No Christmas Tree? Attend Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremonies!

Oh hi there! How have you been? If you've been wondering why this space has been quiet for some time, well...I had been planning to update it early this month, but then things got busy (like it always does during this time of the year), and before I knew it, we're just few days away before Christmas.

Ahh, Christmas! Isn't this season just great? Busy, yes, but still great, right?  Practically everybody loves this holiday.  And to get into the festive feel, and since we didn't put up a tree this year (don't ask because I have no explanation), our family attended Christmas tree lighting ceremonies almost every night during the first week of December.

Singaporean Cuisine at Peppercrab, Grand Hyatt Dubai

Another invitation to eat in a restaurant I’ve never been to came my way last month! Grand Hyatt Dubai has several award-winning restaurants, one of which is Peppercrab. And knowing that they serve Singaporean cuisine (which I’ve never tried) and seafood (my favourite!), I confirmed me and Hubby for dinner on the 27th of October.

Leaving our girls at home and promising to treat them the next day (after all, it was our family day), Hubby and I stepped into the lobby of the luxury hotel and were welcomed by Grand Hyatt Dubai's Sales Manager who was waiting for us. Markuz immediately led us down the steps, past the indoor rainforest (I just love that part of the hotel!), and into the restaurant where we were immediately attended to and shown to our table, passing by a big silver arowana (dragon fish) in a huge aquarium on the way.

Sisters in Switzerland: Train Ride from Zürich to St. Moritz

The third day of our Switzerland trip was a Sunday, so in the morning, all the shops were still closed and Zürich was pretty quiet.  Plus, it was drizzling.  Still, my sister and I decided to go out because we wanted to find a church to say a prayer of thanks before leaving the city.  We came across this church, and although it wasn't a Catholic one, we still went in to talk to God because we didn't want to go too far and get lost.

How to Make Deliciously Chewy and Fudgy Brownies

Wanting to satisfy my cravings one day, I searched the net for an easy recipe for chewy and fudgy brownies made from scratch. After scrolling through the endless list of recipes all claiming to be the best, I settled on one of my trusted resources: Sally’s Baking Addiction. The steps seemed fairly easy to follow, it didn’t need me to take out my big mixer, and I had all of the ingredients available in our kitchen cabinet, so I immediately set to work.

I followed almost everything, except I didn’t use a normal baking pan. I had bought a Nordic Ware Bundt Tea Cakes and Candies Pan from Tavola weeks ago and, seeing the perfect opportunity, put it to use.  Of course I adjusted the baking time, so they were in the oven for a shorter period.

The Moment "Love You Forever" Became My Favorite Children's Book

One of Sophie's assignments at school is to have someone read to her regularly.  Earlier, like all the other nights, I told her to look for a book.  This time, though, she couldn't (or didn't want to) find one that she liked.  So looking through all the books we have, I pulled out one that I was sure she would enjoy.

Me:     This is a nice one! It's a very nice story and it was Ate Caila's favorite.
Caila:  No it's not!
Me:     It was when you were very small.  You even couldn't go to sleep without it.
Caila:  I don't remember. Can you read it to us?

Celebrating Little Manila's First Anniversary with a Yacht Cruise

It was a few days after our visit to Little Manila for their Chef's Table. Hubby was simply browsing through Facebook when he saw the restaurant’s post for their Treasure Hunt contest that would be ending in a few hours. Just for the heck of it, he joined.

The following day…
   Hubby:          Mahal, nanalo daw ako!
   Me:               Saan?
   Hubby:          Sa Little Manila. Yung contest nila sa FB.
   Me:               Ano daw napanalunan mo?
   Hubby:         Yacht cruise for 2 daw. Ito, check mo yung message nila sa akin.
   Me:               Weehh? Talaga?!
True enough, that’s what it said. And you can imagine we were both thrilled to find we would get the chance to experience something luxurious like this.

