“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!
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 🙂
Come on! Look at the mirror and examine your lips, was it the same when you were in your early twenties?
NOPE!
Well, When I was a teenager ,way back.. 🙂 hahaha make a calculation and you will know what year..I used to think my lips were big and thick! I am conscious about my teeth as well, it’s protruded and big. I did Orthodontic treatment, extracted four teeth to minimize protrusion of my lips and now that I am fifty and beyond, I find my lips thinner and my teeth doesn’t show as much as it was !
Feeling young at 52
Yep, as we grow older, our upper lips become thinner and lower lips increases a bit in thickness. The main reason why lips become thinner and loses its natural volume is because of collagen depletion.
Throughout aging, the face becomes flatter and the nose gains more prominence, resulting in a longer upper lip which explains why, sometimes in older women, upper front teeth cannot be seen during smiling.
Try to look at the mirror again and say the word “emma” without closing your lips, just in a relax position, can you see your two front teeth? Young people have at least 2mm of it showing but for adult, sometimes, the two front teeth can not be seen at all. Well, it’s not only the problem of upper lips getting longer ,it is also the wear and tear of the teeth. Sometimes, the teeth itself got shorter because of attrition.
What treatment options do we have?
some women, choose to plump their upper lips, but at times they also over do it, resulting to a pronounced pout lips which at times too artificial (my opinion). Restylane is an example of filler used to increase volume and define the vermillion border of the lips.
lip implants – I would not even consider this treatment
fat injections – another treatment I will not consider
Well, for me, I would rather enhanced the shape of my teeth like doing veneer or laminates or bleaching and a good technique in lipstick application.
at age 59, i use different shades of lipstick and lip pencil
Lipstick application for older women:
TIPS:
apply moisturizer or in my case I use vaseline every night to prevent chapping and maintain the natural color of my lips
embrace pink shade of lipstick, though my mom at age 91, she still use red lipstick. I think pink for lighter skin and red for darker skin. I also think it should be at least two degrees darker than natural color of your lips.
line your lips with pencil and accentuate the cuspid’s bow with a darker color
finish with light gloss to have more youthful look 🙂
Is there any difference between branded lipstick and lipstick I got from pharmacy?
“It’s a full time job being honest one moment at a time, remembering to love, to honor, to respect. It is a practice, a discipline, worthy of every moment”
All photos were taken by me at Waikiki, Hawaii – October 2018
It was a long flight from Jeddah to London to Chicago to Los Angeles and finally to Hawaii. How many hours?
From Jeddah to Heathrow (5 hrs) to Chicago (9hrs) to LA (5hrs) to Honolulu (5hrs) total= 24 hrs plus lay over , roughly a total of 36 hrs! WOW:-)
I arrived around 12 noon in Honolulu, I decided to take a shuttle bus (USD 16) instead of Uber taxi (USD 32), it was an easy ride to airbnb. Yep! I got airbnb at Hawaiian Monarch Hotel (USD 85/day) not bad, the photos in the app looks exactly as it is. It is only a 10-15 min walk to Hawaiian Convention Center – venue for the ADA (American Dental Association) annual meeting, the reason why I flew 36 hrs from Jeddah. Omg!
I familiarized myself around the area checking how long it will take me to the venue, shall I wear high heels or flat shoes? Trying to gauge my pace and at the same time looking where is the nearest grocery stores etc. It is a good location after all, there is 7/11, Abc store, restaurants, hotel, spa and shopping malls. I don’t have to take a taxi, everything I need is just around the corner. Good choice!
The place is also secured with a lock key card, no one can get in the elevator without it. There is security guard 24/7 a small gym a coffee shop and a small breakfast resto at the lobby. The studio is good for two people, it’s clean but I found the floor sticky so I texted the owner and she did address my concern immediately, cleaning the floor twice. Pretty neat huh! The studio is equipped with a small Fridge, microwave, iron and ironing board, towels ,basic kitchen wares and a lot more!
Ala wai canal – is an artificial waterway in Honolulu. Hawaiian monarch Hotel is just adjacent to it. A lot of people walk and jog along the area. There is a rowing team that practice almost every afternoon, though the water may not be as clear, it’s a good place to just sit for a while, instead of staying inside the hotel.
After an hour walk, I decided just to stay in bed and tried to sleep to regained my energy. I wish! but I couldn’t, it’s an emotional roller coaster first day for me.
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
and here’s the shot of Rommel S Jubay with model Ada
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. 🙂
Wow! This is the 5th day, imagine waking up early morning everyday, thinking what to wear ? hahaha True!
Believe me…I see you’re smiling, with my madame malou huh! Wearing same clothes for two consecutive day is a NO! Period! Funny, I was told that Lebanese women are very fashionable, like to wear high heels etc. So , I packed a reasonable clothes, kind of middle, not too formal, not too rugged , a wedge shoes and a rubber shoes. Oh! I’m glad I also packed a jogging pants, just in case 🙂 If I knew beforehand, we will be hiking and walking everyday, I will bring a more appropriate clothing and foot wear.
Beqaa is fertile valley in the eastern region, located about 30 km east of Beirut. It is situated between Mt. Lebanon to the west and Anti -Lebanon mountains to the east.
The water that flows came from the Valley. It’s a beautiful place with lots of trees. And as we drive forward, in a middle of nowhere, a spectacular view of a man-made lake (not sure actually) awaits us. Awesome view, my photos were taken while I am inside the bus.
The elongated plateau is known for its warm and dry summer and on winter the mountains were covered by snow.
