On Thursday’s, 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.
Stumbling upon an Alvin and the Chipmunks show.
Spectators
Alvin, Simon and Theodore
Bumblebee train
Gorgeous Urn
Watching this fella cycle under today’s 50 degree scorching Sun made me feel tired.
Buy your Chai and sandwich here 🙂
A gentlemanly parrot.
Pegasus in leaves
Vendors
Checking out a fitness center. I need to rebalance.
After a busy last week, I took things to the slow lane this week though I still took lots of photos of ‘this and that’ in the course of the week.
Kirst shows us the singing, ringing tree and I must say it’s spectacular. I’ve never seen anything like that before and would love to hear it. Lady Lee loads of ripples of thankfulness and smiles are delightful 🙂 Take a peek, please.
So, when are you inviting us over to your neighbourhood?
On Thursday’s, 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.
Half carrot and half dark chocolate cake for the birthday boys.
More cake
Cheesecake Factory. To be visited at your waistline’s detriment 😉
Slices of decadence beckoning to people 😉
It’s cold in here.
Frolic in the cold
I changed my mind last minute. I don’t fancy any broken bones.
A good place to grab some warm tea after the brrr cold.
We found Dory 🙂 Hope she doesn’t go missing again.
My daughter trouncing me at Air Hockey.
Okay! Time for serious business. I need to tame the fat 😉 Karate/Dojo ready
It was a busy last week for my household with two birthdays in the house. A good reason to celebrate, indulge and get a bit spoilt. We went to the Ski Dubai, though I’m still trying to figure out why we paid to go and get cold in a – 4 degrees indoor resort – I guess the blistering heat in this place makes it novelty 😉
A visit to the Cinema to find Dory and The Cheesecake Factory for the birthday celebrations was the icing on the cake so to speak.
Gosh, all the buttery, delicious popcorns and generous slices of decadent cake indulgence this Summer has convinced me to join the children in Karate/Dojo classes.
I hope I don’t kill the Dojo master this time around 😉
Kat took us on a journey to the National D.Day Memorial at Bedford and with respect to the solemn photos of those who sacrificed their lives in pursuit of the freedom that today’s generation enjoys, we must never let certain history repeat.
So, when do we get to visit your neighbourhood? Do invite us over.
Jacqueline
Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.
When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.
Jacqueline writes from her heart on passion, pain, suffering, loss and LIFE. I have been incredibly moved by her poetry and I know I will return to “Out of the Silent Breath” again and again.
If you enjoy my works and would like to do so, you can fuel my creativity with a slice of cake or coffee
On Thursday’s, 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.
A mock-up of the Croc aka The Vile One.
The photo does not depict the 750 KG of this huge fella.
Garden Eels
Part of my effort to balance Summer break with cheap fun stuff to do, academic exercises, cooking and so on is also to seek out occasional fun stuff that equally imparts some knowledge on the children, though they might cost a bit of money to achieve.
Our quest took us to the Underwater zoo located at The Dubai Mall. A worthwhile experience.
So, when do we get to visit you? Now, don’t be shy and invite us over
Jacqueline
Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.
When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.
Jacqueline writes from her heart on passion, pain, suffering, loss and LIFE. I have been incredibly moved by her poetry and I know I will return to “Out of the Silent Breath” again and again.
If you enjoy my works and would like to do so, you can fuel my creativity with a slice of cake or coffee
On Thursday’s, 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.
The sweltering heat and blinding Sun keeps one from venturing out much during the day right now, but the great thing is that Dubai’s lifestyle is a bit different in that the city really comes alive at nights till the wee hours of the morning when the weather is just a tad cooler.
There’s living to be done and being cooped up indoors inside air-conditioned facilities doesn’t cut it always. I took a walk around City walk with the children, took them to Hub Zero to play a bit and having an ice-cream to cool off certainly helps 😉
City walk houses lots of haute couture boutiques, a promenade, cinema, restaurants, indoor theme games and lots more. A lovely place with quiet spots where you can sit, enjoy the ambience and watch passersby.
On Thursday’s, 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.
Some participants trying out angles and what not.
Learning in comfort of barefoot 🙂
Workshop participants
We never stop learning
One of our delightful intructors
I got her 🙂
Little gallery
Sourcing art materials to keep the children gainfully employed
Teamwork to beat the machine
People
…and more people
This week has truly been a bit rough on my emotions, but work and attending a three-day digital photography workshop helped to take my mind a bit off things.
I am working at honing my photography skills and see where this road leads. It was a lot of fun that by the time I got home each day, I was numb enough not to think too much about all the ugly incidents going on all over the place.
I met some delightful people and interacted with one of the attendees, a beautiful Turkish lady. My heart felt so sad for her when her eyes brimmed over with tears as she talked about the bombing at ATATURK. She was scheduled to travel home to Turkey this week and her thoughts were filled with trepidation which was quite understandable.
On Thursday’s, 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.
