Hey Azlul...

Let it be known that I was known as Azlul all throughout my primary and the early part of my secondary school years. Whenever my friends call home, "Hello? Can I speak to Azlul, please?". The standard reply would be,"Azlul yang mana?" There are 7 of us siblings and we all have Azlul as our first name. It is all rather romantic, really - Azlul is the combinaton of my mom and my dad's names - AZizah + zaghLoL. So, the result were ; Azlul Azimah, Azlul Adilah, Azlul Kalilah, Azlul Shkib Arslan, Azlul Wadzihah, Azlul Malihah and Azlul Syakirah Uyainah. It didn't help that the first three girls were one year apart from each other and we all went to the same school. There were a lot.... of confusion during those days...

The reason I brought the whole Azlul thing up is because my primary school friends are planning to have our 20th year reunion this year and we are in the process of gathering as many people from our batch as possible. A little brainstorming and teh tarik session was scheduled at 9pm in Hartamas. I was excited and anticipating the moment coz for most of us it has really been 20 years since we last saw each other. When they first saw me, "Hey Azlul.." were flying all over the place coz they really didn't know me by any other name. It's pretty weird and I kinda needed a little adjusting to. heh heh heh

Well, basically we catched up on things and tried to recall as many names as we could for the reunion. (Most popular names were: H'ng Tien Yao (the most good-looking guy in SSP), Sarah Louise Merbeck, Yasmin Haron, Imran Yaakob, Ahmad Faiz Hashim, Syazrina Sabri..) 9 of us turned up for the meet up and those present were: Aida (one of my best buddies in school, now a lawyer), Nadia(the school babe, now studying in Melbourne), Wan Intan (helps out his hubby's company doing PR work), Johan Arif & gf (he says he is a farmer? - long hair now, looking very macho), Idham (composer, musicy kinda line- still looks like he used to look in Std 6), Rizal Shafie (tight with Idham - sings, the images I have of him before and after just does not jive!), Razlee (I forgot what he's into), Suhazi Reza(Maybank Assurance, was it?) and of course, yours truly. It is really amazing really, some of the people did not change a bit -- exactly like I remembered them 20 years ago and some had really really transformed. More matured, or even changed totally physically. But in some weird way, they didn't change at all. I could still see the Std 6 version of themselves in them. Freaky, eh? Eddie and Jo were telling me that I was a damn strict prefect. Lambat satu minit pun kena ambik nama. Really? I can't for the life of me remember doing that but I can somehow believe that I did. heh heh heh.It doesn't seem like we've left school for 20 years. I can even remember how to sing our school song, damn it!

Sekolah Sri Petaling 

Satukan berbagai bangsa 

Tenaganya digembeling 

Berusahalah untuk nusa 

Wahai murid sekelian 

Bergerak maju sekata 

Agar tercapai impian 

Bergunalah untuk nusa 

Hidup berjasa cogannya 

Mengikut fikiran baru 

Sopan santun pekertinya 

Hasilan usaha guru 

See, told you I still remember it. I have to get these people in the loop; Rizal & Reza Zin, Faiz Hashim, Sarafina, Azamuddin.. Sapa lagi, ek? Lim Shen Yang, R. Murali, Chen Pui Yin, Elissa Soon; where are you guys? Some are already in the loop , eg Nasriah, Rohaila, Suriati, Sadiq, Ida Mariani and Azida. So, we have quite a number within our radar already. 

Well, our next course of action is to set up a yahoo-group and get as many people roped in as possible. Maybe even have a big thingy on nearing the end of the year. (ala-ala prom, gitu..)So, those of you who know of any SSP kids Batch 87, kindly get in touch with Idham aka Eddie or me. We'll get you hooked, ok?

-dillz blogging out-

HatiYoga

Just wanted to share this with you guys. This girl is 25 years of age and is turning her dreams into a reality. I just discovered her last night whilst bloghopping, and I was taken with what she has accomplished in such a short time. The sheer determination and hard work. I am really impressed!

(Picture from: http://theyogainstructordiaries.blogspot.com/)

She's one of the 8 finalists of the new season of Nescafe Kickstart which airs today. Her name is Ninie and she wants to publish the first Yoga magazine in Malaysia. It's called HatiYoga. How great is that, to do what you love doing most day in and day out... You can read more about her journey at The Yoga Instructor Diaries and YOGA ; Through My Eyes, Beneath My Breath, Beyond My Soul.

