Paula and Don - The Gypsies are on the move again.

Turkey Day in Dubai

Sun, 26 Nov 2006 10:01:02 GMT

Nov 25, Saturday

I'm happy to report that we had a great day. Typical of these hot climate countries, nothing happens until afternoon so Don & I paced ourselves and left the apartment after noon for a day of shopping and dinner out. First stop was for lunch. Since we're really not familiar with dining with the locals we looked for a hotel to grab some lunch. Spotted a hotel that looked nice. Oh yeah - The Dhow Palace was nice. It's one of those places where you think, well I may not have the money to be here but I'll put my head up high and pretend that I do. We had lunch there at a great Lebanese restaurant. It's great getting to taste all of the different preparations of the foods over here. It's funny that even though the cost of spending the night at these places may be pricey the food is very reasonable. After spending 2 hours for lunch we went to some shops looking for Christmas presents. Then we went down to the "old" souk as opposed the the new souk or any of the other souks. This one was located down by the creek and mostly had textiles. Boy did it ever have fabric. Of course after a while it all started looking the same. But it was great fun walking all the aisles and there was the occasional shop that sold other items such as a new Rolex watch with a "guarantee." The most fun at this souk was going over to the bank of the creek and watching the water taxis and the dhows big and small moving on the creek. I'm fascinated by these dhows. They look like big baskets floating on the water.

After we got tired of walking around there we drove down to the Grand Hyatt hotel. WOW! It has a huge beautiful atrium that you get lost in. This hotel is special because it's designed so that from the air it reads Dubai in Arabic. Lots of water features inside and out. At about 7:30, we drove over to the creek again to the Al Boom Tourist Village. In addition to big reception halls they also have dhow dinner cruises. We had decided that a dinner cruise would be the best way to spend our Thanksgiving. A friend from the American Women's Association and her husband, Joanna & Keith, joined us on the cruise. The food was typical for the region, small bowls of salads with fresh veggies, hummus & pita bread followed by a mixed grill of lamb, chicken, prawns, langoustines, & fish along with rice topped with cooked veggies but no booze. It was a great night of seeing the city sights from the dhow, with good food and really nice people. The cost was about 250Dhs or $75. for the 2 of us. It was a great alternative to tradition.

On Friday, we did some more shopping and looking around. The driving is so unusual here that after locating where we want to go, we say "Shall we go see about getting lost?" We usually find our destination or sometimes an even better place.

Don wanted to add his part, so here's the rest of the story as Paul Harvey says.

We slept in and then drove to the Mazaya for lunch and an arts & crafts fair. I had arayes (Arabic quesadilla) and Paula had hamouni, which turned out to be just like Wisconsin cheese curds! A lot of the ex-pats are entrepreneurs and show up at these crafts fairs. But where are the Dubai-made products? Non-existent we think! After strolling the fair, we drove to the Lime Tree area, by the beach, to pick up more bangles – Paula bought 9 sets of bracelets and, after talking about it, we decide that we need 9 more. Unfortunately they were closed so Paula will come back.

We swung by the public beach and checked out the Indi restaurant, which looked like a place to try in the future. Paula wanted to check out a ladies salon that does full-body cleansing and I mistakenly walked in with her. They quickly told me that it’s “ladies only!” We drove to the Madinat Jumeriah, the Souk that everybody has said is a “must” to visit but were disappointed. It was too commercial for us and we much prefer the Old Souk. We checked out Persian carpets (pricey) for Mom and us. All prices in this tourist trap were very high – even for stuffed camels! We then decided to check out Finnegan’s Pub at at a hotel near the apartment as we wanted to see if we could get “black and tans.” The female bartender knew what they were but had never made one so we told her to give it her best shot. It took her awhile but she did a pretty good job. We enjoyed our drinks while watching cricket highlights and trying not to laugh at the way the game is played. We don’t understand the first thing about it.

This has been the best weekend by far. We realized that the longer we are here, the more time we are going to have to meet new friends and discover fun things like the Souk, the Pub, etc. In any event, we know it’s a short haul so we’ll play it all by ear.

What's this funny wet stuff falling from the sky

Mon, 20 Nov 2006 11:43:26 GMT

It appears that winter is here in Dubai. Yes, it's actually raining. There's just enough to make the dusty cars look worse. It hasn't slowed anyone's driving however. Daily there is something in the paper about the traffic and the number of accidents.

Speaking of cars the favorite make of car/truck here is Toyota, then Nissan, Peugeot and a pretty fair distribution of vehicles from there. I have seen a number of Bentley's and a few Rolls Royces. The favorite model is the SUV including the big ones from GMC.

We do not have our own local TV station that I'm aware of. News is by paper, radio and computer. They have a local rag here called "7Days." It briefly covers most everything happening in the world. The thing that makes it stand out is that it has a very liberal editorial policy. So people write in about anything, good or bad. I understand that the paper is so popular that all you have to do is threaten to write to the paper about a problem you're having and the problem is resolved immediately rather than be reported. Humm . . better than the Better Business Bureau.

