Visiting Colourful Brighton Part II
Good day beautiful readers and as promised, here is part II of my Brighton Chronicles. Today I will be focusing on the art and graffiti culture of Brighton. Art, murals, and graffitis is a topic I do love so much as I am a collector of murals and graffiti photos. It is one of the things I look for when I travel and I have heaps of photo galleries dedicated for them.
Brighton is teeming with art. One of the reason for that is it's relaxed lovely seaside atmosphere and its free thinking and inclusive culture. Another reason would be the presence of two popular universities, the University of Sussex and the University of Brighton, both with great art program. It is also home to the Brighton Institute of Modern Music, as well as, a lot of foreign language schools which brings in more diversity. These and a few other reasons, draw more creative workers and businesses to the city.
So let's jump on to the artworks that caught my eye during my visits there. Please forgive me in advance, if some of them I cannot give a more in-depth description of, as I am not a very good map and also I usually just wander around places and find random things.
**The Prince Albert**
A couple of steps from Brighton train station, in Trafalgar Street, is the legendary pub called The Prince Albert. This pub used to be a three-storey town house erected in the late 1840s and was later on converted into a pub and music gig venue in the 1860s. This pub became really famous for its mural wall comprising of over 20 famous people, mostly of deceased musicians.
It is also known for its Banksy stencil artwork called "Kissing Coppers" depicting two British Policemen kissing. This art piece caused so much stir that the original was vandalised several times making the owner finally sell it for almost 600,000 $. To this day, a replica stands in its lieu. Bansky, is a very well known activist and provocative street artist all over the world, this piece sure measured up to public expectations .
**ALICE**
I stumbled across this massive mural whilst walking by the 17_grams coffee shop at Hanningtons Lane and I fell in love with it like a proper fan-girl. I grew up watching and reading Alice in The Wonderland by Lewis Carroll and this just brings back a lot of childhood memories. Apparently the famous author enjoyed spending summers in Brighton.
This beautiful work was created by an artist called Eelus.
**The Orangutans**
If you walk around Brighton you will see a lot of orangutan murals. These are done by artist, Amy Kelly-Miller for the International Animal Rescue in support to their feat to raise awareness of orangutan's diminishing numbers and loss of habitat. These murals are really a great way to advertise a cause as it is very eye catching and also adorable it really does pull the heart strings.
These murals are in the walls of Middle Street Primary School, which is a good spot as children tend to be curious creatures and also quite good promoters and advocate for nature and wildlife. It sparks environmental discussions in the classrooms and also at home.
There may be some orangutans I didn't catch but I hope these ones made you smile and also made you think of them more and the perilous situation they are in. And hopefully we can advocate for them too.
Unfortunately, I am rambling on too much again and have to end our little art tour. There are more amazing artworks to see in Brighton and hence I do encourage art lovers to visit this city. I truly hope you enjoyed this one as much as I enjoyed writing this. I may have a follow-up post as I realised my graffiti album is quite overflowing. 😂
Visiting Colourful Brighton Part I
Brighton is considered as England's most popular seaside resort which is part of East Sussex. It is located in the middle of the South Downs and the English Channel to the north and south. Brighton is considered both a coastal and a downland city as it has the best of both worlds.
When I first visited this fun and vibrant city, I really said to myself that if there was one place in the UK that I would really love to live in, it would be Brighton. I mean why not? It is bursting with art and colours, it has a lot of food places, the shopping is great, and it has a lovely sea side to boast too. That is why it is said to be the happiest place to live in the UK.
***The Royal Pavilion***
King George IV also dubbed as a royal party animal, loved Brighton so much back in the 18th Century that he built the Royal Pavilion or Brighton Pavilion there as his seaside retreat. This building is an architectural feat and reflects very much an Indo-Saracenic Style which was prevalent in India during the 19th Century and is quite uncommon in the UK. To this day, it now serves as a Museum and its gardens a public hang-out place where street performers showcase their art in the summer months.
***The Seaside***
Brighton beach is a very long stretched beach. It is bordered by pebbles and stones instead of sand, but it is not very painful to walk on as the stones are pretty smooth and none jagged. Lined alongside the beach are some cafes and food places for different food options.
