Feeling a little like a tourist

This week, Steve and I spent some nice times with Ernest and Winnie. It was very good fellowship and apart from the dinner conversations, we took some time out to have tea at the Etihad Observatory Tower. 

While I have been here for coming to 2 years, I felt that we haven't really explored much of this country and its other emirates, or the neighouring countries. We talked about going to Al Ain Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain zoo, do a trip up north to Ras Al Khaimah, or visit Muscat, Oman, etc, but every time we have some breaks in between, we always ventured out elsewhere. 

So perhaps this week, it was just slightly that tad more touristy as Steve and I went up to the 74th level for the first time.

The Observatory at the Etihad Tower was a nice cosy place, way cosier than Burj Khalifa (tallest building in the world in Dubai) in my opinion. I was at Burj Khalifa last December with the cg folks, and while the view was stunning, it was very crowded. Etihad Tower Observatory was quieter, and guests could sit down for tea and cakes. That was nice in itself, just to enjoy the scenery, have some wine and desert. We were there as dusk sets in; we saw the whole skies turned gray and then dark and then, the cityscape lit up. 

View of Emirates Palace Hotel Abu Dhabi - Wikipedia says it is a luxury 7-star hotel, and the design incorporates traditional Arabian elements. I went in there once with David and his girlfriend when they visited. The interiors were Arabic-themed, clad in hues and shades of gold. 

And the Fairmont Marina Residences due to have its opening in 2019. This looks a little like Dubai's Atlantis. Anyway, Ernest said that one could purchase the apartment; one hotel apartment would cost about 1 plus million. 

With my bestest friend (aka hubby) in the whole wide world. And I felt I so needed some drinks that evening.

And some really funny fellowship about high-low SES, Nepal and Singapore. :-D 

And me, against the setting sun. It was a nice way to spend the evening. :)

I conclude my Friday night knowing that I have to 收拾心情 again. And knowing that I will miss Kenji very much again.

It will be Hello Singapore on Monday for us, and our last trip back this year. 

Again, as the year draws to a close, there's that little wistful feel of how fast time has once again flown us by. It's not a melancholic feeling, but rather - time oh time - really, where did it go?

Beautiful Berlin Walk

The short digital dialogue in Berlin was enriching, particularly with the diverse group of participants, and I've enjoyed the interactions and discussions as they span different topics such as technology, AI, politics, geo-politics, data, ethics, etc, etc. I am grateful for all the learning as well, and I've penned my reflections on LinkedIn, but beyond work, I was grateful for the beautiful Berlin walks I had.

Certainly, we visited places such as the Berlin Wall, and the Berlin Palace of Tears. The famous Berlin Wall separated the East and West Berlin, and from Day 1 pick-up, already the lady driver was telling me about the wall. It must have been such a sad part of their history, and the West Berliners could visit the East and return to the West, but not so for the East Berliners. That's because the East Berliners would not want to return again to the East.



There's quite a lot of graffiti on the walls now. As I learnt about the history, I really tried to imagine what times were like then.

Then, there's the Palace of Tears. It is the railway station that divides East and West Berlin, and allows for only particular groups of East Berliners to cross to the West. It was called Palace of Tears because that's precisely it - tears of goodbyes as they leave families behind.


Behind us is the Palace of Tears and its iron and steel structured pavilion keeps with the architecture of the 1960s. Taken with US journalist Steven Hills as we took a walk out during a lunch break.


And the Reichstag building from the river Spree. This building houses the German Parliament.

Apart from these famous sights, I particularly enjoyed 2 aspects of Berlin - looking at the flats which the Berliners live in, as well as walk through the neighbourhood park.

I have always liked to imagine the lives of different families, and how apartments' windows are actually gateways to another world. The buildings and apartments provide a solace, a roof over the heads, and the lives of the individuals living inside through the windows make me wonder how we, in different parts of the world, live. I used to peer into the windows of the neighbours living across me in Japan, Suzurandai, and while of course, I couldn't see anything very clearly, I like to think about what the mummy is cooking; what kinds of conversations they might be having in the home; their daily routines, lives, etc. I particularly like to imagine dusk time, the close of the day.

So when I walked past the apartments in Berlin, I was quite happy to observe. There's a certain uniformity in them, and they do look pretty much like our SG flats. I even walked right up to one of these blocks, just to see if there's any way I could enter and walk around. :) Entrance to each block is only via a locked gateway.



Thought this pink one reminded me of a block of Eunos flats. :-D


And some further shots, including how there are supermarkets and shops at the first and second floors.


