CAIRO- is the capital of Egypt and houses one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Cairo is the largest city in Africa. Founded in AD 969, Cairo was to serve as the royal enclosure for the Fatimid caliphs.
The Great Pyramid of Giza (also known as the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheops) is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza pyramid complex bordering what is now El Giza, Egypt.It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact.
It is just a few hours bus ride ( more or less 3 hours) away from Alexandria.
The great Sphynx.
I’ve always wanted to visit this place, and thankfully I got the chance for once to make my dream a reality. I went here with a friend, years back and to be able to get a cheaper airfare, we booked our trip for almost 6 months prior to the travel, yes, that’s what we did! Luckily, we didn’t only get a cheap airfare, we also got a seat-sale that time.
It’s easy and hassle free to get a visa for the Filipinos with a residence visa in Bahrain and if I’m not mistaken, it’s only a three day job with only Bhd7 visa fee.
Although it’s a bit rainy when we went there, slight rain on and off, we still managed to enjoy our full stay. We hired a tour guide to help us roam around the area and become or photographer as well, particularly in Pyramids of Giza . We stayed one full day in Cairo by a bus before we headed back to Alexandria.
ALEXANDRIA- The Pearl of the Mediterranean has an ambiance more in keeping with its neighbors to the north than with those in the Middle East. The site of Pharos lighthouse, one of the Wonders of the World, and of Anthony and Cleopatra’s tempestuous romance, the city was founded by Alexander the Great in 331BC.
I went to see the country in December 2012 and I’ve been to the City’s Tourist spot and destinations like:
1. Lighthouse of Alexandria
2. Bibliotheca Alexandrina
3. Citadel of Qaitibay
4. Muntaza Palace
5. The Roman Amphitheater
6. Pompey’s Pillars
7. Kom El Shoqafa Catacombs, among other places
You will love walking in the streets of Alexandria as it is very Greek you would feel like walking on the Cleopatra Era since it is believed to be discovered by Alexander the Great.
Too bad that the month of December is always raining in Alexandria. It slowed us a little bit to explore more of the place. Some of the photos taken were in rain and some other time, we would stop at the shed for hours to wait for the rain to stop.
My Favorite Country, ever! I will be back here and visit more cities and places someday, and definitely, that’s for sure!
I’ve been to several Cities in Japan particularly in Hiroshima where I stayed for months during my two trips in the Country.
Moreover, I’ve visited a few Historical heritages like the Atomic Bomb Dome, the Shukkeien Garden, Hiroshima Castle, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Stadium among others (side trips from Hiroshima, like Fukuoka, Miyajima and Iwakuni) but I haven’t had a lot of pictures taken and I’ve lost some (my mistake) of the few hard copies I’ve kept while the remaining others weren’t scanned yet.
Hiroshima has a bustling downtown area, the main feature of which is Hondori Street. Hondori is a pedestrian arcade that is closed to traffic and lined with shops and restaurants. I remember walking on this busy street, stopping from one store to another, and getting a lot of stuff from the thrift store called “Hyakkin” which means everything they sell there costs 100 yen only. It’s a thrift shop but everything is beautiful and useful and attractive alongside low price, you will definitely want to get more! But that was before, I don’t know if they did upgrade the price at this time. It starts near Peace Park and stretches east about half a kilometer. Running parallel to Hondori is Aioidori (Aioi Street), the main street used by cars and trams. Along Aioi Street stand a few large department stores where more shopping can be found.
I just love everything in here! You will get to taste the best Ramen you’ll ever have. The street foods are equally yummy. I’ve tried few several strange-looking street foods but to my surprise, they really taste good! I love their technology, particularly their vendo machine which is new to my norms, and wonder how they sell almost everything from that machine.
I was also particularly surprised that some restaurants don’t have staff and you order and pay it on a machine and people don’t seem to cheat.
The streets are super clean and you are not allowed to spit or throw your garbage anywhere. Yes, probably, that’s why Japan is very progressive because of these responsible citizens who always follow the law.
Here are a few of my photos taken in Japan.
The chance to spend my very first White Christmas season in the snow.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Stadium.
Shukkein Garden
Somewhere in the sea while I’m on a yacht with friends.
Tbh, I’m really glad that I had the chance to visit Japan and up to this date, this is still one of the best Countries I’ve been to. The Country is very clean, very progressive, and high technology, and the people I met are very polite, shy, formal, intelligent, very disciplined in everything, minimalist, and workaholic, you would actually adopt some of their norms while living in the Japanese culture.
