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Ramadan in Fujairah

August 15, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

We are halfway through Ramadan and you might be wondering how Ramadan in Fujairah differs from Dubai. There is certainly less activity in the daytime. There is no public dining in restaurants prior to iftar (meal after sunset to break the fast). You can, however, get “take away” food from several restaurants. In the afternoon, there is temporary market area where one can buy food for the evening meal (Ramadan Food Market).

Even at iftar time, the restaurants don’t seem to be busy (unlike Dubai) and I assume that this is because most people are eating at home with family. The bars are closed for the entire month and their employees are on vacation or re-allocated to other restaurants.

Following the meal there are prayers at the mosque, so the town is still rather quiet until this is over. Then shopping and other social activities begin.

Around 10 pm, things start to pick up. The Maktoum Championships are in full swing, including a wide variety of sports competitions – swimming, bowling, cricket, football (soccer), motorcross, interactive games (video gaming),”women’s games,” basketball, volleyball, tug-of-war, and more. I don’t know what the “women’s games” are and will refrain from making a stereotyped joke against my own. It is just a chance for them to compete in a protected venue.

So, we stopped to watch the first two motorcross races Friday night. The first one started at 10:15 pm.

a motorcycle racer

There was a grandstand for spectators.

small stand for spectators

And, concessions.

a man with a bicycle cart loaded with snack foods

Down the road a ways was the cricket game.

cricket players on a lit field

So, there is actually a great deal going on. You just have to be willing to be a night owl to see it or participate in it.

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Happy at Last!

August 14, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

This is the only form of social media that I am allowed to access at work, so instead of expressing my joy on Twitter, Facebook or Google+, I’m doing it here.

My visa transfer and new employment visa are FINALLY completed. It has been over two months of misery, frustration, and financial precariousness (or is it precariousity? spell check says “no”).

Of course, I may be crowing too soon, since my final paycheck from June has not actually hit the bank account, yet. There is no reason that it shouldn’t, but if there is one thing this whole process has taught me is that there is always room for a catch-22 and it is more “probable” than ‘possible.”

So, again, for any readers looking for “living abroad” advice – NEVER DO A VISA TRANSFER!

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Sushi Chefs Should Not Go On Vacation

August 12, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

In our continuing exploration of eating in Fujairah, we went to the Bamboo Lounge at the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club.

Only after I had spent several minutes debating whether to get sushi or the seafood platter, did the waitress inform us that the sushi chef had gone on vacation, so no sushi.

plate piled with french fries and batter fried seafood

So, seafood platter it was. I had trouble figuring out which was the calamari because it was not cut in the usual rings and was the softest calamari I have ever had. All in all, very nice and more than I could finish.

bowl of pad thai noodles

DaddyBird had the pad thai. Which he reported to be good.

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Teeth al Dente

August 10, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

We were checking out another discount store when I discovered these gems.

blue box of candy with cartoon teeth on it

How could I not buy such an appetizing item. I had to see just what these candy teeth were. At 10 AED ($2.70 USD) it seemed like a cheap enough experiment.

individual bag of soft candies shaped like teeth and gums

Inside the box were 24 individual bags of 9 or 10 pieces. They are gummy gums (sorry, I couldn’t resist). They are softer than gummy bears and actually quite tasty. I rather like them. Also, notice that they are halal.

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Rosie the Robot

August 8, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

Due to the small space in our kitchen allotted laundry machinery, we have a single machine that both washes and dries clothes.

close up of dials on the machine

This is a new experience. I don’t think these are sold in the States. It takes a very long running time to dry clothes. It also does a thorough job of wrinkling everything. It appears I will be ironing all my outer clothes.

close up of the laundry cycle list

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Dear Waitstaff,

August 2, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

bowl of won ton soup

Dear Waitstaff,

Please never utter the word “momsir.” It is two words, ma’am and sir. Also, please use sparingly, not before and after every sentence.

If a plate is completely emptied of food, you do not need to ask if you can remove it from the table. We don’t want to have to give permission for the removal of each and every dish.

If the customer asks for something special, like real lemon or more syrup, you don’t have to overcompensate by bringing more than they could possibly use.

If there is still liquid in a glass, do not remove it, especially if it is an expensive drink. We’d like to finish it, thank you.

If your customer is paying by card, do not hover while they are signing the transaction slip. It will decrease your tip every time.

Please do not have loud conversations with other staff or customers. Especially if you are discussing your private life not so privately.