We've decided to have Thanksgiving out this year. Just too much to prepare the feast in the little apartment kitchen. We're looking into a dinner cruise on the Dubai Creek on a dhow. A dhow is a traditional Arab sailing vessel with one or more lateen sails. It is primarily used along the coasts of the Arabian Peninsula, India, and East Africa. Both ends are turned up. This should be interesting.

The rain seems to have passed, back to watching the cranes fly around. Till next time take care.

Paula & Don

Surprise ! or Guess Who's Coming ?

Mon, 30 Oct 2006 08:15:28 GMT

Oct 23, Monday
The hoax has begun. I managed to tell Don a whopper of a lie. He thinks that I’m on my way to Lake Tahoe for a few days with my sister in law, Carol. Little does he know that Jenni will soon be e-mailing him with a very important message! She has the responsibility to inform Don of my arrival however she wants. After some thought she decided to tell him that there was a very perishable package arriving at the airport on Wednesday, Oct 25 at 7:30am. Well, I got to the ticket agent in San Francisco and got scared when he mentioned that I would need a visa to enter the country. So in a last minute cell call to Jenni I told her to tell Don that I was coming. Now that I’m on the plane I can hardly wait to see Don’s face. There are several people that would like to be a fly on the wall to see his reaction. On to London with a 10 hour layover. I’ve checked out an option of going into London on the “Tube” exploring a little, returning to Heathrow and catch the last leg of my flight into Dubai. Funny thing is that the tour bus company in London also has a tour bus in Dubai. I’ll be on the look out for a discount coupon for my destination.

Hey, I made it into London on my own. Rode the tube for an hour to get there. Once I got to Piccadilly Circus I was awe struck. Basically I was standing in the middle of a triangle with a fountain and traffic zooming around in 6 directions. I was hungry so decided to grab some lunch. Walked down toward Trafalgar Square and looked at a couple of menus but finally decided on McDonalds due to price and speed. Interesting they have internet stations there. So with a full belly I ventured out. I’m sure the bus tour was good but I got as far as Big Ben and then my head started bobbing. I’m tired. Ended the tour and walked back to Piccadilly Circus to catch the train back to Heathrow. While on my way Jenni contacts me by cell phone text message and says that she hasn’t heard back from dad about my arrival. I finally tell her to keep trying and I’ll take care of the problem if he isn’t there to pick me up. After I got a bowl of soup I used a pay-per-minute internet service to send a message to Don. I have many ideas of what I’ll do if Don isn’t there but don’t know which one is better at this time. Will wait and see when I get there. As I’m boarding the plane I tell Jenni to call Don.

Arrived anxious and excited on Oct 25 (lost a day). Wow what a big and sparkling-white clean airport. I apprehensively turned each corner not knowing if this would be where I would see Don or not. It took me about 1 hour to get through Customs and pick up my baggage. When I got to the “Waiting Zone” I was delighted to see Don standing there with a bouquet of roses. He had a big hug waiting for me too. Yes, he was glad to see me. He told me that he had received Jenni’s phone call at 2:15AM. Since then he had been busy cleaning the apartment and getting ready for my arrival. It was a very happy reunion that was worth the long trip. Found out that Don hadn’t received Jenni’s e-mails because his computer was down. Thank heaven she called.

Because his office was on the way to his apartment so Don took me in and introduced a very tired wife to everyone. His apartment is very nice and efficient with 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. Ready for company. All of the floors are 18” tile. The living, dining room and kitchen are all connected making it nice and open. The furniture is kind of modern lounge looking that’s fine for rental. Oh yeah and the beds are on frames with head and foot boards but there’s no box spring. In the bathrooms is a very narrow tub-shower combo with a shower curtain. As is custom over here there is also a bidet. The baths are completely tiled including the walls. Now the kitchen – it’s furnished with all the necessary appliances except there’s no dishwasher, but it does have a washing machine – no clothes dryer though. The apartment came with 2 drying racks and an ironing board with iron. The ceilings are 10-12’ tall. The whole building is constructed of cement. The cement walls make it difficult to hang anything. The windows are nice and tall with drapes that cover of about 9’ in length. It makes for a cozy home. Could use some rugs and pictures but it’s really nice.

Okay, I have to tell you about the city now. Yep, there are 15% of the world’s cranes over here and all of the construction to match the need of those cranes. There is also the dust and pollution of all of this construction, in addition to the usual kind of sandy grit associated with a desert ocean environment. There are skeletons of huge tall buildings everywhere that are all in some phase of actively being completed. I don’t know how I’m going to learn my way around. I mean the language is different, the streets change all the time because of new construction, and everyone drives fast and tailgates. This is really different for me. The only trees are palm trees and they’re all coated with a layer of grey type of dust. There’s huge billboards announcing a project that’s being built. The cars are mostly new and in very good condition the buses are old dirty and have bars on them making them look like prisoner transports.

