I woke up this morning and realised that I don’t know what day of the week it is! Some cruel people would say that’s #%*ing typical, but what it *really*means is that I’m finally in holiday mode.
I went with Sabine and Jenny down to the Gold Souq the night before last. Life runs to a different clock here, you go out late, stay out late and start later in the morning, shops open at 10am. Everyone who works in an office has regular office hours which can be a pain for them and is the reason we shouldn’t go out and drink lots of champagne on a “school night”!! I must be getting into the groove as it’s 9pm and I’m just starting to cook dinner. Anyway back to the souq, we went out at 8:45pm and took the abra across the Creek. The first thing you notice at the souq is the gorgeous smell from the Spice Souq, every sort of spice you could want is there and more. The gold souq is mind boggling with breathtaking displays in all the shop windows, Indian dowry jewellery is particularly spectacular. The price of gold went up a couple of weeks ago apparently so it was a bit quieter in the souq than usual as the big buyers are holding off. We were also looking for a new abaya for me. By the time we’d visited the jeweller, and wandered around the dress shops it was 11:15pm and the shops were only just starting to close down. This place doesn’t sleep. We sat in the dark and watched the world go by as the abra puttered back to the Bur Dubai side where the car was parked; the warm breeze, the exotic sounds, yep it doesn’t get much better than that! (There’s also the strong smell of gasoline from the abra engine but that spoils the picture.)
Driving in Dubai is absolutely mad and most of the time just plain frightening. The city cannot cope with the sheer number of cars, it seems there are road works going on everywhere plus they are digging big tunnels for the new metro railway. This results in constant traffic jams and means that a trip which should take 10 minutes can often take an hour or more. Driving in the opposite lane into oncoming traffic appears to be an optional extra, there are Indian guys riding pushbikes without helmets, lights or common sense and all this is happening while everyone, to my mind, is driving on the ‘wrong’ side. Life isn’t a picnic for those on foot either. I was warned after I arrived that nobody is safe even on pedestrian crossings and yesterday afternoon I found out how true that is. I was with other people waiting to cross at the slip lane at the lights outside Spinneys (on Al Mankhool Rd opposite the Khaleej Centre for Dubai people). The cars stopped, we all started crossing and suddenly for no obvious reason the front car started to drive off, he missed the guy in front of me by centimetres but hit me. I was about level with the driver’s side headlight and I went up and over the driver’s side bumper. And what did the driver do? He sat and looked down at me as I got up off the road and then gave me a cheery “sorry” wave and drove off. If there really is reincarnation then I wish him all sorts of very special surprises when he gets to his next life. I’m fine though Alhamdul'allah. A half hour run this morning on the trusty Fitness Art 6910 treadmill got rid of any residual aches. We’re tough us Aucklanders. (South Island people can keep their derision to themselves).
The novelty of the non stop Arabic music channel hasn’t worn off yet, lots of clips have dancers in them and many of the singers are pretty good dancers themselves. One clip features a gorgeous female singer with a debke troupe - which is understandable - but then rather oddly there’s also a large flock of ducks in the video and the ducks get plenty of camera time. Maybe if I understood the lyrics the duck situation would be explained but I have my doubts. Thanks to the music channel I’ve ‘discovered’ Mostafa Kamal (the man has weird pointy teeth but does great music). Ahmad Adaweya has come out of retirement to release a couple of very potent songs commenting on the situation in the Middle East. These are shown regularly on the music channel. Mr A has had some serious plastic surgery but the Voice of Baladi is as good as ever. Sabah is in a couple of clips with a popular Lebanese girl singer. Sabah has had so much work done on her face that if the stitches at the back of her head ever break her ears will ricochet round and meet up with her nose.
Today I went out to the Mall of the Emirates. This is the mall you may have heard about as it has an indoor ski slope. You can watch the skiing from one of the levels of the malls. Very strange sight - The local ladies and gents are in dishdashes and abayas with long puffy coats ski coats on top. I went to see “Pirates of the Caribbean”, while I was at the mall, it’s not as good as the first one but brightened by Geoffrey Rush in the last scene, a taxi back into town, then off to the gold souq to pick up the earrings I’d ordered.
I’m going this weekend to be introduced at the local ‘Hole in the Wall’ where they sell illegal liquor. Consumption of alcohol is illegal in the UAE except for that sold in hotels or drunk by expats who are issued with a licence to purchase a certain amount each year. What to do if you don’t have a licence, have drunk your quota or are of a religion that forbids alcohol consumption. Of course there’s a loop hole and it’s in the form of discreet local joints that sell booze to all and sundry - if they know you. Personal introductions are required at these places but after the honours are done I’ll be able to go in and buy Pimms {snort} to my heart’s content. “I’ll have a dozen Cold Ducks please”……now I’m just being silly.
Ma’a salama
PS
Patrick – I appreciate your confidence in my IT abilities but unfortunately it would seem to be misplaced as right now I’m considering digging the phone plug out of the wall with a spoon.
