, , ,

5 Amazing Facts About Yas Beach

Abu Dhabi and its surrounding islands are jewels in the Arabian Gulf. Relaxing crystal clear water that is so warm you’ll feel as though you’re chilling in a jacuzzi.

One of the most tranquil beaches in Abu Dhabi is Yas Beach and here are 5 amazing facts about this majestic spot.

1. YAS BEACH IS ONLY 20 MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN ABU DHABI

Drive along E10 (Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Road) and follow the signs to Yas Island.

2. YAS BEACH IS A BEACH CLUB

So that means there’s an entrance fee that includes a towel, beach access (obviously), beach chair, bar (serves alcohol and soft drinks) and an outdoor fitness area.

3. YAS BEACH IS OPEN DURING RAMADAN

It’s currently the Holy Month of Ramadan. During the long, hot days in the desert it’s nice to know that there is a beach that caters to people who are not fasting and want a tranquil spot to catch some sun. Just remember that alcohol is not served during Ramadan and you can only eat inside the beach bar area.

4. YAS BEACH HAS WATER SPORTS FACILITIES

Noukhada – Yas Beach’s water sports provider – offers sailing, dragon boat and paddle board for the adventurous souls 🙂

5. YAS BEACH HAS DISCOUNTS

Are you an Etihad employee? Well, lucky you! You can receive a 50% discount on admission to ‪#‎YasBeach‬ during the week and 30% off at weekends. Be sure to bring your Etihad ID.

For more information visit Yas Beach on Facebook and Instagram.

[map width=”200″ height=”200″ lat=”24.4775603″ long=”54.6072678″ zoom=”10″]

/by
, ,

10 Things to Do in Bahrain

Here are the top ten things to see and do while you are visiting Bahrain. It’s a small island country off the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia, in the Arabian (Persian) Gulf. Bahrain is home to the Dilmun (Telmun) civilization which is one of the oldest in the region. You will find lots of historical and archaeological ruins scattered around the country.

10. Bab Al Bahrain and Manama Souq – This is the largest souq or traditional market in Bahrain. You can bargain hunt for spices, traditional clothes, pottery, arts and crafts and electronics here.

9. Tree Of Life – It’s a huge old soul in the middle of the desert.

8. Bahrain National Museum – Learn about the wonderful traditions of Bahrain and its ancient Dilmun past.

7. World Trade Centre – Shop, eat and sleep in one of Manama City’s most iconic buildings.

6. Al Fateh Grand Mosque – This is the largest mosque in Bahrain and is open to non-Muslims for daily visits. Learn about Islam and how the magnificent mosque was built.

5. Royal Camel Farm – The farm is also a stable to His Excellency’s prized camels.

4. Saar Archaeological Site – Visit the ruins of one of the Dilmun civilization’s cities.

3. Qal’at Al Bahrain – Bahrain Fort is a vast ancient fortified city that overlooks the Gulf. Meander through the court yards and enter the deep traditional homes where you’ll find modern artistic tributes to culture.

2. Al Jasra Handicrafts Centre – Meet local artisans and buy their crafts directly. The centre is located in a restored traditional Bahraini house.

1. Al Areen Wildlife Park – Visit the conservation park to see the regions most amazing animals in a natural setting.

/by
, ,

Tree Of Life Bahrain

Hello beautiful people! It’s been quite a while since I last travelled. The United Arab Emirates celebrated National Day on December 2nd and my employer gave us 3 days off during the week. I wasn’t planning on leaving the country but then the itch started one evening as I was dreamily gazing out my apartment window.

I opened Google Maps and Skyscanner and did a quick check of short-haul flights in the Middle East. BAHRAIN came up. Safe – yes. Warm – yes. Historical and culturally aware – yes. Cheap flights – YES!

So, I booked my 45-minute flight (!) and 5-star hotel room (I like to spend more on hotels when I travel alone because it makes me feel safer) and I was off to a similar-yet-different Middle Eastern Gulf country.

Bahrain had a drier climate than the UAE’s but it was about the same sub-tropical temperature. Clear blue skies and warm breezes would make the daytime highs enviable to anyone whose experienced a Canadian winter.

