Ceb Visits Dubai

Well look who's been spotted in Dubai! 

Ceb at the Burj Dubai

CEB, Cebu Pacific's lovable mascot was seen traipsing all over Dubai, United Arab Emirates! 

Visiting the marina

Ceb roaming the streets of Dubai

We don't think you need to guess why Ceb is visiting this popular city in the Middle East. Of course, it's to check out the newest route of The Big Juan! On October 7, 2013, Cebu Pacific's A330 will touchdown, for the first time, in Dubai's international airport! We're excited for all Filipinos who will be in this flight. Of course, the plane will go back to Manila carrying the winners of the 100 Lucky Juans contest! 

For those who wants a free seat in this memorable voyage, you still have time to join the 100 Lucky Juans contest. Visit the Cebu Pacific Facebook page, click on the 100 Lucky Juans app, and submit your entry! It's so easy! They've been announcing winners weekly and we hope to see your names next on that list. 

Hay, for us in Riyadh, we can only hope for a Cebu Pac route in here please! Haha! Well who knows? While waiting for that flight, maybe we can fly to Dubai and hop on a flight to Manila from there! Sounds like a good plan huh! ;) 

This entry is sponsored by Cebu Pacific. All opinions are the writers' own. 

It's More Fun Being a Filipino

One thing that we like about us Filipinos abroad... we always know how to have fun. Despite the distance that separates us from our families and friends back in the Philippines, we still find ways on how to entertain ourselves. We in the Pink Tarha pride ourselves in knowing that we share the same mind set that most Filipinos have all over the world, it's not only more fun in the Philippines... it's also more fun being a Filipino. 

We can't help but smile and grin at some of the photos entered in the Cebu Pacific 100 Lucky Juans contest. We can so relate in these photos of Filipinos who find ways to enjoy themselves in the United Arab Emirates. We're pretty sure Filipinos in Saudi Arabia also have these moments of fun taken in between working hours and duties. 

Take for example this video entry by Tristan Bangero, an employee of LBC, who found a solution to his homesickness. 

A video entry

He made a video of photos collected over the years so that he have something fun to watch whenever he misses his child. This "slideshow" is one cool way to reminisce happy moments to ease homesickness. I bet this would be followed with a "Gentleman" video pretty soon. ;) 

Talk about having fun in the kitchen... 

Cute puto

This photo of puto, a Philippine delicacy, is so cute! It's reminiscent of special occasions in the Philippines... or better yet, fiestas and birthdays! Juliet Constantino's home made puto looks delicious... and even more eye-catching is the use of those smiley faces that we can't help but, well, smile! 

The easiest way to have fun when we're traveling abroad? Take a photo and pose like no one's looking!  

Be your own subject.

Just look at Jojo Galve's entry where he flexes those muscles with a brightly-lit background of Doha's skyline. We're pretty sure there are more poses and photos where this came from. We can't blame him... with a gorgeous backdrop like that, we'll have fun posing too! 

And this photo's subject is a cutie: 

I'll have this baby save me! ;)

Looks like someone made fun of this baby! Haha! Isn't Lalaine Rosales' son in his Superman costume adorable? 

For more fun in the Philippines for you and your family, we encourage you OFWs in the United Arab Emirates to send in your entries in the 100 Lucky Juans contest. It's your chance to see your loved ones this October for free! Join now! Remember, even if it's more fun to become a Filipino abroad, it's best to be a Filipino in the Philippines where we are surrounded with the people who love and care for us. 

By the way... I have a secret to tell and yes, let's just keep this between us: a SALE on Cebu Pacific's MNL-DXB and vice-versa will happen soon so watch out for it. LIKE the Cebu Pacific Facebook page now to get the latest updates and promos! ;) Too juicy of a secret to keep? Okay, go ahead and share this sale alert to your loved ones and friends! ~ Sundrenched

More Reasons to Smile for the Lucky Juans

Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates, have you joined the 100 Lucky Juans contest yet? Visit the Cebu Pacific official Facebook page for the contest mechanics and have a chance to score a free flight to Manila from Dubai on the inaugural flight of Cebu Pacific's DXB-MNL flight on October! Speaking of scoring deals, Cebu Pacific has been a beacon of hope of Filipinos in fulfilling their dreams of traveling, not only around the home country, but also in other popular destinations in Asia. 

