Weekend Get-Away In Al Ain

The morning after V-day, we went off to our road trip to Al Ain. To entertain ourselves, we sang Coldplay, Matchbox Twenty and Linkin Park songs while on the road. It sounds so unromantic but yeah, we did belt out some rock tunes to keep us awake during the long drive. It’s about 140 kms. away from where we live so just imagine our boredom especially Ryan who was driving our car in cruise control the whole time.

my driver

You know you’re in Al Ain when you begin to see red sand dunes and rock formations as huge as mountains that are similar to the ones in Roswell, New Mexico. By the time we got to the town centre, it was already 11:00 am. Our first stop was the Al Ain Zoo since the last time we went there, the cat house was already closed for viewing. I know, I know, going to a zoo doesn’t sound so fitting when you want a romantic weekend getaway but it’s just that it’s on the way to where we were headed to so we decided we might as well make a pit stop.  Besides, Al Ain Zoo is one of the most popular places to see in Al Ain since it doesn’t only have an African Safari feel to the place but it also is a beautiful park where families could just relax and have picnics. We had lunch at their glass pavilion that has a fastfood outlet, so while having our leisurely break, we got to watch kids run around the huge lawn and play in the fountain.

chow time

Al Ain Zoo is not the typical zoo we’re used to. It’s a conservation zoo so their animals are not locked up in cramped cages, and they look like they’re treated well and fed properly. In fact, these animals, even the not so endangered ones, are kept in an enclosure that is similar, if not close to their natural habitat.  Some animals have cages that surround them, while others have fibre glass to encircle them. their huge space enable them to freely roam around.

As you walk past the entrance, you’ll find a small lagoon on your right side where pink flamingos gracefully wade their way through the water. And when you stroll past the other pens, their structure would remind you of bedrock, and would even prompt you to subconsciously imagine Fred Flintstone sitting on one of the boulders :D

Our favorite part of the tour to the zoo was the visit to the cat’s house where the lions, tigers, pumas, black and spotted leopards, and the jaguars were kept. I know that chimpanzees do not belong to the cat family but they do have a special spot in the cat’s house, as well. Tall posts with ropes and ladders were made for these human-loving creatures who enjoy being looked at. They’re not exactly adorable to my taste, but I have to admit they could be cute & funny in their own way.

After spending about three hours in the zoo exploring every area of it (yes, it is that huge!), we worked our way to Jebel Hafeet to see the much talked-about Green Mubazarrah. Surprisingly, it didn’t take us much time to find the place. My instincts were pretty much intact that day, and despite the fact that my last visit to Jebel Hafeet was more than 2 years ago, I managed to remember how to get there. I guess I’m just plain gifted when it comes to directions :)

As soon as we disembarked from the car to enjoy the scenery, we couldn’t help but wonder how such lush greenery could possibly grow on rock formations right smack in the middle of nowhere. It was a refreshing sight! We welcomed the change of atmosphere.

After surveying the area and taking some photos, we proceeded to our final stop: the Mercure Grand Hotel. We checked in at half past 3 pm, and was given a room with a breath taking view of the Green Mubazzarah and the hotel’s recreation area.

The weather was great up in the mountain – not too warm, and not too cold either. I didn’t realize it would be that nice that I regretted tossing out my swimwear from our luggage while packing our stuff the night before. The pool was too tempting so I ended up buying a swimsuit from the hotel’s gift shop. Good thing they were selling O'Neill items so I was able to snag a pretty-looking swimsuit in black and white hues. A lot cheaper if bought from Beyond The Beach, but I had to settle for it. At least it’s something I can wear again.

We rested for about an hour and walked towards the pool just before sundown. Hubby took a few photos of the area as I swam for about an hour, and then headed back to our room again to quickly shower and change for dinner. We grabbed a quick bite at the Orient Café in the lobby, and then took a quick peek at the viewing deck overlooking the sights and lights of Eastern Abu Dhabi. It was chilly in the evening so we decided to just hang out in our room instead and watch more TV. A relaxing evening made up of telly watching with bubble bath as a night cap.

