Archive for the ‘Dubai’ Category

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Desert Fog

October 13, 2012

Posted by Kanga.

There were at least two foggy days in Dubai last week. Generally, this does not affect us in Fujairah, but we both had to go to Dubai on Thursday, I for work reasons and DaddyBird for the dentist.

So, we got to experience the fog.

zero visibility due to fog

Driving was a challenge. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of drivers who pulled over to the side of the road. Those who continued to drive slowed down. This may seem like common sense to you, Reader, but the UAE is known for it’s 35+ car pile ups.

view through the car windshield showing another vehicle a few car lengths ahead which is barely visible

If you want to see a video of the fog from the topside – click here. Nature is amazing.

Posted in Dubai, weather | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment »

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Old Classic

October 12, 2012

Posted by Kanga.

1950's red firetruck

That’s the thing about Dubai. You never know what you are going to see.

Posted in Dubai, oddities | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments »

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Because Sequins Just Weren’t Enough

August 14, 2012

Posted by Kanga.

Black sequin gown with beads and rosebuds

The mall window displays never cease to amaze.

black sequin gown with a huge black bow

red and white polka dot tentacles

I’m not sure what Louis Vuitton is selling, but I found this off-putting.

large multi-colored flower

Posted in clothing, Dubai, malls | 3 Comments »

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American Breakfast Breakthrough

August 11, 2012

Posted by Kanga.

I’ve blogged previously about the difficulty of finding an American style breakfast in the UAE. ( Here ) IHOP (International House of Pancakes) recently opened in the Mall of the Emirates (Dubai).

If we were in America, IHOP would not be our first choice or any choice, in fact. IHOP has been around a long time (est. 1958) and quality of the food and service has decreased over the years. Because this restaurant is new and probably performing at it’s best in food quality and service, we gave it a try.

IHOP menu cover

The place was buzzing with both customers and a large team of staff. I’ve been craving eggs benedict for months now, so deciding what to order was easy for me.

eggs benedict, hash browns, blue berry pancakes, country fried steak, fried eggs

Over the years I have observed as DaddyBird would read the whole menu, considering all his options and then order country fried steak. After protesting that he doesn’t do that, he ordered country fried steak. I rest my case.

The food was quite good. The hollandaise sauce on the eggs benedict was very cheesy. Yum. A refillable coffee caraffe and a jug of grapefruit juice topped it all off. Service was very attentive and good.

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

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Ramadan Kareem

August 10, 2012

Posted by Kanga.decorated atrium, lights, stars and crescent moon
Mall of the Emirates Ramadan decorations.

Posted in Dubai, malls, Ramadan | Tagged , | Leave a Comment »

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Ramadan 2012

August 7, 2012

Posted by Kanga.

Last week we revisited the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding for the iftar meal. This is an excellent program introducing tourists and ex-pats to Emirati food and traditions. The volunteers do a very good job of explaining traditions and are open to any questions.

man and woman dressed in Emirati fashion

We opted for “Eastern wear.”

people seated on cushions

We attended the event with some of our friends.

bedouin man serving coffee

Arabic coffee served by a bedouin.

containers of food laid out on the carpet

The meal.

young Emirati man talking with three women

Several young Emiratis volunteer at the center. During the dinner they mingle with the attendees to converse and answer any questions. Mohammed, from Sharjah, had his hands full in conversing with us. Our friends are all “old timers” in the UAE. DaddyBird and I, with our four years of residency, are the new comers. Mita came to Dubai about the time that young Mohammed was born.

interior of a mosque

After the meal, the group walked to the nearby mosque for a basic introduction to Islamic concepts and rituals.

approximately 50 people seated on the floor in the mosque

 

traditional buildings lit at night

After a walk back to the cultural center, it was time for dessert and a question/answer session.

dessert dishes laid out on the carpet

Just in case you came to this blog for information on Ramadan, here are the basics: Ramadan is a month in the Arabic (lunar) calendar. During this month, muslims fast during the day (sunrise to sunset). This means no food or liquids. They also exercise discipline by refraining from things like sex or smoking. The goal is to focus on being a better person. Once the sun sets, the fast is broken with an iftar meal. This meal may be done in the home, at the mosque, or at a restaurant. Another meal, suhoor, is eaten in the early morning hours before sunrise and the beginning of the next fast. It is not uncommon to stay awake most or all of the night and sleep during the day. Work hours are usually reduced to 6 hours (8 am to 1 pm, or 9 am to 2 pm). Some businesses close during the day and open after sunset.

