Full moon. Al Awir desert camp. Bedouin tents. Cushions and mats. Arabian barbecue. Shawarma. Two hundred fifty drums of various shapes and sizes. Two hundred fifty drummers of different colors and ages. One rhythm. Fantastic.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Loaded With Foods We Missed Back Home
Too much…just about an hour ago, again an unplanned dinner hit the DMH group, 5 from MEP and 2 from C&S. Location is Satwa 365 restaurant. We hitched to our boss service car then breeze to Dubai busy streets and alight somewhere near the Al Wasl road.
After a brief walk, we are greeted by a nice cozy place with an elevated outdoor dining place, we have some snapshots at the entrance before we invade the heart of the restaurant, the buffet table. The palatable Filipino foods unveil in our eyes. Before I could check the whole compact air-conditioned indoor dining, there goes my buddies already lined up for the food, not even minding my will to take their photograph first.
We feasted on foods we missed back home, ginataang isda, bakarita, chicken apritada, pansit, pritong balat ng manok and ginisang ampalaya. We also have soup, vegetable salad as our appetizer and gulaman as our dessert. We paid only 16 aed average each for eat-all-you-can meal with drinks.
We have a hearty dinner, my stomach was very satisfied that just staying seated will do us no good so we have a little walk outside before three of us rode a bus back home to Jumeirah while 4 of our buddy rode on an opposite direction to going to their home in Bur Dubai.
Ok again next time. Restaurant staff said there are always changing the menu.
After a brief walk, we are greeted by a nice cozy place with an elevated outdoor dining place, we have some snapshots at the entrance before we invade the heart of the restaurant, the buffet table. The palatable Filipino foods unveil in our eyes. Before I could check the whole compact air-conditioned indoor dining, there goes my buddies already lined up for the food, not even minding my will to take their photograph first.
We feasted on foods we missed back home, ginataang isda, bakarita, chicken apritada, pansit, pritong balat ng manok and ginisang ampalaya. We also have soup, vegetable salad as our appetizer and gulaman as our dessert. We paid only 16 aed average each for eat-all-you-can meal with drinks.
We have a hearty dinner, my stomach was very satisfied that just staying seated will do us no good so we have a little walk outside before three of us rode a bus back home to Jumeirah while 4 of our buddy rode on an opposite direction to going to their home in Bur Dubai.
Ok again next time. Restaurant staff said there are always changing the menu.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Dubai drums
I just had a group drumming experience courtesy of Dubai Drums awhile ago at Bur Juman. Oh, It was fun.
Participants were divided in 4 groups, around a dozen per group, facing each other. Dubai Drums guys, including founder Julie Ann Odell and master drummer Atsu of Ghana, comprised one group. Mallers - anybody who wished to join - comprised the other groups. African drums in various shapes and sizes were provided.
I sat in in one set, where Atsu acted as conductor of sorts. On my left was an Indian couple with their young kid and on my right was a group of Middle East teens. We started with a simple rhythm, which, right away, began to sound complicated because participants were drumming in different ways and because of the syncopations made by the Dubai Drums players and by this Santana-percussionist-wannabe. Later on, Atsu would signal us to pause, count - 1, 2 - then play again. Sometimes, he would make us stop banging our drums and clap our hands instead, as the Dubai Drums group continued with the rhythm and one member did a solo. At one point, we did a call-and-answer song: O ya o yaya, o ya o yaya. Drumming went on for 30 minutes. And like the little kid beside me, I enjoyed each minute.
Now, I'm thinking of going to the Full Moon Desert Drumming event on the 26th. Tara ...
Participants were divided in 4 groups, around a dozen per group, facing each other. Dubai Drums guys, including founder Julie Ann Odell and master drummer Atsu of Ghana, comprised one group. Mallers - anybody who wished to join - comprised the other groups. African drums in various shapes and sizes were provided.
I sat in in one set, where Atsu acted as conductor of sorts. On my left was an Indian couple with their young kid and on my right was a group of Middle East teens. We started with a simple rhythm, which, right away, began to sound complicated because participants were drumming in different ways and because of the syncopations made by the Dubai Drums players and by this Santana-percussionist-wannabe. Later on, Atsu would signal us to pause, count - 1, 2 - then play again. Sometimes, he would make us stop banging our drums and clap our hands instead, as the Dubai Drums group continued with the rhythm and one member did a solo. At one point, we did a call-and-answer song: O ya o yaya, o ya o yaya. Drumming went on for 30 minutes. And like the little kid beside me, I enjoyed each minute.
Now, I'm thinking of going to the Full Moon Desert Drumming event on the 26th. Tara ...
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Eid trip
Today, the second day of Eid il Fitr, a few hours after sunrise, the Fellowship was formed. It consisted of 12 people representing 4 tribes of Middle Dubai – 4 from Jumeirah, 4 from Karama, 2 from Satwa and 2 from Bur Dubai. Immediately, we embarked on a journey to search for the One Open Beach in Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain. As if to remind us of the uncertainty of what we had set out to do, a strange orchestral music slowly filled the air ...
It was the intro of Aerosmith's I Don't Want to Miss a Thing. Great! The new FM Modulator was working.
In Fujairah, we saw an open beach where there are gazebos with umbrella roofs. It seemed okay but we wanted to look further. We came to the bank of the river that leads to the Gulf of Oman. It's a natural place, with some trees and herbs around. The beach is a little farther away. When we walked closer, we saw a No Swimming sign. Anyway, we ate lunch and stayed there for awhile.
