Eid Mubarak to all my friends and readers in the Muslim world!

In celebration of the Eid-al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan, Peter and I went on a short trip to Qantab beach and village outside Muscat, Oman, yesterday.

Qantab is where a lot of expatriates and Omanis alike go during the holidays for boat rides, barbecues and picnics if they want something different from the usual Azaiba or Qurum beach sights in the city. There are also quite a number of local settlers in the village nearby, where a lot of residents source their livelihood from the small yet steady tourism industry.

The drive from the city took less than half an hour before we reach the hilly Qantab road, from which the famous Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa could also be reached.

The road to Qantab beach and village. Uphill all the way!

After a short spin through the village, where people were getting ready for the evening’s Eid festivities, we finally reached the popular Qantab beach.

The beach of Qantab, lined with small tour boats ferried by skilled Omani boatmen for touring visitors around the cove.

The golden, sandy hills surrounding Qantab beach.

Shi in Beach Mode! Tank top by Harley Davidson, pants by Nike, shoes by Speedo and sunglasses by M&S. Scarf a gift from a friend, all the way from Turkey.

After a short walk through the beach, we decided to go for a quick cove tour in one of the smaller boats ferried by the Omani boatmen. A quick deal with a gent named Abdullah cost six Omani Riyals for half an hour’s ride.

A very interesting small, cave-like opening has formed in the middle of the giant rock formation.

Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, viewed from the open sea.

Our boat went past the private beach of Shangri-La and circled to the other end of the cove, where there were some more unique rock formations.

Rock formations looking gold and magnificent against the rolling blue-green waters.

Smaller cave-like openings have also formed in other rock formations.

A long, plateau-like rock structure, spread out for nearly a hundred meters.

When we reached the shore at the end of our boat ride, it was already high noon and the sun was quite painful on the skin. Even this did not deter me from taking more fun photos!

Shi on the beach, all smiles after the boat ride.

Shi and Peter pose for another picture against the sparkling shores of Qantab.

We spent another hour or two sitting under the big umbrella shades on the shore, going through an assortment of fruits, light junk-food snacks and cold drinks. Our Omani boatman had his generous share of choco-chunk cookies, Coca-Cola and grapes!

During the drive back to Muscat, we had another quick stop at one of the cliffside gazebo structures overlooking the coast.

View of a big wadi, or dry river, from the hilltop.

Shi and Peter perched like muscle-bound eagles on the cliffside railings overlooking the desert and the sea.

Shi and Peter by the hilltop highway.

After another quick but productive photo-op, we headed for Muscat and back home.

We both had reddish tans and loads of pictures from the trip, the latter I have uploaded to my Flickr account earlier today. Lots of cooling lotions would take care of the sunburnt skin, but I can definitely say that it was all worth the wonderful experience.

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Salam to all, from the United Arab Emirates!

I am blogging to you live from the gorgeous coruscating urbane landscape that is the emirate of Dubai. Currently, I am billeted at the Sofitel of Deira City Centre.

I flew in from Oman early this morning and have attended to business at the Dubai International Academic City shortly upon my arrival. My visit visa to this emirate is good for 30 days, but I will be flying back late tomorrow evening to Muscat.

Of course, I was able to snap a few images of this energetic, luxurious city, some of them straight from the view of my Executive-class ninth floor single room.

Ma’salama for now. Catch you all again soon!

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I am blogging from Bayview Park Hotel at Roxas Boulevard, Metro Manila right now where Internet access costs 85 pesos for half an hour.

And I have five bloody minutes left!

A friend of mine from LiveJournal will be coming over here to pick me up this afternoon after our IT training if all goes well and our schedules permit.

Last night, some friends from high school and college met with me at the Metro Manila Baywalk for a girls’ night out. We spent our time together at Indo’s Strip, where we had loads of fun listening to two not-so-talented but diverting bands, eating sisig and french fries and drinking enough Cali Shandy to make our bladders fairly burst.

Gotta go now, my friends, as our workshop will be starting in a minute or two.

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Early tomorrow morning I will be traveling by plane to Metro Manila to attend a training on three different computer-based information sytems. The seminar-workshop will start after lunch tomorrow, July 4th, and wrap up on Friday, July 7th, noontime.

I have already packed my things into one very large and comfy black shoulder-sling bag, which is also my gym bag. My tickets, ID and money are in my purse, ready to be grabbed as I have to have a quick start for tomorrow’s 7:00 AM flight.

Of course, I have not forgotten the pasalubong for those pals with whom I will meet while I am staying at the capital. I got cashew and pineapple tarts that are lovingly manufactured here in Iloilo City, all dolled up and packed into their gift boxes.

