MY Favourite Beaches in North Lebanon

Driving back to Tripoli from Beirut on weekends, I alwaYs notice how beautiful the coastline gets as I near home, and how it especiallY calls out to me right after I exit the tunnel in Chekka and drive further North. When You take a closer look along that coast, You’ll see that it’s lined with a haven of special spots for sea lovers of all kinds. This summer, I made it a point to visit as manY of those different beach spots as I could, and with a little help from Instagram, I ended up discovering places that made me fall even more in love with mY North!

Let’s start with Batroun, a citY just before the infamous tunnel leading North. It’s home to Pierre and Friends, which also doubles as a pub and restaurant. I've known the place for a good ten Years now, ever since high school, and what I love most about it is its verY laid-back and chill atmosphere. But mY favourite reason to love it, are it's incredible sunsets, behold:

Not too far down that coast, is another gem of a spot: White Beach. Like P&F, it's also got a pebblY shore but the water is cool and it's got a mini rockY island in the middle of the sea with a Lebanese Flag proudlY poled to it. White Beach is also a surf school, and You can alwaYs catch windsurfers in the waters. 

Kfaraabida (the area between Batroun & Chekka) is trulY one of the best locations I got to discover this summer, especiallY after the #SaveKfaraabida Campaign, that was launched to raise awareness about the recent project that aims to turn the area into a private Yacht Club. But for me to describe to You how incredible the area is in just words, I’d be doing it no justice... 

One of MY favourite spots there is Joining Beach. And to be honest, if I hadn't come across a few pictures of it on Instagram and known where to look, I'd have missed it completelY! All You can see from the road is a sign that reads "Joining" in Arabic. And even standing from the edge, You'd never have thought it to be an actual beach spot. It's 100% comprised of rocks, most of which is downwards slanting, not a verY comfortable place to laY down and tan (though a lot of people do) but the reason I loved it was because of everYthing that was underneath those rocks! It's also a great spot for cliff diving, and once You're under that water, You'll see an entirelY different world down there!

But if You want to swim awaY from all the rocks and pebbled beaches, then You've got to take that tunnel in Chekka and You'll end up in El-Herri. And here's a little secret: If You're willing to make a little detour on Your waY, if You take Your first exit after the tunnel and head up, You'll end up at the monasterY of Our LadY of Light (SaYdet El Nourieh) where You can catch a breathtaking view of the sea from up above:

Of course You've got the most famous in the area: Florida Beach, but You've also got an endless collection of smaller beaches that include BennY Beach, SandY Beach, and mY personal favourite: MiraLand. I love the latter because of its huge sandY shore. It's also one of mY favourite spots to rent a paddle-board (haské) and row it out to the sea. The water is usuallY calm and just knowing that a holY place rests in the cliff above You gives You a magical kind of feeling...

After Chekka comes a little area known as Anfeh. And boY has it ever grown in popularitY this summer! You’ve got the most well-known beach resort in the area, Las Salinas, and the slightlY less popular, Marina Del Sol. But right adjacent to those two, is the now-popular Ta7t El Ri7, which is comprised of a collection of private chalets on a rockY cliff that is open to the public. The location has been painted in white and blue, reflecting Santorini-like vibes and nicknamed Anforini. All You’ve got to do is dive in! 

FinallY, it's back to mY hometown, Tripoli. If You want to talk beach resorts in the area, You’ve got the big three: Palma, Naji, & Miramar (in Kalamoun). Each resort has got it’s own charm, and nice beaches (& pools) to swim in. 

But if You reallY want the best beach experience ever, take a boat (for as little as LBP 5,000) from Mina's Port out to Rabbits Island!

El Mina is home to nine islands, four of which have been declared as nature reserves, the most popular of which is Palm Island (better known as Rabbits Island). It’s the second largest of the islands with a beautiful sandY shore and crYstal clear blue waters. 

