Merry Christmas 2013

 

THANK YOU!

Dear Friends,

I would like to start by saying THANK YOU to all!

Thank you to my Filipino countrymen and Non-Filipino friends alike (Yes, you!).

Thank you for all the help you have been extending to the Philippines since the devastating Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda hit the country. Thank you for not even a second had a thought of not helping; thinking that your effort may not be used properly and extended to the people who needed it most. It’s true that we may think so, but did not stop us otherwise.

Our global solidarity as a citizen of the world is once again challenged this time by a recent catastrophic calamity in Central Philippines, a kind of event that we hope would not happen again anywhere else in the world.

We may not be able to return back all your kind hearted gestures, but I am sure that all your good deeds are commendable to God. May HE spare us all always!

Time and again, THANK YOU for your selflessness by helping people beyond your reach!

GOD bless your souls!

My Sincerest,
Roland Ramirez

Solar Eclipse: The Last Seen This Year

The celestial spectacle, the last solar eclipse of this year, was visible in Qatar from 4.19pm until sunset on 3rd of November 2013.

Relax! Take A Vacation Today!

As summer heat in the Gulf is finally receding, people are eager to look forward to a very pleasant weather ahead that could be enjoyed for months till the new summer heat comes back next year.  As for now, get the time to relax and take a vacation elsewhere.

Indeed, weather comes differently in every continent of the world but certainly there must be a way to at least get out of lives everyday stresses, find time for a good time relief. 

God wants us to enjoy life to the fullest, so as our loved ones!

The Tourist and The Traveller

 The difference between the tourists and the travelers:

Tourists

It's usually easy for locals to spot a tourist among them. A tourist may carry a camera, guidebook and map at all times and wear the same clothing he'd wear at home. Tourists tend to stay in their comfort zones a bit; they may speak only English instead of trying to learn phrases in the local language; stick to major cities instead of venturing to smaller towns or off-the-beaten-path locales; and stay in areas where the amenities are similar to what they have at home.

Travelers

Generally speaking, someone who considers himself a traveler will try to immerse himself in the local culture rather than standing out. If you're a traveler, you may try to explore the less-traveled areas and explore locations where tourism doesn't drive the economy. You'll interact with locals. Your goals for a trip will be to learn and experience new things, rather than to take a relaxing break from everyday life. A traveler may consider a trip a journey rather than a vacation.

Tour of Discovery

The great tour of discovery is not through horizontal travels to the south or the north or the east or the west, but through vertical journeys: downward deep into one's own heart to see oneself and upward high to the heavens to see God. 

– Ed Lapiz

Al Zubarah joins UNESCO World Heritage List

        I just thought that this article deserve a second look from the international and local tourists alike.  I have been living here in Qatar for the last eighteen years and never been in this place.  I’ll wait for the winter season as the scorching hot desert temperature is very unforgiving at this time of the year. Surely, I will not leave any stone unturned when I explore this new world heritage site!

The Al Zubarah Fort - Qatar

DOHA: Al Zubarah Archeological Site, a traditional pearl fishing town located on the north-western coast of Qatar, has entered the Unesco World Heritage List.

It is the first Qatari site to be included in the international register joining the 911 natural and cultural properties worldwide. The decision was announced yesterday at the 37th session of the World Heritage Committee conference in Cambodia.

Al Zubarah is one of the largest and best preserved examples of an 18th-19th century traditional pearl fishing and merchant towns in the Gulf. A coastal town that is now abandoned, Al Zubarah is situated about 100 km north-west of Doha. Founded in the mid-18th century, the town developed into a centre for pearl fishing and international trade, and rose to become the country’s largest and most important settlement. The town was abandoned by the mid-20th century. Al Zubarah Archaeological Site covers an area of 60 hectares with remains of houses, mosques, large fortified buildings and a market.

Entry to the Unesco World Heritage List is a unique opportunity for the country to build local and international awareness for the site and the values of the World Heritage Convention. Other sites that hold this title include the Yellowstone Natural Park in the US and the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.

