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Starbucks Domicillo Design Hotel

"A cup of coffee shared with a friend is happiness tasted and time well spent." While there's a lot of Starbucks out there each offering the same coffee, as far as location and view are concerned, no one offers a view so panoramic, heavenly, dreamy and divine that is Starbucks Domicillo Hotel. Imagine sipping your favorite Chocolate Cream Chip Frappucino overlooking the ethereal Taal Volcano, how dope must that be? Today me and my friend decided to have a quick one-day-only getaway to escape stress in the nearby Tagaytay City. Adulting can be very tiring so we both needed to replenish before we get consumed by exhaustion. A friend of mine recommended this new Starbucks and upon seeing pictures online, I died. The superb view is something poets would draw inspiration! The exterior looks so mundane and quite appalling at some point. Inside is just another Starbucks with tables and chairs and couches and as go further, Taal is already waving at you and i...
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It's a Wrap | My 1 Year in Dubai in 12 Photos

  One year khalas! Khalas is an Arabic expression which means finish or something was finished or done and it can also be used to end a conversation or a particular thing like "I don't want t talk to you, khalas!" But wait, I want to talk to you. You get the idea, right? Yes, one year had passed and I'm trailing on my other year to finish my initial  2-year contract here in Dubai and most likely be going back home for vacation, or go home for good, or may not be able to finish the contract and find another job, I still don't know, to be honest. But hey, look at how times have gone by! I could still remember my first day here and couldn't help it but to look back at my past 12 months of stay here. A stay full of struggle, yearning, nostalgia, homesickness and all the negative emotions you can think of. On the other hand, the past 12 months were filled with amazing experiences and adventures I'll take back home with me and will forever be etched in my heart and memory. 


        Here are 12 pictures of my experiences here in Dubai. While pictures can tell tales, I'll tell you its story anyway.

Burj Khalifa
       As soon as I arrived in Dubai, this is perhaps the thing that I wanted to see first. And when I saw it, I knew I was indeed in Dubai. It is towering and it very impressive. And what could be more exciting than to take a selfie with the world's tallest tower!

Burj Al Arab
       Next to Burj Khalifa, this world's only 7-star hotel (though hotel ratings are only from 1-5) is so popular and I can't afford to miss it. With its aesthetic features and intricate design, this hotel had become an iconic landmark of the city. 

Desert Safari
         The whole of Dubai was once a vast and barren desert not until oil was discovered and urbanization took place. Desert Safari will teach you so much about Arabic culture and their lives in the past. Seeing and riding a camel for the first time means so much to me. Haha!

Global Village
       With replicas of some of the worlds famous landmarks, Global Village is a famous tourist attraction in the city which opens only during winter months. It looked like the whole wide world is compressed into a tiny space leaving every visitors in awe.

Dubai Marina
       While I'm about to swim on the beach, those 2 camels passed by and with the Dubai Marina in the background, I knew I wanted to take a photo. Dubai Marina is home to some of the worlds tallest residential buildings to say the least.

Miracle Garden
       Next to women, these flowers are the most lovely thing God has given the world. This place is so surreal and is the worlds largest botanical garden so I made it a point to pay a visit.

Dubai Canal
     
Atlantis, Palm Jumeirah
       A man-made island in the shape of a palm tree, seriously?! While I may not afford to do skydive over the palm to see the whole island from above, immersing myself in Atlantis Waterpark is not too bad at all.

Jumeirah Beach
       Dubai is so hot and but the good thing is it was blessed with lovely open beaches to cool its residents and beat the smoldering heat. Whenever time and situation permits, Jumeirah Beach is where I go not just to frolic in the waters but to simply sit there on the shore and ponder. 

Dubai Museum-Al Fahidi Fort
       This fort is the oldest existing structure in Dubai and is home to some ancient artifacts and tools that Dubai had used a long time ago. In here you can see how their old houses look like, their boat used for fishing, their lifestyle, and everything about their old past.

Citywalk
       I Love DXB!

Boxpark
       We should always remind ourselves to always think and live outside the box. In Dubai, a leisure and food park made of shipping containers exist. It is something that you will not usually see in any city so I made sure to see this place myself.

       So there you go friends. This is my one year in Dubai. There is so much more actually and most of it is on this blog too. Whatever happens in the future, I will always look back and treasure my Dubai memories. I'm a kind of person who holds on to memories. It's what makes me happy. It's what makes me sad. It's what makes me alive. -Jon-
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