Have you ever tried white-water rafting?

(My beat for the 31st Edition of ChitChat - Jumeirah Group's official colleague publication)

Flipped, spun, tossed, hurled, dripping wet - I’m not referring to my laundry. That was me experiencing the thrill of the white water rafting in the rapids in my home in Cagayan de Oro in Southern Philippines - a thriving province rich in culture and natural sights.

There are three stages for the activity. If you are a beginner, it is best to try out the beginner's 3-hour trek with a guide. We availed of "bugsay" (Visayan for paddle) from Alfred, our very knowledgeable host. They charge Php 900.00 per head which is a bargain.

For the not so first time rafter, there is the "intermediate" which would take 5 to 6 hours, and the "advanced" which takes about 8 hours at the most. The inflated raft can accommodate at the least 6 persons and 8 at the most. So it is best if you travel in groups in order to maximize the balance and enjoyment of the activity.

It is advisable for you to wear wet suits and lots of sun block. The rapids are fun and tricky at the same time. The guides are basically very knowledgeable of the trek points since they have been exploring the area since the 80's.

The rafting can be physically challenging so there are areas where you can rest and swim for a bit. Best place is the area which they call "Kiss the Wall", dubbed as that because of the strong currents which would bring you to "kiss the wall" if you are not able to control your way around it.

Currents are strong, so it is best to keep your life vests on. Helmets are provided also to protect you from the rocks just in case the raft overturns.

The sights along the way are a nature lover's dream. There are mini waterfalls where you can bath, gigantic boulders along the sides of mountains, mini coves where bats might come out anytime, and some areas where snakes can be seen hanging from branches. The last time we were there, we spotted an iguana who gamely eyed us from his perch on a rock by the bank.

The last part of the activity brings everyone to a 15 foot rock in the middle of the river. It is said that every rafter should conclude the activity with a jump from the rock into the rushing currents of the river. Challenge your fear factor and jump your worries away!

National Geographic’s Journeys of a Lifetime listed the following as the Top 10 Whitewater Rafting destinations in the world - Alsek and Tatshensini Rivers (Alaska/Canada), Magpie River (Canada), Middle Fork, Salmon River (Idaho,USA), Rio Upano (Ecuador), Futaleufu River (Chile), North Johnstone River (Australia), Sun Kosi River (Nepal), Coruh River (Turkey), Noce River (Italy) and Zambezi River (Zimbabwe/Zambia).

Know your cities - Baku, Azerbaijan

(My beat for for the 30th Edition of Chit-Chat, Jumeirah Group's official colleague newsletter)

When one hears the name, they would say “where is that?” But for those who are familiar with Azerbaijan and those who’ve been there, they have one word for Baku –”valehedici (amazing)”. It is one of the most beautiful cities of the world, where Europe meets Asia, and the very name of this Azerbaijan capital means "wind blow”.
Baku, the cultural, industrial, political capital of Azerbaijan, is located on the western coast of the Caspian Sea, on the shores of the same name gulf in southern part of Absheron Peninsula and is “very” rich in oil deposits.

For centuries Baku went through different regimes –from Caucasian Albania, through the Mongols, Safavid Dynasty of Iran, to Ottoman Empire, through Baku Khanate until it was occupied by Russia in 1806. From 1936 to 1991 Baku was the capital of Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic and in 1991, the capital of the Azerbaijan Republic.

As the largest cultural center of Azerbaijan, Baku opened the first national theater of Muslim East, staged the first opera, published the first Azerbaijani newspaper, and established the first Azerbaijani library. Today's Baku has 30 museums, 7 theatres, 11 higher education institutions, a philharmonic society, an opera theatre, a film studio, cinemas, libraries which work in the most beautiful buildings of the city the exteriors of which are as rich and interesting as the city's culture life itself.

Industrial Baku is where the oldest oil fields can be found. Oil refining, petrochemical, chemical, light, food, machine-building industries, manufacture of oil equipment, building materials, instrument making, electronics, ship repair are very well developed there too.

It is on the shores of majestic Baku where Jumeirah will open Jumeirah Bilgah Hotel-Baku. Resembling the wave-like structure of Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai, this contemporary hotel will have 176 sea-facing guest rooms and suites. Designed by a local architect Nazim Valiev, JBH-Baku will feature a soiree of incredible facilities like restaurants, bars, spa, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, conference centre, ballroom, nightclub, water park, fitness center, retail outlets and 14 private villas – bringing the brand of Jumeirah hospitality in convergence with Europe and Asia.

