Week 3: Dubai Clock Tower

Brief History

Deira Clock Tower stands at the gateway of Maktoum Bridge, first permanent structure to straddle Dubai Creek, providing a vital link between Bur Dubai and Deira.

One of Dubai’s oldest landmarks, the Clock Tower was reconstructed in 1989. The steel reinforcements used to build the tower had corroded as concrete had not been used in the original construction. Unbelievably, the clock faces have only been replaced once in its significant history, in November 2008.

All four clock faces were replaced with Omega models, incorporating GPS devices for accuracy. This also removes the need to manually change the hands on the clock.

Source: www.dubaiexpatblog.com

Dubai Clock Tower 30 Sep 2011

this is the Clock Tower

nung bagong salta ako sa Dubai (2005),

akala ko isa itong mataas na building.

maling akala. structure pala ito sa isang roundabout. :-)

nadatnan ko pa ang mga lumang relo dito.

nov 2008 ng pinalitan ito ng Omega.

i have always been fascinated sa mga daan, building

at ilaw ng Dubai...more to come sa mga susunod na weeks.

In Loving Memory...

Noong bata pa kami, pag kailangan namin ng barya lapit kami agad kay Tito Rey hindi para humingi, kundi para bunutin ang kanyang mga puting buhok. 10 sentimo kada isang puting buhok ang bayad. maka-1o lang ako, meron na akong piso. Naalala ko pa noon, dahil nagmamadali akong bumili sa tindahan, 5 puting buhok ang sabay-sabay kong binunot...Napasigaw sa sakit ang tito ko. hehe...Malay ko bang masakit pala yun.

Matandang binata si Tito Rey. Kapitbahay lang namin. Lumaki kaming mag-pipinsan na kasama siya. Masaya at maingay pag nandyan siya. Sobrang madaldal at ang daming alam na trivia! (feeling ko sa kanya ko yata nakuha ang pagiging madaldal at mahilig sa trivia). Yun nga lang kung minsan ang kanyang mga balita ay exaggerated...like for example yung sisiw, manok na sa kanya..o kaya naman yung bulate, naging ahas na..hehe..kaya pag nagkakabiruan kami noon, kanya-kanya kaming adjust sa kanyang kwento...pero just the same mahal na mahal namin ang aming tito.

Naalala ko pa noong college days ko. Nagtayo ng 'puguan' si Tito Rey. Kada weekend/uwi ko from manila, meron akong supply ng itlog ng pugo. Uso pa naman noon ang 'kwek-kwek', kaya masayang-masaya kaming magkakabarkada dahil lagi kaming may food pag tumatambay kami. Kung minsan nagdadala pa ako sa boarding house namin nun. Ako lang ang may privilege na ganun over my other cousins, mabait na bata daw kasi ako eh. Ako naman si, 'abusado'..feel na feel ang prebilihiyong ibinigay sa akin...lahat halos yata ng mga kaibigan at ofismeyts ko ay niregaluhan ko ng itlog ng pugo! hehe...

Taong 2005, nag-decide akong mangibang-bansa. Ipinag-despedida pa ako sa amin. Sabi ko, wag na kasi visit visa lang naman ako. Di ko alam kung makakakuha ako ng work sa Dubai. Di natin alam after 2 months, andito na ako ulit. Sabi ni Tito Rey, "ikaw pa, napakatalino mong tao..1oo% makakakuha ka ng work dun."...(#1 fan ko si Tito Rey at kahit isa lang siya katumbas niya ay libo-libo, ganun siya ka-convincing...kung PR lng pag-uusapan, pwedeng-pwede ko siyang kuning manager)

Bago ako umalis, tinanong ko siya "bap, anong gusto mong pasalubong from me?"......ang sagot niya "green money, dollars".

Pinaka-unang padala ko sa kanya Dubai t-shirt at yes, dollars! Tuwang-tuwa siya sa pasalubong ko. Sa sobrang tuwa niya, nai-broadcast niya sa buong barangay ang ipinadala kong dollars sa kanya. Biruin mong yung pinsan ko na nasa Purok 3 (Purok 1 kami nakatira), nag-text sa akin..balita daw niya namimigay ako ng dollars! hahahah.....

During my last vacation sa Pinas (Sep 2010), nag-videoke kami sa bahay. Sinampolan namin ang ipinadala kong HDT Karaoke. Kumanta ako ng isang song. Narinig yata, pumasok siya sa bahay namin. Sabay comment na, "tin, boses mo ba yun? nakakaganda pala ng boses ang dubai"...weeehhh ako naman tuwang-tuwa kay Tito Rey at niyakap ko pa, para na rin niyang sinabi na maganda ang boses ko! hahaha....frustrated singer ako eh...

