Work Life - Millionaire Fair $1m mobile !

How much does your mobile phone cost? $100 ?
Or did you spend $400 on the new slick iPhone ? Cool ey !

Well, this mobile is a "cool" $1 million ! Diamond studded beauty.
I just had to see if it "really" worked, so I called mum :)

Work Life - Millionaire Fair body painting

There is body painting , then there is "body" painting ... hot body panting..err painting

Does she look like John Wayne now ?

Work Life - Millionaire Fair fashion show

Millionaire Fair fashion show - is this hot or wot !

A video tells 1000 pictures ...so 1,000,000 words so do I need to say more :)
Ruff clip but you get the picture...no pun intended...ok so it was intended :) Enjoy !

Welcome to MOSCOW

Just as fast as you change your jumper/sweater inside out, Moscow has changed from rags to riches to become the most expensive cities in the world. So how appropriate to hold the exclusive Millionaire Fair in Moscow.

I'll take you on a journey from "riches to rags" ... from attending the Millionaire Fair to the back-streets. ENJOY ! :)


A true intro-video will popup here mid December, but for now enjoy these clips of the Millionaire Fair... including the official welcome of "Bred Pitt" !? Seriously !
Bill Gates, Sharapova, Steven Spielberg, and wait for it...Bred Pitt !
They frantically changed the sign after I pointed out the "slight" (massively embarrassing) mistake. See for yourself... and more videos to come !

Private Life - lunch

... or just enjoy a quiet lunch in this luxury beach club ... and it actually IS called "Beach Club" !
Definately recommend dropping by. Its a 5 min walk along the beach from Plaza Beach Club, another HOT 'n lazy place to relax 'n drink by the beach. Great "beatch" views along the way too ! :)

THEN party 'n drink on if like :)
We had sushi, Thai, seafood (that means "cooked" fish) as a relaxed business lunch. Food always tastes better under the Sun :)

Marbella prices to come in a later post ...

Private Life - Party mattress

Or party hard on the ($300/day) mattress 'n drinks ... ok so much better drinks, 1 Moet included

Private Life - mattress money

... then just relax on a ($80/hour) mattress with drinks :)

Private Life - massage

Ooooh nice relaxing massage by the sea... only 1 thing missing... see it ?

Private Life - beach fun

Nikki beach is "THE" place to go for true Beach Party fun or just relax on a Sunday arvo ! I've been to a few Nikki beaches around the world but Marbella's Nikki beach is tops ! We took the boat there from Puerto Banus, a 30-60min cruise, depending how much you drink along the way :)) ... more on Nikki beach soon, including a super video !

Work Life - working on the boat

Life sux ey !? :) I mean can you imagine putting up with working on a 46" motor boat with all its fine luxuries ? Sux ey. At least had my MAC to keep mi "company" :)

Private Life - boytoys

More BoyToys... a few fast wheels, 300ft yachts & motor boats, and million dollar pads... just a few little toys of rich retirees in Marbella

Sports Life - cars

Well the main "sport" so to speak in Marbella is taling your wheels for a spin :)
Here are 4 nice red wheels that spin quite fast ! :)

Ferrari Ferrari on the wall, who's the fastest of them all ?
Martin & Jon have 2 nice red boy toys so we took em for a spin, 'n wadda sound !! You thought planes were loud !? The sound of the whopping machines was louder than a bloody Jumbo jet ! ... and probably just as fast too :)

This month I'll upload the video of Ferrari 747 taking off.

Travel Life - yachting

How else to get around the sunny Spanish coast of Marbella ?
Either on a set of $300,000 Ferrari or Bentley wheels, or on your $3 million motor boat or yacht ? ... or by foot for free :)

Naa, I'd prefer a beer on the go. Wadda lovely lifestyle. Here's to you. Cheers !

Work Life - real estate agents

OK OK so I was kidding.
Yes some locals need to work, but not necessarily the Puerto Banus retirees who have already made their millions. But... fact of the matter is, we entrepreneurs love what we do so "working" off a luxury boat isn't a bad way to earn a quid right ?

