I just got back from my very first facial in Tanzania, after living here for two years. Unlike my very first elevator ride (which I shall save for another day) my first facial was, thankfully, far from horrifying.
In fact, it was absolutely relaxing! This is a huge compliment from me because I'm decidedly NOT one of those people who can fall into calm slumber while I get a facial.
In fact, I tend to tense up. I worry that the therapist is going to use the srub for my skin too energetically. I worry that the therapist has just finished taking the trash out and hasn't washed her hands before touching my face. I worry that the therapist isn't even a real therapist but a dog-groomer who's been brought in to fill in for the real therapist. I worry, worry, worry!
So it was a welcome respite when I discovered that Annette at the spa at Movenpick Hotel isn't a dog-groomer in disguise but an experienced, qualified therapist who really knows what she's doing.
I had only signed up for a basic facial because I wanted to be cautious (see list of worries above). I was instantly put at ease when Annette came in and went straight to the sink to wash her hands thoroughly before beginning. Big brownie points for Annette!
She also happens to be a wonderful masseuse and I was wonderfully surprised when she proceeded to massage my hands an arms after the moisture mask was applied (other facials I've been to kind of left me to twiddle my thumbs during the 10 or 15 minutes the mask was left on my face)
The only downside to the whole experience was an overly bright fluorescent light on the ceiling directly over my face. It was so bright that the light pierced through my closed eyelids and went straight to my brain. I felt like a UFO was hovering above, waiting to beam me up and perform unspeakable experiments on me!
Oh yes - another possible drawback was the price -TSH49,000 (USD 42 /RM 136). However, I must say that considering the inflated prices of everything here, it isn't so bad plus you get a neck and upper chest treatment thrown in.
Tip: I was asked to remove my top and wear a towel since the facial included a scrub and mask for the neck and upper chest. If, like me, you're not too comfortable about removing your bra it would be wise to turn up wearing a strapless one.
Verdict: Will definitely return - especially after I realized that my skin feels a lot softer now!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Wine....errr.... tasting?
The Engineer and I attended a wine tasting at the Dar Es Salaam Holiday Inn.
Wikepedia defines wine tasting as:
The sensory evaluation of wine. The colour, aroma, flavour and feel of the wine in the mouth are all assessed. The main aim of wine tasting is to assess the wine's quality.
If that's what it's actually supposed to be then I really don't know what I should call the event we went to last Saturday!
If I want to be technical about it, there was some tasting involved but only because I'm being technical. Overall, there was a whole lot more drinking,swallowing, guzzling , and in some cases, downing than mere prissy sipping and tasting!
Before you can say Carbenet Sauvignon, the wine tasting last Saturday turned into an all out wine guzzling parrrrrtaaay!
I made the rooky mistake of assuming that it would be one of those serious affairs at which the wine masters (who had traveled from South Africa) would conduct a series of talks with us wine novices (well, at least I'm a novice). We would all listen intently, absorbing every word while cautiously sipping from our glasses.
I soon realized that this scenario existed only in my head. Let's just say the absorption that was going on had nothing to do with talks....!
Since the expat community in Dar is relatively small, practically all of them were there and The Engineer and I were pleased to see almost all our friends in one place.
It was interesting to note that the normally quiet, calm people (when I say normally I mean when they haven't ingested copious amounts of wine!) turned lively and chatty while the normally excitable, talkative ones turned into Energizer Bunnies!
I must say it made for a tremendously jolly atmosphere (it was like Christmas and New Year rolled into one) and made me want to clap my hands and shout out stuff like "woo hoo" and "party on" for no reason whatsoever (come to think of it, I think I did shout that out!).
I, unfortunately, have no photographs to go with this entry but it may be for the best. Frankly, I don't think any of the pictures would have been in focus and also people might have thought that I was taking pictures to blackmail them later!
The last thing I remember thinking in relation to photography was : "I should really get my camera out"... but that was before they broke out the free flow champagne.
Let's face it, no diva worth her Prada is going to pass up on bubbly and the rest of my time there passed in a pleasant haze of champagne. I must conclude that Dar's version of wine tasting sure beats Wikipedia's any day!
Wikepedia defines wine tasting as:
The sensory evaluation of wine. The colour, aroma, flavour and feel of the wine in the mouth are all assessed. The main aim of wine tasting is to assess the wine's quality.
