Archive for December, 2013

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Special Ostadi

December 30, 2013

Posted by Kanga. Please do not reblog.

diners and dinner

The food at the family owned Special Ostadi (Al Mankhool Road, Bur Dubai) is always fantastic, but what makes this restaurant stand out is the personal touch. Before we even reached the restaurant, Majed, one of the three sons/waiters, greeted DaddyBird with open arms and a big hug. He had seen us coming down the sidewalk.

plates of dates, hummous, carrots, cucumbers, onions

We took a table for 8, but by the time all was said and done there were 14 in our party. By 8:30 (local dinner time) every seat in the place was occupied. The three sons serve as waiters and keep very vigilant eyes on the crowded restaurant making sure everyone’s needs are met, while still finding time to tease, crack jokes, and pose for pictures.

grilled chicken and beef with flat bread

Highly recommended, this restaurant is within walking distance of the Dubai Museum and the Al Fahidi Metro station. Don’t miss it.

Posted in Dubai, food, restaurant | Tagged , | 2 Comments »

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Bull Butting Friday

December 30, 2013

Posted by Kanga. Please do not reblog.

two brahma bulls tied to posts

Friday we ventured out to the bull butting competition on the Fujairah corniche. This is an old tradition brought to the region by the Portuguese.

two bulls butting heads

Two bulls butt heads and push in a feat of strength.

two bulls butting heads in a dirt arena

It is held every Friday afternoon between prayers and sunset. As near as we can tell, there is no money or prizes involved. Pride in having a winning bull is the reward. Some drive from as far away as Abu Dhabi to participate.

Posted in animals, bull butting, Fujairah | Tagged , , | 2 Comments »

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Furniture a la Purple

December 29, 2013

Posted by Kanga. Please do not reblog.

deep purple living room furniture

Furniture shopping never ceases to be entertaining in the UAE.

dark purple lounge chair and bedroom furniture

If I were single, everything could be purple.

strange purple chairs

I particularly like the candelabra/chandelier motif in this set.

an ornate bed with two candlabras and two pictures of a chandelier

Also of note is that both Pan Emirates Furniture and Home Centre have adopted the IKEA style of signage and naming of the furniture.

Posted in Fujairah, furniture | 1 Comment »

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Christmas Eve

December 25, 2013

Posted by Kanga. Please do not reblog.

Mosque and dark grey clouds

The day began with the idea of going to the beach to watch the sun rise over the ocean, but this was not the appropriate day for that plan.

beach, storm clouds, rain

But the rain could not keep us from having breakfast at Al Khan restaurant – qeema (ground beef and potato), chana (chickpeas/garbanzo beans) and paratha (flat bread).

flatbread, chickpeas, ground beef

Then, a quick drive into Dubai to get to the Burj Khalifa in time for our admission to the observation deck. The tickets were nearly all sold out this week, so timing was inflexible.

two people looking out from the observation deck

It was a particularly clear day, so the view was excellent.

view of the world islands from the Burj Khalifa observation deck

These are the World Islands.

two people

BabyBird and DaddyBird.

mocha, brownie, hot chocolate, cheese cake, espresso

Then it was time for a chocolate binge.

aquarium filled with fish

Then there was a fair amount of shopping and roaming around the mall.

waterfall with 30 lifesize diver figures

The day ended with our traditional meal with friends at Bu Qtair restaurant. Fish, prawns, paratha and good friends.

dinner table

Photo by DaddyBird

We love meeting with such a mix of people from different countries and cultures. It was so much fun. The world would be a more peaceful place if everyone did this.

dinner table

Photo by Labiba Laith

Posted in Christmas, Dubai, food, fountains, malls | Leave a Comment »

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Giant Flag

December 23, 2013

Posted by Kanga. Please do not reblog.

red, green, white, and black flag approximately 18 feet tall

At the airport, there is a giant flag on display. What is it made of? -you might ask.

large crocheted rosettes

Why, large crocheted rosettes, of course.

Posted in Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Tagged , | 2 Comments »

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Al Meshwar

December 19, 2013

Posted by Kanga. Please do not reblog.

Al Meshwar was the first Fujairah restaurant where we dined back in 2009. We’ve been back a few times, in part because it is one of the few places open during “siesta” time. We dropped in again yesterday afternoon.

a glass of watermelon juice and a glass of lemon and mint drink

Fresh lemon mint and watermelon juices resulted in unintended Christmas colors.

rocket salad, mutabel, bread, and olives

Our usual salads and appetizers – rocket salad (jarjir), mutabel (eggplant), freshly baked bread, and olives.

chicken livers

One of my recently acquired favorites is chicken livers. They are served in a pomegranate sauce. Yummy.

lamb chops and french fries

The lamb chops were spectacular. The food has always been good here, but it seemed a step up this time.

Al Meshwar is easy to find. It is in the heart of town, across from the World Trade Centre. It was described in a travel book as “Flintstones meets the Crusade Castle” which pretty much sums it up.

Posted in food, Fujairah, restaurant | Tagged , | 1 Comment »

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Kickers Ice Cream

December 16, 2013

Posted by Kanga. Please do not reblog.

business sign for Kickers Ice Cream

On an impulsive lark, we stopped by Kickers Ice Cream for dessert. We walked in even though these businesses are used to customers driving up and honking. We didn’t know the menu, so we went in to find out what was available. The huge ice cream machine is so loud that I fully understand why they don’t have inside seating.

plastic glass of white and pink soft serve ice cream layered with pomegranate seeds

This is what I got – pomegranate ice cream. Based on the cartons of full cream milk that were on display, I expected it to be much heavier. It was very light like ice milk instead of ice cream. Still doesn’t beat Finjan’s tea in clay pot as a dessert.

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Meandering through UAE Archaeology

December 8, 2013

Posted by Kanga. Please do not reblog.

entrance of the park

We headed out to Maleha with the intention of visiting the wildlife center there. Unfortunately, this is a private park and not open to the public. So, the closest one can get is these pictures and this video.

From there we went just down the road to the Umm an-Nar Tomb of Maleha.

round stone structure

This was interesting, although it was clear that no one visits this site or uses the park around it.

stone structure

This tomb dates back to around 3000 BC. There are eight chambers.

brown road sign

Next we went across the road to the fort archeological site.

partially restored stone structure

The structure has been partially restored. The lower, rougher wall in the foreground is most likely the original wall remains.

camel laying by the side of the road

We headed north a bit to look for the camel race track and saw this fellow just taking a rest by the side of the road.

stone ruins of a tobacco drying shed

On the way back to Fujairah we stopped off at Al Fara to drive past the remains of Sheikh Suhail bin Hamdan’s home and tobacco farm. These walls were a tobacco drying shed. Most of the site is not easily accessible due to a current residence near the site. We didn’t want to trespass.

covered archeological site, stone riuns

After a quick, late lunch in Fujairah, we headed up the coast to Bidya to search for the ancient fort site. This site dates to back approximately more than 4,000 years. This is one of the oldest archaeological finds on the East Coast of the UAE. It was a small, round fort built around a well.

These places are not necessarily easy to find (although some are right on the side of the road). They are also not necessarily set up for visitors as there is little to no information displayed at the sites. (A bit of a missed opportunity for education and tourist attractions.) However, information on some of the sites is available at area museums. Information and artifacts related to the archaeological sites in Maleha are on display at the Sharjah Archaeology Museum in downtown Sharjah city. Fujairah Museum– located near Fujairah Fort- is small, but very nice, and includes information and artifacts from the fort at Bidya in its archaeological section.

Posted in camel, camels, Fujairah, historical site | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »