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A Ukrainian Childhood and Fond Memories

Published by halyoosha

Every summer I traveled to my second hometown, Donetsk, to see my grandparents. Looking back at my memories as a child in Ukraine fills my heart with bittersweet nostalgia. A lot of things in my life trigger my memories of Ukraine. One of the simplest things, like to catch a faint whiff of dill, instantaneously evokes in me a vivid recollection of my grandparent’s house, it was like a gateway to the past, a flashback to my great and active and childhood that I feel so blessed to have had.

Summer was always accompanied by scraped knees and purple-stained fingers. Our neighborhood had a huge infamous Mulberry tree right in the middle of it that stained the ground with purple spots, and reaching out to the highest branches (with the tastiest and most ripe berries) was always risky because they left indelible stains on my clothes! Being sort of a jungle kid I encountered many risks. I lived and spent a large portion of my childhood time outdoors; climbing trees, building tree houses out of branches and scraps of cardboard, rope-jumping with friends, learning how to ride a bike, swinging on monkey bars, playing badminton, and mingling with different kids. I’d spend all day outside playing from early morning ’til noon, stepped inside to eat lunch, then bounced back out again.It shaped me significantly and also helped me learn more about my Ukrainian culture and way of life. I remember being known as the gypsy girl because of my dark-haired/eyed look compared to everyone else, the “Arab” from an unknown far away land.

We commonly played with Chinese jump ropes

At the end of every playful and adventurous day I was an exhausted, worn out but HAPPY kid with dirt on my clothes and bruises on my legs. Then the day after, I’d repeat it all over again and so on. Waking up to the sound of an orchestra of rustling leaves and pigeons cooing on the balcony, I tugged on my grandpa to take me out with him then get me that delicious waffle ice cream that I always loved and still do. I never had tastier ice cream in my life!

My favorite ice cream in Ukraine as a kid 🙂

There were two benches next to our home from where my grandpa always watched over me so that I didn’t run out of his sight. “Don’t go past the keet!” he always warned. The “keet” used to be an outdoor swimming pool in the playground, and all that’s left of it is a stone in the shape of a whale. The mystery surrounding the disappearance of the pool had to do with a drowning incident..so they say. Beyond the keet was stepping into a danger zone for me, a restricted area that I didn’t dare to cross over. I even remember feeling like a dare devil whenever I attempted to go past that point with my friends.

My grandpa frequently took me to the town’s bazaar and bought me gifts. I still hold on to that cute little blue purse he bought me with an angel or fairy on it. I remember when having a tamagotchi was the craze for kids in the neighborhood, it was a cool gadget to have and everyone suddenly wanted to be your friend. There was a particular one I really wanted; a big, baby pink heart-shaped one which was a rare find. Grandpa promised to go to the bazaar with me to search the whole market for it, but we never found it. He got me an even cooler one with a keychain, that I also kept until this day.

Then I’d come back home to the scent of my all time favorite, grandma’s hearty Ukrainian Borsch soup. I’d put on an apron just like the one she had and help her prepare the ingredients, chopping those veggies, and stirring the pot. I loved helping out my grandma in the kitchen, and I always imitated everything she did! Sometimes, if she wasn’t too tired, I would beg her to go outside with me and pick out her outfit and choose the color of her lipstick. I loved playing dress up with her.

On weekends we took trips to the Black Sea along the winding roads overlooking sunflower fields and a clear blue sky. On our way there all the sunflowers faced the East and going back home at sunset they’d face the opposite direction. Sometimes we’d stop the car and sneakily grab ourself a sunflower and pick the seeds inside it. They taste better raw than they do ripe!

As years of memories passed by, my grandparents passed away and it’s been 8 years since my last visit. I knew that if I ever were to return, the place would not be the same. That is the most depressing part.

Now this very place is a war-torn zone, the same place from which all these dear memories came from and still remain untarnished in my mind. The neighborhoods have turned into a ghost town, most Donetsk residents escaped and moved out, some fearing for their lives and hiding in their homes. What was once the sounds of birds cooing and childrens’ laughters in the morning has been replaced with the loud bangs of firing and explosions. Armed thugs wield rifles and clubs . It feels like only a moment ago that everything was okay, and it was only a moment ago that I was proudly looking at pictures of Donetsk’s newly built airport that served as a sleek symbol of progress. Now it is completely destroyed and what is left of it is a wasteland of rubble.

The airport does not stand today. It is just a heap of rubble.

I would never have imagined that this was going to happen to Donetsk one day, no one did. And it deeply saddens me to see the state it is in right now.

Positive News

Published by halyoosha

Why do we always hear about negative news in the media? Would positive news make a difference?

A Port of Roses in the Adriatic Sea-Portorož

Published by halyoosha

Nestled between the Italian and Croatian borders is the coastal town of Slovenia called Portorož, a resort where I’d enjoy lounging on beaches and savoring succulent sea foods, snacking on ice cream as I stroll down the palm-lined promenade. Followed by that, hang out at Alaya bar- a fancy Bali-style beach bar serving all kinds of drinks and snacks in beach cabanas. It’s the glitzy life of the sea!

Another small coastal town that is in walking distance from Portorož, is an ancient town called Piran that used to serve as a fishing harbour back in the day. It would take a nice 2 km walk from Portorož along the seaside to get there. Piran is in many ways influenced by the Venetian republic because it was once part of the Venetian empire. After being in Venice numerous times I could definitely see the similarities between both with its narrow streets and medieval architecture. If you were to snap a photo of yourself in the streets of Piran, anyone would assume you are in Venice.

The small coastal town is clustered around the main square named after an Italian composer called Guiseppe Tartini, who was born in Piran when the town was under the Republic of Venice.
Branching off from the main square, there are many twisting alleyways full of little surprises and quaint-looking houses, and going uphill there is a bell tower of the St. George cathedral.

One of my favorite things to do was throw on my swimsuit with shorts and flip flops on, grab a towel, and be on my way to the cliff-hanging medieval castle that overlooks the beautiful Adriatic sea and a wild nude beach. I’d descend down the steep and rocky stairs create my own beach by laying out a towel on the rocky shores, then bravely face mother nature’s rough, wild waves before me. Trying to swim at a wild beach was scary at first. I’d struggle to maintain my balance as one wave after another pushed me from side to side, the harsh sound of waves lapping against me. I could feel the corals and razor sharp rocks scraping my feet.

With Piran comes the many treasures of the sea. It was-and still is- famously known for its salt or “Piranske Soline”, mussel farms in the bay, and seahorses.

In Defense of Journalism and Journovation

Published by halyoosha

Remember when people would say that journalism has reached its demise because print was considered dead with the advent of the internet? It’s either that or “what are you gonna do with a Journalism degree in Kuwait?” These are the two most common questions that come up during conversations about my future career plans as a reporter. Gone are the days when people would see journalism as a prestigious and hard-working profession, and gone are the days when peoples’ eyes would light up when you told them you studied journalism or worked as a journalist. Maybe its just me, but I noticed that such reactions are a handful in Kuwait, and most of them have now been substituted with with looks of confusion and even disappointment as if its something that is a thing of the past and doesn’t exist anymore. This itself is such a pity, and I always brush off this negativity.