You’ll want to make a full daY trip out of this one. You’ll need to pack some snacks and drinks to take with You as there's no food on the islands, and an umbrella for shade if You need one. Nothing beats a breakfast here (preferablY a man2ouché):

While I've listed some of mY favourite Beaches in North Lebanon, I'm sure there are still a lot of more secret spots to discover! If You'd like to share, please leave a comment!

Our Lady Of Light

I've driven past the green mountains of Chekka a countless number of times before, on my routine city escapes to and from Beirut. And with each time I passed, I'd look to those mountains and wonder what lay on the other side, that looked out to the sea. "Our Lady Of Light", they'd all tell me, breath-taking views overlooking the coast. And it's in the North, "my North"...

So with each drive to and from, I'd look and long to go up those mountains, and finally see what they'd all been talking about...

Last week, I promised myself I'd finally make the drive this weekend. And Mum promised she'd be the one to go with me. And so, after a pancakes Sunday breakfast and a few chapters of "The Forty Rules Of Love", we set out. I had checked for directions online, all we had to do was take the side road just before the infamous tunnel of Chekka, and drive up to Hamat. It took about 15 minutes to reach the monastery, where people were just finishing up their Sunday prayers. We walked on towards the blue we saw right behind the convent, which turned out to be one of the most breathtaking sights I've ever seen in Lebanon... 

 

 I also learned of The Lady Of Light's legend, where "It is believed that two sailors built the shrine in the 4th century. One winter night, on a very stormy sea, the two sailors found themselves in peril. They began praying, and the Virgin appeared to them as a light and guided them gently to the shore of Theoprosopon near modern day Chekka in North Lebanon. The grateful sailors carved a cave in the cliff and dedicated it to the Virgin Mary, and called the shrine, Our Lady of Light. A Greek Orthodox monastery was built in the 17th century. The miraculous icon of the Theotokos has been venerated for centuries for having glowed with light to attract wayward ships.^"

Lebanon really is full of hidden wonders, and if you haven't visited The Lady Of Light, I encourage you all to do so. As for me, I'll always be on the lookout for the next hidden gem... stay tuned! ;-)

The House on 66 Houlahan Street

There is a house in a neighborhood called Barrhaven. It’s a quiet two-story house, in an equally quiet neighborhood. And if you look close enough, you’ll read the number 66 on the top right corner of the garage door. That used to be my house, my 66 Houlahan Street.

Throughout the years I've lived in quite a few different houses and places. Some of which I remember, some of which I don’t, some of which I've lived in for longer periods of time than others, but I guess in the end we tend to remember the house we grew up in, the house that we had our first memories in. And for me, it was the house on 66 Houlahan Street.

The reason I’m remembering is because my parents are currently with my younger brother in Canada. They traveled for his graduation. I’d obviously loved to have gone with them, but I had classes, projects, and exams due, the last of which I finished just last night. So while they were there, on the other side of the world, they took a road trip to Ottawa, and they passed by our old house and they sent me this picture:

My entire heart smiled at the sight of that house, with its front door and porch, bright green grass lawn, evergreen pine tree, and wooden fence around the backyard. I could tell you of the smallest things I remember, like accidentally dropping a loonie underneath the front patio when I was little, and almost crying that I couldn't get it out so Dad gave me another one. Or like the lemonade stand I set up at the end of the lawn in an attempt to collect money to buy a Kitty Kitty Kitten from Toys’R’Us for $29.99. I remember that sweet moment when I made my last dollar, and how excited I was for Dad to come home from work so he could take me to go buy it. I still have it in my room today. Now imagine the entire lawn covered in snow, and how my little brother and I would put on our snow suits and build snow men and snow forts, and throw snow balls at each other. Of course, I was always tougher than him, and I usually managed to make him cry!

I also remember my next-door neighbor and first friend, Amanda. I remember when she and her family had moved in right after we had, and Dad made me go outside and introduce myself. We instantly became friends. It’s been a long, long time since I've heard from her and I’m not sure if she even lives there anymore. But I’ll never forget her as being one of my very first best friends.

