CHI-CHI and NAJAH

Joel Daradar is one of our proud alums, a 2001 BS Tourism graduate now based in Abu Dhabi. He works for the National Health Insurance agency of the UAE government and AVV Jr. (aka Dad) teases him always as being the highest paid PATTS Alum in the UAE (they met last February on a previous trip he had with MFV). He was the one tasked with organizing our graduates and what a great job he did!

With about 4 days notice, he was able to organize thirty one of our graduates for dinner at the Chi-chi's restaurant at the Le Meridien Hotel. Of the 31 who attended, 30 were men with only one lady braving the company of some very loud and boisterous young men. They had so much fun chatting and reminiscing about their college days in the old PATTS campus. While they were browsing through our business profile, they were surprised to see the transformation from the old campus at Domestic Road to the new campus at Paranaque City. They were all saying that with the little facilities they had at the PATTS campus, they were able to make it all the way to the Middle East. Now that our students have better facilities, there is no excuse na raw for them not to exceed what the graduates in the UAE have achieved. Ahhhh, may yabang din pala ang mga PATTSeans na 'to! Heehee.

What made the occassion extra special was that Joel even prepared a short program, a plaque of appreciation and an enormous bouquet of flowers for MFV. She was visibly touched and was at a loss for words ( a miracle for MFV! ) while surrounded by her 'children'. Nakakatuwa. The party ended at 10pm with everyone promising to keep the PATTS spirit alive in Abu Dhabi. Thank you to Joel and to the rest of the PATTS contingent there. You made us truly proud of PATTS!

We didn't have time to remain in our sentimental mode because as soon as we got into the hotel that evening, we had to pack na and prepare our luggages for check out at 9am the next day. We would check out of the hotel and just deposit our luggages at the concierge before heading off to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC) for NAJAH at 10am.

As soon as we get into the cab headed for ADNEC, MFV protests because naiwan daw yung kanyang 'something precious' in the luggage and baka daw mawala sa storage. Grudgingly, we headed back to the hotel to recover her 'something precious'. Midway through the taxi ride, the driver tells us that we have to pay double the meter fare because we had to make 2 trips. We told him it didn't make a difference and that we should just follow the meter. Apparently irked, he left us on the roadside in the middle of nowhere where there were about two dozen questionable men 'hanging out'. Even if we were scared out of our wits, we continued to remain steadfast in our fight to get the right fare! In fact, we were refused by two other cabs (and even let down by 1 of them after just a few meters) because we refused to pay double the meter fare. I told nga MFV, can you just imagine the headline? And all because we refused to give a few more dirhams! Finally, after 10 minutes, our prayers were answered. Our 4th cab driver got us to NAJAH by 11:00am. FINALLY!!!!



The NAJAH is indeed very impressive and world-class. Most of the schools on exhibit there are big universities in the United States and Europe who have their satellite campuses in Abu Dhabi. There were also a few universities from Malaysia hoping to attract some locals to study in their country. There were none from the Philippines. Of course my number one apprehension was how on earth I could compete with these universities who already had their satellite campuses there. Another was even if studying in the Philippines would definitely cost half of what they would spend in their country, how can I convince them that our country was safe when Abu Dhabi and Dubai are both virtually crime-free. Oh well. These were some of the things to consider. But that would come much later. Should we decide to join the 2nd exhibit, our contingent would be back in this venue by Oct 19-21 of 2008. Something to consider....



By 5pm, we were on the road headed for Dubai to make our 10pm flight to Bangkok. We were so tired, our feet were aching and our heads were spinning from all the activities! But at the end of the day, we were grinning from ear to ear. What an adventure we had! I'm so thankful to have experienced the Middle East and I will cherish this always. I hope I can share it though with Reymond and the girls someday. Until then, Dubai and Abu Dhabi will be 'tattoed on my mind'......