The following morning, we woke up to the usual gorgeous sunshine of the UAE. We had a hearty buffet breakfast at The Belvedere and stuffed ourselves like turkeys with cold cuts, breads, sausages, hash browns and fruits. After breakfast, we played a round of mini golf where hubby won by two points. (He just luckily got past the “volcano” hole without any glitch!)

the winning shot

We checked out from the hotel at 2:00 pm and maneuvered back home fully content of how we spent our weekend. More importantly, hubby enjoyed his gift :) 

Pimp My Ride

Last Saturday was officially Yumi’s day. We spent a great deal of time with her since she needed a good bath, a visit to the tyre shop for her punctured tyre, and a long overdue tinting procedure.

Carwash was relatively easy as we came in early to the gas station so there was no queue. We finished in a jiff and proceeded to the Sharjah Industrial Road 1 for the tyre and tint needs. To be honest, we didn’t have a clue where to bring the car since it was our first time to require vulcanizing services, and we never had her windows tinted ever since.

As soon as we got to this road where all these motor shops are lined up (similar to the one in Banawe, QC back home), we went for the first tyre shop that offers vulcanizing services. We couldn’t care less how much it would cost because what we needed was a shop that has this equipment to automatically take out the tyre from the wheel seamlessly without scratching the rim. Besides, we didn’t wanna go back and forth because the next U-turn slot was a bit far, and traffic was already building up on the other side of the road. Anyway, the vulcanizing service costed us AED 20, including installation, and we’re happy with the result.

Once the tyre was done getting fixed and the spare tyre returned to its original place, we went further down the road to find a shop that installs window tint. During the car show held in Dubai last November 2007, we literally drooled over the V-Kool Tint which had a promotion of 30% off when you book on the spot. But despite the substantial slash from the original price, it still was too pricey for us. We left the car show decided that we will go for the conventional window film, most probably from a reputable brand like 3M. So while we were driving along last Saturday, we were on the look-out for a shop that has the 3M logo.

I don’t know if it were my eyes or if I was just plain stupid for not spotting a single shop that read 3M. We were at the end of the motor shops strip when I saw a big sign that says something related to car window films. It was on the other side of the road but the U-turn slot was just a few meters away, so hubby geared towards the left for the turn.

When we parked in front of the shop, we felt kind of intimidated. Firstly, they were putting on tints inside the floor-to-ceiling glass shop. Nothing of this sort is typical for us as we’ve always seen tints being installed on cars outdoors. Secondly, the vehicles being tinted were brand new Nissan Armada and Mitsubishi Pajero - obviously expensive SUVs that we could only stare at but couldn’t afford. And lastly, the shop exudes this image of professionalism that we were not sure we can afford given our measly budget. We still gave it a shot to feed our curiosity and bravely stepped in to inquire.

As we entered the Nanolux shop, we were cheerfully greeted by a pleasant sales guy who escorted us to the section where samples of window films were plastered towards the sun’s direction. Then, he showed us a demo of the infrared light’s heat emanated from an ordinary glass, a conventional tint, and their top of the line tint called Super Lux. We initially wanted to go for the conventional tint they have called Lux since the price tag is within our budget. But when we were told that we could go for the Lux and Super Lux package combo that can cover the front windshield with Super Lux, and all rest of the windows in Lux film, we were almost convinced. With discount, it was pegged at AED 1,300, a little over the amount we have allocated.

However, we were also leaning towards the Super Lux series package since the benefits were quite tempting. for just an additional AED 500, we could have the windshield and all windows covered in Super Lux film that has 88.98% UV rejection, 82% infrared rejection, 83% visible light transmission, and 46.34% total solar energy rejected. Plus, this package comes with a 5 year warranty so that made the deal more appealing. To check for feedback, we called a friend who’s quite familiar with car accessories, and we were told that the package proposed to us was reasonable, considering that Nanolux is apparently also owned by the same producers of V-Kool, and it’s the next best supplier for window tints. We were totally sold upon learning this, so right there and then, we decided to go for the Super Lux package and filled out our form.

