We are still cheered in thoughts about our last minute decision of traveling to Penang despite the ifs and buts (like staying there for only a few days). It is a long story, but yes, we spent the Holy Week in this island prominent for its representation of East and West (claimed to be one of the 10 islands that one should explore before he dies).  Although after a short stay, it marked more on me as “one of my weakest spots” (read:  food heaven).

(Old Saint Anne Sanctuary)

While Holy Week in the Philippines is literally more colorful, it was a rare chance for us to have observed the remembrance of holy days in a more serene and reflective manner, minus the traditional procession in my hometown. The best part is that we spent it with a very dear relative (more than a sibling to me) who is based there alone. So, it is a win-win presence in both camps.

Staying in Penang for few days sounds unreasonable. Yes, I agree, but it is amenable. With my limitations of being away from work, I grabbed the chance as soon as it presented itself.  I do not want to discuss in details how much effort it took to take the needed break. But at this point, I am just more than grateful that I jumped in this whirlwind trip because it recharged my batteries in many aspects. If only we had enough time, we could have taken one of those flights to Thailand due to its proximity to this island.

We really had a great time in the island and I cannot wait to share how enriching the experience was. Enjoy the photos for the time being.

I lost count of all the important personalities (the most recent was Queen Elizabeth) and intent whirlwind visitors who made Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque a must-see and experience in their UAE trip. Hence, when I finally saw it in person I cannot believe that it took me four years (yay! I’m soon celebrating another Abu-versary) to experience the charm and validate on my own the record-breaking details of THE mosque.

Thanks to my aunt who visited us in the overlapping momentous months of September and October last year. She made me list down the stuff which might interest her which paved way for discovery and re-discovery of UAE gems.

(The grand mosque features 80 domes,  1,096 columns in exterior and 96 columns in the main prayer hall which are embedded with more than 20,000 handmade marble panels with semi-precious stones.)

The third largest mosque in the world. We visited the grand mosque in October of last year.  There were plenty of visitors that weekend, however, we didn’t feel the need to queue or be negated by the thought of influx. Well, the grand mosque is hugeeeeee! Imagine that its size (more than 20,000 square metres) is equal to five (5) football fields. To sum up the capacity in terms of total number of worshippers, it can accommodate 40,960 people. Let me clarify though that the sum is based on the capacity of the entire mosque. The nerd in me wanted to create a pie chart to better illustrate how many worshippers it can house in the different prayer halls and court yard.

(L) My aunt covered by the traditional UAE dress* (abaya); We were teasing her that she’s got a teen spirit look here even if she’s already a senior citizen. I think that the grandeur of the open prayer hall and the wind contributed to the look.  (R) Visitors are required to remove the footwear before entering the main hall.

*Dress and behaviour code. We were required to wear the sheila (headscarf) and abaya (black robe) to cover the hair and body, respectively. On certain occasions, I had chances to try the UAE traditional dress but I always deferred it under the assumption that there’s always a next time. I’m more content being the one photographing the wearers. Finally, I tried it for the first time. It was an interesting experience especially that at times I visualized that one’s on me when I’m with my UAE Nationals-colleagues.

Putting the sheila on my top and denim was easy but I didn’t realize that covering the hair was tricky. Mine slipped several times and I had to do it over and again because the guards are keen on picking the violators, e.g. ladies with ‘hair sightings’ and not to mention the unacceptable behaviors like holding hands, eating, drinking. Anyway, I seemed pleased to a certain extent when I saw myself with the abaya on because it hid my bulges heehee. On the other hand, men are not required to wear the khoundura (white robe) unless they came in shorts and without sleeves. The kids may enter the mosque as they are but in some cases, little girls might be required to wear the sheila to cover the hair. All these elements — unused and neatly folded will be provided as you approach the open prayer hall but you must return it afterwards.

As a sign of respect, the footwear must be removed before entering the main prayer hall. It is the same protocol we followed when we visited the Sri Marriaman (Hindu) temple in Singapore.

The mosque’s name.  Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque was named after the father/founder and first president of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (“bin Sultan” means “son of Sultan”). He was buried in the mausoleum (a private building inside the mosque compound) which cannot be photographed.  Amongst the many good things he did, it was his idea that the mosque be opened to all nationalities and religions in order to educate people about Islam and its art and history, and the Muslim culture.