To this day, you can see the ruined West Pier by the Brighton sea front. The West Pier was once a pleasure pier and was designed by E. Birch during the 1860s. This was built to encourage more tourism in the city. It was very popular at first but eventually lost its glory and got shut down. The sea then made it suffer it's wrath by making the structure decayed and unsafe for public. Thus its access to shore was removed in the 1990s. To make things worse, it caught fire in 2003. Efforts has been made to restore it but to no avail.
The seaside of Brighton is also home to the iconic British Airways i360 Observation Tower which stands 162 meters. And offers the best views of Brighton. Unfortunately going up that is bucket-listed for now.
By the seaside, you can also find: the small Brighton Fishing Museum established back in 1994; the Upside Down House; colourful beach sheds, and Edward VII Memorial.
These are just some of the things that makes Brighton an interesting place to visit. Next time I will write more about its art and graffiti culture as I am quite passionate about that topic and it would take me a while to curate my photos. I have inserted some of them here so you could appreciate how vibrant this city is. I hope you enjoyed this post.
Majestic Cliff and Coastal Walks of Guernsey Part II
Baonjour Readers! As promised, here is the second part of my post from last week about Guernsey's cliff and coastal walks. As I've noticed from my first post, a lot of you did not know where Guernsey was and I have now made it my life's mission to introduce this little place to the world. https://read.cash/@flapiz/majestic-cliff-and-coastal-walks-of-guernsey-part-i-d62499cb
Guernsey is the second largest of the British Channel Islands. It is located in the English Channel just off the coast of Normandy. This island is a British Crown Dependency. Meaning they are self governing but still owned by the British Crown. It is a bit difficult as they are not part of the United Kingdom but they are also not considered British overseas. Anyway let's jump right on to our list.
***1. Pleinmont Headland***
Pleinmont Headland is in the Southwest of Guernsey. From here you can see Hanois Lighthouse and Lihou island, as well as, the island of Jersey and the French coast on a clear day.
I have been to this place twice only as it is pretty far from where I live and mostly I require free transports from my friends to get around but I do love this place. My first visit here was to visit the Fairy Ring which is also known as Tables des Pions and also to visit the surrounding Fort Pezeries, which was a gun platform made during the 1680s.
In local folklore the site is linked with fairies, witches, and elves and as such that the Guerns call it the Fairy Ring. However, in reality it was used as a dugout picnic bench of sorts by island officials when inspecting roads and coastal defences up until the late 1830s. I prefer the first story. Fairies, witches, and elves it is!
My second visit to Pleinmont Headland was during the summer with a group of nurses for a proper trek. It was beautiful as the canolas up the hill was in full bloom and we ventured to a steeper walkway which lead us atop a high point to see a World War II German Naval observation tower and the beautiful Guernsey sea.
***2. Le Gouffre***
This magnificent rugged cliff side is a part of the National Trust of Guernsey and is approximately midway along the south coast cliff path. My friend Ermy and I visited it in the hope of a swim but it was a pretty long way down the sea and we were running out of sun so we settled for a sunset and a walk there instead.
Nonetheless the view of the setting sun was absolutely breathtaking and truly phenomenal. The blend of gold and red flecks of sun rays were very comforting to the soul.
We also get to see another World War II observation tower in the vicinity. In addition to that, we saw some daffodils and some horses too along with other fauna and floras.
Bottom line, these beautiful places aren't the only ones Guernsey has to offer. It is quite a tiny island but it is one little hidden paradise. It is abundant in both history and nature. And is definitely worth visiting at least once in a life time. I hope you enjoyed this article. À la perchoine.
Salted caramel cheesecake for me and banoffee cheesecake for Andrea at the Jerbourg Hotel.
We went for a long walk last weekend. Petit port is still unfortunately closed. Boyfriend was pretending to climb over the gate.
