The Dubai Experience

I had a great blast in Dubai

2009-07-21T06:56:00.010+04:00

This entry will serve as the last post in this blog. I want to wrap up my entire Dubai experience in this final post and, after that, move on.

Do I regret taking up the Long Term Assignment to come to Dubai? Never ever. I enjoyed every single moment of it. If anyone is thinking of moving to another country, another continent or another planet and ask for my opinion, I would, without a hint of hesitation, tell them to go for it.

Listen to your gut. If you know in your heart you want to try something new, do something different and experience something fresh, pay zero attention to the negativities around you and ignore the inner fear that you might have and embrace the opportunity.

Were there rude comments about my move to Dubai 2 years ago? Absolutely. Was I bothered by them? A tiny bit. Did I reconsider my move to Dubai based on those comments? No way. Important decisions like these have to be made up by one's own. I just made up my mind when this chance was offered to me and didn't ask anyone for opinions. But free advices and comments came from all directions bombarded me left, right and centre. Of course there were people who gave their approval of my decision. Once again, I didn't really give a damn if anyone approve of my life altering decision or not.

Perhaps I sound aloof here. I do treasure some friendly advices and comments from people close to my heart. What I am trying to say here is, don't stop doing something you want to do because of someone's casual comments.

To sum it all up, I had a great blast in Dubai. I had the time of my life and I am very happy to be given the chance to experience the rise of the Gulf. But I am ready to move on with my life. Life is too short to do something that I don't truly love, or to be stuck in the same place when there are plenty of places for me to explore. On that note, I am ready to close this chapter and move forward to another.

So, thank you to you, my dear reader, for following my thoughts throughout this entire journey. I hope this ride with me has been enjoyable. Would there be another "my XXX experience" in the future? Perhaps. We just never know.

I wish all my readers the best of luck in all your future endeavours. And 'til we meet again, you take care.

A blur

2009-07-21T06:09:00.012+04:00

My last day in Dubai (15th July 2009) felt like a blur. Everything happened so quickly and so fast that I could only vaguely remember it.

I returned the apartment keys to the housing agent at 9 in the morning. I said goodbye to this humble abode where I spent 2 fabulous and unforgettable years in the Middle East.

I apologised if this blog entry sounds self-indulgent but I would like to commiserate my departure with all these last few pictures I took in the flat.

The front door

The entire set of keys

The entrance

The power box

The air con control and the phone to the reception lobby

The shower room

The washing basin *please excuse me for the mess*

The switches

More switches

My closet *and nothing is hiding inside it*

My room

My room again

My living room

The kitchen

Cabinets in my kitchen

My fridge

Kitchen sink

Kitchen corner - catcat's favourite hang out place

Oven, where all the cakes were baked

Stove

Kitchen switches

More kitchen switches

My washing machine

The corridor

After leaving the flat, I went back to the office for my last day of work. At 5, I bided farewell to every single one at Arup and drove my way to Dewa office to pay for my final bill.

My work station in Dubai office

Despite an earlier visit I paid to the head office 1 week ago, I need to wait for one hour for my final bill to arrive. I paid it off and went back to Burjuman to spend all my cash. I bought a wallet because I could pay for it with all the cash I had with me, and it was small enough to fit into my cabin luggage.

After that, I drove to the Dubai International Airport and returned the hired car back to Hertz. And then, there's no turning back.

This was my final air ticket that brought me home.

再見了, Miu Miu.

2009-07-14T21:31:00.004+04:00

Miu Miu (also known as Catcat to some of my readers) is leaving Dubai at 0245 tonight. She is taking Emirates Airline EK 432 and will reach Singapore at 1405 on the 15th.

I entrust Miu Miu with the same pet carriers again for both the Dubai and Singapore legs. I also get a new carrier for her. She develops anxiety every time I try to push her into her cage and I suspect she associates that cage with bad memories. Anyway, I can always pass the old one to Tiger (my sister's kitty).

Miu Miu in her new pet carrier

And the journey of bringing Miu Miu back to DKC in my Yaris was such a déjà vu. I remember I brought Miu Miu home in a rented Yaris 2 years ago when I first moved into my apartment. It felt like everything was coming into a full circle. It certainly felt that way to me but I think Miu Miu would disagree.

Miu Miu sitting in her old carrier on the front seat with a safety belt

If anyone would like to transport their pets to or from Dubai, or to find a boarding place for their pets during vacation, I would highly recommend Dubai Kennels and Cattery. I am extremely pleased with their services and Miu Miu seems to relax a tiny bit (which says a lot!) when she is in their hands.

I shall see her in Singapore after her 30 days quarantine. I hope her weight loss this time would not be as drastic as what she had 2 years ago.

Eighth item to go : The love of my life - Miu Miu
Time of Departure : 0245 15-Jul-09

auf wiedersehen, my furniture.

2009-07-14T20:51:00.006+04:00

Global Relocations is the company that is recommended to me by the company's HR for, well, global relocations. They spent the whole day packing my stuff and I was very impressed with the care they took with my items.

I came to Dubai 2 years ago with 12 cardboard boxes, 2 luggage and a cat. I am leaving tomorrow with 49 boxes, 2 luggage and a cat.

Of course, they dismantled some of the tables and chairs into several boxes so the number of boxes was not a true representative of my belongings. But I am sure I have more stuff now than I had 2 years ago. This shows the power of the golden arrow. If you have no idea what the golden arrow means, watch this.

Seventh item to go : (accurately speaking, it should be 7th to 56th. But hey, you get the idea.) Furniture and stuff
Time of Departure : 1700 14-Jul-2009

Sayonara, HSBC cards

2009-07-14T20:31:00.008+04:00

Went to the bank in Jebel Ali Free Zone to do some banking stuff and to terminate my account. The HSBC in Dubai is not connected to any other HSBC branches in the world so I have to do this while I am still in Dubai.

Believe it or not, this was the first time I drove to Jebel Ali free zone. Trucks and long vehicles were everywhere. It was very dusty on the road. I managed to find Gate 3 with ease and cashed in the cheque I collected from Peugeot Showroom (Yes, I sold the car back to the showroom where I got it from 2 years ago) at National Bank of Dubai and walked across the street to close my HSBC account.

Surprisingly, it all went smoothly and took less than an hour. For that, I am very grateful.

Sixth item to go : HSBC account + ATM card + credit cards
Time of departure : 1300 14-Jul-09

Biggest Scam Ever

2009-07-13T09:29:00.002+04:00

DEWA is having a campaign to encourage the public to pay their bills online. The poster above claims that it is giving away a laptop every day, and a Camry every 3 months.

Big Fat LIARS.

In the past 2 months, I had this message coming up onto my screen every time I tried to pay any of my bills online.

Either they were trying to let only a selected few to pay their bills online so that the chosen ones would get their hands on the "valuable prizes" , or they had such overwhelming responses that the website crashed.

Either way, I can't pay any bills using epay now. What a successful campaign.

Request for DEWA final bill

2009-07-09T10:08:00.006+04:00

After numerous futile attempts to pay the DEWA bills online for the past two months and hearing nothing from DEWA after my request for the final bill, I decided to call the DEWA office to sort it out.

Due to my circumstances (I am leaving the apartment and Dubai on the same day), I was advised to bring my air ticket to any DEWA offices to request an express final DEWA bill to be made on the last day.

I searched for the location of DEWA offices online and I could not for the life of me figure out what was written on this map.