This was captured just to show how the plants have encircled the building. Quite a sight to behold with the different fall colours.

One of the highlights was the walk I took in the park. Wished I had brought along my running shoes and gear. It was just beautiful. Since I have very limited time in Berlin, and I've seen the key highlights like the Berlin Wall, I thought, I'd spend the last evening in the neighbourhood park. It was so lovely to see the families taking a stroll and with their dogs, the ones playing table-tennis and basketball, the many joggers. The walk reminded me to breathe, to take in life and be thankful. Moments of reflection, introspection, thinking about this year passed, thanking God. I walked until the skies turned a reddish-blueish hue, as they grayed and became dark.


Loved how the beautiful trees flank the pathway, and how they are changing colours, with the brown leaves laying the path.


Happened to catch all 3 dogs staring at me. :-D The french bull-dog especially.


Some table-tennis and basketball action. :-D
Some outdoor fun. :-D


And kids having fun, families chilling out at the restaurant. It was actually Wed evening as I captured this, about 4.30-5pm. So I wonder... these folks no need to work?

All such lovely and beautiful snapshots. I really enjoyed this walk tremendously.

So, now that I am back in AD, I wanted to capture some of these memories. Certainly the week passed too fast. The work dialogue and panel discussion were very enriching for me. In a sense, I had to consolidate and crystallise my own thoughts, to put forth SG's case on workforce development and the Future of Work, Skills and Learning. The folks there included a mobile FinTech entrepreneur from Tanzania, a Brazil International affairs professor-cum-Maltese diplomat, a Canadian-Germany Tech-Policy analyst, a US journalist covering US and Europe. And there was much interaction with the KAS and CDU too.  There is much learning and development in the conversations.
So, I am very thankful for the week passed.

I started with writing about walks, and shall end this with some snapshots of work.
After all, I am in Berlin because of a digital dialogue.

It is the Gift of God

今日辛かったです。
How can decisions be made when it concerns matters of love, of the heart? I had a message from my sister, and I did not know how I should respond. I did not know how to love in a manner that could be appropriate too. WWJD?

So amidst all these, today was just.... not the best of all days. On top of existing IT issues that plagued me and remained unsolved, I couldn't get to work proper also because of several missing emails. And other issues cropped up throughout the day too... and I decided that tonight, I shall not dwell on them anymore. Tomorrow will better.

So this week, I got to know a new friend on Wednesday and she's a teacher here in a local school, just arrived in Abu Dhabi to teach about a month back. She shared how she dreaded going to classes and then the tears just came down. It reminded me of my BNSS days where I felt I was losing control, unable to cope with the increasing demands and pressures, wanting to be excellent in all that I do, and then, slowly, suffered from all the anxiety and stress, and succumbed to pneumonia, and had to be hospitalised. I shared with her and prayed for her. The whole expectation on oneself; those heart palpitations, the dread, the fear... it was almost insane.

I prayed Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, then 9-13 over her.
Eccl 3:1-8 is about times and seasons, and added with 9-13, the verses are just beautiful and meaningful. It speaks of how we can trust God through the times and seasons, and that as long as we've given our best, we deserve to live life well and enjoy the fruits of our labour, in the simplest ways of just enjoying our food and drink. :) It is the gift of God. I love these verses.

Eccle 3:9-13 (NKJV)
What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labour - it is the gift of God. 

How can I express this even more vividly?
As I enjoyed my work and become more exposed to different areas, I too, at the end of the day, want to eat and drink and enjoy the good of all the labour. :)

And so this week came, and will just pass by again.
This Friday night, I thank God for His provision. Truly, mini me in a mega world, but one that I know He has my back. With all the Futures Work (which really consumes a lot of my thoughts), I did eat and drink to my heart's content, and also played basketball. It was a pretty cool highlight for me.


Zahari and Narni came from Dubai for dinner together, and together with Sean and Viven, we really ate and drank.


And so, I have to work it off with a basketball game. Robert is darn good! And he knows MJ. How cool. We played 15 points, and I lost ...10-15. He is way too kind. :-p


And that mid-week random fellowship with Sim. Super thankful for her friendship and prayers. She will say I take unglam photos. And I agree, especially with this photo... but then again, that is how we are candid, and it captures that beautiful fellowship moment.

Finally, as the depths of the night creep on me again, I thank God that even when I don't have all the answers and solutions to life's issues and problems, He doesn't expect me to know how to solve them all.
In Him would be the answers and the solutions. In Him would be that rest.