Si Tito Rey, madaming side comment sa ibang tao....para siyang judge sa isang talent show....pero pagdating sa akin, puro magaganda at papuri ang inyong maririnig...Noong mawalan ako ng work (Mar2011) tinanong ko ang nanay ko kung ano ang sabi ni Tito Rey..ang sabi daw niya "ganyan talaga, meron pa ring economic crisis sa Dubai" :-)

Kanina, nagkausap kami ng aking kuya na nasa ibayong dagat din. Nabanggit niya sa akin na nagpahinga na pala si Tito Rey kahapon. Sabi ko, hindi ko alam. Walang nagsabi sa akin. Dali-dali akong tumawag sa aking nanay. Ni-confirm niya nga na wala na si tito due to heart failure. Sinabihan daw niya sa amin na wag munang ipaalam sa akin baka di ako makatulog....balak daw niyang ipaalam na lang ito sa akin bukas, pagkatapos ng libing...Ayaw siguro akong mag-alala ng aking nanay, last saturday kasi napanaginipan ko si Tito Rey. Tinawagan ko agad ang aking nanay.

Nakakaiyak. Nakakalungkot. Lagi ko pa namang ipinapasabi sa aking nanay na sana antayin ako ni tito, bakasyon ko sa Pasko...(lately kasi naging mahina na si tito, halos di na raw siya makakain)...Hindi na ako naantay. :-(

To Bapa Rey,

You will always be here in my heart. I love you so much. I'm thinking masaya ka na sa kinalalagyan mo ngayon. Kasama mo na si Lord. Ikomusta mo ako kay tatay, kay tita nora, kay bapa men at kay tita sol. Miss ko na kayong lahat!

love,

tin

Dear Lord,

Kayo na po ang bahala kay Tito Rey. wag nyo po siyang pababayaan.

May he rest in peace.

love,

tin

What Are Your Priorities?

Sunday Gospel 25 Sep 2011

Matthew 21:28-32

"What do you think? A man had two sons; and he went to the first and said, `Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' And he answered, `I will not'; but afterward he repented and went. And he went to the second and said the same; and he answered, `I go, sir,' but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him; and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him.”

Source: www.saintmarysdubai.com

Napakaganda ng homily ni Father Tomasito kahapon patungkol sa Sunday gospel. Binanggit niya dito na meron daw primary & secondary priorities in religion. Paano daw natin susundin ang kagustuhan ng ating Panginoon..

Secondary

1. words

2. correct opinion

Primary

1. honesty

2. actions

Nakakalungkot lang dahil may na-break na ako agad sa mga ito. After mass, nagkita-kita kami ng aking mga kaibigan (from previous company-si ate JR & SM). Nag-metro lang kami pauwi. Since napakadalang ko lang makita si ate JR, nag-aya akong dinner muna kami. Sa Subway Restaurant kami napadpad at dun na nga nangyari ang di magandang 'correct opinion' ko. medyo nagkaroon ng commotion dahil sa maling computation ng aming bill. thrice na bumalik sa amin si kabayan pa man din na service crew para ipaliwanag sa amin kung paano sila nag-arrive sa amount. at ako nakapagbitiw ako ng di magandang mga salita "kabayan, naiinis na ako sabay kuha sa phone/calculator para mag-compute". i know myself, pag nde ako nagsalita mag-eexplode ako..nararamdaman kong pulang-pula na ako. wala naman talagang nangyaring away..napakabait ng mga service crew na mostly mga kabayan...medyo malakas lang kasi talaga ang normal kong boses..it turned out nga na merong mali sa kanilang computation or sa pag-punch ng aming bill. ni-refund sa amin ang overpayment.

End of story na sana yun, kaya lang kaninang umaga sobrang guilt feeling ang naramdaman ko. i know meron akong maling nagawa. :-( sori po talaga.

Week 2: Dubai Fountain

Tama na muna ang pagkukulong ko sa bahay tuwing weekend. Baka di ko mamalayan, isa na pala akong ermitanyo...hehe...I need to go out & breathe some fresh air! Buti na lang at dumating sa buhay ko si 'Alexis', madali ko ng maisasakatuparan ito.

I have plans for him. At yun ay ang malibot namin ang buong mundo! weeeeehhh! ang sarap mangarap..hehe...For the time being, dito muna kami gagala sa dubai. Every week, i'll make sure na meron kaming kagalaan ni 'alexis' hanggang makapag-bakasyon kami sa pinas sa december..aba sympre, kasama din siya.

Week 1- nagpunta kami (with anne) sa At The Top, Burj Khalifa which is the tallest building in the world!

Week 2- sa Dubai Fountain naman (with my friends from previous company-JY & SM)

Thurs 22 Sep 2011

Destination: Dubai Fountain

From L to R : JY, SM & me

this is not yet the Dubai Fountain, nakita namin yan our way to our main destination.

nde namin ito pinalampas..hehe .picture picture kami agad.

bilang isang nagmamahal sa aking blog, nag-request ako ng aming back-pic. :-)

from L to R: JY & me

i just love this photo! aksidente lang na na-off yung flash. :-)

this is another miracle in my life! :-)

i lost my mobile phone for the 2nd time here in dubai

& for the 2nd time also, bumalik ang mga ito sa akin..thank you Lord!