Don took me to dinner at the marina that is really close by the apartment. Once again it’s new. There were lots of dining choices. We decided to set outside in a big circular cement dining area. There were cushions all around the circle with each party separated by a stack of moveable pillows. Each party had a low brass table that could be moved. Next to this eating area was a dancing waters fountain for the kids to enjoy. In the middle of this was a re-creation of the ocean waves lapping up to shore. It was really fun to watch the kids and see the water show. Of course there were hookah pipes with hubbly bubbly everywhere.

I’m typing this at night and it is really a sight to see all of the various construction projects lit up all around.

Oct 26, Thursday
Don normally has ½ day off on Thursdays but arranged to take the whole day off in order to help me get acquainted. I felt pretty good with little effects of jetlag so we decided to go to the mall. Only problem was that as westerns we had gotten up so early that we were one of the 1st ones at the mall. We enjoyed a good English breakfast of toast, tomato, potatoes, eggs, and turkey bacon. We also had coffee that was so strong that we both had to add ½ cup of milk to it.

In Don’s excitement to show me the mall when he pulled into the parking space, he hit a curb. Yep, we got a flat. We looked at each other and went is there an AAA over here? Luckily the car that he has is a rental and everything including gas is all inclusive. He called the rental office and they said that they would send someone out in about 1 ½ hours. So we went in to explore the mall. This is the Mall of the Emirates where Ski Dubai, the snow ski slope, is located. I’ve been in a lot of malls but this is the largest one for me. The map of the mall can’t even keep up with all of the stores and floors that keep coming. It was huge. It even has a large store like a super Wal-Mart in it, Carrefour’s. There’s 3 plus floors of shopping. I could’ve taken the shopping but then the people started coming in. Boy, did I feel like a fish out of water. Talk about a country bumpkin. I’m so used to walking around and smiling at people and seeing people in western clothing speaking English. I was just stunned. No one smiles ex-pats or natives. There’s all of these women walking around in the black tents so that me in a sleeveless dress feels naked. Then the ex-pat women are walking around in a variety of attire that makes me embarrassed to say that I’m one of them. The ex-pats are Caucasian and from all over the world so they maybe speaking English but not American. So there’s no one to share it with but Don. Not that that’s bad but it’s just really overwhelming. If you engage someone they’re nice and polite but all the ex-pats just ignored one another and never smiled. I guess that part of my problem was that I had so many questions and no one to really show me the ropes or explain – like why no one ever smiles. Because this is still part of the Ramadan celebration there were a lot of young people out. There would be a gaggle of black robed girls and not too far behind them would be a male chaperone. It was really a site to see. I tried not to stare but I’m sure that my mouth was open and my eyes were bulging at all of the sites. Oh yeah I forgot to mention that there were equal number of men dressed in long flowing white robes and head pieces to match.

Ski Dubai is something else. It’s a complete ski slope with tube runs, snowboards and down hill skiing. Here too they accommodate the black robes with large black overcoats so that Momma can be out there with their children. Oh yeah I forgot to say that there are lots of kids here. The ski slope provides all of the clothing. The funny thing is is that it’s all fake. I mean from the snow to the trees. The only thing not fake is the cold. Surrounding the bottom end of the slope are wonderful restaurants. We’re planning on going back to them.

We walked the first floor and got back to the car and met the repairman. He brought a tire with him and just traded out the flat one. Was so glad that Don had made the flat because the repairman was once again not a happy camper. If I had been on my own and not have had the benefit of a man being around I would have thought that I did something wrong. Instead it was just the way things operate around here.

After that we went up to the 2nd & 3rd floors to explore some more. There I found the rug dealers. I came over thinking that I wouldn’t buy a rug but I don’t know now. They are gorgeous and shipping is reasonable. I’ve got some time to think and learn more about it. There were a lot more restaurants and more upscale shops on these floors. There was a 4th floor that we didn’t even get to. By 3:00pm we decided that we should get some lunch. Finally decided on a Turkish restaurant. We split a Sheppard’s salad and a mixed grill. Both were delicious. Dining is really an experience here. There’s everything from America – McDonalds, KFC & Chili’s to all the Middle Eastern foods. We’re exploring the breads and drooling over the desserts.

After lunch we headed to Carrefour’s, the super-supermarket, to pick up some groceries. It’s huge with everything you could need for home. By the time that we got through with that experience it was 7:00pm. We had been at the mall for 10 hours! That is a record for me. Needless to say I was on sensory overload and Don drove me home in kind of a wide-eyed wonder state and a slightly upset stomach.

We came home and relaxed with a martini and wine along with pretzels and watched a little TV. The TV programming isn’t too bad, with many US programs but don’t count on them being on the same day and time. I finally went to bed at 9:00 only to wake up at 1:30am. My sleeplessness has given me this great opportunity to write on everything that’s happened and settle my stomach. So this is it for today. More to come tomorrow. Wheeeee!