Turtle Heroes

(My article on environmental awareness for the 28th edition of ChitChat, Jumeirah International official colleague publication)

Three of seven existing species of sea turtles in the world are critically endangered. Marine turtles worldwide are struggling in the face of number of environmental threats from long-line fishing, shrimp nets that ensnare loggerhead turtles to coastal construction and pollution, including mercury poisoning. Poaching sea turtle eggs and leather is often an ongoing problem.

Thankfully, a bunch of turtle heroes from the BAA Aquarium Team, the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Center has ensured that sea turtles will now have a new lease of life.

Over the last 3 ½ months the team has received an incredible 351 sick hawksbills and 10 green turtles. Warren Baverstock, Aquarium Operations manager said that the great number of turtles recovered during this winter period was a combination of cooler sea temperatures, high winds and rougher seas experienced during this time of the year. He also mentioned that through Jumeirah’s education and awareness efforts, more people knew just who to contact and what to do if they found a sea turtle washed up on the beach. Remarkably, thanks to Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Madinat Jumeirah and Wild Wadi colleagues, Jumeirah managed to recover 51 turtles off our own beaches – a truly great effort which we should all be proud of.

Currently the center operates two Turtle Rehabilitation Enclosures at The Wharf and Al Muna Restaurants located in the Mina A’ Salaam’s waterways where sick turtles carry out their final stages of recovery, before they are released back to the sea.
The enclosures provides a close encounter to these exquisitely graceful creatures, flapping gently beneath the clear lagoon water in search for food, their wizened faces close enough at times to touch – a magical encounter.

It also features info boards and leaflets for guests which provides information on feeding and talking times, the work of the Turtle Center and Jumeirah role in shaping ecological-consciousness among colleagues and visitors. Here, guests will have the opportunity to take a journey through the life cycles of sea turtles, learning where they live, how they nest, what they eat and what threats they face.

If there is a picture that portrays serenity -- it would be a turtle’s gentle strokes of their flippers as they glide along in their silent tranquil aqua world.

(The 24 hour contact number if you find a sick or injured turtle – call for the BAA Aquarium specialists on 04-301 7198 or email baaaquarium@jumeirah.com Join and support the projects efforts through Facebook. www.facebook.com/turtle.rehabilitation

Have you ever been on the ArtBus?

(My beat for 30th Edition of ChitChat, Jumeirah International colleague publication)

Have you ever been on the ArtBus? Well, I did. The first time in November 2010 as an art lover from Dubai to Abu Dhabi Art’s independent art galleries and to the Emirates Palace, where some of the world’s leading galleries showcased contemporary art. The second was in March this year, where it transported art lovers and aficionados from Art Dubai in Madinat Jumeirah to two strings of art galleries in Dubai. If you think that 80 galleries from 34 countries showcased in MJ may be a bit too much art to handle, you can’t afford to miss ArtBus which will take you to 36 galleries – via the Al Quoz and Bastikiya-DIFC routes.

Hopping on the ArtBus offers great opportunities for people with shared interests to meet, get to know each other, create lasting connections or be inspired!

Now on its third year, ArtBus is considered UAE’s shuttle to the arts. It provides guided tours to UAE’s prominent galleries, art centers, alternative art studios and art festivals. Launched in 2007 during Art Dubai’s first year, ArtBus was aimed to spread awareness of the galleries in the UAE and arts initiatives to a global audience visiting the UAE during international art events. Since then it continues to develop new enthusiasts for the arts among residents and tourists to the region.
Art buses are also familiar features in leading art and cultural scenes in New York and London bringing patrons, curators, press and collectors to hundreds of art spaces.

Tied up with local galleries in Abu Dhabi and Dubai alongside projects like Abu Dhabi Art Fair, Arts Abu Dhabi, Art Dubai, Al Bastakiya Art Fair, Dubai International Film Festival, Sharjah Biennial, Sikka Art Fair, Sharjah Art Museum and TDIC, ArtBus is also in partnership with Jumeirah Group in some key art events.

Hopefully, on my third outing with ArtBus later this year, I could be one of those excited arty-passengers or one of their volunteer guides or perhaps some of my works will be hung in one of those alternative venues. But one thing I’m sure of, I will be stepping aboard again on one of those visually stimulating ArtBuses.

