Category: Echos Of My Neighbourhood

Echos Of My Neighbourhood

Sail With Me – Echoes of My Neighbourhood

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My Muse chose to take me to the harbour for a quiet time on Saturday morning. With my laptop, notepad and camera, I tapped away, sipping my warm latte and enjoying the gentle breeze from the Gulf.

I am working on a story that involves a harbour scene and I needed to revitalize my mind. Thankfully, there are several harbours around here and if you want a bit of calm, it’s best to go a bit early in the day before everybody troops in.

It’s a lovely place to spend a couple of hours and there’s something about the gentle sea breeze that kindled my imagination made my words flow faster.

Pamela takes us on a scenic walk in her neighbourhood before Hurricane Matthew and I think I’m going to hold Lady Lee responsible for planting hungry ideas in my head with her sumptuous looking pot of curry. 

On Thursdays, I share pictures about ‘Echos of my Neighbourhood.

I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.

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Echos Of My Neighbourhood

Random Snaps of My Neighbourhood.

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On Thursdays, I share pictures about ‘Echos of my Neighbourhood.

I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.

It’s been a breezy busy week filled with this and that, that I found myself taking most of my photos either early in the morning or in the evening after the day’s runaround.

Here are several snips and snaps of my neighbourhood caught within the week.

Lady Lee offers you something to smile about.

 

 

Echos Of My Neighbourhood

Riding at the front of the Train – Echoes of my neighbourhood.

jacquelineobyikocha27 Comments

On Thursdays, I share pictures about ‘Echos of my Neighbourhood.

I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.

My week has been a bit downcast, but I still tried to pep it up by doing something that I enjoy (walkabouts) to take my mind off things.

Over the weekend I stole time to take a 2 hours train ride from one end of town to the other and was privileged to ride right at the front coach – the opportunity is always scarce with many people queueing to inherit any vantage space.

I honestly don’t know what it is about trains that make me feel as happy as a little child, but  it’s certainly a refreshing way to view the city. It was also interesting to talk to absolute strangers and gain some inspiration.

So, what have you been up to recently? Lady Lee takes us to fun-filled Oktoberfest in Munich. Join the fun 🙂

Jacqueline

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Dubai · Echos Of My Neighbourhood

The View From 33rd Floor – Echoes of my neighbourhood.

jacquelineobyikocha11 Comments

On Thursdays, I share pictures about ‘Echos of my Neighbourhood.

I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.

These photos were taken on Monday from the 33rd floor of the office where I attended a meeting. The view is fantastic and I spent the time clicking on my camera while waiting for my hostess to come. It also gave me time to unwind from my annoying encounter with a dodgy taxi driver.

Lady Lee sends you some delicious platters from the Philippines, some homegrown grapes and fresh apples.  I honestly envy people who have grounds to plant their own fruits and vegetables.

Roos walkabouts’ are certainly rewarding with those delicious looking pumpkins, I smell Halloween 🙂

So, how’s your neighbourhood doing right now?

Jacqueline

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Echos Of My Neighbourhood

To Market, To Market – Echoes of my neighbourhood.

jacquelineobyikocha23 Comments

On Thursdays, I share pictures about ‘Echos of my Neighbourhood.

I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.

My title makes me hum the nursery rhyme: To market, to market to buy a fat pig – in this case a fat fish 🙂 This week has been slow due to the Eid holiday over here, so I took the opportunity to go bulk shopping for certain food stuff.

The drive to the Fish market is about 40 minutes drive from my house, but it’s worth the effort. I buy fresh stuff, clean them and keep in smaller Ziploc packs to use as the need arises.

Don’t buy from the very first stall you step into. Traipse around a bit from one stall to the other and haggle over the prices for the best bargain. You can also pay a little change to the jobbers to clean the shrimps et al for you if time is a constraint.

This saves a whole lot of time for me as a family woman – I don’t have to go dashing to the stores every five seconds to buy one thing or the other. Also, it helps my menu planning.

Lady Lee’s photos and her family Tortoise will put a smile on any face.

Have a great weekend ahead.

Jacqueline

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Dubai · Echos Of My Neighbourhood

Cityscape Dubai – Echoes Of My Neighbourhood.

jacquelineobyikocha19 Comments

On Thursdays, I share pictures about ‘Echos of my Neighbourhood.

I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.

Cityscape Dubai is the largest and most influential real estate exhibition in the Middle East/Gulf region. This years’ exhibition concludes today, 8th September and over 300 companies from the UAE and abroad showcased their ambitious and beautiful building projects.

It’s a key event during which developers, architects, investors, real estate professionals, city building authorities and interested citizens gather in one place. Investors get to buy properties off plan or almost completed and resell or rent to turn a good profit.

I have always believed in property investment, but I am not yet fortunate enough to afford the steep cost of investing in property over here. Who knows, maybe when I sign that bestseller of mine, then I may just be rolling in enough wad to invest, but hey, it doesn’t hurt to look and know what’s available out here.

What I marvel at is the precision and beauty of the architectural designs on display. There was so much to look at that I could barely get around in my hours of attending the exhibition.