Oh, I could go on and on about this house, all the way up until the day it broke my heart to see we had hung our “For Sale” sign at the end of the driveway…

Looking back, all I remember are the sweet childhood memories I had here. It feels so nostalgic, looking back at your old house and the street and neighborhood you used to live in. Especially knowing that a new family is living in your old house now, and that new faces fill your old neighbors’ houses, and new shops and establishments have popped up in the once quiet neighborhood (they've told me it’s grown so much!).

But no matter how many thousands of miles away I may be, I’ll always have a soft spot for this place. So God Bless this house and the people in it, in 66 Houlahan Street. It’s my favorite house in the whole wild world… :-)

In The MEA Aeroplane Over The Sea

Well, I'm back! Like I said, it was one of the quickest vacations ever, but it was a much needed vacation for me to de-stress from both work and school. And I have to say, mission accomplished! And you know Neutra Milk Hotel's "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea"? Well, I couldn't stop playing it my head as I was flying back home. I even Instagrammed this picture from the MEA plane:

I feel quite pumped and ready to get back to business! In fact, I even went straight to Marketing Class this afternoon! 

Amman to Beirut: 135 Miles, Beirut to Tripoli: 53 Miles, Tripoli to Balamand: 8.5 Miles, Balamand to Tripoli: 8.5 Miles… 205 Miles in 12 hours and now HOME SWEET HOME! (L)

Jordan Day III: Amman

Tonight was my last day in Jordan. Gosh, how quickly these three days have flown! We decided to stay in Amman today, to take a break from the past two days of adventure. We met up at Blue Fig with Mira for brunch, who couldn't stay for long because she had a job interview a couple of hours after that so she had to go get ready (fingers crossed for you, Mira!). Nadine then took me to Taj Mall, which wasn't open when I last visited Jordan in 2010. It's currently Amman's biggest mall, with great shops, diners, and entertainment. We walked around a bit before sitting at Starbucks for a drink…

Later that afternoon, Nadine's mum drove us to town so I could buy some famous Jordanian Za'atar for Mum and some souvenirs for some friends back home. I also got to know some other parts of the city before she drove us back to the house to get ready for my last dinner, an AUB reunion dinner with Nadine, Sari, Mira, Akram, and Yazan. We went to Seven Barrels, a gastro pub with some good food and drinks…

Jordanian hospitality never ceases to amaze me… 

100 Thank You's to a fun-filled adventure of a vacation, especially with Nadine, Sari, and Mira! 

Here's to 9 years of pure friendship & counting!

Jordan Day II: Madaba, Mount Nebo, & Bethany Beyond the Jordan

I woke up early this morning, with aching legs and feet. I guess it's because of all the walking we did in Jerash and Ajlun Castle yesterday. Despite the pain though, I felt excited as ever because today was the day I was looking forward to the most! 

Madaba, located 30km south-west of the capital Amman, is best known for its Byzantine and Umayyad Mosaics, especially a large Byzantine-eara mosaic map of the Holy Land. We visited two churches in Madaba, The Greek Orthodox Basilica of Saint George and The Church Of Saint John The Baptist...

The top three photos are of the former church, with the third being of the Mosaic Map unearthed in 1864, which was once a clear map with 157 captions (in Greek) of all major biblical sites from Lebanon to Egypt. The mosaic was constructed in 560 AD and once contained more than 2 million pieces, only 1/3 of the whole now survives…

The bottom three photos are of the latter church, which was built in 1913. What's special about this church is that it has a lot of underground tunnels and holds The Shrine Of The Beheading Of Saint John The Baptist (Patron Of Madaba And Jordan). It also has The Bell Tower which you can climb...

The Bell Tower of this church is the highest vantage point in Madaba. It's quite a climb, but once you're up there, you can experience a wonderful panorama of Madaba and all its surroundings...