Know your cities - Shanghai

(My article for Chit-Chat - Jumeirah International official colleague publication / 28th Edition)

Whichever nickname you prefer, “Paris of the Orient” or “Pearl of China”, Shanghai’s beauty as the essence of new China shines through, as well as its centuries of history and culture.

Shanghai is China’s most populous city located in eastern China, at the middle portion of the Chinese coast, and sits at the mouth of the Yangtze River and has been described as the “showpiece” of China. The two Chinese characters in the city's name are 上 (shàng) 'above' and 海 (hǎi) 'sea' which together literally mean 'Upper Sea'.

A tour around Shanghai usually starts with the Jade Buddha Temple. Built during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty (A.D. 1875-1909), the temple with its magnificent architectural style of the Song Dynasty dazzles you its priceless collection of jade statues from Burma.

Next stop is Fresh Water Pearl Gallery where one sees the process of pearl cultivation. One lucky tourist will be presented with a single pearl from a mussel.

For nature trippers, People Square is a spectacular space in the heart of the city. It is a vast green area including plants and trees, and surrounded by great buildings on all sides, where you may feed the lovely doves to pray for the world peace.

The visit to Shanghai Museum will take you to the climax in the morning. The museum design is in keeping with Feng Shui principles. It houses a great permanent collection and hosts various exhibitions with over 120,000 pieces including bronze ware, ceramics, paintings, calligraphy, sculpture, ancient Chinese coins, jade carving, ancient furniture, and western art, which shows you 5000 years history of China.

After lunch, classic sights from the Ming and Qing dynasties, when you visit the enchanting Yuyuan Garden and Shanghai Old Street. The garden covers a significant space and includes many halls, springs and other buildings of interest. The visit brings you back to Ming Dynasty (A.D. 1368-1644)

Then, the tour stops at the Bund on Shanghai’s waterfront which gives you a wonderful view of Pudong’s skyline with its rich collection of buildings and structures of various architectural styles. Pudong contains a rich collection of early 20th century architecture, ranging in style from neoclassical HSBC Building to the art deco Sassoon House.

Notably, a new addition to Shanghai skyline is our new contemporary lifestyle hotel in the heart of Pudong district - the VENU HIMALAYAS Hotel Shanghai which is scheduled to open this year.

Guests of the first VENU property will be able to tune-in, connect, share and celebrate in the futuristic hotel, designed by architect Arata Isozaki and interior designer KCA International to reflect the unique structure and experience of the Himalayas. VENU HIMALAYAS Hotel Shanghai will be a 400 key art-themed hotel, including 70 luxury suites, standing at the heart of an arts and lifestyle hub, the Himalayas Centre in the beautiful oriental city of Shanghai.

Hot moon over Khassab

(Written at 18:20 on 05 Sept 2006 in Musandam, Khassab, Sultanate of Oman)

Open your arms
Embrace the bulk
of these rocky mountains
Silence blows ears of deafness
With the moon burning like ambers
in your skin in the night

Open your arms
Embrace a new day out
of nothing
Getting rid of my emotions
and baggage
of rage, pain and garbage
That weighed down my spirit and age.

Open your arms
Uplift, display, genuflect
rousing soul soarers
And deflect the clean, concise
nature of each sliver
Of rocks growing from the bowels
of this humid Omani wild.

A Wasp’s Touchdown

(For Mohammed Adel who breathes rugby all throughout)

To his chest his hand he clasped
He deeply breathe he wheeze and gasp
Betwixt the scrum of bodies tensed
A gap perhaps the scrum half’ sensed.

His temples throb his mouth is dry
Heart beats fast thinks he’s going to die
Taking from the number black jersey no 8
He grits his teeth and runs fast straight

Running through bodies you might have seen
A speeding wonder sight in number fourteen
Tackled, dodged, blocked and wrestled
Yet he went through a sight to behold.

His voice has gone and throat is sore
Ball in both hands shakes more and more
The line appears, a magic sight
But then a hand grapples him – quick and tight

Like wasp that stings he grope for more
With fierce Emirati spirit from within his core
7mode twisted his body and reaches out
The ball’s a touchdown, amidst a shout.

When mixed young men in future bright
Look back into this mighty sight
Will take heart again and take a fight
A game of UAE rugby, takes its flight!