Category: Travel

Echos Of My Neighbourhood

Hibernating in the malls – Echoes of my neighbourhood

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Our Summer days over here are not filled with barbecues and frolicking at the pool side. It’s steaming hot, that staying outside for longer than is required is asking for heat stroke. If the idea of leaving your side of ribs on the sidewalk to sizzle and grill appeals to you, then by all means indulge and yes it’s possible, I’ve eaten sand-baked lamb and the gentle roast is flavourful.

So, these days with children on vacation and going cabin crazy, most malls are flooded with folks and families seeking momentary respite while we wait with bated breath for the cooler months of Autumn and Winter for our days by the poolside and other wonderful indulgences. For now, we turn into night bats and recreate as the weather permits.

Echos Of My Neighbourhood

Echoes of Sacraments, Iftar, This and That

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In recent weeks echoes around my neighbourhood have been on the calm and reflective sided.

From my children receiving their Sacraments of Holy Communion and Confirmation, to The Ramadan season, it’s been a time of spiritual inflections. It has been a time of expressions of love, kindness, and generosity that cuts across boundaries of faith or ethnicity. I see people of all works of life come together in ways that make my heart full and appreciative of humanity.

Interestingly, my personal life hasn’t gotten any slower though the tempo around the region is slower and the blazing heat is intense.

 

Echos Of My Neighbourhood

Etihad – Echoes of My Neighbourhood

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Roughly translated, Etihad means ‘together, join into one,’ and that’s what the UAE is all about. The United Arab Emirates is made up of 7 Emirates that came to become one Federation, yet each Emirate is autonomous.

The enormous, extraordinary development this region has experienced can only be better appreciated when you see the stark, arid, unforgiving surroundings that it was carved out of.

My foray last week took me to Etihad museum. The museum is located on the same historical site of the Union House, which is where the constitution of the UAE was signed in 1971 to establish its independence.

Etihad is equipped with a library, an education centre, exhibition halls, restaurant/cafe. It offers a series of interactive pavilions, photos, films and more, where visitors can explore the UAE’s history with particular emphasis on the significant period between 1968 and 1974 – through photos, films and more.

It’s always my wish to develop better understanding and appreciation of where ever I am, which is why I haunt museums. Doing so gives one a glimpse into the history and heritage of their surrounding and allows you to see the place through different eyes.

Beautiful photos of fresh snow from Lady Lee’s neighbourhood.

On another hand, after much deliberation, Echoes of my neighbourhood will be evolving a bit. It has run consistently every week for well over a year and I am honestly surprised that I kept up with it. Sometimes, we don’t know how far we can go unless we start.

Going forward, it will evolve into a monthly feature on this blog and no longer weekly. The last Thursday of each month will offer a collage of photographs and post for Echoes. I am in the process of aligning my projects and other interests to create better balance.

You are most welcome to join Echoes of my neighbourhood – last Thursday’s of the month.

 

Echos Of My Neighbourhood

Camel Craziness: Al Marmoom Heritage – Echoes of My Neighbourhood

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I’ve not seen such number of Camels gathered in one place all my life. Certain things are better witnessed to appreciate them and the Dromedary (Arabian) Camel racing at the just concluded Al Marmoom Heritage Festival is one of those things.

The Festival celebrates a most valued beast of burden (in these parts) with more than a week of thrilling camel races and cultural exhibitions.

We managed to attend on one of the days and the excitement of spectators was simply contagious. Nothing prepared me for the prospect of seeing fleets and fleets of gangly dromedaries in full flight carrying their robotic jockeys on their humps while their robot handlers/trainers raced along beside them in their 4 x 4 SUV’s.

The camels’ hail from all across the Middle East. They are the stars of the show and they compete in various heats during the day, over a 12-day period. Believe me, it’s an exhilarating one-of-a-kind camel-crazy jamboree!

I even got a generous offer of 50 camels as dowry for my old hands from an interesting fellow with tobacco stained teeth. Quite an experience 😉

Have you visited charming Bamberg? Lady Lee sure knows how to take a trip. You can take a vicarious trip online with her 🙂

I would like to offer the free use of any of my photographs that interest you.

Should at any time you wish to use my images, please feel free to give me a nudge and I’ll email it to you free from any image credit attributions. 

Echos Of My Neighbourhood

Awesome Talents Abound – Echoes of my neighbourhood

jacquelineobyikocha14 Comments

To be an artist is to believe in life – Henry Moore

The just concluded World Art Exhibition in Dubai was sublime. My eyes fed on the creativity of talented artists from different parts of the world with such greed and pleasure that I went away sated and feeling fuller than one who had gorged on a 5-course meal continental buffet.

The huge display of artwork that ranged from the simple to magnificent pieces evoked all possible emotions that you can think of except anger. I tittered in laughter, I sighed, I gaped, I felt wistful, happy, melancholic, inspired…. Some pieces were simple to understand, some frightened you with their darkness, but the greatest feeling that I had was to take all of them home with me.

