Maldives ibu's Eyes: September 2008

IR Experiment???

Maldives Capital City Male' -earlier 1922 and now (Year 2008)

Male’ is one of the smallest capitals in the world and certainly as crowded since a third of the country’s population, about 75,000 live in Male’. With modern high-rise buildings housing the government offices, Male’ is the hub of trade and the central seat of the government. The roads are paved and a seawall surrounds this small island. A recently landscaped artificial beach makes up for the absence of a natural beach

Sight-seeing without a tour guide would not be difficult in the two square kilometer island Male’, especially if you carry a map with you. The main street Majeedhee Magu, runs right through the island from east to west. Chaandhanee Magu on the other hand runs across from north to south. The main streets are lined with shops selling clothes and jewelry to the latest technological items. During the rush hour a lot of motorized vehicles can be seen. However, traffic lights and one-way roads keep the traffic at a smooth flow with the rare interruption of traffic jams. .

Male’ offer visitors a wide variety of leisure activities, be it sight-seeing, relaxing or a shopping spree. The water-front souvenir shops offer a wide variety of art and craft items as well as swimming gear and beach wear. Most souvenir shops line the northern end of Chaandanee Magu, earlier known as the ‘Singapore Bazaar’ for its many imports from Singapore. Guides and vendors speak English and other foreign languages with visitors, pointing out the best locations and helping them bargain. The souvenir shops are stocked with an ample supply of gifts and souvenir items you can take away as mementos. Best buys include the Maldivian mats woven with local natural fibers and the beautiful lacquered vases and jewelry boxes. And last but not the least, the beautiful hand carved wooden miniature ‘dhonis’.

When shopping for souvenirs all visitors to Maldives should keep in mind that export of products made of turtle shell, black coral, pearl oyster shell and red coral is prohibited

Why not raise AIR MALDIVES & FPID story?????

DO Special on 03 October 2005

Kanamadhu

Kanamadhu
Originally uploaded by maapu

Kanamadhu by maapu.
Tropical almond, Indian Almond or the Malabar almond, all refer to the tall tropical deciduous tree "terminalia catappa" native to the sandy coasts of south east asian countries.
The nut is commonly used in the Maldives to compliment desserts.

Each individual nut is handpicked, the picture shows how.
picture & title from www.mauroof.com

moon? not moon?

time passes, there's no tick

there's no tock, from a digital clock

i wonder what my cat would look like without ears
a scrunchy tiger smiling bobble head
she nestles between my arms
as i lay on the couch, drowsy from eating
her head on my hand
eyes a little open

i remember going to best buy
they had lots of stuff
although nothing i really wanted
my friend was returning something
the transaction seemed to go smoothly
outside i was surprised once more how hot philadelphia was in september

once i dreamed i was the moon
and that all the world's lovers gazed up onto my serene yellow face
well, actually i didn't
but it would have been a charming metaphor
or maybe perhaps;
an allegory

time passes, i can hear it, my clock's analogue!
by Stefan Nesbitt

Who Performed Best On The "Think Nation" Presidential Q&A?

My winners are:

1. Mohamed Nasheed (Anni)
2. Dr. Hassan Saeed
3. Ibrahim Ismail (Ibra)

Gasim Ibrahim, Umar Naseer & Maumoon Abdul Qayyoom didn't make MY list.

How about you?