Journalism is not over nor will it ever be. What is happening is that journalism is adapting to the ever-changing world and technology and media around us. I don’t see it as reaching it’s end. Yes, maybe traditional journalism is a thing of the past but only until it begins to embrace revolutionary technological developments. Just like with everything else, change is bound to happen. What industry has NOT changed within the last decade? I see the changes as an upgrade to the world of journalism, I see it advancing in the way it tells stories. I’m glad that I’m not alone in this, as there are many articles out there on how new technological tools are simply transforming journalism rather than replacing it. In that sense, journalism is changing but the essence of it-which is to bring news to the world about the world and tell inspiring stories- still remains the same. It is just a shapeshifter changing into online form.

What made me want to pick up this topic is my devoted passion towards journalism. It began when I was a teenager. At 15, I knew it was something I wanted to go after. To narrow it down even more, I aspired to become a travel journalist. Watching the Travel Channel and especially that TV show the Globe Trekker , made me start dreaming of taking on the jobs of those traveling, seeing the world, experiencing different cultures, speaking to the locals and telling their stories, and so on. Doing what you love and getting paid for it sounds amazing.

Secondly, I was prompted to discuss an interesting subject that caught my attention. A thing called “immersive journalism”. I found out about a journalist and filmmaker called Nonny de la Pena who focuses on re-creating news events into 3D generated virtual reality. We are talking about the future of journalism here.

Pena believes that this will help change the way people experience news. Imagine placing yourself IN the news, in a particular situation that is reenacted in to 3D (like a bank robbery) and then being able to immerse yourself in what is happening around you as though you were present at the time the incident occurred, rather than just reading it or watching it on TV. It is this firsthand experience of an event that can be amongst one of the greatest new potential story-telling techniques. It can help create a deeper understanding and connection between the audience and the news story by constructing an illusion of being there. Of course, this is not a widespread trend, yet, at least and it’s still being tested out. The idea of merging gaming with journalism is an exciting idea to me, as I really love both. This is a hopeful sign. As long as journalists are equipped with the innovative tools, they can succeed in a new media environment and become “digital journalists”.

But this brings other issues into the picture, issues that come with the changing landscape of journalism and how it is changing the ways in which journalists go about doing their jobs. We are becoming increasingly visual in terms of how we consume news. In a fast-paced world we are also seeking brief and quick summaries of news. Whether this is a good or bad thing is up to discussion. Some news outlets have changed their format to adapt to this by giving readers more definitive and succinct information. Recently I downloaded a new app by yahoo called “Yahoo News Digest”. The app gives updates you 7 top news stories on a daily basis in a very succinct format by jotting down the most important facts in just two sentences. There are other applications similar to this. Another local Kuwaiti app that follows this format is called Merzaam.

Then there is always the subject of social media which I am beginning to get annoyed with. But that is a different story. Social media helps accelerate the flow of news and citizens are becoming reporters now. But where is the verification that comes with reporting news? Where is the in-depth analysis? Where is the fact-checking? Yes, citizens come in handy for finding local stories to report on and it helps journalists follow these stories up close. Journalists simply turn this user generated (sometimes gibberish) content into high quality news sources. Citizens simply cannot replace the work of journalists. It’s like learning to do math with a calculator and calling yourself a mathematician. Re-tweeting and reposting stories does not cut it, even though it does help spread awareness, but there is also the risk that this can lead to stories coming from unreliable sources to spread like wildfire leading to misinformation. There are actual journalists out there sacrificing their lives to bring you the truth and hard facts. With the fast pace of news and the dissemination of information by non-journalists, it is becoming increasingly difficult to double-check facts. The whole race to “being the first to know” is making it even harder and its putting pressure on reporters to “get it out there fast”.

This is the speedy changing landscape of journalism, but the profession is still flourishing. I may not be a professional journalist yet, and I may not be qualified to make such a statement, however, my enthusiasm is still there and always has been. Journalism has gone through a long journey, starting all the way from newspapers, to radio, to the internet, and now social media. So why wouldn’t it continue to thrive and survive through many more media channels to come?

Journalism is still doing the same thing as before. It’s just doing that thing in new ways.

A Day in Bohinj Lake- God’s Paradise

Published by halyoosha

“God was giving land to people and as he finished he realized that he had forgotten about a small group of people, who were silent and didn’t hustle like the others. Because of their modesty and patience he felt pity for them. That is why he decided to give them the most beautiful land of them all, which he had spared for himself. It’s called Bohinj, because we call God “Boh”-The legend of Bohinj.

The ringing of church bells awaken me in the early morning. This is when I tend to struggle waking up, considering that back home I don’t think much about the morning window view from my bed. My mum pulls back the curtains and opens the windows, fresh air enters the room. I get up and approach the sliding glass door that opens up onto a deck and there I am awakened to morning mist. My eyes are greeted with lush greenery and alpine mountains.

Of all the places I had visited in Europe, I always recall my most memorable scenic experience that surpassed any place I’ve been to- Bohinj, the largest lake in Slovenia. Throughout my stay in Slovenia during my summer vacation, Bohinj was the perfect get-away to commune with nature and stunning scenery found in fantasies and fables.

The glacial lake is nestled in a valley surrounded by the snow-capped Julian Alps amidst dense pine forests. The lake radiates a mystical, magical aura as though it has a mood of it’s own every time of day.

Pure Serenity. Bohinj is a pretty isolated place, a piece of heaven untouched and unspoiled by human interference. It’s just a slice of Slovenia’s breathtaking nature.

The place comes off as uninhabited and doesn’t have that touristy feel to it because it is rather un-commercialized, which I like and selfishly wish for it to remain that way. I would say it is far more popular with locals who visit during the weekends or summer vacations to do many activities such as canoeing, mountaineering, cycling, swimming, and hiking.

A group of canoers training for a canoeing competition

The mountains provide a peaceful haven for walking along numerous footpaths that circle the pristine lake. Leisurely strolls brought me along unbelievable views of the fresh turquoise waters. There are moments where in the early evening, I’d stand on a small bridge and watch how the sun rays streamed through gaps in the clouds leaving a golden glimmering trail down the lake. The views of the blue waters reflected the towering mountains like a water painting, and a family of ducks would happen to be gliding smoothly across the placid water. I’d see swans pick at reeds along the shore and ducks wading in the shallows. An amazing scene developed right in front of me that was beyond post-card worthy. The tranquility and the fresh mountain air can rejuvenate any soul and I was eager to explore the places and villages surrounding the lake.

The water is fed by ice-cold mountain rivers and streams, and the lake itself emanated coldness. One would not even need to dip their toes in the water to test the temperature, it looked cold. Despite this, I felt I’d miss out if I didn’t try setting foot into this lake. Stepping lightly onto the pebbled beach I slowly let my toes touch the water, then gradually my legs. At this point the water was up to my waist and the most difficult part was immersing my torso. I took a deep breath and made a swift plunge. After a few minutes of diving in and out, my body got adjusted to the temperature. As I tottered my way further into the water I felt it getting a few degrees colder with depth. But the grey clouds started to make the water look uninviting and before I knew it, it started to drizzle.

Bohinj lake is within the boundaries of the National Triglav Park, the only national park in Slovenia. The lake restores it’s water 3 times a year. It is very well-protected and many activities in the area are prohibited or need strict permission. What fascinated me the most was the fact that the lake is very peaceful. In order to maintain the purity and serenity of the lake, the only modes of transport allowed are small yachts, kayaks, canoes, and two electrically-powered tourist boats. No motor boats are allowed.

We took a boat ride to get to the other side of the lake, and as we were whisked away across the crystal clear waters we discovered the many myths and legends that surround the mystical Bohinj valley.

