My echoes of the week have been between slow running through life and fast sprinting to catch up with time trying to keep the loose ends tied up.
A better part of my week has been spent at Alliance Francaise, Dubai. I have a French Translation proficiency test for a program that I am considering and my French is getting a bit rusty from insufficient use;
donc j’ai decidé d’aller à l’Alliance pour quelques jours pour faire un peu d’immersion (therefore, I decided to go to Alliance for a couple of days for intensive catch up).
I am partial to things French and since I can’t go to France right now, let me enjoy the ambiance of little French around me.
Back to class. What are you up to?
Bon journée
Gazing at the books and wishing the words would fly into my head and make the process short.
Salle de discussion
An interesting re-purposed wooden reel used as a table
Other adult students like me
Reading in the Beanie
Savouring a piece of ham and turkey quiche with salad.
This week zoomed past before I could say hey presto. Phew! I’m trying to exhale and catch up with lots of things.
We’ve had unprecedented drippy weather that I anticipate the heat will heat us soon with disgusting enthusiasm and my week has been a mish-mash of this n that.
From going to view the display of city lights for the festival of lights in Sharjah, to attending a jet-ski race on Dubai marina – those machines are powerful and the riders have gumption – sometimes life seems to be hurtling along on a speed train.
Have you seen the movie John Wick Chapter 2? I went to watch it over the weekend and it was a blast. I wrote a little review on it in Niume. Have you joined yet?
Do share your neighbourhood with us. To join the fun, check this link.
It’s a beautiful new month, let’s make the best of it.
Illuminated Mosque changing lights and interesting patterns
Families are out till late enjoying the ambiance of excitement
A view taken from the top
Jet ski competition
More competitors
Fascinating. The pots, kettles, pans and what not are used as decorative pieces with the bulb holders
One fervent thought that is crystal clear in my mind is to enjoy where ever I am at each point in time. To be at peace with myself and my environment.
Sometimes people ask me ‘how do you cope with living in a predominantly Muslim society,‘ and I smile in response with a simple statement ‘I’m loving it.’
The differences in culture and society are certainly there but the real truth is that this place is a potpourri of nationalities and there’s so much to learn from being around others.
My message here is that wherever you find yourself – even if it’s in your good old hometown, live with open eyes’ embrace each day with positive energy.
My weekly meanderings took me to the central souk in Sharjah. I always try to find a new location within a day’s travel at most from me to visit and I enjoy a leisurely train/bus ride to the place. Sometimes, I drive myself as well but most times, I just enjoy the process of the journey – that’s the fun part.
Lady Lee shares her weekly smile with us. Do take a make and grab a smile 🙂
If you would like to show us your neighbourhood, the challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.
Jacqueline
Souk side
The Big Bus with tourists
People in the souk
Admiring all the bling. YES it’s all gold and other precious gems
Inside the souk
Still inside
Across the bridge
I noticed little bags of colourful egg shaped goodies popping up
It’s a bit chilly these days, so logs of firewood are found here and there. A lot of camping seems to be be going on
Another view
Some are picnicking
The dates are budding
more people
By the side
Glam Bags and scarves and I purchased a pretty little cheap thrill of a scarf 🙂
I went visiting home – Naija several days ago. It was a trip of mixed feelings. I was happy to see home and family but not too happy with the slow progression of things back home. The government just hasn’t served its people well.
Well, all is well that ends well. It was a good trip and I traveled back to base in Dubai, jumping right back into the bus(y)ness of life.
Lady Lee’s all set off to the Philippines – another country on my list. I know she’ll bring back loads to see 🙂
If you would like to show us your neighbourhood, the challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.
Sights and sounds of Lagos
Sights and sounds of Lagos
More sights and sounds
Yet more
and more
Beautiful Wears
I love colourful beads
Beautiful artifacts
Nursing a mug of hot Costa Macchiato
Staring out of my window – I love seating near the window so that I can peer out ceaselessly
A lovely professional Emirates airline hostess.
It’s all quiet in the cabin – night time
Sights and sounds of the airport. This scene particularly touched me. The little woman (to the right) hugged her daughter (I presume) so tight and was crying unabashedly. I wondered what their story was.
Some mall entertainers at Mall of the Emirates
Going for dinner – Hubby certainly missed me 😉
Tasty Shrimps
and my plate of salad
…and then to the movies to watch a chick flick – Bridget Jone’s baby. Hubby sat through it patiently. After all, I sit through endless sessions of football 😉
This week found me in Lagos, Nigeria. Life has been on the fly and fun as well. Below are some photos that were taken on the go.
