During the last six days of simbang gabi at the Ahmadi Church in Kuwait, donation baskets were being passed around for the runaway Filipinas housed in Philippine Embassy in Kuwait. It's a touching gesture by Ahmadi Filipino priest Fr Fred Micua. And like the tradition of simbang gabi, I believe it will be an annual charity drive among the Ahmadi churchgoers.

Tomorrow until the last day of simbang gabi on 24th, I think the focus will be on the victims of Typhoon Sendong.

Amen to that. My 100% support.

If you feel charitable this Christmas and wish to help our kababayans in Iligan, information on where you can send your donations are in this site or at Red Cross.



Nakakataba ng puso ang pagbibigay sa nangangailangan.

Our company in Kuwait joined Movember in support of The Prostate Cancer Charity in the UK. This is to raise awareness by prompting private and public conversations regarding prostate cancer, a men’s health issue that is often ignored and taken for granted. For the whole month of November, a selected few in our office grew moustache and via donations, we managed to raise an amount to support the society.

I didn’t join but during the awarding ceremony last end November, we donned our faces with full beard and moustache to add excitement to the event.


The bearded ladies and a gentleman. That's Anna (from Poland) and Niña (from the Philippines) with Rao (from India). Rao's moustache is real.


Bearded moi. That's me in fake beard and Shaikh (from India) with his real moustache.

We managed to raise more than PHP30k which our company will equally match to be given to charity.

Background information:

A Mo Bro starts Movember – the month formerly known as November – clean shaven, and grows a moustache all month long, garnering support from friends and family in the form of donations. Supported by the women in their lives, Mo Sistas, Movember Mo Bros raise funds by seeking out sponsorship for their Mo growing efforts.

The money raised as a result of Movember is channelled into a number of world class and innovative education, support, research and awareness initiatives. Movember UK collaborates with the men’s health partner – The Prostate Cancer Charity.

The Movember Foundation is a not-for-profit, charitable organisation which runs the annual men’s health initiative, Movember, across the globe. More info can be found at: www.movember.com

In an oil-rich country like Kuwait where Filipinos are either in oil and gas-based work or service-based (household help, sales personnel, etc), finding two kabayans selling fish is quite a surprise.

What's more surprising is that they are in love with their work! One has actually transferred from being a salesman in an air-conditioned mall to vending fish and seafood in Al Koot. (Al Koot fish market is also air-conditioned and amazingly clean).



The other kabayan is still a salesman in a mall but works as a part timer in the market during his day off 'kapalit ng isang kilong isda at pamasahe'. 'Pang-ingganyo ako ng mga kabayan', he said. He must be very effective because we bought from him our crabs and shellfish.



Note: I forgot to get their names. Will do next time.

I don't read Arab Times Online. I find their news weird, totally empty of values, unintelligent and bordering to sensationalism most of the time. I think this recent news is a classic example of what I mean. A friend sent it to me through email.



I would say the last paragraph clinches the absurdity of this news: "Islamic thinker Mohammad Al-Ansari described the proposal on purchasing slaves as “strange, odd and not in tune with the current times.” "

Ambait.

Makes me want to stab myself.

Loonies on the loose here. Watch out.

Water, in the Middle East, is costlier than gas.

Distilled, purified, bottled. Spring, mineral, tonic. They come in various sizes and forms and, in Saudi and Kuwait, come in a stiff price. (In Kuwait, a liter of water is costlier than a liter of gas -- roughly in peso: PHP13 water, PHP9 gas).

For Pinoys abroad, bottled water is an important commodity. Since I came to Saudi, I never drank tap water. I wanted to but I was warned that it's unhealthy to drink tap water. Ditto in Kuwait. In the Philippines, where I used to drink water straight from the faucet, we primitively use a water filter. (Primitively because other houses have a reverse osmosis machine installed in their kitchen; we don't).

And then I thought: Which of them bottled water in Kuwait is 'better'? More importantly, what makes a bottled water 'better'? Me know not so let's go to the authorities.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) listed calcium as a good source for reducing osteoporosis and magnesium for reducing cardiovascular disezase mortality.

Sodium is essential to our body and is present in almost all of the foods we eat. In a day, our maximum intake of sodium should not exceed 1,500mg or 2/3 of a spoon (and since it's present in most of our foods, most people take more than the recommended daily sodium intake). So I guess in bottled water (you can prove me wrong if you want and I'll welcome it), the lesser the sodium, the better.



Perhaps the ultimate reading on and about bottled water is this NRDC publication.

And on tap water, this WHO article.

With the influx of mineral water distribution stores in the Philippines which ironically get their water from tap faucets and who are not required to put mineral labels as commercially-sold bottled water do, how are we guaranteed that the bottled water is safe and indeed 'purified'?

In comes Manny Villar to the rescue -- or perhaps he has another business prospect in mind. Hmmm...them businessmen!

First thing first: I am may be wrong with Ever.

Last Friday, we went to Ahmadi Church to watch a Santacruzan. Here are some of the photos we took.

Santacruzan participants line up for the short parade. If you wonder who the man in brown cloak represents, that's Methuselah.

If truth be hold, I think the organisers of this Santacruzan was faithful to this list of characters in a Santacruzan.


Youngsters who played various characters in Ahmadi's Santacruzan.


This is the first Santacruzan where I saw an Aeta character featured in the pageant.


Reyna Esperanza who represents the virtue of hope.


The legendary founder of the true cross, Reyna Elena, accompanied by Constantine, her son.


Angelic-looking girl who is one of the Ave Maria's.


Santa Maria, madre de Dios at the end of parade -- carried by Filipino leaders of various Pinoy organisations in Ahmadi.