There was no better way to have experienced this magnificent lake other than to row to its center on a rowboat and that was exactly what we did. We hired a rowing boat and as we rowed away, I peered into the transparent depths of the water and spotted a family of speckled trout. I watched how the wind blew the water softly, as the sun’s reflection made the ripples glimmer. Rowing the boat at sunset was a relaxing and invigorating experience.

As I roamed around Bohinj and further into the villages, I passed traditional Alpine houses dispersed across wild floral meadows. Sometimes we picked berries from bushes along the way. Wandering through a rural village of barns, hayracks and pastoral fields, I was reminded of the traditional pastoral farming life where you can still witness families rising early and tirelessly working the land!

Some of the houses previously inhabited by locals in the 1800’s have been preserved and a few turned into museums that serve to provide insights into past lives in Bohinj, including original furnishings and items from its last owners. One of these museums-the Oplen House, is maintained by a caretaker, Gregor Resman, a very friendly man who welcomed us in and gave us a tour of the house previously inhabited by a small family living in the 18th century. He touched on the overall traditional lifestyle of the farmers, and as he did so, it felt somewhat surreal seeing personal belongings of the people who lived in this house hundreds of years ago, clothes worn by them hanging in a wardrobe,black and white photos and portraits of the family hanging on walls. Every thing from shoes, portraits, farming tools, tableware were on display making it feel like their presence was still there.

For centuries, the people of these mountains had been producing rich butter and cheese and grazing their cattle herds. The tradition of cheese making in this alpine area had been preserved until this day, and it’s common to stumble upon roadside cheese stands too. My visit to another museum-the Alpine Dairy Farming museum- provided me with a look into the past lives of local villagers and opened my eyes to the disappearing way of life in the area. It included very informative and detailed exhibits of the entire cheese-making process and even samples of tools used to manually make the cheese. You’d think the lifestyle was something of the 1800’s or even earlier, but alpine dairy farming in Bohinj only began to decline in 1971.

However, fresh produce from farms and home-cooked specialities prevailed over commercialized factory products. Family-managed traditional dining businesses like “Gostilnas” serving domestic food like homemade bread, fresh goat cheese or deer goulash (to name a few), have always been more popular and sought-after among Slovenians.

You can get a feel of this authenticity in tourist farms, where travelers get a chance to live with the locals and eat from their gardens while exploring the countryside and experiencing the rustic style of life. These eco-friendly tourist farms offer fresh meat and dairy products directly from the farm in a chemical-free environment, which is why the era of home made cheese-making has reigned and remained prominent.

One of the many pretty Alpine houses I saw walking through the Bohinj Village.

One of the many pretty Alpine houses I saw walking through a Bohinj Village.

For the ultimate view of the lake my family and I took a cable car ride up to the Mount Vogel ski centre, a truly thrilling vertical ride through a narrow valley on its steep slopes encircled by stunning, verdant forested mountains. As we ascended the mountain, a thick veil of mist was swaddled around it. We began to see the entire view of Bohinj Lake. Bands of mist encircled other mountains from afar. I felt like I was in the heavens!

When we finally arrived at the peak, we enjoyed a breathtaking bird’s eye view of the lake with skies filled with paragliders and vibrant air balloons.

Situated at the peak of the mountain is a cozy and traditional Slovenian inn. It was freezing cold and fresh cow manure wafted through the air, as this is where most farmers make their living by breeding pasture cattle. When we arrived to the inn we were treated with homemade Slovenian dishes and desserts namely the famous Slovenian walnut rolls, cottage cheese rolls, apple strudels, and flaky pastries layered with custard. We relished the potica dessert, a well-known Slovene specialty which consisted of a circular loaf with a wide variety of fillings, namely nuts, honey, raisins and cinnamon. Overall I fell in love with the tasty and wholesome traditional Slovenian cuisine.

Looking on at the scenery while being wrapped in blankets, and enjoying a cheese platter really made my day.

Later, we topped it off with a spectacular chairlift ride offering us an unobstructed view of the mountains from atop. As we ascended and reached the peak of the ride it felt surreal. The strangest part was that it suddenly became really quiet, like we had entered into a portal of some kind. The silence was deafening. We had taken the ride three times previously, and found that it went dead silent at this one particular spot at the highest point of the ride. It was strange but amazing. I never experienced such a moment of absolute silence and stillness before, nothing but very soft hushes of wind.

There is no better way to descend the mountain than to parachute your way down. I managed to build up the courage to go paragliding. I was taken by a car up the starting point above the mountain. It was my first time paragliding and the weather was perfect, so I learned the basics of it on the spot and went on a tandem flight. Soaring through the sky above the beautiful landscape was an unforgettable and thrilling moment. What I adore the most about Bohinj or Slovenia in general is the perfect climate that caters for all types of activities. The flight was the ultimate opportunity to absorb Bohinj to the fullest.

During our last night in Bohinj Valley we happened to encounter an unusual festival that takes place during August known as the “Bonfire Night” or as Slovenians would call it “Kresna Noch” . The festival is famous for displaying thousands upon thousands of candle-lit egg shells which are set to drift and float across the dark lake as crowds party with big firework displays. This was the perfect way to end our final day on the lake of Bohinj 🙂

The Mysterious City on Water-Venice trip 2014

Published by halyoosha

This is my seventh visit to Venice and each time is like my first. I would gladly go for the eighth, ninth, and even tenth time. There is nothing I particularly dislike about this infamous city known for its romantic appeal, other than the swarms of frantic tourists from around the globe that you have to push your way through– and the blazing summer heat makes everything feel overwhelming. The place is always heaving with people of various nationalities; Russians, Swiss, Cubans, Tunisians, and an American asking if there’s a Starbucks anywhere! Never-ending tourists flock to this city on an annual basis. Is it any wonder? And even though there have been countless accounts of travelers gushing about this city, I myself feel like my numerous visits to this marvelous city merits a personal post. And that is why I would like to devote my story to why I find Venice so alluring and attractive.

This enchanting, and somewhat otherworldly city with buildings flanked in the waters, exudes a distinct mysterious vibe like no other. It’s historical character with crumbling and decaying yet beautiful facades makes it mesmerizing. Strolling through darkened cobblestone passages lit by yellow lanterns hanging on stone walls makes it feel as though its historical spirit has unchanged overtime and remains authentic until this day. When taking moonlit walks you feel you’re in love. It’s strange because Venice sets a specific dreamy-like mood, and has that special power to illicit this feeling like no other place I’ve been to.

Wedding bells ring!

When we arrive to Venice, we would normally board off the Vaporetto (water taxi) and proceed to look for our hotel through the maze-like streets. As we wheeled our suitcases through the streets, we lose ourselves in alleyways taking us to new and unexplored spots sometimes meeting dead ends and canals that are impassable without a boat. That’s the charm of Venice.

As we wander and meander our way through a network of hidden streets, we make random turns into narrow paths that weave through the floating city, offering us something new just around the corner; whether its a teal-blue canal, a gondola drifting past, a shop full of colorful masks, a beautiful courtyard, or a view of balconies with laundry swaying on clothespins.

Sometimes I can’t help but think of Venice as touristy place, and its easy for it to lose that allure once you see how touristic of a place it really is. Street vendors stand everywhere with carts overflowing with souvenirs, gondoliers advertising their rides expelling herds after herds of tourists, and stands after stands with the same Venetian trinkets at every corner. But when I stop to see balconies with clothes hanging out to dry and hear locals shouting to their neighbors out their windows -through the closely-clustered buildings that are close enough to reach over and touch-, it makes me look past the crowds of tourists that steal the stage, and find that there are few residents left on this marvelous watery city. Walking through Venice I wonder what its like to live in a place like this, and what kind of lifestyle people live by where everything is by water. Police cars, ambulances, DHL, are replaced with boats and roads are replaced with canals.

