Eid holiday moments

Previously I wrote a post about desert fun, so during this Eid holidays we were invited to one of the desert camps at Um Messaied. It was a well spent time there - the pictures speak for themselve!

BluePearl (c) - view from the camp

BluePearl (c) - kids riding 4 wheelers (Rhino, Polariz, Kawasaki) on the sand

BluePearl (c)

BluePearl (c) - one of the tents all lit up night

BluePearl (c) - arabic tea being brewed

 BluePearl(c) - fun in the sand

Hala Weekend

I just managed to lock myself out of my satellite channels so I am sitting here trying to figure what I did wrong. You know the last two months have been strange months - I am not sure if you will agree but, for me it seemed everything just did a 360. Perhaps, I thought, this is Allah making me think about what I want from life or just setting me on a new stepping stone, yeah - a bit of a turbulent step that was! I am one of those people that never plan - how much of a good thing that is, I am not sure but even if I did try and draw up a plan I either go off that plan very soon or can't get my mind to decide what I want to do. Yeah, sadly I am one of those people! 

Alas the seasons are changing, 2010 is coming to an end, the fortunate start winding up their hajj,  muslims around the world prepare for Eid-ul-Adha and then there's me -  sitting here trying to fix my satellite and going to leave you with this very beautiful song called "Marrat Sana" meaning "A year has passed"

Ps: Next week I'll be doing some technology posts featuring some exciting news that includes a lifebook from Fujitsu...keep an eye out for that!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Cherry Blossom

Desert fun is here

I can only laugh at my clumsiness from time to time as this weekend I destroyed my IPhone - Dropped by mistake into liquid! Now I am quiet lost because its my quick connect portal to my mail, blog, photos & Skype. Silliness has a price in deed.

It is autumn right now and its so wonderful driving to work and being able to keep the sunroof open (without using A/C) and being to smell the fresh air. Breezy days are here. It is actually the time when locals and expat alike start taking to the deserts and beaches. The desert activities are quiet popular including rafter racing, baja (hobbie car) racing, quad biking, tent gatherings, sand duning, camels, sand boarding and barbeques. It is great fun and exciting to just be able to engage in outdoor activities. 

I have some really beautiful photos but can not share them with you right now so instead I have googled some images to give you a better idea. Hopefully when my phone is sorted out, I'll post some pictures on here.

[6 photos in this set - click here to see all]

A baja racing car - great fun on the desert. 

4x4 Desert Safari

Example of a desert tent - some are for family only, others for entertaining friends. You'll be surprised to know that they are fully functional. Last year when I visited one, it had a tv and foosball amongst the beautiful seating decor.

Quad bikes in the desert - these are rental quad bikes available all over the desert

Camel - the arabian desert is not complete if you not seen one of these.

This is Maisaeed - sealine border. On the side is Saudi Arabia

Have a great week ahead

Back In Qatar

I just love my Iphone - I managed to capture all the special moments during my trip. Take a look at these shots i got just before and during landing into Doha. 

(4 pictures in this set - click on read more to view all)

BluePearl (c)

BluePearl (c)

BluePearl (c)

BluePearl (c)

The holidays are finally over - its time to get back to Reality:)

Cant wait to see you Mae - I missed you!

Ps: I love clouds particularly looking down at them from up there.

6th رمضان‎ 1431

It was a quiet and relaxed day today - since its Ramadan, I finished work at 2:30. Had enough of time to read salaat, some Quran and snooze:) I had futoor with Mae this evening. We had a choice of many nice things like Samboosa, Beef Straggenhof with asparagus, Al Saloona & Loqaimat while watching the hilarious Emirati Shabiat Al Cartoon. This is Mae's favorite cartoon during Ramadan.

Celebrating 2 years in Qatar

(c) Bluepearl - Onboard Qatar Airways flying over South African Skies

What a wonder how time just flies! I remember the day I left home like it was yesterday. To celebrate 2 years, I did a few different things with the people who have been there with me since I got here.

On Thursday, Nawi and I went to City Centre after work and she treated me to Starbucks - we had the most delicious strawberry cheesecake over some laughs and thoughts. She dumped me afterwards for movies with her hubby! *lol* Always great spending time with her.

(c) Bluepearl - Onboard Qatar Airways flying over South African Skies (the view) 

Friday, Susie, a dear sweetie pie played company to me as we lunched at Biella's - Susie ordered some fish dish but I have to tell you mines was a treat - I had the most superb Lasagne Bolognaise. It was such a generous portion, well prepared and oozing with sauce - the perfect lunch! I often tend to make bad choices off menus but I was left patting myself on the back after this one!





Saturday afternoon and yesterday Evening, I had the pleasure of spending time with dear Mae! Always fun, entertaining, filled with conversation and laughter. Oh & we had some falafel from Take Away - I can never say no to Falafel, they are just indulgent & fulfilling, very much the same as spending time with Mae.