Abu Dhabi Doo

Abu Dhabi is a much gentler and calmer city compared to Dubai and yet I find myself very drawn to its old school charm and laid back trance. We arrived in the city in the late afternoon and checked in immediately at the International Rotana Inn (IRI) at the corner of Salaam and Hamdan. It is crucial to memorize this as there are about 5 other Rotana hotels in the immediate vicinity of our hotel. The IRI is a 3-star hotel and it was the only one available when i booked on the internet a month before our trip. Most of the hotels were booked due to the GETEX exhibition that would be held from Nov. 1-3 at the Beach Rotana Hotel and Towers. Thankfully though, it turned out to be a nice, clean hotel and I heaved a sigh of relief upon entering our room. It may not have been a 5-star hotel but it was twenty times better than the Ramee in Dubai (sorry, talagang hindi ko makalimutan!). The highlight of the day was dinner at Soba Restaurant at the Le Royal Meridien Hotel (you must also be particular because there is a Le Meridien Hotel -- walang Royal!). The host, servers and even the chef was Filipino. Even if Mom made a comment that their tempura tasted like Camaron Rebosado, they were still very cheerful and the chef even prepared a sumptuous dessert to compliment our yummy dinner. The walk back to IRI was also very refreshing. It prepared us well for the NIGHTMARE AT BEACH ROTANA.






After a good night sleep, we got dressed in our suits and headed for the GETEX exhibition. As we got down the cab, the doorman greeted us with a wide smile up until the time we asked him where the exhibition was. In his most optomistic tone, he said HE WASN'T SURE but he believes that the GETEX was cancelled. I let out a nervous chuckle and asked him to get the Customer Relations Officer so that we could get the directions to the exhibition hall. When Katia, the Hotel Manager herself, came out to see us, we knew we were in trouble.

Apparently, the GETEX was CANCELLED the week before and the organizers failed to inform us of this very important development. When Katia got the GETEX organizer on the phone, she admonished me for not checking their website a week before the event so that I would know that the exhibit was cancelled. Hello, the week before, nasa Dubai na ako!!!!! I was visibly upset and was trying my darndest best not to scream and curse my lungs out. I asked her why she didn't email me since I was already in their mailing list, she reasoned that since I was only a visitor AND NOT AN ACTUAL exhibitor, I didn't deserve the courtesy of an email. Can I say it? P_ _ _NG_ _A NIYA! I travelled halfway around the world and she could not even offer me an apology (kahit ba galing sa ilong eh).

Thank God for people like Eldwin Dormitorio. Eldwin works as the Employee Development Coordinator of the Beach Rotana and seeing how distraught we were, Katia felt that Eldwin would be the best person to talk to (or even bitch to) since he was a fellow kabayan. Eldwin explained to us that the GETEX was cancelled at the very last minute because they couldn't get a permit from the government. NAJAH, another organizer, was able to get the exclusive rights to host the educational exhibit and it was going to be held right after GETEX. No way was NAJAH going to allow GETEX to spoil their party! So even if the GETEX organizer was bitchy to me, I now understand that she too was under extreme pressure having to cancel her event only the week before. We ended our short meeting with Eldwin assuring me that he would get all the details for NAJAH and make sure that we would be able to attend the event. This was of course important to us because.......eh yun nga yung whole point of this trip diba?

The rest of the day was spent at the Abu Dhabi Mall, just adjacent to the Beach Rotana. My mind was just blank while accompanying Mom on her round of 5 shops for the whole day (super bagal). Ang sama talaga ng loob ko. I couldn't breathe sa sobrang disappointment. I was left thinking....if I had known about this maybe 1 or 2 days before we were about to board that Emirates flight, would it have changed anything? Was I obliged to check their website a day or two before we left even if my communications with the GETEX organizer began 6 months prior to the event? Talagang I couldn't get it out of my head. Until 6pm that day, I was pissed as hell.

As soon as we got in IRI after the mall, Eldwin calls me and assures me that our trip will not go to waste. He facilitates an invitation for us to attend the NAJAH exhibit on Nov. 4, the day of our departure. It's a good thing we leave at 10:00pm that evening. We would have the day to attend NAJAH then head straight for the Dubai airport after.




To celebrate, we decided to have dinner at the Emirates Palace. As per MFV, the EP is more impressive than the Burj and a hundred times classier. I, of course, can't say the same as I did not have the opportunity to enter the Burj. But let me just tell you, the EP is beeyootipool. Huge, Imposing, Lavish, Grand --- naku, all the superlatives you can think of. You feel so small being inside the EP.