La Union is a province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in the island of Luzon. Its capital is the city of San Fernando, which also serves as the regional center of the whole Ilocos Region.
I’ve been to La Union several times since childhood and later during my trips to the Philippines but the last time was in 2016 when I traveled to Vigan and passed by to La Union on our way back home with these kids on the photos. I remember how I used to visit my Uncle and cousins house every time I’m in the North and every time I was there, they would always refer me to the beautiful resorts/hotels by the beach.
Here are recent photos in 2016.
My chance to surf (tried) in one of Philippine’s surf capital.
Enjoying the sun, the sand, the weather, the sun-tan and me- San Juan, La Union.
I have always wanted to visit Vigan, Ilocos Sur for a long long time! Fortunately, I only got the chance during my trip to the Philippines in 2016.
Vigan is somehow the remains of the Spanish era as you could see particularly in Calle Crisologo.
I like the view of this Asian/Spanish Architecture more than the modern ones, tbh. I love the feeling of going back to old times where all the houses/buildings are made of mixed concrete and wood, the capiz windows, the big front doors, and the kalesa ( the two wheeled-horse drawn carriage).
Calle Crisologo at night is more amazing! We had dinner along the street with their specialty, I had langgonisa (sausage) and chicharon bulaklak ( fried pork intestine) dipped in vinegar with salt, onion, and pepper and bagnet (deep-fried pork) for dinner and later we had a few alcoholic drinks in a nearby restaurant with karaoke.
More so, aside from this spectacular view, if you go a little bit further away, you will see a huge line of street food stalls where you can enjoy affordable snacks while wandering along the park.
Here are some photos I have snapped during the trip.
Le Meridien Hotel is a 5 Star Hotel directly attached to City Center, BH Largest Mall. With that, they have one of the Best Restaurant named Baharat that offers a variety of cuisine, International, Mediterranean, Sushi, European, and Asian among others and have the chance to experience the Live cooking stations.
Ik, the price is a little bit costly, BHD28++ inclusive,(something like PHP4k per person) free flow of alcoholic beverage and BHD19++ inclusive, free flow of non-alcoholic beverage, but then, the quality of food, the ambiance, and the service is excellent, plus of course, what do you expect for a five-star hotel?
It’s like we were planning to set dinner with my old friends (used to be Monday Group), for a very long time but as always, we couldn’t find the best time when everyone is free as one would always be out of the Country. Until finally, we all decided to get together this Wkend (though some are still out of the Country) and pick Le Meridian Hotel in Seef area.
TBh, I’m not fond of Sashimi and sushi, haha, strange but true, I think I’m one of the few who doesn’t eat much of this food, but since there are a lot of choices and it was a Seafood Buffet that night, with a variety of starters and appetizers, so I agreed.
The food was exceptional, the seafood options were all so delicious and in good sized portions and different cooking. The choice of salads, cheeses, bread, sides, and desserts are exquisite. It is seafood night, but there are also choices for vegan, Asian, Indian and others. Free flow of unlimited drinks, I think I had a glass of pina colada, and a few glasses more of Mojito.
Not to mention that the staff was also so friendly, helpful and courteous and The band is great musicians, the whole experience with friends are a truly remarkable one.
So I had Oysters and Lobsters and Prawns to name a few.
To end with, I had fun with old friends. That (almost) once a year get together was a night full of catching up from the long lost time since everyone is now busy with own family life. I remember how we used to drink and rock the different bars and hotels until the wee hours of the morning, about 8 years ago and how life would eventually change when you started to focus on the real life.
Good food, good friends, a night of catching up, perfect restaurant!
As much as I’m fascinated with Time Travel and Sci-fi films and having a very little interest in Drama, I happened to cross over this Sci- Fiction Drama Film titled Mr. Nobody starring Jared Leto while browsing on Net Flix.
And to my surprise, it’s actually good, if not to consider one of the films that made a great impact on me. I literally cried (can’t help it) to the character’s life choices and decisions and the possible outcome on his multi-selves dimension.
To start with, this is the story of Nemo, a 118-year-old last mortal on earth (after the human race has achieved the immortality, year 2092) as he narrates the three stages of his life at the age of nine, fifteen and thirty-four. Beginning from the time he was obliged to make a very critical choice on his parent’s split-up and how alternate paths branched in between (two alternate storylines when he chose to remain with his father and the other story when he chose to live with his mother) showing all the possible outcomes and possible futures from his different decisions and life choices and how he tries to find the correct decision in every choice he made up to the conclusion of what could have been, what could have happened if he chose a different one.