Most other locals are all real estate agents ! Ok so not all, ... 90% are real estate agents ! So if you're looking for a home in Marbella & have a spare $10 million lying around, noooo problemou, you're only a stones throw away from an agent...in fact you don't even need to throw, just "drop" your stone and you'll hit a real estate agent ... (in the head ... oops, thats 1 less) sorry :)

Work Life

yep this post is blank :)) What, work in Marbella !? Get real !? :)

Night Life

Oh, PS: "3D"! ... Don't Drink 'n Drive ! :) Yep, not even on a boat.

But every day is a sunny day in Marbella so after taking the boat for a cruise (sort of like you take the dog for a walk ?), you dont want to go cruising at night.

Enjoy the nightlife to come...

Night Life

If you own a motor boat like most locals in Marbella, Puerto Banus, then a prelude to the party nightlife can begin on your boat popping open champagne bottle after bottle ... then if you can still walk, there are plenty of trendy bars & clubs open and usually get busy from 12 midnight, some start at 2am, some from 4am, and one even "starts" at 6am !! I'll share all names & details in later posts...stay tuned for more nightlife coming soon :) In the meantime, go grab a bottle of champagne so we can both enjoy the "tough" life of a local together ! :)

Home Life - Yachting Life

Checkout the unique cloud formation. Or are the Gods checking out the cool luxury boats below & me enjoying my cup of coffee ?? :)

Travel Life - yachting trip

Less than a 1 hour cruise on the boat and you can see Gibralta, the tip of Africa and new continent. We would have stopped by but forgot our passports.

Its also a popular petrol (gas) purchase stopover, far cheaper than Puerto Banus!

From Gibralta, you can either travel on your boat further along the coast, or take the train to Morocco ! A great overnight stay huh ! :)

Home Life - Yachting Life

What !? Another stunning sexy babe ? Come on, what did you expect when cruising in Marbella. Still wondering (or wishing) if this is Home Life or Yachting Life ?? :)

Well welcome to Marbella - the land of luxury & beauty ... and fun !

Nice lifestyle :)

Home Life - Yachting Life

Well this was a tough one to categorise ... Is lazing around on the yacht (motor boat) considered Home Life or Work Life or Travel Life or... even Love Life ?? Hmm, all of the above !! :) Welcome to the life of a "Marbellian" :)

Afterall, what else is there to do but take the Ferarri for a spin, or hte Bentley for a cruise, or even better, your luxury motor boat for a cruise enjoying cocktails under the Sun.

Here's a friend's cool sexy & beautiful girlfriend lazing around under the sun on the back of the luxury 46" boat while cruising along the high seas along the Spanish coast of Marbella, Puerto Banus. Check out the video too for more action :)

Welcome to MARBELLA !

Marvellous Marbella ! ... Port Banus, the not-so-secret hideout of the Rich & Famous.

I was invited to live on my good friend's luxury 46" boat for 2 weeks so I'll share my Marvellous Marbella experience with you here :)

Marbella's famous Port Banus is like Monaco's sister (no, not Monica, Monaco). With it's Ferraris, Bentleys, and rare model Mercedes convertables driving through the narrow one-way street with its trendy pubs on one side and luxury boats moored on the harbour on the other side, it's a tight squeeze, but the only way one can drive to their boat. Believe me you wouldnt want to drive down this narrow street past Sinatra's bar after 10pm ... ya never know who's subtely holding out a key against your car ey !! Sinatra's bar located on the corner of the long narrow street is so jampacked that there are 5-10 times more spilled out on the street & harbourside in front, forcing cars to "crawl" thru, giving posh car owners a chance to "show off" their toy. And thats just the start of this narrow portside street lined door to door with cafes, restaurants, and bars. The street that runs parrallel, the so-called "1st line" backstreet livens up after 11pm and doesnt die down until at least 5am !

In Marbella, like most of Spain, you dont go out drinking earlier than 12. Restaurants are empty until 7pm, and you'd be pressed to find a seat during peaktime around 10pm. The usual routine is to go for dinner around 8 or 9pm after your evening siesta, then 12 hit the bars for a drink or 2 , or 3, .. or 10 vodka-redbulls ! The bars party on until 5am, but most hit the nightclubs from 2am. If its a weekend you'll probably get home just before sunrise around 6am, then sleep until what in the 'normal world' we call lunchtime.