Can you gather any information, or anything at all, from this map? It's incredible, don't you think?

In the end I had to pick the DEWA Head Office, which is located near Grand Hyatt which I know the exact location, and searched for it after a 15 minutes drive around the neighbourhood.

This is the only map on the DEWA website I can comprehend.

I went to the counter and waited for 10 minutes before being served. Then I was instructed to go to a room to talk to a supervisor regarding my special request. After that, I was asked to go back to the same counter to get some numbers. Consequently the lady at the counter had to leave her desk and talked to that supervisor.

Finally, I was told to go back to the DEWA office on my final day and pay the final bill. They will disconnect the electricity and water on my last day. I just hope I will get the chance to at least take a shower in the morning before they cut off everything. Let's just hope.

What's inside the Salik Tag?

2009-07-08T12:06:00.005+04:00

I just sent an email to customerservice@salik.ae to terminate my Salik account. With an obsolete Salik tag, the only thing I can do is to cut it open.

There's nothing spectacular, just a little computer chip and some foils.

I still have 28 AED in my account but I was told that I would not be able to get back the balance. Too bad.

So keep the change, RTA.

Au revoir, Peugeot.

2009-07-08T11:24:00.006+04:00

The next item to go is my trusty Peugeot. It has served me very well for the last 2 years despite the crazy engine noise, the stupid cassette player, the 80's manual side mirror adjustment system, the 60's window and door locking system, and the squeaky windscreen wiper which drives me nuts. So merci beaucoup, my little french car.

Obviously, all the other car accessories went with it left me at the same time. They were the salik tag, the car keys and the car registration card.

Second item to go: Car registration card
Time of departure: 1000 08-Jul-09

Third item to go: Salik Tag
Time of departure: 1020 08-Jul-09

Fourth item to go: Car keys
Time of departure: 1030 08-Jul-09

Fifth item to go: Peugeot 206
Time of departure: 1045 08-Jul-09

However on a bright note, I just hired a Toyota Yaris for my last 7 days in Dubai. Have I told you I hate taking cabs in the UAE yet? Anyway, standing in the street in the middle of nowhere waiting for a taxi during summer is the last thing I need. Furthermore, I would much prefer catcat's last leg to the vet and the catteries to be as comfortable as possible. So here it is, meet my white Yaris.

Bye Bye, Labour Card.

2009-07-07T13:18:00.004+04:00

I am one week away from leaving Dubai. Follow this blog closely as I will report to my dear readers how my stuff leaves me in a chronological order.

First thing to go: My dear UAE labour card.
Time of departure: 10:30 07-Jul-09

Ladies' Counter

2009-07-07T12:40:00.004+04:00

In most government offices in the UAE, you can easily spot a counter which is especially catered for ladies.

I find it extremely weird. I understand the concept of having designated car park lots and toilet cubicles for the mobility challenged, and special seats on the commute for pregnant ladies, senior citizens and adults travelling with infants. But I never believe "ladies" in general should be considered as a weaker sex and therefore requires special attention. Of course unless the "lady" in concern here has to cover head to toe in a black veil in the dead heat of the desert summer.

*The customer being served here at RTA was a man at the ladies' counter because there were no ladies waiting at the counter when this photo was being taken. Clearly I wasn't "lady" enough.*

Another article on Dubai

2009-07-06T10:41:00.003+04:00

It is just by sheer observation that I conclude many are packing up their stuff and leaving Dubai. I see moving trucks on the road when I am driving. I see ads of cars and furniture selling at remarkable rates on Internet forums when I myself is trying to offload my stuff. I see lines of people trying to settle their bank loans on their vehicles when, once again, I am getting the release paper for my car.

Click here to read more.

Summer is here and it is the perfect time for families with children to move because the semester has just ended. Not being pessimistic here but I think the full effect can only be seen when the schools reopen in September. Of course, families with children are also moving into Dubai at the same time. There's never a time I feel myself acting more like a migratory bird flying to the south to prepare for winter, or in this case, to the east for summer.

Dubai Fountain

2009-07-06T10:26:00.004+04:00

Boasted as the world's tallest performing fountain, the Dubai Fountain at the Dubai Mall is quite a spectacular water feature in Dubai.

I was dining with two colleagues travelled from Singapore in the California Kitchen at the Dubai Mall during the weekend when the performance started. The water jets and the music complimented each other and the sight of water shooting up to 150m high (approximately a 50 storey building) was indeed amazing.

There are numerous youtube videos on the Dubai Fountain. So if you would like to take a look at it, just youtube-a-away.

Another Nice Quote

2009-06-26T19:59:00.002+04:00

For what it’s worth, it’s never too late, or in my case, too early to be whoever you wanna be.
There’s no time limit. Start whenever you want.
You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing.
You can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it.
I hope you see things that startle you.
I hope you feel things you never felt before.
I hope you meet people with a different point of view.
I hope you live a life you are proud of.
And if you find that you are not,
I hope you have the strength to start all over again.

Chinese Poem

2009-06-22T16:04:00.002+04:00

A poem by my favourite Chinese poet. This poem kind of explains what I am feeling right now.

行路難
李白

金樽清酒斗十千，玉盤珍羞直萬錢。
停杯投箸不能食，拔劍四顧心茫然。
欲渡黃河冰塞川，將登太行雪滿山。
閑來垂釣碧溪上，忽復乘舟夢日邊。
行路難，行路難，多岐路，今安在。
長風破浪會有時，直挂雲帆濟滄海。

[註釋]
①斗十千：每杯酒價十千錢。珍羞：珍美的菜餚，羞同「饈」。直同「值」。
②箸：筷子。顧：看。茫然：渺茫而無著落的樣子。
③「欲渡」二句：比喻人生道路中的事與願違。太行：即太行山，在今山西、河北、河南三省邊界。
④「閑來」二句：古代傳說，姜尚未遇周文王時，曾在磻溪(今陝西寶雞東南)釣魚，伊尹見湯之前，夢見自己乘舟經過日月之邊。這裡把兩個典故合用，表示人生變幻難測，世事茫茫。
⑤長風破浪：出自《南史·宗愨傳》：「宗愨少時。叔父炳問其志。愨曰：`願乘長風破萬裡浪。』」濟：渡。滄海：大海。雲帆：指天水相連時，船帆像是出沒雲中。

[賞析]
《行路難》本樂府舊題。多寫世路艱難與別離傷感。詩首先通過對珍饈美酒，食不下咽，拔劍而起，四顧茫然的動作刻畫，突出表現李白內心的苦悶，接著通過黃河冰塞、太行雪滿表現世路的坎坷艱難，最後仍抱著幻想，相信總有一天會實現理想施展抱負，雖然苦悶但不失去信心，給人以激勵。

Salik Recharge Card

2009-06-21T13:53:00.003+04:00

Salik is the road toll system in Dubai. It has been in operation since September 2007.

I use the SZR twice per day and pass through the Salik toll gates 2 times each trip. Since Salik was in operation, I have been recharging my salik tag either by going online using my credit card or by going to the petrol station and topping it up with cash.

Lately I have problems recharging my Salik account online. (I have similar problems while paying my DEWA bills but that is another story.) Every time I click on the epay website, an Access Denied message comes up on my screen.

I went to petrol station yesterday, tried to put some cash into my account. But instead I was told that we all would have to use the Salik Recharge Card.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with the new Recharge Card. But what's wrong with online recharge or cash recharge? Why do RTA need to produce another piece of paper to complicate the process when the original recharge methods are working fine?