Oct 27, Friday
Hey today was a better day. Stomach is feeling great. We took it easy in the morning and then decided to head out and see if we could find out where the Jazzercise classes are held. We tried looking it up on the internet but this part of the world never was really guided by a map and now with all of the construction there is no way that a map could keep up with it. We took the beach road toward town and found the landmarks that were given in the directions but never did find the site. But we found a great restaurant called the Lime Tree Café. Turns out that it’s a hang out for a lot of the ex-pats. We didn’t strike up any conversations but it was great to not be surrounded by black and white robes. Due to Friday being the day that everyone has off the roads weren’t busy so we really got to check out the area. I’m starting to recognize some of the sites and am feeling more comfortable. I know my way to the closest market now. Until I get my feet on the ground, I’ll walk to the market. If it’s hot or I have a lot, I’ll get a taxi back home.

Don can’t get over that I’m here. He keeps thinking that I’m going to be leaving in a day or 2. I’ve started checking out the various ex-pat organizations. Hopefully we can get involved in them soon. We’re just amazed at ex-pats that are here with young families. We don’t know how they can manage work, school, play groups, housing etc. I’m really anxious to meet them and ask my questions.

Saturday, Oct 28
I did it – I got a taxi and went to the Mall of the Emirates! I wanted to check out some computer stuff and do a little food shopping, so I walked in and stared at stores not people this time. It was better and I actually had a feeling of where I was going and what I was doing. Grabbed some lunch at the fast food court, and then went to Carrefour’s for grocery shopping. I love the experience of seeing foods and goods from all over the world. Got what I needed and while standing in the check-out line met a man from San Francisco. Was in such shock of meeting someone from home that I forgot to start asking my questions. It was just nice to see a smile from home.

Came home and rearranged the furniture. What can I say – it’s a bachelor pad and it needed a woman’s touch. I’m perfecting my domestic goddess skills. Now we have a desk for the computer, formerly the dining table. The furniture is too large and there are too many pieces for the long narrow room.

Don came home to a new living style – a home cooked meal and nothing where it was when he left in the morning. He loved it.

Sunday, Oct 29
We’re trying to figure out a way for me to have the car during the day. Don’s fortunate in that his apartment is in the opposite direction of the traffic jams. I’ll try to figure out how to put a map in here and show where we are. So for me to drive in and pick him up will be challenging at rush hour. I’ll be going into the city with all the rest of the people. Until we work it out I’m walking to the market. It’s close by and is patronized by ex-pats. It has most everything you need, clean and friendly and because of all the building new.

Don thinks I’m a gourmet chef – dinner was Chicken Caesar salad, pate, bread and grapes. Really good pate was approximately $1.20 for a 1-2 oz slice. If you watch the prices you can get some buys but otherwise costs are similar at the market.

Monday, Oct 30
This domestic goddess thing is going too far. Because there’s no clothes dryer even no wrinkle items have to be ironed. But this morning I even ironed a t-shirt for Don! Next thing I know I’ll be ironing his briefs!

I know this is entry is lengthy and I'll try to keep them shortly in the future. Oh yeah I'm here until Nov 29.

Paula

Update for October

Sun, 29 Oct 2006 12:14:38 GMT

It’s October and Ramadan is 1 week old, with 3 weeks to go. Working hours during Ramadan are 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM but I’ve been staying until 4:00 or 4:30. I’m fasting out of respect for others but once in awhile I bring a small lunch and eat it in the car. Iftar is the end of the day meal (after 6:00 PM) that breaks the fast of the day during Ramadan and the newspaper has been cautioning drivers not to speed up because they are hungry and want to get home to eat. The papers have also been making some statements about the Iftar meals at the restaurants becoming somewhat commercialized as the meal is traditionally for family gatherings. But it has become a new tradition and everyone seems to enjoy it, especially the ex-pats.

I had the opportunity to enjoy Iftar restaurant meals twice. One was organized by the staff and took place at the Ritz Carlton, which is behind my apartment right on Beach Road. We had a private open-air tent right on the beach. The sand was raked and the moon was shining on the Gulf. We could also see all the lights coming from Palm Island. The tents were lit and had a low table and low plush seats with backs and pillows (Arabic style). The meal was a buffet with mostly Arabic or Gulf foods (including an array of “sweets” for dessert). It was a little muggy outside so we adjourned inside for the meal and then returned to the tent for shesha (“hubbly-bubbly”) and coffee. It was a delicious meal and a wonderful experience.

Several nights later, Joe treated the company to Iftar at the La Fontina restaurant in the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel. I finally got to meet Joe’s wife, Hala. This Iftar was even better than the one at the Ritz Carlton. Salad courses included heaps of shrimp, crab legs and fresh salmon (lox). Main courses were varied and included both Gulf and western foods. In general, the taste experience was better than the Ritz, probably due to the excellent spices and seasoning. Grape leaves were delicious – some of the best I have ever eaten. We saved room for a little dessert, which included 3 types of cheesecake, traditional Arab sweets and a variety of fruits. One interesting dessert was a small glass (like a tall shot glass) filled half-way up with pureed kiwi, and a skewer with small bits of fresh fruit in dipped in the kiwi juice.

