Dubai Day 10

I just realized I cut Day 9's events a bit short. I was so excited and long-winded about the alcohol purchasing that I forgot the evening activities! oops!

Day 9 Evening

After getting back mid-afternoon, we relaxed before heading out to The Boardwalk, which is a nice restaurant at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. It is shaped like a boat. So, we had a couple of very tasty appetizers and a nice bottle of white.



Since it was one of Allan's new colleague's birthday, we headed to the Irish Village for more drinking and socializing. A few more glasses of wine and I was a goner...luckily we managed to find our way home despite the poor new taxi driver's claim that he had no idea where we were going. ha ha ha.

Now Day 10:

After a nice sleep-in, we decided to try to catch a film and then do some shopping before getting back in time to watch some soccer. So, we taxied it to the Deira City Centre mall (again) and saw "Tropic Thunder". While I am generally not a comedy watcher, I enjoyed this silly film. Not so sure it was worth the money to see it on the big screen, but it was a good laugh with big names and some surprising appearances. If you are a comedy lover, then I would definitely recommend this film.

The next stop was Carrefour. We asked about the stereo surround system and connecting it to the cable TV (long sordid affair) and so technicians will be out on Monday to hopefully make everyone a happy camper. Then, it was shopping. Shopping on a Saturday (aka Sunday) is crazy! It is much like Japan where people shop at the same time of day or same day of the week because that is when it can be done. While it was very efficient and there is a learned method to the madness; it is an experience. Trying to take a taxi was crazy as well, but again the efficiency was impressive. So, we were back with a half hour to spare before kick-off.

Shopping called for a drink of not-so-tasty red wine in a smoke-smelly bar during the game, but it was a good game of Liverpool vs. Middlebrough (it is meant to be spelled that way!). So, it was a nice end to the very short weekend.

Now it is back to the work week and I need to start deciding what all I want to be sure I see this trip. It can't all be just malls, can it??? ;D hm....

Until next time...

-T

Dubai Day 9

Weekends in the UAE are generally Friday and Saturday. This sort of throws me off in my Western mentality that all work weeks start on Monday. Since I am on vacation, it is definitely easier for me to take it in stride, but many of the new people I have met say Friday when they mean Thursday because it is the last working day. It is humorous in a weird way. :)

So, luckily I was feeling better by Friday morning, but did sleep in a bit. Some mover came to get the extra washing machine and then we hung out while I tried to set up Allan's work computer to connect to his home internet. It didn't work..., but I didn't get any computer rage. Just acceptance.... Then, I got to go out and see the world a bit!

The 31st is the start of Ramadan. This means that people fast during the daylight hours, which means no drinking in public - that is water or anything! It also means no alcohol sold anywhere for a month, though in Dubai, there are some hotel bars and such type places open after the sun goes down and people gorge themselves! So, despite the fact that alcohol cannot be bought without a liquor license, there are a few known localities where such items can be bought. Not only can it be bought, but it is duty free and not taxed, unlike the stores where you can buy alcohol with a liquor license.

Thus, we hopped in the car with Heather and sped through three new Emirates - Sharjah, Ajman, and Umm Al-Quwain. So, now I can say I have been and seen four of the seven Emirates. Cool.

In Umm Al-Quwain is a supermarket that alcohol-lovers flock to. Friday was packed full of those stocking up. I found a bottle of much-loved Patron tequila there. It was a bit expensive, but since I have never actually seen it for sale, I bought a bottle in hopes of trying to transport it safely back to Japan...we'll see if it lasts that long! So, many bottles of wine, cases of beer and other spirits were purchased under the auspices of stocking up for Ramadan which is still a week away and lasts for a month. Somehow I doubt that what was purchased is going to make it that long, but you never know. :P

I did get photos, but they are on my iPhone since my camera battery died, so I will have to figure out the best way to get them online. I saw camels (no photos sadly) and lots and lots of sand. It was quite a different scene than the one I normally see in Dubai, so when I visit next time, I most definitely want to be sure to do a Desert tour and try surfing in the sand!