With their seat sales that go on throughout the year, we get the chance to visit other places at affordable rates. And even without the promos, Cebu Pac still has the most affordable rates among the airlines that operate in the Philippines.

Cebu!

 I flew with Cebu Pacific on my first travel outside Luzon, visiting the queen city of the South... Cebu! Cebu has grown to be a bustling city over the years; vibrant and energetic teeming with good food, beaches, and historical landmarks. I also check deals on traveling to my father's home, the land of pinangat and laing (my favorite)... Bicolandia. Camarines Sur is one of the provinces you should definitely check out when traveling in Region 5. It mixes nature with man-made structures to offer leisure activities for everyone. My favorite would be looking up Mt. Isarog in Pili, but this town is more known for the CamSur Watersports Complex that locals and foreigners visit all-year round. Of course, I keep on wishing for flights to my homeland, La Union in the Ilocos Region. But while waiting, flights to Laoag in Ilocos Norte is a good option especially when side trips to Pagudpud and Ilocos Sur can be made out of this route. 

Northern Luzon, my hometown!

Even in my second trip abroad, Cebu Pacific was instrumental in bringing me and my sisters to Hong Kong in 2009. It was the first trip we had as a family. Cebu Pacific has more than ten international destinations from the land of smiles Thailand to the land of wats, Cambodia. In China alone, Cebu Pacific flies to four destinations: Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Xiamen. One of the most popular destinations is the Lion City, Singapore! I've been there too and it was one of the most fun and entertaining vacations ever. We toured Singapore Zoo, Sentosa, and the Universal Studios. It's my dream to visit Bali, Indonesia and Osaka, Japan. Those shouldn't be hard next time especially with available flights to those places. 

Happy to read about Bicol, Davao and Bali in one issue

The Dubai route is a great addition to Cebu Pacific's destinations. It's not only the farthest destination of Cebu Pac, it's also their first in the Middle East. And when it comes to anything Middle East, The Pink Tarha is quite excited about it. Last year, Eyecandy and I had a chance to visit Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Although we visited on different dates, we have the same conclusion upon seeing the bustling city... that Riyadh can be Dubai, if only Riyadh is open to change that fast and vast. 

Personally, Dubai is more than just a place for Filipinos to go to work to. It's a good tourist destination. I can see glimpses of the Philippines in this city, with it's old and new places; the towering buildings in its skyline overlooks the old town near the Dubai creek. The Burj Khalifa is a unique engineering feat and everyone should get the chance to visit the tallest building in the world. It's a surreal feeling to see that something quite impossible is finally made into reality. Isn't it a good thing that traveling nowadays is getting simpler and more affordable?

Cebu Pac's SMILE magazine is a fun read!

Apart from Cebu Pacific's lowest year-round lite fares, SMILE Magazine, its in-flight magazine, will get you to places! Look for them on your seats during your flights with the airline and you'll discover a lot of practical and fun information on the destination of your dreams. Travel more, kabayan! 

Of course we know that for Filipinos abroad like us, the Philippines is always a dream destination because we always like coming home. To win a free ticket to go home to the Philippines from Dubai, don't forget to join the 100 Lucky Juans contest!

100 Lucky Juans

There are millions of Filipinos working in the Middle East. We're pretty sure majority of the OFWs in the Middle East wants to go home to the Philippines as often as they can. The Pink Tarha wish for it every day, that's for sure! But then, flight fares of over 30,000 pesos set us back from doing so. Ever wished to fly to back to the Philippines in more affordable rates? Like say, for 5,000 pesos or 499 dirhams one way?

Cebu Pacific is making our dream come true with its soon-to-be-launched flight from Manila to Dubai and back! Even for us here in Saudi Arabia, it would still be pretty much affordable to travel to Dubai from here and take the Cebu Pacific flight from Dubai to Manila! Yey!

Before the first flight of this route in October 2013, Cebu Pacific, in cooperation with GMA, is now giving OFWs in the UAE an opportunity to win a seat in this momentous flight with their 100 Lucky Juans contest! If you're a subscriber of GMA International Channels in the UAE, you will get a chance to come home to the Philippines for free by simply visiting the 100 Lucky Juans promo app in the official Facebook page of Cebu Pacific. 

