Saturday, January 2, 2010

New Year At The Pearl

Tiramisu Cake

I hope you all had a wonderful New Year's Day.

Before the clock struck to 12 midnight, my family offered a Thanksgiving Prayer  for the passing of wonderful 365 days in our lives, the abundant blessings that we have received from the Lord, the family challenges that we were able to overcome through patience and faith, virtues which have drawn us closer making us One With Each Other (OWEA) and One With God (OWG).

For our New Year's Eve Dinner, we had our traditional Pasta Carbonara, Chicken Cordon Bleu which I personally prepared, while my wife cooked Beef Caldereta and Macaroni Salad, while my children bought Tiramisu cake from Opera Cake House.

Despite the absence of fireworks display and confetti, welcoming 2010 was the best New Year celebration that my family have, as we share dinner and a bottle of Asti Champagne with our 2 OFW kababayans guests who experienced their first taste of New Year celebration outside the Philippines.

Nothing beats the outdoors especially the winter season. This New Year's like most, a stroll in the park is our family event that begins at 4:00 pm, this time we headed to The Pearl-Qatar;  a Riviera-style man-made island developed in an exclusive environment in Doha,Qatar and the Middle East's most glamorous address.

We take a tour on the Porto Arabia, the home to The Pearl-Qatar's main harbor. The Island’s first phase was set around a colorful waterfront, a lively 2.5 kilometer pedestrianized concourse lined with fine shopping and dining, its architecture inspired by the best French, Italian and Spanish architecture.

It was fantastic, its a very nice to have a place like this to go walking, an experience of cosmopolitan atmosphere as we walk to the boardwalk filled with coffee shops, it's really fun, as it is shown in our faces, join us as we tour the island.

Harbor's View

A Cosmopolitan Flair

 
Gift boxes to be unwrapped


 

Coffee Break



My wife's favorite Ferrari


We have agreed on this ONE

 
Super Models Mode


Harbor at night

11 comments:

  1. lovely photos...fine outdoors with your loveones is the best thing you can both do...specially sa holidays

    kepp it up...

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  2. so sweet... your family looks great and happy!
    God Bless!

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  3. Yan ang kagandahan pag ang isang bansa ay malawak ang pananaw kahit ang relihiyon ng nakakarami ay maituturing na konserbatibo sa ating pananaw. Makakagala ka ng matiwasay at walang pag-aalinlangan at higit sa lahat naiintindihan nila at nirerespeto ang paniwala ng iba.

    Manigong bagong taon sa iyo at pamilya mo, Pope.

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  4. You family has always been that happy..A true picture of decent and God-loving family..Happy new year to you and to your family, pope!

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  5. the ferrari car is so beautiful and the pictures are soo good..anyway..happy new year po..and may God bless you and your family more this 2010..^__^

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  6. ang sweet naman!! nabili nyo ba yun ferrari? hehehe so malamig din pala dyan pag winter?? ano ang weather diyan ng Feb to June?? Thanks for sharing Pope sana makapagpapicture din ang asawa ko sa lugar na yan pag napadpad na siya dyan? Nice family, buti na lang nagmana sa Nanay ang mga anak mo hahaha joke lang...actually combination ninyo sila...naks naman

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  7. A man named Finite awoke and found himself in a sinkhole full of quick sand. He was sinking very slowly and knew that he would meet certain death.

    A man came along who had holes in his hands. The man threw Finite a rope and told him to grab it and he would pull him to safety.

    Finite looked at the holes in the man's hands and said, “Your not real.” “It is not scientifically possible for a man to live who has holes in his hands.

    The man with the holes in his hands looked at the guy a little puzzled and said, “You are in a sinkhole and about to die. Your response to my help is to say I’m not real?”

    Finite said, “Well, I like how warm the sand is and I really don’t want to get out. Second, I know I am having an illusion because it is not possible for a man to have holes in his hands and still help me out.” Therefore, morally I like my plight and scientifically, you don’t exist being a mere projection of my mind.

