then florian has been his usual self (the "aligaga" mood) and scolded me for not attending his class this morning. i dunno, i just find it too boring for me. maybe because his teaching technique is just too boring? or because i was just so not into the rocks!!?? hay. when will they realize that it's just difficult for me to study geology and work at the same time. well, i could. but not to have a boss like florian perhaps! and then, when i got home, it's still work!!! so pissed off with my hubby because he just thinks of himself. life has been easier when i was still single. hehehe. too late for grumping now...

i then planned to either to walk by the beach or try the free cinema ticket sponsored by HSBC card. yep, i read it from my credit card statement that HSBC's sponsoring free movie tickets every saturday night in Cine Star Cinema in Marina Mall. i dressed up and got ready to leave when my hubby tried to make peace. i have two choices, either i make myself ugly due to stress or just forgive instead? i chose the first. siyempre noh! who want's to be ugly? so off we went to the mall and confirmed that there is no catch after all with the free ticket and half the price Maxi Coke and Maxi popcorn (8 AED). the only downside is that, you can't choose which movie to watch. i dunno if it's the cinema or the card's decision, but only the movie of the week gets to be the one that comes with the offer. not bad for a freebie though, especially that watching movies in UAE is a luxury.

we got to see Four Brothers, a drama genre. rating? good enough. not too dull, yet not too grand. a drama, with a little comedy and a little action. it is about four adopted brothers to come together to bury a dead mother. later, they found out that their mother has been murdered and they seek revenge. i liked the way the bond between brothers were showcased in the movie. plus, that being the adopting parent, you can also be loved like the real biological parent and vice-versa as to being the adopted child.

this is a photo of the chicken that i baked. it doesn't look so yummy because the picture was taken using my xda and after the chicken has been taken apart already. hehehe. pano ba naman, as soon as the chicken was placed on plate, hands were already dunking its way into it to disassemble every joints it have. with the "almost" successful chocolate cake that i made a couple of days back, i got kinda inspired to bake some more. =) so, this is my first baked chicken! tinalo nya ang lasa ng andok's, promise!!! haha.

what's the secret?

1. the chicken has to be rubbed with rock salt first to take out the bad smell. however, since there's no rock salt in UAE i just rubbed iodized salt on it and crossed my fingers that it'll make wonders. and it did!!! =)

2. i rinsed it afterwards and let the liquid drip so the chicken will dry a bit.

3. then i poured bout 1/4 cup soy sauce, pepper to taste, squeezed in some lemon, put some lots of well-pounded garlic and a teaspoon of hot sauce. it would be best to put pandan leaves as well inside the chicken. i couldn't find one in the market yet i still managed to do without it though.

4. i let the chicken soaked in this mixture for a day, tossing it each side within the soaking period.

5. after the marinating period, i wrapped the chicken in aluminum foil and cooked it in the oven using 180 degrees Celsius heat. wrapping it in aluminum foil makes the heat be concentrated all throughout the chicken and ensure that even its inside will be cooked as well. plus the meat will be really, really tender!

6. when the chicken became tender, the process is done when one wants to have a tender and juicy chicken. however, i removed it from the foil and baked it again to make chicken's outside crisp!

viola, we had a delicious chicken for supper! the three of us (me, my hubby and my big brother) had a sumptuous meal today. i owe this recipe from my friend istanli, who claims to make the tastiest turkey. come Christmastime, there will be two of us who will stake that claim! haha.

after we were able to clean up the table, me and my hubby went to church for the 3rd day of the Tagalog Mission. the topic for tonight was about FAMILY. about how filipino families were so close-knitted and how each pinoy values his/her own blood. i took my hubby to church hoping he will like this Filipino Abu Dhabi tradition, amongst many of course!

this is the first day of the ramadan period. at this time, the muslim people prays a whole lot more than usual and were forbidden to eat or drink when the sun rises. therefore, they only gets to eat after sun down, they call it the IFTAR. with this, all shops and restaurants opens later lasting until about 2 a.m. the next day. alongside with this, offices both government and private were only required to work 6 hours - muslims or non-muslims! in my office, our timing from Saturday to Tuesday is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., while on Wednesday we only work from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in my case, i report 30 minutes before those timings and extends during Tuesday as i attend lectures in sedimentary petrology. aahhh.... kainis nga eh.

ramadan period lasts for a month. to pay our respect for this muslim tradition, we do not eat nor drink in public. as we know they are not allowed to eat nor drink when the sun is up we therefore, do not eat nor drink in public because doing so will only make them hungrier or thirstier. in addition, it is more of a prohibition by law. thus, we only eat in our own home or lock ourselves inside our office when we are to take a bite in the workplace.

i usually get home about 3:30 p.m. and my hubby is already home by then. as his boss is a UAE national, they only work from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lucky him! hehehe. me and my hubby can now stroll around the city more often as time is in our hands! hehehe. above is a photo taken in Marina Mall during one of our casual "walks". sporting my shorter haircut which was now 1 month old.