Live simply, travel,laugh a lot and don’t forget to breath

“Write it in your heart that every day is the best day in the year”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

As the year ends, my days in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia is also nearing to an end.

It was a wonderful 32 years! Thank you!

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Year 2018 was a year of traveling … emotional turmoil of losing loved ones, yet the gratitude is tantamount to the blessings. May we have all a Happy New year and more blessings for the year 2019!

I compiled photos on air while traveling, the perk of having the window seat! All photos were taken with an Iphone 🙂

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Cheers,

jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

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Gothic for a cause

July 21, 2018

” Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it”

Confucius

Yesterday was an afternoon well spent. I was invited to a photo shoot for a cause. It was a camaraderie fundraising event for a family who needed some help for hospitalization. I am a hobbyist in photography mostly interesting places when I am on a trip , I like landscape and flowers as my subjects. Though, I usually do family portraits for friends, this was my first time to shoot a gothic portraiture. As an amateur I was pretty excited. I really don’t know what to expect, I was asking for a protocol so I would know what will be my limitations, will there be some tips and advice on how to take portrait with gothic theme? Will the professional guide the amateur? hahaha poor me, don’t really know what to do 🙂

Anyhow, I came early and was surprised, models were already getting ready, lights were set up and registration already started. The person  in charged for registration was giving another paper for models to sign on…Me? nope I’m here to shoot! Wow 🙂 shoot? maybe just a spectator or taking behind the scenes photos. Of course! I tried my best to capture the moment 🙂

and here some of my shots… models: Alda ,Janet,Angie,Alyana and Carmie

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and here’s the shot of Rommel S Jubay with model Ada

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Thank you for the invite, to the organizers, models, make up artist and to all the people who in one way another help to make the afternoon lovely.  🙂

Cheers,

Jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

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Mountain Bikers of Jeddah

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Friday Sept 22, 2017 – Jeddah KSA

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I woke up at 5 in the morning to watch the race of mountain bikers in Jeddah. This is my first time to be in this place. I was determined to take photos of bikers, I thought for a while it is all Filipino cyclist but there are also different nationalities who gather around cheering their compatriot. Indeed! It was cheerful morning, all the photos of bikers I took were mostly smiling 🙂

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see how cheerful they are!

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I took random photos of the riders, spectators and I think the satisfactions are all written in their faces! It’s amazing to note that even though they were so exhausted they still managed to smile.

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and of course! my friend would also like to try cycling with her ever supportive hubby 🙂

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Cheers!

 Jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

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Four days Road Trip – in search of Mt. Sinai – the finale- Maqna (Well of Moses)

Day 4 -Monday Sept. 4,2017

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From Jeddah to AL Ula (Madain Saleh) to Tabuk, a long four days road trip, 3 hotels, adobo, al baik, lamb mandi to pizza and ice cream, that was awesome!

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Maqna or Magna is located in Tabuk province. It was known that “Bir Al Saidni” is the well from which Moses rolled away the stone to draw water for the flocks of Jewish settlers.

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Fast forward, before we reached the area, we passed a small area of water along the way.And I was thinking how difficult it was for Moses and the Israelites coming from Egypt, passing through the Gulf of Aqaba to Mt. Sinai, a vast desert, hills of rocks and suddenly the rock was split open to provide water. Wow! I am fascinated by the history of the place.

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The sight to the coastal area was like a “gasp on the air”.

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an almost half circle, a place to pray?

Imagine you are lost in a desert and found this well, I think you will be shouting and jumping of joy!

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Thank you to Gabriel Fam, Alji fam and Pino fam for this trip. I had a wonderful Eid holiday 🙂

and to the boys who drove us for four days just to see those wonderful places.

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Thank you !

Cheers,

Jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

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Four days road trip – in search of Mt. Sinai ( Part 3) Jabal Al Lawz and Gulf of Aqaba

DAY 3 Sunday Sept. 3, 2017

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I guess the photo says it all 🙂  are we going ahead with this trip? hahahaha Who can say no to madame Rhea! clap your hand and raise your feet 🙂 o la la …

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Along the way, we have seen a lot of beautiful sceneries that no photos can justify our feelings at that moment. Ladies, you should do wonders to drag your husband to this trip, it is worth  a try, trust me!

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After a long travel to reach Mt Sinai, the road has ended with a barricade. Oh yeah, there was no sign what so ever that we can get through. So, we just took in the scenery with a sigh and relief that at last we have seen how difficult  the survival was.

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For a little trivia, Mt Sinai is the mountain at which the Ten commandments were given to Moses by God. It was found in Egypt but contested later on by historian that the actual location is in Saudi Arabia. Whichever is right, this road trip is worth a try, having seen the red sand dunes, the archaeological arts of rocks, oasis,gulf of aqaba and the tip of Mt. Sinai, indeed, this is the most memorable road trip ever.

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Another contested trivia is the Red sea crossing of Israelites at the gulf of Aqaba. We headed to see the coastal view of  Gulf of Aqaba, which could be seen or divided between four countries namely:Saudi Arabia,Jordan,Israel and Egypt.