I went with Sabine and Jenny down to the Gold Souq the night before last. Life runs to a different clock here, you go out late, stay out late and start later in the morning, shops open at 10am. Everyone who works in an office has regular office hours which can be a pain for them and is the reason we shouldn’t go out and drink lots of champagne on a “school night”!! I must be getting into the groove as it’s 9pm and I’m just starting to cook dinner. Anyway back to the souq, we went out at 8:45pm and took the abra across the Creek. The first thing you notice at the souq is the gorgeous smell from the Spice Souq, every sort of spice you could want is there and more. The gold souq is mind boggling with breathtaking displays in all the shop windows, Indian dowry jewellery is particularly spectacular. The price of gold went up a couple of weeks ago apparently so it was a bit quieter in the souq than usual as the big buyers are holding off. We were also looking for a new abaya for me. By the time we’d visited the jeweller, and wandered around the dress shops it was 11:15pm and the shops were only just starting to close down. This place doesn’t sleep. We sat in the dark and watched the world go by as the abra puttered back to the Bur Dubai side where the car was parked; the warm breeze, the exotic sounds, yep it doesn’t get much better than that! (There’s also the strong smell of gasoline from the abra engine but that spoils the picture.)
Driving in Dubai is absolutely mad and most of the time just plain frightening. The city cannot cope with the sheer number of cars, it seems there are road works going on everywhere plus they are digging big tunnels for the new metro railway. This results in constant traffic jams and means that a trip which should take 10 minutes can often take an hour or more. Driving in the opposite lane into oncoming traffic appears to be an optional extra, there are Indian guys riding pushbikes without helmets, lights or common sense and all this is happening while everyone, to my mind, is driving on the ‘wrong’ side. Life isn’t a picnic for those on foot either. I was warned after I arrived that nobody is safe even on pedestrian crossings and yesterday afternoon I found out how true that is. I was with other people waiting to cross at the slip lane at the lights outside Spinneys (on Al Mankhool Rd opposite the Khaleej Centre for Dubai people). The cars stopped, we all started crossing and suddenly for no obvious reason the front car started to drive off, he missed the guy in front of me by centimetres but hit me. I was about level with the driver’s side headlight and I went up and over the driver’s side bumper. And what did the driver do? He sat and looked down at me as I got up off the road and then gave me a cheery “sorry” wave and drove off. If there really is reincarnation then I wish him all sorts of very special surprises when he gets to his next life. I’m fine though Alhamdul'allah. A half hour run this morning on the trusty Fitness Art 6910 treadmill got rid of any residual aches. We’re tough us Aucklanders. (South Island people can keep their derision to themselves).
The novelty of the non stop Arabic music channel hasn’t worn off yet, lots of clips have dancers in them and many of the singers are pretty good dancers themselves. One clip features a gorgeous female singer with a debke troupe - which is understandable - but then rather oddly there’s also a large flock of ducks in the video and the ducks get plenty of camera time. Maybe if I understood the lyrics the duck situation would be explained but I have my doubts. Thanks to the music channel I’ve ‘discovered’ Mostafa Kamal (the man has weird pointy teeth but does great music). Ahmad Adaweya has come out of retirement to release a couple of very potent songs commenting on the situation in the Middle East. These are shown regularly on the music channel. Mr A has had some serious plastic surgery but the Voice of Baladi is as good as ever. Sabah is in a couple of clips with a popular Lebanese girl singer. Sabah has had so much work done on her face that if the stitches at the back of her head ever break her ears will ricochet round and meet up with her nose.
Today I went out to the Mall of the Emirates. This is the mall you may have heard about as it has an indoor ski slope. You can watch the skiing from one of the levels of the malls. Very strange sight - The local ladies and gents are in dishdashes and abayas with long puffy coats ski coats on top. I went to see “Pirates of the Caribbean”, while I was at the mall, it’s not as good as the first one but brightened by Geoffrey Rush in the last scene, a taxi back into town, then off to the gold souq to pick up the earrings I’d ordered.
I’m going this weekend to be introduced at the local ‘Hole in the Wall’ where they sell illegal liquor. Consumption of alcohol is illegal in the UAE except for that sold in hotels or drunk by expats who are issued with a licence to purchase a certain amount each year. What to do if you don’t have a licence, have drunk your quota or are of a religion that forbids alcohol consumption. Of course there’s a loop hole and it’s in the form of discreet local joints that sell booze to all and sundry - if they know you. Personal introductions are required at these places but after the honours are done I’ll be able to go in and buy Pimms {snort} to my heart’s content. “I’ll have a dozen Cold Ducks please”……now I’m just being silly.
Ma’a salama
PS
Patrick – I appreciate your confidence in my IT abilities but unfortunately it would seem to be misplaced as right now I’m considering digging the phone plug out of the wall with a spoon.
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