I can't help but think, somewhere on earth a tree has to die for this.

Food poisoning in Dubai

2009-06-17T09:25:00.004+04:00

Received this article from a colleague.

Father looks for answers after children's death
By Mahmood Saberi, Senior Reporter
Published: June 15, 2009, 23:51

Dubai: A grieving father who lost both his children to suspected food poisoning, has questioned the treatment provided by the hospitals and said he will leave it to Dubai authorities to give him justice.

"I lost both my babies to this stupid, stupid disease [food poisoning]," said Patrick D'Souza, unable to hold back his tears. "This shouldn't happen to anyone; this is the worst punishment."

He and his wife Anne-Sophie on Monday gave their statement to the police, who will deliver it to Dubai Prosecution to pursue the case, said D'Souza.

"We are hoping to get justice and that the authorities make sure this does not happen to other children," he said.

Anne-Sophie had ordered mixed fried rice from the Lotus Garden in Al Ghusais for their evening meal and everyone started getting stomach cramps and vomiting.

She rushed them all to NMC Hospital and they were released after initial treatment. She had to rush them all again later as things started to worsen.
D'Souza questioned how the hospital could have released the family after their initial treatment.

"Children with serious diseases like cancer survive. This was a simple case."
He said Dubai Hospital knew that a child (Nathan, five) in the family had already died. His wife and daughter were transferred to Dubai Hospital from NMC Hospital after initial treatment.

"They [Dubai Hospital] kept saying my daughter [Chelsea, seven] was 'stable' but that her blood pressure was low.

D'Souza was given a form to sign accepting the hospital's recommendation to put a tube into her to pump in extra drugs to keep her blood pressure stable.

"She [Chelsea] kept opening her eyes and smiling. Everything seemed to be OK. My wife was moved next to her bed. Chelsea then became unconscious and they tried to revive her. The same thing happened to my son," he said sobbing.

Dr B.R. Shetty, managing director and CEO of the NMC Group of Hospitals, earlier said: "Two children and an adult were brought to the hospital on Friday evening with suspected food poisoning. One of the children, a young boy, was pronounced dead on arrival. A young girl and a woman were then transferred to Dubai Hospital."

But that is not the sequence of events, according to D'Souza

He said his wife rushed the children to NMC Hospital which treated and released them.

Then, later, Nathan started complaining of stomach cramps and his wife was finding it difficult to move her legs and hands. She took them back to the hospital.

"They [the hospital] knew it is was a food poisoning case, why couldn't they have flushed the toxins from the stomach," asked D'Souza.

He was away in Abu Dhabi when the tragic events began.

Dubai Hospital was not immediately available for comment as Dubai Authorities are conducting investigations. The Lotus Garden restaurant has since been closed and will remain closed until investigations are complete.

Click here for article in the Gulf News.

Movers

2009-06-16T12:01:00.004+04:00

Recently, a lot of big trucks from mover companies can be spotted on the road. I see people with cardboard boxes and packed cargoes moving out from the apartment I am staying almost every day.

Yes. People are leaving Dubai. Of course there are people arriving at the same time. Dubai has always been and always will be a place with people moving in and out from around the world. It is, in its nature, a very transient place.

And the time for me to move out from Dubai has come.

After some serious considerations and personal reasons, I have choose not to extend my long term assignment in Dubai and will be heading back home in approximately one month's time. Therefore it is time to wrap up my Dubai experience and I will continue to update this blog until my very final day in the Gulf.

After all, moving out of the country is part of the Dubai Experience as well.

I love this song.

2009-06-14T14:07:00.002+04:00

A very old song by Gigi Leung. Love the lyrics and the melody. I hope this song will cheer those who needs cheering up.

神說　你要勇敢就賜你阻礙
想聰明　必需解開難題　自己停止悲哀
要長大　很困難　偶而能耍賴
眼淚擦乾　頭髮甩一甩

就算那麼一天　我將不存在
留下的痕跡　也可證明　Hey他真不簡單
地球轉　不停擺　沒人能阻攔
這一口氣　活的可精采　

一個人走　更快了
我來決定　太陽出來或者發點瘋
可能高處有些寒　可能沒有人依賴
一杯Cafe’ latte也能送上溫暖

一個人活　也快樂
裝扮心情　優雅懶散或者鬧哄哄
我不相信這麼難　幸福不只有被愛
一陣微風吹過　心裡浮現答案

不要擔心　朋友　我會OK平安

Moving Advertisement

2009-06-01T11:29:00.005+04:00

On my way back home the other day, I saw a fleet of Volkswagen Beetles driving very slowly on the road. They were moving advertisement for the big sale in Centre point. The vehicles were covered all over with plastics with the words "Centre Point" and "Sale".

It was indeed a very interesting concept. However it was also very annoying. The volks were blocking the roads as they drove like snails. And drivers in Dubai were notorious for their impatience and rudeness. Hence loud horning and flashing high beams from the cars behind the volks was a common sight.

Spead camera

2009-05-20T12:54:00.007+04:00

The cars on SZR have been driving noticeably slower than usual since last month. It has come to our conclusion that the RTA has recently dialed down the trigger limit by a notch. The speed cameras along SZR used to flash at 120 km/h (Speed limit is 100km/h). The rumour is that now the cameras will set off at 110km/h. And the current speeding ticket costs 500 AED, instead of the usual 200 AED.

We suspect that this is the solution the Dubai government and the RTA have come up with to recoup their loses in the economic downturn.

So to every one, drive safely and drive within the speed limit.

Friend with Wings

2009-05-18T09:47:00.003+04:00

Summer is approaching and it is getting hotter and hotter in Dubai. The sun rises up a lot earlier than usual and so does catcat.

There is a little bird who drops by our balcony every morning to visit catcat. Catcat is always very excited. This morning she was trying to stalk her little friend with wings.

Korean Supermarket

2009-05-17T17:20:00.005+04:00

A colleague tipped me off about this Korean Supermarket located along the SZR selling Korean/Asian food. I personally love Korean instant noodle and my mum has been sending me packets via airmail since I got here. I treasured every packet as if it was my precious and was practically in tears when I was down to my last pack.

So imagine how excited I was when I saw this.

My Favourite noodle - and at an affordable price!

DUMPLINGS!

Gummy sweets - These taste a lot better than those gummy bears in Spinneys.

Condiments and fruit juice

Ginseng tea from Korea

They even carry hot plate for Korean BBQ

This was what I bought in the end - A carton full of instant noodle and tidbits.

And catcat was checking it out if there's anything for her.

2 Nice Quotes

2009-05-12T15:55:00.002+04:00

Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So love the people who treat you right, forget the ones who don't and believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said that it would be easy, they just promised that it would be worth it.

人生不一定要一直往前走，有時可以打橫，有時可以打斜，甚至倒退也不是什麼問題。

Organic Supermarket and Cafe

2009-05-11T16:49:00.002+04:00

I am not the type of person who is willing to pay premium for organic stuff. But it is still nice to see a supermarket specialises in selling organic products. It is located next to Waitrose supermarket in the Dubai Mall Basement.

Scary

2009-04-02T17:18:00.001+04:00

I am so not going to stay in Burj Dubai in stormy weather.