And as we said on our earlier entry,  OFWs in the UAE... joining on is as easy as juan, two, three!

1. Log in to your Facebook account. Visit https://www.facebook.com/cebupacificair and LIKE the Cebu Pacific Official Facebook page. Look for the 100 Lucky Juans Promo Facebook application and click "Enter Now" to join. (Or okay, simply click here.)

2. Answer the question, "How will I make my homecoming in the Philippines fun?" Answer it by any of the following entry types: a. 2-minute video format, b. 1 photo collage format,  or c. 200-word (or less) text/story format. Don't forget to put a title!

3. Complete the form with your name, contact details, and other important info... and you're DONE!

Submit your entries from May 13 to August 18, 2013. Seven winners of round-trip tickets from Dubai to Manila will be chosen per week. If you're entry is chosen, you will be one of the lucky 100 Filipinos on board the historic October 7, 2013 flight of Cebu Pacific from Dubai to Manila! (Make sure you're okay to go on vacation on October 7 because the flight to Manila's date is non-movable but you can choose your going back to Dubai flight dates within October 8 to November 30, 2013.)

We know that this offer is for DBX-MNL only, but hey, if you win... your flights are free! And anything free is awesome! It's a great opportunity to see your loved ones without spending hard-earned fulos on your airfare. You can use the saved cash to treat them in a vacation to any of the Philippines' beautiful destinations. That's where your lucky streak continues because... Cebu Pacific flies to 34 of these places. Learn more of these destinations in Cebu Pacific's official magazine, SMILE. 

So whaddya say? Join the 100 Lucky Juans contest now and try your luck in becoming a UWInner!

Are You The Lucky Juan?

THERE ARE OVER two million Overseas Filipino Workers residing in the Middle East and it's a struggle that not all the Middle Eastern countries are served by our own nation's airline carrier that can bring us back directly to the Philippines. I'm sure most of us has had our share of excruciating connecting flights, spending four hours or more in airports of neighboring countries, all for the sake of a lower fare or for simply being able to get back home. Just recently, Sundrenched and I endured a 12-hour wait in Oman's airport due to lack of available flights back to Riyadh -- but we're still young (ehem) and we can patient and understanding for a long period of time (as long as there's free WiFi). But what about the thousands of OFWs who want a hassle-free, affordable and pleasant ride back and forth from the Philippines and their country of destination? Well, Cebu Pacific may soon be the answer to our prayers.

As you all know, Cebu Pacific is the Philippines' most-talked about and most-patronized airline carrier. Who hasn't heard of the PISO-seat Sale? Or their super affordable offers to nearby Asian countries like China, Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea (just to name a few). Many of my friends back at home (myself included) have been able to see more of the Philippines and Asia thanks to the irresistible rates of traveling with Cebu Pacific. My first trip to Boracay was actually through a Cebu Pacific flight and my experience with them was quite amiable and on schedule. Though I wasn't able to experience the dancing flight attendants that became a fad, I believe.

Anyway, the good news is Cebu Pacific has recently announced that they shall be offering direct flights from Manila to Dubai starting October 2013. This is exciting news because they will be the only Filipino airline carrier that will offer this direct flight to Dubai, UAE. We are particularly proud of this because a Filipino brand was able to penetrate the international aviation market of the Middle East - which is no easy task! Of course, they will be using brand new Airbus A330-300 for these long haul flights (If you want to read on this kind of plane, you can check it out by clicking here).

Cebu Pacific's Airbus A330-300

Having said that, Cebu Pacific is thrilled about this new venture and is offering the 100 Lucky Juans Promo to Kapuso Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates! If you're a subscriber of GMA International Channels in the UAE, you will get a chance to come home to the Philippines for free by simply posting your answers to the Cebu Pacific official Facebook page!

Get ready!

Joining is as easy as juan, two, three!
Stay tuned for more details to be released soon.

The Old and Modern Dubai

Like Eyecandy, I also got the chance to visit the United Arab Emirates last April. I attended my high school friend's wedding and met her good friends. I mostly stayed in Abu Dhabi but got a one day trip to Dubai. This entry serves as an addendum to Eyecandy's. 