I am reminded of a fascinating, yet, creepy, occurrence the time my mum and I were walking past an old church and there happened to be a funeral taking place. We spotted a casket being carried out and placed onto a boat using a lifting machine. The boat then drifted away to a separate Island, known as San Michele (or Island of the Dead), that houses a cemetery for dead Venetians to be taken to. I found it spooky, yet incredibly interesting. Because the island itself is small the burials are temporary, meaning that, after 10 years or so, the deceased are exhumed to make space for newcomers. The wealthier and more privileged families get to keep the bodies of their friends and relatives in the grave for longer, but other graves have to face the grim possibility of having the bones dug up and transferred to an ossuary (a container or room where skeletal remains are kept and stored).

The hotel we stayed in had an antique Victorian style interior with classic old-school Venetian furniture. Usually the windows opened onto a moldy green canal or a view of the port. The room would tend to have a musty smell-I’d like to think its the scent of Venice. One of my most memorable moments was hanging out with my mother, father, and brother in the hotel room at nighttime and seeing my mum look over to the window and to her surprise and shock saw what looked like a gigantic building drifting past. She gasped, and we gasped with her when we rushed to have a look. We crammed at the window and watched as an enormous cruise ship glided along the lagoon playing “Con te Partiro”. We were all awestruck at the sheer size of that ship, and what appeared to look like something out of a movie. I am glad that my instinct did not tell me to whip out my phone and capture what I saw, leaving me to miss out on this rare moment.

So as we arrive at the hotel to freshen up and unpack, we shortly leave the hotel again. We walk past rows of parked bobbing gondolas and the sight of gondoliers steering their tourist-filled boats effortlessly with a 15-meter long wooden oar as they carol and call out certain signals. We find our way to the San Marco Square and then lose ourselves again through the alleyways. It was not a bad thing, as we were always rewarded with new and unexplored places. It’s safe to say that after our numerous visits to Venice, it was easier to find the same places again by simply following the familiar cues that lead us there. As much as it is easy to get lost, you eventually find your way.

Busy day for Gondoliers

On our journey we were attracted to the many different small shops offering hand-made jewelry and Murano glassware, along with perfume and glove boutiques, mask shops, and luxury brands. This is when it started to pour buckets of rain and we hid under a small protruded roof of one of the stores. A Bengali man took this as an opportunity to sell us raincoats, but we thought we could manage without them and hid in Gucci. The weather was cooler on this most recent visit to Venice, and the sky was not the usual blue with the scorching sun. This was the first time it rained heavily during our stay, and I enjoyed being in Venice under the gloomy weather with dark clouds looming overhead.

After waiting for the rain to stop, it was time for an Italian meal of pasta with clams or also known as Spaghetti Con Vongole! And of course, pizza. No matter how cheap a restaurant is in Venice, expect the pizza and pasta to taste delicious! Gorging on fresh seafood (especially mussels and clams) was always a must.

Delicious!

From my very trip to Venice, I instantly fell in love with the enormous variety of exquisite, artistic, ornate, and uniquely hand-painted Venetian masks. I consider every trip to Venice incomplete without buying at least one mask- a highlight of my trip. The moment I entered a mask shop my eyes would dart everywhere at the different faces adorned in feather, gold-leaf, gem, and glittery embellishments. Masks ranged from traditional ones, to more luxurious ones dressed up in gold and Swarovski crystals, and to much more modern ones like an avatar or robot mask. Upon walking into a shop, I’d always find a mask-maker working intricately on a mask at his desk. Mask-making has turned into an art, and mask-collecting turned into a hobby for me, each time bringing a new one home. As I browsed through all the masks, it was hard to decide which one I liked the most. I made sure each one I got was different. I always went for the hand-made authentic masks made of papier-mache and never for the cheaper plastic masks sold by street vendors. In the early days, they used to be make them from porcelain, leather, or even glass.

I was intrigued by the history behind these masks dating all the way back to the 1200’s. Columbine, bauta,medico della peste, arlecchino, jester, moretta, and volto are among the various types of traditional masks from which different characters were born with a history and interesting meaning behind them. The volto, for instance, is a full-faced mask that was mainly worn by the common people while there were specific types of masks worn only by aristocrats. Every year the famous “Carnival” (Carnevale) festivities take place, an opportunityto dress up in elaborate Venetian costumes and masks and parade the streets. The celebration has extended beyond its religious roots and became a world known event, an event that revives the tradition of the city and a time where masqueraders show off their extravagant-looking costumes. The purpose of masquerades back then was that the wearer of the mask could not be identified and hence, concealed their social status and gave them a chance to be whoever they wanted to be in disguise-mysterious and even mischievous. It was the only time of year that provided a chance to mingle anonymously with different social classes. Any form of identification like age, religion, or gender, was hidden behind a mask. The male Bauta mask, for example, was shaped in such a way around the nose and mouth, that it altered the wearer’s voice to remain unrecognizable. Masks served a symbolic purpose centuries ago, but now they serve as more of a decoration and souvenir.

Part of my mask collection

A female Volto mask

A lot of people have that pre-conceived idea of Venice as a romantic place, but the crowds and “smelly” canals disappoints many. I beg to differ. To really fall in love with Venice you have to roam away from the touristy areas to unmask its secrets. Our favorite places to roam around was where locals reside, more towards a completely different and quiet atmosphere and away from the more chaotic touristic areas. These places have been untouched by the hordes of tourists and remain unaffected by them (sounds like a zombie apocalypse). Venice is especially at its most enchanting at dawn. Sitting at a cozy local cafe and hearing old neighbors chatting away and greeting one another from their windows, spotting a Venetian lady rearranging Italian produce at her market, and just enjoying the overall great atmosphere makes it a much more fulfilling experience.

Tucked in my memory bank I also remember the time when my mum, dad, and I would have nice long sunset strolls. We crossed bridges over bridges and the further we went the quieter and darker it became. We always passed a big beautiful yacht with huge sales parked in the pier…

A huge yacht! It didn't even fit the frame!

A huge yacht! The sales didn’t fit the frame.

…and then we stopped at a cafe to have thinly-crusted cheese-laden Italiano pizza and some drinks, and then ambled our way back. It is this type of quiet, relaxing, and soothing quality that makes Venice so unique. A city so old and so prone to flooding, still stands today with it’s century-old architecture complete with rich art and strange tales.

It is best not to get swept along with the tourists, unless it is your first time visiting and you want to see the world-famous spots. But lingering in these places for too long is not advised, especially if you plan on staying for a few nights! Venice is best when its not rushed. Before it sinks one day, you have to really take some time to sink yourself in and soak up the city.

Gondolier

I loved this alleyway

I didn’t think it could happen to me!

Published by halyoosha

During my amazing trip to Singapore, we had a nice overdose of shopping and malls. There was one incident that I would like to share that occurred on my trip, which taught me a good lesson.

One day we were at a mall doing some shopping. We walked past a kiosk called SEACREST that sold beauty products. I hadn’t heard of this brand before. An Asian saleslady handed me a sample of body lotion, and I gladly took it (BIG mistake). Before I knew it I was lured in by another olive-skinned sales lady who took me by the hand telling me “Come here, I’ll show you something amazing.”

