Tag: #life

Candlelight Vigil for Global Peace…Dundas Square, Downtown Toronto

On By mubeenazamIn November 2015, Uncategorized3 Comments

I would like to begin with expressing my heartfelt gratitude to my niece who organised this event, she did a fantastic job and we are all incredibly proud of her, she gave a press interview on Dundas Square and then later in the evening, gave a live interview for a TV channel.   Her energy, activism, enthusiasm, dedication and hope for a better world is much to be admired, thank you my lovely Fatimah.

Below are photos of a Candlelight Vigil for Global Peace which she organised in Dundas Square, Downtown Toronto.  This was in light of the horrific events in the past week, in Beirut, Paris and Baghdad, but extending to all violence against all people.  I would like to express my condolences to the families of all those innocent lives that were taken away so violently and mercilessly.  Here I would like to express a few words…

Human life is sacred, let’s get this clear from the very outset.  It is so sacred, that it is not and can never be confined and restricted to colour, religion, ethnicity, gender, status, power, locality, or any other label people want to identify it with.  All life is precious.

Most of us share the same goals in life, it doesn’t matter who you are and where you are from.  For instance, I would like to believe that most people on this planet want to be happy, want to love and be loved, be healthy, live without fear, have the freedom to move around, marry who you wish, live where you want, choose to believe or not to believe, etc.  No person has the right to take any of these God given rights away from anyone as we are all beautifully distinctive and individual, we are all the same yet different, no one can compel another to love in a certain way, feel a certain emotion, do things against their intrinsic nature, force them to believe, not allow for someone to judge according to their own formidable intuition, face any form of abuse or be discriminated in any way…no one has the right to do these things to another human being, end of!

Tragedy on this earth takes place on a daily basis, we are constantly reminded that there are some really despicable and twisted people on this earth, so sick and vile, so barbaric in their thoughts and actions, that they have left the folds of humanity, and most people do not, cannot and will not adhere to any of these pathetic and lowly belief systems, no matter what they base their arguments on, these earth shattering atrocities can never be justified, it is simply against our human nature.

Human life is so sacred that the pain and suffering in the world that we see, that we hear, that our senses testify to, we cannot ignore, we cannot let it pass, we cannot rationalise to say that it is not our problem.    The plain truth here is very simple, yet devastatingly heart breaking, heart wrenching, it sends shivers down the back and makes you want to scream!

This is a message to all these animals who kill, maim, take so much innocent life, snatch away our sons and daughters, seperate the loving lives of wife and husband, kill our fathers, rape our mothers and sisters, destroy generations, take away hope, attempt to eliminate peace, destroy our heritage, pollute our gift of a planet with their existence, aim to cause corruption, discord and disunity…you will never ever succeed, we don’t care how much money you have, how sophisticated your weaponary is, it does not matter who you are backed by and who your allies are, it doesn’t matter what you base your belief system on, who you think your God is, what you interpret truth to be, it is an absolute joke that you talk about salvation and that you are doing God’s work…what a massive insult to the Merciful Lord, an absolute disgrace you are…you cannot and will not succeed against the unity of love, compassion, understanding, respect, hope, dignity and the reality of the ultimate truth that is shared amongst all decent, upright and compassionate beings.  Beings of faith and none who clearly understand the verse from the Qur’an:  “Whoever kills an innocent person, it is as if they have killed the whole of humanity…” (5:32).

You sick people (who I will not even mention here as you are not worthy of it) do not, actually, do not even have the capacity to comprehend the fact that human love is indestructible, life is a manifestation of God’s divine beauty and the soul is eternal.  Your actions are so horrific that you are totally ignorant of the fact that you are constantly creating your own damnation, your own hell fire is being contually fuelled by your highly mistaken ideologies where your ignorance is being compounded with every passing moment, at every instance, your  accountability will certainly take place and it will be perfectly just as God is Just.  The fact that so many people attended this vigil tonight and at the other thousands of other locations around the world, the fact that there were people from all walks of life, beliefs, colours and  religions…all there for the same goal of a hope for a better world, a peaceful society, a loving and respectful relationship with each other, shows that you have already lost…you lost your souls the moment you subscribed to this horrendous existence and what you claim as a way of life!