I spent 3 full days in Manama City, Bahrain and tried to do as many touristy things as possible. Through the hotel’s front desk I was able to hire an unlicensed taxi (driven by Indians and Pakistanis) to take me around for much cheaper than the metered cabs (driven by Bahrainis).

He took me to Manama Souq (market) where I could haggle a decent price for a SIM card. I needed one for emergencies and to get in touch with my driver when I would be ready to be picked up. I didn’t stay at the souq for very long because I wanted to get to the Tree Of Life.

I’d read about this mysterious wonder-flora and its claim to fame as being the only tree in the area and as an ancient Dilmun civilization ritual site. So once we got there I was awed and disappointed at the same time. It was a big, big tree in the middle of a desert and oil pipelines and makeshift local camping sites. It’s a beautiful tree but it’s just a tree. The driver said they light it up at night and people camp around it.

Unfortunately, Tree Of Life has been damaged by people’s scribbles on its branches. It also felt extremely remote and desolate. I felt as though my driver, the 2 random men (caretakers??) and I were the last people on Earth.

The best part about the journey to see Tree Of Life was the anticipation.

 

[map width=”200″ height=”200″ lat=”26.0572″ long=”50.6164″ zoom=”8″]

Hello beautiful people! It's been quite a while since I last travelled. The United Arab Emirates celebrated National Day on December 2nd and my employer gave us 3 days off during the week. I wasn't planning on leaving the country but then the itch started one evening as I was dreamily gazing out my apartment window. I opened Google Maps and Skyscanner and did a quick check of short-haul flights in the Middle East. BAHRAIN came up. Safe - yes. Warm - yes. Historical and culturally aware - yes. Cheap flights - YES! So, I booked my 45-minute flight (!) and 5-star hotel room (I like to spend more on hotels when I travel alone because it makes me feel safer) and I was off to a similar-yet-different Middle Eastern Gulf country. Bahrain had a drier climate than the UAE's but it was about the same sub-tropical temperature. Clear blue skies and warm breezes would make the daytime highs enviable to anyone whose experienced a Canadian winter. I spent 3 full days in Manama City, Bahrain and tried to do as many touristy things as possible. Through the hotel's front desk I was able to hire an unlicensed taxi (driven by Indians and Pakistanis) to take me around for much cheaper than the metered cabs (driven by Bahrainis). He took me to Manama Souq (market) where I could haggle a decent price for a SIM card. I needed one for emergencies and to get in touch with my driver when I would be ready to be picked up. I didn't stay at the souq for very long because I wanted to get to the Tree Of Life. I'd read about this mysterious wonder-flora and its claim to fame as being the only tree in the area and as an ancient Dilmun civilization ritual site. So once we got there I was awed and disappointed at the same time. It was a big, big tree in the middle of a desert and oil pipelines and makeshift local camping sites. It's a beautiful tree but it's just a tree. The driver said they light it up at night and people camp around it. Unfortunately, Tree Of Life has been damaged by people's scribbles on its branches. It also felt extremely remote and desolate. I felt as though my driver, the 2 random men (caretakers??) and I were the last people on Earth. The best part about the journey to see Tree Of Life was the anticipation.   [map width="200" height="200" lat="26.0572" long="50.6164" zoom="8"]

Would you like to visit the Tree Of Life?

0%

User Rating: 4.35 ( 2 votes)
0
/by
, ,

Lopinot Village

Last Sunday, my cousin took me for a drive through Trinidad’s Northern Range mountains via a narrow, winding road to Lopinot Village. We passed all shades of lush green vines, trees and bushes along the road. The clean, cool air was a welcome change from the stuffiness in the city.

The spectacularly remote, cute village of Lopinot is home to year-round parang music and a beautiful historical complex. The weekend is the best time to take your family down to Lopinot village for clean air and a relaxing river lime under the grand old trees.