(The exterior walls are said to be of traditional Turkish design. The nature-inspired design throughout the mosque reflects late Sheikh Zayed’s love for the environment. Personally, I appreciated the overall cheerful yet solemn effect of  the combination of materials. Of course, the precious-looking chandelier in the main prayer hall entrance is impossible to miss.)

A decade of conceptualization. After ensuring that we were decent enough to enter the main prayer hall, we requested a wheelchair for my aunt to make it more convenient for her. I must warn you that the feeling of being regaled is comparable to a “Pringle moment” (once you popped, you can’t stop), we hardly stopped being wooooowed by every detail; no wonder that it took a decade (started in late 1980s) to conceptualize its architectural design. The construction phase itself and the end result are regarded as an effort to unify the best concepts globally. It has been reported that the artisans and materials came from Italy, Germany, Morocco, India, Turkey, Iran, China, Greece and the UAE. The mosque was inaugurated in Ramadan of 2007.

The crystals and other record-breaking blings. We thought that the bluish and whitish chandelier we saw earlier was more than a breath-taker but the seven (7) gold-coloured chandeliers inside the main prayer hall were more stunning. As reported, those were imported from Germany, have thousands of Swarovski crystals from Austria and some glass work from Italy. Reported cost? US$8.2 million.

World’s largest chandelier. In above photo you can see that under the main dome, the 10 metres in diameter, 15 metres in height and over 9 tonnes in weight chandelier hangs. That’s a mammoth weight! I hope that the mosque is ultra-earthquake proof. Rumor has it that its “sparkle ability” is powered by 40 million pieces of Swarovski crystals.

While I’m not a big fan of crystals, golds and jewelries (except for watches), my eyes sparkled in appreciation. Heehee. Do you also wonder how they do the maintenance of this? Based on unofficial local conversations, there is a built-in staircase within the chandelier itself for maintenance purposes!

The Qibla wall. Being a non-Muslim, I was most curious about the counterpart of the altar and pulpit of the priest’s (Imam in Islam) stand. I absolutely liked the idea that while its components cost a fortune, it was made to look unassuming and simple so as not to distract worshippers from prayers. The niche in the middle is called “Mehrab” which is made of gold-class mosaic. Please take note of the embossed portions as they provide details of the 99 names (qualities) of Allah in traditional Kufi calligraphy. Just a polite note to the visitors not to touch the Holy Quran (Holy Book) and other architectural elements in the main prayer hall.

(Closer look at the Qibla wall. It faces the direction of the Holy City of Mecca in Saudi Arabia — wherein the first two largest mosques can be found.)

The prayer clock (Adhan). This clock is interesting because it shows the schedule of call to prayer as of a certain day. Muslims are prescribed to pray five (5) times a day.

The world’s largest hand-knotted carpet. My aunt did not fully utilize the wheelchair inside the main prayer hall as the carpet is more inviting. Before researching on this subject, it was best to assume that the best carpets are Iranian produced. It didn’t surprise me that an Iranian artist designed the carpet.  The best part of the  trivia is that the carpet was handcrafted by 1,200 artisans in small villages near Mashhadin, a region in Iran popular for its carpet making expertise. To add,  they were flown to Abu Dhabi to stitch the carpet pieces together for the final fitting. Consisting of 2,268,000 knots, the mosque’s carpet is estimated at US$8.2 million.

The inflaid floral designs reminded me of the movie Tangled. There are 96 columns in the main prayer hall which are round in shape. Aside from the floral designs, the Italian white marble adorn the prayer halls. Take note of the ceiling also.

The ceiling at a closer look.

There are reflective pools as well, however I missed a snapshot (that’s why I’m looking forward to my next visit, probably to coincide it with sunset and stay until night). I have seen photos online that the pool itself captures the spectacular image of the mosque.

Taking photos and videos, sketching/drawing inside the mosque. Whether you’re a photo enthusiast or not, you will absolutely enjoy capturing the grand mosque because it is really beautiful, each corner can probably tell a story, capture an indescribable moment and for other reasons. Photo and video taking are allowed for personal consumption. However, I would like to reiterate that the mausoleum is off-limits as a sign of respect to late Sheikh Zayed as his remains are there. For professional film makers and media establishments, prior permission can be requested by contacting tour@szgmc.ae.  On the other hand, feel free to draw or sketch inside the mosque but avoid using chalks and charcoals.

