Posted by Kanga.
Aroma Blankets – Surprisingly soft and warm, but how do they smell?
Camel broad beans
The electrical beauty section of the pharmacy.
Truck on truck
Author Archive
Jumeirah Zabeel Saray
July 22, 2011Posted by Kanga.
We recently took a trip out to nearly the end of the Jumeirah Palm Islands (Dubai) to an event held at the Jumeirah Zabeel Saray hotel. So, here are a few pictures.
Beef Stroganoff
July 18, 2011Posted by Kanga.
I have now had the beef stroganoff at one of our favorite restaurants three times. Each time it has been different. It is now something that I must order until the recipe repeats.
First of all, the menu lists it as “ground beef stroganoff,” but it has yet to be made of ground beef. It is always beef chunks. The first incarnation was very like beef stroganoff is supposed to be except that it was heavy on the black pepper, so it had a bit of a zing. This is what I expected the second time I ordered it, but that order turned out to be beef stroganoff without the abundance of pepper. The third version is pictured below and was tomato based instead of cream.
Each one has been tasty. I can’t wait to see what number four will be.
We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Malls!
July 17, 2011Posted by Kanga.
As I mentioned in my last post, another expat remarked about Fujairah having only one supermarket (in the western definition of supermarket). We beg to differ. So, here are some highlights from one of our favorite stores.
This is the pasta aisle where I found shapes of pasta I’d never seen before. They have all the bases covered.
It appears that Foghorn Leghorn is selling chicken stock these days.
This is the spice aisle where you can get lovely bags of various spices.
I’ve never seen such a large pat of butter before. (Five kilograms – That’s eleven pounds!)
Frozen chicken hearts – don’t they look appetizing?
And the true test – Kinder Eggs!
And this is only the grocery section which is one fourth of the store. There’s also a housewares section and a second floor filled with clothes and shoes for the whole family.
Let Me Introduce You
July 16, 2011Posted by Kanga.
Linda has asked for more information on Fujairah. We’ve only been here a little over two weeks, so my knowledge will be only skin deep. I might have had something to write before now, but much of our first week was spent driving back to Dubai for one paperwork errand or another. Only two paperwork issues remain in-process (that I know of) and only one will require another drive to Dubai, so there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Soon, we should be able to begin to deepen our appreciation of Fujairah.
The most recent population figure I’ve found is 180,000, but it is likely that this number is for the whole emirate, not just the city. It is significantly smaller than Dubai’s 1.5 million, but not really a “small town” either. There is a large amount of new construction, both newly finished and in process. Several new hotels, apartments, office buildings, and mosques. The city is a mix of these shiny new structures alongside older, thriving businesses.
The oil industry is centered around refining and shipping. Since Fujairah is located on the east coast shipping to and from here eliminates the need to actually enter the Persian/Arabian Gulf. There is an underground pipeline delivering Abu Dhabi oil to Fujairah for shipping.
The fishing industry has a long tradition here. It has been hit by weather conditions this year. The monsoon season in India is causing higher tides here and rougher seas.
Agriculture is also significant here due to the geography and climate. The Hajer Mountains and Oman Gulf create a cooler, moister climate. (Remember this is all relative. I’m not saying that it is cool and moist here, just less harsh than the western region of the country.)
The expats here are primarily involved in the oil industry or educational institutions. Last year when I was investigating the possibility of moving here, I was warned by an expat that “there is no culture here” which I knew was not true. We had already been out to see the bull butting several times. That counts as culture. I am sure she meant that there is little or no Western culture here. That is fine with us. We don’t need the opera, orchestra, ballet, although we could use a little theatre.
Just this week an expat asked me if I had found “our one and only supermarket – Lulu Hypermarket.” Actually, we have found several excellent grocery stores. I even found rice milk (which is rare) for the same price as soy milk in one of those overlooked stores. I was greatly excited. The one time I found it in a Dubai store, it was twice the price of soy.
The most obvious cultural difference that we have had to adjust to, so far, is the afternoon shutdown. At 1 or 2 pm, businesses close and reopen around 5 pm, with the exception of government offices and banks which just close at 2 pm period. (Imagine our fun having to run around doing paperwork making sure we got it done by 2 pm. If you think American bankers hours of 8 am – 5 pm are difficult to work around, be glad it isn’t 8 am – 2 pm.) The government and bank closures are the same in Dubai, but most other businesses go right on without closing.
Once the heat of the day/siesta is over and businesses reopen, then things get to hoppin’. Shopping is done late in the evening 8-11 pm. The town is lit up and busy. At least two new shopping malls are being built and we are concerned about the impact on smaller businesses. There really isn’t a need for malls here.
People can surprise you
July 13, 2011Posted by Kanga.
Just moments after my last, rather frivolous, post, three terrorist bombs went off in Mumbai, India. Twitter lit up. First with announcements, then with well wishes, then with requests for assistance in contacting family and offers of shelter in neighboring areas. People were even openly posting their phone numbers saying “if you need shelter, call me.”
Thankfully, there are more good people in this world than there are creeps with explosives.
Balls
July 13, 2011Posted by Kanga.
My fine Indian friends, it is time to educate me. Aside from the colors, these appear to be the same thing. So, what is rossogolla, rajbhog, cham cham, rasgulla, and gulab jamun and how do they differ?
Ikea, How We Love Thee
July 11, 2011Posted by Kanga.
There’s nothing quite like signs inside restroom stalls involving power tools.
Sea Urchin Lamp, that’s not it’s name, of course, but it is what it looks like.
Star Trek, The Next Generation chairs! The price is astronomical. 895AED/$244.00 on sale.
I found it interesting that the name of this product (and we all love Ikea product names, don’t we?) is more prominent than the picture of the product.
New Job Off to Interesting Start
July 10, 2011Posted by Kanga.
Here’s a taste of what my desk looked like when I arrived at my new job.
I spent the first few hours filling the recycling bin.
Contrast to how my old desk looked. I filled that recycle bin, too.
There are some signs that will have to go, too. No Saturday hours, thank you.
This poor library has been neglected for a long time and there is a huge amount of work to be done, but that is what I like about the job. Every book in the place will have to be cataloged and put in it’s rightful place. There are eight boxes of new books to unpack and more of the same coming later this week. Right up my alley!
Several teachers dropped by to welcome me and express their excitement at the idea that the library would be fully functional in the fall. Eager to make use of the books.
Diesel Tanker For Rent
July 9, 2011Posted by Kanga.
Time for some signs, don’t you think?
Four all your diesel transport needs, you can rent a tanker.
I’m glad they warned me about this one. I’m afraid of heights.
Some signs speak for themselves.
We stopped for our check up. (The building framed by the gateway is next to our apartment building which is obscured by the gate.)
And to go with your rented diesel tanker, here is a water tankar.
Living the Travel Channel 