I also found out that she also went to STF and later UNITEN. Had asthma when she was 13 and yoga changed her life. What a feaky coincidence, eh? The STF, UNITEN and asthma part... I guess I'll have to give this yoga thing a try. In the mean time, do buy the magazine when it is out in the stores this March, 1st - it comes wih a free VCD too!

... and don't forget to vote for her in Nescafe Kickstart!

-dillz blogging out-

Dah Kena Buang Sekolah Ke?

My hubby got a call from his batchmate in RMC the other day, who happens to send his daughter to the same playgroup as my kids.

Old friend: "Your son dah kena buang sekolah ke?"

Hubby: "What?"

Old friend: "My wife has not seen him around lately. Dia dah kena buang sekolah ke?"

hah hah hah

(Disclaimer: I don't really know how the actual conversation took place. But I think this pretty much sums it)

We just prolonged their holidays and they have missed two whole days of school after the CNY break. How fast malicious rumour goes around these days...

Imagine if Khaleeq really got kicked out for biting other kids. Sedih nya...

-dillz blogging out-

Tabung 50 Sen

My kids just love to go on those coin(B, happy?) operated rides. A plane, a train, a motorbike, a truck, or even a famous character from TV. They are not that choosy. You know, those normal variety you could find on the corridors of any good shopping malls. Their personal favourite, however, are the rides that line up the entrance of the 24hour Drive-In A&W Restaurant in Jalan Timur, Petaling Jaya. Just look at that happy face, how can you deny that?

Benefits of going on these rides?

1. Good quality family time.

2. Happy kids.

3. Equals to happy parents.

4. Plus, I get to eat the Mozza Burger /& Coney Dog with the slurpy large Root Beer Float.

However, we need the 50 Sen coins in order to operate the darn things. Lots and lots and lots of it if you want them to be less cranky when it is time to go home. So, I am officially launching the Tabung 50 Sen in order to reap the said benefits.

If you do see me around, just hand me those 50 Sen coins, will you?

-dillz blogging out-

HP 7

The pre-order is opened for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. At least at mph, it is. The 7th and the final installment of the scarred orphan wizard and his friends' adventures is due to be released in your favourite bookstore on the 21st of July 2007.

I have all 6, from the very first HP & the Philosopher's Stone, all the way to HP & the Half-Blood Prince. Read each one of them from cover to cover. I wept and I laughed. I spent some sleepless nights trying to finish them coz I couldn't bear to let it down. I even told the story to my sisters coz they are just too lazy to read them before going to the movies.

It's the last book, someone IMPORTANT is gonna die...

Go! Go to the nearest bookstore and pre-order them today! I have..

-dillz blogging out-

CNY Outings

What a long weekend and what a nice little holiday we all had. Complete with girls' outing, kids' outing, tahlil and shopping, sleeping, shopping... We started the holidays with a little girls' outing - comprising of ibu, ZZ, me, Ki and little baby Heleyna.

Went to IKEA and the Curve. Can I just say that I love IKEA -- for the stuff that they sell, and even more so for the comfortable and clean surau (plus tahi lalat-free telekung), great canteen (in love with the Dime cake slice) and they even had this little secluded place called Baby Oasis for breastfeeding whilst we sip our free Friends cappucino. They just think of everything... On top of that, they have that free playland for mommies and daddies to dump the kids for a hassle free shopping experience. Did I mention their RM1 humongous currypuff and soft ice-cream? Just heavenly...

Went over to the Curve for dinner and decided on Paddington's House of Pancakes because Ki kempunan. Had our American pancake with ice cream, banana & honeycomb; topped with maple syrup and it was rather nice. But I felt like I needed something Asian for dinner , so we headed for Delima in Kota Damansara to finish off our dinner. Going off without the kids but with baby Heleyna in tow made me realize a few things:

1. I enjoy where I am right now.

2. My kids are at the age where they are pretty easy to handle and we can go out without the maid tagging along.

3. I am not ready to add on to our immediate family at the moment.

4. Maybe in 2008, eh? And 2009?

Next day, we wanted to take the kids out to vent out their energy. So, off we went to Kids Zone in Damas. Kids had loads of fun. Not much of supervision needed coz they were pretty familiar with the whole setup. Eventhough there was just one measly slide in the whole place, they had a few canons to shoot soft balls from which were rather cool. They also had a section where there were loads of National-Science-Museum kinda exhibits with gadgets, air and hovering soft balls.

