The Gulf tourist

IF you happen to travel abroad, look at foreign tourists and compare him with those from the Arab Gulf region. The foreign tourist will most likely plan his trip day by day while the Gulf tourist will have no ready program but will leave it to work out itself day after day and hour by hour. The foreign tourist is keen to visit museums, as well as historical and tourist sites while the Gulf tourist will roam through markets, sit in cafes and hang out where other Arab Gulf tourists hang out. The foreign tourist will be fatigued by his daily activities while the feet of the Gulf tourist will be tired from his walk in the markets; his stomach will ache from too much food and his eyes will be dazzled by observing his other fellow Gulf tourists. For the foreign tourist, the vacation is a rare opportunity to learn about the lives, traditions and cuisines of other people. For the Gulf tourist, the vacation is a chance to meddle in the lives of other Gulf tourists who happen to be with him in the same place. It is also an opportunity for him to forget his traditions and values. Ironically, the Gulf tourist is usually looking for the very Arab food that he left at home. read more...........

World's third largest mall to open in Philippines

The world's third biggest shopping mall is to open in the Philippines capital this week, a vote of confidence on the country's economic prospects amid a global slowdown, its owners said Thursday. The launch on Friday of a 90,000-square-metre (22-acre) annex will make the SM City North Edsa mall the third biggest in the world with a gross floor area of 425,000 square metres (105 acres), SM Prime Holdings Inc. said in a statement. The company, a holding firm of the country's richest man Henry Sy, also owns the world's fourth, seventh, and 11th biggest malls, it added. SM Prime President Hans Sy said launching the project amid the global crisis "speaks of how we view the longer-term prospects of the country." read more.................