While I wrote about the don’ts of taking photos in the UAE, I would like to remind everyone, especially the tourists, not to take photos of the UAE Nationals without permission whether you’re inside or outside the grand mosque. In case you would like to take photos of the worshippers praying at the time of your visit, I suggest that you first consult the security officers inside the mosque to avoid complications.

Good news! Entry is free of charge.

Another good news: there are free guided tours in Arabic and English. Click here for the schedule.

I realized that I need to learn from the errors of my ways of deferring my visits and/or chances of trying different things which I should have done a long time, especially if it’s for free.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre
Operating hours: 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM Daily, except on Friday mornings, first day of Eid-Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha
Website: http://szgmc.ae/en/
How to Get There

[Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque photoset]

August 23, September 23… two of my preceding posts were logged coincidentally on a 23rd. I never thought that I can be absent from blogosphere that long. Anyway, I’m sort of affirming, as the title of this post says, “to pick things up” including the bloghopping part soon. I realized that my attempts the past months were not enough. While things are overwhelming at work and off work, it’s in a nice way and I’m doing really well. I just sometimes wish that we can freeze a moment and/or have more than 24 hours in a day. I’m probably one of the happiest people with this long break brought by Eid celebrations because I finally had the chance to catch up on sleep and savour few hours of lazy days (*points to the specific lyrics of Bruno Mars’ song*).

I have a handful of pending posts, i.e. not even in draft form, the memories are just all written in my head and heart. I don’t know if I should deal with those on a first in, first out (FIFO) or last in, first out (LIFO) basis. Randomness is good at certain times!

1. My closest aunt stayed with us during her almost 2-month visit to UAE. We shed a gallon of tears that day we brought her to the airport.  We got to re-visit and visit new places in the UAE as we showed her around. Having her with us was an enriching experience for so many reasons. It took us some time to be back to normalcy since every bit of things reminded of her. My mother is probably visiting us next year so we must get used to bittersweet farewells.
2. Tasted a camelcinno (that’s cappuccino with camel milk) for the first time!
3. Another first – wore sheila and abaya (UAE’s national dress for women) when we visited Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
4. Screamed at Ferarri World.
5. Had my second godchild (yehey to ninanghood!) in the UAE
6. Started setting up our Christmas tree (the bokeh below).
7. Got our buy 1, take 1 (many thanks to a friend!) F1 tickets. After-race performers from November 11 to 13 will be Britney Spears, Incubus, The Cult, and Sir Paul McCartney. It’s been a year since the Kanye West, Linkin Park and Prince high.
8. Winello, our kittycat, has reached his manhood’s “maturity” and was neutered (i.e. testes removed) last month. After the surgery, he was required to wear a cone for several days to prevent him from licking and scratching the wounds. We got a note from the vet that  literally reads as “he’s a good boy (*insert smiley*)” during the operation. We’d like to think that our cat is too gentleman for a nagbibinata (sexually matured) because he didn’t bother us with all those known mischievousness of a maturing cat. However, we noticed that he became a little moody (probably would like to court an equally ‘mature’ ladycat). He is back to his normal angelic self.

Just a little sad though I can’t sing “I’ll Be Home For Christmas This Year” concept-wise due to work commitments. I have so far gotten over this fact; I can only be grateful that I had several Christmasses at the Christmas island the past years and even had whirlwind trips back home twice a year for certain occasions. While Christmas is best spent in the Philippines, but it (and any occasion) is nevertheless, also best spent with people we love most wherever we are. Ahem, I have just had an early drama. Forgive me, heehee.

Thanks to everyone who continuously knocked and left messages and comments while the blogger in me was away. I did miss everyone and I earnestly hope to catch up soon!

Marhaba (that’s “hello” in Arabic) to everyone! I can’t believe my month-long absence from this space. Thanks for the continuous visits and I gathered that most of you thought that I’m still in the Philippines for a vacation. I’m back in Abu Dhabi 3 weeks ago, yet I’ve been (and still) swamped with work. My responsibilities are getting crazy and amazing at the same time, but I’m not complaining! When time gets tough(er), I always refer to that scenario when a man complained about his feet sores until he saw a man who’s handicapped. And of course, it’s best to think of the better days. Anyway, here’s to catch up with the things that happened not so long ago. Before I share the Philippine-related entries (i.e. highlights of my recent break), this one’s to reminisce the less than 24 hours we had in Singapore enroute to Abu Dhabi.

