What are your Favorite countries?

I have traveled to over 11 countries during my life, I get the same question asked over and over again:- 

what was your favorite country?

There is No easy answer for this question.

Different places meant different things at different times during the journey. I loved every country I visited; each had it own charm, culture and interesting attractions.

So in this post I will narrow the list of + 11 countries to My First favorite country.  

Country name: Lebanon

Capital: Beirut

Nationality: Lebanese

Language: Arabic official language, French and English

Religions: Muslim and Christian sects.

Weather: 

Lebanon has a Mediterranean climate.  It has a hot and dry summer, cool and rainy winter. Spring comes when the winter rains cause the vegetation to refresh. Fall is a transitional season with little rain.

Year of visit: 2011

Description:

In fact, Lebanon is an amazing little country from the snow capped mountains to the clear blue of Mediterranean Sea, the bustling cities to the quaint villages in the mountains and green nature. It is the most beautiful county in the world. As well it is full of an energetic atmosphere with parties’ every day, the best nightlife in the world, the best food, best and most generous and hospitable people. 

Places I visited: 

*Roche Sea Rock* 

*Jounieh where you catch the gondola to Our Lady of Lebanon*

*Saida Fortress*

*Baalbeck, Lebanon's greatest Roman treasure*

*Jeitta Grotto is the jewel of tourism in Lebanon*

Shamu Show...

The Story of Believe centers on a boy and his amazing connection to a Killer Whale. For the first time in the history of Sea World, an original score was produced specifically for a Shamu show.

My real life with Leukemia

Yes I have disease. I have always been semi- closed off so it is hard for me to say this in person to a lot of people.

Every time I tried to tell you about my Leukemia story, I not have the audacity to tell you about it. So I decided to tell you in my Blog.

It was the end of October 2000,   when I started to fell unwell. I am of people who do not prefer nap, but in this period were Many times I needed it. Also at that time seemed small red spots on my body, initially predicted sensitivity and I did not care about it. After several days I was playing in the school with my cousin, she beating my hands and large red spot appeared on my hand. When I came back from the school my father took me to the hospital to know what I suffer from it. When I went to the hospital the doctor sent me for blood test. After half an hour the blood result appeared, the doctor sends me to children’s clinic in the next day. In the next day my father took me from school and we went to the hospital. When we went o the doctor the doctor said we should go to Al Qasimi hospital for more test and make sure that I did not suffer from any disease. As well as, when I went to Al Qasimi hospital and conducted the necessary test, they decided to send me to Tawam hospital in Al Ain. An ambulance took me to Al Ain. Next morning I entered the operating room to have "A bone marrow biopsy". The next day the doctor said for my parents this bad news that I had Acute Myeloid Leukemia (A.M.L). I was taken straight to the Chemo therapy ward for one month on Tawam hospital after this month I went to U.S to complete the treatment and to have bone marrow transplant in Johns Hopkins hospital; my sister was the donor for bone marrow. In the beginning of 2001 I had my first bone marrow transplant. After difficult 7 months in U.S I am back to UAE with good news I am cured of the Leukemia.

After 6 months on bone marrow transplant new symptoms started to appear in my body. When I went to the hospital and the doctor check me he said that the Leukemia has returned to me and I should be back to U.S. In 2002 I had my second bone marrow transplant in MD Anderson Cancer Center. 

It will be 10 years on the May since I had my second transplant, I did make friends whilst in the hospital, and unfortunately they are
no longer with us. I am one of the Lucky ones. I give my thanks to a wonderful and caring parents and family for the support they gave me. 

Boring Day...

Yesterday It was a boring day. So my sister and I decided to prepare the dinner for our family. 

We have decided to make Oven Baked Cheese Sandwiches with mushroom Sauce and Caesar Salad.

First we went to the supermarket to bring the missing components. 

After that we went to the house and we were ready to prepare the dinner. 

We started with Oven Baked Cheese Sandwiches with mushroom Sauce dish.

This dish taken from a book called: The Gourmet 2.

Prepared By: Abeer Al-Rashed.

In the bottom you will find the components and the way of preparation for the dish with pictures.

Cheese Ingredients:

300gm Gashgawan cheese

200gm Mozzarella Cheese

2 Medium size strips Chopped Green Onions

2 Tablespoon Olive Oil

2 Teaspoon Dry Mint

1 Teaspoon Minced Garlic

¼ Teaspoon Crushed Black Pepper or Powder

2 Medium to small size pieces Boiled and Mashed Potatoes

Approximately 20 pieces Medium or Small Sized Sandwiches

Sauce Ingredients:

1 Medium piece Chopped onions

1/3 Bar Butter

1 ½ Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 pack or 17 Medium Sized Pieces Fresh Mushroom Cut into Slices

½ Teaspoon Minced Garlic

¾ Cube Chicken Broth Cubes

¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper Powder

¾ Teaspoon Turmeric

¼ Teaspoon Curry 

A Dash Red Chili Pepper Powder

1 ¾ Cup Whipping Cream

10 Small Pieces Cherry Tomatoes

Cheese Preparation:

       Grate Mozzarella and Gashgawan cheese then add remaining

                          ingredients ( except the potatoes) 

Take 2 cups from the mixture and leave on the side

    Add mashed Potatoes to remaining mixture

 Mix ingredients together and leave on the side

Sauce Preparation:

Fry Onions in Oil and Butter until light crisp

Add Mushroom and stir for 2 minutes

Then add Garlic, Chicken Broth Cubes and Spices and mix for one minute. 

Add Cream and leave to boil a little. 

Final Preparation:

In an oven suitable for serving add ¾ of the Cream Sauce in the base of the pan.Stuff Sandwiches with Cheese and Potato mixture and line up over the Sauce

Add the Tomatoes and pour remaining Cheese and Sauce over Sandwiches then cover with aluminum foil

Place pan in the oven at Medium heat for 10 minutes, remove aluminum foil. 

Then add adequate amount of Cheese Mixture on the top of each Sandwich (the two cup of prepared cheese mixture that was kept on the side).

Leave sandwiches until Cheese is melted or until golden crisp if desired.   

                              --------------------------------------

 This is the final form of the Dish with the Salad