On to Day 10!

Dubai Day 8 (Week 2)

I am a little behind...oops!

Day 8 was suppose to be the best and most relaxing day ever with my day-long spa treatment at Cleopatra's Spa. However, I woke up with chills from a fever and a bit of a headache. Still, I went in hopes that it would do some kind of detox to rid my body of whatever bug was taking over.

The treatment was as follows:

Step 1: Enter and change to bathrobe, slippers and prepare to forget about the outside world

Step 2: With swimwear on, take a jacuzzi soak, sit in the sauna and begin to relax

Step 3: Head for the jet massaging bath. (A regular bathtub with jets coming out of the sides that offer a massaging sensation on your muscles and skin)

Step 4: Relax in the relaxation room for a bit until the massage and facial. Drink some lovely peppermint tea.

Step 5: Have a nice oil massage and facial treatment

Step 6: Eat meal and relax in relaxation room

Step 7: Enjoy an hour rest in the Dream Room

Step 8: (added by me) Get nails done

Step 9: Shower and return to the real world

Overall, the experience was amazingly relaxing. However, being sick didn't let up and by the time I got my nails done, I just wanted to go home and lay down again. The massage was a bit short, I thought, so I was a little saddened by that. Still, the facial was quite nice and the rest of the treatment was very, very relaxing as was the intention of the day. I would definitely recommend it and may go again for just a massage later in my trip here.

I waited about 40 minutes for a 5-minute taxi ride, but was too sore and tired to do the 15-minute walk. When I got back to the apartment, I collapsed on the couch after taking some aspirin until Allan got home to take care of me. A sad "Friday"-Thursday night for him, but thankfully, I was slowly beginning to feel better.

More to come soon!

Dubai Day 7

I'm thinking about changing my nationality to Chinese or at least just saying "Yes" when people ask me if I am.

On Day 7, my morning pool plans were foiled when the telephone/internet guy decided to take about three hours to get the job done. So far, most the technicians or people who do grunt work in Dubai seem to be the Pakistani. It seems they really don't make much money. Some are friendly, others are a bit ignorant. Typical of mankind. Anyway, Allan is now set up with a telephone landline and mercifully, has internet connection at home! No more slow connections at the cheap kiosk across the street. :D

Since I had nothing else to do, but wait around, I made a big lasagne to keep until dinner time. Yes, when I have free time, I cook. Shocking, isn't it??

When the man was finished checking that everything worked, we chatted a bit. I struggled to understand parts of what he was saying, but inevitably the question of "Where are you from?" came up. I said "America". Like everyone else who lives here (non-whites), I get a look of surprise and doubt. So, I must be Chinese. My constant battle to not be Chinese continues...maybe I should just give in!!! I politely explained I was born in Korea. Then, he asked more about my parents, then I explained I am adopted, which he didn't understand...ah...it is somewhat amazing I do not have a really serious identity crisis. Or maybe I do!!! (or am starting to develop one, ;P)

Well, with the internet fully installed, I spent the rest of the afternoon reacquainting myself with blogs, facebook, email and everything! It was like being in a candy store! Pathetic....

I did get to the pool in the late afternoon and then in the evening, the last of Allan's furniture made it's way in. He's set up with a dining room table, six chairs, a dish cabinet (low and long - what are these called? hm... will take a picture when for when I post his apartment photos), a king-size bed and bed-side table and a washing machine he purchased without realizing one would be provided. So, he is fully furnished and it looks like a home. Very very different from his Japan apartment, but "this is what happens when the company pays for you to settle in", he says. TRUE!

My lasagne dinner was, of course, fabulous! ha ha. Then, we got to go out!!! We just went for drinks over at the Wafi Center, which I and my readers are starting to know well! We first went to a Spanish tapas bar, Seville, but they were having salsa night, so it was a little crowded and loud. After one mojito, we went to a different place called Ginseng. It had a cool Asian theme, but modern. We enjoyed some very dangerous Cosmos, which went straight to my head. So, a relaxing and happy day!