It was quite hefty for the pocket as we had to cough out more than what we have budgeted for, but at the end of the day, we believe we got ourselves a trusty product. It would not only protect us from the blazing heat of the middle east’s summer but would also protect our car’s interiors, especially the leather seats that are prone to cracks and discoloration from heat. The next time we get on to sit in our vehicle in the middle of the day, it will be more comfortable for us and our passengers. That made our purchase justifiable.

Our little adventure last weekend proved to be fruitful, and we’re extremely pleased. We got to do everything we planned as scheduled, and got a good deal in tow. 

Vday Story

My dear husband Ryan sent me flowers at work for Vday. A dozen of roses in the loveliest shade of pink I’ve ever seen on earth! I wouldn’t deny that I love receiving flowers so when they arrived at my office, I was completely elated! What made the delivery sweeter was the message that came along with it -- the card read the exact same phrase Ryan used to tell me when we were still in college. Kilig talaga!

He picked me up after work, and since our reservation for dinner was at 7:30 pm, we both decided to have coffee at the Starbucks outlet at the DIFC Balcony Level to pass the time. We just chatted for about an hour, lazily checked out the other outlets nearby after having our drinks, and watched the juggler perform in the Spanish Steps.

When it was time for dinner, we headed to the nearby Shakespeare & Co., a local café that has the ambience of a chic early 1900’s French coffee shop. Picture this in your head: granny doilies and French-laced decors that match their wooden antique furniture, with low volume soft music.  

Although the weather was so enticing to dine al fresco, we chose to stay indoors since we wanted to stay away from the smokers. As soon as we got seated, I was handed a long stemmed red rose by the maitre d’, while hubby was given dark chocolates on a small platter.  Hmmm, so valentine-y!

I'd have to say that besides the great ambience, our dining experience was superb! The Shakespeare Co. special and salmon fillet they served totally stuffed our bellies that we no longer had room for dessert after the main course. After our dinner, we headed straight home as we had to pack for the next day’s trip to Al Ain. As a gift to my loving husband, I treated him to a tour of Al Ain, which is located in the eastern region of Abu Dhabi, plus an overnight stay at the Mercure Grand Hotel in Jebel Hafeet.  Hubby was gung-ho about this trip as he’s never been to Jebel Hafeet before.

Kwentos of our trip to Al Ain will be shared in another installment, so hang tight for details of our out of town weekend. 

Heart's Day

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!  Spread the love!

taken during our pre-nup session in Dubai while waiting for the sunset at the beach

Click The New Click Wheel

Writing does pay off.

This is my prize after submitting an article to the monthly newsletter of our company, the DIFC Diary.


With the “eclectic mix of art and culture” in our organization, I thought it’s only but timely to write about the upcoming Chinese New Year for our Thought of the Month column for February. I actually wasn’t expecting to receive any token for my article so I was surprised when I found out from my friend at work, Abbie that I will be getting an iPod Nano for my published piece of writing. Yay! Another free Mac stuff.  Not bad :)

Dubai Grand Racing Experience

25.01.08 - One chilly Friday morning, we braved the cold front and drove to Dubai Autodrome at the Emirates Road to watch some real car racing. We were looking forward to catching the Dubai Grand Racing (Speedcar Series) this year not because we were interested with the teams who were joining, but simply because we wanted to take some pictures and hear some engines roar like crazy :P

As soon as we got there, the ever coffee addict me dragged everyone to Costa’s booth for a cup of steaming coffee. Since we were situated in the middle of the desert, the winds that day were blowing gustily. With a temperature of 17 degrees, that’s not something my Pinay body could withstand so picture me with a jacket on top of my knit sweater, and cursing under my breath for wearing Havaianas flip flops, for heaven’s sake!

Since we arrived early, we got great seats in front of the finish line, and near to the bend so we could really see some action. However, we only stayed for half a day because we could no longer bear the cold. Plus, we didn’t go for the VIP tickets so we were not able to go down the pit and paddock area where all the hive of activity took place. But it was all fun and exciting still! We hope to come back to check out the finale in April.