Here’s parts of an article by Louis B. Homer in the Trinidad Express newspaper from June 2013:

[quote]…It has a history of its own dating back to the early 19th century and a culture that includes lifestyles of Amerindian inhabitants, cocoa panyol, Spanish, French, African and East Indian inhabitants.
Almost without exception, the people of Lopinot live by agriculture and livestock farming.
Their meeting places are the shops, parlours, drinking places, schools, churches, and a community centre, all of which provide opportunities for dialogue and self-expression among villagers.
English is spoken side by side with Spanish and patois.
Aesthetically, the towering hills, steep cliffs and the Arouca River, which flows peacefully through the village until it merges with the Caroni River, are nature’s gifts to the village.
The lands which once formed the estate of Charles Joseph Comte de Lopinot have been subdivided into several small holdings to provide spaces for housing and recreational facilities.
Although the Lopinot of today is different from what existed in the 19th century, there are still many repositories of its past heritage that add charm and history to the village.
The village owes its name to Comte de Lopinot, a former Knight of the Royal and Military Order of St Louis.
When the French Revolution broke out in 1789, Count Lopinot was still a powerful French planter and when the English took possession of his former home at Dominique, he fled to Jamaica with his family and later to Trinidad.
With the help of former governor Thomas Picton, suitable lands were granted to Lopinot to cultivate sugarcane. When it was discovered that the soils were not suitable for sugarcane, the Count turned to cacao. With help from his slaves, Lopinot cut through the dense forest until they found lands suitable for growing cacao.
Lopinot obviously had his dream fulfilled when he found what he was searching for. Standing on the hilltop he marvelled at the natural wonderland below and decided to call his newly acquired estate La Reconnaissance.
Following his find, he developed the lands into one of the most beautiful estates in the valley. But when the price of cacao fell, Lopinot was unable to pay his debts.
Legend has it that his demise came about while returning from Arouca, in a landslide that carried him down a cliff and half-buried him. He died in 1819 and was interred next to his wife, Marie Cecile Dannoy, who had died before him.
The death of Lopinot was the beginning of a period of change in the valley. By 1845 there was a migration of East Indians into the village. They occupied an area called “Coolie Block”. Then came Portuguese and Chinese immigrants. By 1890 Lopinot was no longer a slave settlement; the estates in the valley were then owned by people of Asian and African descent.
Apart from the historic relics of La Reconnaissance, there is the church of St Phillips, built by Richard Foreman Brown, popularly known as “Pa Brown”. He was the first pastor and founder of St Phillips Anglican Church, also known as “Slave Chapel”.
The village has a historic connection with Caura, a small village on the other side of the hills.
Caura in those days was called Partido de Quare, it had a Catholic church dedicated to St Veronica. In 1945 there were plans to construct a dam in that village to supply water to Port of Spain and the villagers would have to vacate the land and be relocated to Lopinot.
The villagers were opposed to the idea because it was their ancestral homes. The evacuation order was dated October 31, 1945, and on November 4, the church was dynamited in the presence of the villagers and parish priest Fr Kieran Lennon.
In a fit of emotion, Lennon said: “This dam will never be completed.”
Such was the curse left behind as the villagers left Caura and trekked to Lopinot. Indeed, the Caura dam was never completed and was written off as a bad job.
It was not so much the loss of their ancestral homes that angered the villagers, but the ruthless demolition of their old church which had been the centre of communal life for many years. The remains of St Veronica’s church were transported in parts by the people of Caura and rebuilt at Lopinot.
Culturally, the villagers from Caura continue their musical traditions—parang music, maypole dancing and Veloria de Cruz (Cross Wake).
Sotero Gomez and “Papa Goon” became heroes in the cultural arena.
Like other villages in rural Trinidad, Lopinot is not without its own share of magic and superstition. Bits and pieces of this can still be found throughout the village.
Here and there, one cannot fail to notice the conspicuous presence of upturned blue bottles perched on slender bamboo sticks. These bottles serve two purposes. They are supposed to offer protection of crops against maljo (bad eye), as well as a warning to thieves that if they consume fruits from those gardens they would immediately suffer from “swell belly”.
But there is more to Lopinot. There are the known and unexplored caves around the village. The most celebrated is at Genville, about two kilometres north-east of Lopinot settlement. It was discovered by George Emmanuel Jeanville, an ex-slave who lived in the area many years ago.
Another popular cave is the Jaraba cave, a corruption of Yoruba, an African people who had settled in the area after Emancipation.
West of the village and across the hills from Caura is the Colado cave. It was once the shrine used by devout worshippers who went there on special occasions to make offerings and prayers.
Beyond the village centre there is the quaint village called La Pastora. Overlooking the area there is a small Catholic church which once housed a statue of La Divina Pastora. In earlier years the statue was taken in procession along the main road leading to the village.
Altogether, Lopinot is a tourist paradise set in an environment of the past and even the present. A place where many people have visited in search of many things. Of history and culture.
Some have found what they sought while others have found an incomparable place, rich in history and traditions of the past. [/quote]
 

Have you ever been to Lopinot Village in Trinidad?