Had dinner at Mak Anjang's for a special menu - Ikan Patin goreng, masak lemak and masak tempoyak. Courtesy of the 14 ikan patins dad got from Temerloh. Of course, we also had the compulsory tahlil to go along with it. ;) After dinner, Nazz came out with a surprise Secret Recipe cake for ZZ's birthday. Sweet, innit? Dah tua-tua pun ada surprise lagi...

Happy 33rd birthday, ZZ. May you have many many more to come..

-dillz blogging out-

Weekend Movies

We are big movie buffs, my hubby and I. Eversince our college days. There was this one time, we watched three movies in a row. Strategically picked to allow for solat and munching breaks. Marathon, gitu...

However, with all the stuff that's going on in the home front, it's been quite a while since we last went to the movies. And in the spirit of the holidays, we went for two this weekend.

Ghost Rider:
Midnight show -- very tired. I slept half-way through the movie. What more can I say... Never read the comic version so I can't really appreciate it. Plus, burning skull in a leather jacket fighting evil spirits -- I really don't get it lah.. Not worth the RM10 I spent. If you fancy big bad bikes and jumping over fire, this one is for you..

 Music and Lyric:

This one, on the other hand, I really got! Loved the movie. loved, loved,loved it! Plus the fact there were only 3 of us (me, hubby and Ki) in the whole freaking theatre. Macam private screening pulak... So, please do go and watch it.. I'm not gonna tell you what happened and spoil the cinema experience for you.

Azrul was saying, there are the different genre of films and then there's two more -- Adam Sandler's genre and Hugh Grant's genre. No one else can do it like they do. And I totally agree. The movie is such a feel good one, it reminds me of Two Weeks' Notice. (I so loved that movie) There's something about Hugh Grant's one-liner that is really charming and witty, and sooo sexy. Nasib baik aku dah kawin... heh heh heh

-dillz blogging out-

Gong Xi Fa Cai!!

Gong Xi Fa Cai from the Azrul family!!

A start of a very long weekend holiday. Anyone going off anywhere? I am sure the main highways will be jammed pack with people going back to their kampungs and holidaying families. We are staying put this time round. A lot of catching up to do -- of sleep, of rest, of DVD watching, of TV series marathons.. 

The two cards were Khadra's and Khaleeq's hard work and labour from school. For the Chinese New Year, they even got RM2 each from their teacher.. How sweet... I'll be sure to put that aside for their Tabung Haji account. The cards are already proudly exhibited in my little cubicle.

Have a good holiday/rest, everyone..

-dillz blogging out-

Fetch!

It's a little pathetic I know, but it is just too cute not to share it with you guys.

I think they picked it up from the idiot-box. You know, people playing fetch with their dog in the park.. I am in awe with their imagination, their creativity, their role-playing abilities, their play ethics - taking turns and all that as well as their perseverance - doing it over and over and over again...

Please do have a look. You are missing a very good laugh, I promise you..

Khadra and Khaleeq Playing FETCH!

(Thanks Ki for the upload)

-dillz blogging out-

It's a HE, Not a SHE!

People around me have been giving comments that Khaleeq looks a tad like a girl.

The other day we went over to a kid's playgym where they had all the giant slides and soft-ball canons. The playgym assistant had to fix the admission tag around the kids' wrist and called out to Khadra:

"Could you get your sister to come over here.."

Right, OK. "Excuse me, it's a HE, Not a SHE!" I retorted.

During Khaleeq's first day of school, one of the new parents approached me as Khaleeq, in his blue apron, was playing with the playhouse and slides,

"How old is she?"

"It's a HE, Not a SHE!", I replied with a smirk.

So, OK. I geddit. I'll get him a haircut. The hairstyle he has now is basically the courtesy of my mom. She simply got so sick of Khaleeq's fringes poking his eyes, that she just cut them off in a straight line, ala China doll.

So, yes, I shall do something about that. I'll fix him up real nice and won't let his gender be a question ever. Hence, merrily, I took Khaleeq to the Lucky Star barber shop in Lucky Garden for a good old fashion mamak cut. 

The result?

It's a HE, Not a SHE, right? I thought so. :) But he does look a little nakal now, don't you think?