We intentionally booked the flight with the longest layover in Changi airport since we planned on staying in Marina Bay Sands (MBS) Hotel for a day. Our last year’s trip to the Lion City provided a glimpse to the ship-like establishment; impressed, we wished to the Universe that “alright, we’ll swim,, errr, stay there next time!”

The architecture is well-thought of and is complemented by odd-amazing pieces. We stayed in one of the rooms with city view which was absolutely pleasing.

The next two photos were taken at 7am. What a nice weather!

While there are so many activities to do in MBS especially at night, the accent of our stay was the breeze of its infinity pool located at the skypark.

Unparalleled view from the pool itself. Little J and my aunt (whose vacationing in UAE) did not want to leave the pool! I like the illusion of  infinity and unsafe edge. But it’s actually secured.

(At the lobby, note the horse figure which is a work of art of an Italian jewelry designer, Robi Spagnolo.)

(Woman Aflame. The idea was conceived in 1980 as Salvador Dali mixed different symbols together and created improbable combinations. The art blurs a boundary between dream and reality.)

A day isn’t enough, no wonder that MBS itself never sleeps! I’d say a  little prayer again, I wish to go back there.

I’m currently home for a short vacation and it’s amazing how much we did the past few days. That goes to say how much we were going around. From Laguna to Davao (it’s good to be back after my 2003-2004 visits) to Surigao to Butuan to Manila-Laguna. We attended a wedding of a very good friend held in South of the Philippines and it follows that we did a little sidetrip to nearby places. All in all it was a mixture of urban and rural experiences. That made me realize how important it is to be genuinely flexible. We had a lot of fun, especially that we had new discoveries about the hidden beauty of the Philippines… our country is full of surprises.

While I’m still sorting photos, I’m afraid that I won’t have enough time to blog (soon) once I’m back to Abu Dhabi. Hence, here’s a peek to the fun-filled past days that zoomed like a blast:

We stayed in one of the stilt houses in Pearl Farm Resort. It was very nurturing to wake up (in each glance, in fact) with an environment like this.

We also got a chance to cross over to the few minutes away (by boat) Malipano Island, which is under the same management of Pearl Farm Resort. It is more private than Samal Island. More details on a separate post. One of my best experiences there was my endeavour (naks!) to climb a coconut tree!

It was Kadayawan fest during our visit. However, we left for Surigao before the big parade.

The wedding was held in Hinatuan, a town in Surigao del Sur. It was an interesting coincidence that the town’s fiesta was a day before the wedding. Hence, all the more that the arena became so festive and jovial.

The majorettes, the bands, perya, all the colorful bits and pieces of a fiesta — we came in just in time. And of course, taking photos became more fun since I was with fellow enthusiasts. It so happened that some of the guests are professional photographers since the groom is one of the most respected photography mentors in the Philippines.

It was also a rare opportunity to have spent time with the ambassadress to the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi since she was one of the ninangs. We have always known her to be very humble, but she has proven that she really has no arte as we got to know her more when she joined us for the pre-wedding outing dedicated for guests (yes, there’s such a thing; didn’t mind if we got more tan). She chatted with little J (one of the flower girls) and had known her as the brave girl who volunteered to zipline ahead of all the adults.

And I’m delighted to share the wonderful discovery of the cleanest river I’ve experienced so far, Hinatuan’s Enchanted River.

On the other hand, the entire next week is a holiday in the UAE due to Eid celebrations. That’s a happy news for everyone as well as the other countries observing the Eid, including the Philippines.

I hope you’re all having fun wherever you are.

We decided to have a quick getaway last weekend to get a much deserved breather. We thought that Yas Rotana would be so quiet since the grand prix (Formula 1) is still months away. But it was reasonably jovial, just the way we needed.

Oriental mix grill is highly recommended.

And guess what? Our package included free tickets to Ferrari World, currently the world’s largest indoor themed park and houses Formula Rossa, the fastest roller coaster (as if I can manage the scare heeheee, dream on). We are looking forward to our visit, anyway.

(Thanks to those who participated in my blog anniversary and birthday giveaway. It is still open until 17th of July.)

Someone’s keeping me more busy…  because we’ve got the newest member of the family!

Meet Winello.