If that's what it's actually supposed to be then I really don't know what I should call the event we went to last Saturday!
If I want to be technical about it, there was some tasting involved but only because I'm being technical. Overall, there was a whole lot more drinking,swallowing, guzzling , and in some cases, downing than mere prissy sipping and tasting!
Before you can say Carbenet Sauvignon, the wine tasting last Saturday turned into an all out wine guzzling parrrrrtaaay!
I made the rooky mistake of assuming that it would be one of those serious affairs at which the wine masters (who had traveled from South Africa) would conduct a series of talks with us wine novices (well, at least I'm a novice). We would all listen intently, absorbing every word while cautiously sipping from our glasses.
I soon realized that this scenario existed only in my head. Let's just say the absorption that was going on had nothing to do with talks....!
Since the expat community in Dar is relatively small, practically all of them were there and The Engineer and I were pleased to see almost all our friends in one place.
It was interesting to note that the normally quiet, calm people (when I say normally I mean when they haven't ingested copious amounts of wine!) turned lively and chatty while the normally excitable, talkative ones turned into Energizer Bunnies!
I must say it made for a tremendously jolly atmosphere (it was like Christmas and New Year rolled into one) and made me want to clap my hands and shout out stuff like "woo hoo" and "party on" for no reason whatsoever (come to think of it, I think I did shout that out!).
I, unfortunately, have no photographs to go with this entry but it may be for the best. Frankly, I don't think any of the pictures would have been in focus and also people might have thought that I was taking pictures to blackmail them later!
The last thing I remember thinking in relation to photography was : "I should really get my camera out"... but that was before they broke out the free flow champagne.
Let's face it, no diva worth her Prada is going to pass up on bubbly and the rest of my time there passed in a pleasant haze of champagne. I must conclude that Dar's version of wine tasting sure beats Wikipedia's any day!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Titanic Time-Waster
Is it wrong that I'm crazy about Titanic? After all these years, I still can't resist watching it when I see it on TV. I know tons of people think it's cheesy and predictable but I just LOVE it! What's not to like - there's romance, intrigue, real-life drama and adventure all rolled into one!
I watched it like 5 times in the cinema when it was first released in 1997 (was that really 11 years ago - darn I feel old!).
I just finished watching it again and I realized it was time to stop tuning in when I found myself saying the lines before Jack and Rose did!
The only thing I've never liked (or understood) about it is the fact that old lady Rose threw that gorgeous, gigantic diamond into the ocean. If she kept it all those years, she should have either sold it and kept the money or passed it on to someone in her family.
Perhaps the old thing was losing her marbles?
I suppose that doesn't matter - what matters is that I don't end up the same way by contemplating this movie a minute longer!
image courtesy of poster.net
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
A few weeks back, I bought a cookbook by Marcus Wareing called How to make the perfect.....
(I'm amazed that I buy cookbooks these days. I'd opened about 3 cookbooks in my life before I came to Dar!)
In it, I came upon a recipe that took me back to my childhood - Pineapple Upside Down Cake! This was a cake that was all the rage in the 70s.
It was my sister's favourite and one of mine too so my mum made it often.
Time travel hasn't been invented yet so the next best thing is to experience the sights and sounds of childhood and what better way than to bake a cake, mum used to bake, when I was growing up?
Much to my surprise, The Engineer was also interested in the project especially since he'd never even heard of a Pineapple Upside Down Cake. So, we set about it one Saturday afternoon.
I must say it turned out rather nicely. The Engineer patiently laid out the pineapple rings and cherries in the baking tin so it would look beautiful when we turned it upside down (or is it right side up?)
Here it is....
....to Pineapple Upside Down Cakes and happy childhood memories!
(I'm amazed that I buy cookbooks these days. I'd opened about 3 cookbooks in my life before I came to Dar!)
In it, I came upon a recipe that took me back to my childhood - Pineapple Upside Down Cake! This was a cake that was all the rage in the 70s.
It was my sister's favourite and one of mine too so my mum made it often.
Time travel hasn't been invented yet so the next best thing is to experience the sights and sounds of childhood and what better way than to bake a cake, mum used to bake, when I was growing up?
