Sep 27, 2017

87th Saudi National Day

Last September 25, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia celebrated their 87th National Day. For years of my stay in the Kingdom, it was the first time I've experienced their celebration because they celebrated a part of it in the Four Seasons Hotel or the Kingdom Tower which is just a few meters away from my workplace. I've seen the Kingdom Tower's big screen display on its building and their amazing fireworks; there were many people gathered around the area to see this which lead to heavy traffic on the street. 

I am amazed how patriotic the Saudi people are. The city is colored in green which is the color of their flag. The locals wear something green and wave their flags. Some even put flags on their cars. Below are the video and picture I took from my workplace: 

A post shared by Mary Jane Dela Peña (@pinkyjhaney) on


I was not able to see the whole event but it was really superb and looks very fun. Here are other wonderful pictures I saw from Riyadh Freaks:

Jul 23, 2017

Chicken and White Beans with Lettuce

Just want to share this simple recipe that to you guys. This is actually one of my favorite dish for lunch at work. My colleagues even like it. 


Ingredients:
Garlic, Onion, Tomato, Chicken, Romaine Lettuce, White Beans (Canned/Cooked), Salt or Fish Sauce (Patis), Ground Pepper

How I Cooked This Dish:
  •  Saute' garlic, onion and tomatoe.
  • Add sliced chicken. (I used chicken breast because it's healthier).
  • When the chicken is cooked, add the white beans (I prefer canned because it takes long to cook the white beans).  Add water then let it boil.
  • Season it with pepper and salt or fish sauce (I prefer fish sauce).
  • Then, add the romaine lettuce.

I never thought that the Romaine Lettuce that I've been using for salad and sandwich could taste this good with cooking dishes.

*I've been here in Saudi for a couple of years now and I'm glad that I have learned and discovered new recipes in cooking because of what kind of foods that are available in this place or in our fridge. Also, cooking has been my hobby here abroad so I wanna share these nutritious and delicious food to my readers especially to OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers). With creativity and imagination, we can be able to create and invent healthy and delightful meal.

Jun 15, 2017

Khamsa Khamsa Park, Riyadh

Al Haeer Park which is often called by Filipinos as Khamsa Khamsa Park because its entrance fee is 5 SAR ('Khamsa' is the arabic of five) but it's now 10 SAR. This is the go-to place of our Kababayans especially on weekends to relax, cook barbecue, do videoke, etc. It is also a place where women can remove their abaya but make sure you are dressed properly or else the muttawa (religious police) might see you... you know what I mean if you live here. Hahahah! 


There's nothing much especial here in this place but it's good to spend time here with your friends and family. 


One thing I've noticed here in Saudi is that they only have a few different types of trees. If I'm not mistaken, I only saw less than five varieties. You'll see dates trees anywhere just like here in Khamsa Khamsa. 


You can roam around the area by car or you can just walk but the park is really wide so we preferred the first one. 

Vandalizm. Tsk Tsk Tsk.... 

There are some cute structures where you take selfies there. 

What's fun about this place is that there's a hanging bridge that you can cross to. It's a little bit scary because by the looks of it, I feel like can fall off any time soon. Hahaha! 

After checking around the place, you can set-up a table and chairs under the shade of dates tress and take a rest and enjoy the food you've prepared. 



There's actually so much more to explore in this park that we were not able to visit. There are also small cottages that you can rent; it's usually where our fellow Filipinos celebrate birthdays, eat and sing the videoke.

Jun 9, 2017

The Red Sand Dune in Riyadh

In the Philippines, we have famous white sand beaches but here in Saudi, they have famous red sand sans the beaches. The sand is so soft and pure that you want walk barefoot. 


Well, Red Sand is a well-known tourist attraction among Filipinos. It's where most of us go during our free time. It's only about an hour or less away from the main city of Riyadh. It's actually a place where we can ride an ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) along the red sand hills, see camels, or just enjoy the view (or weather during winter) and eat our prepared meal. 

If you love riding ATVs like me, you'll enjoy it but be careful 'coz there are some parts that are steep and you might lose your balance and fall just like what happened to my other workmates. Fortunately, they only had minor injuries. 

When you get tired riding the ATV, you can find a spot to sit down, relax and enjoy the cool breeze of winter. 

Or you can play with the sand like we used to when we were kids. LOL 

Camels! I got a little with them, I thought they will come near me. Hahaha!