It is endearing that in my usual kwentuhan (call) with my elders back home yesterday we dedicated an hour for the cat’s talk alone. We’ve always kept a pet in the Philippines (dogs and cat) and that’s one of the restrictions we rejected when we moved to Abu Dhabi. As we’re  living in a flat (apartment), our previous landlord didn’t allow pets. Fortunately, the new landlord and maintenance personnel okayed an indoor cat.  Since then we started researching about the breed that will suit best our lifestyle and other arrangements here. We aimed for a cat from the start because it is less talkative and more acceptable in the UAE. Apparently, Muslims do not encourage keeping a pet dog.

If you’re following me on twitter and/or instagram, I’ve been sharing random photos of Winello. We got him from a breeder from Dubai and he is a mix of bluepoint british shorthair and siamese cats. He was born on 23rd of March this year. I’m really thankful that my major concern was settled the first day he came. He is potty trained and he has proven that from the first hour!  Our extra (guest) bathroom was turned into his litter-grooming-feeding corner. Before we got him the scratch post, he was trying the curtain and it was easy to correct him or call his attention. But we made a little mistake at the beginning because whenever we will say “huwag” (don’t) or “hindi pwede” (can’t), he will not listen. It only takes pronouncing “no!” or “don’t!” or “bad!” and he immediately obeys. Hindi nga pala sya nakakaintindi ng Filipino. (He doesn’t understand Filipino words.) Pero masasanay din ‘yan. Mas maganda ang maraming alam na lengguwahe. (But he will get used to it. It’s better to be multi-lingual.) Heeehee.

It feels like having a newborn again. We were watching his every move and he gets photographed a lot. The check up with the veterinarian (vet) and maintaining the sort of baby book listing the shots given and all were reminiscent of that phase of motherhood. It was exciting to observe that xray machine-like being run through his body to check for worms and he has got none (yehey!). Also, the nail cutting is my assignment and after a month it might feel like giving the first nail cut to a baby. Though the vet did the first cutting yesterday. We subjected him to a test of independence (being home alone) this morning and he passed it. He isn’t destructive (i.e. he seems easily trained as to which one to scratch) and proves himself as intelligent, so far. We noticed that his appetite increased when we left him alone. Maybe he played more than the usual and got tired.

And of course, little J is the happiest about Winello. We timed the “adoption” with her summer break from school. (In UAE the school year starts at early August.) And after finishing her final exams, it must have been really rewarding for her to see the long awaited kitten. And what’s with the name, by the way? It a combination of the words “winner” and “hello”. Yeah, it’s like saying “hello from the winner”. We just wanted something that sounds cheerful and optimistic.

Seemed too comforted by hotsprings and resorts in our baluarte, we went a little far by 2 to 3-hour drive to the shores of Laiya in San Juan, Batangas. The recall about Laiya became stronger when Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo held their private wedding reception in one of the resorts there. Among the almost equally beautiful choices, we opted to stay in Sabangan Beach Resort after the gathered comments and checking of online reviews. And it turned out that the choice was so worth it, in terms of getting a reasonable package and the food that I consumed, errr, the experience we savoured.

Filipino style cottages. We were a big group, hence, we booked three months before our intended stay. We rented one of the loft cottages which has three double sized beds both at the ground and second floors and a two-bedroom beachfront bungalow. While some resorts offer a Balinese style of rooms, most of the time I prefer to stay in well-maintained pawid (nipa hut) styled accommodations because I rarely experience that.

(From the balcony)

Beachfront joys. I really enjoyed being strategically housed in the area where I did not miss the big actions going. Just a peek from the balcony gave us the breeze, the sunrise, sunset, and all the other activities which can be summed up as people watching (others call it boy or girl watching; remember that old joke of being a boyscout or girlscout?). At night, I especially enjoyed recalling my younger years as I eavesdropped, errr, overheard the chit chats of my younger companions about life and all its intricacies, curiousities, fascination while some of them were taking turns in playing the guitar. They were up past midnight at the parasols steps away from the balcony of the bungalow we stayed in.  And I must mention that the starry, starry nights still appear in the province.

(Our own version of star and the moon at night; it was post-Christmas when we visited. I think that the combined water splashing, giggling and audio from the guitar were the unbeatable consolidated music in each of our two-night stay.)

In the morning, we always gathered to our group’s “main house” which is the loft cottage. I would join my elders at the narra (dining) table at 5:00 AM chatting about anything while sipping coffee. And not too long when everyone was awake, the teens were giddy about the activities for the day while the kids main goal was to “invade” again the pool which was steps away from our loft. One of the nice things about coming as a big group was the feeling of entitled exclusivity because as we approached one area, take the pool for example, it seemed like we were invading it. I know that was good and bad to a certain extent. Hence, the wake-up call is to always put ourselves in other’s shoes.