As we were looking through the menus of the restaurants there, we were floored by their prices! Pero kailangan panindigan na diba? So we settled on the Le Vendome Brasserie and their international buffet. OMG. Eat til you drop. It was really so good!

On the way home, we had a minor incident with our limo-cab accidentally ramming into some C or E class Mercedes Benz. Naku, they were so civil, even the owners of the brand new Benz! They exchanged numbers and then that was it. Ok ba? If that happened to anyone in Manila, I'm sure they would've landed on TV Patrol or Saksi.




We had 2 whole days to gallivant around the city since NAJAH was due to start on Nov. 4 pa. Those days were spent going around the Marina Mall and the Al Wahda Mall. Not very productive days but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. We were reserving all our energy for the PATTS reunion on the eve of the 3rd and NAJAH on the 4th.....

Cruisin'

The Sheikh Zayed Road is the major highway in Dubai lined with most of their skyscrapers, residential buildings, major business establishments and shopping malls. Johnson, our new tour guide, says that Zayed is their Ayala Avenue. Just one hundred times longer and wider!

Yesterday, I made a statement that the Madinat Jumeirah was the most beautiful mall I had ever been to. Well, I take it back. IBN Battuta is the MALL of all malls. Just a little off Zayed road, this masterpiece truly caught me by surprise. To come here just to shop is a sin. You must experience this beautiful, beautiful work of art when in Dubai.






Through the power of the internet, I found out that the mall is named after renowned 14th century explorer, Ibn Battuta, a man who travelled over 75,000 miles during his lifetime. The architectural inspiration behind the distinctive design of the shopping mall is based around his travels. The mall is divided into six zones, representing key destinations visited by Ibn Battuta.

I had no time to shop! In fact, I was only able to make it to India, Tunisia, Egypt and Andalusia. We had no more time for China and Persia. I can't stop raving about this place. Visiting this mall was truly unforgettable and I hope I can make it back here one day to experience its beauty once again.

Other than the massive hallways and intricate designs of this mall, the other thing I noticed is the kabayans working in each and every shop. I kid you not! Ang daming pinoy sa Dubai. Talo ang Hong Kong, Singapore at Daly City combined! There is no way you can get lost in this city. Most of the kabayans here are very helpful and friendly. I even found myself looking specifically for a kabayan everytime I would enter a store.

The other mall I wanted to go to after IBN Battuta was the Mall of the Emirates. Since I am an avid fan of The Amazing Race (kahit Asia Edition), the Ski Dubai was a must see for me. I wasn't naman planning to ski nor was i going to engage Naval in a snowball fight. I just really wanted to see it.

This attraction was built specifically to cater to the residents of this region who want to ski. Ok ba yon? As if they didn't have enough dirhams to travel to some ski resort! The place manufactures its own snow and you even have to go on a lift to reach the top of the slope. Amazing! Walang sinabi ang snow machine ng HK Disneyland! Heehee.

At the end of this vast highway is Wafi City, the venue for our mini-reunion with our PATTS graduates. The evening was spent reminiscing with eighteen of our alums based in Dubai in a get-together organized by Charisse. She chose Black Canyon, a new Thai restaurant right beside Bread Talk (which explains the background for our group picture). Since the place was new, we were the only patrons and it seemed as if the place was closed specifically for our party.

MFV and Naval were like proud parents conversing, laughing, teasing and mostly praising our fine graduates who have made it big in Dubai. I only started working in PATTS in 2001 so most of them were not familiar with me. They were asking me nga kung anong batch ko. Heehee. But I too felt very, very proud to be in the company of these young, energertic and brave individuals. They were telling me that more of our graduates wanted to attend but were unable to because of the short notice. Sayang! Next time (naks, next time daw), we'll make sure we inform them earlier so that we can double or maybe even triple the attendance. After getting all their contact info, we promised to facilitate the creation of their yahoogroups with the attendees being the founding members. Little by little, we hope it will grow so that a strong bond can be established amongst them.










