Warmer Christmas 🎄 & a Chilly New Year!

from readers digest

Yes that’s what we have around here in the land of the desert 🌵 the land of opportunity and multicultural society!

My first time to stay home in Abu Dhabi for Christmas and New Year my current City for the past 3 years but minus some months as I live in and out of the Country for personal reason. Some of you can only guess but maybe my loyal followers can understand. If you’re curious why don’t you read my recent post it’s a hint. I’m sure some can relate in every situation.

Christmas is the time of family celebration and here in my City it’s full of events! Most hotels have free events like X’mas lighting and if you’re lucky your kid can get free gift and parents can enjoy some nibbles & drinks. I’m sure some will agree going there before eating dinner. Consider it having an appetizers for free with shows etc. The malls have their free fun events for kids to enjoy like joining to make a gingerbread cookie and photo session with the famous man Santa 🎅 Yes, Abu Dhabi is a generous City! Even in the Parks lot’s of free fun things to do, including picnic at night with friends and family. Fireworks to gaze up in the sky and jugglers, magicians and even Alice in Wonderland grace the City.

free musical and dancing shows & other activities for kids.vinneve

Galleria mall outside.vinneve

X’mas Lighting @WestinAD.vinneve

You may be wondering how come a Muslim Country allows all these? It’s because UAE is a tolerant blessed Country. Where all religions can be practiced without any issues. In fact Pope Francis is coming next year in February to conduct a public mass! Imagine a Mosque side by side by a Catholic Church! One time I was inside a church having a mass and in time for singing you can also hear a song coming from the nearby Mosque. That is what called HARMONY!! isn’t it pun?!

Corniche road, AD. vinneve

I wish you all a blessed Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!! Peace on Earth.

Destination: Metro-Manila

January 10, 2018vinneve 21 Comments

Very well said.

Some tourist cannot appreciate Manila that much because of what they perceived as chaotic but it is the same in Bangkok, and yes, I have been there myself many times. So if you could understand the quote above then you will know what I mean.

Manila is the capital of the Philippines. Having said that… when you arrived at the main airport which is now called NAIA whether terminal 1, 2, 3 or 4 they are actually within the border of City of Paranaque and Pasay City. Manila actually is approximately 7 kilometers away from these airports.

Metro-Manila is what you called the Cities and other municipalities around Manila. Yes, Manila is that big! so perhaps some tourist should not take for granted what it can offer. It is more than just shopping, foods and night life destination. Here are the places we have been to recently and hope you can appreciate it, I wish to visit Manila and it’s heritage place in Intramuros “the walled City” (my last visit was more than a decade ago!) one day and will post it here for sure, so watch this space.

ANTIPOLO City – East of Manila, Catholic pilgrimage site

Antipolo, vinneve foto

AntipoloXmastree, vinneve

AntipoloChurch, vinneve

MAKATI City – North West of Manila, financial and shopping hub

AyalaMuseum, vinneve

@Greenbelt3.vinneve

@Ayala Museum.vinneve

PASAY City – South of Manila

*Mall of Asia and it’s Bayside

Bayside1, vinnevefoto

Bayside2, vinnevefoto

MOA bridge, vinneve

*Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel

Sofitel Manila, vinneve

Sofitel interior, vinneve

Sofitel looby, vinneve

DAANG HARI & EVIA – Southern part of Manila between Cities of Las Piñas, Muntinlupa and Cavite or as LAMUCAR road. It’s length is 15.1 kilometer

NotreDameDeVieChapel, vinneve

FernbrookGardens,vinneve

EVIAmall, vinneve

By the way, in case you don’t know yet, here in the Philippines, people put Christmas decorations as early as September. That’s why we call it the “BER months”. Weather starting to get a bit cooler especially at night and so the “X’mas spirit” is already in the air so they say when September comes.

Now you know a little bit of Metro Manila not just about Manila. I recommend the blog site below if you want to know more about Manila and surrounding Cities. She has been to a lot of places already living somewhere around Manila for sometime now as an American expat along with her family. Check out her site you will learn more!

https://www.amommabroad.com/

Thanks for reading and waiting for your comments! Cheers!!

Holidays!! More fun with your love ones!

Featuredvinneve 4 Comments

I am here. Where? in The Philippines.

Christmas season is very much a big deal to all Filipinos and even half Pinoy wherever in the world they may be. I am fortunate to often experienced it right here! Families and yes extended families and more friends. I like the excitement and events everywhere. I like it that yes this is the season to be JOLLY.

Decorations everywhere….

Moa2,vinneve foto

Enchanting places….

Nuvali, vinneve foto

Happiness overload especially having fun with your loved ones!

Moa ride, vinneve foto

BUT never forget…

Holidays, festivities and fiestas whatever you call it.. it sounds FUN!

January 9, 2017vinneve 2 Comments

Image result for holidays quotes images free to copy

pinterest.com

What makes Christmas and New Year so special?

It is a time to celebrate with loved ones and far far away friends and to continue good memories with them. All I know I am happy remembering my good old childhood years and celebrations like this made me go back to some happy years of my life!

You bet, I went overseas to spend again these holidays with them so please wait while I prepare some post though I have promised some backlogs trips (Switzerland) mid-year last year. I hope you won’t be confused which one is a recent trip but, here are some teaser for this recent trip celebrating Christmas and New Year in the Philippines! 🙂

Every mall around the country has X’mas decorations!

My favorite destination as I keep coming back to TAGAYTAY. The 2ND summer capital of the Philippines (South).

On top of People’s Park, Tagaytay. Vinneve photo

The 1st summer capital (North).

Burnham Park, Baguio. Vinneve photo

And of course my good times in my own province in Batangas but most of it are private photos but I have some older post LINK here if you are curious. Same good old feelings of my childhood. Same people who love me even if I only see them once a year or two. This makes the occasions more festive, more fun and storing it in my son’s memory bank. I want him to remember the other half of him… half Filipino and feel the love and unique as he can be.

I wish YOU all a Happy New Year and thank GOD for all the blessings coming your way!

Cheers!

Destination: Philippines, old sweet home

January 22, 2016vinneve 19 Comments

This is true.

But I do love coming back to my old home, my birth country to see all my loved ones, relatives and friends who stay true to me all these years!

Christmas time and New Year makes it more special, more fun and more exciting in the Philippines. Reliving the culture that I was grown up to, respect, love and happiness. I love seeing the familiar faces so happy to see me not because of my gifts (that I am sure of) asking us about our old life, new life and new culture here in the UAE. Over feeding us with so many dishes you can see on their long table until your stomach hurts. I miss those foods as it is uncomparable to where we are now. I miss the laughter I hear from my friends and family. The “Family” that can extend up to the 2nd degree of consanguinity! I miss being a child as I visit every house of my aunt and uncles so many of them I cannot count on my fingers, playing with my cousins and for my child now playing with his 2nd cousins really bring some sparks in his eyes and sadness too when it is time to say goodbye until we meet again.

Festival of Lights @MOA

festival of lights.vinneve

Santa festival.vinneve

festival of lights.vinneve

Oh, how can I forget the love and sadness of their faces until we meet again? I do love coming back to my old home. Going back there reliving good memories of the past, I am blessed to have a good childhood and I thanked my parents for that. Now I want to do the same for my son. Though we don’t have family in NZ and now UAE, if we can help it we go overseas to see them and being in the moment and storing it in his memory bank that will last a lifetime. Being an expat this is the only thing we can do to include families in this special events and into our life and creating good memories growing up.

vinneve photo