Yesterday was World Suicide Prevention Day. Found these crochet faces hanging around to promote awareness of it. Please reach out to a friend today. Cheers!
https://read.cash/@flapiz/world-suicide-prevention-day-the-world-needs-you-23aa2e05
World Suicide Prevention Day: The World Needs you
During our walk yesterday, we noticed these cute crochet pieces hanging on the branches of the trees by the sidewalks. They really pop out as they are very colourful and also very cute with their googly eyes and big smile. They have a little tag saying "Please Take Me x" along with some inspirational quotes and words of affirmations such as: you are worth it; the world needs you; and you matter. This is actually a joint initiative by the Samaritans and Guernsey MIND foundation in response to the Suicide Prevention Day, which was yesterday, 10th of September 2022. On the tag they also had their hotline numbers for people who may need someone to talk to or communicate with.
The Suicide Prevention Day was created back in 2003 as an awareness campaign to promote commitment and action to prevent suicides around the world. This was sphere-headed by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Federation for Mental Health.
There seems to be a lot of social stigma pertaining to suicide and most people would really rather avoid the topic rather than talk about it openly. Which should not be the case as it is a very big problem and only by talking about it can society combat it and resolve it. According to WHO statistics, there are 700,000 people who die every year because of suicide and even more so who attempts it. More so, it has been considered as the 4th leading cause of death for teenagers 15-19 years old. This makes it a very grave public health concern but it is actually very preventable through timely and evidenced base interventions.
First step in stopping suicide would be to identify the high risks groups. These are people who have: pre-existing mental health disorders, such as, alcoholism and depression; people undergoing life crisis may it be financial, relational, or chronic pain and illnesses. Furthermore, people experiencing abuse, violence, disaster, loss, and sense of isolation are also associated with suicidal thoughts. Suicide is also higher amongst minority groups that experiences discrimination.
Once we've identified these groups, WHO recommends that: we limit access to things that can be used as methods of suicide (fire arms, chemicals, etc.); interact with the media for responsible reporting of suicides; and foster socio-emotional life skills in adolescents. These are all good recommendations but to me, there are simpler ways to prevent suicides. And it doesn't have to be this grand. It could start by being a friend.
I feel like most of the times people fail to recognise the power of therapeutic communication and a listening ear. Most people who thinks of suicide feels hopeless and helpless and I think having an understanding friend will make a lot of difference for them. Talk to your friends, pay attention to their struggles. Help when you can. Encourage them. Let them know you are there for them. If you think they are really struggling and unreceptive to your support, then refer them to professionals.
So today, my lovely readers, please do me a favour will you? Check on a friend or a family member that you think is struggling and reach out to them. You might be the person that actually saves them. And if you need a friend, then please call a friend, or reach out to me. The world needs you.
Saturdate at Jerbourg. Such an amazing day. ❤️
https://read.cash/@flapiz/my-20000-steps-saturdate-8a7a14eb
My 20,000 Steps Saturdate!
I am taking a little break from my usual writing style today and write in a more laid back manner as it is a weekend and I do want to chill more on the weekends. Today I will just be writing about how my Saturday is going.
One thing I love about the weekend is the fact that my boyfriend is off work and we get to do more exciting things. It was a slow start for us as it took a while to wake up and drag ourselves out of bed. We had granola for breakfast, did the laundry, played some Mobile Legends as we are aiming to reach Mythic someday, and watched some an episode of "Better Call Saul" Then we had a shower and headed out for lunch at a little Italian Shop called Cafe Delizia. We had arancini and pane cunzato along with aragostine for dessert.
Then we set out for our mission to walk to Jerbourg as he has read my Guernsey article yesterday and he said he's never been there with me. It was supposed to be a 50 minutes walk but it actually took us an hour because of all the little side trips we took. We had a little nose around Sausmarez Manor but we retreated as there was a wedding function going on. We also had a nose around at an open field with cows. There were lots of interesting things along the way such as berries which I happily ate without washing, flowers, and honesty shops.