Interesting right? It’s actually Sci-fiction Time travel with a touch of reality. How life would be if we were able to see our future self ahead upon every single decision we make in life and have the chance to go back and choose a different path and re-correct the mistakes by having multi-versions of ourselves in different dimensions of our choice like NEMO with his different life- Life when he stayed with his mother, Life when he stayed with his father, Life with his three wives, with different kids, with different houses and different career, and all with different endings.
I’ve always had this weird fantasy sometimes I wish I could see the future me and I could go back and re-do some of the bad decisions I made in the past and to clearly see how would I be if I chose a different one.
But what amazed me was the conclusion at the end, that NEMO might have never been existed and wasn’t born after all. He was just a product of the nine- year old child imagination at the train when he is about to make a very critical choice in his life.
This film is one of the most engaging piece of drama I have seen in such a long time. It was boring at the beginning but once you get to understand the story, with all the flashbacks and visions of his would-be life in the future, you will definitely get hooked. Tbh, the movie is difficult to follow for an ordinary watcher. I literally cried on some scenarios with his father, with his mother, how we waited for the love of his life, Ana, and how they never met in another timeline. The story’s sense and wide visualization of life and death and time and love and choices made this worth to watch.
Understanding the word “minimalism” only depends on how you apply this to your life. I, myself have this unique practice of minimalism according to my preference since I do have a lot of personal belongings at home like women stuff and I do buy things always in a pair in case I ran out of the other one.
I believe that if you are happy with your 1000 personal stuff and belongings and it makes your life better and served the purpose, then no need to get rid of them. It’s actually just a matter if you are no longer happy with these clutters and stress and consumerism, then you have to break free and get rid of the valueless stuff.
My Online Life:
I practice minimalism in a way that I do not add random friends in any of my other social media like FB and only those I personally know or at least having interaction with.
I don’t follow many people on IG, doesn’t even reached 100 (seriously) since I could always use the search tool if I want to check something or anyone. I do even remove some of my posts and photos whenever I get the feeling it’s way too much and crowded.
I tend to unfollow people on FB (but won’t remove them from my friends list) if they are super active I always find them on top of my newsfeed for no reason at all, (but hey, let me just remind you that I have nothing against that since it’s their prerogative but if their visibility started to annoy me, then I will simply unfollow, bitching inside, some people deserved to be unfollowed, haha), kidding.
My Real Life:
Getting rid of valueless stuff. I do de-cluttering on a regular basis to get rid of the things I don’t want anymore and donating these items on the donation boxes found everywhere on the streets here like clothes, shoes, bags that is still good and reusable.
I don’t buy things on impulse, not unless I can’t live without it, haha. I always think before I buy.
Be happy. Be content in everything you’ve got not to mention save and invest. This will definitely help you in the future.
Detaching my Personal life to my career life. Yeah, that may sound odd but it helps a lot. I go to work mainly with a purpose to work only. It may sound rude but this is the best way not to drag yourself with people who don’t have anything to do with your real life.
Having one partner in life, immediate family, few real good friends. What else do you need?
This lifestyle requires a lot of responsibility and commitment. But with this, I get the privacy and the freedom I’ve always wanted in life.
Remember, fewer people, less stress, fewer things, more appreciation, simplified life, happier life!
There you go my simple ways of practicing Minimalism at it’s best. You may give it a try.
Okay, breathe. How do I start? At last, I had the chance to sit and concentrate on my blog page without interference.
I just got out from our 2 hrs Technical meeting, answered a few emails, forwarded the previous Progress Meeting, logged new submittals to be reviewed, released done inspections, receive and emailed new ID Inspections, haha, and now finally, taking advantage while the others are still in the meeting and my quick lunch break! This is what we usually get the first few days after enjoying a long weekend, then all the work will come up one after the other.
What I did on EID Holiday?
Oh well, of course, the first night, as usual, was spent with RJ, it’s like we were drinking (moderately) and binge-watching plus a lot of sleeping (and home-food) since Thursday night, 13.12.2018. We were planning to go in the mall on 16.12.2018, the actual first day of the two day National Day but I got a message from my friend Nicole and suggested that we should meet up, have dinner and go for bar-hopping.
Since I don’t get to see much of Nicole these days, haha, (we used to live together in one flat like until mid-2017 until she moved out and I also moved out from my flat of three years to our new flat with RJ) so RJ and I agreed to go out the next day to be able to meet my friend.
