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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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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…
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Rare Books – Family Bible
It was an exhilarating day for me (Thursday, 30th December 2021) to find these 18xx Edition Family Illustrated Holy Bible Volume 1 and Volume 11, which have humongous size and elephantine weight. Of course each piece comes with a hefty price. I’m optimistic that with these precious Books, once sold to the right buyer, I will be able to start building my long time dream – a Library in our hometown, Bindoy in Negros Oriental, Philippines. Although the land/ area is ready, I know it won’t be enough to cover the cost. But I’m optimistic that with your help the Library will be realized… soon. Yes, it’s been a difficult…
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A tribute to Jane Austen on her birthday
I want to share with you a poem which is my tribute to Jane Austen on her birthday on the 16th December. Would love to hear your comment and thank you for visiting my website. Keep safe everyone. God bless! ********************************************************************************************************************************* Jane Austen, born 16th December 1775 in Hampshire, England Died a spinster on 18th July 1817, you’ve been long gone. The style, the wit presented in your Novels they work like magic They entertain and evoke the heart of every hopeless romantic. I won’t get bored reading and rereading, tis what I do. Some of your works though published Centuries ago. If you only knew they…
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Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
The book Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is considered as the most endearing love story ever written in the English language. I have seen the BBC TV Series which stars Colin Firth as Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. This version, according to some critics is the most faithful adaptation of the book (so far). Here is my take on Pride and Prejudice after re – reading the book and after watching the movie 2005 version of the same title. ******************************************************************************* “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me…”! Seriously? Well, “what are men to rocks and mountains?” Imagining a blissful moment one afternoon tête-à–tête With Jane…
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Bronte Parsonage Museum – Haworth, West Yorkshire, England
WUTHERING HEIGHTS by Emily Brontë and JANE EYE by Charlotte Brontë are just two of the novels that enticed me to someday visit the former Brontë family home, the parsonage situated in Haworth, West Yorkshire, England. It is where the Bronte sisters spent most of their lives and wrote their famous novels. It was such a rewarding experience for me to finally see up close and personal some of their belongings and to learn more about their personal lives. Below is a link to view the compiled photos I took during my visit. For more details about my travels to the United Kingdom, please visit my YouTube channel, and…
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Be Still
Woke up late one morning feeling lazy but still managed to have a walk along Dubai Water Canal. Then noticed this, to me was a perfect view, a beautiful reflection on the waters as if I was looking at a painting of a masterpiece created by a Cubist. I love the calmness and the effect of the still water… With the only hope that if only everyone is as calm and relax as this serene view, considering what is happening all around us. Be still everyone. There is still hope. May God bless us all! Psalm 46 a 1God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2Therefore…