I am a tad hungry from the all the stress in my day and badly want a Choco Web from Dunkin’ Donuts. However, I have already consumed more than three-fourths of my bedtime cappuccino so I am off to Lala-Land in a bit.

Hope I can get to blog from somewhere while I am in Metro Manila.

Advanced HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! to all my American friends, readers and visitors!

Good night, everyone, and don’t forget to bite the bedbugs before they bite.

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The blue sky must be forever tall and forever clear. That’s the way the world should be.

~ Gentatsu Takatsuki, in conversation with Shigure Takimi, Rurouni Kenshin: Ishin Shishi no Requiem

I was able to meet my longtime friends Genefel and Melody at SM Megamall last Wednesday night for a good old gabfest over hot and cold cups of Starbucks java.

We talked straight for three hours and would have continued until dawn. However, I had to get back to my hotel to prepare for my early morning flight while Gen and Mel both had work the day after.

They gave me the most amazing metal chandelier earrings adorned with glittery crystals. Arigatou gozaimasu again!

I arrived from Metro Manila on Thursday, following a quick, uneventful airplane journey.

The moment I got home, I could not help but immediately pop my newly acquired copy of Rurouni Kenshin: Ishin Shishi no Requiem (Requiem for the Ishin Patriots) into my VCD player.

The movie has a simple, straightforward story that would be appreciated even by someone who is not familiar with the Rurouni Kenshin mythos.

I absolutely loved the charismatic and noble Shigure Takimi, one of the movie’s central characters and arguably Ishin Shishi‘s primary driving force.

His noble warrior’s philosophy and driven, staunchly patriotic character reminded me very much of Katsumoto, brilliantly portrayed by Ken Watanabe, from the 2003 Tom Cruise starrer The Last Samurai.

Yesterday evening, I received an e-mail from the organizers of the National Novel Writing Month that I have been officially accepted and listed as a participant.

NaNoWriMo 2005 will be my first year in the project, so I am really looking forward to all the novel-writing excitement and mania that will ensue when November rolls about.

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Yesterday’s trip to Concepcion was very enjoyable and memorable.

In fact, our family is planning to return on December, during one of those non-working holidays leading towards Christmas.

We left Iloilo City at around 10:00 AM, picking up film, gourmet chicken and roasted peanuts along the way. We passed numerous fiesta celebrations, as well as town plazas overflowing with ukay-ukay stalls.

To all interested bargain hunters, I highly recommend that you go to Leganes and Zarraga in Iloilo province during the weekends to catch those coveted cheap-and-chic buys.

Despite a very dusty and sweltering trip, we made it to Nino at 1:00 PM. We were met by Lolo and Lola, who are now both in their eighties.

Lolo will be turning 89 years old tomorrow! We had a big lunch as a sort of joint birthday celebration for Lolo and my father, whose birthday falls on May 18th.

I was able to take a bunch of photographs, but they were mostly pictures of people posing together. It rained on and off starting late afternoon, so it was not really a very good idea to walk around the fields and hills.

We left Nino past 5:00 PM and traveled to the neighboring town of Ajuy, where one of my uncles and his family live. My mother had a grand time buying euphorbia from the gardens that we passed, as these plants were available in bigger, cheaper and more exotic varieties at the northern areas compared to those being sold in the city.

At my uncle’s house, Father and I snacked on shark stew and Mountain Dew. Yes, shark equals Jaws.

It was a little past 7:00 PM when we finally started the journey back to the city, our jeepney filled with such goodies as bananas, farm eggs, Indian mangoes, patotim (steamed sweetened duck), pinaupong manok (steamed salted chicken, my favorite), talaba, and fresh vinegar.

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In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal Damnation. Amen.

Right now, I am at Netopia in SM Megamall, Ortigas, Metro Manila. The place is so bloody cold. I am also as hungry as hell, so it is all good.

I have been in the big city since Wednesday. Most of my free time I spend here at Megamall, because I just love the place, the activity, and the sheer anonymity that the space affords me.

Anyway, I went to Comic Quest (located at the Lower Ground level same as this Internet cafe) and was able to purchase all 13 episodes of the Hellsing anime series. I am a pleased little vampire.

I am going back to barracks tomorrow afternoon, on the 3:20 PM flight.

As time is of the essence, I might as well get my freezing buns off this light metal chair and get some serious shopping done.

Here is the Amazon.com product description for the Hellsing anime:

The worst enemy of the night is one of its own. A secret war brews in the night – a war where humanity is only a pawn.

The Hellsing Organization deploys in the shadows to protect the mortal world. But now, artificially spawned vampires have appeared, forcing Hellsing to call in their ultimate weapon – the rogue vampire, Alucard!

After he transforms the dying Seras Victoria into a vampire, they join forces to combat the undead army, as well as her own newfound hunger!

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