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A half sunken ship can be seen 55 km south from Haql city in Tabuk province. The water is crystal clear, which is good for swimming, unfortunately we were not ready for this 🙁  The place is known as “Al mashee well”, I would call it as Haql Shipwreck beach 🙂 because literally the half sunken vessel is just along the shore and  with the mountain backdrop and the crystal blue water, one can imagine that you’re in a movie set.

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would you imagine these are your crews?

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Would you be jumping with joy?

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Or would you just walk away?

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Whatever your answer is… keep it to yourself 🙂

to be continued…

Cheers,

Jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

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Four days road trip – in search of Mt. Sinai – Part 2 The Elephant Rock

DAY 2 Saturday Sept. 2, 2017

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I can’t say it was a good night sleep but we woke up early to have a sunrise view at the elephant rock.

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This photo was taken after a car driven by crazy “young adult” circled around , I guess they were showing off and created a big sand dust around us. However, it didn’t get into our nerves, we still went on 🙂 the mandatory jump shot!

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Back to road and we just found out there is a better accommodation than the furnished apartment we have rented. The place is “Shaden Resort” hmmm we will come back for sure.

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to be continued…

Cheers,

Jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

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Four Days Road Trip – in search of Mt. Sinai – Part 1

Seriously? Yep Four days!

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I don’t know how we were able to… but here we are alive and kicking 🙂  My friend Rhea came from a two months holiday and a day after they arrived, we joined another groups of family to a road trip which we thought will just be an overnight thing, like two days and one night OMG!

DAY 1 Friday Sept. 1,2017

IMG_1691We left Jeddah at 4:30 am. not wasting time huh 🙂  considering I worked a day before, rhea just arrived and here we are, traveling early in the morning. Yep! you got it right..we are the “lakwatsera” wanderlust of Jeddah. Beautybeyondfifty is all smile 🙂

Anyhow, we stopped in Yanbu and had our breakfast .Yep! your guess is right again 🙂 we had “adobo and rice”.

Arrived in Al Ula around 12:30 noon, unfortunately, Arac Hotel was closed and we headed to find a furnished apartment. We had ” adobo and rice” again for lunch :-). At 3:30 pm we moved to see Madain Saleh. We’ve been here before but we were still excited to see the ancient Nabatean caravan city which is filled with desert tombs.

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interesting to note, the plants are green

Oh by the way, You only need Iqama to get in, there’s no permit anymore and it is open until 6pm.

At the entrance is a replica of the old train and Al Hijaz railway station.

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if you like to see more click Slow down Camel crossing…Road trip to Madaín Saleh

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Hence, we’ve been here year 2012, we didn’t stay long. We went to Al Ula to enjoyed the sunset view at the peak of its plateau.

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At last the wonderous group went hungry and nope no “adobo and rice” this time 🙂

We had lamb mandi for dinner! hurrah!

Z z z z z  z z z z z z z  what a day to remember!

to be continued…

Cheers,

Jamilamimi @beautybeyondfifty

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Red Sand Dunes – an NaFud Al KaBir Tabuk region

Red sand dunes of Tabuk region, an awesome experience of seeing the beauty of nature.

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I came home from a four days road trip ,exhausted but happy and can’t stop looking at the photos I took. Hmmm can’t really decide upfront which one to upload first. I am fascinated by the red color of the sand dunes in Tabuk region. It’s a small area of the vast desert where you can see a red sand dunes.This place in An Nafud al kabir is a sight to behold and no photos can literally translate my feelings to see this beautiful nature. We didn’t mind the hot weather, I can feel the hotness, redness of my face but I didn’t back off taking photos.

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What is more fascinating, the green grass has two shades of green!

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I am giggling inside seeing this awesome scenery, I thank God for the creation.

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Ladies, have time to enjoy the nature, look at beyond the beauty of nature.

It’s a wonderful feeling!

Cheers,

Jamilamimi @beautybeyondfifty

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Burnt or black pizza?

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Have you tried black pizza? We did tried the brown bread but black pizza?

Well, last night I had the chance to tried it and I love it! My friend is moving back to Philippines for good, so for the last time we had an early dinner and we went to seventy seven burger and pizza restaurant at Al Rhawda dist.

At 77 SR we got to choose 2 appetizer, 1 pizza,1 dessert and 1 drink, not a bad idea, one order we can share it for two persons.

While waiting, we did some puzzles and wondered why black pizza? Hmmm this might be the latest craze, so I asked? Whats the ingredients? Why it is black?

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Activated charcoal!

hahaha ok lets ask google and see whats the benefits of charcoal?

It aids in digestion, reduced bloating and absorbs toxins in the body!

Ladies, oh la la we have excuse to eat pizza! 🙂

Honestly, it’s delicious and because my mind is convinced this is healthy, I ate two slices 🙂

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To satisfy my sweet tooth, we got this delicious dessert. yummy!

bye tita lala! See you wherever and whenever 🙂

Cheers,

jamilamimi