Frozen Dinner

2009-03-19T09:49:00.004+04:00

Frozen dinner is a new concept to me. In Asia, there are too many places I can get affordable and nice take-out dinner without too much trouble. In Dubai, I have yet to find anything I like nearby without paying a fortune. So I settle for frozen dinner. The one I tried all tasted very good actually. And no washing was required afterwards - perfect for me.

The fibre content in this plate is higher than what I usually have for dinner.

Linda McCartney vegetarian lasagna

Fresh from fridge

Looked kinda like plastic

45 minutes in the oven and -Presto- my dinner is ready!

Fly Ski Dubai

2009-03-02T16:16:00.003+04:00

A new feature in Ski Dubai.

For those who are interested in experiencing the cold air and viewing the ski slope but not athletic enough to ski or snowboard, the Fly Ski Dubai is the solution.

This is just another way for the Ski Dubai management to squeeze money out from you.

Singapore Deli

2009-02-19T09:59:00.003+04:00

Found this tiny restaurant 2 blocks away from my office. So far I have tried Nasi Lemak, Seafood Char Kuay Teow, Nasi Rendang and Soto Ayam. Let's just say, "Food court no more!"

The price is very reasonable. 30 AED for a dish and a drink. They even have teh tarik, iced milo and ginger tea on the menu. The taste is authentic and I am a very satisfied customer. So for anyone who is looking for Indonesian/Singapore food in Dubai, this is your answer.

Chopper on SZR

2009-02-18T14:09:00.005+04:00

As I was on my way to work this morning by cab, (my 206 was in service workshop) I was stopped abruptly by 4 police cars in front which suddenly halted in the middle of the SZR. No explanation was given as hundreds of cars started to pile up on the highway during the morning rush hour.

People were getting out of their cars and started snapping pictures. Several minutes later, we heard the sound of helicopter in the sky and realised there had to be an emergency going on.

Crappy pic but you can roughly see the image of the chopper on top of the side mirror

Eventually an ambulance arrived and the patient was transferred onto the chopper.

I am guessing the patient is taken from this construction site.

Interesting experience. This is the second time I see a chopper transferring patient in the middle of a highway. The first time happened when I drove back from Abu Dhabi after a meeting.

Dubai in the news

2009-02-18T10:40:00.002+04:00

Following the credit crunch and economic downturn, Dubai is featured in some major newspaper. Here are some articles I have come across.

Click here for New York Times article.

Click here for article in the Straits Times.

Click here for Daijiworld article.

Dragonboat

2009-02-10T15:15:00.004+04:00

My company is participating in the upcoming Dragon Boat Race this weekend. We had our first and only practice last Friday at the Marina Yacht Club. It was my first time in a dragon boat. It was super fun and extremely tiring. My butt is still hurting after 3 days of rest.

Come down to Marina and support us if you are in the neighbourhood this weekend. Click here for more information.

Speechless

2009-02-09T10:19:00.003+04:00

When I saw this GQ Cover in Kinokuniya, I was speechless. What were the exact thoughts in this person's mind when he was holding his marker pen? "This is immoral and nobody else should see this." ?

Very self righteous. Almost barbaric. And this quote rings in my mind.

"Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34.

Global Village

2009-01-29T11:26:00.007+04:00

When I drove past the Emirates Road the other day, I saw a ferris wheel all lighted up in Global Village. And I checked with my colleagues and they told me that the stores in Global Village would be opened until end of winter.

The "village" is divided into areas with different themes. Here are some of them:
Egypt

Lebanon

India

Syria

Sri Lanka

Nigeria

China

There are stores in the villages. However, most of the stores sell similar stuff.

Snacks from Thailand

Jackfruit

Durian

And there is a Reptiles' World too

And of course, the usual fun fair games.
Reverse Bugee

Ferris wheel and the Octopus

Roller Coaster

Swinging Beam

And the usual..

Speed Boat

Kiddy rides

It was freezing that night. I didn't take part in any of the rides above and I didn't buy anything. To those who have nothing to do in the weekend, I think it is quite fun to walk around and spend an evening there. However in my case, one visit is quite enough. I will not go there again.

Running on Karma 大隻佬

2009-01-19T10:01:00.007+04:00

This is one of the movies I really love. It is an old 2003 movie. Cecilia Cheung gave a stellar performance in this film and so did Andy Lau. However it was the director and the writer who took this movie to another level.

I watched this movie in the Mandarin censored version but did not understand it. I bought the VCD in Cantonese and watched it again recently. I highly recommend this movie to all my friends. Watch it if you can.

This was the song when the two were strolling along the streets in Hong Kong-it is almost like an MTV. After knowing how the story ends, I turn all weepy every time I watch this scene again.

身外情
by 黃耀明

带走伤感带不走哭得转红了的灯
记忆随身延续欠你的戏份
带走开心却带不走拖手时的体温
微暖质感留在脸上还未泯

给一分钟我静静回味
将一生一世翻天覆地
明日已被今天处死
泪存在原为反映天理
这一分钟我站在何地
怎么竟跟你活在一起
原是镜中花留在镜中死
原谅我不记得忘记

带走身影带不走装饰你瞳孔的星
放手无声沉默也等于约定
带走身颈却带不走分手时的风景
云过天青忘掉我们曾尽兴

给一分钟我静静回味
将一生一世翻天覆地
明日已被今天处死
泪存在原为反映天理
这一分钟我站在何地
怎么竟跟你活在一起
原是镜中花留在镜中死
原谅我不记得忘记

当这一双脚慢慢离地
拈不走一瞬羡慕妒嫉
谁又记得起谁被我欢喜
延续到下一世的你
谁又带得走一块纪念碑
心中挂着什么行

Edited to add: This review said everything I want to say about this movie. Sorry for those who cannot read Chinese.

Making Dumplings Again

2009-01-16T22:43:00.006+04:00

Saw this ready-made dumpling skin in Waitrose in the Dubai Mall. Also saw some Japanese pre-packed gyoza available. I was super happy and bought a few packs back home.

Used the skin to wrap the dumplings and made the soup dumpling first

Got this packaging from the pre-packed gyoza (which I finished long time ago)- excellent for dumpling storage

See how nicely each of my dumpling fits into the slot?

The excess filling

Used the excess filling to make "tiny lion head"

Tiny lion head = fried meat ball

Thunder Strikes!

2009-01-15T17:32:00.004+04:00

Something very rare happened last night in Dubai. There was thunderstorm, lighning and heavy rain.

The current tallest building in the world, the Burj Dubai, got struck by lighning, judging from the pictures captured by our colleague. These pictures make Dubai looks like the Gotham City. LOL.

Desert Drive

2009-01-15T10:16:00.007+04:00

A bunch of my colleagues decided to have some fun in the desert with their 4 by 4s. I, of course, tagged along and went with them.

We went to the Hatta region to see the fossil rock.
Driving down a steep sandy slope

Sand splashing into the car

Sand and more sand

The fossil rock

Many of our cars got stuck in the sand and needed either a pull by another car or a push by muscle strength.
Car getting stuck

The Jeep at the back tried to pull the Mitsubishi Pajero out, but got itself stuck instead.

Frank's car was seriously stuck

While the men were showing off their strength....

and were busy digging

I just chilled out and relax.

Trying to pose. Look how distorted my fingers were. haha.

It was a fun day. Desert drive was definitely an unique "UAE" experience. I wish I have a 4 wheel drive too, because I guess having control of the wheel on the sand is the best part on a desert drive. Riding along is not as fun.