So that was actually my weekend as well in a nutshell. Hope you all had a great weekend:)

It's a number thing

∆ 1.57 billion muslims in the world, making up 23% of the world population

∆ 158 days to 2011 ∆ 114 Surahs in the Quran ∆ 99 beautiful names of Allah ∆ 65 posts on my blog (66 including this one) ∆ 54 days to my eldest nephew (Ben10's) Birthday and my youngest brothers wedding. ∆ 33 x 3 beads on the mesbah (muslim prayer beads) ∆ 16 days to Ramadaan ∆ 15 gorgeous muslimahs following my blog - excluding all the silent ones. ∆ 13 amazing people that make Blue pearl's life a beauty (my mama, my papa, my 3 brothers, 2 sister in laws, 1 future sister in law (inshallah), 2 nephews, 2 nieces and Mae). ∆ 7 the most loved number in islam mainly because of 7 heavens...Mae's favourite number too. ∆  6 days - Allah created the heavens and the earth in Six Days (Verse 7:54). ∆ 5 pillars of islam (Shahada, Sawn, Hajj, Zakaat, Salaat) ∆ 5 daily salaat (Fajr, Zuhr, Asr, Mag7rib, Esha) = 1825 opportunities in a year. ∆ 5 gorgeous friends (Navaz/Nawi, Tanya, Candice, Jenni, Zareena). ∆ 4.5 days to weekend *chuckles*. ∆ 3 is often the number of times a muslim repeats an action such as in wudhu. ∆ 2 beautiful hands to help yourself, others & to give thanks to Allah (salaat) and blog:) ∆ ...and only 1 heart, 1 life & 1 amazing perfect Creator, Allah without whom, nothing is possible.

...Make the best of it

Poetry of the week

Blue Pearl Poetry (c) 2010 

I would like to thank Ajjah for the picture used in my poem. Thank you!

Thankful for Mae

There is never a dull moment with Mae and certainly not so last evening when I had the pleasure of spending a hilariously memorable time with Mae (and little brother who is visiting). We laughed so much or rather should i say I was entertained by them playing fun dress up and poses that I swear my cheeks were hurting from all the laughs.

Thanks Mae for always making me smile or laugh. I would be lost without you. You rock!

My bery first blog award

                      

Amira, consider yourself hugged for this wonderful award. I love it. 

So part of this award means I have to tell you where I see myself in ten years and pass it on to ten others...

Well, Alhumdulillah, all I can say that whatever Allah pleases for me is good enough for me. Before I carry let me just say how fortunate I am to have the most beautiful people in my life, i.e. my family, Mae, Nawi, Tanya, Candice, Jenni, some of my current work friends and ofcourse you guys, my blogger pals.

1. I want my family to be well and with me (if I am still alive) Inshallah

To be just as family orientated and close as they are today, taking care of other and content with whatever little they have.

May Allah make it possible for my parents and brothers who have not completed their hajj, yet, to do so, Inshallah.

2. Mae is an extension of my family who holds the fondest place in my heart.

I want to see all the good dua I make for Mae, materialise and I want to be there to see my dear one happy, achieving everything I hoped for.

I want you to smile, worry less, forget your thoughts, be happy get everything you want in life and be confident always, as you are right now.

3. To complete my hajj, Inshallah.

4. To make as many people smile/happy as I can, Inshallah.

5. To help as many people (and the two cats:) ) as I can, Inshallah.

6. To spend time with orphan'ed children, Inshallah.

7. To always be a good servant to Allah and be loved by Him, Inshallah.

8. To be content with everything I have, appreciating my moments with Mae and the family, Inshallah

9. Ten years from now when I go down memory lane of the last ten years, I should find the same non-greedy, patient, happy person and I hope to see my family and Mae get the things I asked for them - Inshallah.

I am passing on this award to the following 11 people with this award (only because I love odd numbers), in no specific order:

1. Crafty Muslimah (love the haiku's and middle eastern memoir posts)

2. Amber (Sisters who blog - cause I think you doing such an amazing job)

3. Zaufishan (Muslimness - great articles, keep it up)

4. Khadeeja (Girl Talk 786 - love your real world thinking posts, especially "Special you")

5. Jaz (Born Confused - love your honesty)

6. Mustika Sari Sayuti ("As You Grew Older" was really a good post)

7. Amatullaah (Veiled in Hayat - so loved the post "The Beauty of Mornings")

8. Xo Xo (Xo Xo..Sweet Success! You never takes comments and I just love your daily thankfuls)

9. Jennifer Khan (Hoping for Paradise - good religious content)

10. Hopeful (Staircase to Jannah - I think your blog is cute)

11. Frutiful Fusion (With Saudi Accent- love your posts)





Well done on great blogs - hugs & kisses

They are beautiful

Animals - their innocent eyes, their beautiful skin, their skill and fir makes me appreciate Allah's fashioning of his creations, in them and me alike. Its a wonder how much we are at Allah's mercy as some of them were given to us as a means of survival (food) and others for admiration. 