The weather is definitely cooling. The newspaper reported that the highest temperature reached in the summer (July and August) was 120F and the average daily maximum temperature was 106F. It’s hanging around 100F but by the end of October the average will be around 91F. Over here that’s downright chilly!

I sent Paula roses for Sweetheart’s Day and an “I Love You” balloon. She’s bringing them to Rocklin for Xander’s birthday party and will give the balloon to Gabe. I also made a “booze run” during the two-day holiday after Ramadan (the package store was closed during Ramadan) and, as to be expected, the store was jammed. I picked up gin, wine and 2 slabs of Stella beer for Tom.

Still hot... no surprise

Sat, 21 Oct 2006 05:59:49 GMT

It’s August and the heat is hanging in.

Paula hosted Maged, Mr. Ghazi’s younger son and my God-son. Maged talked with his father frequently on the phone and told him all about everything that she had done for him. She took him all around northern California and to a number of Universities. He went to the east coast after 2 weeks with Paula but will return to California when I fly in for the wedding. Mr. Ghazi asked me when Paula was coming to Dubai and how long she would be there. He wants to bring us to Cairo for a vacation that would include a few days at Sharm el Sheik with both Maged and Mohamed.

Carrefour (the major food market chain) had some interesting fresh produce this month, including seedless grapes from Egypt, royal gala apples from New Zealand, red onions from India and tomatoes from Jordan. Iceberg lettuce is over $2 a head but butter lettuce is available at a better price. I also picked up some Brazilian rib-eye steaks, French Raclette cheese and Egyptian basturmah, a semi-dried beef just like Oum Mohamed (our cook) used to use in Egypt to make scrambled eggs.

Some local news… the newspaper (Gulf News) reported that US tourists to Dubai increased by 67% last year over 2004. Jebel Ali is building a new airport. The first phase is 12 km x 5 km and includes $700 million in landscaping! They are also building a 1600 m high office tower to house 40,000 people. It will have a 30 m sway at the top! Reminds me of my trip to the Empire State Building with my Dad when I was a kid.

As the hot months draw to a close, the wind picked up and the blowing sand blocked the hi-rises on the skyline. Sand gets in your mouth, eyes, hair and clothes. One very hot day (temperature at 115 F with 80% humidity), the power went down at the office. We all sweltered until the generator service people arrived and found out that we ran out of fuel. We are running on the generator’s internal fuel supply while waiting for the delivery of diesel. To top it off, Yuri, our in-house maintenance guy, quit!

When we returned from the marathon meetings, I was so tired that I accidentally locked my keys in the car… with the engine running! I called Joe and, after he stopped laughing, he told me to call the leasing company. After an hour or so, they arrived and opened the door. At least I didn’t run out of gas while waiting for them.

Tidbits for the month: I finished our 2005 taxes and will deliver them to our accountant when I go home next month. Paula sent me flowers for our anniversary – a beautiful bouquet with Hawaiian flowers, delivered to the jobsite office.

July - the heart of the extreme heat... or so they say

Wed, 09 Aug 2006 10:39:36 GMT

We all gathered at the Benihana in the Bustan Rotana Hotel to celebrate Joe’s birthday. The party was a lot of fun and the Rotana’s sushi buffet is still one of the best. The tempura is excellent. There were about 15 people there and almost all of them drink alcohol. I’m on-line at my apartment so Paula and I are having long chats on Messenger.

I get a surprise call from Mr. Ghazi in Egypt. He needs help for arranging a trip for Maged to the US. Paula immediately went to work on an itinerary for him – sightseeing and scouting Universities. I discovered an interesting dish – Biryana, an Indian rice dish that has bastami rice, chicken and numerous spices including green chillis. They come in chicken, beef, lamb and vegetables so I plan on stocking some in the freezer.

It has been unseasonably "cool" (in the mid-to-high 90s) and people are talking about it. The way they express it is that they can actually go out for a walk this time of year! However, humidity is still around 70% so the "heat index" is around 100 degrees. There’s lots of talk about the situation between Lebanon and Israel and the bombing in Beirut. Joe went there on holiday with his family and we were all concerned. He finally called and told us that he and his family drove from Beirut to Damascus and were safe and waiting to get a flight back to the UAE.

On one of my bi-weekly trips to the supermarket, I bought more of those delicious cherries from Iran, peaches from Jordan, plenty of fresh veggies including Boston lettuce and tomatoes from Syria. I was in the mood for chilli but couldn’t find it in the can. So I picked up Mexican beans and flour tortillas to make my own, using 1 lb of lean “minced beef” (aka hamburger meat!). I also found Egyptian basturmah, the dried beef that we used to use in Egypt for sandwiches and omelettes. I had an interesting talk with the butcher about the difference between Saudi, Egyptian and Iranian basturmah and decided to stick with the Egyptian. At the market, there is a large area that has spices and exotic “snacks” in large barrels and I bought some roasted green peas and roasted corn nuts. The guy behind the counter introduced me to several varieties of Indian snacks, which I sampled and decided to try the next time around. He told me that a handful of any of these would go well with my martini! I also treated myself to a quart of pistachio ice cream, which I rushed to the car to put into an insulated shopping bag.