Dubai Shopping Festival

2009-01-12T14:40:00.006+04:00

It is the time to shop until you drop. Yes, it is the Dubai Shopping Festival!

Dubai has major shopping sales in January and June, namely the Dubai Shopping Festival and the Dubai Summer Sale respectively. Luxurious goods are marked down to 70% off sometimes. With the current gloomy economy, I even see 80% off this year.

There is a huge Saks Fifth Avenue just beneath my office tower and it is very convenient for me to browse the sales rack during lunch time and after work.

Racks of beautiful shoes: Manolo Blahnik, Prada, D&G, Christian Louboutin

Leather bags on the discounted table

Classic MB black pumps

CL 4-inch heels - I can't walk in them - too bad for me but good for my wallet

I was on a shoppng ban anyway so I was not tempted to get anything at all. Here are some snapshots. Enjoy!

Botkier Leather Bags-50% off

Prada Briefcases-40% off

Prada Handbags-70% off

Tumi and Prada-40% off

Lanvin Flats-the pair I mentioned in this post is now 70% off, in MY size! Damn the shopping ban.

Am pretty amazed how strong I am when it comes to resisting all these sales. However, I guess that's mainly because I spent too much pre-sale. :p

2009

2009-01-06T14:11:00.004+04:00

Swarovski Ads in Central MTR Station

Decided to fly back Hong Kong for New Year on impulse. Bought the ticket on New Year's eve, packed my bags and hopped onto the plane within the same day. As a result, I spent 3 days with my little sister in the far east and flew back to Dubai on Sunday morning.

Because I was travelling across different time zones, I missed the countdown totally. Not sure if there's an exact moment for travellers in the air anyway. No matter what, it was a fun way to start a year.

Jabel Hafeet

2008-12-30T15:26:00.003+04:00

My colleagues and I drove to Jabel Hafeet on Sunday (Al Hijra). It is a mountain that lies on the outskirts of Al Ain, and actually straddles part of the boarder with Oman. It is termed as "the greatest driving road in the world", though I seriously doubt that.

Weathered Rocks

Weathered Cliff

Ridges

We visited the Al Ain Museum and checked out the market for live sheep. There were truckloads of sheep waiting to be sold and slaughtered. We also went to the natural oasis in the region and headed to the Mercure Grand Hotel for lunch.

A stupid sign

Christmas Card

2008-12-30T15:20:00.002+04:00

I didn't get any Christmas card this year, not counting the electronic one of course.

Catcat gets one from the kitty hotel though. She must be some VIP in that Cattery after spending so much time there.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-26T21:38:00.003+04:00

Catcat and I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New 2009!

FAIL

2008-12-23T12:15:00.001+04:00

This poor doggie has no idea what he's in for.....

Poem

2008-12-23T12:14:00.000+04:00

STRAY CAT
by Francis Witham

Oh, what unhappy twist of fate
Has brought you homeless to my gate?
The gate where once another stood
To beg for shelter, warmth, and food
For from that day I ceased to be
The master of my destiny.

While he, with purr and velvet paw
Became within my house the law.
He scratched the furniture and shed
And claimed the middle of my bed.

He ruled in arrogance and pride
And broke my heart the day he died.
So if you really think, oh Cat,
I'd willingly relive all that
Because you come forlorn and thin
Well...don't just stand there...Come on in!

Twilight

2008-12-23T09:48:00.010+04:00

A trusted source recommended the movie Twilight to me. Checked the rottentomatoes.com and the review was split. Decided to trust my source and to go against the website. I checked the newspaper and went to the Mall of the Emirates to get the tickets. It was the first time I was seated in a cinema with free seating. I watched movies in the same movie theatre before but it wasn't free seating the other time. I should have known this was a sign, a sign telling me the movie was not good.
Movie ticket with no seat number

I never read any books from this series before. And after watching the movie, I know I never will. I like Vampire story but the storyline in this one is weak. But thanks, trusted source, I enjoyed my nachos and hot dog very much.

Nachos with Salsa sauce and melted cheese

Hot dog with mustard and ketchup

Fire!

2008-12-21T15:54:00.004+04:00

There is a fire outbreak in the Karama area at this very moment as I am posting this blog entry. I can see it from my office. The smoke is thick and spreading everywhere.

It is not uncommon to see thick smoke from fire outbreak in Dubai. This is actually my third encounter. These outbreaks seem to always fall on the extreme end; they come with explosions, black sooty fumes and affect a huge area.

Escargot

2008-12-16T09:24:00.004+04:00

Saw this in the supermarket and decided to give it a try. This dish always reminds me of the restaurant our family used to go to for Sunday buffet brunch when I was very young. My sisters and I would line up round after round at the station where the chef prepared the escargot with garlic. I would smile with glee when the snails were ready and the garlic smell filled up the station. Those are some of my fond childhood memories.

The snails I bought from the supermarket were prepared with garlic butter, which tasted slightly different from my memory. But they were still a nice change from my usual noodles/rice/pasta routine.

Maroon 5

2008-12-14T11:58:00.005+04:00

A bunch of singers/bands came to the UAE to perform during December. The singers were Sting, Simple Plan, Maroon 5 and Kylie. Out of all these, I picked to attend Maroon 5's concert last Wednesday.

The show were scheduled to start at 9 but the band appeared on stage at about 9:25pm. Adam Levine's hair has grown considerably long since I last saw him on TV. The band started the night with This Love, followed by songs from their first album "All about Jane" to the latest "It won't be soon before long".

I took some videos using my mobile and would upload them when I could locate my connection cables. Maroon 5 live show was fantastic. The audience was good too. We sang "Won't go home without you" together and it was a memorable performance.

A blurry image of Levine captured by yours truly

Dubai Winter

2008-11-30T11:13:00.003+04:00

The weather in Dubai is getting cooler and cooler, suggesting the long awaited Dubai winter is finally here.

During the winter season, Dubai is a pleasant place to live in. With constant sunshine, cool weather, comfortable humidity and gentle sea breeze blowing from the Gulf, it is a big contrast from its summer. We can actually enjoy outdoor activities and have some fun strolling around the neighbourhood.

The Marina
Flea market

Dubai winter usually lasts 6 to 7 months from late October to early April. If you are planning to visit the Middle East, it is the best time to travel the region.

Ice Skating Ring

2008-11-27T14:13:00.008+04:00

My skating boots

Went ice skating with colleagues last night in the Dubai Mall. The ice rink was not as big as I imagined. I guess I am getting jaded. Things in Dubai used to be ginormous and anything normal seems tiny.

My colleagues

Big 5 and Rugby 7s

2008-11-26T12:08:00.005+04:00

Terminology:
The Big 5 : Exhibition at Dubai World Trade Centre on construction industry.

The Dubai Rugby 7s: Annual Rugby event in Dubai

The above terms are the buzzwords for this week in Dubai. Everyone is talking about them. You are either asked if you are attending them, when you are attending, or how much you paid for your tickets.

I am not interested in both. So shoot me.

Kinokuniya

2008-11-25T10:35:00.004+04:00

Kinokuniya is my favourite bookstore in the world. I am extremely pleased that they've decided to open up a branch in Dubai.

I love Kino because they carry a wide range of books, in terms of genre and publishers. They not only have the prettiest and cutest Japanese stationery, but also practical and useful notebooks and files. The best of all is that everything is priced fairly. And the fact that they have comics and Chinese books means heaven to me.

Racks of books-AWESOME!
Japanese novels
Chinese novels
Some of my favourite comics
There is an art gallery too!