Sushi Restaurant - A Hidden Gem in Sharjah

A restaurant with a name like Sushi Restaurant doesn’t sound too appealing, does it? And if you’re from Dubai and told that it’s located at the Industrial Area in Sharjah, I’m sure you’d forgo the idea of travelling all the way there, right?

Well, that’s exactly what happened to us one Friday after Hubby and I attended a presentation. One of the Titos we know from the CFC community invited us to try the restaurant for lunch; but it was only when Tito Rick guaranteed that the food was really delicious did Hubby and I agree to join; and despite their hesitations, we convinced our friends Oliver and Ana to go with us as well ☺

Can't Help Being Proud!

Two weekends ago, I received an envelope from my eldest’s school. All sorts of things went through my mind as I struggled to open it: Was there a sudden increase in the tuition fee? Is there something we had to pay but overlooked? Or worse, did Caila do something wrong?

But as I unfolded the letter, I just couldn’t believe my eyes. My daughter was an awardee! And we (her parents) were invited to the school’s Annual Prize Day the following Thursday to see her on stage to receive the Endeavour Award for the past school year!

A Fresh Catch of Seafood (and More!) at Max's Restaurant

It's nice to see Filipino brands becoming available wherever there are kabayans and being recognized globally; because aside from making us proud, they really help us not miss home that much.

One of those is "The House that Fried Chicken Built," or more popularly known as Max's Restaurant, which celebrated its 5th year in the Middle East last September. Since it first opened in Karama back in 2011, it has expanded and opened three more branches in the UAE: Al Ghurair Centre, Dragon Mart 2, and Sharjah City Centre...allowing more and more Pinoys (and other nationalities too!) to satisfy their hunger and cravings with their delectable menu items.

A PJ Masks Birthday Party at Popeye's, Karama

We had originally planned for Sophie to have her 4th birthday at school. A simple one with a cake, cupcakes, and lootbags like her sister…nothing too fancy, just something to celebrate her special day. But because of the school’s rules, we opted to give her a party elsewhere instead.

And since it was almost last minute when we had to change our plans, naturally, all the popular fast food restaurants that had party halls were already booked for the date we were eyeing. It’s a good thing when I called Popeye’s in Karama, they were available on the date and time we wanted, so Hubby and I rushed over after work and paid Dhs200 as deposit to book them.

Sisters in Switzerland: Mt. Titlis and Lucerne

Augh! I am so behind in my Switzerland posts.  Bear with me, please.  Life has just been really busy lately. Anyway, here's the continuation.  Just a friendly warning though: this is a photo-heavy post ☺.

The following morning after breakfast, Ate Ning and I headed to the pick-up point of Gray Line Tours that would take us around the tourist spots.

Originally, we wanted to go to Mt. Pilatus; but upon checking out the flyer and talking to the guide/driver, we changed our minds and decided to visit Mt. Titlis because it sounded more fun.  And I'm so glad we did because it was absolutely amazing!

Chef's Table in Little Manila

Little Manila celebrated its first anniversary today, and I, along with Hubby and a few other bloggers and vloggers, was lucky to have been part of the restaurant's history when we were invited to the Chef's Table last Saturday to try out new items that were going to be introduced to their menu.

The first thing I noticed upon approaching the Pinoy resto was the iconic jeepney parked proudly outside.  This was made and brought all the way from the Philippines, in time for Little Manila's anniversary, and passersby are very welcome to sit inside!

Mama's 75th Birthday (Part 2): Family Dinner & Dubai Mall

After everyone had gotten enough sleep after the early morning surprise, we all sat down for a hearty late breakfast/early lunch.  Since they haven't tasted Mama's cooking for a long time, our guests from Canada made a special request for her to cook her delicious igado.  As Mama and I walked to the nearby supermarket earlier to buy the ingredients she needed, she kept asking me all sorts of questions as to how we had planned everything, and how thankful and happy she was that all her children and their families were finally all together with her.