    The man with the holes in his hands said, “Listen, I was sent here by my father to help people out so please let me help you! I will take you to my father’s mansion where you can enjoy life for eternity. Obviously, death was not able to hold me in the grave because the holes in my hands are proof that I overcame death. I now have the power to save you so grab the rope!”

    Finite put his fingers in the ears and said, “Now I know I am hearing things because there is no such thing as eternal life…Everyone dies so I am going to take my turn and just enjoy this warm sand until the end.”

    The man with the holes in his hand said, “If you won’t grab the rope, then I won’t be able to help you…please, please take the rope and I can pull you out. Have faith my friend.”

    A few moments later Finite sunk into the quick sand and out of sight. Finite was surprised that he did not die as expected. He just sat there surrounded by sand, unable to move, unable to breathe, unable to talk with his fingers in his ears. Finite tried to comfort himself by thinking, “I would rather stay here for eternity than believe that the man with the holes in His hand could help me. Faith in that mirage is irrational!!

    So Finite sat in the quicksand for eternity. Day in and day out for eternity Finite was always thinking about the man with the holes in his hands. He would comfort himself thinking, “It was better to not have faith than to believe something that didn’t make sense.”

    The man with the holes in His hands continued to call him for the rest of eternity; however, Finite could not hear his voice because he had plugged his ears.


    The Lesson

    If you are not with Christ, you will be thinking about Christ for eternity anyway... so have faith.

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  8. When we finally meet, George, I hope to taste your pasta carbonara and Mrs Pope's caldereta (siempre!).

    Nainggit ako sa yo. I stayed home on New Year's eve because it was drizzling here in Alkhobar. We had a simple dinner with my friends. I was laughing but I wasn't joyful. Ewan ko ba.

    But this I'm sure: 2010 will be better. (I am actually just conditioning myself that it will be...hehehe. It has got to be!).

    Happy New Year George and Happy Three Kings!

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  9. @ Me

    Thank you so much for dropping by, wishing you a blessed weekend.

    @ Bhing

    Happy New Year, when is your next vation to Phils?

    @ BlogusVox

    Happy New Year!!!

    Tama ka, sa kabila ng konserbatibong pananaw ng Qatar hatid ng kanilang relihiyon ay kanilang binuksan ang kanilang bansa tungo sa progresibong pagpapalawig ng kanilang mga kalakalan, mga iba't ibang inprastraktura sa pagbibigay serbisyo sa mamamayan at expats at paggalang sa karapatang pantao ng lahat ng uri ng mamamayan.

    Nagpapasalamat kami dahil sa respetong ibinibigay ng Emir sa iba't ibang relihiyon ng mga banayga lalo pa't sa Qatar matatagpuan ang pinakabago at pinakamalaking simbahan ng Kristyano at Katoliko sa Gitnang Silangan.

    @ Ruph

    Thank you for your positive thoughts, God bless you.

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  10. @ ♥superjaid♥

    It's really a beautiful car and too expensive, that red one cost almost 18 Million pesos plus Duties and Taxes kung sa Pinas mo bibilhin.

    A blessed weekend to you,

    @ Sardonyx

    Naku it was labeled 'SOLD', sino kaya ang may P19 Million pesos. Yes malamig dito until February. Then it's spring on March till May. Summer starts on June until October.

    Yung son ko, his lookS are from my wife, kulay lang minana sa akin hahaha. Yung daughter ko ang may strong resemblence sa akin except the eyes which is from my wife too.

    @ ZDENNY

    Thank you so much for sharing a very inspiring story. A blessed New Year.

    @ isladenebz

    Yes I'll promise to prepare Carbonara for you plus the Caldereta from my wife.

    Laughing but wasn't joyful? Hmmm are missing someone special during the New Year celebration?

    Yes, I am optimistic too that New Tear is full of new hopes for all of us.

    Happy 3 Kings.

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  11. Ang ganda pala ng Doha! Wow!

    A family that strolls together, stays together.

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