We poked around Petit Port beach, a neighbouring place from Jerbourg but sadly it was closed. Seems like there was a rock slide there and it is undergoing repair. Not to be disheartened, we continued on to Jerbourg and the first order of business was to have coffee and cakes at the Jerbourg Hotel before we further our walk as we've already taken 1 hour walk to get there. I ordered Salted caramel cheesecake with my coffee while Andre ordered Banoffee cheesecake. After having our refreshments we continued for the trek down to Jerbourg lighthouse and also Jerbourg sea access.
It was a long way down with proper steps , as well as, some rocky patches but it was fun. We saw a lot of different berries along the way. We also met a man who have just finished fishing. He was panting when we met him and he was heading up but he was so happy as he caught 2 good sized fishes. Unfortunately when we arrived near the lighthouse it was close to public access as the bridge to it had cracks. Still we saw some errant fishermen but we sticked to the rules.
We headed to the sea access instead to see the turbulent waves hitting the rocks so that Andre can explore it as he hasn't gone down there yet. Going down was hard, but going back up proved to be even harder. I was panting all the way but I am proud of myself I did it despite a not fully recovered sprained ankle.
We walked another hour back home and actually made 20,000 steps today. We said hello to the cows again as they were too cute. Then we made a pit stop at Iceland Groceries to buy some macaroons and chicken for dinner, which we absolutely enjoyed. And now we are just chilling while I'm writing this.
Today is a really happy day for me. What more is better to do than spend the day with the one you love. I hope you guys enjoyed the photos and until next time.
Boyfriend and I made some milk chocolate and walnut cookies yesterday. It was amazing and delicous!
Just finished my article about Guernsey cliff and coastal walks. This is just part one. To read more click on the link.
https://read.cash/@flapiz/majestic-cliff-and-coastal-walks-of-guernsey-part-i-d62499cb
Majestic Cliff and Coastal Walks of Guernsey Part I
"Baonjour" everyone! Nope, it's not a typo and I am not misspelling my French, it is actually the Guernsey way of saying good day originating from the Norman French. I am greeting you in Guernesiais as today we will be talking about one of the best highlights of Guernsey, it's majestic cliff sides and amazing sea views. So grab on your walking boots and prepared to be awed!
***1. Jerbourg Point***
Jerbourg Point, also known as the Jerbourg Peninsular, is considered as Guernsey's most Southeasterly point. On a nice day, you will be able to view Guernsey's neighbouring islands from here. Some highlights here are the Jerbourg Lighthouse and the massive German bunker built during the World War II since it is quite a strategic location.
It is a lot of ups and downs and the terrain can be a bit thorny depending on the season. But as a consolation prize, if you ever feel peckish you can have amazing cakes at Jerbourg Hotel nearby after your walk.
I was lucky enough to be able to wake up early once to see the sunrise here. It was magical! For me, that is the best time to visit. But if you are a stargazer then you might want to beg to differ. The night sky should be beautiful here too as Guernsey does not have a lot of light pollution thus making the stars more visible.
***2. Petit Port***
This one is a personal favourite of mine as its fine white sands remind me so much of my home, Bohol. Mostly, the beaches and seas here in the UK are comprised of pebbles and rocks and are a bit too painful to walk on.
This beach is accessible only through 270 steep steps from the above cliff and is definitely not a beach for the lazy! Because of the challenging access, this beach is most of the times empty which makes you feel like you own it.
***3. Moulin Huet***
Moulin Huet is part of the Parish of St. Martin and is known to have inspired fifteen of Renaissance painter, Peirre-AugusteRenoir's artworks. I mean why not? It's turquoise waters and rock formations are certainly remarkable!
My friend Ermy and I used to swim here a lot too because it is quite close to where we lived. But I don't really like the rocks as it is painful. To me this place is better to watch the tempest of the sea rather than to swim in.
There are so many more places to explore in Guernsey. I just couldn't write them all in a day! I'll write about them on my next posts. "À la perchoine" is a lovely saying in Guernsey-patois which means '**until next time**' or 'until we meet again'. Laters!