(While the sand was more powder-like in Panglao Island, the water was surprisingly cleaner in this particular part of Laiya than in Alona Beach in Bohol.)

The rural zone atmosphere. I liked really that the resort provides a rural living feel that after the excitement over beach sports, kayaking, snorkeling, jetskiing, (the timeless ) banana boat riding, and the like (and don’t forget that you can also hike Mount Daguldol, we didn’t try), there were areas to rest our tired feet and body. The rocking chairs were a favorite. The patio was festively decorated that time since it was post-Christmas and I assume that the chime-shells were being periodically placed there.

Free buffet breakfast and dinner. Everyday. One of the things that appealed to us when we were choosing the resort was it allows its guests to cook or at least bring food. Each accommodation type is equipped by cooking facilities/kitchenette. They also provided supply of purified water (there’s a water dispenser) everyday. Although the utensils were also covered, we brought our own rice cooker, plates and silverwares (or I should say disposable stuff to make the washing of the dishes easier). Although we knew that a complimentary breakfast is available, a free dinner was surprisingly covered, too.

Alright, free breakfast and dinner… and it was buffet. They served the silogs (sinangag or fried rice at itlog or fried egg combos), liempo and other dishes that for once I wanted to tell them that the package was really generous. Na hindi ba sila nalulugi? (Aren’t they shortchaged?) By the way, all the meals they served were delicious and fresh. There was that day I was really excited about the day’s dishes that I peeked in at the grilling area. Hahaha. Normally, seafoods were on. But my best eating discovery that time was the combination of kalamansi (Chinese orange) and tuyo (corned fish). A must try.

Cooking our own food. We prepared a menu for the entire duration of our stay and with the assumption that we would go to talipapa (market) early in the morning to buy the raw stuff. The kitchen personnel also offered to do the marketing for us. However, we liked the other option which is to buy the fresh hatch from the fishermen at the same beachfront at early morning.

Walking up became more exciting. Aside from experiencing the unbeatable radiance of Philippine’s sunrise, I got to do people watching in a more serene way and of things that reminded me of so many things like seeing (and buying) from the taho and bread vendors, with that unmatchable announcement-shouting of “tahooooo!”(soy/beancurd pudding) and “tinaaaaa-pooooooooy!” (instead of tinapay/bread).

The early patrons catch the bigger fishes. Together with my mother and aunts, we joined the other guests (even those from neighbour resorts) in checking the fresh hatch. To see and the touch the dancing fishes (which later on served as our lunch) were really a refreshing experience. The video that I took still amazes me.

(Somebody has taken a fish and did not pay for it. Heehee.)

It is always a delight to spend time with the people dear to us. The concept of togetherness and the family ties among Filipinos is so remarkable that it doesn’t matter where but how we are spending it. It’s a bonus to have been blessed to share another experience in another sand, soil and water — matched with a good (and don’t forget it was free) buffet meals. Simple joys are priceless.

Sabangan Beach Resort
Laiya, San Juan, Batangas
Landline: +63 2 9149640
Email: info@sabangan.com

(Click here for details on how to get there/driving directions)

I initially wanted to write this entry in a non-descriptive (of my personal life) manner and simply talk about the environmental awareness campaign for kids that we did catch last week. But when I realized that I would be using most of the photos she took, I had to be fair. Hence, we are introducing another “character” in this blog. Welcome, little J. In case it sounds difficult to figure out, maybe you did miss this Q & A entry.

Whether it is an influence from parents or not, little J had started to develop an interest in photography few years back. She was gifted a Disney digital camera after the recognition day and using that same plastic-really kiddie camera, she just kept on taking shots until it gave up. (Personally, I did not like the part that it required two AA batteries; I prefer a lithium.) Through baby steps,  she has progressed more than what was expected, but technically there was really no expectation but just to have fun. Until the pink Canon digital camera came to her life. It was a bonus (free promo item) to the portable printer we bought. “It’s free anyway and it’s pink, it’s for the kids.” She declared.