We then stopped for lunch at Haret Jdoudna, a magical village of restaurants, coffee shops and a traditional Jordanian Souk and Crafts Market...

Next up was Mount Nebo, an elevated ridge in Jordan, approximately 817 meters above sea level, mentioned in the Bible as the place where Moses was granted a view of the Promised Land that he would never enter. The view from the summit provides a panorama of The Holy Land and, to the north, a more limited one of the valley of The River Jordan. The West Bank city of Jericho is usually visible from the summit, as is Jerusalem on a very clear day...

Next, we went to Bethany Beyond The Jordan to the place where Jesus was baptized, located on the Jordanian side of The Jordan River...

At the end of the day, we went back up to The Dead Sea Panorama, which boasts a breathtaking view of The Dead Sea. It was a little too sunny to take good pictures, but I set up this tripod to get the three of us at the top of the world! :-)

Jordan Day I: Jerash & Ajlun Castle

On my first Jordanian morning, I woke up at 8:00AM and Nadine made waffles which we gobbled up with a drink of orange juice in under 15 minutes before heading over to Sari's, who was our driver, tour guide, and of course best friend during the trip! The first direction on my Jordanian vacation was compass north, to the ancient city of Jerash, famous for its Roman ruins. We reached our destination in roughly an hour, with The Arch of Hadrian looming in front of us, indicating (especially to Nadine :-P) that we had arrived! I later found out that this arch was built to celebrate Emperor Hadrian's visit to Jerash in 129-130 AD...

When entering, the first thing you see is the Hippodrome, a partially restored Roman-era stadium. At only 245m long and 52m wide, it was the smallest hippodrome in the the Roman Empire... 

I took this cover picture with the background of The Oval Plaza, surrounded by a broad sidewalk and a colonnade of 1st century Ionic columns. This Cardo once lined with the city's major buildings, shops and residences. A complex drainage system lies below the stone paving, and chariot tracks can actually be seen in the stone!

Below is the South Theatre of Jerash, which seats more than 3,000 spectators and serves today as the primary venue in The Jerash Festivals. The brilliant design took all the factors in consideration, such as the sun's brightness and direction. For this reason, the theatre was built in a way so to allow the least amount of sunlight to disturb the audience. And the remarkable acoustics allows a speaker at the centre of the orchestra floor to be heard by the entire auditorium without raising his/her voice!

Daily features include bagpipers in traditional Jordanian military dress such as this friendly one we took a picture with!

Next up was The Temple of Artemis (daughter of Zeus and sister of Apollo), built on one of the highest points and dominated the whole city. It's an impressive temple ruin dedicated to the patron goddess of the city. The temple was designed to be earthquake-proof so some of the columns move and you can feel it if you insert your fingers between the section of the columns!

Below is the smaller second North Theater, which was planed to be either a small performance space or a city council chamber. If you looks close enough, you'll see that the group of tourists behind us have their arms outstretched like Nadine and me, what a funny British group they were!

By the time we had finished our tour, we were absolutely famished. So for lunch, we went to The Lebanese House. It's one of the oldest Lebanese food restaurant in Jordan, established in 1977 in Jerash by a Lebanese woman named Antoinette Rami, better known in Jordan as Umm Khalil. The food, especially the mezza, was scrumptious! I even tried the famous Labneh Jerashieh, a thick cheese-like yoghurt which also tasted incredible!

After lunch, Esper (Sari's Nokia GPS, which was surprisingly accurate!) lead us to Ajloun Castle, located on the top of a mountain just outside the small city of Ajloun, a mere 10 miles away from Jerash. It's an Islamic fortress, built during the period of the Crusades. The castle is an interesting maze of passages and levels, and offers a wonderful view of the surrounding area of northwestern Jordan... 

Happy Mother's Day 2013!

