Tehran from Tochal...

Assalam,

I've been meaning to drop by this famous ski resort of Tehran for quite a while now since my last visit there a couple of years ago. So late this morning hubby and I made it a point to stop by after driving and touring around Velenjak, one of the elite uptown northern district of the city. Managed to capture a few snaps of the city despite the still biting cold weather following another downpour of snow a few days before. Tehran looks so amazingly stunning and wonderful amidst the white backdrop of snow covered landscape of the beautiful Alborz mountain ranges in the mid winter days...Wassalam.

foggy morning...

view from the first station...

intensely cold...for us

with the Alborz background view...

and the city beyond...

and a closer look...

milad tower in the distance foggy sky...

the second station on the foothill of the alborz mountain ranges...

icy and slippery walk...

cable cars @ the first station...

searching for food on a leaveless berry trees...

ski training school...

the long and winding road...

stopping by at one of the many food kiosks...

stalactites...

on the way down...to the city

b i x..California Cuisine...

Assalam,

Found yet another delectable cuisine for a fine dining...with a cosy and great ambience, at 'bix California Cuisine' on Ghandi Street, just next to Moonsoon, another great Asian restaurant within the same complex. When we found it (Moonsoon) was still closed at around noon last Saturday, hubby and I spotted this cafe just a floor up and eventually decided to give it a try. Our verdict: awesomely excellence and tasty food choices, especially the sirlion/beef steak. The French fries taste much better than at any other fast food chains around the city. The mushroom soup resembles the one that we used to have at Cocos at Dubai's City Centre. Another fine alternative for a private and quite dining or lunch experience.

Wassalam.

great selection of tea...
to keep warm in the cold weather...

Cocos-look-a-like mushroom soup...

well-done steak and crunchy fries...

steam chicken breast with mushroom sauce...

warm n pleasant...

nice complex and trendy shops and cafes...

bix's exterior n entrance...

Jazaak Allahu khayran...

As Salaam,

Alhamdulillah, with the grace of Allah the Almighty, we're able to get together over lunch among the few of us yesterday, to recite and offer our gratitude and thankfulness to Allah for answering and accepting our prayers, particularly after recovering from my recent illness and indeed for all His continuous favors and blessings bestowed upon us and our family throughout the years...

Surah An-Naml: Ayah 19 says:

"Rabbi aw zighni an 'ash kurani'matakallatii an'am ta'alayyaa wa'alaa wa lidayya wa'an a'mala shaaliha tardah wa'ad khilnii birahmatika fi 'ibaa dikashaalihin..."

"My Lord! grant me that I should be grateful for Thy favor which Thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I should do good such as Thou art pleased with, and make me enter, by Thy mercy, into Thy servants, the good ones."

With all my heart, I also thank all my dear sisters and brothers here in Tehran and all my friends and relatives at home, for all your unceasing support, prayers, well-wishes and kind words of encouragement. May Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala reward you all generously and continue to bestow His choicest blessings upon all of us always, Amin...

Jazaak Allahu khayran...

Wassalam.

Thanking Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala...
may all our prayers...

and supplication...be fulfilled and answered

thanksgiving...

thank you all for your prayers...

Our first guests from home...2011

Salaam,

Last night, at the residence, we had our first ever get-together dinner with our first ever guests from home to visit Tehran since the beginning of the new year. The three officials from three different colleges of higher and vocational institutions in Brunei were on a five-day official trip to participate in another ISESCO-organised workshop in the capital. In fact it was rather a welcome as well as a farewell reception for them who were scheduled to leave Tehran early this morning.

Another joyful and eventful evening...to get to know more fellow Bruneian visiting us here, in the midst of winter days, and more significantly adding up to our list of new acquaintances (and Face Book friends) from home.

Thank you all...to dear Pengiran Hajah Norashikin, Rozaidin and Juradyani for graciously accepting our invitation, for your great companies and most of all, for our new found friendship and in expanding our social networking. All the best wishes to you all and look forward to seeing you all again in our beloved home, Brunei Darussalam.

Wassalam.

catching-up on latest news from home...

old college friends...

happy smiles in the warmth of Brunei home...

at last Brunei home-cooking...missed n craved for the last four days...

bon appetite...

getting to know each other...even better...

our usual after-dinner 'family' pose

Brunei ladies...

a pose to remember...on the last remnant of snow!

saying goodbye on ice...bon voyage dear sisters...