Tour to Riyadh!

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June 4, 2015

Its been a year since I write in my blog.

This time, I would like to share my tour in Riyadh.

Riyadh is the capital of Saudi Arabia and in this city the castle of the king is located.

My journey to Riyadh is quite fast since I only have two days in here due to work schedule. I have to file one day leave at my work just to go in Riyadh.

I use the train as my transportation from Dammam to Riyadh and vice versa.

My train schedule going to Riyadh is Thursday night of June 4, 2015 7:50pm. The travel time going to riyadh is around 4hours. I just slept the whole travel since it's night and you can see outside is just dark desert.

June 5, 2015

I arrive at the Riyadh Train Station around 12:30am where my friend Christian is waiting for me outside the terminal station. My friend is staying at the Nelover Hotel in Riyadh. When we arrive at the hotel, we bought some burger at Burger King near the hotel as a midnight snack, we talk about updates and happenings before we take our rest around 2am.

Eating our midnight snack

Around 7am when i woke up and Christian is still sleeping. All establishments are close in this time so I just wait till lunch time. Around 12 noon we go out and buy some lunch at the khabsa restaurant near the hotel. When we return to the room his coworkers came and told him to eat outisde and go to Jarir to buy some electronic gadgets and Batha to buy some groceries.

We eat our lunch at a Kabayan Restaurant where, there we bought a palabok and some chicken barbeque. Their serving per order is huge maybe good for 2.

After our lunch we go to Danube, a mall in Riyadh and roam around.

Me and Christian outside Danube

Jarir bookstore just beside the mall and we just go out the mall and walk to Jarir. In Jarir, his coworker bought some speakers. After buying some speakers we ride a taxi going to Batha. Batha is known place in Riyadh since there are lots of things like phones, cameras, gadgets and game console that could buy in discounted price. Also, lots of Filipinoes are roaming around the area.

In Batha, we took a look at some establishment specially cameras, since we are planning to buy one. After some window shopping, we go to the kabayan supermarket and buy some groceries.

Pinoy Supermarket in Batha, Riyadh

After buying some grocery items, we go back to the hotel. We eat the chicken khabsa that we bought earlier as our dinner. After that we went to his coworkers room and they are having a scrable party. We also bought some sweet sprinkler as toppings for the scramble and make unlimited scramble while watching Super Girl. After eating scramble and watching we call a night off and rest.

June 6, 2015

This is my last day of vacation in Riyadh. Early morning, we contacted our friend Renz who's also working in Riyadh to roam around the area. We told him to meet with him by 10am. We fetch him near his accomodation in exit 4 then go to Riyadh Gallery (a mall in Riyadh). We eat our lunch at the food court in the mall while resting and do some chit chats.

Renz, Ian and me at Riyadh Gallery

After a quick tour at Riyadh Gallery we plan to go to Kingdom Tower (The highest tower at the center of Riyadh City). It has a bridge at the top most part of the tower and it has exactly 100 floors, including the bridge floor.

 

The Kingdom Center is one of the tourist attraction in Riyadh, The Sky Bridge is the popular attraction where you can see the whole city of Riyadh at the top of the tower bridge. The Kingdom Center has 3 parts, first is the mall located at the bottom part of the tower, second is the offices above the mall and the third part is the Sky bridge where you can view Riyadh at the top most part of the tower. 

Sky Bridge Experience Entrance

The birdge at the top of the tower

Looking at the city

Looking at the bottom part of the tower

Luckly there are few tourist in the tower and we almost rule the area. Basically, tourist go there around 4pm and we go there around 2pm, that's why there are few tourist in the skybrigde that time. After the Sky Bridge Experience its time for me to go back to reality and go back to Dammam.

Christian accompany me to the train station and that's it, vacation over and rode the train back to Dammam around 5pm. Kuya Joven fetch me in the train station in Dammam around 11pm.

P.S.

I would like to thank you Christian for the accomodating me in my 2 days vacation in Riyadh and kuya Joven for bringing and fecthing me to Dammam station. Til next time!

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Eid Feter Celebration

July 28, 2014

Eid Mubarak (In English word, Blessing)! After Ramadan, Muslim's have this 1 week of vacation as a celebration for the the end of the fasting month, Ramadan.

Since there is no work for 5 days, I have a time to explore some part of Saudi like Al Khobar and some beach in the Kingdom.

Tuesday morning (July 29) 

One of my travel during the vacation week is trip to Khobar, before we reach our destination, we got lost for almost an hour since they are looking for some kind of markings near the mall. But there is an ongoing construction near the area, it was been blocked. in order to locate the mall, we use the google map. 

Al Khobar is a city in the kingdom which has a known mall called Al Rahmaniyah Mall where lots of Filipinoes roam around there, sometimes they call it a mall for the Filipinoes. Outside the mall there are stall like in Divisoria but not like Divisoria, it is much fewer and much organize. They have bargain clothing's outside the stall, discounted garments and alike. When we arrive at the mall, we eat at the Cabalen Restaurant, its not a eat all you can restaurant like in the Philiipines but it is a restaurant for the Filipinoes and serving Filipino dishes like Adobo, togue, pinakbet, ginataan, beef steak and other dishes. They also serve halo-halo for dessert. After our lunch, we go to the stalls to find some garments like jeans at a lower cost and bought some.