You can expect she was really teary-eyed while I was doing my best not to get too emotional (Syempre, nasa supermarket kami eh. Nakakahiya!).  Even when we arrived at home and while enjoying our delicious meal lovingly cooked by Mama, we could see her just looking at us smiling as if she still couldn't believe her eyes.  She said she felt like she was simply floating with happiness and joy.

First Day of School Photos

By now, I’m pretty sure all of the schools in the UAE have started their new school year. How did your first day go, mommies?

For me, since my girls go to different schools (it’s a long story), I had two first days. Just like majority of the schools, my eldest’s first day was on the 28th of August. My youngest, on the other hand, started school on the 1st of September (although, in reality, her official first day was on the 4th of September).

Shayan Restaurant's Meter Kebab

Thankful and fortunate, Hubby and I joined other media, press, and bloggers at Shayan Restaurant’s launch of their newest offering last week.

I like that this restaurant in Al Ghurair Rayhaan by Rotana unites the traditions of two of the most ancient and prominent culinary cultures of the Middle East: Lebanon and Iran. Fusing authentic kitchen techniques and flavours with contemporary design and modern presentation, this restaurant provides a culinary experience to diners like no other.

Thursdate With Sis at J&G Steakhouse

My first experience with St. Regis was back in 2012 when we spent a night at the lush resort in Saadiyat Island. From the special service we received, to the grand suite we stayed in and delicious food we enjoyed…everything was amazing! Since then, I’ve always thought of the brand as luxurious. When news came out that it had opened its doors to a new property in Dubai, I knew that I wanted to visit the place. A night's stay would be great, but since that wasn't likely in the near future, a chance to set foot in St. Regis Dubai and see how elegant it really was would be enough for me.

Which is why, when Ate Ning called me with an invitation for dinner at the hotel's J&G Steakhouse last week, I cleared my schedule for Thursday. Bonding with my sister over a free dinner at a luxury hotel…you can’t say no to that, right? ☺

Sisters in Switzerland: Strolling Around Zürich

With only 2 full days in Zürich, my sister and I immediately set out to explore the city by ourselves on our first afternoon.  The hotel staff had given us a map and mentioned some places for us to visit, but we decided to go wherever our feet (and available buses) would take us. Anyway, most of the people we had met earlier were friendly when we asked them directions, so we assured ourselves that if we got lost (which thankfully didn't happen), we could easily find our way simply by asking around.

We didn't completely ignore the hotel staff's suggestions, though.  Since he highly recommended going up to the church near the University, that's the first thing we did.  It had started to drizzle on our way but we continued and took our time.

The Friendship of Tropang ET

On this day in 2007, the friendship of Tropang ET started.  And since it's our 9th year today, I'm sharing this poem that one of our friends made back in 2008 when it was just a few of us and we had just celebrated our barkadahan's 1st anniversary.

#GPinCanada: Goodbyes and Going Back to Dubai

Finally, here’s the last part of our 2015 Canada trip. To be honest, I (sort of) intentionally delayed blogging about it because (1) I wanted to continue reminiscing about the great times we had in the North, and (2) I wanted to post about it exactly 1 year after it happened. Why? No reason, actually. Anniversary kunyari. Trip lang ☺

So anyway, the one thing I haven’t blogged about during our vacation is, of course, our last day…when we had to say our goodbyes and fly back to the other side of the world :(

Sisters in Switzerland: Crowne Plaza Zurich

As I mentioned in my previous post, Ate Ning and I stayed in Crowne Plaza Zurich during the first half of our trip.

Staff & Service

Despite our tired bodies when we arrived at the hotel on our first day, we couldn’t help feeling energized by the cheerful Guest Relations staff who warmly greeted us as soon as we entered the lobby. When we told them it was our first time ever in Switzerland, they were more than happy to assist us.

Like most hotels, they have contacts with local tour companies; and once we decided what we wanted to do on our second day, they made the arrangements and explained how to reach the pick-up point. We didn’t have to worry about anything else.