Lady Lee takes us briefly to India through her doors 🙂

I love seeing where people are visiting or staying and would be glad to see your neighbourhood.

Have a good weekend ahead. Just a day to go 😉

Jacqueline

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Echos Of My Neighbourhood

Tea At TWG – Echoes of my Neighbourhood.

jacquelineobyikocha19 Comments

On Thursdays, I share pictures about ‘Echos of my Neighbourhood.

I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.

In search of the health benefits of more antioxidants, I decided to make a conscious effort to reduce my coffee intake and replace it with tea, so I went tea tasting the way a wine connoisseur would go wine tasting 😉

We all know the benefits of tea but it’s worth recapping them briefly:

  • Tea is a superfood whether black, green, white, Oolong and other types.
  • It’s rich in polyphenol antioxidants that detoxify all damaging free radicals in the body.
  • Helps to lower LDL cholesterol.
  • Reduces the risk of heart diseases and possibly helps to prevent various Cancers and Alzheimer’s.
  • Contains disease-fighting flavonoids.
  • Soothes stress by reducing the stress hormone, Cortisol.

I visited TWG, a Tea house in this area that has a plethora of different types of tea from all corners of the World and I must tell you that I sampled some cups of tea that were so smooth they didn’t require cream or sugar. Of course, I made some purchase of several interesting flavours and you are welcome to join me for a cuppa. To our health 🙂

Let’s zoom to Munich through our e-portal on a quick trip with Lady Lee. Absolutely gorgeous photos 🙂

So what’s your neighbourhood and week been like? Feel free to share with us.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

P.S. Any place that I feature on my series of Echoes of my neighbourhood is my singular choice. I don’t receive any form of incentive to give my opinion or to promote the establishment.

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Echos Of My Neighbourhood

KHDA – The sublime working environment – Echoes Of My Neighbourhood.

jacquelineobyikocha7 Comments

On Thursdays, I share pictures about ‘Echos of my Neighbourhood.

I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.

On Monday I had cause to visit the office of The KHDA – Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dubai and I will use the adjective ‘sublime’ to describe my experience.

In all my working years and having ventured around a bit, in recent times I will adjudge this place as one of the best office environments that I’ve been in. The open plan office is cheerful and welcoming. Polite, friendly and efficient staff attend to you as briskly as possible. Everyone sits in an open area in one corner or the other. No closed cubicle offices that assign importance to anyone.

Birds flitted about and tweeted all over the place, visitors could play a tune on the grand piano and admire the resident Parrot. Free coffee, juice, fruits, tea and different flavours of ice-cream were on offer at the in-house cafe which is manned by smart baristas’ who quickly attended to your request.

Needless to say, I went away feeling calm, happy and refreshed and I plan to have a reason for a repeat visit sometime soon 🙂

Kirstwrites takes us to Liverpool and her photos remind me of an awesome, previous visit to the charming city. We’ll join Roo for a walkabout and have a chat with the neighbours. Our last pit-stop is at Lady Lee’s as she introduces us to the healthy Hindustan Organic Garden.

Please do take a peek and share some of your echoes with us if you please.

Jacqueline

P.S. Our monthly Meet and Greet/Blog Party comes up this weekend Sat 27th/Sun 28th August. Hope to see you there.

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Echos Of My Neighbourhood

Visit to RAK – Ras Al Khaimah – Echoes of my neighbourhood.

jacquelineobyikocha17 Comments

On Thursdays, I share pictures about ‘Echos of my Neighbourhood.

I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.

 

During the course of last week, I ventured further than my immediate neighbourhood – Dubai to another Emirate, Ras Al Khaimah (which means the top of the tent in Arabic) for a couple of days with my family.

RAK is one of the seven emirates that comprises the UAE and on a steady, leisure drive, it took us two and a half hours to get there, though I hear some can drive there at the break-neck speed of an hour. RAK is pretty and quaint with the rugged Hagar mountains, desert, healthy hot springs, the Arabian Gulf and oasis that surrounds it. Their lifestyle is also not as fast paced or as diverse as Dubai.

Below are just some of the photos I took. Will possibly share more another day.

Lady Lee takes us to India for her son’s wedding. Beautiful, vibrant, and auspicious ceremony; do take a peek 🙂

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Dubai · Echos Of My Neighbourhood

Circus at Mercato Mall – Echoes of my neighbourhood

jacquelineobyikocha20 Comments

On Thursdays, I share pictures about ‘Echos of my Neighbourhood.

I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.

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It’s Dubai Summer Surprise (DSS) time and there are little pockets of delightful free shows going on at different locations of the town.

It’s been an entertaining respite to enjoy stumbling on the freebies here and there without parting with my cash.  😉

Watching the twist and contortions of some of these artists was painfully satisfying. I wonder how they do it?

The photos above were taken at Mercato Mall. A pretty mall with lovely ambience and eye-popping beckoning displays that can put a nice dent on your card. I oh and ah over them as I admire the items and move on. I can be a cheapskate a lot of times and that’s just fine with me 😉

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

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