Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Fairytales of Arabian Nights




I'm on a holiday. Almost 2 weeks off. And I had bought a ticket to Buenos Aires to go to South-America for the first time ever. But when the vacation came closer I started to feel unsure about my plans. To be honest I didn't have the feeling to travel again, to pack the bags, find my way to a hotel, to see the city sightseeings. Especially when I do that as my work, I always go out from the hotel to look at the city and trying to get a grip about the local life.

Just before the vacation started I also got sick. Lying in a bed for a week and running to doctors and finally getting the antibiotics for bronchitis.. And I got so bored and depressed. And I didn't want to go anywhere. I was missing a home. Somewhere to belong to. Which I don't have anymore. But I really want to have it. I am so tired of traveling, living in a shared apartment like a teenager. Even many people sees my life a exciting and adventures which it is in a way. But I need something more.



So why am I now in Marrakech? I arrived yesterday after traveling first 9 hours from Abu Dhabi to Casablanca and then checking in again for Air Maroc flight to Marrakech. And I arrived to this personalized funny little "riad" where I have a Marilyn Monroe room. People here and the hotel staff are extremely friendly and helpful. As arabs usually are from my experience, very good hosts.  I have never been in Marocco and for my love for arabian culture I decided to change my plans and fly here to experience the real arabian nights and fairy tales. Marrakech is a place for fairy tales to come true. And I need mine to come to reality. So I'm looking for the inspiration :)


But staying in Abu Dhabi, being sick and having too much time to think is never a good option for me. I need some action, otherwise I feel my life has stopped. I get bored. And depressed. I need to experience this life. But I know that most of all I need to build my life all over again. I am a very traditional girl who loves her family and home, who loves to be a wife and take care of the house. Sounds boring but that's the reality. And I am repeating myself but I am fed up with this loneliness and rootlessness. I need to change my life but I don't know when it will happen. I am waiting God to show me.


Marrakech is a truly arabian and magical city with a long history and traditions. It excites my mind and soul with the narrow streets, sellers yelling at the streets trying to catch a bargain, busy chaotic roads with cars, bikes and donkeys.. This is life to it's fullest. It's not organized. At least that's how it looks like when you first take a look at it. But when you spend some time observing you realize everything has it's place and order.


That's a life in a microscopic scale. So many times our lives seems so chaotic, like you'r not going anywhere or you'r just floating. But when you look back the time you realize how everything that has happened has had it's own meaning to build your unique story. Every life has a purpose and everyone has a different story to tell. And mine is only beginning.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Manly Beach @ Sydney

Spiderweb in sunlight
View from the hilltop
Surfers just before sunset
Expensive villas
Path
Waterfall
House at the top
No drinking in public
Funniest runner ever

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Beautiful beautiful Sydney

For the first time it was a perfect sunny summer day in Sydney!
Cafe with the view
My favorite place in the city: the Royal Botanical Garden

Rainforest in the park
 
Lion Gate Lodge @ Royal Botanical Garden

Rose garden

Herbarium with exotic south-American cactuses 




















Monday, March 5, 2012

Manila

Beautiful shopping area Greenhills

I've heard about the huge slums when talking about Manila in the beautiful tropical country of Philippines. But this time I didn't felt like dwelling in those moods but instead enjoyed the other side of the city. Our crew hotel was located in the business and shopping area and I spent those 30 hours we had in this charming shopping and restaurant area enjoying the perfect weather and quiet tranquility of the weekend.

Greenhills malls are actually several different buildings connected through bridges and in the center there is a lush green park area with all the restaurants and cafes. And what kind of restaurants they have! Amazing, trendy and modern architecture with an excellent food with reasonable prices! I had a dinner in a restaurant called Mango Tree and 2 course dinner costed me about 600 peso which is 10 euro. And this is one of the most expensive restaurant areas in the city, next to Burberry, Chanel and Gucci boutiques.


What strike me on sunday afternoon when I went back to the area was that there was people gathered in the center of the park and they were listening something. When I got closer I realized there was a catholic mass going on. The church is in the middle of the expensive shopping area in a beautiful garden and they were having 8 masses during the day! And it was full with people inside, outside, families sitting on the grass and children playing.. 

What a wonderful feeling, this is how the church should act in the society I think. To go there where the people are, in the middle of the life and not to hide themselves and force people to enter the doorstep where for most of the people it's too much struggle. But when it's so easy to stop and listen and feel free it's easier to take part and the church will reach more people. This is where the Catholic church is doing so much better than my home church Lutheran at least in Finland.

Streets of Manila


Some facts about our customer profiles on these flights. My colleague told me this story that happened on her flight a while ago. There was this filipino girl flying back home to Manila and she was crying the whole time. This crew went to her and asked what is wrong. She told her she's coming back home after 2 years, she has been on a contract in Saudi Arabia. And she was pregnant. She was so happy to get back to home to meet her family but terrified that they would find out about her pregnancy. If they would she would be kicked out and left alone with nothing. What would she do then, where to go, how to provide herself and the unborn baby? 

Many of the girls are been molested and sexually insulted when they are working as maids abroad. They are very humble and some people take advantage of their situations for their own purposes. Sometimes I feel how cruel and selfish man can be to do something like that for a fellow human being who has nothing and can't defend herself in any way. How different our lives are who are born in a country where you don't need to do these sacrifices to provide your family. How lucky we are and how we should be grateful and always remember to help those who needs us.