Baby Shower

2008-11-24T10:29:00.003+04:00

Attended my first baby shower last Friday. My friend Tara is expecting and the expected due date is late December this year.

Both the father-to-be and mother-to-be are beaming. I hereby wish them a healthy and happy child. It is always a delight to see friends glowing in their happiness.

Weeds

2008-11-18T14:50:00.006+04:00

I was driving to work this morning and saw this landscape "designer" removing weeds from the central divider. He reminded me so much of Singapore. I used to be very scared of the weed removing machine because getting hit by the cut grass was not exactly a pleasant experience. But then after looking at this poor fellow doing his job, I realise the weed cutting machine is not so bad, after all.

Do you have a good job?

2008-11-12T16:28:00.003+04:00

My work station in London office

Chanced upon this article awhile back. Worth a read.

Take the test

Today's job market favors employees. The attitude of most workers is that they should have a job that makes them happy. So it's no surprise that at any given time 70 percent of the workforce is job hunting, according to the Wall St. Journal.

Everyone is looking for the right position. But what exactly does that mean?

Here is something it's probably not: Prestigious. People who chase fame and prestige are generally not as happy as other people. If you're after fame, you are setting goals that are dependent on other peoples' approval. Conversely, goals about self-acceptance and friendship make you happy because you have more control over them.

You might think you're different - that you have a legitimate shot at fame. Ninety percent of young workers think they are in the top 10 percent of all workers, according to Business Week. Also, 40 percent think they will become famous. The reality is 1 or 2 percent ever achieve a modicum of fame.

A good rule of thumb when choosing a job to make you happy is to pick one that is based on the following list of attributes.

To test a job to see if it's good, give the job points for each attribute it has:

1. A short, predictable commute - 1 point
The problem with a long commute is that it is long in a different way each day. Sometimes it's the rain, sometimes there's an accident. Sometimes traffic is backed up for no apparent reason. Humans can acclimate themselves to a lot of traumatic stuff - even being a paraplegic, according to Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness. But you cannot acclimate yourself to something that is bad in a different way every day.

2. Workflow you can manage - 1 point
This is not about doing work. This is about managing your personal life, which you cannot do if you have no control over your workflow. You need to be able to predict when things will be difficult and when it's safe to focus more on your personal life. This is why management consultants are generally happy - they oversee their own schedule. But those who hold client-heavy jobs, such as lawyers or financial analysts, have to jump at a clients' whim.

3. Clear goals that are challenging - 1 point
Goals that are not challenging result in boredom, not happiness. But challenging work without a clear goal is a bad job waiting to happen because people want to know how they're doing. But you can't get feedback from a boss who does not set clear goals to manage your progress.

It is worth noting that the primary cause of workplace burnout is not the amount of time spent working, but whether the work you did can make a difference. For example, nurses on the pediatric burn unit have high turnover because it is exhausting to be taking care of children without being able to stop their suffering. Conversely, entrepreneurs are typically happy because they have so much control over workflow and goals.

4. Two co-workers you're close friend with - 3 points
If you have two good friends at work, you are almost guaranteed to like your job, according to Tom Rath, the author of Vital Friends. This is, in part, because you can process the bad parts of a job more productively with friends by your side to help you.

So finding a job you like or turning a bad job in to a good job might actually be totally under your control; you can decide you are going to be likable and make friends, or not.

Test results:

0-2 points, probably not a good job

3 points, probably a good job

4 - 6 points, probably a really good job

Pierchic

2008-11-11T13:35:00.004+04:00

We celebrated Mum's 60th Birthday at Pierchic. Pierchic is voted as the most romantic restaurant in Dubai. With its panoramic view of the Arabian Gulf, a backdrop of the Madinat Jumeirah, the Alantis Hotel and the Burj Al Arab which changes colour throughout the night, combined with the sound of sea waves, spectacular seafood and excellent service, Pierchic is no doubt the most romantic spot I have ever been in my life.

We first drove to Al Qasr Hotel and had the car parked by the hotel's friendly staff. Then we walked through the lobby and were greeted by everyone until we reached the ground floor entrance. A golf buggy took us from the hotel to the pier. The 15 minute buggy ride allowed us to have a good look at the Madinat Hotel. We even spotted a group of yogis practising yoga under the starry sky.

Once we reached the shore, we had to walk for about 5 minutes on a wooden bridge which connected the mainland to the restaurant. As suggested by its name, the restaurant was built on a pier. On the bridge, we had a fantastic view on the Dubai landmarks. The walk also provided us with a nice transition and prepped our mood for the dinner.

We were greeted warmly again at the end of the bridge. It was rather unfortunate because I forgot to book a table on the terrace during my phone reservation. We were seated indoors instead. Luckily we still managed to get a table with a reasonably good view.

We had the chef's recommendation: cold plate starter and seafood main course. The food itself was great, but it was the fine dining experience that was priceless. Knowing that Mum was the birthday girl, the restaurant served us a chocolate cake at the end of the meal too.

Appetizer - complimentary by the chef

Cold Platter - Chef's recommendation

Lemon Sorbet with mango pudding to cleanse our palette - on the house again!

Fresh Veggie

Seafood hot plate

We had a great time. It was an unforgettable experience. Although this meal cost even more than what it did in Burj Al Arab, it was, in my opinion, worth every penny.

So to my dearest Mum: Happy Birthday and may every day of yours be filled with laughter and happiness. Catcat and I will always love you. :)

Dubai Mall

2008-11-10T14:04:00.007+04:00

The brand new Dubai Mall was opened on 4 Nov, 2pm. I brought my folks to the new mall for a brief visit. The Dubai Mall, like any other malls in the UAE, was enormous. It housed the world largest arcylic panel in the Dubai Aquarium.

Already in the Guiness Record- The world largest Arcylic Panel

Unluckily for us, most of the shops were not ready yet. And some parts of the mall were still under construction. The aquarium, on the other hand, was absolutely fantastic. It was a lot bigger than the Lost Chamber in the Atlantis Hotel, and the tickets were cheaper too.

Dubai Mall-Work in Progress

Opening soon....

Dubai Ice Rink

To my surprise, Kinokuniya is going to have a branch in Dubai. I am delighted as I like Kino a lot better than Boarders or Virgin Megastore.

Kinokuniya!

Friday Brunch at Burj Al Arab

2008-11-06T15:40:00.006+04:00

My Dad wanted to dine in the Burj Al Arab and checked whether the hotel really lives up to its reputation. Therefore I booked a Friday Buffet Brunch at Al Muntaha, the restaurant at the top floor of Burj Al Arab, for the three of us.

The spread of food was excellent. The sea view was unbeatable. We had the Palm Jumeirah on our left and the World on our right. There was a live band and a good selection of liquors. I didn't manage to taste every single dish in the buffet. It was just impossible. How I wish I had a bigger appetite and a bigger stomach.

Our Table

The Palm Jumeirah

The World

The Live Band

And *drum roll* the FOOD

The Interior

The Private Beach

Parents' Second Visit

2008-11-06T15:29:00.005+04:00

My parents visited me for the second time last week. This time I was much better prepared.

During the 7 days they were here, the things we did include: the big bus tour around Dubai, desert safari, shopping in the Mall of the Emirates, a visit to the Atlantics Hotel in Palm Jumeirah, a long drive to Abu Dhabi, checking out the Sadiyat Island Development Exhibition, lunching at Palace Hotel, shopping at the spanking new Dubai Mall, Friday Brunch at Al Muntaha Burj Al Arab and celebrating my mum's 60th birthday with seafood dinner at Pierchic.