Sisters in Switzerland: From Dubai to Zurich

Early this year, my sister and I went on a trip. A trip that was really memorable because it allowed me to accomplish 3 things on my bucket list. Not only that, it was also our first time to travel together, just the two of us, to a place that neither of us had ever been to.

Honestly, I never imagined it would happen. With her being so busy with work, and me having my own family whom I would usually prefer to travel with, it just didn’t seem likely.

But one day in October last year, Ate Ning showed me a voucher for two nights stay in a hotel in St. Moritz, Switzerland and told me that it would be a pity if they went to waste because she didn't have anyone to go with. To make the long story short, and as you can expect, we used that voucher in January and had a blast for 5 days!

A Fun Kiddie Sleepover

Not counting the ones with family friends who my parents left me with, I think I experienced a typical sleepover only once during my childhood days in elementary. It was my friend’s birthday, and she had invited a bunch of us to spend the night over and try their new pool. It was only after I answered Papa’s long list of questions, gave him the names and number of my friend’s parents, and promised that I would behave and be polite did he reluctantly allow me to go. Although it happened only once, I recall we enjoyed ourselves immensely the entire time, wishing that I would get to do it again (I did, but that was after several years when I was in university, and again only after more questioning and when my friend’s mom assured Mama she would take care of us).

Pinoy Food Favorites at Little Manila

When news came out that Al Ahli Group had opened a restaurant called Little Manila last year, I was excited to try it out. After all, it was the first time favourite dishes and popular food and beverage outlets from the Philippines would all be available under one roof, so you can understand why the Filipino community was buzzing with excitement. However, as days and weeks passed, we discovered through our friends that the quality of food and service were somewhat disappointing. This negative feedback didn’t bother us, though. We still wanted to try it, but I admit the enthusiasm wasn’t as great to convince us to find time in our schedules and go all the way to Al Muraqqabat in Deira.

Ramadan Iftars 2016

My last post was about an authentic Emirati restaurant, and since it's still the month of Ramadan, what better topic to blog about than Iftar dinners, right? Right. So let me share with you the ones Hubby and I were blessed to have been invited to this year.  Unfortunately, though, I didn't get to take as many pictures as I wanted at most of them because I was either there as a corporate guest (and I was just too shy to take a lot of pictures), or I didn't know how to use my camera properly to adjust with the lighting.  Just use your imagination na lang, ok? ☺

Aseelah Restaurant, Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek

Aseelah. In Arabic, it means “one belonging to a great heritage and family.” However, if you haven’t heard yet, Aseelah is also the newest restaurant at Radisson Blu Dubai Deira Creek that opened on the 1st of June.

Having visited the hotel a few times and always seeing the wall announcement that it was “Coming Soon,” I was curious when the restaurant would actually open and what kind of food it would serve. When I had a taste of the camel sliders during the cruise on Al Mansour Dhow with my sister, and again at the Taste of Dubai last March, at least I had an idea of what to expect. But these just made me look forward to its opening even more.

#GPinCanada: Peace Arch Provincial Park and Derby Reach Park

After lunch one day when all our hosts were busy or had someplace to go to, Hubby used my brother’s car (and GPS, of course) and our family went to the Peace Arch Provincial Park in Surrey.

It was pretty tranquil, with trees, flowers, picnic areas, and a wide grass area that our girls enjoyed running around in.

#GPinCanada: Cousins Bonding

Whenever they were together, the four cousins would bond together every chance they could get.

There was one afternoon when Elaine and Nicole showed our girls how to make Oreo balls dipped in chocolate. The young ones had a fun time getting their hands dirty while molding the balls!

#GPinCanada: McArthur Glen Designer Outlet, Tim Horton's, and Montana's

Aaaccckkk! It’s already June and there’s still so many things I haven’t blogged about! Well, I guess I better get started then, huh? So let’s begin with one of my pending posts about our Canada trip, shall we?