Sheikh Hassan bin Mohamed bin Ali Al Thani, vice chairman of the Board of Trustees of Qatar Museums Authority (QMA), who was present at the Unesco event said the decision follows the “enormous effort by Qatar in ensuring the preservation and conservation of this historical site, leading it to be internationally recognised for its human legacy, specially that Al Zubarah is significant to many of Gulf nationals”.

Al Zubarah was first reported as an archaeological site by a Danish-led team of archaeologists in the 1950s, and then excavated by Danish and Qatari teams.

As a result of the studies conducted at the site, a large number of archaeological finds from the 18th-19th centuries are now part of the National Museum of Qatar’s (NMoQ) permanent collection, and will be featured in the museum galleries, QMA said yesterday. - The Peninsula

http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/242402-al-zubarah-joins-unesco-world-heritage-list.html

Mangrove Forests

“As an advocate of all groups who’s making our planet greener and safer for the next generations to live, I dedicate a section in this blog about any articles that tackles about saving mother earth from time to time, to constantly remind us of our environmental responsibilities.” – DWTBR Author

Its time of the year once again that we get to enjoy nature in summer here in the Gulf! So, you local tourist out there, is being invited by the Creators magnificent humble mangroves in Qatar!

It’s Travel time!

 

 

 

“Mangrove forests are a unique and rich ecosystem found along intertidal coastlines of tropical and subtropical latitudes. In Qatar, there are approximately eight mangroves concentrated in the East coast of the country. To an unaccustomed eye, they are a rare green sight in a desert land.” – Isabel Ovalle (Peninsula Newspaper)

http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/cover-plus/231748-ecosystem-engineers-mangroves-in-qatar.html

HAMAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - Doha, Qatar

Bird's Eye View of the New HAMAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Hamad International Airport – My “Trial Passenger” Experience

Travelers from around the world will soon experience the “State of the Art” airport facility in Doha as the new airport is about to unfold to the whole world very soon.  The New Doha International Airport (NDIA) or will soon be known to the public as the HAMAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (HIA) will start its commercial flight this April.  The HIA is situated within next to the city of Doha with breathtaking road scenery toward the departure area, and has the longest runway second in the world today.

As any other airport, HIA need to do some test to see its preparedness, so public testing comes to the rescue.  The HIA management invited thousands of people from the member of the public to participate in its testing.  Yours truly has been invited as one of those lucky ones to experience it first.  So, to be able to do so, I leave from work for a day just to be in this historic occasion, so with most others I supposed as it was done on a Monday.

We came as early as 8:30am till around 1pm on the 18^th of March 2013.  As it was said at the orientation, we acted as normal passengers undergone the usual a traveler does in an airport, so does with the member of the official airport staff.  This process includes the departure and arrival kind of thing as usual.  I got the Qatar Airways Cairo flight while some of my colleagues got the Sharjah flight.  We cannot get so excited with that one anyway as there is no real plane to embark with to complete the journey, that was sad.  Not to mention that safety equipment they made us wear and that uncomfortable heavy helmet that literally ruined our hair!

After our very exhausting ordeal with the whole process, we finally come into the day’s end.  It was fun and unique experience though.  Only, the usual waiting was really killing as they also pretended that the flight is delayed and there is no other way but to wait.  Having to say all that, of course, we are so anticipating for a sumptuous meal right after, and to our dismay the food was of no special, nothing but a sandwich, a cupcake, some dates and beverage of no other choice… small bottled water!  I was expecting of at least a variety of beverages to quench our thirst after they laid us under the sun at the tarmac during that fire drill stage.  No doubt, their preparation in terms of security preparedness is excellent but they failed us on that entertainment value of the experience. 

Here are some of the limited photos we able to get as there is no picture taking allowed.  We just tried to take some pictures of the beautiful structure to our delight!

The beautiful roads and bridges toward the new airport

 

 at the orientation arrival lounge

at the fire drill

at arrival area.

Happy Valentine's Day 2013

Happy Valentine to all lovers out there!

Take your loved one to a romantic dinner or on a holiday trip somewhere today.

Happy Blessed New Year 2013 !!!

 Happy blessed new year to us all...

Have a safe world travel this year!