It was a hectic week. My secondary school friend, Philina, crashed at my place for 2 days while my parents were here. My tiny apartment has never been so packed.

Will upload pictures post by post. Please be patient with me, my dear reader.

Dubai Metro

2008-10-27T10:56:00.003+04:00

The long awaited Dubai Metro will be ready by Sept 09. With most of the metro stations being built along the Sheikh Zayed Road, it is easy to spot the station platforms while driving along the freeway.

There will be metro stations in Burjuman (office) and Marina (my home), as well as other strategic locations like World Trade, the Green Community and the Dubai Airport. I wonder what will happen when the train is in operation. Will anyone in Dubai give up driving and take the train instead? And what will happen to the Road Toll? Will RTA increase the Salik charges to encourage the public to take the train?

We shall wait and let the truth unfold.

Anyone At All

2008-10-25T20:09:00.004+04:00

Probably the most underrated song in the history of songs. It is such a beautiful song, right down to the lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs55ehTx9ow

Funny how I feel more myself with you
Than anybody else that I ever knew
I hear it in your voice, see it in your face
You've become the memory I can't erase

You could have been anyone at all
A stranger falling out of the blue
I'm so glad it was you

Wasn't in the plan not that I could see
Suddenly a miracle came to me
Safe within your arms I can say what's true
Nothing in the world I would keep from you

You could have been anyone at all
An old friend calling out of the blue
I'm so glad it was you

Words can hurt you if you let them
People say them and forget them
Words can promise words can lie
But your words make me feel like I can fly

You could have been anyone at all
And let that catches me when I fall
I'm so glad it was you

I ♥ Scotland

2008-10-22T12:15:00.006+04:00

As mentioned in the previous post, I attended the Arup Design School in Glasgow, Scotland, last week.

Before we were held hostage for the design school and got locked up in Dunblane, we visited the Glasgow office and the City Hall in city centre. I was lucky enough to be able to sit through a live musical performance and experience the acoustics of the concert hall. The hall was beautiful with a warm finish and, of course, excellent acoustics.

The City Hall
The Concert Hall

For the next 3 days, the 36 delegates stayed in the majestic Dunblane Hydro Hotel, attending courses, making models and musical instruments out of seriously amazing range of materials collected by the very dedicated organisers.

The Dunblane Hydro Hotel

I had a great time and has fallen in love with Scotland. It is such a beautiful country. The people are very friendly and nice. Too bad I had a hard time understanding the Scottish accents but I would definitely visit this amazing place again.

London Office

2008-10-21T17:29:00.009+04:00

One thing good about Dubai is its proximity to all EU countries.

I needed to attend the Europe Design School in Glasgow last week and The Boss thought it would be good for me to stopover in London and meet the people there. London is where the Head office of my company located.

And who am I to argue, right? So I worked in the London office for 3 days and travelled around town on Sunday.

The reception

No. 12 Fitzroy Street

Colleague who cycles to work everyday

Went to Camden Market and bought some silly things. And walked to the London zoo to spend the afternoon there.

Camden Market

The man who sold me bird-sound-mimicking mouthpiece

London Zoo

The Penguin Pool-Arup's first job

Heathrow Terminal 5

Cityscape 2008

2008-10-08T14:51:00.009+04:00

Cityscape is an exhibition for everyone in the construction industry: Developers, contractors, architects, consultants, real estate agents and investors. Basically, it means every one in Dubai.

If you can look beyond the huge traffic gridlock the show creates near the World Trade Centre where the exhibition is held, anyone in the industry should attend this show. It is like the mother ship of all the strange, weird and expensive projects. After spending 1 hour in traffic, 30 minutes looking for a carpark lot and another 30 minutes walking from the carpark to the Exhibition Hall, I reached the World Trade 2 hours late from my schedule.

Here are some photos taken in the show.
The huge booth set up by exhibitors

Another booth

Weird Buildings

Weirder Buildings

Front View of the Weirdest Buildings

Side View of the Same Buildings

Dubai Waterfront Project

The new shoreline of Dubai- eventually there will be nothing left if they keep building all these reclaimed islands at this rate.

The Burj Dubai and the new Business Bay area

Interesting architectural model

The Tallest Model in the show

The Ferrari Building and the Warner Bros project

The Dubai Mall

And some familiar projects- The Singapore booth!

Respectful Clothing

2008-10-05T17:32:00.002+04:00

Chanced upon this poster at the entrance of the Mall of the Emirates. I was so taken aback I had to take a picture of it.

I understand we have to wear properly if we are dinning in a fancy restaurant, or attending an opera, or going to a church. But shopping in a mall? According to the poster, I have to cover my shoulders and my knees, meaning no shorts, no skirts, no tube tops, no sleeveless tops nor spaghetti straps.

And this is a desert after all!

Luckily, it seems to me no one takes this poster seriously. I see people wearing all sorts of things here in the mall that are deemed to be "improper".

Close up on the poster

Chicken Rice

2008-10-05T17:06:00.007+04:00

With too much time on hand because of the recent Eid holiday and a huge chicken rice craving, I decided to make, well, chicken rice.

Armed with a party pack of chicken rice pre-mix for 20 people, I had to use it all within 3 days of opening. I tried desperately to half the portion for everything so I won't die of chicken rice overload, and yet I had to cook 1kg of rice using the chicken stock.

The party pack chicken rice pre-mix
The chicken Stock

1kg of rice

The recipe was easy to follow but it was tedious. In the end, the chicken and the rice tasted a bit sub-standard. It was the packed chili sauce, ginger sauce and chicken rice soya sauce that saved the day.

Let's just say I appreciate the 2 dollar hawker centre chicken rice a lot more now.

Aquaventure

2008-10-02T14:14:00.007+04:00

The new Aquaventure, a water park in Atlantis Hotel in the Palm Island, has recently opened. With a 5 days long Eid holiday, some colleagues and I decided to check it out yesterday.

And of course, great minds think alike. Everyone wanted to check out the new theme park over the long weekend. Look at the huge crowd!

But once we got our tickets, we couldn't wait to try all the rides and slides!

The Adventure Park's Map

There were lots of water slides and bubble rides. It reminded me very much of Wild Wadi. We tried everything except the Shark tank ride, which was a bubble ride with Sharks swimming in aquarium along the ride. It was unique but we had to give it a miss because the queue was simply ridiculously long.

The playground

The "beach"

The almost vertical slide with an appropriate name- "The leap of Faith"

We had a good time. And I took a peek at the Lost Chamber, the new water tank filled with rays, sharks, eels, piranhas and thousands of other fish species. I guess i will come again with my parents during their visit in Oct/Nov.

The Lost Chamber

More info can be found at www.atlantisthepalm.com

Credit Cards

2008-09-29T14:36:00.004+04:00

To get a credit card in where I am from, it is a matter of choosing which banks' gifts or promotions you want the most. The banks practically set up booths on the roadside and grab pedestrians to sign up for their credit card services, giving away free digital camera, microwave oven, mobile phone or magazine subscription like pancakes. Annual subscription fee is always waived, as long as we spend a decent amount on the card. If we call to cancel, the bank officers will bend their ways backward to retain us, the valuable customers.

Sadly it is not the case in Dubai.

