3 Reasons Why I Should Not Be Your Tour Guide

1. I don’t have a sense of direction.

I easily get lost. All I know is my way from home to office and vice versa–by bus. I’m not really familiar with the outskirts of Dubai. I can only tour you within the places near the Metro Station. But the Metro is stretched along Sheikh Zayed Road (SZR) for 52km, so I guess, its not that bad. If you don’t mind getting lost, then, hop in!

2. I don’t do tourist-y stuff.

I haven’t been to tourist-y places. I don’t know how much it costs nor how long it takes to get there. But I do know the easiest way to get anywhere in Dubai: Taxi. So if money is not an issue, well, you know, I can tour you around. Plus, we can always google things.

3. I don’t know how to haggle.

I’m not really good at this. If you need some souvenirs, well, I don’t know where to get one. And don’t expect me to haggle the price low for you because I’m not really good at rejections. Haha!

These are the struggles we faced the first time my former officemates visit Dubai. They were in the wrong hands because I am also still new in the city and never had a chance yet to roam around. But they were up for the adventure so we still go around the city and explore.

Their first visit happened last September 2017 then they went back on December 2017. Yes, this post has been sitting in draft for ages.

I missed these peeps so much that I was so excited when I first heard that they are coming over. It feels like someone from home will visit. They are literally a family to me!

Since they were here for business trip, we can only sneak in during weekends. It works for me because I have work, too, on weekdays. I met them at Dubai Mall and we just roam around the mall to start. They are not first timers in Dubai. Imee and Elsa has been previously sent to Dubai already so they’re pretty much familiar of the place (a.k.a., they won’t be thrilled by Dubai Aquarium and Fountain any more, too bad. LOL!).

First meet up since I left PH

The-must-see-Burj-Khalifa

The Village, Dubai Mall

The Village, Dubai Mall

Siyempre dapat may selfie sa Burj

Pasalubong from Yel, so thrilled to received such familiar kutkutins!

Stars right above Dubai Mall Aquarium

Dubai Aquarium. Siyempre sa labas lang.

Though I already heard the news that Momi Els cut her hair short and they call her Jake Zyrus, it is still a shock to me when I first saw her. She used to have a long hair and they used to go together during weekend to have it rebonded. But she’s still that very pretty Momi we always have.

OFW Feels pero WFH (Work From Hotel), haha

IBN Battuta before Safari

IBN Battuta. So in love with patterns and ceilings!

Souvenir na napakamahal

Andito ba si Genie? Can I make a wish?

Preparing to set

On our way to the Dune Bashing area

Lahat yan sabay-sabay nag-Dune Bashing

Before Dune Bashing

Diyan kami dumaan at nag somersault by 4×4

Camel visit

First time to see camel face to face!

They’re chained, somehow. 😦

Teka, putol yung camel

Sakay ka Mami G?

Daming photobomber

Before the program starts

People Sand Boarding

LOVE dapat and peg nila, kaso, ewan. haha

Mahangin sa labas

Preparing for the feast, arabic style

Hey there, sun!

Stunning sunset

More sand

Mahirap pala maglakad sa sand

🙂

Busog na pero pagod

So we went to IBN Battuta after breakfast then head to Abu Dhabi to experience Dune Bashing. It is also my first time to experience this stuff along with them. We are all exhausted after that and went straight to the hotel to rest.

Henna Tat from Sand Dune Experience

Always having fun with them

Dubai Marina Walk

After riding the Dubai Water Bus

Port at Dubai Marina Walk

Tall buildings

Yeeeeeeeeeehaaaa!

Yacht for sale. Charot.

Just another tourist-y shot

Cool food stand

Foods sa condo. Este, hotel

I think pumunta kami sa Gold Souq after that pero hindi ko na maalala. Tapos kinabukasan, hinatid ko na sila sa airport. 😦

But then again, they came back on December! Haha! This time, I’m already armed with places to go and the outskirts of Dubai. I already have suggested places to visit. I’ve done my research.

********

Fast forward 2019, hindi ko na alam kung anong nangyari after their second visit. We sure had a good time! Haha! I’m posting this anyway. When I visited PH last year, I wasn’t able to see them because sobrang limited yung time. So I hope, next year, makita ko na ulit sila. Haha!

Sunset at The Beach JBR

Usual weekend: playing cards, movies, and excessive eating

To add some color to our usual weekend, Lai and I decided to go to the beach and see the sunset. The most accessible beach in our area is in JBR where we do not need any taxi nor hop in another bus but just the metro.

Just in time for the sunset.

If you are in Dubai, you can go down at DAMAC Properties Metro Station (36), then transfer to Dubai Marina Tram Station and go down at Jumeirah Beach Resort 02.

Photo grabbed at discover-dubai.ae

As of today’s writing, it costs us 7.50 AED for the train ride from our place to JBR. The Beach is open at 10AM and requires NO entrance fee but using some amenities (like shower) needs payment. You are free to swim only up to sunset but the beach is up until 11PM on weekdays (Sun-Wed) and 1AM on weekends (Thu-Sat). Not sure if they will allow you to roam around after such time.