-dillz blogging out-

Cutlery Tree

My cutlery tree is growing. Macam mulberry tree lak bunyinya.. The growth rate depends on how many take-outs I get from the various stalls downstairs. Nasi lemak, nasi goreng, nasi campur, soto... Anything that requires the use of fork and spoon to consume, really..

After 2 weeks in my new place, I am glad to note that I have 8 pieces of cutleries in my collection. I can now invite 3 friends to come over for tapau lunch.. heh heh heh

-dillz blogging out-

Ewa's Wedding Pix

Back.. By popular demand..

I thought I'd be clever and use Picasa to create these collages. Baru belajar... Do excuse me..

Here's a little preview on the preparation done for the events. Notice the nephews and nieces helping out as well? So sweet, right? The artist drawing the henna on the bride's hands and feet is none other than me. :) (also the non-brides..)

Next collage is the engagement.

Clockwise:

The makeup artist is our very own cousin, Eno a.k.a. Shira. He did a pretty good job, I think. In fact he also touched up all the bride wannabes as well. :)

Ibu and Aunty Salimah posing with the bride to-be.

The SLIMREDs (minus Raff who is taking her exams)

The Zaghlol ladies (I am the only one not wearing turqoise :)~~)

The Akad nikah collage.

I think this collage captures the event pretty well. Siap ada CCTV tu.. (Why oh why do I look so pregnant?)

The day after.

This particular collage is a collection of pix taken during the cake cutting event the next day. Aunty Salimah and Uncle Mirza's family came over especially for the impromptu event. Background pix is of Ema and Kira posing in front of the roses. Pretty neat!

I hope this is enough to shut Amy and Nadya up.

-dillz blogging out-

Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat

GAMARJOBAT - What does it mean, really? According to Ketch & Hiro-pon, it means everything and nothing.

After reading rave reviews from Afdlin's blog last year, we were very pleased to find out that they have returned to this side of the shore yet again for another round of laughs. We were contemplating very hard whether or not to watch the show seeing that the ticket is priced at some RM60 a pop. As luck would have it, I was at Starbucks one fine day and read a brochure that said:

With a receipt of any amount from Starbucks, get a second ticket to watch Gamarjobat for free.

I called up hubby at once and we bought 2 tickets and got 2 free ones. We invited my two (then-single) sisters to watch it with us.

After seeing the show, I had to agree. It really was very very good. The two mohawk mimes really used the audience and had such great stage presence. It really proves that you don't have to say anything to be funny. They really raised miming to a whole new level. Not your typical black-and-white tuxedo wearing, white faced person being stuck in a box kind of mime.

The whole show actually consists of 2 mini shows. The first part is when they warm the audience up, putting everyone in the mood. I loved the fact that they actually took what was happening around them, in the hall, and incorporated them into the show, might I add, quite effortlessly. For instance, the audience who came in late -- Aaahhhhh .. Bad mistake.... ;) (Note to self: Don't be late if we watch them again next year!)

The second part was a long sketch about The Boxer. There were several characters in the sketch: the boxer, the old coach, the girlfriend, the opponents ; but they were all played by the dynamic duo. I was most impressed by their body movements, especially when they did the slo-mo actions. Every muscle was orchestrated and performed to perfection! Best part is, we got to eat after the show. The grubs were very tasty. Oh yes, they also autographed our posters and I'd also like to point out that we were first in line! ;)

Verdict: Very entertaining and very very funny.

I just couldn't get over the fact that one of them really really looks like Kalai...

-dillz blogging out-

My Biting Baby

Khaleeq went on a biting binge last week and I got called in by the principal. I think it is normal for kids his age to bite - they are in a phase, right? Aahh.. but hold your horses... He bit three victims in a day! 3 -THREE - TIGA!! That must be some kind of record in his playgroup.

My action plan? Number ONE: Call the parents of victim and apologize profusely. Number TWO: Get over to the playgroup and try to work out what to do with the teachers. Number THREE: Implement it at home.

I was instructed to put Khaleeq on time-out whenever he bites again. Just put him on a chair, away from the TV, toys and anything that he likes. Tell him that it is not a nice thing to do, it is not acceptable and he should not be doing it. Leave him there. If he decided to jump off the chair, put him back on again until his punishment time is up.

