Musandam - A trip to discover the Arab Identity Dillema!

It was my third visit to Musandam, an Oman district divided by the UAE. One of the most beautiful place in the middle east but I hate crossing broders because of the troublesome immigration procedures. Sometimes is fast, sometimes it takes houuuuuuuurs but that's also the reason behind the "Private" beaches.

Unlike any other journeys, the journey to Musadam has always worth the effort because of its beautiful sceneries and skill challenging curving roads between rocky hills and coast. Seldom do we see that Nature and Man-made structures mix so beautifully, Musandam wouldnt be Musandam without its road! First glance, its like this plate need some repairs but the second look confrim its has been stripped of its 2stas... HAHAHA! I stayed here once and it definatly not worth the 4star standard but 2star would have been too cruel. The owner must has enraged the Oman Sultan! This time we just use the Hotel for the girls to change into beach gears.

It was my first picnic at Musandam beach, there are roofssss for beach goers but I know it still wont go well with Princess Lilin. The Sea Water is very nice, its not very salty thus I feel very comfortable and can stay hours in it. Is magic that Adelle got this Sambal Belacan from Malaysia... Simply delicious!
\ The best thing about this trip is that there are 7women and 3men... so food and other simple neccesity are well taken care of.
But the BEST food that day is made by a MAN! Chung an architect, the brownies is the best I ever had in my life. HAO HAO SEK AH!!!

After an hour swimming and fishing at the beach, the interesting part begins... When those "Ham-Sap-Ah-Lah-Pak" come and enjoy the "SCENERIES".

A lot people wonder, they never seen a women in their life?

They dont feel ashame or anything sittting in their car watching some women in bikini on the beach!
Just recently, UAE hold a VERY BIG CONFRENCE regarding their National Identity. They feared that in years to come, the would lose their own identity! With 90% foreign work force and 80% of the population are Foreigners, they got everything to fear. Especially, when their people enjoy the western world so muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch!
This Jeep with fully black tint has been there WATCHING over us for almost 3hours. I just wonder if the driver & passengers inside fainted because their NOSE BLEED TOO MUCH!!! They thought by tinting their car so dark nobody would know who they are but that doesnt matter because that make things worst for them. We will just assume all their MALE are desperate like this!!!


Motivation... Motivation... Money make me come to Dubai and Lust make this Fat Ass run his first mile! I have run a lotta miles in my life but I never run a mile with an Under-Standing! I start to believe this things called "Mind over matters", with the "stick" pointing upwards towards the huge tummy... he still can run... run... run...

The big QUESTION remains...

Is it their horniness or our disrepectness that cause this conflict?

Western thought would be - PLEASE RESPECT OR PRIVACY!

Conservative thinking would be - DONT PROVOKE!

There is clearly a clash of culture here in the middle east! From Dressing to Arrange Married, Food to Drinks, Women Freedom to Manhood... etc.

Fishing in Bikini... do we really need to wear bikini to fish? I am no fishermen but my logic tell me NO. I hope she dont read my blog, if not I will be in deep shit... hahaha! I believe that we should respect others culture especially when we are in their country and we need not to do things that clash with other culture unnecessary.

\Things that cant be help like when you wanna go have a change and the washroom is a few kilometer away, that's acceptable. But this only make those Ham-sap-Arnab much more eager to take a glimpse. Those car passing by, drive so slow even the tortise can overtake them.

Beside feeling sorry to make those Prevert in CARS sins... it was a good trip but Princess Lilin (Candle) melted in the hot sun.

DUBAI Deep Sea Fishing

I woke up very2 early in the morning... In fact too early for a weekend, 6.15am! Summer is getting nearer and nearer so within this few weeks I gotta finish all my outdoor plans before the heat become unbearable!

When I saw this cross-bread between sampan and speed boat! I thought "sei lol", I'm sure Lillian will get sea sick. Dhs2500 for a 4hours in a sampan like this, It will be torturing in the open sea. HOW WRONG AM I!!!

The boat rides from the dock to open sea was nice, the fresh sea breath and the open sea was a good run away from the hectic sandy Dubai. This is also the first time I view the Bruj Al Arab from its backside!\

Muru tested out the Fake Baits, its hard and tasteless.
We agreed that it’s not fair to the fish as like those fishes are being conned!