I believe that in every evil there is beauty, there is an opportunity to do good, to be taken out of our comfort zone, to change a situation, to make a difference, to be challenged, to bring personal awareness and awaken those around us who may, for a number of reasons, be in slumber and are distracted and need to be awoken to the truth.  This is not about me being Muslim and opposing those who claim to be Muslim, this has absolutely, categorically nothing to do with Islam.  This is about me being human and they not being human in any way.  This is about my sister or brother in faith being the equal of my sister or brother of no faith.  This is about these baseless animals being the enemy of all people of conscience and all free thinking people.  This is about standing up against oppression, injustice and tyranny in all forms, there is no place for hate.  This is about life being sacred, love being precious, humanity being divine!  Peace!

#TOAgainstTerror



  


  
  


  




  


Ferry from Tsawwassen Bay to Vancouver Island, Victoria…

On By mubeenazamIn September 2015, UncategorizedLeave a comment

(My solo road trip of western Canada – Tuesday 29th September)

After arriving in Vancouver, there was a short drive to nearby Richmond where I was due to stay for three nights so that I could explore Vancouver.  I was so excited, I could not believe I was here, somewhere I had always wanted to visit was now unfolding for me.

I planned to visit Victoria (the capital of British Colombia, Canada) on Vancouver Island (the largest Pacific island east of New Zealand).  I was told that this was a good place to do whale watching, advice was given by several people so it would have been foolish to go anywhere else, or not do it at all.  I decided to do this on my first day of three so that I could have time to explore other parts of Vancouver (if I could) with the remainder of the time I had.

The day was going to be totally manic, tight schedule that I had to adhere to, otherwise I would not be able to travel to Victoria, do whale watching and explore downtown Vctoria in the day I had.  I went to bed after 2am planning the day.

I got up at 5am and left my accommodation at 5.30am.  From where I was staying, I had a 15 minute walk to the nearest bus loop (bus station), the bus was due to leave at 6.05am.  I realised after about 6 or 7 minutes that I was walking in the wrong direction, I should have turned right instead of left at the main road, if  I missed this bus, it would ruin my day, I simply would not have enough time!  There was no sign of anyone, until after walking for about 10minutes, there was a gas station (petrol station).  I asked 3 workers inside if they new where the bus loop was and none of them did!  I walked out and one guy was filling up, I asked him, and it just so happened that he was going in that direction and he knew where I had to go, he offered to take me… I got on the bus at 6.04am, it left the station 1 minute later!

I arrived at the ferry port at 6.40am and the ferry from Tsawwasen Bay was due to leave at 7am to get to Victoria just after 8.30am.  Then I got a bus from the ferry bay to downtown Victoria, I arrived just before 9.30am, I then ran and booked a whale watching tour which I thought was going to start at 10am, but this was not available so I did the 11am.  It was due to last 3 1/2 hours.  In total, I needed to allow around four hours to get back to Richmond.  Below are the photos of my ferry trip from Tsawwasen to Victoria.  After whale watching and trekking around downtown Victoria, I got to my accommodation, safe and sound just after 11pm, long but hugely fulfilling day.

Absolutely stunning sunrise, spectacular scenery along the way.  My favourite part of the ferry trip was definitely passing the multiple small islands on route to Victoria.  On the way back, I explored the inside of the ferry further and realised it was like a floating  city.  Again, I could not believe my luck with the weather, it was blissful!


  
  



  
  


  
  


  
  
  

Whistler downtown and drive to Vancouver

On By mubeenazamIn September 2015, UncategorizedLeave a comment

(My solo road trip of western Canada – Monday 28th September)

Before visiting Whistler, I had seen photos of the place, it looked absolutely amazing in all weather conditions throughout the year, I was very excited about visiting.  Whistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada.  It is only about 125 km north of Vancouver, the next place on my road trip.  I was surprised to discover that it has a stable population of around 10,000, not sure how true this is but can’t see it being much more to be honest.