Ukay ukay in Khobar (Manila Shopping Center)

Stalls outside Al Rahmaniyah Mall

After some shopping spree at the area we return to the mall to have a tour and rest (Hindi USO sa mall ang mga guard before ka pumasok sa loob). the mall is open, no guard checking bags or things at the entrance like in the Philippines. Guards just roam around and check the peace in the area. After some window shopping in the mall, going to the cellphone stores, gold store and watch's we decided to go back to the compound in Hofuf, Al Hasa.

Inside Al Rahmadiyah Mall, Al Khobar, KSA

Thursday (July 31)

Another vacation in the holiday is going to the beach, time to experience the sea in Saudi Arabia. One of the known beach near our town is the Uqair beach, it is located at the eastern part of Al Hasa. We leave the compound around 5am in the morning to go to the beach. Uqair beach is almost 1hour 30 mins from Al Hasa. We arrive at the beach around 7am.

Uqair beach, Al Hasa

The sea is much salter than the Philippines. The beach salt content has a higher concentration since you can see the salt residue after you leave the sea as soon as it dries. Since it is also hot in the area, the evaporation rate of water is much fasting leaving salt in your body or in your cloths in a short period of time. 

Selfie in the beach

Playing in the beach and sea

Some structure near the beach (Cottages)

After 2 hours of swimming in the sea, and the heat of the sun is around 45C, we decided to go back to the compound and rest. 2 hours of stay at the beach side is enough since its already hot. We reach the compound around 11am and took a long rest.

The 5 days vacation ends on a Friday, Aug 1. This last day of vacation, I decided to go to the town to buy some food and supply for the upcoming week. I bought some vegetables and kapsa (roasted chicken with fried rice) for our dinner. End of vacation, get back to the reality and start of work again on a Saturday.

Enhinyerong Palaboy goes to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

June 17, 2014

OFW is short for Overseas Filipino Workers. The day of my travel towards the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia arrived and I don't know what will be my life at the other part of the globe. Tomorrow will be the start of something new where I will be working away from my family and friends, that I will fight and work for my future.

Plane to Dammam, KSA

Only my family and few friends know that I will be leaving the Philippines to work abroad. I know that it is hard for me to leave the country where my heart belongs. The mountains, the road I used to run, my friends in my running/ hiking and my family, the memories that I will keep to be a strong person.

It is a long 12 hours of air travel towards the kingdom. We are 10 in our batch that will be going to the Kingdom, 5 drivers, 3 labors and 1 pump operator are my batchmate in going to the Kingdom. We arrive at the Kingdom around 9pm (2am in the Philippines) and there is a long line in the immigration. The person that will fetch us is already at the arrival area waiting for us. I thought that the plant is around the city of Dammam since when I read the details regarding the company, its address is in Dammam but I was wrong. We again travel around 4 hours to reach our destination to the main plant of Al Kifah which is located at Al Hassa, Hofuf. It was a tiring day for all of us and we will be starting a new challenge in KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). 

My first week in KSA, I was in my adjustment period regarding the culture and language. I have to learn their language since I will be communicatung to the people where their mother language is Arabic. Mixed foreign nationalities are in the compound of the company, there are Nepali, Filipini, Indiani, Pakistani, Egyptian are some nationalities in the compound (They used to end the nationality with a i to indicate a person)

Al Kifah, Al Hassa accomodation compound

I brought a dictionary of the arabic language in order to learn but they say that it is more effective to learn the language by means of communication. One or two word a day help you learn their language, just for the commonly used words. Greetings is also important to them, you must greet them and also respond to their greetings, Assalam Alaikom in greeting person and Wa Alaikom Assalam as respond.

Sunset in Al Hasa

In Saudi you can't go out in the road without your identication card which what they call Iqama. If the sulta (police) or muttawa (priest) caught you without your iqama, they will sent you to jail for 3 days. Since I can't go out of the town, I have to stay in the compound until I get my iqama. After 2 weeks of prisonment in the compound, I receive my iqama. Now I can go out to the town to buy things or food. Every Friday, there is a scheduled fish vendor that goes to the company. Every week he bring different kind of fish and you can buythe fish for credit.

Al Kifah Ready Mix & Blocks Factory in Al Hasa, Hofuf 

Mosque in the Area

Fish selling every Friday

Then after 2 weeks of no run, I was able to run in front of the company (Just to be safe). I have a 200m straight route and do the repetition until I have done my run, 5k, 3k or 2k run is still good.