On one of my Fridays (day off), I decided to take in a movie at the Mall Cinema. I discovered two food huge courts on the second level of The Mall of the Emirates, each specializing in a variety of foreign foods – Turkish, Lebanese, Chinese, Jordanian, etc. I settled on Thai Egg Fried Rice for lunch and then went to see “Pirates of the Caribbean” (a perfect popcorn movie). The newspaper tonight reported that Monopoly is planning a Dubai version of the game!

The summer haze set in towards the end of the month, reducing visibility. Winds were coming off the desert instead of the Gulf, raising the sand and creating the conditions. It even made the newspaper since it means that temperatures are generally lower than usual for this time of year. Dubai is getting a summer break. Headlines in the news (both TV and paper) have been nothing but Lebanon and, if not full-blown anti-American, at least chastising America for inaction. Rice is not held in high regard. All the talk is about the Israeli bombing that killed 30 + children. The headline in today’s edition of the Gulf News read, “Barbaric!”

There goes another month in the desert!

Wed, 05 Jul 2006 10:27:07 GMT

Wednesday, June 14:
Amani, the principal company driver (he is from Tanzania), picks me up at 6:30 for the airport run. Flight to London is OK but my transfer time is only an hour and the logistics at Heathrow are a nightmare. I barely make my flight to LA. The second leg is also OK and the 11 hours doesn’t seem to bother me as much this time. Paula has done a great job on seating. At LA, I find out that my luggage missed the transfer in London so I arrive in SF with only my carry-on. Paula is waiting for me at the security entrance and we go to Alaska Airlines to file the lost luggage papers. They will send it to SLO and we will pick it up at the airport there. Paula has found a cute B&B near Union Square and we settle in and get some sleep.

Thursday, June 15:
Breakfast at Sears and then a walk around Union Square. We drive to Kathy’s in time for martinis, visits with the kids and grandkids and we make plans for the busy weekend. Around 9:30 PM, we get a call from the airport and my luggage has arrived.

Friday, June 16:
Breakfast with Roger and Beth. Do a little shopping and then back to Kathy’s to give the kids the Ski Dubai souvenirs and show them some of the Dubai articles, pictures, etc. Meet all the gang, including Chris, at Kelsey’s graduation. After graduation, Paula and I drive downtown and walk the Plaza. We go for a drink at Mother’s then go over to Chorro St. for a short visit and then go to “Razzle Dazzle” at the Little Theater where Karen is starring and Mickey is in the chorus. The show is marvellous and they both did a fabulous job. After the show, we all go to Giuseppe’s for drinks.

Saturday, June 17:
Coffee with Kathy and Kevin and then we take CeCe along with us for a visit to Michelanne and some shopping. We get CeCe a treat at Cowboy Cookies. CeCe suggests lunch at Chili Peppers and we meet Kathy there. Good Mexican food. Over to Chorro Street for Karen and David’s Shower.

Sunday, June 18:
Today is Father’s Day and my birthday. Kevin does the BBQing and I handle bloody marys and mimosas. We get a chance to say goodbye to all the kids and then head out around 12:45. We drive Rt. 5 up to Rocklin in time for martinis and a light dinner. Jenni comes over for a visit with Gabe and I give him the camels for him and Xander. The folks are excited to hear all about Dubai. At this point, everybody wants to come over to visit! We decide that, because of limited time, it would be best to complete the drive to Reno tonight.

Monday, June 19:
Paula has some surprises at the house including a patio covering in the back yard, Roman shades in the den and a furniture rearrangement in both the master bedroom and the family room. The house is looking great. Paula has bought a lot of things that I asked for and I will go back with a load, including lots of spices. We bring the Ski Dubai shirts over to Lisa and Erika and disappointed to learn that they are moving to Oregon. We finish getting ready so we treat ourselves to dinner at the Oyster Bar at the Atlantis.

Tuesday, June 20:
Up early to finish packing and then meet Ernie for breakfast at the Gold Rush. Flights are Reno to Chicago and the Chicago to London. That’s a good itinerary as it eliminates that long 11 hour leg.

Wednesday, June 21:
Arrive in London with 5 hours between flights. After the testy transfer process, I get a little time to check out Duty Free. No Leyton’s gin but I buy a radio with AM/FM/SW bands. There is a great seafood restaurant in the center of Duty Free serving a variety of shellfish, lox, caviar and champagne. Gotta try this if and when Paula and I pass through here. I spend the rest of my waiting time watching the World Cup. Good flight to Dubai and I arrive on the day that Dubai Summer Surprises has started. There are Festival Disney-like creatures all around the airport and an Arabic band consisting of about 15 male singers and drummers. Amani is waiting for me at the airport when I arrive around 10:30 PM. The temperature is about 100 degrees, even at that hour. He drives me to the apartment and my car is parked in the garage waiting for me. Surprisingly, I’m not all that tired.