The next night, he tried to bite Khadra at home. So, I tried the time out thing. He was crying and wailing and covering his face with his hands and later putting his hands out begging to let him off the chair. I stuck my grounds even though it was pretty hard seeing that he looked so cute and adorable doing it. He knew that he was being punished and he didn't like it one bit. When time was up, I motioned him to come over to where I was. He literally jumped out of the chair, running to me. I hugged him and told him not to do it anymore, that it hurts and it is not an acceptable behaviour. He finished crying, gave me a little kiss and resumed doing whatever he was doing prior to time out. For the rest of the week, he was civil. No casualties at school. He even got a star for helping to clean up after play. :)

We were at Pondok Azlul last weekend and Khaleeq got three time outs. One for knocking his aunty and cousin with a maracas on the head, one for biting Teyta and one for slipping out of the house through the grills. He responded to the time out well the first two times. Come the third time out, he didn't seem to mind it at all. He was busy exploring the chair he was on, talking to himself (probably reenacting the incident before the time out, justifying why he shouldn't be there?), checking out the cuts he has on his feet, just possibly soaking up the undivided attention his dad and I was giving him at that moment. Tak boleh jadi, ni... So, we opened the door so that he had a little view of the happennings outside, make him realize what he was missing. Then, the wailing starts.. Hah, baru tau... Waited another 2 minutes before I beckoned him over.

The week started without incident and today, the dreaded sms from his teacher arrived.

Sorry to inform you, he did it again.. On Ella's shoulder, during lining up time.. He was standing behind her..

Aaahh... here we go again...

-dillz blogging out-

My Sissy's a Missus!

Meet Ewa. Ewa is 23 years old. She is Azlul No 5. She is my sissy. And she is also Missus Eski. No, that was not a typo. She does not miss us and Eski, she is literally Mrs. Eski. They have been bf-gf since 3.3.2002 (I know coz that's her desktop password.. heh heh heh) They got married on 2.2.2007 and flew off to Melbourne on 10.2.2007 to start their Masters programme. Ewa will be doing Masters in Business (specializing in Event Management) and Eski is pursuing Creative Media. And we miss them terribly already. (Yes, Ema, we miss you too.. :)~~ )

The wedding was carried out after only 12 days of planning. I am so glad that it went smoothly, considering that we did not have a lot of time to play with. But, everybody chipped in, doing their bit to make it happen - mom, dad, sissys, brother, ILs, aunties, uncles, cousins, friends, nieces and nephews... Each and everyone had their role to play. The nights prior to the event saw Pondok Azlul filled with relatives helping out with the needful. Some people were following my mom's orders, lifting and moving the furnitures; some were getting the curtains sorted; there was a production line of getting the cupcake container ready - cut the ribbons to 21cm length (my task), stick on the Ewa & Eski sticker (Eski's job -- see, groom also have to do work!) and finally paste the ribbon around the container for the glamour look. (tasked to ZZ, Kira, Ewa, Feizy, Tilong, Tingah...) Some were just sitting on the lazyboy, watching golf/tennis 'overseeing' the whole preparation. (read: my encik ;))

The dias and the room and the makeup was thanks to our cousin Eno and his assistant. He even brought a whole troop of friends over to complete the deco at the entrance of the house. I loved the dias the most coz we had real grapes hanging from it. At the end of the event, people were literally picking it off the pelamin and eating it! Ala-ala kat vineyard, gitu..

The event was supposed to be a small one, in view that it was an engagement party in the evening and the akad nikah at night. No big reception was scheduled. Despite the quota imposed on us, I think it was rather meriah. We even had themes, you know? Evening event - turquoise, bluey, green. Night event - brown (my Raya theme last year) , creme or gold. Even my very very few invitees came in the shades mentioned. (except Lily) 

So, alhamdulillah.. Everything went extremely well and I now have a new brother-in-law. I wish them well, lots of joy, happiness and patience. I have all the confidence in Eski to take good care of Ewa in Melbourne. Remember kids, marriage needs a whole lot of work. Just don't forget to study as well!!!

-dillz blogging out-

Dubai ... DO BUY... (Part TWO)

...

The next day we went off to Abu Dhabi which is only about 1 hour away to have a look around. Radhi is actually based in Abu Dhabi, so he wanted to show off his 'hood, lah.. We went to his nice one-bedded service apartment to freshen up before heading off to sightsee. Went to see the largest mosque in the world which is still under construction, to a nice spot by the waters where we could see the Abu Dhabi skyline and then off to a mall.. (again..) We went to Marina Park or something and the shopping was somewhat forgettable. Nothing like Dubai 'coz Abu Dhabi was not on sale la.. Just the measly year end sale... :( We also visited this place which suspiciosly look a lot like Putrajaya. Truth be told, it kinda reminded me of Naboo.