If there's one thing I love about March, actually, three things I love about March, it's that March is Mum's ultimate month! See, Mum's birthday is March 1st. Mum is also a teacher and so Teacher's Day is her second March celebration. And of course, Mother's Day is in March, making it Mum's third March celebration. And seeing a triple smile on her face puts a triple smile on my face as well!

After work this afternoon, I stopped by our local flower shop to pick out flowers for Mum. There weren't too many left as the day was half over, but I managed to spot this beautiful pink and white bouquet, which I immediately picked up to take for her. Luckily, she was still out by the time I got home so I set them up in her room for her, which she was pleasantly surprised to find when she got home...

"For all the times you gently picked me up when I fell down, for all the times you tied my shoes, and tucked me into bed, or needed something but put me first instead, for everything we shared, the dreams, the laughter, and the tears, I love you with a "Special Love" that deepens every year…" 

This year, I truly felt the Mother's Day spirit, both offline and online! Today, each time I opened Facebook, my newsfeed was flooded with pictures of friends with their mums and heartfelt greetings. And to see all those posts and all those blessings makes me feel glad to live in a world filled with so much love… so again and again, HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

5 Years, Since You've Been Gone...

Today, its been 5 Years since you've left us. Not a year's gone by in which I haven't thought of you, especially on March 2nd. And even though I didn't write to you last year, you were and always are on my mind and in my heart…

Some days, its hard to believe that it's already been 5 years. Most of my memories of you are frozen in time, and when I think of you, I think of my childhood and the times we've shared together. And your house, mostly I remember your house, the house that helped build me…

I remember the day Dad took me and Fawzi to your house after you had left us. I took countless pictures of your old house, because I thought, well, I thought pictures were the best things I could keep of you. I think it was also in that moment that I subconciously rooted my love for taking pictures of each and every moment, person, and place, because when you look back, it's those snapshots, those moments in time that bring back the sincerest of smiles…

I was going through some of those old photos today, and one of the pictures that stood out to me the most was this one of the desk in the dining room. This old desk, with the old treasures in it's rusted old drawers that I had to pull with all my might to open, the crossword puzzles, the same desk that dad and my uncle used as kids, the desk I used to write and draw on. The desk of creativity, as I should call it. The desk also reminds me of you because it was a source of development, and you loved everything that helped us grow…

Teta, a lot's changed in the last 5 years. Starting with myself, I started working at the bank exactly a year after you had left us. So every work anniversary, I remember you. I also started my MBA. And you, having been a school principle, know the importance you've always placed on education. Fawzi's in his last year of university before he graduates with a Bachelor's in Computer Engineering. It's Samar's first year of university and Wassim's last year of high school. Tala, like me, is still working. And as for Diala, she finished her Masters in Comparative Literature and she's also married now and has a beautiful baby girl, named Yara. I'm sure you'd be proud of us all...

I also remember you during our rare, but favoured family gatherings. I always remember how your eyes used to light up at having the entire family together, over meals, and over special events. I might have not appreciated it at the time, but now, every time we're together, I understand the importance of family and being together that you oh so treasured…

God, how I miss you and the sweetness of your beautiful soul. I know you're up there, looking down on us, with Jiddo. I pray that you are both doing well and send you all my love… 

October's 30-Day Photo Challenge

The month of October is officially over. I obviously have a special place for it in my heart, it being my birth month & the month of my star sign: Libra. I wanted to challenge myself this moth so I started a “30-Day Photo Challenge” on Facebook. I promised to post a picture every day (and as a double challenge, I promised to only post pictures that I’ve personally taken with my NK registered trademark…) Surprisingly, I followed through! Here’s a compilation of the 30 pictures I took everyday throughout the month:

Photo Challenge – Day 1: A Photo of Yourself

Here we are, in the rains of October! I’m high on this month, at least until the 11th ;-) … C’EST MOI

Photo Challenge – Day 2: A photo of what you wore today

For today’s fashion segment… I wore my crisp Bank Uniform! :-P Assorted with MK shoes and Nine West handbag which has a convenient front pocket for my Blackberry… of course topped off with a 2nd of October Smile! :-)