If E showed you the modern cityscape with its developments, I will to show you the old Dubai, the other side of the global city and business hub. I'm more smitten with the old, rustic area where Dubai started. (Yes, I'm such a history and culture nut. Remember Jeddah?) Shall we go back in time then?

Deira, the area bordered by the Persian Gulf, Sharjah, and Dubai Creek, is the center of Dubai historically but since the booming construction along E 11 Road, the longest highway in the UAE, Deira lost its prominence. Deira has its charms that truly captivated me. I wanted to venture in Port Saeed, a small locality that runs along Deira's shore of Dubai Creek one morning and try to find the allure of Dubai before it became the hotshot city it is today. (I'm nostalgic like that too.) 

My couple friends were buying rings in Deira's gold souk. Good thing, they tagged me along in their quest for the perfect wedding rings. (I don't know what's with me tagging along engaged couples buying wedding rings! Remember this? Haha!) From Abu Dhabi, where they are based, we took the bus and traveled 2 hours to Dubai. 

At the bus from Abu Dhabi going to Dubai

Look at the sign above me. It says that the half section of the bus is for Ladies and Families Only. I specifically chose this seat because the sign reminds me of Saudi Arabia where there are divisions according to gender and civil status every where!!! Hahaha! At least all ladies get to have a seat in the bus and the guys are stuck at the back if they don't have their families with them. :P

Touchdown Dubai City! My friend and I at the bus station.

It was about 11:00 am when we reached Dubai. From the bus station, we had a quick lunch in Golden Fork Restaurant in Nasser Square. The food was good! We had a barbecue platter, tinola and lots of rice! 

Tinola at Golden Spoon

The Dubai Creek

The abras in Dubai Creek

We started at the Al Ghubaiba Water Station and walked along the creekside with a good view of the busy Dubai Creek. Before riding the abra, we entered a market souk complete with old wooden fixtures and beams. There were local handicrafts like shawls, slippers, and house decors. 

Before entering the souq, we had to pose in front. Yes, we HAD TO. Lol.

The wooden structures of the souqs

Mosaic lamps for sale on the souq... like the ones in Camel Corner!

Embellished shoes and slippers

So many designs to choose from! 

Pretty intricate display plates.

We passed by a wide courtyard complete with doves and guess what we did? Run after them, of course! Haha! I swear we're just recreating the scene from the movie Milan, only this time, it should be titled Dubai. Oh wait, there is a movie titled Dubai. Right. 

The doves that we chased from the courtyard to the creek.

Anyway, after having enough photos to scare the locals of a paparazzi invasion, we boarded an abra, a small dhow boat. I was really, really excited to try this as the boats didn't have railings. We just sat on long benches in the middle, along with other people (mostly guys), and take all the water spraying all around us. Fuuuuun! Was I worried I'd fall in the water? Of course not! I was more worried that the cruise wouldn't be long enough for me to enjoy it. But my worries are unfounded. I enjoyed looking at the scenes on the creekside.

The dock at the Dubai Creek

No railings?! Excited!

The old Dubai skyline; it reminds me of the Hong Kong skyline

I had to fight the urge to wave at the people on the other abra, haha!

Plying the Dubai Creek

The scenes on the creekside

We reached the other side in less than 10 minutes. We had to board a taxi to get to the gold souk. 

Before climbing out of the abra... sinulit muna ang photo op!

One of the many entrances to the gold souk

When we got to the Dubai Gold Market, the friends proceeded in choosing their wedding rings while I hovered around, piping in comments here and there (pakialamera much?!). 

My couple friends choosing their wedding rings

While they were busy talking to store salesmen, I walked around the souk and entered small alleyways to see if there are more stores in there. I tend to scare myself sometimes of my tendency to stray away from the crowd and go into nooks and crannies in search for, I don't know, other interesting stuff.

Display plates with Dubai and its icons.

But sometimes it's a good thing because I find really worthy stuff! I found a stall manned by a Pakistani (whose dream is to go and live in Saudi Arabia, can you imagine?) selling all kinds of scarves and shawls (hooray for my collection). And because I'm such a charming lady (*cough*), he sold his wonderful high-quality pashmina shawls for 20 dirhams each. (Come to think of it, I should have hoarded! Bummer!) He also pointed me to a souvenir stall owned by his friend and I really got cheap key chains and display plates for friends. Again, charms at work! ;) 

Gold, gold, gold!