Unfortunately, at this present time, my heart is willing but my pocket is lean. The prices of some of these pieces could keep yours truly fed fat for a year. The wonderful thing about exhibitions is that for the token fee charged at the entrance you get to enjoy the lovely ambiance and window shop for free 😉

Here are some of the photos taken out of over 600 shots that need to be curated and enjoyed.

Take a peek. Lady Lee inspires me with her photos. I’ve got an idea for this weekend.

I would like to offer the free use of any of my photographs that interest you.

Should at any time you wish to use my images, please feel free to give me a nudge and I’ll email it to you free from any image credit attributions. 

Dubai · Echos Of My Neighbourhood

Let’s Go Around The World In One Day – Echoes of my neighbourhood

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If only it’s possible to go around the world in one day, yours truly would be the first to hop on that ride. Anyhow, we can simulate it by visiting the Global Village in Dubailand.

The Global Village Dubailand Dubai is a one of it’s kind in the region. It’s the world’s largest leisure, tourism, and entertainment project and receives well over 5 million visitors in a period of 150+ days. Due to the extremely hot weather in the Middle East, it operates only from November to April when the temperature is humane.

So far, the village houses 30 pavilions representing more than 75 countries in the World, from Africa to North America. The fact is that one can’t adequately cover every part of this theme village in a day. It measures 17,200,000 sq ft  / 1,600,000 m2  and there’s so much to see, with cultural shows, concerts, pavilion shows, sales and all manners of entertainment happening at every corner and the huge crowd on all sides.

I managed to catch the close of the village for the year which was last weekend, on the 8th of April. It was worth the visit though I couldn’t cover it all and I went home with sore but happy feet 😉

Lady Lee’s Thursday special is pure eye candy. Do take a peek.

Join me for a wee while as I speedily take you along.

 

 

Echos Of My Neighbourhood

A Promenade, A little Show and Some Fake Snow…Echoes of My Neighbourhood

jacquelineobyikocha8 Comments
  • I thought that I would have a quieter week this week with the children being on a mini-vacation from school. I lied!

There were lots of pending activities to fit into our busy days – church matters and meetings, school projects, getting my daughters hair fixed (a major project) etc, etc.

Phew! I didn’t know when we hit Thursday but we did manage to squeeze in fun along the way. That’s what living is, isn’t it? Balancing all the nuts on your fire 🙂

City walk Dubai is a beautiful location to visit anytime. There’s so much that aesthetically pleases the eyes’ and there are loads of people to watch. I took lots of photos that I don’t even know which one’s to use.

Lady Lee shares some leche flan with us. Do you know how to make one?

Echos Of My Neighbourhood

City Bits in Monochrome – Echoes of My Neighbourhood

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It’s been a calm week with the children at home for a short break and oh boy, am I enjoying the slower pace of things. My photo taking has been as random as ever with no particular focus in mind and I’ve been playing with taking photos in monochrome.

Lady Lee serves us mouthwatering dishes from The Philippines.  Do take a peek.

 

Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, Twin Towers, Monochrome

Sheikh Zayed Road

 

Dubai · Echos Of My Neighbourhood · Travel

Spicing It Up…Echoes of My Neighbourhood

jacquelineobyikocha19 Comments

If you ever visit my neck of the woods, a visit to ‘The Spice Souk is imperative.

I visited the souk to replenish my small collection of spices, herbs and teas. Leaving sticks of cinnamon, vanilla, some aromatic herbs and essence in little corners around the house, simply creates a fresh, lovely fragrance for the house.

Inhale deeply when you step into the narrow alleyways of the Spice Souk which is located in Deira.

Savour the lively ambience and the eclectic aromas of the old World as you are introduced to mounds and mounds of aromatic herbs and spices spilling from large baskets at every turn.

Bags of spices, incense, frankincense, dry hibiscus, sunflower seeds, rose petals, traditional medicinal products and so much more are stacked outside each stall with the stall owners beckoning you from all angles to come in to patronise them.

They will promise you the best quality of spice, herbs et cetera, and if you’re looking to buy, bargaining is quite the norm in the souks.

Always ask for the best price, particularly when paying cash, which is the most common way to pay and do enjoy the haggling 😉

Every part of the world holds its delightful charms and lady Lee introduces us to Batanes. A superb adventure going by her delightful photos.

Travel itch has attacked my feet 😉

 

Echos Of My Neighbourhood

The Dancing Fountain and Echoes of A Celebration

jacquelineobyikocha14 Comments

Someone please grab the tail of time and tie it to the end of a strong tree.

Phew! It’s a week already. Immersed between a lot of this and that and reading for an exam that’s taking place today – maybe I will be in the exam hall sweating my French as you read this – this echo will be sweet and brief.

Nonetheless, in the speed of time, I still found time to celebrate my birthday at my favourite Italian place. I had a craving for yummy pasta and the children wanted pizza. Their Ravioli Al Porcini, Capricciosa and Valtellinese pizza are just so fresh and delicious.

It’s a good thing we ate after the jumping and not before ‘cos I was just stuffed.

I took a short video of the beautiful burst of colours of the water display 🙂