For those in Dubai, we recommend the meal related events at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding. During the other months (non-Ramadan) they serve both breakfasts and lunches. It is well worth the time and money.

Posted in culture, Dubai, food, mosque, Ramadan | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment »

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Shopping for Pinkos

July 20, 2012

Posted by Kanga.

mall store named Pinko

If you are old enough to remember the Cold War, this store name probably has more meaning than they intended.

Uranus travel and tours business sign

When you run out of vacation spots on Earth, there’s always Uranus.

Posted in Dubai, signs | Tagged , , , | Leave a Comment »

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The Road Home

July 10, 2012

Posted by Kanga.

silver tear drops

Singapore Airport has the best piece of public art. It is hundreds of silver tear drops, each suspended on a transparent thread and animated to move up and down in a variety of patterns. Very zen.

silver tear drops

It was mesmerizing. We could have easily missed our plane while watching it.

silver tear drops

Luckily, we tore ourselves away and made it back to Dubai safe and sound. Our plan for getting back to Fujairah from Dubai was a reverse of how we got there (taxi – bus – taxi). We fully expected to have a long wait in the heat waiting for the bus, however, we could not have timed it better if we tried. We arrived at the bus stop at 2:40 pm. A bus was waiting and it departed at 2:45 with us on it.

view of the front of the bus from inside

Posted in Dubai, Fujairah, Singapore, travel adventures | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment »

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Road to Singapore

June 24, 2012

Posted by Kanga.

We are safely in Singapore on vacation. It took a while to get our internet connection worked out, so I am already behind by 3 or 4 blog posts. So, let us begin. Here is how we got here.

It began with how to get from Fujairah to the Dubai airport. We could impose on friends to drive us. We could taxi all the way. Or, we could take the bus. The taxi ride from our apartment to the bus station = 5 AED ($1.36 US). The bus costs a whopping 25 AED ($6.80 US) per person. Our flight was at 9:30 am the next morning, so we had opted to stay overnight to make it less stressful and to avoid having to get up early.

night time, parking lot and kiosk

Above is the bus station. Below, inside the bus.

inside the bus, facing the front

We left at 9:15 pm and arrived at Union Station (just blocks from where we used to live) by 10:55 pm. We then took a taxi to our hotel near the airport. (Taxi from Union Station to the hotel = 20.50 AED / $5.58 US.) The bus ride was quite nice. The seats were wide enough to be comfortable. The Dubai taxi driver struck up a conversation beginning with “you have a nice beard” and including where are you from, do you have children, what work do you do, and how long have you been here – all the standard questions. Paul asked questions as well. The taxi driver was from Pakistan/Afghanistan and has been in Dubai for 10 years. His family is in Pakistan. They also discussed Fujairah – weather, housing costs, etc.

Once at the hotel, we splurged on dinner, both having steak. Very tasty, but not cheap (290 AED/$79 US).

two plates of steak, mashed/baked potatoes, broccoli

If you are concerned about our cats (I know you are), a friend is checking on them daily and we have a web cam set up above their primary napping place so that we can check on them occasionally ourselves. That should alleviate our anxiety and guilt somewhat.

Posted in Dubai, food, Fujairah, travel adventures | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment »

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Cactus Bloom

May 11, 2012

Posted by Kanga.

tall cactus with a long trunk

Cacti are not native here. They only occur in landscaping. They are appropriate, however, much more than the petunias or other water hungry plants used in landscaping.

small orange bloom

The photo is blurry because of condensed humidity. The sweaty season has begun.

Posted in Dubai | Leave a Comment »

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