Day 8 is my spa treatment! Can't wait!!!

Until next time,

-T

Dubai Day 6

I think I am going to have to stop counting the days as I do have three weeks here…. Hm…

Anyway, Day 6 found me at the pool in the morning after doing a bit of work. Then, I headed to the Wafi Center again to check out the mall, find the Arabic Souk and check prices for a massage at the Cleopatra Spa. The mall itself wasn’t so fantastic for me as there are a lot of high-end name brand stores where I wouldn’t buy anything. So, after a quick spin, I did stop in Marks & Spencer’s, which I compare to a Macy’s. There, I found a few cute items for my wardrobe (as if I needed more!), and then headed on to find the Arabic Souk.

I had thought it was a gold souk (souk = marketplace), but it was actually an underground area where each corridor had stores and items from various Arabian nations. Though I wasn’t in the mood to bargain or really buy anything, I enjoyed walking around and seeing what there was on offer. It still felt a bit high-end or at least catered to the tourist with money to burn. So, I will have to get myself to a real souk for the locals to get the full experience of bargaining and shopping.

Satisfied with my find and wander, I decided it was time to consider pampering myself. In Japan, I have Dolphin Hands and was concerned I may not find an equal place. However, I am going to give the Cleopatra Spa a go. I will write on it after I have had my full day experience. I managed to make an appointment for a full day ordeal of spa treatment, massage, and nails! Yippee!!!

By the way, I think I may be able to get the pictures up now at a slightly faster speed than before, so hopefully more will be on the way!

Until next time,

-T

Dubai Day 5

Today was a relax-at-the-pool day. I may have found the best schedule. Get at 6:30, have coffee, water and breakfast. Do some studying/work from 7:30 to 9. Hit the pool from 9 to 11. Shop, relax or whatever until about 3pm when the temperature starts to cool down. Sit back at the pool from 3 to 5pm. Have dinner around 6 or 6:30 and then relax the rest of the evening. This could be the perfect life! Ha ha ha.

I did a variation of the above-schedule. I didn’t actually get any real work done until around 3pm, when I decided that I needed to at least accomplish my goal of getting a couple course-syllabi updated for next semester. Now, I just have one more class to work out, but that will require a bit of waiting.

Well, not much interesting to write since I was either at the pool or inside today. More to come tomorrow. I hope I can figure out the picture uploading somehow….

Until next time,

-T

Dubai Day 4

Since the sun rises around 5 or so, I was awake at 6am trying to decide what to do with myself for the day. So, I determined to read a bit, go to the Starbucks in the nearby Lamsy Plaza, come back, work out and then get ready to make a visit to the Deira City Centre Mall.

Well, waking at 6am makes for a bit of a slow passing of time especially when most things do not open before 8 and malls at 10. So, after reading a little bit, I decided that rather than use the gym, I would walk to Lamsy Plaza first to find out what time it opened and then come back and get my stuff to study there. I left at 7:30am. It is just a short 12-minute walk. By the time I arrived, I was already very hot. The mall opens at 9am. Too late for me today and for walking outside I decided. So, I trekked it back home and was very happy for the air-conditioning. How crazy is that? It wasn’t even 8am and I thought I was going to melt away in the heat!

Instead, I did work at home and was quite productive, if I do say so myself. Then, I headed for the mall at 11am. Note to self, 11am is a low-taxi time…. It took me nearly 5 minutes to get a taxi while standing in the heat and finally got one as I started to sweat, though nothing sticky like in Japan.

Deira City Centre used to be the biggest mall in Dubai until they opened up the Mall of the Emirates (to be visited later). It is still quite large. I had a quick lunch in the food court and then began my shopping. Luckily, I didn’t buy much except a few things on sale at H&M, though I did spot a beautiful purple jacket at Mango that I may just have to go back for when I pick up my jeans which are being hemmed. :D Inside, there is also a Carrefour where I bought some more groceries and four hours later, I was finally ready to call it a day. Sadly, the taxi line was 45-minutes long and so I was exhausted by the time I got back.