Over two million people visit Whistler annually, primarily for alpine skiing and snowboarding and, in summer, mountain biking at Whistler Blackcomb. Its pedestrian village has won numerous design awards and Whistler has been voted among the top destinations in North America by major ski magazines since the mid-1990s. During the 2010 Winter Olympics, Whistler hosted most of the alpine, Nordic, luge, skeleton, and bobsled events.

Downtown Whistler I found very beautiful, the scenery was spectacular, I really liked the architecture, the changing trees were fantastic to see at this time of the year and it was incredibly clean, and on top of that, my good fortune…truly incredible weather continued which made the whole experience even more memorable.  Oh, and some of the houses were so stupendous, instead of taking photos, I just brought home a Real Estate magazine, prices ranged from $1 million to over $20 million!!!

I found out that Whistler does not have a garbage collection service as they have such a high concentration of bears, so the residents have to take their own garbage to a central location!

The drive down to Vancouver was fantastic, incredibly scenic and at time, literally took my breath away!  I drove on Highway 99, the drive was so fantastic and was complemented with its really cool name: The Sea to Sky Highway!  There was so much more beauty along the drive but there were not many opportunities to capture them because of the windy mountain roads.  (The second photo is of my hostel accommodation which was by far the best hostel accommodation I have ever stayed in).

http://www.whistler.com/

        

  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  
  
  
  

Zip Lining in Whistler BC…’Eagle Tour’ topped off with ‘The Sasquatch ‘

On By mubeenazamIn Epic Solo Road Trip, September 2015, Uncategorized, Zip Lining WhistlerLeave a comment

(My solo road trip of western Canada – Monday 28th September)

I have done a few crazy things in my life, things that have challenged me (for the better), scared the living day lights out of me, things I have regretted doing, and naturally made mistakes along the way. When I was younger, I used to love going to theme parks, going on roller coasters was my thrill, I used to also go on other ridiculously crazy rides, for example where you drop from a massive height and drop through a black hole, as you sit there, not knowing why you came here in the first place, why you are doing it now and where you are going to next!

As I have gotten a little older (not too much though I should stress!) I don’t get the same buzz from these things anymore, and although I am not too comfortable anymore with heights, I have been looking for something else, something that will bring back that original buzz I used to get when I was younger, the difference being now, is that I am more aware and more conscious of my actions, but I am looking for more adrenaline rushes to energise and revitalise me…something that I can do, look back and say to myself, yes I did it and I have no regrets…I think I have found it?

I was told that if I visit Whistler, I should go Zip Lining, apparently, it was quite famous for it, I looked into it and I thought I would give it a go seen as though I was here.  What I did, made my adrenaline and heart pump so hard it hurt my chest, that was just after my first zip line of what is known as the ‘Eagle Tour’…it was honestly amazing, I still remember standing there as they attached the harness and looking at the mountain in the distance which I was supposed to be heading towards, and thinking ‘I don’t think I can do this, I don’t think I want to do this…it is very high’.  I did do it and I just wanted  more and more, there were four more Zip Lines left of this Eagle Tour, but then…

Then, I did what is called ‘The Sasquatch’, well, let’s just put it this way, the ache from the adrenaline I got from this, reverberated around my body…it was a totally awesome ‘natural’ high!  From what I know, it is one of the top 10 Zip Lines in the world…”I did the Sasquatch, will you?”.

Just a note for anyone who may do this.  If you have a Go Pro, definitely take it, I don’t have one but I rented one for the day.  I wore mine on my wrist as I wanted more freedom to film different angles to give a more real experience as opposed to having it on the helmet.  If you do The Sasquatch in particular, just be conscious of the fact (as you will see), that your wrist may hit against the handle, especially as you reach high speed going through the trees.

http://www.ziptrek.com/

http://www.ziptrek.com/en/whistler-canada/tours/ziptrek-sasquatch

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The Eagle Tour Facts: 5 zip lines and 4 tree top bridges.  Height range from 675ft – 2,400ft with the longest descending 30 stories!  The whole tour is linked by zip lines, suspension bridges, tree top lookouts and trails…

The Sasquatch Facts:

Over 2km long (7,000ft) continuous zip line!