The day after our family day, Hubby and I took the four girls (2 nieces and 2 daughters) to McArthur Glen Designer Outlet which is located near Vancouver Airport. It was a pretty long drive and our nieces didn’t know the way, but thanks to Kuya’s GPS, Hubby managed to take us all the way there and back despite the heavy traffic.

A Tour of Hyatt Regency Dubai's Unique Staff Office and Dinner at Miyako

When you think of hotels, more often than not you think of comfort and luxury, where everything is beautiful, clean and organized, and all your needs can be taken cared of just by calling Room Service. When you think of the hotel’s backroom, on the other hand, what comes to mind is usually the complete opposite. The corridors, kitchen, and cafeteria used by the backroom staff are hidden and aren’t places you would really be interested to see, because, well, these aren’t exactly pleasing to the eye, right?

However, when the Sales Manager of Hyatt Regency Dubai invited me and my family to visit their hotel, I couldn’t resist. He promised a tour of their one-of-a-kind staff area, and since I’ve never actually seen the hidden side of a five star hotel, I agreed immediately.

My Alden Richards Story

Alden Richards. Who in the Philippines hasn’t heard of him? He and Maine Mendoza (aka Yaya Dub) made practically the whole country crazy with their tandem that started on Kalye Serye back in July last year. You can guess I was one of those who became a big fan of AlDub when the phenomenon started. I would watch their episodes every day, joining the AlDub Nation in tweeting about them, participating in the Pabebe Wave Day, cheering them on during their trials on-screen, appreciating the lessons Lola Nidora taught, loving all their commercials, and hoping they would end up together in real life.

When Alden came to Dubai for a show last January, I really wanted to go, but that was the night my sister and I flew out to Switzerland. So when my former colleague who works at GMA posted on Facebook that Alden was coming back in March, I was ecstatic! Here was my chance to finally see the Pambansang Bae up close!

A My Little Pony Party at Chuck E. Cheese's

Right after she had turned 6 years old, Caila was already looking forward to her 7th birthday. She must have enjoyed her Play-doh themed birthday so much, she couldn’t wait to start planning for her next party. Which is why, as early as May last year, our eldest daughter told me that she wanted a My Little Pony themed birthday party when she turned 7. Yes, that was just 3 months after she turned 6! Talk about excited! ☺  Of course we didn’t start preparing for the party that soon, though. That would have been too early!

After scouting around for fast food restaurants that had party halls, we attended a birthday at Chuck E. Cheese’s, Oud Metha…and as soon as the party was over, Caila told us that that’s where she wanted to celebrate her next birthday. I admit it is a great place. It has a wide variety of machines that kids and kids-at-heart can enjoy; and the best thing is, you only need 1 coin per game! However, I was hesitant to have the party there; mainly because the packages were just too expensive! Hubby and I tried to look for other options, but in the end, we gave in. After all, it was her 7th birthday...a special age to be celebrated (at least, that’s what almost everyone we know tells us)…so we blindly booked the hall in January and started preparations.

Mama's 75th Birthday (Part 1): Complete Family

And I’m finally blogging again! Hurray! ☺

I know I owe so many stories from January (plus the pending kwento of the rest of our Canada trip), but first I want to share Mama’s 75th birthday week. Why? Because even though there were so many great things that happened during the past 4 months, this was simply the best. And you’ll find out why later.

It all actually started last year a few months after Mama turned 74. My siblings and I wanted to do something special for her next birthday, and since she’s never had a grand birthday celebration her whole life, we started planning for a bongga kind of party…you know, like a debut. But we wanted it to be a surprise because if she knew about it, for sure she’d say things like “Hindi na kailangan!” (There’s no need) or “Sayang ang pera!” (It would be a waste of money). So we started looking around the internet for ideas, caterers, venues, and other suppliers.

Hiatus Break

Hi everyone! I'm back! Well, not quite, though.  This post is just to update you guys that I'm still here, but I've just been really, really busy.  Well, at least you can be sure that when I do find the time, I'll have a lot of things to blog about, right?