Train in Saudi

I see camel around during a job site visit

Before June ended, Ramadan start around June 28, Muslim base their calendar on the new moon. Ramadan is a 1 month fasting by the muslims. They don't eat or drink when the sun is out, they can eat in the evening. It's a month long fasting, therefore we non-muslim must respect their culture, therefore we don't eat or drink in public. You can drink or eat inside your room. After 2 weeks in the Ramadan month, All Kifah gather all employees to celebrate it. We are gathered in the parking area and we eat the food around 6pm.

Feast during Ramadan

DPP 8th Anniversary

May 10, 2014
DPP 8th Anniversary #dpp8

Saturday, its the day of the anniversary, Digital Photographer Philippines celebrate its 8th anniversary in Bonifacio High Street in BGC, Taguig City.

 Camera stores like Nikon, Canon, Fuji, Sony, Transcend, Benro, Tenba, Tamron, Pentax to name a few gather in BHS to celebrate the 8th anniversary of dpp. Many photographers from different places like Cagayan de Oro, Tarlac attend the event. I arrive at the area before 7am and the registration already started (better early than late). Loot bags where given to the registrant (Caniam cup - it's a drinking cup that looks like a lens), pen, baller, id lace and some brochure are the loot bag items. Different activities where held in the activity area, some are live photo shoots, lectures, photo gallery and other exhibitors conduct some photo contest and raffle to the registrants. 

 Every registered photographers have a privelage to win a raffle by completing the passport given to them at the registration area, each will visit the exhibitors along the activity area, there are 14 exhibitors, meaning a raffle ticket can be valid once all 14 stamps are in your passport. Me with my photographer friends roam around the area to do the visiting of the exhibitors collecting stamps and freebies that the exhibitors gave. Canon gave some camera case and journal notebook, Nikon gave some id lace and stickers, Sony gave headbuffs and id lace and so on. Photographers roam around the area searching, capturing moments and enjoying the exhibits prepared by the exhibitors. Some attend lectures prepared by the organizers, others conduct live photo shoots like cosplay, sports, fashion, street, portraits and lights. All of the photographers are enjoying the day in BHS.

I left the event area around 9am do go back to our house to change, I return the area around 4:00pm and I saw some lectures and talks already starting. Many photographers also in the activity area. I luckily saw some live shoot are on going like the sports photography like skateboarding and biking. 

Meanwhile in the stage area, Pentax is unveiling its new camera, The Philippines camera "The Filipino Pride camera", its appearance is a Pinoy look camera and its a water proof camera. Pentax is demonstrating the model of the new Pentax camera being splashed with water while shooting. Its a unique camera and they only manufactured 300 sets of this camera. Once all 300 cameras are sold, there will be no more reproduction if this kind of camera.

Pentax camera being splashed with water

 

Activities like photo contest and pole dancing is happening in the Canon booth. Canon photographers post their best shoot during the event at the photo wall created, this is a advantage for the canon camera users, they also have a free printing of the photo as well. Pretty dancers dances with some colorful colored strips while the pole dancer dance in the pole. Its hard to get through in the front since many photographers are already in front as I don't have a nice and clear photo of the 1st set of pole dancing live shoot. But luckily I got a nice location during the second set of their performance, but this time, it will be a light performance since its already night time.




In the stage area, Mr. Eric Kim, Fuji X photographer, is teaching some techniques and methods in capturing street photography. Street photography is not easy as other thinks since this type of photographer requires talent and skills in capturing photo. In street photography you must be invisible to the subject. Mr. Eric Kim, an expect in this kind of photography explains his techniques and tips. The rules in street photography and tips on how to be invisible during street photography. We've learn so much from his techniques like the tourist like technique, video making technique and other techniques.





 
  After this light and pole dancing performance, the fire dance performce which i've been waiting for is nect near the Canon booth. Fire dancing live shoot requires low shutter in order to capture the light created by the fire. Also, flash is needed when taking this kind of shoot. In this shoot, I use a low shutter speed, a high aperture, ISO 800 with flash.

After the fire dancing show by Firechill (fb: facebook.com/firechill.ph), we got tired and went to the main stage area. Dpp have a special announcement and presentation for the photographers, HIPA (Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography) announce their partnership with the Philippines and they will be inviting Filipino photographers to join their photo contest. After the HIPA presentation we wait for the raffle (yey). Before the raffling of winners, dpp have a shootout#1: The High Street Life and team shootout composed of the different speakers and photographer experts battle for some unique shoot out. The shootout#1 is the street photography, this shootout is battled by 3 photographers, they will roam around the High Street to capture their 8 best photo story for 30 minutes. The other shootout is a team shootout composed of 3 members, 2  members are from the experts and one from the audience and timed for 10 minutes using the available lighting's and set ups. The 1st team theme is a rock star theme (didn't take the winner photo, only the production part) and the other team theme is a merging of 3 photos.

 

Rockstar in the making

 After the shootout done by the photographers, raffling items are the best and the much awaited moments of the participants of the event. They are raffling about 20-40 items and throwing items like bags and camera accessories to the audience. Luckily we don't win one, better luck next event of dpp.

Final message:
Thank you DPP for a nice photography event, the awesome freebies and exhibits, the live shoot outs and everything. Til next time!