Just like the fishes, we felt being conned as well because after those rods are installed at the back of the boat, the boat just go round and round and round waiting for fishes to bite the bait. No Human intervention required! I hate technologies!
All we needed to do, was just sit and wait!!

WhAT! we didn’t pay DHS2500 just to WATCH this boatman fish!

We want to fish… we wanna get dirty, we wanna fight the fight!

\

When the fish finally hit the bait, we all take turns to TAKE PHOTO with the fish! A barracuda about 1metre in length.

I am a honest person that's why, admitting that I didn’t caught this razor sharp teethed fish!

Then the boat continues turn and turn, round and round fishing with the same technique. The eleven of us start getting bored with this PAID TO SEE THE BOATMAN FISH kinda activity. Everybody started to complain, we should have bought some beer and have a party instead.

\

So, after much complains from the group the boat man deciding to stop the boat and let us do some REAL fishing!

I caught my first fish in those little ponds in Sibuga using a bamboo fishing rod but I didn’t get a good look at that fish because I pulled the rod too hard and the fish was thrown up into branches of the trees nearby and its never came down! That’s my only prior fishing experience.

\

The sea is an unforgiving terrain; men had tried to conquer it for centuries. Now I tasted the real power of the sea.
I was sea sick just after 30minutes of struggles; it was the most torturing moment in my life! Worst than the surgery on my knees, worst than my bike accidents and worst than any physical pains I ever felt. Not sure if its equal the pain of giving birth.
It was like every organ inside me has been messed up, all the usus-usus entangled and I wanted to vomit but too malu to do so because Lillian and the others girls are still feeling strong.

\

Physically and mentally, it was torturing, when people was waiting for the fish to bite the bait, I was counting down the time to return home. Grandma always reminds me that I am a mountain goat, I should never go near the sea. I regretted not listening to her.

At the end of the day, I feel great that “WE” caught 15fishes. Not a bad result for the ELEVEN including me who was paralyzed most of the time.
We took all our fishes to Lam Kwai Fong restaurant. It is always good to know someone who own a restaurant! KEKEKE! NOT FREE but at least... not so expensive lol!

We also grabbed all the cans drinks provided in the boats and the boatman got a bit angry by this typical chinese action of us! HAHAHA! After all we paid for those but we only had a few because all of us didn’t wanna take too much during the trip to avoid SEA SICK!

Thanks GOD, I woke up early and had to skip breakfast. If not Dubai Sea would had been my vomiting ground and save me the shame!

I was back to my very best after I came out of that SAMPAN! And Ah Sam the Lam Kwai Fong Owner cook us fantastic dishes with all the fishes we caught!

The fish soup was my favourite, simply GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!
When I went back to online that day, I still see the monitor goyang2!

No more DEEP SEA FISHING!

The Children of Petra

Locals in Petra were mostly originated from a nomadic tribe known as Bedouin. Since Petra has been commercialized through The NEW Seven Wonders of the World, lot prefer to stay put.

Providing horses and donkey rides through the punishing Petra journey is one of their main sources of incomes. I was shocked to see children as young as 12 to 15 years ago became donkey masters. In this scenes there were around 10 to 20 donkey riders trying to convince three western girls to take a ride in their donkey!

Finally… They just scared all those girls away.

Their too eagerness, dirty clothing and smelly animals explained it all!

While most teenagers ran the show with their horses and donkeys. Men operated café inside Petra itself. This café owner attracted customer by shouting out…

“Come take a rest, drink some coffee!”.

Drinks and food sold were more expensive than the 5star Movenpick Hotel which we stayed in.

All citizen of Petra Town depends on tourism to make a living; the women sell stone, potatoes, souvenirs and etc while looking after toddlers. The living conditions of these children are a sore in the eyes.

This kid must be around 5-6 years old and forced to sell stone under the sun. His emotionless face showed how bored he was. They are taught to say "one dollar... one dollar" whenever any tourist pass by. Those stone they were selling are of none value and can be picked up anywhere within Petra itself. This scene was pitiful but I didnt buy anything because I believe if I do, it would only encourage more children to be exploided.

The children of Petra are a talented bunch!

When I took the picture of this boy holding a baby sheep, he said "give me one dollar, you take my photo!". I am not sure if he goes to school but their education system seems to be more effective than ours, as some of children in rural msia still struggle to speak english. Lillian ask me to give this kid a piece of chocolate but I am reluctant because I was afraid others children will chase after me for more. You know la... just like those stories from china. Now I regretted not giving him because all my snacks spoilt already!

