Celebrating Christmas outside PH is not the same as how we do it back home. It is the time of the year when the presence of a family is longed for. But what can an OFW do? No other choice but to find ways on how to feel the season in Pinoy style.
After attending the Christmas eve mass, I had the noche buena with my flatmates. It was a pot-luck dinner. We have pancit, lumpiang shanghai, lechon manok and sopas. My share is a black-forest cake from Spinneys. Two days earlier, I got a gift to myself. A badly needed massage in a Thai spa located at the first floor of our office building. At the strike of 12 midnight (PH time), I started calling my family and friends. Understandably, the phone line was clogged. With extra budget for my load, I managed to dial-in sporadically until the next day.
This year I did not experience the Christmas rush. However, it made me realize a more solemn way of celebrating this season with less commercial value. At the end of the day, we should not forget the real reason in celebrating this season. Happy birthday Lord Jesus!
Wishing everyone the blessing of the Infant Jesus.
Happy Christmas!
My flatmates invited me to join them in a tour to the old village of Hatta. It is a 45 minutes ride from Dubai. Along the way, we enjoyed the spectacular views of the desert and rocky montains. The Hatta wadi brushes through the mountain with lush green oasis and refreshing water pools. It was like finding precious water in the middle of the desert. Before heading back to the city, we parked at the Hatta Fort Hotel to have our lunch. Three choice of menu were presented. I had a full of fresh green chicken salad and fish fillet. We were with Kristoff and his grandmother during the tour. They were from Poland.
Though I got a severe headache when I went home, the 150 dirhams worth of a tour is not wasted. Hatta - Hataw na!
Pasko na! The traditional simbang gabi has started here exclusively for Filipinos. The nine-day novena was scheduled at half past eight in the evening. The mass was not held inside the church. It was celebrated at the covered gym beside the church ground. Last night is extra-ordinary because prior to the mass, the giant christmas tree in front of the church was lighted. My phone camera is not ready for a night shot. The picture is good enough than nothing. Happy Christmas to everyone!
Our very own Mall of Asia is the largest shopping mall in the Philippines and one of the largest shopping malls in the world. In Dubai, Mall of the Emirates is currently the largest shopping mall in the Middle East. This mall is famous for housing the Ski Dubai; Middle East's first indoor ski slope and claimed to be one of the largest indoor ski resorts in the world. This mall has fourteen movie theaters where I got the first taste of movie watching via the film Beowulf.
I had visited the Jumeirah Open Beach thrice. Its shoreline is part of the Arabian Gulf which is famous for its rich marine life. Aside from the warm view of the sea, the backdraft gives you a view of the fascinating skyscrapers of the city. One distinct spot is the soon-to-be-famous Burj Dubai; the current tallest building in the world.
During the flugtag event, I had the chance to visit the Children's City because it is located within the Dubai Creek Park. This is a colorful complex that was built to promote both fun and learning for kids and young-adults like me. Haha!
My laptop family is growing. Two years ago, I replaced my eight year-old P100 desktop with a Neo Centrino laptop. No choice but I have to leave it in PH to serve Trek in his weekly Need for Speed session, and for my family's internet connection. When I joined my new company, a new laptop was assigned to me. A hardened and secured IBM T43. Obviously not for personal use. And now, I got a new one which I have mentioned in my previous post. I wonder what's next… too much to ask.
After almost two months, I got a new buddy. Code name is DV2670 with 2 Ghz heart that pumps in Intel Core 2 Duo T7250. A 14-incher with 160 GB hard muscle drive and 1024 MB brain memory. He has the capability to read my fingerprint and see me nakedly through his built-in webcam. His 5-in-1 digital media reader gives way for easier picture and file downloads. But the best thing of all is that he provides me the link to my friends and family. That's my HP Pavillion. Another blessing from the Lord. Definitely!
By the way, here's a souvenir shot at the famous Burj Al Arab during my second day as OFW.