Some of them grow up just to become our food - no one knows the meaning of this better than I do, being the daughter of a previous butcher. Watching carcasses of lamb, sheep and bull being delivered to the shop, seeing them hanging in my fathers cool-room and being sold on the scale.





With that past, it also brought the opportunity to examine some of these animals close up -I have played with woolly fat cuddly sheep and seen a bull being stunt and slaughtered. Allah-u-akbar, they are such strong animals. When I was about 13, I remember getting cut on my finger from a Baracuda's teeth - sadly he was the catch of the day and my dad bought him for dinner. Little younger than 13, dad brought home live lobsters - my gosh what a morning that was, I still remember it like it was yesterday, they were crawling all over mum's table, feeling the environment with tentacles long as grass. I was so excited! Around the same age, I also got to ride horses - what a pleasure that was, something I miss dearly and wonder if I can still do anymore.





Just last week, Mae took Cookie, a white Cockatoo out of her cage and put her onto my hand. Its amazing how she feels your nervousness - getting her more comfortable on my leg, I was left amazed by her affection. Mae's love for animals is so heart-warming - I can sit all day looking at Mae's beautiful cylindrical aquarium filled with live rock, breath-taking corals and fish. Makes you wonder how great Allah is to create such beautiful things - each coral and fish so unique, in different colours and shapes. Subhan-Allah





My parents always made it a point to take us to zoo's, animal farms, crocodile farms, game drives and the like to familiar ourselves with animals. My love for them grew with each day and growing up under my mothers hand, who homed stray cats, a few dogs, chickens and a rooster, I watched her hand out a heartfelt meal to them, daily - a trait which has grown on me too.  Till this day, my mother gets bird seed for all the wild birds that visit her garden. She will always feed them in the morning and then stand in kitchen, sipping her tea and watching them through the window while they come in dozens, chanting and eating their breakfast -  she loves watching them, showing me her favourites and sometimes new different onces never seen before.





These days when I get home, I get greeted by two stray cats at my building (one black and another is the common grey ones), stretching themselves out against the lobby door - it makes me think of those days gone past, it also makes me think how innocent these animals are and how dependent some of them are on us, to help them. It makes me sad to see animals neglected and frustrating for me not being able to understand them. 





These cats sit at the door, as I enter making Salaam for them, they purr at me (sometimes) leaving me wondering what they want or think. The weather is blazing hot so its almost ten times worse for them being outside all day. I have got them milk and have asked the kind security guard to feed them daily but I am not sure if this suffices. I was thinking of getting them some cat food today - I hope this will make them a little happier.





I really appreciate the beauty of animals - how different they are in features and tact and I thank my parents for instilling this in me. My mum is nurturing her grand-children now into loving animals - an important, not to be neglected quality to be instilled in these kids who carry on our future generations...After all my mum needs someone to help feeding her birds each morning. 

Have a beautiful week

Why I love flowers

Falconry

[Picture: Qatar falcon hunting - The falcon is national bird of Qatar]

My morning inevitably started on a beautiful note, with Mae, telling me stories of Falcons and their fierce fighting skills - falconry the term used for the sport of falcon hunting is one of the most savored sports in the Gulf– it represents a passionate pastime and bond with predatory birds. Mae's passion and experience with the sport is captivating, making you want to be an instant Falconer however that's easier said than done - nonetheless its all so exciting hearing the stories and watching the videos of falcons clawing in on their targets at great speed, raising dust in its scoop. 

It is an art and a skill that is one of its finest to watch against the Arabian desert backdrops and let me just say, its a very well-preserved and disciplined sport! I just love it!

The Arabian Peninsula is one of the last places in the world where falconry remains an important sporting activity. The people of the Gulf have a strong personal sentiment and commitment to falconry and ensure that it is practiced in the correct manner, with the proper respect due to Islamic laws. The sport originally started with nomadic Bedouins, who used these birds to hunt down meat due to its great sight ability in dusty terrain.  

[In Dubai - a beautiful falcon pictured with his owner]

And never underestimate the importance of a Falcon – during hunting/sporting season, you will find these Falcons travelling with owners in first class on Gulf airlines, one notable airline is, Qatar Airways. Falcons don’t come cheap and neither does their care lack in anyway, enthused with daily attention and care from a Falconer who manages the Falcon’s training and needs









So next time you travelling first class, don’t be surprised if your travel companion turns out to be a Falcon

Weekly Poetry

 BluePearl(c) 2010

This poetry is owned by Bluepearl

Poetry of the week

BluePearl(c) 2010

This poetry is owned by Bluepearl

Life is on lease

BluePearl(c) 2010

This poetry is owned by Bluepearl

Inspiration for the day

Here's some inspirational words to kick off my first blog entry. I will be posting a few of my poetry writings on this blog. Please enjoy them but do not copy as these are originals owned by me. :)