The Candie Gardens is one of my favourite hang out place in Guernsey and here is why.
https://read.cash/@flapiz/guernsey-candie-gardens-870a31d7
Guernsey Candie Gardens
Hello my lovely readers of the world, today I will be writing about one of my favourite hang-out places in Guernsey, Candie Gardens. These award-winning historical Victorian gardens were once part of a private estate called The Candie House but became open to the public since the 1890s. It is considered as a rare example of a late 19th century public flower garden.
The gardens has two levels being lower and higher. The Lower Gardens, which is my favourite part, is a home to a wide range of plant species from all over the world. It also has a little fish pond, as well as, the oldest known heated glass-houses in the British Isles which dates back to 1792.
The higher Gardens, on the other hand, highlights its lush green lawns and the spectacular panoramic view of St. Peter Port rooftops and harbour and Guernsey's neighbouring islands (Sark, Herm, and Jethou). It also has the iconic statue of the famous writer and politician Victor Hugo which was unveiled on 1914. A gift from the French government to Guernsey as gratitude for the Guerns for their generosity and hospitality towards Hugo during his exile in the island.
Queen Victoria's statue wearing Imperial regalia and carrying an orb and sceptre also stands at the top of the gardens, this statue was built in the 1900 to mark her Diamond Jubilee. This bronze statue was created by artist C.B. Birch and is an exact replica of those found in Aberdeen and on the Thames Embankment. Unfortunately I couldn't find any of her pictures on my gallery so you may just have to imagine this one. If you are feeling thirsty or peckish, there is Cafe Victoria in the garden grounds connected also to the art gallery where you can buy souvenirs and gifts and the little Guernsey Museum.
The reason why I liked this place so much is because of the peace and quiet it offers. Despite being just 5 minutes away from the busy town centre of St. Peter Port, it maintains its serenity thus allowing me to escape the reality and to be able to meditate and calm my mind. Furthermore, I have always been quite a flora and fauna enthusiast despite my allergic rhinitis. In addition to that, this place is quite memorable to me and my boyfriend as we spend a lot of our early dating days here. Lastly, it is free admission and is open 24/7!
That is it for today and I hope you enjoyed this place as much as I did. I'm sorry if I put too much photos as I had a hard time choosing which ones to post. Let me know what you think. See you in my next article! Cheers!
Tiny and prickly cactus in a leopard vase. I love it. Makes the leopard look like a rockstar.
3 London Icons You Must See. Please read along if you are interested.
https://read.cash/@flapiz/3-london-icons-you-must-visit-85d0a11c
3 London Icons You Must Visit!
Hello readers! Today is another exciting day and I would like you to hop on a trip with me. I am going to be showing you around some attractions in London, the capital of the UK! Let's go!
***1. Tower Bridge***
This bridge was built from 1886 to 1894. This iconic bridge is one of the world's most renowned bascule bridges. Bascule is a French term for see-saw as this bridge splits open in the middle to allow tall boats to pass through the stretch of Thames river. Tourists can pay to go to its higher level glass floor walkways which is 42 meters above the Thames. Unfortunately, we were not able to do that on our last visit because the queue was too much. Here are some photos from our visit there.
***2. Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster***
If you ever watched the 2005 film V for Vendetta you would love this place! This was the massive building that got blown up in that movie. "Big Ben" is actually the nickname of the Great Bell of the striking clock at the north end of the Westminster Palace. This neo-Gothic tower was designed by Augustus Pugin and was completed in 1859. This tower represents and symbolises UK and parliamentary democracy and has been a UNESCO world Heritage Site since the late 1980s.
When I first visited it on 2019 I was really upset as it was still under renovations and so I could not see the clock as it was covered. You know as a foreigner I have always associated this clock to the UK and dreamed of seeing it in real life. Thankfully the renovations was completed 2022 and I must admit, I was fan girling over it! Took heaps of Photos to make up for lost time!
***3. London Eye***
Did you know that this massive ferris wheel also goes by the name Millennium Wheel since it was opened to the public back in the year 2000 to help usher the new millennium? It is also considered as Europe's tallest cantilevered observation wheel. It is UK's most popular paid attraction. It stands at a towering height of 135 meters making it a good viewing point of London. This popular romantic dating icon was designed by a couple, namely husband-and-wife, Julia Barfield and David Marks. I am yet to ride this ferris wheel but even just passing by it is astounding specially at night.