I took the above photo of camel made of plastic (that’s for the campaign of saving the camels by avoiding the use of plastic) and she was teasing when we finally loaded the shots to the computer. Her comparative photo is below:

“Look at your camel shots, they are lifeless! You have to shoot from the hips. You have to capture it in a way that it is rarely seen by many. ” There you go, I was challenged by a pupil. LOL. “Where did you learn that?”, I asked then I realized instantly where she was coming from. Apparently, she was also present in the basic photography workshop we attended early this year. I recall that day when I referred to the notebook given to the participants, it surprised me that she jotted down reminders about the depth of field, ISO, aperture, and more. And it seems that she remembered them by heart.

Maybe I am just being biased, but I also appreciate her choice of subjects.

And it amazes me in a way when the use of photo effects is kicking in aptly.  She used fisheye here. These were taken near the venue of Annual Environment Competition held by the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi. We visited the same day we checked the entries to the Emirates International Sand Sculpture Festival.

When she saw me watermarking the photos (which should have been marked as “little J” or something to that effect), she reminded me that she likes her photos with no post-processing done just like what she heard from the lecturer during the workshop. “I am just putting a watermark.” I am liking the foundation in her young mind.

(This is little J’s favorite. “Because the speedboat was running so fast and I was able to catch it.” LOL.

(But I liked this more.)

Reminded me of the show Are you smarter than a 5th grader? Although she is not in grade 5 yet.

BOHOL BEACH CLUB

Centuries ago, the island was branded as a lonesome place. No wonder that the Spaniards described it as “mapanglao” (lonely). While it retained its name, Panglao Island is now oozing with energy and celebrations that there is no way it is going to be gloomy again. With the mushrooming hotels and resorts, the commercialization is shaping abruptly. I hope it would be able to sustain its natural beauty.

(Benjamin Abalos, the former Chairman of Philippine Commission on Elections and Metro Manila Development Authority, as regaled by the romantic and refreshing breeze.)

Being first time visitors, we were advised to stay in Panglao Island instead of being in the sentro, Tagbilaran City. Since the latter is 30-minute drive to the beach and there is no regular commute (yes, transportation arrangement is the deal), we really intended to stay footsteps away from the beach. While the resorts share the same shoreline, Bohol Beach Club has the longest stretch which we got to appreciate when we attended the wedding reception of a friend.

~~~~~

LOST HORIZON HOTEL in Alona Beach

Taking the combined recommendations from non-blogger and blogger pals, we booked the family “room” (i.e. three rooms via two connecting doors — much preferred in our case) overlooking the pool in Lost Horizon Hotel. The establishment’s name stuck in my head even before the reason to visit Bohol materialized. I gave a high regard to almost anything Lost Horizon since I watched that very interesting black and white movie which has the same title (initially shown in 1937) in-flight. I think that it’s a genius production especially during that time when the idea of hidden paradise and “other world” was infant.

(Beach front of Lost Horizon Hotel)

As I recall our activities by looking at  our photographs, the more it became glaring that one place we call home at the end of day is very important. No wonder that no matter how tiring some tours seemed, the moment we set foot on the beach again, the day never failed to conclude with serenity and happiness.

(While breakfast was not included in the normal package, they concurred to daily breakfast arrangements.)

As one of the many hotels in Alona Beach, I can only speak of good things about Lost Horizon especially that we were genuinely treated extra special (e.g.  invited to their company Christmas party, adequately arranged the tours for us, and more) by the management. I don’t know if it was just the timing because we stayed with them pre-Christmas, but the staff were so good to us from day 1 of inquiry via emails to the day we had to go back to the airport.

(We had a supply of good music every night!)

(We took the chance to try the other food stalls and restaurants especially at night. The thought of seafood makes me mouthwatered as I write this. I also liked the reasonable prices.)

(I enjoyed the semi-commercialized and rural combination of way of live. Can you spot the balut vendor?)

It is within the cluster of Alona Beach which is currently tagged as mini-Boracay. Surprisingly, I liked Bohol better than Boracay just because it’s more serene to me. But if you’re in for more lively night life, you’ll prefer Boracay.

(One of the plenty of tourists dressed as Santa Claus and gave neatly wrapped gifts.)

Alona Beach is really full of character just like how it was named. Do you know Alona Alegre? I heard about her from my elders as one of the actresses who teamed up with the late Fernando Poe, Jr. We chatted with the locals and they claimed (I liked the part that they were consistent about the story and there was so much conviction in the delivery) that she once shoot a film by this beach, in her original birthday dress (i.e. nude). Therefore, the beach was named after her.

I can only imagine Panglao Island getting prettier as each day progresses. That’s me declaring to the Universe that I seriously want to revisit.