Night Teddy
The ladies are in their boudoir applying henna and beautifying themselves 😉
Slippers, slippers
Robes
Of course there’s always food
A funky drink on dry, smoking ice
The kids get to play, of course at a cost. Nothing is free!
Chair massage en masse
Colourful vests
Sugar cane and cane juice
I nice Majlis sitting area for men who wait on their ladies to finish titivating themselves with henna.
Hand made dolls
Handcrafted bags
Night workers. If you check the time on the wall clock it’s almost midnight
I met the Dark Knight and he flapped his cape and flew away 🙂
On the street
People are milling about well past midnight
Sales still go on
The bus runs late into the night then the taxis take over
Do you want some tender care? 😉
This week, I bring you some bits of night life in my neighbourhood.
I don’t exaggerate when I tell you that this city is sleepless and as the weather heats up more and more, night business grows longer into the night and runs quite efficiently. The entire place glows with light therefore belies the true sense of the lateness.
I went to a Ramadan night market exhibition and up till 1 am, people were trooping in and out of the venue.
For a Middle Eastern city, it’s quite safe and people are comfortable to mill around that late.
On Thursday’s, 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.
Dhows, abras, a mix of many
A man weaving his fishing traps.
A tour boat
Laden with goods
More goods
Off loaded
Boats (Abras) and stuff
A view of old Dubai creekside and some Dhows
Sea gulls cruising the creek
Luxury boat ride
Dhow boat night cruise.
Al Ghurair
A part of Al Ghurair mall
Food can’t be openly consumed until after Iftar during Ramadan.
Some part of the mall
Kids play zone
Passage vendors
A Turkish tent where you can sit and chill if you so wish.
Look at that beauty. Even a novice can coax out good music from that grand piano.
Last weekend I wanted to try out some fish recipes and decided to visit the fish market in Old Dubai instead of purchasing from the regular grocery supermarket where I shop.
It was a good excuse to drag dear Himself – who loves his good food and my squad along. I used the opportunity to while away some time at the Creekside, admiring the dinghy Dhows (local boats) and did a spot of shopping at Al Ghurair Mall.
Shopping malls and shopping centres dot this landscape like the spots on a Leopards skin and each has its own unique features as well as temptations vying to fleece the funds out of your pocket that your resolve has to be Rhinoceros thick-skinned to admire the temptations and pass on without whipping out your credit card otherwise you’ll be up to your eyeballs in debt.
The creek is situated in the heart of Dubai, flowing between Bur Dubai and Deira and this is where trade with the outside world began for the emirate more than a century ago.
A giant port has grown in the Emirates, but the importance of the Creek has not diminished, since it remains vital for regional traders, and is a vibrant reminder of Dubai’s development into a commercial hub.
These days, some of these Dhows are used by tour operators for boat cruises and it’s also a great way of seeing the city.
It was interesting to watch the men who journey for days and at times weeks offload their goods. They virtually live on these boats. A good number were found lounging lazily on their swaying boats, playing, eating and just passing the time.
We sat in our armchairs and quickly travelled through our e-apertures to visit Penrhyn castle with Lady Lee, we experienced some great Sunrise at Pamela’s Canepa, stopping over at Brigid’s Rosses was such a wonderful delight. Louise took us to SGreenwood’s Sherwood forest to meet the ghosts of Robin Hood and those handsome Knights and I got hooked.
On Thursday’s, I share pictures about ‘Echos of my Neighbourhood.
I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple.
Every Thursday, share a photo of bits and pieces of wherever you are at any point in time. It could be a house, backgrounds of your neighbourhood, activities and so forth and you can tag it Echos of my Neighbourhood, add my link to your post so that I will get the ping from your post.
Every other Thursday, I will publish a post with the links of all those who participated the previous week.
This is just a fun way of getting to see more of the World around us through your eyes since we cannot all be at those places, we could, at least, see them through you.
I wonder how smooth these beauties drive.
Beautiful people
Dear Himself in a tete-a-tete.
A platter of this and that and good conversation washed down with date wine and Turkish coffee. Lovely evening 🙂
Milling around the food
Delicious 😉
Waiting and watching the children practice their Shotokan karate katas.
An enthusiastic sweet child 🙂
Watching the chef rustle up a meal on the go for me. Okay, I admit, I like food 🙂
Sizzling hot platter of pasta, shrimps, veggies, cheese and garlic bread. Yummy
Idling in traffic and watching the fountain change colour
Now the fountain is green
These are some bits and pieces of my past week, from taking children to Shotokan-karate classes, work, dinner blah, blah running helter-skelter, my wheel of life keeps rolling.
I absolutely love vintage and antique stuff. Unfortunately, I don’t have the pocket to afford them, but at least I can enjoy a good look at them, so it was a delight to run into this vintage cafe, where I can go and satisfy my eyes with eye-candy and take loads of photos 😉
I am happy that this week which has been so and so for me is coming to a close. My emotions hurtled from one end to the other all week, but a warm evening spent last night in the ambience of beautiful, intelligent friends does make one feel a lot better 🙂
We e-zoomed around various neighbourhoods on our laptops, pads, phones, and got a peek into what lovely folks are doing.