At around 3:00pm, we headed for UAQ. We passed by the Dreamland Aqua Park and the Barracuda Beach Resort. Not our type. May bayad kasi. We drove farther towards Ras Al Khaimah looking for an open beach. We found one, also a natural place, and set up our tent between those of 2 kabayan groups. We ate and swam and sang songs until 7:00pm.
We were home by 9:00pm. Wanderlust satisfied.
Eid mubarak!
It was the intro of Aerosmith's I Don't Want to Miss a Thing. Great! The new FM Modulator was working.
In Fujairah, we saw an open beach where there are gazebos with umbrella roofs. It seemed okay but we wanted to look further. We came to the bank of the river that leads to the Gulf of Oman. It's a natural place, with some trees and herbs around. The beach is a little farther away. When we walked closer, we saw a No Swimming sign. Anyway, we ate lunch and stayed there for awhile.
At around 3:00pm, we headed for UAQ. We passed by the Dreamland Aqua Park and the Barracuda Beach Resort. Not our type. May bayad kasi. We drove farther towards Ras Al Khaimah looking for an open beach. We found one, also a natural place, and set up our tent between those of 2 kabayan groups. We ate and swam and sang songs until 7:00pm.
We were home by 9:00pm. Wanderlust satisfied.
Eid mubarak!
Friday, October 12, 2007
Inject to Eject
Recently, about two weeks ago, a minor clinical procedure has been done to me. A momentary pain I have experienced suddenly wiped out more than a month of hurt in my left foot. An inch long needle was injected to me thrice bringing some fluids that will cause some numbness on my left toe. The culprit, my toenail which did not follow normal position while growing cause pressure and scars on part of my toe where a concentration of nerve endings are placed. Although infected, I decided this toenail be removed.
Results, two days out from work having a mild fever. Week long daily taking of antibiotics/pain reliever, wearing of sandals and daily nursing/dressing of wounds. Job impact, being missed by site engineers therefore deferred approval of site installation. Physical impact, I missed 1 Saturday badminton play (my only strenuous exercise).
Lessons learned, first, never wear shoes that are to tight that will cause abnormally positioned growth of toenail. Second, take time carefully cutting the toenails.
Results, two days out from work having a mild fever. Week long daily taking of antibiotics/pain reliever, wearing of sandals and daily nursing/dressing of wounds. Job impact, being missed by site engineers therefore deferred approval of site installation. Physical impact, I missed 1 Saturday badminton play (my only strenuous exercise).
Lessons learned, first, never wear shoes that are to tight that will cause abnormally positioned growth of toenail. Second, take time carefully cutting the toenails.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Season of Slurs
A Resolution of sorts
Whereas a-b_t_h-of-a-columnist described our not-so-rich countrymen as “cheap” and she would not be caught dead with the bunch of low-life. Fate has something instored for her. Democracy gives the right for people to have freedom of speech. As some writer found out, the same liberty would guarantee maddened dogs to hound her endlessly. Barking, yelping until she would go insane and could not take it no more. Until…. She lets go and resigned her post. No requiem for her there.
Whereas an enlightened writer of a famous TV series questions the educational acumen of our nurses is in itself questionable. The same nurses have proven their exemplary medical capabilities for years on end; it’s moot and academic to argue otherwise.
Whereas one mans’ “discrimination” is another one’s “right to eat whatever he likes aside from briani”, armed struggle may be necessary. Good thing that some has heeded the call of reason and sidestep irrelevant and rubbish claims.
Whereas congressmen accuse each other of bribery due to the hastily prepared impeachment charge against the executive. You can't help notice that it is like watching a dog chases his tail. Sometimes it’s amusing, but most of the time, its not. Ruff!!!
Whereas the Champion of the People, boxing thru glory as he is, has allegedly given a sexy actress some luxurious villa and a 4WD vehicle is not entirely unfounded really. In circumspect, it is none of your darn bloody business anyway. Hehehe!!!
Thereby we enact that no such slurs are to be allowed to defame our person, dignity and rights.
And agreed to be vigilant against these menace as long as we shall live.
May God help us...
Whereas a-b_t_h-of-a-columnist described our not-so-rich countrymen as “cheap” and she would not be caught dead with the bunch of low-life. Fate has something instored for her. Democracy gives the right for people to have freedom of speech. As some writer found out, the same liberty would guarantee maddened dogs to hound her endlessly. Barking, yelping until she would go insane and could not take it no more. Until…. She lets go and resigned her post. No requiem for her there.
Whereas an enlightened writer of a famous TV series questions the educational acumen of our nurses is in itself questionable. The same nurses have proven their exemplary medical capabilities for years on end; it’s moot and academic to argue otherwise.
Whereas one mans’ “discrimination” is another one’s “right to eat whatever he likes aside from briani”, armed struggle may be necessary. Good thing that some has heeded the call of reason and sidestep irrelevant and rubbish claims.
Whereas congressmen accuse each other of bribery due to the hastily prepared impeachment charge against the executive. You can't help notice that it is like watching a dog chases his tail. Sometimes it’s amusing, but most of the time, its not. Ruff!!!
Whereas the Champion of the People, boxing thru glory as he is, has allegedly given a sexy actress some luxurious villa and a 4WD vehicle is not entirely unfounded really. In circumspect, it is none of your darn bloody business anyway. Hehehe!!!
Thereby we enact that no such slurs are to be allowed to defame our person, dignity and rights.
And agreed to be vigilant against these menace as long as we shall live.
May God help us...
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