Thursday, June 22:
I slept in a bit and started unpacking. Around noon, I headed for the mall and did a big food shopping as we had cleaned out the fridge before we left. Bought some cherries from Iran – absolutely delicious. Also got some fresh salmon from Tunis (Tunisia), a veal steak from New Zealand, some Australian rib-eye steaks and chicken livers from Brazil (got some fresh mushrooms so I can mix up a batch of one of Paula’s least favorite meals!). It was around 108 degrees today. I don’t know how the conservative Muslim women can stand those head to toe black abayas. I took it easy for the rest of the day and sorted out some paperwork in the evening.

Friday, June 23:
I finished unpacking and getting the apartment squared away, including the kitchen closets and fridge. Around 1:30, I decided to treat myself to some leisure time so I drove to the Mall and saw the movie “Poseidon.” A real thriller (popcorn movie). Better than the original? Hard to say because the special effects have come so far.

Saturday, June 24:
Up at 6:30 for coffee and BBC news. Dress for the meeting in my good suit – first time I’ve tried it on since the tailoring. I do a little work at the main office and skip lunch. Monday, June 26:
Temperature is supposed to reach 42 degrees C with 80% humidity today. That means that the “feels like” temperature will be 117 degrees F. I find my way to the Mall office site and after settling in with all of my peripheral equipment and getting hooked up to the network printer and scanner. Dinner is a large romaine and iceberg salad with some red cabbage, along with a delicious lamb steak – looks like a shoulder cut but appears to be more like a small sirloin steak – different cut than back home.

Wednesday, June 28:
Got a good night’s sleep and ready to wrap up the week. I decided to take Thursday and Friday off as there is not too much going on yet and I have some things to do around the apartment – washing, ironing, etc.
Thursday, June 29:
I work around the apartment and do laundry this morning. At 11:00, I leave for the trip out to Barracuda for a restocking of the booze. I’ve been taking more note of driving habits here. Although not as bad as Egypt, the problems are tailgating, lane switching (some drivers cross over 4 or more lanes in one move) and close calls when pulling into a lane in front of you, including no signalling. For $100. I get 4 bottles of Beefeater and 9 bottles of wines from Argentina, France, South Africa and Chile. Drive back to the Mall of the Emirates to see “DaVinci Code.” While waiting for the flick to start, about a dozen young Americans walk in and I find out that they are Marines on the way back from Kuwait. We have a little “Semper Fi” chat. Boy, do I feel like an old salt! The theatre is on the first floor (second level) of the Mall and I realize that I haven’t even explored that level or the second level yet. This place is really huge. I read in the paper that there is another Mall in the planning stage that will be the largest in the world. I pick up the newspaper and head “home” for a martini and a light dinner.

Friday, June 30:
Work on the computer this morning. It’s overcast today; first time I have noticed this type of weather. I take a shower in the mid-afternoon – a big mistake. It’s the same her as in Saudi Arabia: the water tower is on the roof and it cooks in the sun. By mid-afternoon, the water is so hot that the coolest I can get the water is about as hot as I can stand. For dinner, I make an endive, romaine and red cabbage salad with sport peppers (from Paula) and a vinaigrette dressing. I sauté some mushrooms and cook a rib eye steak along with one of the Pasta Sides that Paula bought.

A Change in the Dessert Winds

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 10:29:57 GMT

Thursday, June 1:
They are shampooing all the carpeting in the office today so it will be a short day. I send everybody home at 12:30 and go get a haircut. Cost me about $15. plus tip and he did a great job. He even tamed my left side and “cowlick” problems. He (Mustapha) was good and I’ll go back to him. Shop at Carrefour to stock up a bit. Find some Pasta Sides and pick up tomato paste, parmesan cheese and meatballs so Kelley can make spaghetti. Dinner is successful except we bought the wrong type of pasta. We make a salad of a wedge of fresh iceberg lettuce (from Iran) with blue cheese dressing and a glass of Chilean cabernet. Temperature was 107 degrees today with 65% humidity.

Friday, June 2:
I can’t sleep past 7:00 AM so I make coffee and start to work on P’s e-mails. We don’t leave the apartment today. I work all day on e-mails to Paula, the Live Journal (which I will send out tomorrow) and the letter to Nakheel re: contract or demobilization. Kelley naps; I try to but too much on my mind. Dinner is fish fillets, canned corn and a fresh salad.

