“Can I invite you to Baghdad?”

Posted on September 3rd, 2007 by seaciel.
Categories: Pilgrimage, Middle East, Jordan.

One of the things I like about travelling is getting to meet unexpected people and the opportunity to have a small talk with them. A small talk with strangers which carries weight in the backpack of our journey.

The group arrived at Queen Alia in Jordan around 9:30am, there we met up the travel agency representative who took all our passports for group entry. While waiting, we took upon the chance to take evidence that we were once inside Queen Alia, the airport. Everyone was excited to take photos, looking for a great angle and background to use in striking our own pose. Little did we know we are being watched by a man who look very dignified in his Americana suit.

He’s name is Mokhil.
How did I know?

He was smiling at us while we’re gathering evidences.
He took his cellphone out from his pocket, I thought to call the security, but he handed it over to me and asked
“Can you take photos of me too?”

That’s how the small talk started.
I was surprised to learn that he’s from Iraq, coz he’s features are different from the Iraqi men I’ve seen on Tv. Curious of what he’s doing in Jordan, i asked a little more about himself and his country. He said he’s a sportsman, which at first i cannot comprehend because of his English accent. He showed me his ID to enlighten me.
He’s a president of a martial arts federation and been visiting different countries, including the Philippines, as part of his work. He learned that we are pilgrims, I told him that Jordan is the first on our itinerary, then next is Israel, then Egypt.

“Can I invite you to Baghdad?” he said.

So as not to offend him, I replied,
“How I wish I could also visit Iraq, but my passport wont let me.”

Yes, my Philippine passport has a stamped on it that says “not allowed to travel to Iraq”.
Needless to say, its not safe to go there at this time. I’m sure he understood what I’m talking about.

We ended our small talk with more photos, of him and with the group.

I’m not sure if Mokhil believes in the Bible, we never talked about religion.
If there are no series of conflicts going on in his country, it can be one of the interesting places to go to.

If Israel is the nation most often mentioned in the Bible, Iraq is second.
She played significant role during the Bible times.

I want to share this email I received a few years back, it’s about Iraq in the Bible.

  • Iraq’s names used in the Bible are Babylon, Land of Shinar, and Mesopotamia.
  • Eden was in Iraq — Genesis 2:10-14.
  • Adam & Eve were created in Iraq — Genesis 2:7-8.
  • Satan made his first recorded appearance in Iraq — Genesis 3:1-6.
  • Nimrod established Babylon & theTower of Babel was built in Iraq — Genesis 10:8-97 & 11:1-4.
  • The confusion of the languages took place in Iraq — Genesis 11:5-11.
  • Abraham came from a city in Iraq — Genesis 11:31 & Acts 7:2-4.
  • Isaac’s bride came from Iraq — Genesis 24:3-4 &10.
  • Jacob spent 20 years in Iraq — Genesis 27:42-45 & 31:38.
  • The first world Empire was in Iraq — Daniel 1:1-2 & 2:36-38.
  • The greatest revival in history was in a city in Iraq — Jonah 3.
  • The events of the book of Esther took place in Iraq — Esther.
  • The book of Nahum was a prophecy against a city in Iraq — Nahum.
  • The book or Revelation has prophecies against Babylon, which was the old name for the nation of Iraq - Revelation 17 &18.
  • No other nation, except Israel, has more history and prophecy associated with it than Iraq.

2 comments.

Fly Emirates

Posted on September 2nd, 2007 by seaciel.
Categories: Pilgrimage.

I’d say if you have a chance, try Emirates.

You will enjoy the ICE.

Information, Communication, Entertainment.

Information allows the passenger to browse everything about Emirates. The flights, loyalty program, about the airline, and about Dubai. Another cool thing are the externally-mounted ‘eye in the sky’ cameras for watching take-offs and landings and misfortunes, if any.

Communications is about keeping in touch with your loved ones, or if you’re a control freak or a slave driver, this is helpful. You can make phone calls, send email, sms, fax.

Entertainment, my favorite of ‘em all. There are huge selections of local and foreign movies for movie buffs. I watched the Silver Surfer, vacation of Mr Bean, and the unbelievable Transporter. Music lovers can choose from classical to rock. I stick with chill-outs. There are audio books too, and of course video games. :)
Feel at home.

5 comments.

Stress-free Early Birds

Posted on September 2nd, 2007 by seaciel.
Categories: Pilgrimage.

“Haay stress-free!” ang tugon ng Mother of all late-comers. No deep sighs, no pounding hearts, no kamot ng ulo, no ‘kasi kasi kasi’ :)

For the first time in our travel history together, ma and i were at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) 3hours before our flight. Applause to my big bro, the prince of all late-comers, who made an effort to take us early to the nest.

I’m not used to this. Mas feel ko yata ang travel if it’s like an amazing race ;)

Seriously, I already experienced waving goodbye to the big bird bound for Hongkong. Sibling radar worked when my bro went back to the airport to pick me up back home. It happened once and it happened the second time with mother na. The last amazing race travel I had was with my imported cousin, I waited for her at the airport, she came 15mins before take off but we were able to fly with the divine intervention.
This time its different. No adrenalin rush…

More relaxing, calm, refreshing… we’re early birds in slow motion when somebody approached us telling

“You’re the last to arrive among the group.