Photo Challenge – Day 3: A photo of your favorite place to be

Anywhere near the water, the beach, the sea, the ocean, anything water related… that’s what floats my boat! ;-) I hadn’t been to El Mina in a while and so after work this afternoon, I drove to the Cornish for a quiet few minutes of this… :-)

Photo Challenge – Day 4: A photo from a high angle

One of the reasons I love photography is because with my lens, I get to see the world from a different perspective. However, the photographer seldom gets to be in the picture. That’s why I decided to play with this idea a little bit. What if I could distance myself from me, how would I appear from afar? I set up my cam on a tripod which I likewise set up on this table… HELLO! :-)

Photo Challenge – Day 5: A photo of whatever you please

It all started a couple years ago when I was visiting a friend and I noticed she had a couple of magnets on her fridge. She told me that she liked to collect magnets from every country she's been to. The thought stuck in my head except I decided to expand it from "countries" to "cities" as well…
What I especially like about the collection on my fridge is the sense of happiness I get from looking at it, as each magnet reminds me of the country or city I've been to, and all the good memories I've had there. And if I haven't been there, the magnet would remind me of the person. And so, having a combination of all these magnets is like having a combination of all these memories in one place, that remind me on a daily basis of all the good places and people I've been blessed to go to and meet in life. And I can only hope that they all keep growing… :-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 6: A photo from a low angle
It's been a full week, full of blessings, Alhamdulillah… but before I sleep, I'll leave you with the night sky, with a little light and a little quote that I get from this little anchor I keep by my windowsill… :-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 7: A silhouette photo
First of all, I apologize for not uploading a picture yesterday but by the time I got home it was dark and I obviously needed a little light to make a silhouette… Also, I think I'm having a little too much fun using the self-timer on myself ;-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 8: A photo of something close-up
My sleeping turtles, Franklin and Angie...

Photo Challenge - DAY 9: A photo of something from a distance

Photo Challenge - DAY 10: A photo of whatever you please
I KNOW THE SUN MUST SET TO RISE...

Photo Challenge - DAY 11: A black and white photo
It rained on my birthday this morning, it cleared up during the day, and then it rained again at night. But here's the thing, I LOVE the rain! I love October rain because when I can't go to the beach, the rain brings the water to me...
This is a picture of a jeep swimming over the puddles of rain outside. Safe Travels, driver! We've got a LOT of places to go this year! AND I CAN'T WAIT! ;-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 12: A photo experimenting with bokeh
The concept of bokeh has always fascinated me. I've seen some of the most brilliant bokeh effects in pictures but I could never seem to figure out the camera settings. But since today's challenge forced me to learn it, this is my first attempt. The source with enough different coloured lights was from the city streets outside…
It's not as good as I had hoped, but I'm dying to try this out on the Christmas tree in two months time, inshallah! :-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 13: A photo edit that you like
The pigeons outside seem have taken a liking to our 9th floor balcony. And though mum hates them for eating her plants all day, for me, they make excellent shooting models! :-P This is Sam, with a little photoshop for extra drama ;-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 14: A photo focusing on eyes
Sometimes I wish my eyes were camera lenses, so I could zoom in and out and focus and capture all the beautiful bits of this world… :-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 15: A photo of whatever you please
I'll always love shooting candid street spirit the most! ;-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 16: A photo experimenting with light trails
I took a light trail of this car's headlights just as it was turning the corner of the street...
The magic you can work by just tweaking a few camera settings is incredible! Here's my camera formula for this shot: ISO100, f/5.6, 3.2s

Photo Challenge - DAY 17: A photo with street lights
How beautiful today's challenge would have been had I lived in a country where street lights shone brighter than a car's headlights… Nonetheless, I love contrast in light in this picture (100% taken by camera, no photoshop whatsoever… damn, I'm getting good at night photography! :-P)

Photo Challenge - DAY 18: A photo depicting emotion
Of all the emotions in the world, from sadness, to anger, to fear, to happiness, or love, there is nothing I want right now more than freedom…
Standing at the top of the world, all possibilities in front of you, knowing you can fly to wherever you please. That's the emotion I want to express today...