To conclude this, I would say that despite the hardships of being an OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) and being away from family, getting to see what's out there and seeing other parts of the world is quite an incentive. Well it's almost midnight here. I'm afraid it's time to hop off the tour bus as I think I am oversharing again! Stay tune for the next bus trip. I hope you enjoyed this one.
I have just started a little memoir of my travel to Marrakech from 2 years ago. Here are the links if you are ever interested to read it.
Part 1
https://read.cash/@flapiz/things-to-do-in-marrakech-part-1-227f68d8
Part 2
https://read.cash/@flapiz/things-to-do-in-marrakech-part-2-a0662f65
Things To Do in Marrakech Part 2
So as promised, I am continuing my travel blog and recommendations on what you can do in Marrakech if you ever find yourself traveling there. Looking at my travel photos make me long to travel again and inspires me to write a lot that I did not even realise how long the first article has gotten. Let's get right on to my list.
***1. Visit Palais el Bahia***
The Bahia Palace was built on the 19th century under the orders of the Grand Vizier, Si Moussa, who was quite renowned for being a slave prior to rising to power and becoming the second most powerful man in the land. This Andalusian-Moorish inspired palace is one of the most beautiful attractions in the Ochre City. It gives you a Spanish vibe and yet also showcases distinctive arabesque features. Being an art lover, this palace was very much a feast to my eyes. It is filled with geometric and chromatic wonders.
***2. Explore El Badi Palace***
Surprise, surprise second on my list, another palace! El Badi Palace which translates roughly as the incomparable palace was constructed in the late 1570s by Sultan Ahmad al-Mansour to commemorate Moroccan victory against the Portuguese. This palace was 25 years in the making. Back in the days, it was a palace of grandeur with over 350 rooms lavishly decorated with turquoise, gold, and crystals. To this day, it is now considered as ruins as the next dynasty that preceded it, headed by Moulay Ismail, decided to strip it off of its glory to destroy al-Mansour's legacy. It took him decades to loot this palace to decorate his own palace at Meknes in the 17th century when he decided to move the capital of Morocco to Meknes instead of Marrakech.
Still if you are keen for a walk (as it is quite a massive place and entails a lot of walking), I would maintain that it is absolutely still worth seeing as traces of its grandeur and history still remains. There is also a little war museum in the place which did not allow photos so you would have to go there to see it for yourself.
3. Admire Koutoubia Mosque
I set out to visit Koutoubia Mosque but since I was Catholic, I wasn't allowed entry inside. Anyhow I had to settle for a walk around the outside perimeter of Marrakech's largest mosque which was built way back in the 1140s. In my Province back in the Philippines there are quite a few Muslim communities but their mosques are quite small as compared to this one so it did left me in awe. Here are some photos.
So which among the three mentioned architectural marvel is your favourite? Please let me know. And I do hope you enjoyed this article as much as I enjoyed making it. See you in the next one!
Angel's Trumpet or Brugmansia Suaveolens at 1 o'clock in the morning.
I just recently joined read cash. Here's my article about my visit to La Vallette Underground Military Museum.
https://read.cash/@flapiz/la-valette-undergound-military-museum-f16bead6
Dinner for tonight baked courgettes and pasta. I think I went mad with the cheese. I almost consumed the whole pack.
Things to Do in Marrakech Part 1
Two years ago, just before covid conquered the world, I made a spontaneous and brave decision to travel to Marrakech, Morocco on my own. I was recently heart broken then and let's just say I had a momentary loss of sanity and just went for it.
Why Marrakech you might ask? Well a simple answer would be because Morocco is one of those countries who welcome a Filipino passport without a lot of frets. Also, because I saw a university batch-mate posting about her recent travels there. Anyhow, my reason was pretty shallow but I figured Morocco, sounds exotic! Why not?! Down below I listed some fun things you can do if you ever feel like grabbing a passport and whisking away to Morocco.