Longest zip line in Canada and the US!

Over 600 ft above ground at certain points during the zip!

It opened in July 2015, the fastest speed when I went had been over 145kmh, I managed to reach over 125kmh…and I went upside down!  Totally mind blowing, an experience I will never forget, and I have ‘almost’ destroyed my fear of heights…Sky dive next?


Edward Gardens, Toronto

On By mubeenazamIn October 2015, Uncategorized1 Comment

A refreshing walk, a beautiful day, the girls absolutely loved this place as they were able to explore comfortably at their own leisure, the fallen and the falling leaves were a true joy, the smell in the air of the changing of the weather, the crisp and fresh air was totally rejuvenating…

Nature definitely speaks to us, we just need to be attentive and receptive to its message!

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Kensington Market, Downtown Toronto

On By mubeenazamIn November 2015, Uncategorized1 Comment

I can’t believe the weather, it’s the 5th of November and it is over 20 degrees, crazy but very, very welcome.  We decided to make the most of the bliss day we had and visit the renowned Kensington Market in the heart of Toronto.  I’m beginning to think that all this talk about it snowing in Toronto is all made up just to scare me so that I go back to the UK!

Kensington Market was very cool in my opinion, a very multicultural neighbourhood, some unique shops, so much creativity,  and we met some lovely people, a Rastafarian shop owner was my absolute favourite!  From what I know, it is also one of the most photographed markets or even places in Toronto.  We will definitely be visiting again, I really, really like this place.

Favourite parts of the day:  travelling on the tram and seeing the girls excitement, learning some of the unique names of stores, the eco friendly car, delectable ice cream, our three girls sat on three hip chairs outside Blue Banana Market, the ‘Espresso yourself’ sign in Dolce and a selfie with Nour in front of the CN Tower…a good day and the girls really loved it.  Next time, anyone for chicken and waffles at Dirty Bird?

http://www.kensington-market.ca/Default.asp?id=home&l=1



  


  


  


  


  


   

  
  


  
  


  
  
  

To paint or not to paint…I suppose it was going to happen…it should not even be a question!

On By mubeenazamIn October 2015, Uncategorized1 Comment

Any mention of painting drives them crazy, by ‘them’ I mean my crazy, creative, courageous girls.  They love it, and to be honest, it’s always a lot of fun, they make it a lot of fun.

However, today, I thought I would do a little experiment and see how Sara (the 2 year old going on 16) would react to a particular situation.  What would she do if I placed my head (this beautiful brown, perfectly shaped object) in her way while she is painting?  What would she do?  How long would the reaction take?  Would she react at all?  Would she talk to me to gain some sort of consent?  I was nervous, it was tense and let me tell you, I could see her thinking about it, what was she to do, how should she deal with this object?  I could feel that she was poised to attack, just as a predator leaps on their prey!

OK, so I know this is a bit dramatic, because it actually is a little dramatic, the fact is, Sara took very little time to react, she basically looked at me, smiled at me, and then she slapped my head with both her hands and created a unique, let me repeat, a unique piece of art, and since this day, she wants to see the photos all the time. Sara keeps asking me in the most adorable way…’Baba, can I paint your head again, I like it, I really like it!’  The last photo will give the answer I always give her when she asks, it ‘will’ happen again, she will paint!
  
  

Halloween…kids will be kids!

On By mubeenazamIn October 2015, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Just a few photos of the girls spending some time with their family and not really taking part in Halloween per se, but in their view (and their elder cousins I should add!) a fanatastic opportunity to collect a stash of sweets, candy, chocolate, the sticky chewy stuff, whatever you want to call it, that makes them go a little crazy…all free of charge, which is always welcome, sharing not an option…so grateful it only takes place once a year, but all good fun, and Sara (my Sara that is) is just totally adorable, I don’t even think she was aware what her cousin sisters stuck behind her…one for her wedding day photo I would suggest!  You need to guess the others?