 Photo Challenge - DAY 19: A photo that involves landscapes

Photo Challenge - DAY 20: A photo of whatever you please
Aaand, we're back on track! :-D
THIS, darlings, is my waterproof lens... Tried and Tested ;-)

 Photo Challenge - DAY 21: A photo of the sunset

Well, since I've been under house arrest since Friday night (wouldn't want to accidentally get shot by a stray bullet from the crazies outside :-P), I couldn't get to the sunset today...
But since I don't want to postpone any more days of this challenge, how about I draw it on paint?

Photo Challenge - DAY 22: A photo of the person you love
O dear, how do I get myself out of this one? :-P Let me be honest, there are quite a few people that I would like to put here. But to get them all together in one place at one time doesn't seem like much of a possibility. So…
I decided to put together a couple of treasured items from treasured people. Each one of these mementos holds a special meaning and means the world to me (you all know who you are and I love you so! :-)

 Photo Challenge - DAY 23: A photo that makes you think of childhood

As a kid, my favourite movie was Disney's Aladdin. I remember the first time I saw it, which was actually one of my first times at a cinema, back in 1992. I was 5 years old, and I remember it being a rainy afternoon in Ottawa when Dad took me to see it. And that's all it took to get me hooked to Aladdin and movies…
The monkey, Abu, was my second favourite character (after Al of course ;-) I've had a whole bunch of stuffed toys, most of which I've given away over the years. But one of the few toys that I've kept with me is this adorable Abu :-)

 Photo Challenge - DAY 24: A photo that has a colour scheme

I've recently come to learn that photography is all about light and how you play with it. For today's challenge, I picked our salon as my playground. And with a little light, a little crystal, and a little chair I used to climb on to level myself to this wall chandelier, I got this picture with fifty shades of light (ISO 100, f/4.5, 1/100s - unedited ;-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 25: A photo of whatever you please
With Eid Al-Adha tomorrow, May God's Blessings be upon you all ♥

Photo Challenge - DAY 26: A photo playing with shadows
I've said it before and I'll say it again, photography is all about light and how you play with it. And you can't play with shadows without playing with light. Light is, after all, my first name! And I'm starting to get the big idea… Stay Tuned! ;-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 27: A photo using the sun as your lighting
This isn't the photo I had in mind for today's challenge. I wanted to point my camera directly at the sun and let all the colours of the light make the picture. But the unusually serene mountains and Columbus clouds outside my window stole the bright story from me, and left me with this magical reality instead...

Photo Challenge - DAY 28: A photo that incorporates motion
I spent this Sunday with my little cousin, Celine. There's always something so special about being with her, always smiling and so full of life. So for a picture that incorporates motion, I couldn't find a better subject than my energetic lil sunshine! God Bless You, CiCi! ♥

Photo Challenge - DAY 29: A photo with clouds
With the end of the daylight savings season, it's getting darker an hour sooner. In fact, by the time I got home from work today, grabbed my cam, and went out on the balcony, it was already sunset, but what a sunset it was!
I stepped out to find this breathtaking view of the colours of the sky... I swear, colour for colour this was the sky! Not a tint of photoshop was used: AMAZING! :-D

Photo Challenge - DAY 30: A photo of whatever you please
That's it folks, the "30-Day Photography Challenge" is officially over. It passed by so fast, as did my darling October. I want to thank all my friends and new followers I gained this month. Thank you for all the likes, the comments, the photo tips, the encouragement (you all know who you are! ;-)
I'm going to end it with a picture of the full moon tonight. May it always shine bright above you… THANK YOU! ♥