Much to my surprise, The Engineer was also interested in the project especially since he'd never even heard of a Pineapple Upside Down Cake. So, we set about it one Saturday afternoon.
I must say it turned out rather nicely. The Engineer patiently laid out the pineapple rings and cherries in the baking tin so it would look beautiful when we turned it upside down (or is it right side up?)
Here it is....
....to Pineapple Upside Down Cakes and happy childhood memories!
Monday, January 07, 2008
Dar Flu II
I spoke too soon...the Dar Flu has now developed it's attack strategy and now I'm having a sore throat!
I'm going to go and lie down...
I'm going to go and lie down...
Friday, January 04, 2008
The Dar Flu
I'm currently fighting off that strange strain of flu that seems to pervade the air in Dar.
It makes you feel just tired enough to want to stay in, just achy enough to want to sleep more, just irritable enough to snap at your husband and just miserable enough to feel homesick.
There doesn't seem to be any other serious symptom, aside from mild sniffles and an on again, off again fever. No sore throat or raging, high temperature that signals other types of flus and earns you sympathy from friends and family.
The Dar Flu just makes most people want to stay away from your grumpy self and might even lead some of them to think that it's some kind of psychosomatic fantasy that you cooked up to get some attention.
This, of course, might possibly be true, in which case, I take it as a sign that Dar is finally getting to me and it's time to take a trip home!
It makes you feel just tired enough to want to stay in, just achy enough to want to sleep more, just irritable enough to snap at your husband and just miserable enough to feel homesick.
There doesn't seem to be any other serious symptom, aside from mild sniffles and an on again, off again fever. No sore throat or raging, high temperature that signals other types of flus and earns you sympathy from friends and family.
The Dar Flu just makes most people want to stay away from your grumpy self and might even lead some of them to think that it's some kind of psychosomatic fantasy that you cooked up to get some attention.
This, of course, might possibly be true, in which case, I take it as a sign that Dar is finally getting to me and it's time to take a trip home!
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Buck Rogers and the 25th Century
HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!!!!
I can't believe it's 2008 already!!!
I thought about the number two thousand and eight. I said it slowly and heard it aloud. I've concluded that it sounds like some futuristic year in a science fiction novel not the year I'm actually living in now.
When I was a kid in the 80s, my imagination only took me as far as 2000 which, back then, sounded like something out of Buck Rogers and the 25th Century (anyone below 30 won't know this TV show. Anyone below 30 should stop reading because you're only reminding me that I'm NOT below 30!!!)
Anyway, here we are in 2008. I've reached the age (sigh!) when I have a Whole Lot of life to look back on and a whole lot of mistakes to ponder about. I've reached the age when I really, truly understand when people say life is short. I can't believe how short it actually seems to be!
On the other hand, I'm also at the age when I am beginning to appreciate how very lucky we all are to even exist! Life = opportunity. It's a chance to try, a chance to succeed and to fail and to learn from those failures. Life is, after all, a roller coaster ride and I intend to relish every minute of it!
So, here's to a fabulous year that's fun, full-of-laughter and far-less-tears, brimming with blessings and good health. Happy 2008 - cheers!
I can't believe it's 2008 already!!!
I thought about the number two thousand and eight. I said it slowly and heard it aloud. I've concluded that it sounds like some futuristic year in a science fiction novel not the year I'm actually living in now.
When I was a kid in the 80s, my imagination only took me as far as 2000 which, back then, sounded like something out of Buck Rogers and the 25th Century (anyone below 30 won't know this TV show. Anyone below 30 should stop reading because you're only reminding me that I'm NOT below 30!!!)
Anyway, here we are in 2008. I've reached the age (sigh!) when I have a Whole Lot of life to look back on and a whole lot of mistakes to ponder about. I've reached the age when I really, truly understand when people say life is short. I can't believe how short it actually seems to be!
On the other hand, I'm also at the age when I am beginning to appreciate how very lucky we all are to even exist! Life = opportunity. It's a chance to try, a chance to succeed and to fail and to learn from those failures. Life is, after all, a roller coaster ride and I intend to relish every minute of it!
So, here's to a fabulous year that's fun, full-of-laughter and far-less-tears, brimming with blessings and good health. Happy 2008 - cheers!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)