The view on top is superb! (The fog was really thick. That's how cold it was that time.)

The best time to come is during winter since summer here is really hot. You can bring your own food/snack just in case because there's no restaurant or any food store here.

May 28, 2017

Foodie: Chicken Kabsa



On the first day of Ramadan, our Muslim sister who is also our colleague at work cooked Kabsa for us. It was the first homemade Kabsa I've tasted and it was really very delicious. The chicken was cooked the way I wanted and it's also my first time to eat this dish with some veggies and nuts. 

For those who don't know what is a Kabsa, it is a dish that's usually made of rice, meat, vegetables and lots of spices. The meat used can be chicken, goat, lamb, camel, beef, fish or shrimp. The chicken kabsa is the only one I've tried so far. This dish is commonly served here in Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East.

Ramadan Kareem to all our Muslim brothers and sisters. 

May 24, 2017

Kingdom Tower: The Skybridge Experience

My workplace is just walking distance away from the Kingdom Tower so I don't have any excuses not to visit this one of a kind architectural building in Saudi. Kingdom Tower (Mamlakah) or also known as Kingdom Center is a 99-storey skyscraper that is located in the heart of Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Inside the building, there is a shopping mall and beside it is the Four Seasons Hotel and apartments. 


We came there at night but I thinks it's best if you come there before the sun comes down so you can see the view of the city by day and by night. 


There are some things that are shaped like the Kingdom Tower within the area like these lamps. There are also plants but I was not able to take pictures as we were busy looking for the entrance to the Skydbridge. 


This is the way going to the Four Seasons Hotel. We really got confused on how to get inside the building going to the Skybridge. We thought that we will get inside the hotel then take the elevator there but we were wrong. We had to go out again from the hotel and used another entrance. I think we should've walked on the other side of the building. But patience is virtue, by asking the people there, we were able to find the entrance. LOL 


We passed through the mall then took an elevator to get to the entrance of the Sky Bridge. When I saw the entrance, it got me very excited and nervous at the same time since I have fear of heights. 


Just a simple reminder before entering the Sky Bidge... My friend who already went here told me that the entrance fee before only costs SAR 35 but now, it's already SAR 60. Well, it's still worth it since we are going to visit the building that symbolizes the city of Riyadh. It actually took me 2 years before I got to experience going here and for me and this is only a once in a lifetime experience. 

OPENING HOURS: Saturday - Thursday: 12 afernoon - 11 evening   Friday: 4 evening - 11 evening 


The elevator going to the Sky Bridge which is on 99th floor is really cool! You can see an animated view of the outside as if they are real. It was really a smooth ride and I didn't feel nervous at all riding their elevator. 


The is what the inside of Sky Bridge looks like. The ceiling looks like constellation star and the background lighting changes like white, blue, green, etc. as what is seen outside. 


There's no time limit so you can sit back, relax and enjoy the view as long as you want. 


Here's a video clip...


Imagine how high this building is, I can see a great view of the city. 


This is the King Fahad Road. You can see the Alinma Bank and from afar is the Al Faisaliah Tower which I think is not clear in this picture. My workplace can also be seen here. 


This is the intersection of Al Oruba Street and King Fahad Road. 


Outside, you can see a gallery of photos on how this structure was built. 

The price may be that steep but it's all worth visiting for. I know there's nothing really super special going inside it but the experience is very memorable that I once experienced going inside the iconic building of Riyadh. Who knows, the price might increase double in the future. 😃😃

May 21, 2017

Travel Light and with Ease


If you have your own band and you are traveling in different areas may it be around the country or outside the country,isn't it very hassle to bring your instruments since they are big like the guitars, keyboard or drums? Well, I discovered this fender pro junior. An amplifier that's light, small and loud. It's very easy to carry that it will help lessen your baggage when you travel.

Apr 27, 2017

Foodie: Saudia Soy vs. Alpro Soya Unsweetened


Soya is one of my favorite drinks. So it's always on my list everytime I do grocery shopping here in Riyadh. There are quite a few selection of brands available in the market and I'm not sure which one will suit my taste so I took these 2 brands from the rack. So here's my verdict:

Saudia Soy:

The taste is okay but I find it very sweet and I don't like my soya drink to be that very sweet. But I think those who like it sweet will like it. Does that make sense? LOL...