Being the naive girl, I was intrigued and followed her. My brother, sister-in-law , and her sister, stood by the sink while the sales lady applied some “sea salt” product on our hands and made us scrub them. As we washed it off she said, “see how smooth your skin is? It’s like baby skin!”. And it really was. We were enticed by the product and all three of us girls decided to purchase it. Then, she decided to let us try another product. She asked if we could lend her 5 minutes of our time. We were starving and my brother was slightly irritated and told her that we had to leave. She still insisted repeatedly and said it would be quick, until we reluctantly agreed.

It took longer than 5 minutes, and my brother ended up leaving, and shortly after that my sister-in-law left too. I tried to escape as well, but failed. It was just Nora (my sister-in-law’s sister) and I left alone. She introduced a “mud mask” to us and began demonstrating it. But before doing so asked us what products we used on our face. I told her I use Mac facial cleansing oil. She fired back by saying how could I be using such a product when my skin itself is oily (are you even a dermatologist?) Well, miss, if you actually cared to read about the benefits of oil cleansers, you would know that other facial cleaners can be abrasive and strip the natural oil away from your skin, while oil cleansers help maintain your skin’s moisture and keeps it healthy. She told us that the products we were using weren’t doing us any good and pointed out flaws on our skin that were not even there. Some salespeople try too hard to sell their products and will do whatever it takes to find any excuses to do so even if it means making you feel insecure so that they can obnoxiously tell you that their “products” will help you solve your problems. She vouched for a product that promises to do “miracles” for our skin. As she applied the mud mask on our wrists (which was supposed to be left on for 5 minutes) she claimed that for better results we had to wait 20 extra minutes, during which she used that time to brainwash us into buying some more products. The mud mask already began to feel tight and very dry on my skin after only 3 minutes!

“This mud mask penetrates 5 layers of your skins and sucks out all the bacteria from it,” she said. It later occurred to me that our skin has only 3 layers, and how could a mud mask possibly penetrate all those layers of skin? (now I know for sure she was no dermatologist). They really do take their customers for fools. It was already an alert for us to get the hell out of there ASAP. After the mask was done, we were told that it was a 3 stage process and so we had to finish the last step for an effective result. We were already getting fed up and were desperate to leave but she latched on to us and wouldn’t let us go. The final step was the application of the moisturizer. She asked for our wrists again and applied the cream, showing us how fast it absorbed into our skin. The cream was still visible on my wrist and her reasoning was that I had “thicker” skin than my friend’s, that’s why it took longer. Seriously? What drivel! Or maybe you just applied a tad bit more cream on my wrist?

After that, she walked up to a cupboard and got out a box set of all three products and offered it to us for a price of some 300 Singaporean Dollars. When something is too good to be true, it probably is. We told her we needed time to think about it and would come back later. This is when it all begins. She became very pushy and told us that today was the last day of the promotion (by the way, they say it’s the last day everyday). She claimed that the real price of the set was much more expensive, but she was giving us a discount. Still, we were not ready to pay the reduced price. We decided to get the mud mask for now and test it out first before buying the entire set. She continued to push us to buy the whole set and showed us that there were only two boxes left and we were the last customers. We were still hesitant. She paused and looked annoyed, then went further by saying that she is about to do something special just for us by calling her boss/manager and asking for a special discount because she “liked us”. Do not fall for any of this nonsense. She dropped the price so drastically that it was immediately obvious that it was scam. Moreover, there is no fixed price list displayed on any of the products they have, as though they make up prices on the go. At this point, the woman became aggressive and coercing us to purchase the box set. She just wouldn’t let us go! Forty-five unbelievable minutes later we finally got out of there with only the mud mask and salt scrub in our bags. All the stores had closed down around us (it was 10 pm), and we left feeling angry that we wasted so much time.

Once we reached home, my brother asked us how much we paid for the “salt” scrub that all three of us had purchased. We felt ashamed of ourselves. My brother made a quick search on the brand only to find out that the products we bought were 50% or more cheaper on Amazon than what they initially charged us (even after that so-called discount). We got scammed big time! We delved deeper on the matter, and after a good amount of research found tons of blogs and news articles surrounding the issue. It turns out that these beauty and cosmetic businesses are run by a network of Israeli salespeople who scam their customers.

SEACREST products use minerals from the Dead Sea and their sales people are an Israeli mafia of professional scammers. SEACREST is not the only branch. There are many more similar ones like OROGOLD that use gold flakes in their products and other much more expensive brands that sell DIAMOND-infused cream all of which are under the same umbrella. They are scattered EVERYWHERE starting from Singapore and all the way to China, South Africa , and other countries. They use aggressive and intimidating (sometimes even seductive) sales tactics to manipulate people into buying their overpriced products that are not even supposed to cost the amount they demand.

It doesn’t stop here. On another day, we went to a high-end mall and happened to walk past another beauty store this time, not kiosk. You could immediately tell that they were the same mafia. I spotted two salesladies busy with their “victims”, and one of them looked very familiar to me. She turned out to be the same saleswoman that sold us the sea salt and mud mask, but in an entirely different mall and store, despite her telling me that I would always find her at the kiosk should I have any concerns. It seems to be that the sales people escape and shift to other malls so that you do not find them again in case you decide to come back and complain. In the cases I’ve read online, some of the salespeople working there use an alias so that nobody can identify them. I don’t know how much of this holds true, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this was actually the case.

I learned more and more about their criminal business as I read hundreds of complaints from customers around the world about these Dead Sea kiosks, who ,shockingly, all went through the exact same negative experience.The dialogues were even almost identical to what I heard, as though they follow a script of some sort. Based on the experiences I’ve read, many claimed to have been promised a refund before purchasing the product, but their tactic is to give you the receipt and stamp “no refund” once you have paid for everything after which no refund is accepted. Seeing that pretty much all the people who wrote those online complaints had the exact same experience, I came to realize that I’m not the only one and many others have fallen prey to these manipulative techniques that they use on every customer. All of this came to be known as the Dead Sea Sales Scam.

I cannot believe that they have not been kicked out of malls and are still permitted to do these deceitful sales. They were already reportedly banned from opening their businesses in some states in the U.S because of their illegal and suspicious marketing strategies. Many people are being sucked in to this scam and are willing to pay a lot of money for something that is much cheaper in reality. I gotta admit, they are so good at what they do that it is hard to say no and turn away without buying anything.

No matter how good their products are, their business practices are not acceptable and are damaging to their image and even the country they represent. For that, they do not deserve any recognition for their brand. A sales approach that is based upon lying to customers is unethical.

Ever since my experience with this scam, I evaded every one of their kiosks and sales people. Sales men and women dressed in black uniforms would try to lure us in again by waving their samples in our face and looked insulted when we gave the the cold shoulder and continued walking our path, as if they had succeeded in luring in every person that walked by and found it surprising that someone would dare to ignore them. Just say NO! And refuse to take that sample because that’s where it all starts. OR you can play along for fun and waste their time only to say you do not want to buy anything! 🙂

I felt disappointed in myself for being tricked by them and falling into this trap. But on the upside, it was my first time to have been exposed to such an experience and I did learn a good lesson. If it wasn’t for this experience, I would not be wary of such things and would get scammed elsewhere. Awareness and attention to their deceiving tactics must be raised, and the same goes for any salespeople trying to trick you. Inform yourself about these companies and be aware that there are SCAMMERS like these out there!

South-East Asia here I come! Singapore trip-March 2014

Published by halyoosha

Singaporean skyline with purple lotuses.

