London's Fireworks 2012

There's Dubai's Burj Dubai's Khalifa's fireworks and there is also Australia's Sidney Harbor Bridge fireworks.  But my bet is this one.

I got Dubai's fireworks link yesterday but I got tired watching somewhere at 4:30.  It gets to be predictable at about that long.  I don't think it's anything different from the fireworks when it was opened.  The only thing different I think is in what part of the building the next sequence will come out.  But just the same, you'll know that it will only come out somewhere on the building.  The music is somehow connected with the sequence of the fireworks but there is a LOT more room for improvement.

Sidney's, they say, cost 4 million pounds; I've seen it through the end but couldn't bring myself to watch it again.  I think there were only a few songs and it's not as lively as London's.  There were several 'launch stations' along the river so the shots has to be wide.  It's really no problem for tv cameras but if you're watching on the ground, your view gets to be limited.  But it's really no problem because the other launch stations along the river are in sync with each other.  The highlight I guess was when the fire seems to be flowing from the bridge down to the water.  But that's all.  It's not as spontaneous as London's.

But I got to watch London's fireworks four times already as of this writing.  The choice of songs were great and  the fireworks are in sync with the music.  The sync of the fireworks and the music is very good.  It didn't bore me for the whole twelve minutes.  It is more spontaneous than Australia's and I get to wonder now which is more expensive.  But it doesn't matter which one costs more.  I was more entertained London's.

But with regard to the venue, I find the Burj Dubai Khalifa's as posting more risk.  Both the others are launched in rivers while Dubai's on a building.  Those that were launched on rivers are by no means the safest.

*Thanks to my friend Cristy for posting the video above on her Facebook wall.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

More photos from the party

Another set of photos from my batch mate's Christmas party.  And I believe there are more to come.

As always, I have my camera with me, but I never got the chance to use it this time.  There are a lot of them around and it's enough for the fun that night.  

Thank you, Daniel and Becca Cailes for the shots!

Batch 1984

This is one of those few occasions, few nights that I get to be with them. This was last December 3, 2011.

Thanks to Yna and Romer Romero for the photos.

Daya's Day

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAYA!

I was with Ronnie and Koko the other day

This is the first birthday party I attended since April I discovered that my cancer is back.  It's a good thing that it was two weeks after my down time, and a week or so before my sixth cycle.

Actually, I've been wanting to pose for a picture with a mascot for quite some time.  Not really since I got sick, but even way before that.  I think it started when I was in Dubai and someone offered me another job as a mascot.  If not for the laws in Dubai, I would probably have agreed.  But I was also thinking if a suit would really fit me in because of my size.

Anyway, it's Koko's third birthday.  Koko is my BFF's grandson by her sister, who is also a good friend.  He's three and I've been attending his birthday party since last year.  The only reason that I missed his first was because I was out of the country.

Happy Birthday, Kuya!

Love, Amama, Che & Pinx

XLIII

XLIII, a photo by Che Baldemor on Flickr.

The Month I Would Not Miss

As early as this month, we Filipinos in Dubai begin to wonder and ask each other when this month would start. Although many times they could predict the month, they couldn't exactly tell you what day. That is because they base the start of the holy month upon the appearance of the moon. I was on my Reader this morning and I saw this. So, for this year, Ramadan would start exactly on August 11.

I checked my blog for entries. Last year, there were about only one for August and three for September. I did this to check what I was writing about. Back in 2008, I was had a few entries but nothing actually connected to the month. I guess it was out of fear that my site would get blocked if I say something that is that is not in accordance with their race, religion and culture.

What I remember from last year is that my job required me to do a lot of field work. So that meant that, while on the streets and in the bus, I couldn't drink, eat or even chew gum. You can't even light a cigarette on the street while waiting for a bus.

Fasting begins as soon as the sun rises and ends when the sun sets. After the sun sets comes the Iftar. Iftar means breaking the fast and this is the time that you can eat, drink, take a bath, smoke, amongst other things that I am not aware about at all. What I remember was I endured a 42-degree-Celcius day outside the office and it wasn't fun. There was even a time that I wanted to pee but couldn't because I have sweated all my body's water content. I drank almost a liter of water the moment I got home just to hydrate myself so I can pee.

I guess this month is the month I wouldn't miss when in Dubai. But, thinking about it, I had good times with friends celebrating Iftar. Restaurants have good offers during this month like big dinner servings or combo servings for a very good price.

August is one of the hottest months of the year in Dubai, and the season is one of the hardest events to celebrate. I just hope they will find the Iftar equally rewarding as it was for me.

==============

The mosque above is in Ras Al Kaimah; taken during one of the very few road trips I made up north when I was in the country.

Happy Father's Day

Best Dad

A Special Kind of Friday

This one of the reasons why it still feels to be home at this time of the year. This is the time to really look inside us and think about those things that happened to us - good and not-so-good. The past two years that I was away, I looked back during those times that I was part of this event. True, there were parts of our life that we spent this time up north, meaning the beaches. But we got over it.

There were also times that we went to the mountains to reflect on everything, too. Lying on the ground up on the mountain, the sea on one side and mountains on another, the stars upon you, you feel small, but overwhelmed in so many ways. I did it for five consecutive years. I had the fear of heights and nothing felt so bad as the first time. And then it was almost gone. After a bad fall at the place they call the Kalbaryo (Calvary), I didn't go the years after. I don't know if it was a bad decision to stop. But even if I want to, Mount Banahaw was closed for about ten years for restoration. I think I will have to find out if it is open again. I feel like I'm missing the mountains, and the feeling of awe in being there, without most of the conveniences.

This year is a very significant year. Having gone through an operation, the sad news of the biopsy, and then the gift of the CT scan result, there is no other reason for going except to thank HIM that I am: Admiring the little things around me, the joy of reading books, the laughter of a sit-com, to feel for other people's sorrows, and much more.

Singkil

I couldn't remember when I got fascinated by this dance. But what I know is that I fell in love with it the moment I saw it in grade school.

About a week ago, I had the chance to see it again. We were accidentally informed that a cultural presentation was scheduled that day. We had absolutely no idea what was in store for us but off we went for the sole reason that my sister and I's god daughter has a number.

There is such an elegance that I see whenever I see this dance. It didn't change as I grew older. I realized it that night. The performers here are still on grade school and I feel awed that the cultural dance were taught to them and will be on their blood as they grow old. I feel that our culture has to be cultivated so that it may continue to be known to our future generations.