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OXFORD – The City of Dreaming Spires
Oxford “The City of Dreaming Spires”. The University of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England is known and believed to have been teaching as early as the year 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world. According to the 2023 Times Higher Education Rankings, the University of Oxford stays as the world’s top university for the seventh straight year. A note to myself: “I wish, hope, and pray that someday I will be able to study in Oxford (or in Cambridge) University. Joan, do not be ashamed to announce to the world and declare your seemingly foolish wishes. Remember, some of them in fact have already come true. Amen” (That’s…
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First time Cruise ship experience
Just a few days after getting my Schengen visa through Greece, or the Hellenic Republic Consulate, I decided to travel to Athens. There are low-cost airlines from the United Arab Emirates that land directly on some famous islands such as Mykonos and Santorini, but I preferred to go directly to Athens. As we all know, Athens is the country’s capital city and the most convenient destination, especially for first-time travelers to Greece, where you can arrange your onward travels to any of the touristy islands and ancient historical sites. Luckily, within a short period, I found an attractive deal that included airfare from Dubai via Emirates Airlines, with 2 nights…
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Gobustan Day Tour (Mud Volcanoes)
The original plan for the day was to go to Gabala, but for some reason, that trip was canceled. With the recommendation of the Baku City Tours company, I joined the Gobustan group tour instead. The Gobustan group tour package is a whole-day activity headed by a professional tour guide and includes pick-up and drop-off in shared transportation by air-conditioned minivan, as well as entry tickets to different sites. For lunch, we were taken to a countryside restaurant that served local cuisine. This part added value to our tour as we had the experience of having our meal with some locals that indicated we were indeed having authentic Azerbaijani food…
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A visit to Baku Fountains Square (Parapet) during Novruz
Time to have dinner on my first day in Azerbaijan. I thought of going to a restaurant serving authentic local cuisine. I was curious as to what their food would be like. There were several restaurants near my accommodation such as Chinese, Indian, and some of Middle Eastern origin. There were pizzeria shops and of course KFC in Fountain Square (Parapet). I learned that a branch of KFC near a former train station in Baku is known to be the World’s largest. Actually, it was the largest branch in the World, as it’s already closed now. I noticed the streets were busy, adults and children were heading in a particular…
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Resolved therefore
“Resolved to accumulating experiences instead of piling up dreams.” By: Joan Amorganda #025-23082022 Poem / My poem / Poetry / Quote / Quotes
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Remembering Ate Betty
Remembering Ate Betty Feeling somewhat strange today, Since in my dreams you visited me. In jeans and white shirts, I vividly see, That you looked perfectly healthy. Awakened by your infectious smile, It let me forget for a while That, in reality, your body Has already gone to eternity. Powerless, you left us loose To an exquisite eternal repose. More than a year now has passed, Since the day you’ve left us. Here, we are missing you, Guess you do the same way too. Your memories will always stay, Since the day you’ve been away You’ll always be my “ATE”. Thanks to you, my Ate…
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CAT 22
There you are again, friendly cat, Lounging freely at your favorite spot. How’s the weather? Guess you lovin’ it a lot. Have you got news today? So, we can chat. Fancy a walk with me? This Canal has got a long space. Want to stop here? Or, try another place. We’ve got a lovely view of the City, haven’t we? Above all, it is the safest place to be. Won’t disturb you for long now; I will put on my mask. Guess you’ll also be back at your master’s place before dusk. Poem By: Joan Amorganda Poem #023-03022022 Poem / My poem / Poetry /…
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Miniature Book Museum in Baku
I enjoy reading books and I would always keep copies of those that I have read. I have been collecting for many years, and so far I have accumulated around 300 books. I could say that I have already read 50% of them and would definitely re-read some of them. Also, I have got a pile of to-be-read pieces. I got most of these books at bargain prices such as from the flea markets and second-hand shops. Although some are new pieces bought from legit bookstores, and some are presents that I received from Richard during my birthdays and at Christmas. Having accumulated hundreds of books seeded the idea of building…
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The Old Baku City guided tour
The tour includes pick-up from the hotel which took a few minutes to drive to the main entrance of the Old City where our walking exploration began. The Old City, or Inner City (Icheri Sheher) is surrounded by walls and is said to date back to at least the 12th century. The Old City is the most ancient part and is considered the historical core of Baku. It includes the Shirvanshah’s Palace and Maiden Tower, which became the first location in Azerbaijan to be classified as a UNESCO World Heritage. Apparently, a lot has changed within the Walled City since the 1800s during the occupation of the…
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My first solo travel in 2022: Baku, Azerbaijan
It was in March 2022 when I traveled to Baku for a short break, which was a convenient option trip for me to take from Dubai, as having a UAE residency visa allowed me to get an Azerbaijani visa upon arrival at the airport. Baku is the capital and the largest city of Azerbaijan. The Republic of Azerbaijan, as it is officially named, is a country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. From Dubai, it takes less than three hours to reach the Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku. My transfer to the hotel had been prebooked, so I did not have to find a taxi or…