I have never been to the Far East, so I was very excited to travel to Singapore. It was a great place to start!

Prior to traveling with my brother, my sister-in-law, and her sister, I researched this country to get an idea of what to expect. Being there I learnt so much more. Singapore is commonly known as a multi-racial city being made up of Chinese, Malay, and Indian communities, with Chinese being the largest population among the three. It is also dubbed as a “fine city” , as there are many strict rules and laws that can get you fined. When we landed, we were given a small booklet outlining the forbidden products to carry into the country. Among the items listed is chewing gum under the category of ILLEGAL, or else you would need to pay a hefty fine of 1000 Singaporean Dollars (SD) because it is a form of littering. Even for committing something minor, a harsh fine awaits you for what could be a “sticky” situation! Singapore takes cleanliness very seriously, and it’s no wonder that I found it to be such a clean, organized, tidy, and orderly country.

As we were about to board off the plane, I realised that I had equipped a “special” pocket in my backpack with all kinds of gum before leaving for the airport, and I couldn’t decide where to put it or if I should get rid of it. I could have just tossed it in the trash but I couldn’t let myself throw all of that good chewing gum away. I must say, I had never panicked this much over a pack of gum (other than in school)! So in the end, in the spur of the moment, I decided to sneak it in and act oblivious. I thought the customs were going to be strict about it and was expecting it to get confiscated, but luckily, I was not caught red-handed carrying or putting gum in my mouth. I imagined the worst-case scenario: that if I were to throw my chew-ed up gum in the trash I would eventually be tracked down through my DNA in the gum and punished with a harsh fine. What should I expect when it clearly states that chewing is a prohibited item?! Even arms and explosives aren’t in that category. So I thought, they probably had better things to do than to sift through every single passenger checking for something like gum. After having a read about this law, I found out that the only type of gum allowed is medicinal gum (like nicotine gum, or gum for healthy gums).

Stepping out of the plane and into Changi Airport, I was astonished. The airport was a city all by itself boasting a butterfly farm and numerous endless things to do and see that even TIME flies! If you are stuck in a long-hour transit, fret no more…free WiFi covering the whole airport, amazing duty free shopping, a movie theater, spa, an arcade center, rooftop gardens, playgrounds ,and much more can leave you wishing your transit was a tad longer. This glorious airport should be the model for all airports around the world.

We stayed at the Regency Hotel for our one week trip. We woke up extra early every morning to savor each minute we had and my brother ensured that our schedule was PACKED so that we had time to see everything. We set out for an adventure on foot every morning or hailed a taxi for more distant places. For a country as small as Singapore, it really is mind-boggling how much there is to see, taste, and experience.

Most of the time we got on the metro to reach our destinations, which was lots of fun. Using the ticket machine to mark our destination, followed by finding the right metro was an adventure by itself. I enjoyed the feeling of being in an unfamiliar country that was a complete stranger to me. Getting lost, finding your way around, and exploring made it all the more exciting.

As with any other trip, I went into a photo-taking frenzy and could not stop snapping photos everywhere!

The ticket machines channeled us to all the places we went to !

We used the ticket machines to take us to all the places.

The metro. Our frequent rides on the metro lead me to notice that many people tend to be very fixated on their phones. Not just metros, but everywhere. This photo does not illustrate this. Usually metros were very crowded and it was hard for me to take a proper picture. Luckily, I did this time.

I’m not that short! 🙂

We stepped into the tropical humid weather and our first stop was Marina Bays. As we explored downtown Singapore on foot I noticed the building that Singapore is notoriously known for -the SANDS hotel- the most expensive construction in the world, and also famously known for the infinity pool perched on top of it.

From Marina Bays, we made it to Gardens by the Bay. On our way there we spotted the Singapore Flyer from afar, one of the biggest ferris wheels in the world. As we walked towards the Gardens we also caught sight of the the SuperTrees that looked much like Kuwait’s Water Towers in terms of shape. But, we weren’t heading there yet.

Singapore Flyer in the day

Singapore Flyer in the night

Super Trees. They are made of steel and are intended to collect and store rainwater.

First, we headed to the Art and Science Museum followed by the Flower Dome and Cloud Dome!

Facade of the Art and Science museum, reflecting the clouds 🙂

One of the sections of the museum was about Dinosaurs. Here is a display of the various ancient animals.

One of the sections in the museum covered a story on dinosaurs. As we walked through the museum, we journeyed through a timescale taking us forward in time as animals evolved. Here is part of a display of the various ancient animals and the periods in which they lived.

After an educative and informative time, we were on our way to the Flower and Cloud domes. The domes are giant greenhouses that host a variety of exotics plants and are temperature-controlled to simulate a rain forest. It was a really calming and wondrous experience to be taking your time looking at variety of exotic plants and flower species from all around the globe, and ones that you expect to see in tropical rain forests.

Flower Dome

One of the many exotic flowers that caught my eye!

A Baobab tree, one of the weirdest looking tree I've ever seen! They grow in hot climates and utilize their wide trunks for water storage.

A Baobab tree, one of the weirdest-looking trees I’ve ever seen! They grow in hot climates and utilize their wide trunks for water storage.

Flowers smell nice!

Beautiful cacti

One of the many events that are occasionally hosted in the flower dome. This one was an upcoming medieval-themed event!

Next, Cloud Dome…

A misty entrance!

An indoor man-made water fall …be prepared to get a little soaked from the splashes! We needed it to cool down !

Wall of flora

Up we went!

Cloud Dome-Bridge

Many hours later, we reached the end and spent more hours in the gift shops getting cool souvenirs for our families. By the time we finished, it was dusk outside and we made it just on time for the Super Trees light show.

Super Trees lighted up, with the SANDS hotel peeking out!

The trunks of the trees are sheathed with vines and flowers

Super Trees with its aerial walkway and the Singapore Flyer in the background

Afterwards, we went all the way back and entered the Marina Bay SANDS mall…

The Helix bridge leading us to the SANDS hotel.

The Amazing Spider man 2 premiere! People were taking photos and asking for autographs from actors. The crowd were taking photos of what appeared to be Emma Stone.

The Amazing Spider man 2 premiere! The entire cast of the movie were there. People were taking photos and asking for autographs from the starring actors. The big crowd in the photo were snapping pictures of Emma Stone. We arrived towards the end.

We walked back home along this beautiful view of Singaporean skyscrapers.

Our next stop was China Town, my most anticipated place.

Arriving at China Town

Our first view

It is the place to go to get a good glimpse and sense of Chinese culture without going to China–that is one of most fascinating parts about Singapore. These Chinese, Malay, and Indian communities make you feel like you’re in three different countries at once, simultaneously experiencing different cultures. This fusion of all three cultures is apparent when you taste the food. Each ethnicity maintains the root of their culture in their food but at the same time intermingle with one another Singaporean style.

China Town had interesting snacks and souvenirs at every corner. You would find crafts shops, stores with Chinese trinkets, plentiful food stalls, and restaurants serving ethnic Chinese cuisine everywhere you looked. Again, there was so much to taste and look at, and I wished we had more time to spend in the local shops, but we were too busy taking in every small bit of everything with our limited time!

Chinese lanterns decorated the town

It was exceptionally hot that day and we’d stop by a fresh juice stall for some lime or watermelon juice-popular drinks that were very refreshing and thirst-quenching on a sunny day.

I wanted some watermelon juice 🙂

A lady food vendor waiting for customers in the early morning

Another food vendor serving delicious duck.

An overall view of a food center.