  

  

  
  

Joffre Lakes (lower, middle and upper) Provincial Park

On By mubeenazamIn September 2015, UncategorizedLeave a comment

(My solo road trip of western Canada – Sunday 27th September)

As I mentioned in my previous post, before arriving in Whistler from Kamloops, I was advised to visit Joffre Lakes if time permitted and as I was told it would be worth the visit.  I was in two minds about stopping off to be honest as I was quite tired and there was this negative voice in my head saying ‘come on Mubeen, you have seen lots of lakes, it will just be like the rest’!

I ignored the negative voice and found the energy to take on an extra stop.  Although time was short, I reminded myself that although my genuine dream is to come back here one day with Nour (who I missed at every part of this trip), I had to make the most of every opportunity while it was there.  In fact, this is one thing I definitely learnt about life during this trip, if an opportunity is there, you need to grab it with both hands and live it, love it and learn from it…you don’t know what is around the corner!

There was one thing I did not realise about Joffre Lakes, one important thing, there were three lakes, all on different elevations…the photos below are all in order of the lakes that were visited, I did all three!  The sign in photo six shows the distance and time of this hike, as I was under the constraints of time, I did this in a much quicker time!

Spectacular walk, three tremndous colours in each of the three lakes, lovely scenery in the surrounding areas, growth on land and in water, paths dressed with fallen trees, mega sized rocks, waterfalls, different styles of bridges, various wildlife, tricky mud paths, huge tree trunks decorated different aspects of the trail, gorgeous inviting mountains, independent hanging glaciers…wow…again!

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/joffre_lks/

http://www.vancouvertrails.com/trails/joffre-lakes/


  
  
  


  
  
  
  
  


  
  

  
  


  
  

Drive from Kamloops to Whistler BC (be prepared, totally mind blowing!) – part 2

On By mubeenazamIn September 2015, UncategorizedLeave a comment

(My solo road trip of western Canada – Sunday 27th September)

Ok, so here is part 2 of this wonderful drive.  The first forest fire danger sign I saw when I arrived in Banff, and the several I saw after, the danger level was low, very reassuring let me tell you.  As you speak to people who have good local knowledge, you come to the realisation, very quickly, that forest fires are no joke, and as you may have seen on a previous post, can be truly and utterly destructive.  Anyway, on this particular drive, I saw the first sign where the danger level had moved low to moderate, a step in the wrong direction, I hope the danger level does not go any higher?

Lillooet was a very special place, beautiful mountain peaks, lovely, dramatic green coloured water and very interesting facts (see photo below).  The steep, rough and rugged mountains contrasted so beautifully with the mountains that were covered by pine and fir trees.  I love the fact that some rivers have a railway line running alongside them, makes the whole environment more dramatic.

I like the fact that some road signs instruct winter tyres between certain dates, it highlights the point that these roads can be dangerous, actually, the fact that some of these roads are closed from mid-October make it real.  The switch backs on the mountain pass were unbelievably exhilarating, on some of the bends, my heart was thumping as I was so close to the edge, and from the 12th and 13th photos below, you can get some idea of the drop!  It wasn’t the best way to conduct my thoughts while driving these mountain passes, but I could not help myself from thinking that if  I did make a small mistake, the car would plummet very, very quickly to the bottom, I thank the Lord above, with all sincerity, that all went well.

As I look back through these photos, I am reminded how lucky I was to take this trip and see such magnificence and mind blowing beauty.  The last nine photos are the photos I am most proud of, they are mega fantastic, I was so lucky to be there on that day, at that time of day, to capture such flawless and mind boggling scenery, so much so that you really cannot believe your eyes, it almost looks fake.  Its like a dream where reality is questioned with the sheer clinical imagery in front of you, I absolutely loved this place, the colours, the air, the contrast, the fallen trees that had gathered together, the sheer perfection and reflections that surrounded me.   I honestly found it very hard to leave, but time was of the essence, and I had to move on as I still had to get to Whistler and there was Joffre Lakes that I was told was worth visiting along the way…