An hour before the sunset

Lai

Before the dip

Hirap umanggulong payat! (Captured and edited by Lai)

Under construction Ferris Wheel

Edited by Lai

Such a stunning view of a random father and son under the sunset

We had a good 30 minute swim after some photo ops. They won’t allow you to swim after sunset. With all the sand in your feet and who-knows-where after swimming, finding a shower is a challenge. Didn’t know that we have to pay for shower facility usage. Walking around the park in swimsuit top with an overgrown belly is not really comfortable. We paid 5AED each for a limited use of shower, just enough to wash away the sand in our body. We opt to properly clean ourselves at home.

After cleaning up, we ate roasted chicken and kubos we brought from home. Yep, we brought our own food because the price in The Beach is usually expensive. We ain’t no tourist plus the fact the we we’re Ilocanos love packed lunch. Haha!

Roasted Chicken with Kubos. Pretty much the closest photo I can find on the net. Kubos is the flat bread. Wrap the chicken, raw veggies, and fries inside then dip it in the hummus. (Photo grabbed from webstagram.pro).

A few more snaps on our way back to the Tram and off we go! In this place, there are a lot of “instagrammable” stuff. You’ll enjoy not just the beach but the resort as well. Definitely, we will go back and experience the rest of it in full daylight. Better to put that comfortable shoes on because we will walk A LOT! That’s what I like about Dubai, there are beautiful facilities that your eyes can feast on and enjoy with your friends with NO charge at all.

On our way back.

This shot, oh, so stunning!

Pwede pamukol sa nakakainis na tao. Char!

Flower buds. Pwede to pang-background sa quotes, noh?

Another stunning lamp shot.

PS: Most of the photos were shot by Lai. We opt to use her phone for convenience. Also, I don’t have the leisure to edit the photos except for Vivid Filter pre-set in photo editor.

Unwind

It was different. This place.
Far from the busy street and crowded place.
Far from white painted walls and cozy chilled bed.

Here, it was serene.
Up close birds,
Fountains and lake,
would like to dip my toes.
Greeneries everywhere.
Plants and flowers of many kind.

Trees standing tall and proud.
Rocks carefully crafted, adding to its scenic effect.
Birds chirping around.
Trees with overlapping leaves.
Cold, soft wind.

Ahh..a cozy chair and a book would be nice.
The calmness of the place soothes my weary soul.
This is really something worth traveling to.
Worth leaving the comfort of my pillows.

It even get me to write.
And appreciate the beauty of stillness and calm.
Coffee, let me get mine.
A book in hand and thoughts around.
Let’s get lost in the time.

Dubai Media City, Dubai, UAE

Happy Hormone For A Not So Happy Heart

I lied when I said it’s nothing.

That all the mockery and accusations are not getting into my skin.

It is creeping, slowly, sticking into my sagging skin and biting every bone, making itself home.

I don’t know if the people around me, which I consider friends are still my friends

When they are all laughing behind my back

I don’t know if it is safe to tell them what I feel or what I know

I don’t really know if I can thrust fall in the crowd

I hear their voices mocking

Their stare–scanning

Looking for something to laugh at

Something to talk behind my back

You have a leader bully

And you guys happen to be in the flock

I share smiles with you

Share my life with you

But knowing how you cooperate with the leader bully

Causes me to step back

And consider who among the flock are my confidant

I see the contempt behind the smile

It hurts to know that no one from the flock stand against the leader bully

How can someone do so?

Who am I to stand up against?

I guess no one among you are my confidant

Eleonor Roosevelt said,

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

I guess I am allowing the leader bully to make me feel inferior

So bad

That it is now creeping in my skin

In my thoughts

In my writing

And now in the way I treat the flock

I lied when I say it’s nothing

I hope someone among you will stand for me

At least I’ll know that you are genuine and true

As I am to you

I Think I Was Just Envious Of The Lovebirds

I am sitting here

Under the setting sun

Beside the chirping love birds

Or the lover and the apple of his eye

Thinking of how to escape this agonizing emotion

A mixture of contentment and discontentment

Misplacement and satisfaction

Loneliness and freedom

Loved and abandoned

Needing to stay and wanting to get away

Again

Repeat until fade

Hide And Seek

The sun is playing hide and seek with the moon.

But they never get to find each other.

Like how I never get to find the reason of why I loved you.

You played hide and seek too well.

Fallen Out

The leaves have fallen out from the tree and fell in love with the ground.

All to be left dried and broken.

And there’s no turning back because they have given their heart and all since they turned away from the tree.

Love You Back

I can live this life on my own, or so I thought.

I cannot even breathe without you.

Your love is higher than this tower

Deeper than the ocean

Wider than the sky

How can I not love you back?

I Wish

I wish I can tell you I love you the way you passionately show yours everyday.

If you cut my heart in half, I wish it is beating for you, my love.

I have an affair with each and every thing my heart has created but you love me the same.

No. You love me more than I deserve to be loved.

You paint the sky with blue and white. You make fountains that cry and dance.

You deserve more than me and my cheating heart.