Judas Cave and Al-Hasa Oases

Its Eid Al Adha holiday again here in Saudi Arabia.For some expat it is along vacation for them.Any plans on how to spend your holidays?Planning for an adventure?Well if you are here in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia particularly on the eastern part of the kingdom i can recommend to you to visit Judas Cave and Al-Hasa Oases.As what i did last year together with my friends we decided to have a tour on that place.

Judas Cave is located at Hofuf it is the main town of the Al-Hasa Oasis about two hours drive by car from Dammam or an hour if you take the train.Al Hasa is the biggest dates palm plantation in the kingdom. We arrived on that place so early in the morning where the place is covered by fogs.

For the locals the mountain rock formation they called it Jebel Al- Qarra where the limestone cave is located the arabs called it the Ghar Al-hashab which is the cave of the arrow maker in english.

But for the Pinoy community here in the kingdom it is popularly known as the Judas cave that according to the stories circulated around the group that Judas was cast out here after betraying Jesus.I dont know if it is true maybe chismis lang lol i need some proof regarding on that claim.

The rock formation outside the cave is so stunningly beautiful formed millions of years ago.. Beneath this is the entrance going to the cave,the cave is well lighted by fluorescent light installed inside so no need for torch and lamp. The place is much cooler compared outside with the scent of urine produced by the bats, so be very careful if you will stare the ceiling be sure that your mouth is closed maybe some of the bats dung will drop exactly on your mouth if you feel lucky lol.

If you want more adventure try to reach the top of the mountain.On top of it you will see the oasis.

Wear comfortable attire and that includes abaya for all the ladies and comfortable shoes for hiking as well. Bring some refreshments a bottled water will do. The good thing about this half day tour there is no entrance fee inside the cave so its free.Enjoy and have fun.....

Vote MILES POBLETE for MTV EMERGE...

Hello to all.

I need your help and support here specially to all my PEBA and KABLOG family and friends. There is a contest going on at MTV(music television) The MTV EMERGE and my friend MILES POBLETE has two entries for the contest. Please vote her entries, give comments and rate her songs. Thank you.

Here are the links for her entries in the MTV EMERGE contest.

1.GOTTA GIVE UP SOMETIME dedicated to all PEBA family. This song is written by Gary Allan, which made it to the Top 10 new artist lists on Clear Channel USA's Kj 97.3 FM in Texas.

2. RUNNING ON SAND

MILES POBLETE- A consummate performer since she was a child is one of the most talented artists in the Philippines with remarkable versatility. She sings, acts and dances with the best of them. In 1999 she was the GMA 7 Grand Prize Winner of Metropop Star Search competition. This was quickly followed by a GMA contract as an artist from 2001 to 2003, featuring regularly performances in the popular S.O.P show. It wasn’t long before the acting bug caught her and she became the regular cast of shows such as the youth oriented “CLICK BARKADA” and the soap opera “SANA’Y IKAW NA NGA” Under EMI Philippines she recorded a self titled album. From this album came the hit single “BAKIT NGA BA” In 2003 Miles left showbiz temporarily to focus on her studies and in 2005, she graduated from the University of Sto. Tomas with a Bachelor’s degree in Tourism. In 2007 and 2008 she waded into international waters when she became the premier lounge singer of two of Malaysia’s top hotels, One World Hotel in Petaling Jaya and The Hilton in Kuala Lumpur.

Thank you very much...

The Good and the bad of 79th Saudi National day celebration

September 23,2009 is a very special day for Saudi Arabia because it was the 79th Saudi National day celebration. The good thing that coincide with the national day for the Saudis was the inauguration of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and it was in the international news this past week. President of the Philippines Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is one of the invited guest to witness the event.The university is located north of Jeddah in Thuwal on the Red Sea.If you want to know more about KAUST you can check their website http://www.kaust.edu.sa/.

The other good news that day if you love shopping some malls give special discount on all items that has color green on it "the green discount" why green? it has a connection in honor for their national flag which is color green.

That was a good news and i noticed it happened on the western part of KSA.If there is a good news there is also a bad news and it happened the other side of KSA in the eastern region and in the Gulf area. The place is in Al-khobar. I love that place because i was assigned to work their for almost one and a half years.

So here is the bad news.That night some Saudi teenagers went wild and crazy maybe this is the result of their intense boredom for the celebration is kinda boring because as you know live concerts,disco or clubbing is not allowed here in KSA. And because there is no avenue for them to release their too much excitement they produce a riot. What the Saudi teenagers did that night they sacked restaurants, looted shops and destroyed pretty much anything in their path.

Oh boy my company where i am working right now is not lucky enough, one of our branch located in Tamimi safeway in Corniche was part of the victim of that riot.It destroyed our shop by breaking the glass windows and they took our computer where all of the data of all transactions of the business was there.It is now a big problem for our company specially the IT department.They took also our cash register so money is gone but only the petty cash. Since it was long holiday and banks were closed so most of the cash to be deposited were accumulated until the bank operations resume so it is a big amount but the pharmacist in charge of that place is lucky enough because he took the money on a safe place.So lucky the cash is with him. so here is the picture the result of the riot.