And, most importantly, do not sing along with the “mood music.” You are not on [insert country here] Has Talent.

We understand that your job is difficult with long hours and small pay. If our stay in your establishment is pleasant, we will try to return the favor.

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Unnecessary Tree Death

August 1, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

two thick printer manuals

These are the tomes that came with my printer/scanner. Why so thick? Because they are in all the languages listed on the front cover. The instructions contained in the “Getting Started” manual would have fit in a single page, if it had only been in English.

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For the Love of Paperwork – Part Two

July 31, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

sign for Babil typing service

There is such a deep love of paperwork here in the U.A.E. that there is an entire typing service industry to support it.

After spending all morning in the Emirates Identity Authority office attempting to get my national identity card renewed as a step in the process of getting a new residency visa and having the computer system crash twice, we went off to a typing center to get it done. These are stuffy little offices where you can get just about any form typed up for you. Official documents must be done in Arabic, so this is a vital service for those not literate in Arabic.

Our visa process has turned into a long, drawn out nightmare. If you are ever given the choice between a visa cancellation and a visa transfer, TAKE THE CANCELLATION! I cannot stress this enough. It is the ultimate exercise in pointless paperwork. It has already taken 7 weeks and we have at least another week to go, if we encounter no more obstacles. A visa transfer can potentially leave you homeless and broke. Don’t do it.

National identity cards were instituted about one year after we arrived. They are tied to your visa in that they expire at the same time. The new decree is that you can’t renew your visa without having an id card. Apparently, this is to force everyone to comply in getting the id cards. However, it creates a catch-22 in which you have to have a visa to get an id card and you have to have an id card in order to have a visa. We ran into that today as the EID typist kept insisting that she needed my new visa to finish the id application and we were making the id application so that we could apply for the new visa. No one sees the illogic in this situation.

Also illogical is the fact that the EID experience started with the reception personnel using my existing id card to pull up my information on the computer and print it out. We were then to take this printout to the typist, so that she could enter the information into the computer system. Yes, the information already in their system had to be hand entered back in. Who programmed this computer system????? Who designed this workflow????

Oh, for the love of paperwork…

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Grocery Adventures

July 30, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

store display of stacked large containers of Tang drink mix

It is almost Ramadan and time to stock up on the traditional drink, Tang, in family size.

a box of pastries with Mickey Mouse on it

I’m fairly certain that Disney is not aware that Americana is using Mickey to sell pastries.

Kraft cheddar cheese in cans

Canned cheese (a long term tradition according to this shot from the Dubai Museum.)

grocery aisle sign that says edible oil and ghee

Only in an OPEC country would you need to make this distinction. And, if you’ve never heard of ghee, it is a solid oil product, either animal or vegetable based, like shortening. Ghee is used in Indian foods.

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In Search of Good Food

July 29, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

It’s time for an update on our exploration of Fujairah restaurants. Here are the latest fields of inquiry.

Two buildings away, within walking distance, is the Shahrzad Palace Restaurant. Judging from the full parking lot, it appears to be the place to go. Iranian food, beautiful interior and atmosphere, quiet, reasonably priced – great place for special occasion dining. Pictured below is the chicken & corn soup. I also had the cholo kabab barg. The entrée I judge Iranian restaurants by. (My favorite at Special Ostadi. It was as good as Special Ostadi, although twice the price and completely different atmosphere and service.)

bowl of soup

Next, is the Ace’s Bar at the Tennis & Country Club where I had the “All American Burger.”

salad, fries, and a burger

The salad was quite nice and healthy. The fries were crisp (and unhealthy). The burger was passable, but could never hold a candle to the Carolina Alehouse burger.

menu description of the burger as huge patty on giant bun

The bun was giant, but the patty was not huge enough to fill it.

All in all, the food is tasty and reasonably priced. The beers are the lowest price we have found, yet, at 20AED (approx. $5.50)

Last, but not least, is Al Asmak restaurant at the Al Diar Siji Hotel. I was intrigued by the menu description of the Chop Chop Salad, pictured below.

lettuce, cucumber, carrot, mushroom and mango

This did not disappoint. It is lettuce, cucumber, mushrooms, cooked carrot, and mango. The menu mentioned pear also, but there was no pear in my salad. Really yummy. I like the contrast of veggies and fruit.

The restaurant was pleasant. The food and service was good. Fresh juices were twice the price they should be. Watch out for the tax and service charges, though. Also, don’t bother with an after dinner cup of coffee. It was not brewed, just reconstituted instant coffee. Not worth the price.