Father Fred Micua, the Filipino priest at Our Lady of Arabia in Ahmadi greets the faithful.

And then, I spot this gentleman. Hmmm...Is it Ever? Maybe not.



Or maybe, I'm right.

(Ever is a Kuwait-based Pinoy artist-cum-blogger behind Pamatay Homesick and countless articles for POC. He is also a member of Pindot, Kuwait's premiere Filipino digital photographers' group).

Other photos are courtesy of Rhyan Alcantara, an OFW in Kuwait.

'Souk' is an Arabic word for market; 'Jumah' is for Friday.

Souk Al Jumah hence refers to the Friday Market in Farwaniyah, Kuwait. Some call it a flea market, others refer to it as a second-hand market.

Regardless, it's one of the favorite hangouts of locals and expatriates during weekends.

Most newbie expat Pinoys purchase their furnitures and household items from Souk Al Jumah. It's not only practical but it is also wise. Souk Al Jumah is huge - around five hectares -- and it houses various items for sale. It's also well-organised because under each roof are similarly classified items. There's a section for used clothes, antiques, furnitures, electronics, gym equipment, etc. There's even a separate souk for live animals (didn't go there because it's quite a walk from where we parked).

Here are some of the photos I took that Friday.


Entrance to the souk.


Colorful carpets of various sizes, color and make.


The parking space is spacious although a bit dusty during summers.


Like I heard some of them still works.


Antique coins from various countries.


Various sculptures from India, Egypt and Syria.


Second hand clothes and shoes abound.


How about wearing this for the santacruzan? Too colorful for a wedding gown, I say.


A Prada for KD10. I heard you, with your bartering acumen, can get this for KD5 .


This Gucci watch is a first-class imitation that sells for KD8.


Satin curtains that would definitely add colors to your windows. Sells for KD2.


I love this sofa and it's surot-free (they said) 'dahil bilad sa araw'...Dunno.


Exercise machines that sell from KD10.


Carpets from different countries -- some machine-woven, others by hand.






Decoratives that come cheap. This 'bike' sells for KD3.


Vases that you can get for less than KD1. That's around PHP150.


Restoration works for old furnitures. An old furniture becomes new with just a few paint and an artistic hand.

Quite a lot to see, admire and buy in Souk Al Jumah. It's a favorite for bargain hunters and it's not a surprise to see other nationalities rummaging the place for something to buy. It's also becoming our favorite hangout every weekend. It's practical, it's wise, and somehow, it's also a thrill and an adventure that don't necessarily come high-priced.

It was raining hard the day I bravely ventured the city in a KPTC bus, from Kuwait center to Fahaheel (where I live). 'Venture' because I've been hearing a lot about riding a bus in Kuwait -- that it's 'dangerous' because Kuwaiti youths throw stones at buses, or Kuwaiti youths sometimes make fun of other passengers, or they are rowdy for the whole bus ride.





Nothing of that. Oh yes, I was seated with a Kuwaiti passenger, and he was very silent all throughout the trip. Perhaps because he's a quinquagenarian. I'm actually just guessing, but he's definitely not what I'll consider as young.

So yes, the bus ride was a lull, peaceful. The trip was one full hour from the bus station in Kuwait City to our place (give and take a three minute walk to my flat). In a private car or taxi, the trip would have been less than half an hour.

Kuwaiti buses are numbered, i.e. 102, 999, 105, etc. The numbers refer to routes. Bus 102 took me to Fahaheel via Highway 30. Bus 999 also would have taken me to Fahaheel but via every nooks and crannies of cities between Kuwait City and Fahaheel. Had I taken Bus 999, I would have reached home thirty to forty-five minutes later than my one hour trip. A friend said the trip via Bus 999 is more enjoyable if all you wanted is to pass the time away observing the streets of Kuwait. (Maybe next time).

The buses are all air-conditioned and the seats are comfortably-spaced. Seats in front are exclusive for female passengers.

Fares are 250 fils for the whole route (equivalent to around PHP40). Taxi fare for the same route is KD2.5 (around PHP400). Hence the popularity of bus to riding public.

Here are some of the photos I took during the bus trip.



KPTC stands for Kuwait Public Transport Company.



Bus 102 that took me home to Fahaheel.



The sides of buses usually carry advertisements for mobile companies...



...or announcements about sale schedules in popular malls.



Kuwaiti passengers. Silent all throughout the ride, so the rumours are not true!



Spacious and clean.



If I say 'comfortable', will this photo be an understatement? ☺

The lights grow brighter as the earth lurches away from the sun and now the orchestra is playing yellow cocktail music and the opera of voices pitches a key higher. Laughter is easier, minute by minute, spilled with prodigality, tipped out at a cheerful word. The groups change more swiftly, swell with new arrivals, dissolve and form in the same breath—already there are wanderers, confident girls who weave here and there among the stouter and more stable, become for a sharp, joyous moment the center of a group and then excited with triumph glide on through the seachange of faces and voices and color under the constantly changing light.























Annually during the Liberation Day celebration in Kuwait (from the British Occupancy in 1961 and from Iraqi invasion in 1991), the whole of Kuwait Oil Company community in Ahmadi becomes alive with perhaps the grandest of lights that one can see. Even during the Christmas season, the Catholic Church in Ahmadi is lit up magnificently. During ordinary days, Ahmadi streets can sometimes be dreary and provincial but during the months of December to March, walking through the streets in Ahmadi is like walking in Wonderland with white tiny lights draped from the tall trees, colored lights figured into different artistic shapes, and lamp posts hanged with Kuwaiti flags. Very festive and the efforts that went into designing the lights are truly admirable.