Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Hong Kong 2017

For National Day many people take advantage of the long weekend and travel. I was one of those people. A friend of mine who I've known since high school, Shanda, and I decided to go to Hong Kong. 

We took advantage of the VIP Lounge at the Abu Dhabi Airport. They provide food and drinks. They also take you directly to your plane.





We boarded our plane and slept for the majority of our flight because we wanted to land and hit the ground running which is exactly what we did. At the airport we were met with Christmas decorations galore.




Once we landed we hailed a cab and instantly realized they drove on the opposite side of the road.






We pulled up at our hotel and dropped our bags and decided to hit the mean streets of Hong Kong! We hopped on the Disney Shuttle which stopped at other Disney Hotels and the main transportation station. We caught a bus to sight see and then we hopped on the Subway.


Our home for the next 4 days

Photo Shoot in the Elevator






Our first stop was to meet a college friend of mine. What are the odds that someone I went to college with would be in the same country as me? Not very likely so we had to hang out! We met right outside of the Temple Street Night Market. The Temple Street Market was a place with many vendors and some street food vendors.

Subway route



L:R - Shanda, My College Friend, Charity, Me


Chicken on a stick - Taste Great

Food Vendor we chose

Temple Street

Wings


Hornets are everywhere

End of Temple Street

After we shopped and ate we decided to get back on the Subway and go to iSquare. iSquare was a place that had many stores and restaurants inside and there were also many places around it as well.













We walked, talked, and laughed and stumbled upon the Hong Kong Space Museum.



We walked past the Space Museum turned the corner and we were all taken aback by what we saw. The view was gorgeous. The buildings sitting on the water and all lit up was a sight to see!



She Ready






We enjoyed the view and then said our goodbyes. We needed to get to bed because we planned to spend the next day at Hong Kong Disneyland!

I love Disney! I would love to be a character for a day to be able to make others happy! I enjoyed Hong Kong Disneyland but they didn't have as many rollercoasters as I would have hoped. I also thought it was funny that in the shows Mickey talked in Mandarin. It was hilarious to hear! Enjoy the pictures from Hong Kong Disneyland.



























































The next day we decided to venture to the Ladies Market and Victoria's Peak. The Ladies Market is a street with vendors jam packed on one long street. You can haggle for great deals. There are also street performers looking for tips.



I found Waldo!




When you think about complaining...DON'T. This man has no hands but is a painter!



Very close to the Ladies Market is Sneaker Street. We stopped in a store that sold Jordans.







We took a boat ride too!








Victoria's Peak is the highest peak in Hong Kong. You can see all of Hong Kong from this point. Victoria's Peak elevation is 554m.








Before we headed back to Abu Dhabi we rode the Cable Cars which took us up to little city.







Buddha on the hill



They were infatuated with our hair and wanted to take a picture with us. #FirstTimeSeeingBlackPeople






This was a super fun trip. We maximized every day and tried to see all of the Must See Sights in Hong Kong. #TravelLife Where will I go next?

Be kind to one another and Be Uniquely You!

National Day 2017


On December 2, 1971, 7 emirates that make up what is now known as the UAE came together. This was done under the leadership of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Car rallies, dance shows, fireworks, and other special events are held to commemorate this special occasion. People dress up in UAE colors, decorate their homes, and cars as a way to show their love for their country. It is really something to see.

At my school we had a whole day dedicated to celebrating National Day. We were given scarves and pins to wear. Once at school I found out that the boys would be leaving around 11-11:30am inshallah and my first class of the day is at 12:30pm! What a day!

The boys sang songs. Some of them were dressed in authentic UAE Military Uniforms. They twirled fake make shift guns. They played musical chairs and there was a tug of war teachers versus students competition. It was a really cool day!



 





Here are some pictures and footage from what happened at my school.


Art presented by the Art Class

Art presented by the Art Class

Art presented by the Art Class

Art presented by the Art Class

Art presented by the Art Class

Art presented by the Art Class

Candy they were giving out during performances

Candy they were giving out during performances

Me and the ONLY other 2 women teachers in my building

Rosary in the UAE colors given to me by a colleague

Decorations in the meeting area






Lunch was provided

Lunch was provided

Lunch was provided

Dessert was provided

Dessert