It’s ok, it’s still early.”

0 comments.

Briefing For The Pilgrimage Tour

Posted on August 25th, 2007 by seaciel.
Categories: My Philippines, Pilgrimage.

The pilgrimage adventure already started yesterday when me and mother attended the briefing for Jordan-Israel-Egpyt pilgrimage tour.

We got lost in finding the Garden (City Garden Hotel), the venue of the briefing.
Actually, it was the fallen angel (whispering to the driver) who took us to several gardens in the streets of UN Avenue. Ang dami pa lang garden hotels dun. So when I told him for the nth time it’s “CITY” , he asked another angel (mamang fishball) who helped us locate where City Garden is.
We’re just minutes away from the garden but the traffic is eating up our time. We had no choice but to get off from the angel’s wings.

Thanks be to God I saw Grace…

the person in charge of the tour reservation, she came down from the 2nd floor to meet us (she looks worried), she said it’s about to start.
When we entered the room, everybody was there already (waiting for us…?), including the Pilgrimage Coordinators and the Tour Chaplain. This is the first time the pilgrims are meeting up together, and since mother and i were late, I can only see their backs.
Introductions and Important Reminders

Grace handed us an envelope. Inside are the following: our passport (with the stamped visa of course;), etickets, pilgrimage guide and song book, passport case and wallet, and green ribbons for luggage identification.
The briefing started with a thanksgiving mass officiated by the Tour Chaplain, Fr. Rhing Malbog. After the mass, we all went down to the hotel’s restaurant and had our merienda, then we moved to a bigger room.

Everyone was asked to introduced themselves first. Getting to know from basic infos: name, age, from where, what do you do. Most of them are entrepreneurs. Age ranges from 20’s to 60’s, mostly from Luzon, and there’s one from Bohol, kababayan ni mother. A mixture of generations, even genders and maybe beliefs. :)
For sure we’ll get to know better as we journey together. Interesting.

Reminders from the Pilgrimage Guide Book

  1. STRICTLY be at the airport 3 HOURS prior to departure time in order to avoid last minute delays.
  2. ALWAYS CARRY with you a photocopy of your passport, visa and air ticket during the tour.
  3. BRING EXTRA clothes in your hand-carry luggage just in case there will be flight or luggage delays. Never place jewelry or cash in your check-in luggage.
  4. BRING you personal medicine. For those with maintenance medicine, bring your doctor’s prescription.
  5. PROVIDE your relatives with your hotels’ contact information while touring abroad
  6. For group identification, DO NOT FORGET to tie the colored ribbons(ours is green) we provided to identify your luggage.
  7. ALWAYS LOCK your luggage even inside the hotel rooms.
  8. PUNCTUALITY must be STRICTLY OBSERVED during the pilgrimage. Listen attentively to the instructions of the Tour Guide.
  9. LEAVE your valuables at the safety deposit box of the hotel
  10. BE READY with loose change (US$1/US$5 ) or local coins for extra tipping or entrance to public wash rooms
  11. BRING comfortable walking shoes as this tour will do a lot of walking. Bring whatever is necessary to comfort yourself with the weather condition in the area, such as sweater, cotton shirts, umbrella and others;

The pilgrim coordinator, Rommel Hermogeno also reminded us to bring bonnets, jackets, scarves for our Mt Sinai climb. He said it would be very cold up there.

Now I’m imagining myself at the top of Mt Sinai….

0 comments.

An Unplanned Travel to the Middle East

Posted on August 12th, 2007 by seaciel.
Categories: My Philippines.

I’ve got no plans of travelling abroad now that it’s almost Christmas, not to mention the loads on my plate: project deadlines, appointments, activities, unsigned contract, beginning of 4th quarter, etc. I’d rather face all these than go to the Middle East.

But my good Lord has other plans for me, and that is to
“Take a break dear heaven (Ciel in French).
Let me show you my chosen place where I was born, lived, died, and resurrected.”

Also the persistent one, my mother, who is very sure of joining this year’s pilgrimage, asked me to accompany her to Broadway Travel, Inc. to submit the requirements. I suspected that she also prayed for me to join her. So I find myself signing-up the form that could possibly take me to the Middle East. The office allowed us to share, as an installment, the $500 reservation fee of mother since I didn’t bring any fees with me.
By Grace, I was counted as the 22nd Broadway Travel pilgrim to the land of Jordan - Israel - Egypt.

By the way, Grace is the name of the person in charge of the pilgrimage reservation.

Broadway Travel, Inc is located at 476 United Nation Ave, Manila. Tel No: (632) 697 3482, 6970161

I don’t think they have a website. Broadway, if you need one I can give you website proposal. =)

If given a visa, for sure i’m gonna have another cherished travel. =)

0 comments.