Giggles and tales: So much beauty of nature, people and fat gorgeous Cows and Geese. I like 🙂
Rosses of Donegal: absolutely gorgeous and dreamy views of Rosses area in County Donegal in North West Ireland.
Don’t horde the beauty of the life around you, just for yourself. Do share with us
Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.
When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.
She is amazing at describing love and life in her poems. She creates such beautiful images with her words. Truly, she is a talented writer and I’m so excited to have her poetry book and to continue reading through it.
On Thursday’s, I share pictures about ‘Echos of my Neighbourhood.
I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple.
Every Thursday, share a photo of bits and pieces of wherever you are at any point in time. It could be a house, backgrounds of your neighbourhood, activities and so forth and you can tag it Echos of my Neighbourhood, add my link to your post so that I will get the ping from your post.
Every other Thursday, I will publish a post with the links of all those who participated the previous week.
This is just a fun way of getting to see more of the World around us through your eyes since we cannot all be at those places, we could, at least, see them through you.
Blooming flames
More flames
Resting under the flames of the forest
Charging phone at the free bus-stop charging point.
Purchasing tickets
I want that trolley of coconuts, but I only bought two 🙂
I had no idea Kenny Rogers had a roastery. I thought he only played country music. Out of curiosity, I stepped in…no country music was played.
Walkabout Union train station.
The lady in the remarkable outfit caught my eye
Random photo through the train window
Mall of the Emirates station. People lie under the Palms to relax
Tourists chilling under the stations overpass.
Took a moment to chill at this nice post. They have good sandwich.
I saw Montreal..oh well the hotel at least.
A white blinged up Stallion but I see no Sir Galahad 🙂
I didn’t see the owner. Would have loved to know what he sells, but since it’s Ramadan fasting time so no open sales of food items.
I’ve seen the large and interesting vending machine doting the cityscape. You can practically make your grocery purchases from it.
It’s all good that the trees and plants are blooming at this time of the year. The flame of the forest’s orange blooms are vibrant and offers people a colourful cool spot to take cover from the Sun that’s literally baking hot.
During the weekend’s, I always find a couple of hours when I disengage from family affairs and take that time to meander a bit about town and just be by myself.
All the photos in this series were taken last week Saturday. I traipsed or rather, took the bus, train and taxi to different parts of town and most weekends, tourists flood the city in droves.
We e-zoomed around various neighbourhoods on our laptops, pads, phones, and got a peek into what lovely folks are doing.
Like Mercury Colliding: Receiving natures serendipitous gift on your birthday can be such a delightful blessing. Kat makes me want to grow some Magnolia’s.
Jazzy Tower: Beautiful moments in life captured with a great sense of satisfaction.
Don’t horde the beauty of the life around you, just for yourself. Do share with us
Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.
When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.
She is amazing at describing love and life in her poems. She creates such beautiful images with her words. Truly, she is a talented writer and I’m so excited to have her poetry book and to continue reading through it.
On Thursday’s, I share pictures about ‘Echos of my Neighbourhood.
I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple.
Every Thursday, share a photo of bits and pieces of wherever you are at any point in time. It could be a house, backgrounds of your neighbourhood, activities and so forth and you can tag it Echos of my Neighbourhood, add my link to your post so that I will get the ping from your post.
Every other Thursday, I will publish a post with the links of all those who participated the previous week.
This is just a fun way of getting to see more of the World around us through your eyes since we cannot all be at those places, we could, at least, see them through you.
The Dates are ripening in sweet heaps and are being harvested with the bags tied under them.
A cast boot at Arabian ranches
Cute 🙂
Want some traditional coffee?
The pool looks inviting in this blistering sun.
I have no idea what it is.
Looks like a nice place to sit.
People watching
A little friend visits the office
Shopping for my girl.
Along Sheikh Zayed
The fountain is pale blue water.
This interesting statue contains all the World’s flags
Empty bobbing boat
Random building
Dates, dates everywhere! It’s the date season and the palms are burgeoning with fruits. A lot are bearing little bags that are tied under to harvest them for eating and producing various types of sweet stuff.
I’ll probably try my hand doing some date juice and see how it turns out.
The random photos were taken during the course of the week of perambulating to and fro office and about town.
From armchairs, we got to meander about and see what other folks are up to in their neighbourhoods. Let’s see some of yours 🙂
Following Seas, Luanne’s photos are so serene and lovely. Take a look. Thank you Luanne for sharing with us 🙂
Saba online: Some of these photos have mysterious quality like the cover page of a thriller. Saba thank you for joining echoes 🙂
Like Mercury Colliding: Kat always has fascinating stuff to show us. Now, these are truly interesting neighbourly trees with lots of character. Take a peek. You might find a storyline in there.
a cooking pot and twisted tales 