Why have I been quiet since February?  Well, first there were the preparations for Caila's 7th birthday, then Hubby's side of the family visited for 3 weeks.  Of course during that time, there were places to take them to.  Then there was the excitement of getting my photo taken with the Bae himself!  In between of course, there have been the plannings of the monthly KFC activities.

A week after the in-laws left, my side of the family arrived, and they'll be here for a month.  Mama's 75th birthday is coming in a couple of weeks, and we're planning to give her the happiest birthday ever.  So again, life is busy, busy, busy!  Still, it's all good.

Couple Time at Zen the Spa

Hi everyone! How was your Valentine’s Day?

Mine wasn’t anything other than normal. Since early this month, Hubby has been working at their site office somewhere in Jumeirah, and he’s been working longer hours than usual, so he usually arrives home late, hungry, and very tired. Naturally, you can expect that yesterday wasn’t any different. I didn’t mind though, because he more than made up for it the night before. I was still on a high from what the KFC hubbies did and the lyrics of their harana kept playing in my mind, anyway ☺

And fortunately last week, we were able to get a little bit of couple time when we went to Al Ghurair Rayhaan to attend Zen the Spa’s Pre-Valentine event. We were late and, to my dismay, we practically missed the entire program because I had gone somewhere earlier and traffic was really heavy; but luckily, Ferry was nice and understanding. Later, he called Anna, one of the spa’s therapists, and they gave Mauh (of Blessed Days in Dubai), me, and our hubbies a private tour around.

A Cheesy, Yet Sweet Pre-Valentine’s Day Surprise

Days before yesterday, I knew our group of Kids for Christ coordinators was going to have a pre-Valentine’s dinner on Saturday night (some wives didn’t, though), but I didn’t know where. But then I saw this tweet from Asiana Hotel yesterday afternoon 

and for a reason I can't explain, I immediately felt or knew that Manila Grill was where the dinner was going to be. Originally, I thought “What will happen to the husbands’ plans if the hotel is closed off?” But after I shared the tweet to our group on WhatsApp, all the wives kept teasing and increased their expectations. The wives who didn’t know anything were saying things like
“Dyan ba ang surprise nyo sa amin?”
“Kaya pala nagpapasama ang asawa ko sa Deira mamaya.”
I even joked “Ang bongga ha! Napasara nyo ang Asiana?!” and “Formal wear ba? Kailangan bang naka-dress? ☺”

Review: Chocolate Spa and Hot Oil Treatment at Queens Beauty Lounge

Last week I was contemplating on visiting the salon near our home. Nine months after having my hair rebonded, the curls and waves were already showing, and because of this, my hair was in the early stages of frizziness. Plus, my nails were in desperate need of cleaning because it’s been months since I’ve had a mani-pedi.

So just when I was wondering if I had time to visit the neighborhood salon that weekend, I received an invitation in my inbox from no less than Sakshi Nath to try the services of Queens Beauty Lounge. Hurray! The heavens must have heard the cries of my nails and hair! ☺ Of course I grabbed the opportunity and booked an appointment right away.

#GPinCanada: St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and Maru Sushi Japanese Restaurant

Since we didn’t have the chance to attend mass on our first Sunday in Canada, we made sure that on the following Sunday, we would visit one of the local churches. So on the morning of the 26th of July, while my brother and his family left to attend their church, we borrowed his other car and headed to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church which is just near Fraser Highway.

The pews were full (although not as full as what we’re used to at St. Mary’s Catholic Church), but we noticed that most of them were from the older generations. And unlike in Dubai, the voices of the congregation weren’t as loud when singing the hymns. No biggie, though. That’s just something I noticed.

I can’t remember the priest’s name, but we enjoyed listening to his Homily. One of the messages he shared that struck me was this:

Lunch at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse on our Family Day

It’s our family day today! And when I thought back to what we did last month to celebrate it, I also noticed that it’s been a while since I shared one of our dining experiences. So, here goes…

A few months earlier, I received a gift certificate from Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, which also served as their invitation to try out their dishes. What better way to use it than on our family day, right? And that’s what we did on the 27th of December last year.