(i run for my life nung napansin kong wala sa bulsa ko ang phone ko,

binalikan namin agad kung saan kami nanggaling. thank God

at nakita namin ito dun sa kung saan kami nagpa-picture.

merong mga tao pero nde nila ito pinapansin...hehe..ang ganda kasi ng phone ko)

by the way, Dubai Fountain is just outside Dubai Mall

kaya photo op muna kami sa loob ng mall:-)

kain muna kami para may energy @ Fish & Chips

seryosong nasa diet mode pa rin ako ngaun

unting tiis na lang at tatapusin ko na ito sa katapusan.

sana naman may nabawas sa akin. :-)

(special thanks nga pala kay SM for our dinner)

from L to R : JY & me

we're all set to see Dubai Dancing Fountain! yipppee! :-)

(pang 4th time ko na ito, pero excited pa rin!)

yan ang tabi ng Fountain

can't wait to see the show!

every 30 mins ang show from 6pm onwards

while writing this, i accidentally deleted pictures (2 nos) of the actual show.

isa na lang ang natira. eto na lang muna

nahihirapan akong mag-upload ng pic dito, may sequence kasi ito.

In The Eyes of God The Father

Sunday Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16

'Now the kingdom of Heaven is like a landowner going out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard. He made an agreement with the workers for one denarius a day and sent them to his vineyard. Going out at about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place and said to them, "You go to my vineyard too and I will give you a fair wage." So they went. At about the sixth hour and again at about the ninth hour, he went out and did the same. Then at about the eleventh hour he went out and found more men standing around, and he said to them, "Why have you been standing here idle all day?" "Because no one has hired us," they answered. He said to them, "You go into my vineyard too."

In the evening, the owner of the vineyard said to his bailiff, "Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last arrivals and ending with the first." So those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came forward and received one denarius each. When the first came, they expected to get more, but they too received one denarius each. They took it, but grumbled at the landowner saying, "The men who came last have done only one hour, and you have treated them the same as us, though we have done a heavy day's work in all the heat." He answered one of them and said, "My friend, I am not being unjust to you; did we not agree on one denarius? Take your earnings and go. I choose to pay the lastcomer as much as I pay you. Have I no right to do what I like with my own? Why should you be envious because I am generous?" Thus the last will be first, and the first, last.'

Source: www.saintmarysdubai.com

I was so touched sa homily kanina sa mass. Sa mata ng Diyos, lahat tayo ay pantay-pantay. God loves you. God loves me. Mahal Niya tayong lahat. Di porke't religiously nagsisimba ako, mas mahal Niya ako kumpara sa isang taong first time lang magsisimba. Hindi Siya ganun. We have a loving and compassionate God. We are so blessed at sana'y wag nating kalimutan ito.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for loving me. Thank you for all the blessings. Thank you for always granting me my wishes & heart desires (then & now). Sana'y wag kang magsasawa sa kakulitan ko minsan. :-). Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

love,

tin

Week 1: When Heaven Meets Earth (At The Top, Burj Khalifa)

Weeehh! I have conquered Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world! It felt like I was on top of the world! hehe...Indescribable ang feeling. I will just let the pictures do the talking for now.

At The Top, Burj Khalifa

16 Sep 2011 Friday

our tickets :-)

(ticket price is AED100 per person)

papunta na yan sa At The Top,

di maitago ang excitement :-)

inside the elevator,

going to 124th floor where the viewing deck is located

whoaahh, a majestic view :-)

i love roads & building! :-)

From L to R: me & anne

this is what we call spiderman pose. lol.

last day na ni anne sa dubai kaya tinodo na namin ito.

she is going back to Phils for good. i will miss u anne!

(btw, i have fear of heights pero mukhang nakalimutan ko ito. hehe)

trip lang namin na kunan ang aming mga kamay

hahaha...jump shot in a walkalator!

napatalon ako sa saya! :-)

i started my diet again in preparation for my upcoming vacation in Dec.

ayokong umuwi ng 'lumba lumba' hehe....

59kg na ako (ulit), very alarming.

kaya eto lng ang aking order.

pero dahil gustung-gusto na mag-ice cream ni anne,

damay-damay na. hehe....SARAP! :-)

Meet My New 'Boyfriend' :-)

After ng mahaba-habang 'ligawan', i finally said YES today. Hindi ko na pinigilan ang sarili ko. "Nothing can stop me now" ang naging drama ko. Isama mo pa ang "I Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore". Kaya eto ako ngaun, meron na akong new 'boyfriend'! His name is ALEXIS! weeehhh! :-)

Hahahaha...Tama na muna ang kalokohan ko, nakigaya lang ako kay RS na pinangalanan din ang kanyang SLR. hehe...

Right Timing. Meant For Me. My Inspiration.

Downside:

Sobrang busy ako ngaun sa work. Di ko maasikaso si 'bf'. Buti na lang, understanding ito. Promise ko, gagala kami this coming weekend. :-)

si Alexis, ang aking 'bf' :-)