***1. Get a Henna Tattoo***
Moroccans and other Berbers believe that henna tattoo are a sign of good luck so you will see a lot of henna tattoo places in Morocco. Getting a henna tattoo makes you feel like you are immersing into the Moroccan culture. Plus watching it get done in person is pretty mesmerising. Con: you may end up sitting there for a long time depending on the design you choose. A place I would recommend to get henna there is "Henna Cafe" which is known for its livelihood initiative for women in the community.
***2. Shop and Get Lost At Souks***
Souks are basically Arab markets or bazaars. If you love shopping and you know how to haggle you would love this place. Although it can be quite tricky to navigate. I had to use the app called "Here We Go" to get around it as unfortunately google maps does not work well in the Souks. Pro-tip avoid eye contact as every merchant will be fawning over you and will be persistently friendly in order to get your business. Another pro-tip, research the prices of the products you want to buy first as sometimes these sellers tend to overprice since they are used to people haggling. I bought my souvenirs at the souk. Their leather products are pretty impressive.
3. ***Visit Agafay Desert and Ride a Camel***
I'm not going to lie, this was the highlight of my entire trip. I actually went out of my way to rent a whole van for myself to get to the Agafay desert as I was a solo traveler. I remembered saying to myself, "I must ride a camel, no matter what". It was a long drive to Agafay but it was well worth it when I saw the camels. They even give you traditional desert costume to go along with your ride. I was very scared as the camel stood up. I have never been on one before and it was absolutely towering I felt like I was going to fall. I had a guide to accompany me on my camel ride but he does not speak english. He did offer to take a photo for me using gestures. To conclude my Agafay desert trip we were offered a meal in the desert with a campfire and a lamp it was quite an unforgettable experience.
I think this is getting a bit too lengthy now, so please expect for a part 2. I got lost a lot while travelling to Morocco, but in the end, I ended up finding myself and becoming whole again. It is amazing what an act of bravery can do to a person. That's all for now I hope you enjoyed this read and I hope it inspired you to travel and be brave.
Anticipation of Other People's Needs
In nursing school we were always taught about the importance of anticipating others' needs. It is such an indispensable value for a nurse to have as there are a lot of situations where it can come in handy. First, it helps us as we deal with people who may not be able to verbalise their needs well or effectively or who may display their needs in a different way. Second, it helps us make a medical procedure quicker by knowing the right sequence of events and what the doctor may need in an operation or an emergency. Thirdly, it helps us know what to expect on certain patient conditions and therefore prepare for possible emergencies.
Anticipation of needs should not only be limited to nursing. It is actually very useful in all aspects of human relations. It is rooted from our innate empathetic nature as human beings to be thoughtful and sensitive towards other people's needs. Some people are really great and natural at it while some actually need to work more on it understandably so as humans can be complex creatures and may have different needs.
Nonetheless, I believe we humans should nurture this skill and improve it. We can start doing so by paying more attention to what people close to us consider as vital, listening to what people say, and looking at the situation as a whole and watching out for non-verbal cues. A good example is helping your partner or parents with the household chore even before you get asked to do so. This bearing in mind, that these family members are probably juggling job and domestic work altogether and probably drowning in work. By helping them a little, you provide time for them to rest and also make them feel special and important. Another example could be as simple as preparing coffee for a friend or a colleague if you're pulling an all nighter. It takes less than 5 minutes and it goes a long way also boosts the morale.
Another way you can anticipate others needs is by remembering and keeping track of their preferences may it be in food, fashion, movies, etcetera. And making sure to incorporate these preferences in making decisions with regards to this person. For instance at a hospital I used to work in, I remember my boss asking my colleagues what I liked for my birthday and well everyone said I like fragrant things and on my birthday they gave me a lot of bath bombs and body butters. And I really appreciated and enjoyed it. It made me feel very special. In contrast, another of my previous employer gave a colleague who does not drink alcohol wine for her birthday. And well she was gracious about it but she never really used it.
In summary, anticipation of others' needs is vital in personal and professional human relationships as: it makes someone feel important, loved, and special; provide comfort to someone; alleviate someones burdens; improve morale and camaraderie; and foster a more friendly environment in general. But while doing so don't forget to also be considerate of your own personal needs. As you too are important and valued.