Since it was our last night in Dubai, I told MFV and Naval na dapat naman mag-happening kami. We were intrigued by the nightclub at the ground floor of our hotel so we chose this for our going away party. The club's name? MANILA 365 Taga-rito ka! Ano buzzzzzzzz. It was a mix of the Pussycat Dolls meets Lionel Richie meets Akon meets Various Artists. All I can say is that very versatile talaga ang mga Pinoy! They were inviting us to their Halloween party the next day. Sayang at paalis na kami.

We now close the books on Dubai as we enter the completely different world of Abu Dhabi.....

Around Dubai

Our travel consultant assigned us a chauffeur/tour guide to take us to wherever we wanted to around the city. She turned out to be another kabayan, Heidi, who is actually in the catering business but was free on that day. Our first stop of the day was the Central Souk in Sharjah. We chose to go there first since it was the farthest from the city. Central is their version of 168. Pero what a market it turned out to be! Endless rows of clothing, furniture, table linens, perfume and everything else under the sun. But since I was assigned to accompany Mom, we only made it to 2 stores while the rest of the group was able to walk the whole mile. At least I was able to buy the kandura Reymond specifically asked for. For those who may not know, the kandura is the traditional attire worn by the men of this region. It consists of a white gown, a white knit cap, a scarflike hanky worn on the head topped with a black 'lasso' to keep the hanky in place. Reymond fancies himself a sheikh -- ewan ko lang ha. I don't think he can have that harem he's fantasizing about! Moving on....

Mom went crazy at the Gold Souk. Apparently, gold (jewelry in general) is cheaper in Dubai. Most of the shops were managed by Indian nationals. Mom has this thing about asking each and every Indian around if they are from Keralah (pronounced as ker-lah). Ang kulit. Ang laki laki ng India and yet she has to ask them the same question each and every time. Sa ka-ka Keralah niya, nabola tuloy siya. Because of intensive over the counter negotiations, we had lunch at 3:00pm na! But it was well worth the wait. Mercato was serious eye-candy.





The Mercato Mall on Jumeirah Road was our lunch venue. The mall had European/Italian influences and if you close your eyes for a few seconds, you would actually think you were walking in some street in Europe. I made a declaration that it was the most beautiful mall I had ever been to! But that was before I stepped inside the Madinat Jumeirah.



This particular mall is in the vicinity of the Burj Al Arab, Wild Wadi and the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. Although most people will opt to have their pictures taken at the beach with the Burj as their background, MFV (feeling local) suggested otherwise. And although I hate to admit it. she was right once again. The view of the Burj from Madinat was breathtaking! The Burj is jumungous! As you all know, it is a 7-star hotel and the cheapest room rate is $3,000 a night. Each room has 2 floors and you are assigned a personal butler for the duration of your stay. MFV had the opportunity to enter the Burj last February and even dine inside (Tita Nini L. had a contact inside who got them in for free). For us cheapos who refused to spend 250 dirhams to enter their premises, we contented ourselves with her stories of lavishness and gaudiness. Truth be told, she was not very impressed with the interiors of the hotel. With its red, yellow and blue color scheme and diamond shaped tiles, it reminded her quite a bit of Alice in Wonderland. Kahit na, I told her. It's still impressive!

While at Madinat, we had the opportunity to meet up with family friend Fernan (and fellow kabayan) who was scheduled to start his first day of work at the Burj in the coming days. Fernan had just graduated from DLSU and he, with a group of 18 of his classmates, had entered into a study and work program with the Burj and the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. Galeng noh? His mother had sent him a few items thru us and we all had coffee at Costa with the imposing view of the Burj as our background. We really wanted to stay longer but we had to rush back to Deira to catch our 8pm pick-up for the Dhow Cruise along the Dubai Creek.



It wasn't all that great and the food was not exceptional BUT since we were in Dubai, we went on with the cruise lest we regret not having gone! It's a two-hour sail around the major landmarks surrounding the Dubai creek. You're served drinks and dinner plus you have the option of getting a back rub pa! Oh ha! We were even offered the services of their henna tattoo artist but we politely declined. Our cruise ended at 10:30pm with all of us dog tired. Time to rest our aching feet for another day in Dubai....