The Mosque, The Safari and The Royal Ball

The awesome mosque, the daring safari and the lovely royal ball - these three spots of interest topped my wonderful experience in Dubai. A man made city where high rise buildings mushroomed in a short span of time. Home of the Firsts in the world. The world's tallest building, the grandest mosque, the biggest mall, the most expensive hotel and the first palm-shaped island reclaimed from the sea. But wait, I’m not writing a travelogue but of people in the company where I invested who made this tour of the golden city possible and memorable. I likened them to the beautiful sights and experiences I encountered.

The CEO and the Mosque

The architecture of Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi is one of the largest mosques in the world. It has a capacity of 41,000 worshippers. It features 82 domes, over 1,000 columns, 24 carat gold-gilded chandeliers and the world's largest hand-knitted carpet. The main prayer room hall is adorned by one of the world's largest chandeliers - 10 meters in diameter, 15 meters in height and weighing twelve tons.

With this exciting information given to us, who would like to miss such grandeur? Not one in the group, because all of us donned the required dress code and joined the throng in entering the mosque.

Doc Sam Ramos, our CEO stirred the same excitement among investors every time his visit in every CHIC center was announced. He had awesome supporters from CHIC   Philippines to Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait where he visited often. 

Everyone just wanted to meet him. He could motivate leaders to work hard when business was at a standstill. Being temperate himself he could unite competing investors to form a team and work for a common good. He is not the world's first but he is a gem of a man. He has the warmth of a friend, the sincerity of a leader and the creativity of an artist.

In this particular summit, together with his supporters in UAE and Manila, he set the tone of the event to the medieval period in Shangri-La Hotel because according to him, he wanted the moment to be remembered for once in our lifetime. His creativity was at work, his warmth exuded where ever we went and his sincerity could not be questioned. Like the Mosque, he is awesome yet humble.

The Financial Anchor and the Safari

A parade of 4x4 land cruisers was waiting for more or less 30 participants after our sumptuous buffet lunch at Atlantis Palm hotel. Five to six people were assigned each car for a reckless desert safari adventure. Once inside the car, the driver advised us to fasten our seatbelts tight, showed us where to pull out plastic bags if we wanted to throw up our heavy lunch before it was digested and suggested that we got ready both body and soul for a roller coaster ride in the sand dunes of that limitless and desolate desert. At first our cry was cultured and refined. But when the car zoomed up the dunes like mad and suddenly dove down the cliff or sometimes raced tilting on the side of the hilly sand, our shouts went wilder and wilder. Inside the air-conditioned car, some of us were sweating. Then we stopped for some pictures of the desert sunset. Thinking that was the end of the safari we heaved a sigh of thanks. But when the driver announced, “More Safari ", some commented, "Again?!” 

However, after the end of the grueling ride we experienced the Arabian welcome of unlimited refreshments and some entertainment of camel riding, henna painting and the exotic performance of the traditional belly dancers followed by a sumptuous dinner.

Mam Cora de Vera, the company's financial anchor is a daring and brave figure behind the scene. She can entrust an investor with millions worth of products for the latter to start business with. No matter what roller coaster ride in business an investor would go through in the process as long as she/he can return what is due to the company, at the end of the day a reward would be given for hard work. It may be a car, a house and lot and mind you, lots of travel here and abroad. Like the Safari, Mam Cora is brave, venturesome yet fun loving financial anchor of CHIC.

The Royal Ball

One by one men and women came donned in medieval attire. Is this the period of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn or of royalties before them? But I observed that there was a click here and a click there and presto - beautiful pictures were taken. I learned that medieval pictures were taken if subjects posed for days before a painter who could paint the portrait. Looking at those lovely ladies and handsome knights sans shining armor, I was in a dreamland of castle halls or palaces where gentlemen and ladies were cumbersomely dressed up for a royal ball.

Just then the voice of the emcee (master of ceremonies) bellowed in clear, flawless English welcoming all participants from different CHIC (Classique Herbs International Company) centers. It was then I awoke from my stupor for I saw reality - the Royal Ball, flagship of the 2013 CHIC summit at Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai.

The Emcee was a host par excellence. Mam Ardy as we fondly called her crafted the proceedings of the program in perfect order. Despite some unrehearsed parts she was able to make adlibs to the delight of the listeners. She moved about the stage with such familiarity as that of the owner. She was not nailed on the podium as traditional emcees were but marched with élan across the aisle looking at both sides of the room, creating a feeling that not one was left out on that affair. In fact she knew practically every delegate and guest for she commended each one for their contribution to the summit. The finale which she created was unexpected albeit, impressive. Presenting, Mam Ardy Batoy an Emcee of global stature!

These three - the Mosque, the Safari and the Royal ball may differ in tone yet woven by a single thread named

S U C C E S S.