Here's a few tips if you ever plan to sail down to Marbella :)
Meet your friends at Sinatra's bar or any other along the strip like the Mumbai bar, grab some dinner after 8 or 9, then stopby La Habana after 11 for a round of Vodka-Redbulls. If its a weekend, hit The Suite after 2am, then the famous Olivias after 3 or 4am until 6am, and if the redbulls havent worn off yet, you can still party on hard at Dreamers 'from' 6am. Anytime earlier than these times in these top-class clubs is useless. Or visit the newly opened The Panjia; its absolutely stunning and oozing with class ! You may need an invite or know someone depending on the day, but your breathe will be taken away ! Checkout the pix.

After a hard weekend of partying, most trendy guys 'n hot gals hit Nikki beach on Sunday afternoon until late. A picture tells 1000 words, so check out the pix & video too ! Silver champagne buckets next to your sofa-bed propped in sand, openair Egyptian style curtain cabins, lots of loud dance music, and 'hot' people 'chilling' out ! :)

One of the highlights was the dolphins swimming next to the boat. If you go at a fun speed for dolphins and you play the right music, (yes dolphins DO have a taste for music), they'll have a great time swimming and jumping the seas next to you ... but I think we have an even better time watching the dolphins, anyway both sides love watching each other ! Check out the video. One of the beauties of boating.

The term "boat" can be quite decieving, in fact we had an interesting conversation about this with my good friend Martin, who invited me to stay on his "boat". A "boat" could actually be as small as a rowboat, or as large as the Prince of Arabia's massive 100ft "boat", which really looks more like a ship ! But a "boat" is actually classed a ship if its longer than 100ft. Martin's 46foot cruise boat has 3 bedrooms, 2 showers/toilets, living & dining room, kitchen, and a cool upstairs deck for parties, and a suntan area on the front to chill out on. Hidden vodka & gin bottles popped up in all sorts of places making good use of space :)

Anyway more about life living on a boat in hip Port Banus coming throughout November, so stay tuned :)
It's awesome, so if you're ever heading Marbella way, let me know & I'll make sure you hit the right places.

1 picture tells 1000 words

so here's 10,000 4u :)

Family dinners & home life, sardine-can taxis, market mania, "hotdog" sellers & nut stands, street prayers, mosques sprinkled with satellite dishes, mountain-goat men, Old Town Morocco Fes, Meknes, 'n more ... Videos to come during November each weekend :)
"A Video tells 1000 pictures !"... JD

Love Life

I guess this conversation sums it up:

JD: "Can I ask you about Moroccan love life?"
Moroccan: "Love life, what is that?"


The son of one of the families I stayed with has a girlfriend for over a year, yet only once was she allowed in his/parents house, and they meet secretly, or he calls her while "going out to buy cola". He wants to marry her, but cant until he buys a house for them. Only then can they get engaged, eventually married, then "eventually" have sex! Yep, only AFTER marriage. There's no "try-then-buy" policy in Morocco, or for strong Muslim believers.

Yet, having said this, there are some rare folk who deep down (way down) in their souls hold
a secret of making out with someone, but not a potential wife.

Soon I'll upload a private and VERY candid interview I had with a young Moroccan, who only opened up after his mum & sisters left the room.

Night Life

Nightlife = Coffee shop life for Moroccans!

Well what did you expect when you're forbidden to drink any alcohol, public dating is rare, and no sex until marriage, and then you're locked inside anyway. So you "hangout" with your male friends in coffee shops drinking coffee (usually cafe latte) or tea, and a free plastic bottle of water is given at some coffee shops too. You chat, play chess, or cards. NO WOMEN allowed !
Women are hidden at home (not only behind their veil, but behind bars...oops, doors) :)

Travel Life - Donkeys

Well aside from the "city" modes of travel by bus, taxi, train, there are the donkeys of course!