Yellow and purple. Such a strange combination. My eyes are quite confused if I liked it or not.
At the ladies pool in Guernsey. More people are coming out for a swim now so that they can make the
most of the remaining sun.
Stuffed Peppers Flo Edition
My prolonged visa processing has got me bored to the bones so my loving sister from back home was trying to cheer me up by tagging me recipes I could try from facebook. One recipe particularly inspired me. It was of colourful stuffed bell peppers. I cannot find the page anymore so I took the liberty of just winging the process and ending up with my own twist. I got help from my lovely sous chef, Andrea, because it is quite a lot of chopping.
Ingredients are as follows: 1 medium sized potato, 2 carrot sticks, 200 grams beef mince, 2 big vine tomatoes, 1/2 onion, 4 cloves garlic, pepper, salt, butter, soy sauce, 4 bell peppers, pecorino cheese, and parmigiano cheese. (If you can't find these cheeses you can substitute with cheddar or any local cheese).
Step 1: Dice the onion, garlic, carrots and potatoes into small cubes and mix it together with the minced meat.
Step 2: Add some salt and pepper in the mix along with a dash of soy sauce. And continue mixing it even more.
Step 3: Heat some butter on a pan and put the diced mixture in and sauté until beef changes colour. Once the beef is cooked, add in some parmigiano cheese. Continue cooking for another minute then allow to cool.
Step 4: Cut the top of the bell peppers so that there is a hole for the mixture to go into. In our case, we carved a hole in the pepper instead of cutting the whole head, as Andrea has gone rogue but so long as there is a hole you can do your way.
Step 5: Using a spoon fill the peppers with your sautéed mix. And on the top most slather it with pecorino cheese.
Step 6: Bake it in the oven for 20 minutes. And then serve it in a dish. Et Viola!
We are quite proud of how the meal turned out it was easy, beautiful, and truly enjoyable to eat. If you are trying to be healthier you can skip the butter and use olive oil instead. You can also experiment with other meats or even go meatless with it. I hope you enjoyed this recipe.
The Guernsey Donkey Wearing some pride costumes to join the festivity!
Remeo Gelato: N.4 Pistacchio Siciliano
Being the foodie that I am, I am always on the look out for good food and desserts and I must admit I fell in love with this tub of gelato. Wait a minute, before I proceed, what say is the difference between an ice cream and a gelato? Most people get confused with this. Well for starters, gelato is less fattier than ice cream, but both these desserts are actually packed with a lot of sugar. So always eat it in moderation. Texture-wise gelato is much silkier than ice cream. It is a bit denser too thus, making it more flavour-packed than the traditional ice cream. Ice cream's greater air content accounts for its soft and light texture. While its greater butterfat content accounts for its lesser flavour as butterfat delays flavour detection of the taste buds as it gets coated by fat. Lastly, although both are frozen treats, ice cream is known to be served colder than gelato. Anyway I could go on and on about this but all I really wanted to do was write an appreciation post for this lovely dessert.
This is N.4 Pistacchio Siciliano by Remeo. Made from Sicilian pistachios which are said to be the best in the world. I love anything with pistachios. If you want to be my friend give me a bag of pistachios and I will be your best friend forever (Haha). As you can see on the photo above, on top of the gelato is a sprinkle of these amazing nuts. So of course it was a guaranteed "yes" for my palate. These tubs are made from Italy and exported weekly to the UK to ensure its freshness. They claim to be gluten free for our gluten intolerant folks. Aside from its exuberant taste and surprising affordability, the plastic packaging that contains it is 100% made from recycled plastic so it made an effort to be environmentally friendly. I couldn't emphasise more how I love this dessert. If there was something I could change about it, it would only be to have more solid pistachios, not only on the top of the gelato, but also at its very centre.
So next time you go to the shops, have a look at the frozen sections and if you see this have a try!
Today is a nice clear day. Heading to climb Mt. Durand's most annoying steep road.
@flapiz