Alpro Soya:

This one is the opposite of Saudia because its taste is bland and I really liked it. It taste more natural than the Saudia. I'll definitely buy another one the next time I go to grocery.

Well, both of them claim that they are natural as what is written on the box. It just depends on your taste if you want it to be sweet or simply bland just like my preference.

Mar 27, 2017

Best Camera for Traveling: Sony Alpha A5000

For a month now, I've been contemplating on which camera to buy since I have plans to start my bucket list for traveling for the next months or so. Good thing I have stumbled upon this giveaway from yugatech. And Sony Alpha A5000 is included on my 3 choices that I have been thinking about on buying.

Photo from Yugatech

Why this camera is among my choices and what makes it worth buying?

1. I hate carrying heavy things. Even if I want to own a DSLR, I would still choose to carry this kind of camera for comfort and convenience. I'm a fan of light and small things. LOL

2. It is also perfect for selfies as well as for vloggers since the LCD screen can be tilted. It provides full HD movie shooting too.

3. I like the fact that this camera is also available in white color. Not just the usual black color.

4.  The lens is interchangeable so that means I can get good quality of pictures like the ones from a DSLR.

5. Perfect for traveling! This compact camera has all the features I want.

If I won the giveaway, I don't have to buy one and just get it for free. Hahaha! To know more about Sony Alpha A5000, you can visit Sony Philippines.

*Disclaimer: All opinions are mine and this is an entry for Yugatech's contest.

Feb 21, 2017

Woodwind and Brasswind Instruments



I barely see people playing woodwind and brasswind Instruments these days. Mostly are into acoustic guitars and drums. So I find it really cool if I learn to play one of these instruments. For me, the sound they produce are very soothing and calm. So learning to play WWBW is somewhat interesting and as far as I know, they’re the instruments that’s being used in orchestra, right?

Valentine's Day at Work

I know it's kinda late to post this due to my work but at least I did. 😃😃😃 How did you celebrate your Valentine's Day guys? (If you did) Well, my Facebook feeds is flooded with greetings, pictures of chocolates and flowers and other cheesy pictures. Anyhow, I didn't received any of these but I don't feel bad but I was surprised that one of my co-worker gave us a box of pizza as a treat since she won their Lose Weight Challenge.

 It's still hot just the way I like it.

Groufie with workmates.

Well I don't really celebrate this type of day but because of the treat, this made it worth remembering. Besides, it's only once a blue moon that we get to receive a treat from a workmate.

Good thing I have a workmate who has the same name as mine so I borrowed her flower for selfie. I just got carried away from the people around me who received flowers and chocolates from their partners. LOL



Feb 17, 2017

Are You A Fan of Heavy Metal Music?



Are you a fan of heavy metal music? Me? Not that much but I think I know someone who does. Well, it’s my brother. I would hear him play a Metallica song with his guitar. He loves to play the guitar. I guess he might want a james hetfield guitar as this guitar is named after the lead vocalist of Metallica. Don’t you think?

Feb 13, 2017

Live Sound for Parties


Recently, my niece just celebrated her party in the Philippines. Too bad, I am not there to celebrate it with her. But I’m glad the party went well as it was hoped for since this is her first birthday party. The food, cake, photo booth and sounds are all good. Speaking of sounds they hired a professional like the edison professional. This would really be her memorable party.

Review: Ever Bilena Hot Pink Matte Lipstick

I'm starting to like this makeup brand and I've also heard lots of raves especially with their line of lipstick. I'm totally satisfied with the lipstick that I bought and I love the shade that I've choose. If I knew that the lipstick was this good, I could've bought 2 more. 😉😁

At a price of P 195 ($3.91) not bad, eh? The quality is really good. And I like it's smell. It's just light and not too strong.


This is the Hot Pink shade. My workmates also love this shade. This shade works especially to those with fair skin. 

This is how it looks on my lips. It stays long for about 6 to 8 hours and sometimes longer. For me, it lasts for almost 10 hours.

This is definitely a good buy and I recommend this lipstick especially to those who are in a budget or frugal like me. 😁😁😁

Jan 29, 2017

Choosing a Guitar Store



Before you decide to buy a new set of guitar, make sure that you know what type that best suits you. Like for example, if you are just a beginner who is just starting to learn guitar keys or already familiar with playing a guitar. Anyways, there are many guitar center stores out there to choose from. Just make sure that you like the guitar and won’t make any regrets in the end.

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