BTW, never, and I mean never, call anyone a "donkey" in Morocco! Its the lowest form of humiliation! Slave labor. Poor animals, they're so cute :)

Travel Life

So how do Moroccans get around?
Living as a local, aside from donkeys and sqishy buses, mostly by foot throughout mazes of alleyways in the Old Town of Fes, but for distant places you have a choice of taxis - the cute tiny "Petit Taxi" (cca. 10 Dhm for a 10min ride), or the "Grand Taxi" - now that was an experience & a half !
The so-called "Grand taxis" dont go until they squeeze in 6 people, and that means "4" squeezed in the back, and "2" in the passenger seat next to the driver !? Yes, you've virtually got someone sitting on your lap the whole journey, and that can be up to an hour !! :(

... So why do Moroccans prefer the sardine-can "Grand Taxi" ? Its a cheap fixed price. Usually half or 1/3 the price of the red "Petit Taxi". Or on a long journey say from Fes to Meknes (45min) its the same price as the train. Still, so why would you want to be squeezed in a sardine can 45min when you can take the train ? Coz even the trains get so full they have armed guards blocking angry passengers getting through the gates. Checkout the video to come!

Cost of Life

What's it cost in Morocco ?

Well it only varies a bit depending if you're in the Old Town of Fes or Meknes vs. the New Town.
This will give you an idea:

(10 Dirhams = 1 Euro)

Lunch (standard) = 10 Dhm
Coffeeshop coffee/tea = 5 Dhm
Fruits, Biscuits (1 p) = 1 Dhm
1 litre OJ (imported) = 10 Dhm

DVD = 10 Dhm
Jaleba (common dress) = 200 Dhm
Apt rent (old 2room) = 1000-2000 Dhm
Apt rent (modern 2room) = 3000 Dhm
Home Mortgage = no idea ! :)

My trip to Morocco = cca. $1000 (half was plane fare)
This BLOG = FREE 4U ! :)

Language for Life - Moroccan

Wanna learn survival Moroccan ? Here are some of my EZ favorites :)

Lesson 1:
7 words for this week

Day 1) Thanks = Shukran
Day 2) Great ! Fantastic ! = Zwein !
Day 3) What ? Pardon ? = Shnu ?
Day 4) Nice to meet you = Mucha Rafin
Day 5) No = Oho
Day 6) Oh, I see... = Iiiii.....
Day 7) Welcome ! = Marhaba !

.

Work Life - The Fruit-man

No market can go without their fruit-man right. So you see not everything is different about Morocco :) Just the price perhaps at about 1 Dhm per piece (10 cents). The "modern" fruit-man handing over the change.

But what's UNIQUE about this 2nd fruit-man is that he has made zero changes to his storefront from the old days. He's in his 60's now and has been working hard in his fruit shop since he was a kid ! ... No kidding ! excuse the pun

Work Life - The Olive-man

"Location Location Location" takes on a new meaning here with the Olive men.
Its "Perfection & Placement" ! Lovely work.

You wont find a hole in his perfect Olive layout. So many varieties and tastes. I almost felt sorry buying some as it would ruin his artistic layout.

I'll own up, it was the first time in my life I saw where olives are grown ... nope not from the ground but on trees ! :) They actually almost glow with their half white leaves. Morocco is definitely not short on olive trees, as looking out from the train they line the farm fields most of the way, a lovely sight.

Work Life - The Water-man

All that walking around the markets makes you (VERY) thirsty ... welcome to The Water-man !

Dressed in his vibrant red costume, ringing his bell and offering cold water from his goatskin bag for a tip. Usually 1 Dhm. These Water-men are all around town but usually in busy markets adding a bit more color not just water :)

Check out the 1min video.

Work Life - The Chicken-man 2

WALLA ! Chicken ready to take home ... just it's not breathe anymore ... still twitching maybe but definately not breathing ! Sorry...

Still wanna checkout the video ? coming 1.11

Work Life - The Chicken-man 1

Ooh nooo, my last breathe...the chicken's last breathe that is...
So sad but reality...yep this is how we ALL get our chickens, just we in the western world dont SEE behind the scenes (thank god or I'd be living on a fish diet).

Step 1) YOU choose your cute chicken
Step 2) THEY cut its neck (aaarg...)
Step 3) THEY squeeze it thru their cutting & peeling machines ...yep grinders !
Step 4) THEY clean up the blood 'n stuff (still hungry ?)
Step 5) YOU take it home for dinner ! YUM !?