We had to rush back to Dubai to send off ZZ and Nazz. The night we spent at Burjuman, another mall in Dubai. This one is slightly more upmarket and you can tell from the restrooms. There's a sink, complete with mirror in every loo, okay? There were also street performances and free kids' activities such as face painting in the mall. I went to Saks Fifth Avenue (I jakun, sorry..) , bought a little bit of Patchi (yummy-licious!), had dinner and went back to the hotel.

The next day, we went to the Mall of Emirates again so that I could finish my shopping and Azrul took the opportunity to meet up some contacts in Dubai -- entrepreneur, kata.. kenalah widen the network.. :) We wanted to ski initially, but there was that slight constraint of time. Tak jadi lah.. First, a meet-up with an Old Putra at Starbucks - wi-fi charged at AED15/hr and the coffee is almost double the price here. Had dinner at Chili's with another contact where everything was so darn salty and the portion was rather huge. Then, on to another meet-up with other Malaysians in the Emirates at a place where you could get 'teh tarik' near Lamcy. By the time we were through, I was so darn tired that I slept all the way back to Abu Dhabi. We spent the night in Radhi's house FOC. Had a very good night's sleep. ZZZZzzzzzz....

On our way back to Dubai the next day, we detoured to the Abu Dhabi Golf Club to get some golf merchandise for encik and Abg Amran. After ripping the pro-shop bare, Azrul and Radhi came out looking satisfied as they are now proud owners of ADGC cowboy hat / detachable rain-jacket type thing / cap. (delete where applicable) Now, on to another meeting with more contacts at Lamcy Plaza (which reminds me a little of Wisma Campbell). After lunch, we went over to the nice Old Putra's house near the airport for some roti jala. So Sweet... We boarded the plane to KL at about 8pm and slept most of the journey home... More ZZZZzzzzzz....

One thing that I noticed during the trip here is that the two emirates are kinda like competing with each other - who's got better buildings (Burj this, that and the other) , better road (Abu Dhabi's roads are slightly wider than Dubai's), who's got more bulbs on their streetlight ( Abu Dhabi's got 4 while Dubai has 2 - serious!), who's got a better airline (Emirates vs. Etihad Airways)? It seems like neverending sibling rivalry. It is pretty obvious that Dubai is the more adventurous one, and Abu Dhabi is closing in very closely.. I was told that these two emirates are the more dominant ones amongst the 7. Abu Dhabi is the richest followed by Dubai. However, Dubai's oil resources will be gone pretty soon, so they have to think of more creative ways to survive later. I guess that is why they are on a 'construction binge' at the moment. There are so many cranes here, I swear I'd be pretty rich if I had RM100 for every one that I see.

The other thing that I love about Dubai is that it seems like anything that you can dream can actually happen. It's like giving a kid a blank piece of paper and asking him to draw anything that he can imagine and they can turn it into reality.
Case in point? How about these? The Palm in Jebel Ali and Deira as well as the World. Aren't they just amazing?? I think we got a glimpse of The World when we touched down earlier on.. :)

The other striking thing is the buildings. The whole stretch of Sheikh Zayed Road is filled with majestic looking skyscrapers; each one unique and photo-worthy. Imagine Menara KL, Menara TM and Petronas Twin Towers all on the same stretch of road. I especially like the Dusit Dubai, Burj al-Arab and the upcoming Burj Dubai that is in construction right now and is already completed up to the 100th floor - they won't say when they are gonna stop but it is rumoured to challenge the Taipei 101.

I also loved the Souk Medinat Jumeira which is essentially a very expensive market. :) The interior reminds me of the scenes from Ali Baba Bujang Lapuk - I keep on trying to find the door with an 'X' marked on it. ;) Best part is, we found a photo spot that captures Burj al-Arab in the background! Pretty cool indeed...

And, what is it about the Emiratis and raffles? There are raffles in all shopping malls offering cars (not the kodi ones, mind you - Lexus, Audi..) in conjuction with the Dubai Shopping Festival. I think the most outrageous one gives out a Jaguar for every apartment bought in an upscale development with the chance to win a private jet in the raffles. Giller, apa?

Told you the trip was magical. Can't wait to get back to Dubai...

-dillz blogging out-

**updated with pictures (Happy now, Amy? )