Waiting for the rings at the gold souk

I retraced my steps to where I left my friends and we continued searching for the elusive wedding rings. Finally, in one of the stalls near the end of the souk, they found it. I was surprised to find out that in Dubai, there's no Saudi gold. How come? Isn't Saudi gold the best of the best? Isn't Saudi so near UAE? Why can't they import? Lol. They sell mostly Singapore gold in Dubai. We waited for the rings for an hour because they needed to be engraved with their names. After that, we took the train to go to the E 11 Road where the tall skyscrapers were. 

Entering one of the train stations in Dubai

Their metro stations remind me of the stations in Singapore and Hong Kong where escalators are high and steep. The friends also got me an MRT card. For future use also. ;)

So this is the end of my old Dubai journey. But here are a few more pictures from my trip to the new, modern Dubai. I'm quite sure you've seen most of the background from Eyecandy's post. It's funny how we made the same trip to same places in different dates with different people. Ahhh, The Pink Tarha minds... so in sync! Fuuuun!

The Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world

Seeing the Burj Khalifa as close as I can get, before roaming inside the huge Dubai Mall... We didn't have time to go up the observation deck. If you've read E's account inside Dubai Mall, that's also what I saw. I shopped in Forever 21 nang bonggang-bongga! I also bought a sliver of bubble soap from Lush which I intended to use on my hotel room in Abu Dhabi. 

Their "Candy Days" named Candilicious has Garrett Popcorn!!!

Saw my favorite popcorn store, Garrett, at Candylicious, their version of our Candy Days in Riyadh Gallery. (Why is Garrett not in Candy Days Riyadh?!?) I bought a large bag of their Chicago Mix which we munched at the Waterfront Promenade outside Dubai Mall while waiting for the Dubai Fountain show.

The Burj Khalifa lake

Me in the middle of Waterfront Promenade among different nationalities.

The Dubai Fountain is the world's largest dancing fountain. Its an enthralling display of water, lights, and music. See the schedule here. We caught the 7:30pm show. It replays every 30 minutes from 6:00pm to 11:30pm.

The Dubai fountain is coming to life.

The Dubai fountain at work

All ablaze!!!

The grand finale has these fountains bursting up high!

I got a prime spot in front. I was holding my iPhone with my left hand to take a video of the entire performance and holding my digital camera on my right to take pictures! Multitasking! After watching the fountain dance, we took more photos and exited the Dubai Mall grounds to have dinner somewhere. You'll never guess where! :P

A dinner of yummy sweet savory ribs

We went to the Souk Madinat Jumeirah and ate in... The Noodle House!!! Hahaha! As if there's no branch here in Riyadh eh? Well, in all fairness, I had this dish of sticky ribs that is not available in the Riyadh branch. And I cannot say no to a dinner treat by a couple who are so in love. :)

View from the Madinat Jumeirah 

And hey wait, before this day in Dubai is over, I cannot leave without seeing the famous Burj Al Arab can't I? I mean it was made more famous in the Philippines by the movie Dubai in 2005 so I cannot possibly leave without seeing the first Dubai icon etched in the consciousness of Filipinos. So here it is...

The Burj Al Arab; taken from Madinat Jumeirah

The trip had to end at some point. We were so worried we wouldn't catch the last train back to the bus station so we hurried. And yes, even if we're hurrying, we had to take photos! ;)

My friend and I trying to catch the train's last trip to Deira

We reached Abu Dhabi around two o'clock in the morning. I was so tired after I got back to the hotel but I was adamant to draw that bubble bath. That didn't happen at all. I slept immediately after changing my clothes! Haha! I love my friends for taking me to this whirlwind trip to Dubai. And I love them for considering what I want to see and discover in this journey. Thank you so much, Rence and Marlon! 

The trip tired me but it's what I wanted to do all along. I want to travel, travel, travel... even if it means being dead to the world after a long day! Hey, I still have my Abu Dhabi stories to come. ;) Want to visit the UAE from the KSA, here's our mini primer on visas.  ~ Sundrenched