Surviving Typhoon Pablo Outside the Philippines

Yes, it is sound strange why I have this title about surviving a storm that recently hit the Philippines which in fact I am outside of the country. How on earth should I be affected by this storm when I am thousand miles away from home?

I am an OFW here in Abu Dhabi, UAE, so being away from the family is one of the sacrifices I made to be able to provide them with a better future. It is very normal to us that every minute we think about home and our family. So when news broke out that in 2 days time a super typhoon Pablo (internationally name Bopha) will strike our country and putting our province on the path of the storm our worries starts to grow. My province Bukidnon is not known to be a typhoon path area so I couldn't help but worry if the people, specially my family, is ready for this kind of situation. It is not just a simple passing but eventually the eye of the storm will be on my province. And this, as far as I remember, would be the first time that our place will be directly hit by a storm.

Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) 4 days befor landfall (Courtesy of PAGASA)

THE SUSHI ADVENTURE CALLED YO!

Yesterday, me and my wife traveled to Dubai for the 1st Anniversary of our organization called TaBuk. The event lasted almost four hours and we prepare to heed back to Abu Dhabi. Since it is early yet and it's scalding hot to travel back so we decided to take an hour or two to stop at Dubai Mall.

My wife and I came across this sushi restaurant called YO Sushi. My wife being not a fan of Japanese food, I was amazed that she convinced me that we will try for adventures sake and I gamely agree. It's my birthday and I thought I owe him a meal. Maybe she is so intrigue with the design and the set up of the restaurant. The ambiance is nice even if the set up is like a common carenderia but with a classy touch. What makes it so fun is you can choose your food in a bowl from the conveyor belt called "kaiten" that is revolving around the whole area of the resto in a circuit. If you like something wait til it is near to you and pick it up from the conveyor. In order to indicate freshness, a label is applied to the lid of the dish to indicate when the dish must be consumed. What more interesting is the food and various dishes is prepared right in front of you by a chef. We even have the privileged to talk to the two of the chefs because glad to know they are the same region of mine, Surigao in Mindanao while the other one is from Cebu.

The Chef and The Kaiten

Various sushi dishes and other Japanese cooked food in the kaiten but I only grabbed those whom I am familiar with as so not to upset my stomach, we still had a long way back to Abu Dhabi. I took the salmon sushi and California maki roll, sauces are available right in front of you and its up to you how and what to mix for your preference. I like mine with this Japanese soy sauce and a little wasabe to add the kick. Short orders are also serve, you can write it in an order slip and hand it over to a chef in front of you. My wife ordered a shrimp roll teriyaki.

Paying what you consume is also systematic. It is in color coding scheme. Every color of the bowl has a corresponding price in which the dishes is served in the conveyor. Crew will going to give you the bill after counting the bowls (carenderia concept again ayt?) I found out that this restaurant is originated from the UK and have a franchises all over the world including this one in Dubai.

YO Sushi concept

The empty bowl

My wife not a fan of sushi find the food a little bit odd but eatable as she described but I find it one of the best sushi experience. Definitely I will come back and be more adventurous next time by trying some unfamiliar dishes they serve.

GRATEFUL OF 2010

I never write any year end reviews or any rewind about what happen after the year is finished. But since today I am greatly bored and 2010 events always flashes on my mind, I ought to try to write something about how was it in 2010 for me.

For a starter we start the 2010 with a bang, an all out party with our flat mates complete with games, singing, and a lot of dancing with the help of tons of booze. So it's a great and way too loud to start the 2010. It was indeed a great year for us.

I don't have any complains about 2010, there's a bit down moment for us but we survive. God's guidance was with us and will always will. So instead of counting our downs I will enumerate how God made our 2010 great according to His plan.

We are grateful to God of His blessings we received in 2010:

• -         we sent 2 large balikbayan boxes back home (it was a bit delayed in arrival but nevertheless it still on time for us to be there)
• -         we were both given a vacation together (me and my wife)
• -         safe flight on our vacation
• -         seeing some good friends back home
• -         seeing our families
• -         and of course seeing our daughter SAM after 2 years of not seeing her
• -         and the flashes of her eye how happy she was during her birthday
• -         wife's new job (of course a bit higher pay)
• -         new flat
• -         and good health for us and the whole family
• -         And a lot of simple thing that makes us comfortable even we are very far from home.

In general God give us a great year not only for me but for the whole family. We are so thankful for His blessings. I will also pray that this 2011 He will continue to guide and protect us and bless us. My prayer also to the less fortunate ones that this year they may find solitude and blessings, that they should always put in mind that God is always with them.

May this 2011 will also be a good year for us under God's plan!

Tall Order

The Burj Khalifa - day time

 The Burj Khalifa standing tall in Dubai, UAE

This building now holds the record as the tallest in the world. This was named after the famous ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheik Khalifa.

At over 828 metres (2,716.5 feet) and more than 160 stories, Burj Khalifa holds the following records:

•  Tallest building in the world

•  Tallest free-standing structure in the world

•  Highest number of stories in the world

•  Highest occupied floor in the world

•  Highest outdoor observation deck in the world

•  Elevator with the longest travel distance in the world

•  Tallest service elevator in the world 

I am just one of the lucky individual who witnessed the rising of this great magnitude of human achievement. 

The Burj Khalifa at night