Street view

In the China Town market, a man cut out names and images from paper for souvenirs.

In the China Town market, a young man cuts out names and images from paper for souvenirs. In the background is a local shop that had a lot of strange food products.

I was so excited to see The Tintin shop in China Town. It was like finding hidden treasure! It's filled with Tintin merchandise.

I was so excited to spot The Tin tin shop in China Town. It was like finding hidden treasure! It’s filled with Tintin merchandise.

A beauty salon. Eye brow threading is popular in Singapore.

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in China Town.

Inside the Buddha temple where people pray to the Buddha and offer sacrifices and food. There was a sign saying that photography is not allowed, yet there were people taking photos and the security guards did not object!

A Hindu temple at China Town. I did not enter inside as you had to take off your footwear. I wasn't wearing socks so I didn't go inside for sanitary reasons.

A Hindu temple at China Town. There were hundreds of visitors inside, and there was some kind of ritual taking place. I did not enter as you were required to take off your footwear. I wasn’t wearing socks so I didn’t go inside for sanitary reasons.

Time to gorge on some food! We made an entire turn around the food street hoping that someone was done to sit at a table, but there were already a group of people who were waiting BEFORE us and reserved the table already. You gotta be very lucky to grab a spot lol!

Time to gorge on some food! We made an entire turn around the Food Street hoping to find a group of people leaving a table, but there were already groups of people waiting BEFORE us who reserved the table. You gotta be very lucky and quick to grab a spot lol!

Up next was the Singaporean Zoo . As with any other place, the best time to reach the zoo was very early to avoid the volume of tourists. Many people have called it one of the best zoos in the world, and it certainly lives up to that title. We booked our tickets online and skipped the queue. I wondered why people were willing to endure the long queues when they could have just purchased the ticket online! The zoo was like no other zoo I’ve been to. A huge number of animal species were showcased at the zoo. It is the first open zoo in the world, and one of the few. Orangutans swung freely right above us on tight ropes, and there were so many opportunities to be up close with the animals. This is a perfect example of how zoo animals should be kept–roaming in an open wildlife-like enclosed environment where they can remotely feel that they are in their habitat, not in a cage! As we walked along the paths that took us to various animals, it felt like we were in the wild exploring and encountering them. Actually, it did not feel like we were in a zoo at all!

With every exotic animal we observed came an educational display. Usually the way the information is presented in zoos looks long and boring. But here, I enjoyed reading every single one of them. They were fun and interesting and had lots of cool facts!

There were many opportunities to get up-close and personal with animals during feeding times. Unfortunately, we did not catch any of the sessions! In the middle of the day it began to rain, so I am guessing that a lot of the feeding sessions got cancelled.

Just one of the fun informative displays about animals. The only animal that I did not see was the Panda 🙁 It was not available.

Orangutans are so cute!

A baby Orangutan swings playfully from tree to tree

Baby Orang utan with his mother

A type of monkey species poses for me!

This Orangutan looked really bored and uninterested in what was going on around him. He looked so chilled...and flattered that people were taking his pictures :)

Orangutans, the iconic animals of South-East Asia. This Orangutan looked really bored and uninterested in what was going on around him. He looked so chill…and flattered that people were taking his pictures 🙂

The enormous Zoo with various sections

This poor polar bear looks pooped! Looks like it just had a dip in the water and is resting. I felt bad for him as there was no ice chamber and it had to endure the heat! :(

This poor polar bear looks exhausted! He just had a dip in the water and is resting. I felt bad for him as there was no ice chamber of some sort to keep him cool in Singapore’s hot climate 🙁 , despite the setting made to look like the Arctic!

Four ninja turtles

Iguana

It was raining when I took this picture. The jungle is visible from afar.

A very entertaining show called “The Rainforest Fights Back!” where zoo experts bring out a variety of animals and introduce them to the audience. If you are are lucky enough and are sitting in the front rows, you will be selected to go up the podium and come face to face with one of the animals!

That wraps up our trip to the zoo. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would not mind going again as there are many more things we missed like feeding sessions, the elephant show, night safari, river safari, and the bird park. We used up the entire day and it still did not suffice! But we still managed to go through the entire zoo. The zoo closes down at 6 p.m and it was time to go home after a looong day!

After a nice rest back at the hotel, we decided to head outside for dinner. It is very hard to resist the amount of food around you here in Singapore because of the variety of endless choices. The food culture is enormous. We had to apportion a part of our energy just to choose what to eat and to look for a spot at the crowded, open food courts called Hawker Centers. Hawker Centers are communal dining settings scattered all over the city and contain rows and rows of food stalls. The moment we entered a Hawker Center we were bewildered by the amount of choices. A “Hawker lady” holding menus would start beckoning to us and offering to find us seats. A word of advice is to read a “Hawker Center Guide book” to advise you on what to pick when looking for food here! Unfortunately, I discovered this book on the last day of our trip when I suddenly “noticed” it laying on the table in our hotel room.

I am very open minded about food and enjoy tasting new things, and usually I am rewarded with a pleasing taste. So I tried my luck by ordering strange dishes and surprising myself. Some would recommend going to a stall with the longest line if you are clueless on what to have. A lot of the Asians standing in line in front of me were ordering a Chinese dish called fish ball soup, seeing how it was popular, I thought it must be good and decided to give it a try and ordered it too. It was a familiar-sounding dish but I had never tried it. Just to clarify, the fish balls are made of minced fish fillet rolled into a ball and dropped into a broth with noodles. As I dived in to the dish with enthusiasm, I ended up being disappointed! The soup and fish balls were flavorless. The only thing I could eat was the noodles in it, and only because I was hungry! I thought that I was eating it wrong, but my guess is that there might have been some sauces that went with it or it was just meant to taste that way.

Hawker Center

Hawker center

Malaysian seafood

More seafood. Chilli crabs, drunken prawns, and barbecued string ray are popular in Singapore’s seafood culture.

Even with a full stomach, it is easy to succumb to the temptations…

Walking down the street we’d find authentic Chinese street food. These are some delicious-looking fried snacks that I very badly wanted to feast on.

More fooooooood!

We would make 3 rounds or more around a food center just to browse all the colorful menus and watch what the chefs were cooking up.

Butchering some duck

Everything looked very enticing. Every time we made our way to any of these food courts we stuffed ourselves and over indulged in the delicious food. We tried satay with a side of peanut sauce, glazed chicken wings, chilli crab (one of the most popular dishes in Singapore), Nasi Padang (a meal comprised of fragrant coconut rice, and a number of various vegetables and meats of choice to go with it), dumplings with a myriad of fillings, and the list goes on and on. Everything was so flavorful. When I returned to Kuwait, I could not look at any Asian restaurant in Kuwait the same way again! I craved the food back in Singapore for a long time.

After a nice dinner, we walked back home to a beautiful view…

The mascot of Singapore-lion with a tail of a fish.

The mascot of Singapore, the Merlion–A lion with a tail of a fish.

SANDS HOTEL laser show

We made it just on time for one of the events, the Earth Hour. I was imagining all the lights to go off in every Skyscraper. There was a noticeable difference after the Earth Hour began, but the entire city did not plunge into complete darkness as I imagined. A few lights here and there went off and that’s it! It was still a great atmospheric night. We sat on some steps and watched the skyline.

Celebrating Earth Hour with Spiderman.

The next morning, while on our way to our next exciting destination, we passed by a lovely cafe called “Art House”. It contained a work shop for artists and a coffee shop beside it. I loved the delicious duck and cheese toast there!