She took me to a Chinese Restaurant (Beijing Restaurant) for dinner. Been there a few times years ago (as in really years ago, maybe around 6 years ago). They gave us free Chinese prawn crackers as soon as we arrived and then we ordered dumplings for a starter, iced tea for refreshment, vegetable fried rice, and beef with pepper sauce something (I don’t know the name of the dish). It is beef with oyster sauce topped with a lot of onions and pepper and red chilis.
The beef was recommended by Nicole which is tbh, exquisite and appetizing. The servings are actually good for two to three person so we didn’t order anything more and in fact, we still have to take away the remaining portion divided to two, (one for Nicole and one for my husband to try).
They served us chocolate ice cream (it’s like a hot fudge with banana) afterward as a complimentary dessert.
Too bad I didn’t have much of photos taken but it’s okay.
Beijing Restaurant Location: Villa 576, Road 3819, Block 338. Adliya.
We had to walk back to the paid car parking after dinner. Check out these nice photos I’ve taken while walking on the streets of Adliya, (I wish I have a better cam). It is a holiday mood so the area is dimmed with beaming lights. There are a lot of people walking along the streets and sitting on the tables outside every restaurant but I wasn’t able to take a lot of snaps.
We went bar hopping to three bars on an entire night. Our first stop was in Apollo where we had a glass of vodka with pineapple. The place was still empty when we arrive since it’s still early. We stayed for another 30 minutes listening to the music then we moved to Dublin Bar and I had a martini, and another one, margarita. The martini made me feel a little bit tipsy as it is strong for me so I changed to Margarita which is way better. Then our last stop is Dublin (where there is more crowd) and I had three glasses of vodka, two vodkas with pineapple and one vodka with cranberry).
Apollo Lounge: Building.670 Road.2411 Block.324, Alsafir Hotel & Tower, Juffair
Dublin Bar: Building No. 256 Road No-40 Juffair.
The One Bar: Alfateh
It was getting a little bit late after bar hopping, so we decided to go to Starbucks Diplomat for a quick coffee then go home. But then Nicole’s friend called her and invited us to drop by for a while to Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel where they are staying.
It is something like a few minutes away from Starbucks so we decided to go. We spent about an hour there, laughing and talking with a few cans of beers (I had one full can of Coors light I guess, but I tried a few sips of this unfamiliar Hawaiian beer in a very strange bottle, haha) while playing throw the dice and drink a beer, oh well, I just named it like that where you have to throw the dice and the other person opposite the table should catch it, otherwise he drink the beer and vice versa.
It was a fun night with Nicole, we never had for a little while since we are both busy at work and we now live in a totally different location unlike before.
It was past 2AM when she dropped me home coz I can’t stay longer than that as my husband won’t sleep until I come home.
Few things that never fails to make me feel better. (In no particular order)
1. Work out- Definitely at all times. Whenever I’m exasperated, tired, lazy or sleepy, I would get up, put on my comfortable work out clothes and walk/run for at least one hour and definitely, I will feel better.
2. A bar of chocolate- This is one of my hard-to give-up simple pleasure, this also improves my mood but yeah, with calories and this is always included on my grocery list.
3. Going back home to a clean house. Yep, if there’s something that never fails to irritate me is going home to a messy house after a day’s work, my OC probs. That’s why I always make sure to clear everything before I leave to work in the morning. I’m glad that after more than a year of living together, RJ already knows these weaknesses and my simple house rules he won’t dare to mess up, haha and would arrange everything before I go home every Saturdays when he’s all day home.
4. Long Sleeps- I’m such a sleepyhead, I could even sleep for a straight 15 hours. But that was before getting married. Now I’m only taking advantage of these long periods of sleep during the weekend but not more than lunchtime because surely RJ will die of hunger, he will wait for me until I wake up to eat together, haha!
5. Foot and back massages- Oh well, who wouldn’t feel better when someone is doing this back rubs until you get to sleep?
6. RJ’s cooking- And of course, my husband’s cooking! Who needs to dine out when I’ve got the best chef at home? RJ’s menu of the day always brings the child-like excitement in me, I would always hurry back home to eat.
7. Writing- One frustrated blogger in here. This is far more than just making me feel better. Every time I’m spilling out my thoughts through blogging, this would turn me into a completely different person in a totally different world. Writing is my best friend where I could always confide my feelings.
8. Surprises- Yeah, whether it’s a small piece of chocolate or just anything. I love surprises!
Chescadventures 