During Lebanese civil war, cannabis cultivation was a major source of income, but it seems, it continues until now. Fields were planted with figs, apples and cannabis as well.
We went down and took photos, and of course ladies, we had a fun-filled photo shoot 🙂
June 16, 2018 – Baalbek Roman Ruins
Ba’albek or Baalbek is an ancient Phoenician city in Anti – Lebanon foothills east of Beqaa Valley. ( the name “Baalbek” means Lord Baal of Beqaa Valley). It’s fascinating to note that Baalbek inhabited as early as 9000BCE. Alexander the great conquered Baalbek and renamed it as “Heliopolis” City of the sun.
normal houses can be seen around the roman ruins
I know, in my high school year, hmmm pardon me, I only remembered some words in my History book like Ottoman empire, Alexander the Great, Heliopolis City 🙂 Not in my wildest dream that one day, I will be standing at the ruins of Ancient Roman Empire. I wonder how these massive tons of stones were moved ,placed and arranged.
look at me 🙂 nope look at the stones, so huge! how they were able to moved it? Fascinating.. right?
Another wonder of all wonder is the giant stone called “Stone of the Pregnant Woman”
Stone of the South -is a Roman Monolith
Pregnant stone? does it deliver stone? hahaha nope! There were many stories behind the given name. One says, the monolith is named after a pregnant woman who tricked the people into believing that she knew how to moved the huge stone, if only they would feed her until she gave birth. While other say, the name reflects the belief that any woman who touches the stone will increase the chance of getting pregnant.
Ladies, whatever the story is, Baalbek should be in your bucket list!
It’s the first day of Eid, we thought that tour buses were not operating but to our surprise it did! So off we went 🙂 we did not waste time, didn’t we?
We woke up at 5:30 in the morning, excited to go on our first trip, we were told if were on the bus at 7 am, we would have the first seat for us, the view would be beautiful than seating at the back, but the bus driver said otherwise. He preferred that we sit at the second row to pass the border checkpoint easily. The tour guide doesn’t speak english well, but I have a very good interpreter Nabil, my friend 🙂 who did a good job! I think he was historian of the past!
We passed Saida and I got a quick shot of 13th century fortress built by crusaders – Sidon sea castle. We had breakfast along the shore, I forgot the name of the restaurant because I remembered the sweet smell of Kanafeh and could not resist not to eat it.
kanafeh grilled cheese sandwich
Nabatieh is the city of the Nabatieh Governorate, in southern Lebanon.
Bellfort or Beaufort Castle known to arab travelers as Sheqif Arnon. located about 1 kilometer to the south-south-east village of Arnoun. “High rock of Arnon”
The castle strategic location got a good view of the southern Lebanon and Israel. The walls were all thick and there were small windows which probably used by sniper. There was also like a basement which my friend think used for prisoners. It was dark and scary to walk through.
After the Beaufort castle we proceeded to the Palestinian border, along the way we saw graffiti walls which tell stories of people and the conflict that was and still going.We can actually see the houses on the other border.
After wondering at the beautiful scenery, we have reached our lunch destination. Who would have thought that at the oasis (alwazzani river) Hosn Al Wazzani resort can be found against the backdrop of barb wire and enemy troops? You can actually see the peacekeeping troops on the top of the border.
The sumptuous lunch ended with a dance. what a nice way to end the day.
Nice tour, nice people, nice lunch and nice dance too 🙂
June 14, 2018 – Teleferique from Jounieh to Harissa
Harissa village is 20 km north of Beirut.
On the 3rd day we went back to Jounieh looking for teleferique. I was wondering what is teleferique?
Teleferique dubbed as “Terorrifique” is a cable car 🙂
I am afraid of heights let alone the cable car, but I am 59 years old.. so let’s go! Life is too short not to see the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon. Soaring high nearly 650 meters above the sea level, at the speed of 3.15 meters per second. Did you hear my scream? hahaha
Actually that’s an awesome 9 minutes ride and after reaching the top, I guess we were overwhelmed that instead of riding the funicular to take the remaining distance to the statue of Our Lady of Lebanon, we walked up few more stairs, I ‘m glad my knees are in good condition (I think) at my age. 🙂 A less than hundred few steps and were up, just to look back and realized we could have taken the funicular ride instead of walking hahaha.
Spectacular view!
Oh ! The steps we took was nothing when we saw the 13 ton statue of Our Lady of Lebanon, it is made of bronze painted white – The Virgin Mary.
This is a pilgrimage site in Lebanon. I would keep it as a major accomplishment for me, facing my fear of heights and offering my prayers for my love ones especially the early demise of my dear jun.
There was also an exhibition of ancient Russian icons, a display of absolute beauty.
June 14, 2018 – Byblos
After eating the most tastiest felafel sandwich , we headed to Byblos, the oldest city in the world that is continuously inhabited.Located 42 km north of Beirut. On our way to see the ancient ruins from stone age, we passed by the old souk of Byblos. In here you can see small shops selling souvenirs, local cafe, literally the chairs are in the middle of the small shops, we were tempted to sit but no time to drink because our tummy was still full of felafel. 🙂
At the right end of the souk, we went to see the Byblos castle. Apparently the local pays less than the tourist because we were asked at the entrance what country we came from.
Byblos castle or castle of giblet built by the crusaders in the 12th century from indigenous limestone and the remains of Roman structures.
the ruins consist of Roman Colonnade
a small Roman amphitheater
There’s a lot more to see in Byblos but we opted to end the day satisfied seeing the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Greek and Roman ruins.
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