The calming view from the Arts House coffee shop.

After a hearty breakfast, we went to Arab Town. First, we were dropped off at Haji Lane.

Art mural on building

A closed restaurant. Haji Lane was very vibrant and colorful

A closed restaurant. Haji Lane is very vibrant and colorful

A fashion photo shoot

Then we walked on Arab Street. I could smell the Hookah (sheesha) and spotted Westerners sitting at coffee shops puffing away.

Arab street overlooking a Mosque.

As we crossed our lists of places to go and checked off Arab Town, Little India was our next stop. It was my least favorite place during my trip. There were big crowds of male workers staring at us because we stuck out like white crows! There was not a single woman or child in sight. We had to squeeze our way through crowds which involved lots of shoulder-rubbing just to end up somewhere. I am sure there were a lot of interesting things to see there, but our only way to see them was to navigate around flocks of men and we didn’t feel the least bit at ease. In fact, we were desperate to get out of there. It was pretty chaotic and there were police patrols everywhere monitoring the place and controlling the traffic. There are a lack of people obeying the road rules, so it was no wonder that nowhere in Singapore have I seen this many police patrolling. As we sweated in the heat between crowds. Bollywood billboards emblazoned the place. I felt the stares, smelt the fumes and the burning incense, heard the cars honking. But we still pushed away through all of this just to arrive at a place called Mustafa Center. We did not know what Mustafa Center was. When we finally reached there, it turned out to be a mall that is open around the clock for 24 hours. It has tons of things for a cheap price. Everything from electronics, clothing, watches, perfumes, DVDs, you name it! We looked around for a bit and left because it was getting late. After checking out the shopping center we got sort of lost and had a long walk back trying to figure out where to find the way out of Little India. At least now we can say we found what we were after, the Mustafa Center! And it was time to head back to the hotel.

Here are some photos…

A spice shop

A block

One of the small shops selling Indian trinkets, and saris.

A pot of mutton rice!

Strands of fresh flowers

It was now time, again, for one of my favorite parts, which was scouting for a Hawker Center! We felt hungry and it was already around 8 p.m. Once we arrived at Penang road, we were late to the party and all the Hawkers were full. Sometimes, our taxi driver would give us some tips on where to go and what to eat. He told us that if we were to plan on going to a Hawker Center, the best time would be anything before 7 p.m, as this is when it gets crowded. It always happened to be our luck that we were hungry at around that time or couldn’t make it on time. Nevertheless, no one ever uttered the words “there is nowhere to eat” in Singapore. There’s always a food place in every corner. We were at the Marina Bays area and browsed through some restaurants, and the only place that looked like we had a chance at finding a table was Thai Express. It had a queue but we didn’t mind waiting in line. Once we were seated, we enjoyed our time. The atmosphere was nice, the weather too, and there was a band playing music. On top of all that, I had some tasty pineapple fried rice!

Coming back to the hotel, I was excited for the next day. We were going to Universal Studios! I could not wait to hop on the thrilling rides. The theme park is located on Sentosa Island, a resort with beaches and other fun attractions including Universal Studios. As entered we immediately spotted the Universal Studios globe circling in special effects fog. We paid an extra price for an Express ticket which gave us access to rides without waiting in line. We could skip the line only once per ride, and it saved us two hours of waiting in a queue! Since we got there early the lines were still short, so we saved the Express ticket for later. Our very first ride was Transformers 4D, a thrilling roller coaster that comes with special glasses. It looked very realistic with lots of special effects like wind, heat, and water spray, and there were moments where I shut my eyes even though I knew it was just an illusion. Big robots would fight you and toss you around making you tumble to the ground at full speed!

We were ready to hop on to the next ride called “The Revenge of the Mummy”, a high speed indoor roller coaster. I’ve heard it to be the scariest and best ride in the entire theme park. When it comes to roller coasters I am usually very stubborn and reluctant to go on one. This time, after hearing all the great hype around this ride, I thought I could be missing out! So I built up the courage and we made our way to the entrance of a giant and dim Egyptian tomb. Hieroglyphics were scribbled on the walls and statues of pharaohs towered over us. Very creepy music was playing in the background. I don’t know whether it was chilly too or just me being nervous and freaking out. As the path took us closer to the indoor roller coaster my heart was jumping out of my chest. At this point I was desperate to get over the feeling of the frightful anticipation. Fast forward, we are seated and bracing ourselves for the ride. It was completely dark, meaning we did not where there were twists, turns and drops. The theme of the mummy made it even more frightening. Yet it was the most fun ride I’ve ever been on, and one that I was really looking forward to go on for the second time using the Express ticket. There was a hidden camera that took a picture of us during the climax of the ride, we were all screaming except for my brother, who had an expression-less face. When we decided to go again before leaving Universal Studios, I wanted to look more photogenic in the next picture and tried to keep the same expression through out the entire ride because I did not know where the camera was hidden. I must say, it was not easy lol!

Universal Studios entrance

Tickets!!!

Far far away land. Harold’s Castle from Shrek.

The Churros were tasty! We didn't get to get on the main roller coaster

The giant roller coaster in the background “BattleStar Galactica” was under construction so we didn’t get to ride it 🙁

The last section of the theme park that we went to was “Lost World: Jurassic Park”. Almost all the rides are water-based. The first one we hopped on was a Jurassic Park-themed ride. The notice board warned that it was advisable to wear a trench coat as there is a possibility to get VERY soaked. When I saw the “drying pods” next to the ride’s exit, which are giant dryers, I immediately expected a good shower on this ride! When we got on the boat and buckled ourselves up, the ride began. We drifted calmly down a river. The drama began to escalate the further we went. Suddenly, an alarm went off and we were in the “danger zone” and had to find our way to safety. The splashes began to increase as we plunged into a flood. We encountered many dinosaurs along the way. I waited and waited for the “Big splash” to happen, and as we drifted through a dark tunnel, I anticipated it. Eventually, we reached a dead end and a vertical lift took us up. Suddenly, a dinosaur jumps out above us with an open hungry jaw and it looked like we were about to get eaten. Just in time, we managed to escape when the doors opened and we slid down a big waterfall and SPLASH!!! I didn’t have a trench coat on, as I was wearing shorts and a tank top so I didn’t think it was worth it. It just happened to be my luck that I was the only one who got completely drenched! It looked like I jumped into a pool. Who needs drying pods when you have Singapore’s hot sun ? I was dry in 10 minutes!

Then we went to Water World…

One of the shows we went to was “Water World”, a live action water show. It contained a full cast with a lot of stunts, explosions, splashes, and pyrotechnics. The show itself is based on a post-apocalyptic science fiction film from 1995. It’s so much fun!

Oh no…the bad guys are gonna throw him in toxic chemicals!

Woah!

Welcome to Madagascar!

We went to several other rides like the Canopy flyer, Madagascar, Sesame Street and the Donkey show and Monster Rock concert!

After a long and exciting day at Universal studios, we decided to spend the last two days on shopping sprees. As a 5’1 girl I thought the shopping here was heaven! The sizes were custom-fit for petite Asians. My small feet of Size 35 were very happy. However, I noticed that all the petite sizes were usually sold out at every clothing store I went to! Even on the land of petite I had hard luck. Nevertheless, I still shopped ’til I dropped. My wallet needed some recovering! There is no shortage of malls, shops, and boutiques in Singapore.

Shopping time!

We went to various different malls and bought a lot of souvenirs. Of course, we could not miss the famous Food Republic to enjoy satay for the last time.