The season for swimming is back in the Middle East. Plunging in the pool season is just around the corner for the rest of the world. My friend Tintin and  I spent the day together inside this very water yesterday. She is an airline cabin purser.We met while we were both working for an events and exhibition design company. She was a swimmer and an avid member of her university swim team.  She taught me how to do freestyle many years ago. Here, we spent the entire morning threading in 6 feet deep water as we conversed about life in general and talked about our funny travel stories. We threw jokes at each other that sent me in bouts of uncontrollable laughter.  

One thing I'm sure  I cannot do is laugh hysterically while threading on water.  I stopped breathing.  I swallowed my laughter and a lot of pool water as I swam to the edge. Once in the clear, I finally laughed out loud, guiltily disturbing neighbors who were peacefully sleeping while slowly roasting on the lounge chairs. An Indian food lunch break and back in the water afterwards, I'm incredibly thankful for this perfect day!

One Pool Day Wish List

Pool Side Fashion by travelgourmande featuring chanel perfume

Care for a cup of tea? When I received a phone call from a friend spending her free (non-working) day at Dubai Mall, I impulsively left whatever I was doing and drove 40 km to get there. After a sumptuous steak lunch at Texas Roadhouse, we continued strolling the wide alleys of the mall. TWG Tea Salon & Boutique came into view. I remember a post by Ms. Bobochic  about it.  My friend, Tintin and I looked at each other and agreed, happy to finally sit down and enjoy a cup of tea here at TWG Tea Salon & Boutique--something we, both, have always wanted to do.

Have a great start of the week everyone!

XOXO,

Arni

{P.S. My cousin and her husband who are based in San Francisco took us there one cold summer evening to admire the city at night.}

{Photo Credit: Monique San Gabriel}

Hello everyone! It's the first weekend where the house is quiet.  Last Friday, our day was filled up with planned  family activities and one of them was an afternoon at the beach.  A beach mat, a kindle enjoying the sun, clear water and the beach park. The scent of barbecue all around us. Despite having a heavy lunch, the smell of grilled kebabs were making us look forward to dinner. I found these snapshots of my niece and nephew preoccupied with sand. 

I just dropped the family at the airport and was wondering about the non-stop sentimental songs. "Oh! It's Valentine's Day today."  I completely forgot. I thought about my deceased father. Valentine's Day was his birthday. Somehow during the drive, my pensive mind led me to think about fairy tales.  

I don't remember who read fairy tales to me when I was younger. Though Disney had their fair share of interpreting these romantic stories while growing up, I was more drawn by the places and wild adventures that happened in these stories. They made me see what's out there, beyond the world I was accustomed to. The stories of Arabian Nights, for instance made me want to discover the Arabian desert. (Fully unaware that I will be living in the Middle East one day).

I read an article once about how fairy tales and their symbolism reveal a hidden part of ourselves, like dreams.  How the story that most appeal to us can somehow be reflected in our life journey. The story that fascinated me the most when I was a child was-  The Princess and the Pea   by Hans Christian Andersen. I'm sure you've heard of this story. I didn't know whether it was the piles of mattresses on top of each other, but the story had always been with me. Then it struck me.  Decisions I've made in my life was that of someone who had been trying to prove her worth and her identity. 

I'm quoting a passage from an article -Learning About Ourselves Through Fairy Tales: Their Psychological Value  by Meredith B. Mitchell :

"To be attracted to or repelled by a fairy tale indicates that the story contains something that resonates with an unconscious process in the reader or listener, for one cannot be attracted or repelled unless one recognizes something that is personally meaningful. Recognition indicates the possibility of a healing awareness through discovery of processes imaged in the stories."

Le jour de St. Valentine is upon us. Rouge is everywhere. In Travel Gourmande, a romantic getaway would be the most ideal gift. But for those planning a staycation, here are a few ideas for the home.

Do you celebrate Valentine's Day?

What have you planned?

How was your weekend? Great thing about having family and friends over for a visit is the chance of discovering touristic sights that we, expats, tend to take for granted. I've been living in Dubai for ten years. It was only this weekend that I got to see Dubai Museum. Please allow me to give you an overview of what Dubai Museum offers, with a silent blog. Here goes...

I'm happy to share the snapshots with you, while touring my brother in-law, his wife and daughter around Dubai. They seem to be enjoying the sun very much, upon briefly leaving behind the cold winter in France. December to March is the perfect season to visit. 

I'm going to devote this week to stories about France. The entire in-laws are coming over for a visit this week. While this weekend will be fully occupied by house chores, I'm also worried about getting lost in translation. The family barely speaks English. With some- completely zero. Partly I like that because it motivated me to learn french, but I hope I don't nosebleed. {Nosebleed is a joke, an expression we use at home to describe having difficulty expressing oneself in another language. Excessive thinking will cause the brain to hemorrhage thus leading to nosebleed}.  

During a trip to France two years ago, the husband and I went on a long road trip heading up north passing through French Brittany all the way to the tip of Belgium reaching the border of Netherlands and then down to Loire Valley. I was happy playing navigator with a good old map, as we avoided toll gates and highways wherever possible. We slowly drove  inside narrow roads discovering small villages on the way.  Sometimes, we'd stop at a small supermarket for a sandwich that we could eat outdoors or  if I'm lucky, I get to have a big meal in my favorite cafeteria - Flunch, found in big cities. We stayed in chambre d'hotes, bed and breakfast inns for the night and then we'd start driving again. 