Sophie’s First Public Performance and Talent Fee

Yup, you read right…my youngest has started her singing career! Although not in the professional sense, of course. She’s only 3 ☺

Here’s what happened…

We attended a birthday party on Friday, and aside from the usual games for the kids and parents, some of the older kids sang or danced as part of the program. Now, these kids are really talented. Pwede talaga pang-The Voice Kids or Pilipinas Got Talent! And when each kid performed, J and C (the parents of the birthday celebrant) would give them cash as a token of appreciation.

#GPinCanada: Get-Together with Friends, Krause Berry Farm, and Me-n-Ed’s

Another highlight of our Canada visit last July was reuniting with old friends.

On Friday, we borrowed my brother’s car and, using his trusty GPS navigator, we managed to find the Ohoy’s (the couple’s term of endearment to each other ☺) home in Surrey without any problems. JB flew in from Calgary for the weekend and was playing with the Ohoy’s new baby when we arrived. Jason, Jean and their 2 girls (whom we saw at Whistler a few days back) followed a bit later because Jean got off work a bit late.

with good friends who migrated from Dubai

Applying for a Schengen Visa to Switzerland in Dubai

And I’m back in the sandpit!

Actually, we arrived yesterday morning. While my sister went home and had the day off (lucky her), I headed to the office directly from the airport and went straight to work. Not a good idea, I tell you. Since I had been travelling for around 16 hours (via train and plane), and taking into consideration the difference in the time zones, I felt tired, dizzy, and groggy. Thank goodness my work load was manageable and there weren’t any major deadlines to meet. Now, I’m still a bit jetlagged, but 9.5 hours of sleep somehow helped.

Of course you can bet I'm still over the moon from my recent trip.  Switzerland is truly a place that everyone should visit at least once. I’d definitely want to go back there with my family. I’m so excited to share all the details, but my blog posts about this vacation will have to wait because I still have to sort out the photos...plus I haven’t finished blogging about our Canada trip yet! Augh!.

In the meantime, here are the steps I followed to apply for the visa…you know, just in case my posts in Instagram, Facebook and Twitter inspired, tempted, and/or convinced you to visit this beautiful country ☺

Hello from the Country of Finest Cheese, Chocolates, and Watches

Hi everyone!

Yes, you guessed it...I'm currently in Switzerland! Woohoo!

My sister and I flew in to Zurich on Friday morning and we'll be back in Dubai on Wednesday.  That means we're halfway through our trip already. Time sure flies when you're having fun...and we're definitely having a great time here!

So far, the best was yesterday when we joined a tour to Mount Titlis in Engelberg which is 10,000 feet above sea level. It was my first time to experience snow and see the alps so you can imagine I was like a little girl, all excited and happy. It was absolutely awesome!

The Swiss are so friendly and helpful, and the places we've gone to are so beautiful! It's no wonder Switzerland is one of the best places to visit.

Anyway, we'll be checking out of the hotel we've been staying at a bit later, and then we'll catch the train that will take us to St. Moritz where we'll spend the next half of our stay.  From the looks of it, there will be plenty of snow for us.

Do you wanna build a snowman? ☺

P.S. If you can't wait for my blog posts about this trip (and knowing me, it'll take a while), you can stay in the loop by liking my Facebook page (Glimpses of Pam), and foĺlowing me on Twitter and Instagram (@glimpsesofpam). Since we have free wifi where we stay, I've been able to tweet and post photos and videos from time to time. Yaaaay!

Glimpses of My December

The last month of the year is always the fastest, in my opinion, and December 2015 was no exception. There were so many things to do, and so many parties to attend and prepare for, that the month just whizzed by. And before I knew it, we were welcoming the new year with anticipation of more exciting times ahead. The week of December 5th to the 12th was the busiest because every day, I had somewhere to go.

Anyway, I’ll photoblog a bit ok, so you won’t get bored with details ☺