Thinking I wouldn’t go out again, I stopped at the internet kiosk first and then headed home. It was then that I found out that Allan had gone to where I had just come from!!! He finally got his resident visa, so he wanted to get his driver’s license, check on his cable setup and try getting the Internet and landline hookup. So, because it was dinner time, he asked me to go back to have dinner. Thus, another taxi ride back to Deira City Centre. He got the driver’s license and organized contact with the cable setup, but sadly still no joy for the Internet and landline hookup (more paperwork needed). So, we had a food court dinner and walked around a bit more, though I was in pain from back and neck soreness. It’s been ages since I have done that much walking!

We finally got back and I was ready to drop. I think Day 5 will be a pool-side kind of day!

Until next time,

-T

Dubai Day 3

After waking up to construction work, I realized that yesterday there was no noise in the morning. Friday is the holy day in Dubai, so there were hardly any cars on the streets, few people out and mercifully no construction work at the crack of dawn. It gets light here around 5ish, much like Japan. So, I have been awaking a bit earlier than usual on vacation.

With a leisurely start to the day, we made a trip to Ikea and the Dubai Festival City (aka visited shopping mall #1).

Allan wanted to buy a couple of tables for the living room and a nightstand for the guest bedroom (yes, I said guest bedroom!). So, we wandered around Ikea for a bit, then headed for a Thai lunch. I haven’t yet really eaten much Emirati food, though I did have a falafal and hummus the other day as a snack. I will though, I promise!

After lunch, we went to a few stores in the mall, but I didn’t really feel like shopping much for anything that I could buy in the States since it seems a little silly considering I am a tourist at the moment. So, instead, I bought groceries at HyperPanda. Apparently, this is a Saudi owned store, but is much like a Walmart or Target, but with a large grocery food section. So, I have mostly stocked up for a few meals to make to save on money a little bit and such.

The rest of the day has been spent relaxing since Allan went off to watch a soccer game. The tables are up, though, but the nightstand is still waiting. :D If I were kind I would put it together while he is gone, but I think perhaps a movie on my iPhone or even reading my book is competing for my attention!

Tomorrow, I have big plans to go to Deira City Centre mall, which is suppose to be quite large and lovely. Perhaps in the afternoon I will do something touristy. I know I have been a bit slow, but I am trying to space out my tourism as I also am balancing having to study and keep up with this blog!!! ;P

Until next time,

T

Dubai Day 2

My second day in Dubai was pretty quiet as Allan felt the need to clean his entire apartment floor and some of the outside windows despite the insane heat outside. So, I relaxed and did some homework.

In the evening, we went to happy hour in the MovenPick hotel nearby. No pictures there, but it was basically and ex-pat’s type bar where we could see some Olympics and he could enjoy a few cold beers.

After that, we got ready to go out with some other of Allan’s new colleagues – all lovely women! We shared a taxi in to Jumeirah and went for drinks at a very nice Persian style bar called Rooftop. It is located in the One & Only Royal Mirage, which was quite cool in the front with camel statues, though we were in the annex building. We had drinks with four others who are all very well-travelled and experienced in teaching, life, etc.

(this picture took 5 minutes to upload...I am gonna have to figure out something else for the pictures....)

It was such a change to meet people in the same field and yet have so much more knowledge of the world through their own experiences. Japan is very sheltered. People who work in Japan tend to get the island attitude and never leave Japan. Thus, it is thought that when something good comes along in Japan, life doesn’t get any better. Well…I have now seen what else is out there and I have to say if it weren’t for the doctorate I may not return after summer break!! At least I know that I will come back and I think that I could at least live here easily, but still don’t know about the work yet as I haven’t met anyone who has really started their jobs yet.

Anyway, that was the end of Day 2.