There’s no place quite like Lagos. Love or hate it, it seeps under your skin and leaves deep impressions that will always stay with you.
It’s a boisterous city filled with the poor and the extremely wealthy, shanties and mansions, the good, the bad and the downright ugly sides of society.
Lagos is Lagos and well-deserving of a full post that I will explore sometime soon.
Catalonia presented by Lady Lee looks like a lovely place to explore. Don’t you just love the fact that there are so many places on Earth to visit? My travel list is ever so long 😉
If you would like to participate, the challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.
National Theatre
Grinding pepper and petty trading in front of her abode
They hustle to eke a living
Anglican Cathedral
The tricycles are called Keke Napep
Street Observers
These express hawkers are more fit than Olympic champions. They run for miles and miles each day in pursuit of their daily earnings.
Off to school
Sitting in a go-slow, which is not quite the same as a hold-up. (Traffic jam)
No two days are the same in my life and I believe most people as well. I’ve had a calm week going about my various responsibilities as usual. One rule that I’ve made is to always find something to highlight and smile about each day. To find little inexpensive ways to reward/treat
One rule that I’ve made is to always find something to highlight and smile about each day. To find little inexpensive ways to reward or treat myself each day or weekly.
As usual cooking for my family is a daily occurence
Shopping always features somewhere
I enjoyed bird watching
Watching the Seagulls
Treating myself to a Ferris wheel ride as reward for sticking to my goals
Watching sea life is so satisfying and has a way of relaxing my nerves and calming my mind. As a matter of fact, I am persuaded in my mind to get a small aquarium – hoping the poor fishy will thrive if I do so.
I always try to sneak in a detox outing/walkabout for myself sometime during the busy week. I simply shut down everything and just go to unwind.
My walkabout took me to Sharjah’s Aquarium and marine museum – will share the museum photos later. Emirate of Sharjah is one of the 7 emirates that form the UAE and on a good day without traffic, it’s just forty minutes drive from home.
This city is constantly changing its aesthetics, adding new attractions and relaxation points each day. The new Dubai canal boardwalk offers a beautiful waterside walkway that runs about 3.2 km each way.
We went there on a Saturday night there were loads of families were out for a stroll, several joggers pounding the pavement, selfie-takers indulging themselves, people sitting around chit-chatting away, boats with happy party passengers cruising up and down the canal.
Interestingly, there are USB chargers installed in the streetlights so you can charge your phone for all those snaps. Two of the pedestrian bridges are open and the views are amazing.
Some work is still ongoing to turn the place green, however, the total ambiance like the French would say ‘C’est Magnifique.’
Oh, my word! Lady Lee knows how to lay a table that would make you drool and the snowy shots of Munich are simply enchanting. They look like postcards. Take a peek 🙂
If you would like to participate, the challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.
For several weeks, I’ve not shared photos taken for Echoes because I was initially contemplating letting the project fizzle out and start another photo project but I realized that I love taking photos of this and that around me and simply can’t stop shooting. I literally go everywhere with my camera and these past weeks I took loads of photos.
Over the holiday two dear friends and their family visited Dubai from Chicago and it was simply a wonderful time and they were happy to be away from Chicago cold for 10 days 🙂
One of the places we went to is the theme park – IMG worlds of adventure – where the children went on dizzying rides (for me) and they had fun. A lot of eating happened during this vacation and I’ve refused to give my scale the delight of making a mockery of me 😉
In my usual meandering, I came across this lovely set of travel cases and the one that I found most appealing is the case pictured below, which set my thoughts running across the globe 🙂
I would certainly love to visit more places in the World, one place at a time and I hope that gets to happen.
One of the truthful challenges of being a parent/mother is having to set aside some of your aspirations and keep them on hold for a while, either due to financial constraints or the exigencies of time.
Traveling abroad with family costs twice as much and takes extra planning to ensure that it’s fun for everyone, however, in the interim to long distance travel, consider shorter road trips to locations around you that you’ve not visited before. It’s equally as much fun, educative and gives me the same sense of satisfaction. Sometime in the past, I shared a post on road travel, ‘it’s almost time for a road jaunt.’ 😉
Now, let me get back to dreaming and pinpointing those places that I plan to visit and you hold on to those warm thoughts of a road jaunt.
a cooking pot and twisted tales 