 

[map width=”200″ height=”200″ lat=”10.6833″ long=”-61.3167″ zoom=”10″]

/by
, , ,

San Antonio Green Market

The (San Antonio) Green Market in Santa Cruz, Trinidad is a great place to visit for fresh and local produce. There are comfortable wooden benches under the trees to relax on after you’ve perused the local artisanal crafts and delicacies.

The Green Market opens at 6:00 a.m. every Saturday, but you should get there around 10:00 according to jewelry-maker, Mark Anthony. That’s when all the kiosks are fully-stocked and ready for business.

I was feeling a bit peckish and found myself in front of Krys Wong’s Terre Benie kiosk, tasting an array of tasty chutneys and jams. DELICIOUS!!! The Tamarind Conserve maintained the fruit’s natural tartness and was gently enhanced by mild spices.

After chatting with Krys for a while, I was swept away by the soothing scents of Suite Scents‘ Tamarind & Turmeric Soap. HEAVENLY!!! The Founder of Suite Scents explained that she uses white turmeric and tamarind in the soap as healing antioxidants.

Can you recommend any other farmer’s markets in Trinidad and Tobago?

[map width=”200″ height=”200″ lat=”10.7167″ long=”-61.4667″ zoom=”13″]

/by
, ,

Trinidad Carnival Survival Guide

Welcome to The Trinidad Carnival Survival Guide for Carnival Virgins, Carnival Veterans and Carnival Babies alike. Feel free to leave your comments below 🙂

What? Carnival festivities began in Trinidad and Tobago over 200 years ago. The Carnival takes certain aspects from Nigerian (Egungun), French and Spanish folkloric roots due to the mixing of colonizers and slaves.

Where? The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is the southernmost nation in the Caribbean archipelago. Trinidad is the main larger urban island. Tobago is smaller and is known for its easy-going lifestyle and amazing beaches.

Who? Trinbagonians (Trinidadians and Tobagonians) are like you and I. Some have ancestors who were the indigenous inhabitants of the islands – the Caribs. Other Trinis have Nigerian, Ghanaian, Indian and Chinese ancestry from their enslaved forefathers. And others came from England, France and Spain as slave owners or from Syria and Lebanon to flee persecution.

When? Trinidad Carnival falls on the Monday (Lundi Gras) and Tuesday (Mardi Gras) before Ash Wednesday every year.

Why? Trinidad Carnival celebrates unity and bacchanal (good times)!

Climate: Trinidad and Tobago is tropical with an annual average temperature of 28 degrees Celsius. There is a Dry Season from January to May, and Rain Season from June to December.

Population: A little over 1 million

Official Language: English

Music of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival: Extempo, Calypso, Steel Pan (not steel drum), Soca, Chutney Soca

[accordion title=”When should I arrive for Trinidad Carnival?” close=”0″]If you are short on time, I’d suggest you arrive on Fantastic Friday (Carnival Friday) which is 3 days before the climactic Carnival Monday and Tuesday.[/accordion]
[accordion title=”What is there to do during Trinidad Carnival?” close=”0″]
Fete, fete and more fete! A fete is Trini talk for a party. Fetes can be small get-togethers (known as a lime) but generally they are huge rave-like parties at clubs, arenas and private mansions.

Beach lime. Pre-fete lime. Post-fete lime. Lime on the corner. Lime at home. Ah little lime. Lime on De Avenue (Ariapita Avenue). Do you notice a trend here?

Shark and Bake. Bake and Shark. Doubles. KFC (Trinidad and Tobago’s is real bess). Pelau. BBQ Chicken and Chips. Callaloo. Corn Soup.

Puncheon. White Oak. Angostura. Fernandes Black Label. Rum Punch. Carib. Stag.

Panorama (Steel Pan) Finals.

Dimanche Gras – King and Queen of Carnival.