Childhood Faded Away

Childhood Faded away,
to a far away land,
simple, so simple were we,
Days of Play,
Going our Way,
Having fun, no care,
for another day,
time for us stood still,
playing king of the hill
Childhood Faded away
thinking of another day,
summer time was fine,
when friends were kind,
swiming holes were filled,
our hearts were thrilled
Childhood Faded Away
to a time that makes me sway
many years have passed away,
since childhood faded to another day,
Childhood Faded to places,
UNKNOWN TO US
floating somewhere in time.

by jim foulk

West point - Ramazan 4th day

Mind the Gap between Male’ and rest of the Maldives

There will always be a mega-gap between Male’ and the rest of the Maldives, claimed Dictator Gayyoom in a Question and Answer session on the national TV last night. According to Dictator Gayyoom, under his rule, there will always be major inequalities between Male’ and the rest of the Maldives. Lying through his teeth, the dictator quoted other countries such as the UK, claiming that there are differences in the rural areas and urban areas as regards education and health services. What the Dictator failed to mention is that in the UK all health care is free under the National Health Service (NHS) and that irrespective of where you live, the health care you receive is of the same standard. Even those living in the rural areas have easy access to a hospital that has the basic facilities one would find in a city hospital. Source from Dhivehiobserver

Man told to divorce 82 wives

Mr Bello Abubakar challenged Muslim scholars two weeks ago

Nigeria's Islamic authority has told an 84-year-old man with 86 wives and 170 children that he must whittle his number of spouses down to four or face the death penalty, reports said on Thursday.

The BBC said that Mohammed Bello Abubakar, a former teacher and preacher, could face the death penalty under Sharia law, which was reintroduced to the Muslim-majority Niger State, North-West Nigeria, in 2000.

Nigerian media and the BBC interviewed Abubakar two weeks ago, when he claimed there was no punishment in the Qu'ran for having more than four wives.

However, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) last week blasted Abubakar, who is considered a heretic for his claims of being able to speak directly to Allah.

NSCIA Secretary-General Dr Abdul-Lateef Adegbite told Nigerian newspaper Punch that the NSCIA's President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar, was embarrassed by Abubakar's behaviour.

"The Sultan urged Muslims to ignore Bello Abubakar's brazen disregard of the Sharia, which clearly limits a man to four wives only," he said.

Abubakar also told the BBC that Allah had given him to power to control his 86 wives. - Sapa-dpa

The Real Meaning of Adventure

What is adventure? Some people believe that adventure is not just that extreme and dangerous experience that one could find existing. On the contrary, they believe that it is an attitude that helps us face the obstacles present in our daily routine. For example, the challenges we have to deal with, the new and different options that life offers, the unknown that is at all time waiting for us, represent an adventure in itself. And it is in this adventure that the human beings discover themselves.

The word adventure has different meanings for different people. Generally, adventure implies thrill and excitement, risks and dangers, and the unexpected and extraordinary experiences. The adventurous people are always on the look out for things that will evoke new feelings and sensations. This is the definition of adventure commonly accepted. However, there are others for whom adventure means much more than this. They associate adventure with a certain bent of mind that helps them enjoy life to the fullest, by accepting it as it unfolds before them. They see opportunities in difficulties and treat hurdles as stepping-stones. They accept everything knowing very well that there is nothing without its pluses and minuses.

Therefore, life is seen as an adventure in itself. It is the manner in which you decide to view and live your own life. And the approach you have to life will certainly affect the way you experience this mysterious journey which we are part of. Some people believe that traveling, sightseeing or hanging on a rope is what an adventure stands for. But the problem may be that they are not experiencing their life as an exploration and their boring life leads them to lookfor excitement outside themselves.

This hidden and deeper meaning of adventure can only be understood by changing one's point of view towards life. This will not only enable you to identify the raison d'etre of your life, but will also help you recognize your strengths and weaknesses, and accept yourself as a person. However, one needs to realize that one just doesn't stumble upon adventures just like that. It is only through discovering our own strengths that we can uncover these adventures, and derive wisdom from them. As human beings, we are posed in the world in such a manner that we are compulsive adventurers. And, being so, we are capable of shaping our own lives and destinies, through a positive and constructive approach.

Life is a rare opportunity. With a little faith we can change the very meaning of life. Hurdles and obstacles can be used as openings and opportunities to discover the extent of our strength and courage. The secret lies in living life as an ever-new, ever-fresh adventure and being open to accepting whatever comes our way.