Saturday, June 3:
I leave at 6:15 PM because of the party for Mireille tonight. Drive through the congested traffic, we finally arrive at the Bustan Rotana Hotel where the gathering is in the Benihana. Saturdays and Tuesdays are set aside for all-you-can-eat sushi buffet and all-you-can-drink wine and beer bar. They close down the teppan areas and place chairs where the chef usually stands so the table seats 10 of us. Cost is less than $30 apiece. In addition to a wide variety of sushi (maki and rolls), there is miso soup, shrimp tempura, breaded beef patties, several varieties of rice, etc. The meal is fabulous. Firas is there but he is the only other one we know besides Mireille, Rola and Rachael. The rest are guys from the other CBIPM jobs. The night gets continuously raucous as the beer and wine are flowing freely and everyone except Hadi drinks alcohol. Firas offers “cheers” about once every 10 minutes. Around 10:00 PM, the singing starts, including Kelley! This is a rowdy bunch, but fun people. They have learned that I play piano and there is a baby grand in the lobby. Both Kelley and Mireille talk with the manager and tell her that there is a visiting professional piano player in the hotel that would like to entertain. We find out that the piano player leaves at 11:00 PM so we have a little more sushi and dessert and go out to the lobby around 10:50 only to find that the piano player has left and has locked the piano and taken the keys. We check with the management to see if there are spare keys but no luck. These guys want to find a piano somewhere else and go party but Kelley and I beg off. They agree that they will find someplace and we’ll get together again. Kelley and I drive back and it only takes us about 15 minutes. It’s going to be a short night’s sleep.

Sunday, June 4:
Random thoughts:
The haircut I got could be one of the best haircuts I have ever gotten. I’m having no problem with the sides or the “cowlick.”
Shirts came back from the laundry and they did a good job.
We are puzzled about the water at the apartment. Since potable water comes exclusively from the massive desalination facilities, it should be very soft. However, clothes (especially undershirts) come out of the washing machine stiff, even if you use softener.
Daytime temperature is still hovering around 107 degrees.
There were some small scattered clouds in the sky as I drove back to the apartment last night. Unusual as the sky is normally a solid blue with the exception of the horizons, which almost always show the blowing sand.
I still have hard time adjusting to the weekend schedule. When everyone leaves the office on Thursday, I still say “See you Monday” instead of “See you Saturday.” As of September 1st, Dubai will change the work week to Sunday through Thursday, with Friday being a half-day and Saturday being “holiday.” Not everyone is crazy about the idea since Friday is also “prayer day” and they expect a lot of confusion. The reason behind it is that it will give accommodate the financial world. Right now, they only coordinate with world banking, stock markets, etc. 3 days a week – Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday – since they take Thursday and Friday off and the non-muslim world takes Saturday and Sunday.

Wednesday, June 7:
Ghazi calls and wants my help to get a US visa for Maged. He wants to send Maged to Dubai, get a visa here and have Maged travel back to the US with me – that’s less than a week away. I don’t think it’s possible but will ask Joe. On the way in, Hadi’s car overheats (remember the A/C problems in his car that I talked about?) and catches fire. He contacts Wael, who is on the road back, and arranges for Wael to pick him up where he is stranded. Now that’s dedication! At the meeting, Nakheel serves a huge platter of dried fruits: apricots stuffed with prunes and figs, some stuffed with almonds and some with pistachios. I finally leave around 8:30 and get back to the apartment for a well-deserved martini and a dinner of pan-fired fish with apples, sliced tomatoes and green beans.
Paula sent me an e-mail telling me about the lack of good radio stations in Reno. Radio here is not much better. There are 4 or 5 English speaking stations that play mostly the stuff that the kids want to hear. One station plays 1 or 2 hours of jazz on Fridays. Another is "sports, talk and business" station where they devote hours to soccer and cricket! I usually go around the dial traveling to and from work and in the apartment we either put acceptable music on or turn on the TV for the BBC news. We found 1 TV station that broadcasts ABC news but I haven't yet got a fix on the time frame.

Friday, June 9:
I sleep in until 8:30 and we just hang around until 10:00, drinking coffee and watching BBC and ABC News. Kelley wants to get some rest so I drive to the mall of the Emirates to run errands. I get my sunglasses repaired, pick up some of my hairspray (amazingly, the clerk remembers me from 3 weeks ago and guides me right to it) pick up the paper and telephone minutes card and do a little shopping at the market. I also find out that Lipitor is sold over the counter – no prescription necessary. So I don’t have to bother with having Paula get a refill. I can get it here and probably a lot cheaper. I also pick up polo shirts from Ski Dubai for our neighbors Erika and Lisa. They normally have 3 colors: white, black and blue. But they sell like hotcakes and today they only had white in the large size so I picked up 2 large. I’m sure that the girls can figure out a marking scheme.
We had a great dinner tonight. I made a salad of iceberg lettuce and chick peas with parmesan cheese. Kelley bought some great steaks (Australian beef) and I prepare a fresh mushroom and garlic mix which I simmer in olive oil before we cook the steaks. We add fresh green beans for an outstanding meal. Kelley also picked up ice cream. Now when you buy ice cream over here, it’s the last thing that you pick up before you check out. Then you leave the market and race home before it melts. Kelley makes it and dessert is Baskin Robbins pralines and cream ice cream ice cream.

Wed, 19 Apr 2006 22:48:36 GMT

Just set up the Journal that will carry us through our latest adventure. Must let family and friends know so that we can share our ever-more-interesting lives.

Why didn't we think to do this sooner?