Jouvert (Dirty mas). Expect to be pelted with mud, water-based paint or chocolate sauce. The dirtier the better.

…arrive in Trinidad and Tobago just after Christmas and you have a chance to hear the newest Soca, Chutney and Calypso music live at the pre-Carnival fetes, Steel Pan Semi-Finals, International Soca Monarch Semi-Finals.[/accordion]

[accordion title=”What should I wear?” close=”0″]Look cute. It’s the perfect time to look your best in that short colourful jumper you bought last summer. Or remember that long flowy halter maxi-dress? Or even that stretch mini-dress will be perfect with some bling sandals.

The key is to look great – effortlessly. Invest in a professional make-up artist for Carnival Tuesday and be the diva you were meant to be.

No white sneakers on the road please. Buy a cheap pair of boots (one size larger than normal) that match your costume. Low-waist skin tone tights are a great way to look sleeker in photos and gives an extra touch of specialness to your costume. Buy good insoles and wear comfy socks inside. Don’t bother getting pedicures because it’ll make your soles too delicate for all the walking and dancing you’ll be doing. For an easy pedi rub sand on your feet if you go to the beach.

Stockings are extremely helpful so stock up on 2 pairs per day (Carnival Monday and Tuesday) because they will rip. They come in light, medium and dark browns.

If you decide to play mas (participate in Carnival Monday and Tuesday with a band) you will get a Monday costume (usually a t-shirt). Pair the t-shirt with short shorts, your Carnival boots and tights.

For Carnival Tuesday, wear the entire formal costume and remember to smile for cameras and stay in yuh section when it’s time to cross de stage.

Your band may also include a goodie bag filled with condoms, coupons, jewelry, sunblock, creams, etc. Many bands will provide meals, snacks, alcohol, water and soft drinks on Carnival Monday and Carnival Tuesday.

Bring sunblock, beach towel(s), bathing suit(s), and wrap your valuables in a ziplock bag and keep them in a cute little pouch. You won’t want to carry anything big when you go to the fetes and Carnival.

Although it’s Dry Season during Trinidad Carnival, your delicious foreign blood might attract mosquitoes, so bring a citronella-based repellant and anti-itch creme.[/accordion]

[accordion title=”I heard that Trinidad and Tobago is seriously dangerous!” close=”0″]According to the travel advisories of several countries and local news reports, Trinidad and Tobago is a dangerous, crime-infested country. Luckily for you things are more peaceful during Carnival.

Most fetes and bands have tons of competent security. Don’t walk around paranoid but always be aware of your surroundings. The fete promoters and band leaders’ purpose is to give you what you pay for – the best stress-free bacchanalist time ever – so the riffraff stay away.
[/accordion]
[accordion title=”Are Trinbagonians actually speaking English?” close=”0″]Yes, English is the official language of Trinidad and Tobago. However, Trinidadian English is a dialect with some unique words and a beautiful undulating accent.

Wining, bouncing, juking, pelting a waist, rolling a bumper, bending down low, etc are how Trinis get on bad and have ah time. It’s not considered nasty unless you’re hyper religious. At the fetes and Carnival men will teef ah wine from you. They will come behind you and wine up on ah bamcee (wine on your bum). If you let them. There is absolutely nothing wrong with letting them wine on you. But if at any time you don’t want it, just stop. He should get the point. If he doesn’t then glide away. No scene (no problems).

You will meet lots of men who will be interested in getting to know you physically. (If they ask) politely say that you’re staying with your cousin in Maraval. If you want them to trail you back to your hotel then that is your choice 🙂

You may get drama from some Trini men who may ask you how yuh doin dem like so gyul, etc. Some men will beg for it.

Trinbagonians are very blunt. They will tell you how they feel but usually in a funny, nonchalant way. You probably won’t hear many Trinis cussing (F bomb) unless they are seriously angry. They will use other colourful language instead.[/accordion]

[accordion title=”What do you actually do during Carnival?” close=”0″]Dance until your feet hurt, dance some more, drink ah rum (water, energy drinks, juice, sorrel, mauby are fine too!), eat ah food (macaroni pie, callaloo, doubles, roti, BBQ chicken, pelau), meet new people, hold on to old friends, take lots of pics, get sun burnt, smile, laugh, have fun and don’t sleep until Ash Wednesday![/accordion]

This concludes The Trinidad Carnival Survival Guide. Tell us about your Trinidad Carnival virgin or expert experiences below 🙂

[map width=”400″ height=”400″ lat=”10.6661700″ long=”-61.5165700″ zoom=”14″]

Photo by Nabwood Fotos

/by
, ,

Wild Italian Man Wants To Eat Monja Too

Why would a wild Italian man want to eat Monja? Why is he wild? What’s Monja?

