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Monday, December 19, 2011

A taste of arab attitude

It would be four hours before I was to board another jet to London. 

Emirates was changing air crafts in the Middle East. I was in Dubai learning things by the minute. 

The officer who confirmed my flight number and arrival time in the UK, was good-looking, as many Middle Easterners are or so I like to think.

Space from the sofa I sat on extended to the surface of the glass table on my right. The PA System was echoing "O-whayyy..." now and then. An Arab guy, X, sat next to me on the left. Another, Z, came by, chatted with X and soon Z sat on the table on my right. I didn't mind the seating arrangement at first. Their conversation was animated and I quietly enjoyed the foreign audio.

Their wide faces inched closer to each other. The proximity was making me uncomfortable. Two large yakking males sandwiching a 38-kilogram, Asian female. Such sight must have looked strange in that part of the airport lounge. And then these men made it clear that they didn't care what someone they deliberately flanked was feeling. Their breaths clashed in front of my eyeballs threatening my nostrils. What a show of psychological civility!

Their language no longer piqued my curiosity. I stood up and dragged my bag to find a seat as far away as possible. And that's when I had my first taste of Arab attitude. X and Z jeered in my back. For a moment Dubai International Airport transformed into an opulent, post-modern jungle.

Behind a smooth composure, I wrestled against turning and giving them the main reason why I extracted myself from their midst. Their body odor was an olfactory assault. Other than that their behavior hardly was overwhelming actually. For one who has survived a nasty divorce two, rude men behaving like they were intimidation heroes were pink cupcakes, albeit rotten.

Arab profile in my books hasn't changed much. I still think they are mostly handsome. I just don't think I'll be transiting the dessert when I visit Europe again.

Friday, December 2, 2011

When it's dark

One night long ago, I was approaching an unlit room in an uncle's big house when, typical of Pinoy culture, my older cousins scared me, "there's a ghost in there, watch out!"

My mother didn't think it was right, and asked them to stop immediately.

[caption id="attachment_8480" align="alignright" width="300"] CJ in the dark[/caption]

So far I haven't noticed signs in my son being afraid of the dark.  We try to behave in it the same way we would in bright daylight. If someone scares him though, chances are high he will react accordingly.  For the record I am strongly against teasing children into being unnecessarily scared of anything.

The trick I see reminds me of that nursing professor back in college, "you know class, it depends upon the orientation."

What was your experience with the dark while growing up? Any similarities with or differences from the way your kids now act toward it?

Chris hosts Mommy Moments

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Films shot in Thailand

There are more than thirty films shot in Thailand. The earliest on a Wikipedia list is a silent docudrama called Chang, shot in 1927.  I've never seen #1-6 but have been to all filming locations like James Bond Island, Sirocco and the floating market. Oh,  except perhaps 'Bangkok Hilton' where Bridget Jones traded her wonder bra for a cigarette.  Seen any of these films?

1.    Around the World in Eighty Days (1956) directed by Michael Todd
2.    The Killing Fields (1984) Spalding Gray                                                                                  3.    The Ugly American (1963) Marlo Brando                                                                             4.    The Deer Hunter (1978) Robert De Niro
5.    Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) Robin Williams
6.    Alexander (2004) Collin Farrel
7.    Rambo, First Blood Part II (1985) Sylvester Stallone
8.    The Beach (2000) Leonardo DiCaprio                                                                                9.    Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) Pierce Brosnan
10.  The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) Roger Moore
11.  Hangover Part II (2011) Bradley Cooper, Zach Gadlifianikis
12.  Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004) Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth
13.  Bangkok Dangerous (2008) Nicholas Cage

Megan and Janet host Thursday 13.

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