Epic.  What does an epic vacation mean to me? To date, I've visited 172 cities in 23 countries and I still have a long list of places I want to see.  When I look back, the closest to a grand adventure I've ever been in was the trip to Peru and Bolivia.  That was a backpacking experience where I, together with my husband and father-in-law went beyond our comfort zones in an environment so eerily authentic that I have to shake off the notion that I'm not staring at a photograph in a historical book but I was actually there.  Many things happened during that trip, yet I still long for more. 

My idea of a Grand Adventure is a trip that would satisfy all facets of my being. It took me a long time to research and figure out the perfect place where I can experience it. Finally it hit me. Guess where? It doesn't fall away from home. It's in the Philippines!

It's that time of year for Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon .  For the last several years, I was present as a spectator, patiently waiting at the finish line, cheering as I watched my husband successfully cross it beating his record the previous year. 

We're celebrating a long weekend in the United Arab Emirates.  Today is a religious non-working holiday, Prophet Mohammed's birthday. It's going to be a long weekend.  For those stuck at home craving for adventure with no idea how to spend their Friday tomorrow, try Wadi Driving.

Wadi is an Arabic term, meaning valley. Wadi is a dry riverbed that becomes a stream during heavy rains. January is the best time to try off-road driving.  Explore the rocky paths in between large boulders and mountains during cold season  in a big group of 4X4s.  We drove close to the UAE-Oman border.

Source - Dubai This Morning

"Happiness is only real when shared."- Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild

It was a foggy Dubai this morning.  Weekend was blissful. I just finished reading Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom last Saturday and my eyes puffed from this tear jerker.  This book made me spend a lot of time with friends, the ones closest to family I have here in Dubai.  Make each moment with them count and try to be as present as I could ever be with each of them. 

I can't help looking back wondering if I were in France at this time of year, what would it look like?  I dug up some old photos of a winter stroll I did on my own , one ordinary morning in the town of Les Essarts.  

Les Essarts is a quiet town rich in history right at the heart of Vendee, Pays de la Loire region in western France. One really cold morning, while,waiting for my father-in-law for his doctor's appointment, I grabbed my camera and decided to explore the streets.  

Greetings from a gorgeous sunny Dubai. We're becoming avid fanatics of all day brekkie. Having friends over, with the laptop completely set aside for a day, it is always wonderful!  Each one had a little something in hand, may it be a bowl of blueberries or a loaf of wholemeal bread. 

Like-minded women connecting.  A listening ear and a harmonious exchange from family topics to current events, like an upcoming Cirque de Soleil  show this February in Dubai (I've never seen one) and  discussing an itinerary for a friend preparing to travel to Peru and Brazil.

Despite all of us coughing while laughing together as we sipped our tea and drank flu medications. (We all had bouts of flu).  It's fascinating to realize that I'm blessed to have these women in my life, like you (readers) who I could open myself up to, offer advice when needed, and  present through highs and lows. 

What are you all up to this weekend?

What's your favorite breakfast?

XOXO,

Arni

Our home is very sandy.  The sand crept in between door gaps despite the rubber fillers. There were on and off medium to mild sandstorms the past several days. It's still blowing sand outside so to speak. Imagine a light drizzle but with sand.  You're absolutely right, it is a nightmare to clean.  Apologies for my long online absence.  The husband is away on business this week. I was away from the computer and was mostly indoors (at my place or at a friend's) except for this one.

We're experiencing a sand storm all weekend.  No worries, nothing like the Mission Impossible 3 kind. I think a strong one like that happens in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Luckily we've not experienced it here.  Driving on a highway means very low visibility and yes, a lot of sand. Wearing shades or glasses or goggles if you must to protect the eyes would be helpful.  

The Chocolate Hills, 1,260 mounds on the island of Bohol, Philippines.  They become brown during dry season.  A folklore tells of a giant who falls in love with a local girl and his tears transformed into limestone mounds. Do they remind you of Hershey Chocolate Kisses?  

You might have an "Eeew" expression the entire time you're reading this post (later,you'll see why), but I'm excited to share it. Mainly for the reason that I never thought I'd be able to do it and have never really planned on actually getting myself into it.  

Today is a lazy day. A day with no makeup, tousled hair and in sleepwear all day catching up on series I've missed while cuddling with my favorite cat.  

While I was away, I have had my share of cuddling with a lot of wildlife that I never thought I'd  ever touch in my entire life (That's for the next post).  For now, I'm going to enjoy the purrs of my cat whom I've missed for a month and half.  Meet Tiptoe, a tabby cat. We've adopted him from a family leaving Dubai for good to migrate to the U.S. Tiptoe has been with us for the last six years (turning 7 this year). He's a very dramatic cat. He loves to do this kind of poses. 

What is your idea of a lazy day?

XOXO,

Arni

How are you enjoying the mid week?  I'd like to be a bit random today so I'll rekindle my attachment with castles.  During a road trip to visit numerous castles driving from the city of lights towards Loire Valley, we did a stopover in Fontainebleau, 55 kilometers from Paris.  This tranquil town lies at the heart of a vast forest.