Those were some of the questions my good friend T and I had as we walked along Nishinaka Dori Street one humid evening. It had been one of those sticky hot summers Tokyo is known for. One that most people, Japanese or not, despise – the type that my napturally curly hair loves so much.

We were out of ideas as to how to spend the last lazy days of the Obon holidays. This is the occasion when many Japanese spend family time paying respect to their ancestors at grave sites around the country. Others go abroad to completely refresh and relax.

Since we had already gone to Malaysia and Singapore twice that year, we decided to stick around and explore our adopted city. As seasoned travel buddies we knew exactly how to signal trouble and make quick exits with our own arsenal of facial ticks and blinks. We also knew when to just jump in and make the most of it.

Earlier that day, I woke up to T’s phone call. Still drowsy from a night of clubbing, I answered.

“Where to today?”, she asked.

“I don’t know, T.”

She decided our fate on her Tokyo Metro map with a drop of her finger on a tiny square-shaped island in the Sumida Gawa River. Kachidoki.

So, we hopped on the Denentoshi Line (Hanzomon Line) and transferred at Kiyosumi Shirakawa station to the Oedo Line. Walked up the myriad steps and got out at a quaint little urban village.

Maybe it was the Obon exodus or perhaps it was almost dinner time, but the narrow, neat alleys and streets were practically empty. We walked down one of them and all around us were older machiya (townhouses) with smells of miso soup and fried goodies floating out of their windows. Hunger pangs hit us hard.

Stomach growling, T pointed to a small intersection ahead of us. We walked toward it and rubbed our eyes. A t-shirt souvenir shop/dry cleaner’s? With vintage PONY game machines outside? T-shirts with colourful aliens? T-shirts with rabbits making something? T-shirts about a wild Italian man liking something called monja?

“Irrashai imase!”, welcomed the shop clerk.

“A beautiful girls. Speak Japanese?”, he uttered in broken English.

We smiled.

He proudly held up one of the many colourful t-shirts with that cryptic phrase and read it to us.

“Wild Italian man wants to eat monja too!!”

(In its original Japanese it’s いたりややじんももんじややりたい)

T and I side-eyed each other. With food on our minds and no time to practice English with the ojisan, we were about to head out and follow the delicious smells that caught our noses.

Reading us immediately, ojisan shop clerk asked,

“Do you monja?”

“Do we what?”

In basic Japanese we explained that we were starving. A huge smile appeared on the ojisan‘s round face and once again he pointed to the t-shirt. He explained that the Japanese phrase was a palindrome that had to do with eating monja and rabbits. Err, not eating them together. The rabbits were taken from a fable about them making mochi on the moon. He changed the story to rabbits making monja. Clever. Still confused we patiently waited for him to explain what monja was.

All he told us was that Nishinaka Dori is the home of monjayaki and that the best restaurants were all around us. Joy! He pointed at Tsukushiya and we quickly bowed and thanked him.

Tsukushiya is a small, traditional eatery with the zen-like bamboo interior you’d expect in any self-respecting Japanese dive. Tsukushiya serves only monjayaki (grilled monja). You order a variety of veggies that are served in a ceramic bowl. The waitress brings the batter and makes a show out of pouring mystery gooey stuff on your table. What??

Monjayaki as it turns out is a pancake-like meal made with a lightly seasoned drippy batter and vegetables. It’s grilled on both sides till brown over a large flat heating plate on your table RIGHT in front of you. It looks nasty while it’s cooking but smells damn amazing and tastes even better.

T and I quickly realized that any man (or woman) – wild or not – would love monja too.

Have you had any strange tales of searching for meals?

 

[map width=”300″ height=”300″ lat=”35.657299″ long=”139.775053″ zoom=”16″]

/by