They said children are the future...
So what did children in Petra learn?
One Dollar... One Dollar...
Growing up in this palace, all their learn is to earn a quick buck from tourists through begging, shouting or anyway they could.
It's sad to see that the only joy children had is through the suffering of the animals. I saw several times donkey being hit and punished for no particular reason!
A friend of mine gave these kids a MARS choco bars and they were extremely pleased. These children were taught to "SELL" stone for a dollar and not used to take anything free. These poor children needs help... They should be at school not doing stuff like this!The most amazing incident I saw a western woman give USD10 to one of these children without buying anything from that child. The child was "STUNNED" starring with puzzleness at the woman, unable to understand the woman's action. Petra was magnificient but its children are a sore pitiful sight.
Well... at least we end the day in a high note!
Alfred sang a birthday song while playing organ to Laypeng, she was lucky to be able to celebrate her birthday in Petra!

Miss Tourist of Petra

Indiana Jones Snack Shop...

Indiana Jones Gift Shop...

Indiana Jones hats are the fave!

Largely because of Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade!

After watching few Indiana movies,

The FUN words start flowing in their dizzy head!

They think with a cowboy hat and a whip, they can easily conquer other culture while having fun! So...

They come in horde...

Young... Old... Women... Mother... Even Babies

After walking and sweating for awhile..

They realised there is no FUN in Petra,

One woman start complaining...

Why no fun? all walking and sweating!

When more women gather like Pasar complaining...

Troubles come...

Some climb up the Rock to complain...

Some complain to the local traders...

So they say ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS!

So this women makes her child shit.. to show how shit this place is!

The Ass of Petra

Hermm... not sure how should i put it?

The asshole of petra or the ass's asshole of petra.

Well... anyway Ass is just another name for donkey. Anyone got the numbers for the animal abuses police? This woman is definately too much for this pity ass to carry. The kids gotta push the donkey to move as well.Walking up Petra is no easy task. We walk from 8am to 6pm... that's like 10km of journey so some tourist prefer to take a ride up.Those irresponsible ass jockey just let those asses run down petra freely without control because tourist usually dare not to take the downwards journey because its much more dangerous. The running donkey is a PAIN in the ass for people there.The important of Horses and Donkey are shown in the thousands years old scruptures that suppose to look like a horse drinking from water.

Petra Stupid Horsemen!

My first horse ride is a “Free” horse ride from the Gate to Petra Entrance, I was amaze by the hospitality of these Bedouin tribes because they are so eager to take passengers on their horse. The ride itself is exciting as roller coaster because these horses seem overworked, overstressed and lack of nutrients. I was praying that it won’t run rage!
It was a pitiful sight when this man got rejected by the authorities from offering his pregnant horse for service. Most of the horses look like they can die anytime; some are as old as Petra itself and its disrespectful to sit on its back!

It was my first horse ride, I was hesitating to ride because I got phobia but since everyone is taking it I don’t want to be branded as cowards. It was fun but the fun ended when this “Jesse James” started asking for his tips!
TIPS! TIPS! WHERE IS MY TIPS?

EVERYONE IS GIVING THREE DOLLAR!

I was really shocked by his loud and rude attitude. I don’t blame these bloody idiots for demanding tips but those Kwai lol because Tipping is part of their culture!

My kwai lol colleagues won’t hesitate to give $10 tips for $20 meals but I would take even the coins…

Those Ang Moh spoiled the whole world market. That's why when you go to tourist places like Egypt & Jordan, people expect you to give tips. Those idiots local will do anything for tips; they don’t just expect you to give tips but to give a handsome amount as well. Since when do tips are suppose to be of amount set by those in the receiving end?

It’s like travelling in the Wild Wild West during Jesse James’ era, when laws aren’t fully enforced. These idiots are so rude that I felt like being robed.

Our tour guide, Alfred was there to save the day, he argued with those Horsemen in Arabic and finally they agreed for ONE-DOLLAR. If I am alone, I won’t give a cent to these rude brainless idiots. There are tourist police everywhere and we had paid our USD17 entrance fees so why pay extra!
Those idiots are really brainless; ridding horses and chariots inside their own heritages is only going to destroy its beauty. But not only do they ride it, they ride it fast as well! Lillian fell down once because of these running stupid animals!

Hai! Helpless…
No point talking to the wall!