It was in the arab new check this.

http://arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=126786&d=27&m=9&y=2009

The Manhattan fish market

Yes its Manhattan but not the place that your thinking right now.Im still here in Saudi Arabia not in the USA and Jeddah in particular. Join me to my newly discovered place to be here in Jeddah amazingly fit and fab and its all about seafoods.The Manhattan Fish market.

Inspired by the finest seafood restaurants found along Fulton Street in Manhattan ,TMFM serve you only the freshest, lip-smacking American style seafood. One bite is enough to keep you swimming back.

This is the Manhattan fish market in Andalus street in Jeddah,KSA a few blocks away from our house in Ruwais district in Jeddah.TMFM can also be found in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand

A mini entertainment done by Kabayan before serving the food. Thats what you call flamin-hot-fresh-n-crispy sort kind of a show.....

Its all mine lol The giant flaming whole lobster platter with assorted seafood served on a bed of chips and garlic rice and a bottomless iced tea.

Did you know?

1. Fish has been on earth for more than 450 million years, long before dinosaurs even roamed the earth.

2. Eating fish is good to boost brainpower, as they are rich in omega 3 fatty acids.

3. 40% of all fish species inhabit fresh water, yet less than .01% of the earth's water is fresh water.

4. Fish have excellent senses of sight, touch, taste and many possess a good sense of smell and even' hearing'.

5. Fish feel pain and suffer stress just like mammals and birds.

6.There are more species of fish than all the species of amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals combined.

7.The oldest goldfish recorded was 43 years old!

8.Dental offices have tanks in order to reduce anxiety in patients.

9.The stonefish, which lives off the coast of Australia, is the most poisonous fish in the world.

10.The lung fish can live out of water for as long as four years!

11.A jellyfish is 95 percent water!

12.Some fish have eyes that are the same size as their stomach!

13.A starfish doesn't have a brain.

source:

http://www.funshun.com/amazing-facts/fish-animal-facts.html.

My ube-buko -pandan inspired room.

Welcome to my safe haven in the desert. My room when i was in Riyadh,

Welcome to my ube-buko-pandan inspired room. Inspired from jollibee ube craze dessert and goldilocks ube roll. I missed it terribly and i missed home as well.Because of boredom i made all this.I am the one who painted it as well as to arrange the set up of my room.

The entrance i put this chairs and table that i got from the garage area and painted it. The basket is from my friend where they used it as part of their window display in the mall n a clothing store instead to disposed it to trash he gave it to me.

the left side of my bed is a rocking chair from IKEA.The mirror also is from Ikea. Comforter from Bed and bath store.

My entertainment area my 40 inches sony bravia. Couch and tables from Ikea.

Vases from Zara home. Lamp shades from Ikea. Cabinet from Ikea

Vases from Zara home.

Candle holders from Zara home. Candles from Ikea...

Well that was my room in Riyadh.So where are those stuff? I send it not here in Jeddah but to my home in the Philippines....lol New place, new home new life......

The meaning of Purple and Green color according to science.......

Purple is the color of good judgment. It is the color of people seeking spiritual fulfillment. It is said if you surround yourself with purple you will have peace of mind. Purple is a good color to use in meditation.

Purple has been used to symbolize magic and mystery, as well as royalty. Being the combination of red and blue, the warmest and coolest colors, purple is believed to be the ideal color. Most children love the color purple. Purple is the color most favored by artists. Thursday's color is purple.

Green is the color of nature, fertility, life. Grass green is the most restful color. Green symbolizes self-respect and well being. Green is the color of balance. It also means learning, growth and harmony.

Nobody dance with me!!!

Because of my sleeping habit is not normal this past week due to ramadan schedule where im awake the whole night and sleeping late in the morning and i got a long free time after work.My everyday routine also changed from the usual watching tfc shows to dvd movies. Feel bored last night and I browsed the net and this what i found after that cant help myself but to dance lol...blame it also to the culture here where there is no place for clubbing and bar hopping lol lol lol big thanks to TEAMKOSHI of youtube for creating LEMO my new dance instructor lol

Laing Pizza

Laing Pizza (Taro vegetable leaf)are you familiar with this?well i tried one, this is not your ordinary Italian pizza,this is so Pinoy and very Bicol and 100% oragun as what the bicolanos said in their dialect an adjective pertaining to extra ordinary or simply the best.

You can find and try this at Camarines Sur Water Sport Complex .This special pizza is topped with cheese, shrimp cooked in coconut milk and the main ingredient the laing.If you want it hot and spicy you can add dried chili powder on it or the siling labuyo . So delicious,yummy and crunchy..