Burj Dubai Tower Revisited

It's still awesome...viewed from the Al Bahar Souk. Somehow, it has this mersmerising effect on you. I just can't explain it. Maybe it's the strong coffee or just the heat! lol

One of those days

...when the tyre punctured! Rafir, my driver is back from his one month vacation in Pakistan. It must be a joy for his wife and 3 young daughters to see their father again after such a long period. I remember the months of waiting for him just to get the visa approval. To and fro...checking on the status.

By the way, I wasn't in the car or outside watching as he fixed the tyre! In fact, he's almost done with the change and the punctured tyre at the back...lying on the ground was placed there by yours truly! lol

A blue camel!

lol....just kidding. But seriously, it was a pleasant surprise to see a couple of demure camels in a shopping mall....specifically at the Deira City Centre. Both the kids and adults alike love the idea. I bet the camels love it too...away from the heat for a change.

Careful the brain!

If you are not careful...the heat will eat into your brain! You will get irritated easily over trivial matters. You feel tired and have no appetite for anything. And soon you begin to question your sanity.."What am I doing here?" Luckily, I am a "sun" person if you know what i mean. A quick change in your lifestyle for at least 3 months will do the job really. My daily regime during this period of the year is: drink lots of water, juice and green tea..eat lots of green salad and fruits (if u don't have the time to prepare..Spinney's salad bar is convenient, fresh and cheap), no oily and fried stuff, less meats ( but fish is great!) and exercise! At least twice a week..I will escape to one of my favorite haunts..Al Qasr Resort for a breather.

Grandeur

Told my driver that on the way back from Abu Dhabi, I will like to visit the newly completed Grand Mosque ( Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque). He was elated and true to form, he was well dressed for the occasion.

The Grand Mosque is the largest mosque in UAE and one of the largest in the world, covering an area of more than 22,000 square metres. It can accommodates more than 40,000 worshippers in its prayer halls and courtyard.

I was literally swept away by its sheer size, grandeur and all. And Rafir was excited like a child.. moving from one end to the other. As usual, I was the official photographer for his never ending posing.

Khan Murjan

One of the best ways to beat the heat in Dubai...escape to Khan Murjan at the Wafi Mall. A splendid underground souk..fully air conditioned! Many interesting "curiosity" shops. There's one selling mainly crafts from Egypt...found my little black feline of ancient times! I am a bit selfish...hoping this little magical hideout will stay low keyed. For people like us...it's not just the heat but also to get away from the irritating crowd..once in a while..lol

http://www.wafi.com/page.aspx?id=226

Escape from the heat....

It was 50 degree last week....the heat in Dubai is manageable..at least for me. Im a "sun" person afterall. Somehow...the heat jolted my brain a little bit and I realised I was away from blogging for almost 4 months! Hope to pick up again..consistently.

Anyway, Im not alone. This strange creature (taken last summer at Al Ain zoo) was feeling the heat too!

Welcome back!

Tango with Giant Ants

Eight monumental ant sculptures cast in bronze will settle into their new home on the DIFC lawn with the opening of Ant Colony, the brainchild of American artist Susan P. Cochran.

“Ants have been building uniquely planned cities for millennia; living in colonies supported by an instinct to cooperate and work together. Like any new city that requires an advanced infrastructure and network to support a growing community, an ant colony relies on cunning instinct, a demanding schedule and shared responsibilities that result in handiwork that is effective, reliable and immaculate,” explained Bashar Al Shroogi, the Managing Director of Cuadro Fine Art Gallery.

http://www.dubaicityguide.com/geninfo/news_dtls.asp?newsid=11991

Instead of fighting the enormous giant ants....my good hearted driver tried to appease them by doing the tango. I was completely exasperated. Anyway, at the end of the day...we managed to escape and I am happy to say...his head is still intact!

Riding a donkey.....

"My friend, my grandmother told me while you are riding a donkey, continue to look for a horse. If you have not found the horse, don't leave the donkey..u still need to use it. You understand?"

Tears welled up in his Bambi looking eyes. Gee...I must have touched a nerve. Hopefully he understood. Ok...I lied about the "grandmother" part.

My 2nd driver (Mohamed left...visa expired) Rafid was sharing with me about his bad boss. And he wanted to quit without any alternatives as yet.

" You give visa..i work for you."

"My friend it is not that simple ok? Anyway, you just continue and I will look out for you."

Actually, I cooked up the entire donkey story with an ulterior motive. It is hard to get a good driver in Dubai. He knows my daily schedule. Excellent driver..very punctual....and running little errands for me without fail..laundry, shopping...etc And if he sees me 100 m (ok..20 m away)...dragging my bags and what have you...he will rush forward to take over! Such initiative..where to get in Dubai? And of course I will reward him with his favorite Krispy Kreme doughnut from Deira City Centre. Not so sure whether that's good for his diabete.

Anyway to cut the long story short..I have to keep him at all costs!

(Picture showing my dear driver drinking sweet "skyjuice" from the Hatta Dam)