Not only banks here charge a monthly 75 AED for having a basic saving account with them, but they also force me to pay a 250 AED annual subscription fee for each credit card I own, despite the fact that I spend an obscene amount on each one every month. When I called to cancel in mid August, stating the unwillingness to pay the above mentioned fee as the prime reason for cancellation, the customer officer didn't offer to waive it for me. This was fair enough although I was a bit upset. The cheapskate in me was secretly hoping I could keep the card without paying the fee.

But the ridiculous thing is, I have to call the bank 5 times to have the card cancelled. And right until today, I am still receiving the bank statement for the already cancelled card. And I thought the monthly/yearly charges were meant for better and more efficient services.

Ombre

2008-09-28T12:22:00.004+04:00

n. A French term meaning "shaded." Usually a multicolored stripe, with colors graduating from light to dark. The color effect is woven into the fabric. Generally produced by arranging different tones in the warp.

Or rather, check out the state of my toe now!

Close up
There is a wine colour patch on top and a white patch in the middle, followed by a violet near the bottom and greenish grey at the base. It is fascinating, isn't it?

I followed the advice given by a badminton expert *wink* and not touching the shuttlecock for a month. And now the toe is changing colour like a neon sign. ARGH. What have I done wrong again?

Delayed Birthday Wishes

2008-09-25T10:19:00.003+04:00

My little sister Paula sent me a birthday card from Hong Kong in June, for my very last birthday in my twenties.

Unfortunately she sent it to my residential address instead of my mailing address. In Dubai, the postal office can only recognise P.O. Box numbers, not physical addresses. Therefore the card was sent back to Hong Kong, labelled as undelivered mail.

Paula sent it again and the well travelled card finally reached me yesterday. Although the birthday wishes are 3 months delayed, it is always a joy to get something from home. I guess that is the same for anybody who is away from home, or to receive birthday wishes anytime of the year. So I would like to wish all my readers a Happy birthday, no matter when your birthday is.

Happy Birthday to you and let's celebrate!

Ramadan

2008-09-23T18:47:00.005+04:00

It is Ramadan again. No food is available in the food court except Burger King and Subway. One can only have so much fast food in one month before one gets killed. Hence it is time to pack lunch from home again.

This year I am better prepared because I am equipped with a Bento Set I bought while holidaying back home. No more microwave food for me!

I also discover this Mini Pringles in the supermarket. The chips are so tiny and cute that they make the perfect after-lunch-snack.

Traumatized

2008-09-22T21:57:00.003+04:00

This poor kitty!! I can feel how scared and frightened she was.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRsw72FJ7Kk

Strays in my carpark

2008-09-22T16:33:00.006+04:00

I have been feeding these two stray cats in my apartment's basement carpark since last year. They were a cute couple. The one with grey patches was a tom cat and the one with ginger and grey patches was a female kitty.

The boy
The girl

Initially I saw them playing in the carpark and found them adorable. I fed them with Miu Miu's left over every morning and played with them before I drove to work. Sometimes I would see them on different levels in the carpark but I would unite the kitties by walking one towards the other.

Unfortunately, the tom cat has been missing for a long time. I have no idea where he is or or if he is still alive at all. The female kitty is still around the carpark and I am feeding and stroking her every evening when I am back from work. Recently I realised I am not the only person feeding the strays. There is a bowl of fresh water and a bag of cat biscuits in the carpark corner. Seems like she is very well loved feline in the neighbourhood.

If anyone reading this blog knows the tom cat's whereabouts, please let me know. I just want to know if he is safe.

Song of the day

2008-09-18T09:21:00.002+04:00

最初的夢想范瑋琪

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XvpfIDnA9c

如果驕傲沒被現實大海冷冷拍響
又怎麼會懂得要多努力才走的到遠方
如果夢想不曾墜落懸崖千鈞一髮
又怎麼會懂得執著的人擁有隱形翅膀

把眼淚種在心上會開出勇敢的花
可以在疲憊的時光閉上眼睛聞到一種芬芳
就像好好睡了一夜直到天亮
又能邊走著邊哼著歌用輕快的步伐

沮喪時總會明顯感到孤獨的重量
多渴望懂得的人給些溫暖借個肩膀
很高興一路上我們的默契那麼長
穿過風又繞了彎心還連著像往常一樣

最初的夢想緊握在手上
最想要去的地方怎麼能在半路就返航
最初的夢想絕對會到達
實現了真的渴望才能夠算到過了天堂

Sukh Sagar at the beach

2008-09-17T11:56:00.004+04:00

Had dinner with friends at the new Indian restaurant Sukh Sagar in JBR on Tuesday night. We had the Dosa Teppenyaki, which is a live show of the master chef at the Dosa and Uttapam counter. We had tonnes of Dosa and Uttappams, of course. It was a buffet style kind of thing and they made mini versions of dosa and uttappams with different fillings and toppings at your request. I like the Masala (potatoes tempered with mustard and curry leaves) and Paneer (crumbled cottage cheese cooked with a blend of Indian spices) the most.

It was overall a fun experience and I guess I would go there more often.

Toe Update

2008-09-17T11:47:00.003+04:00

It has been 2 weeks since I bumped my toe. It was still numb and I was worried. Therefore I drove to the American Hospital A&E and had X-rays done on my toe.

Turned out it is only contusion and there is no bone fracture. I am very relieved. On the other hand, the toe nail becomes more and more purple every day as if it is covered with some violet nail polish. Weird huh? Anyway, since it is nothing serious, I shall resume my badminton session next week.

Another Song of the Day

2008-09-13T22:44:00.001+04:00

Gravity by John Mayer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VBex8zbDRs

Gravity
Is working against me
And gravity
Wants to bring me down

Oh I'll never know
What makes this man
With all the love
That his heart can stand
Dream of ways
To throw it all away

Oh Gravity
Is working against me
And gravity
Wants to bring me down

Oh twice as much
Ain’t twice as good
And can't sustain
Like one half could
It's wanting more
gonna send me to my knees

(instrumental)

Oh twice as much
Ain’t twice as good
And can't sustain
Like one half could
It's wanting more
gonna send me to my knees

Oh gravity
Stay the hell away from me
Oh gravity
Has taken better men than me
Now how can that be?

Just keep me where the light is
Just keep me where the light is
Just keep me where the light is
C’mon keep me where the light is
C’mon keep me where the light is
C’mon keep me where keep me where the light is

Song of the Day

2008-09-13T22:18:00.002+04:00

I may hate you sometimes by Posies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SQpZ6L5_tw

Here we are--only been a couple of years
Maybe longer
Yes it's true--I'm no good at being the strong man
You're stronger
But I think--maybe you should take a good look
At my feelings
Can't you see--I'm another one just like you
A human being

I don't want to have to sacrifice to have to get along
I don't ever want to be the one to say I'm wrong
I may hate you sometimes, but I'll always love you

What did you say--it's so hard for me to remember
What you meant
How did it happen--was it preconcieved
Or a complete accident
I still recall--we were once happy together
Smiling faces
But things have changed--And now you're only happy when
I remember where my place is

I don't want to have to live up to your expectations
I don't ever want to be the one to end relations
I may hate you sometimes, but I'll always love you

Do you think you could treat me
Like somebody special
I can't be everything to everybody
Could I at least be something to you?

Don't look so surprised--I'm a little smarter
Than every other weakling
Say no more--I know exactly what you're going to say
Without you speaking
A familiar phrase--I've heard it said often before
Please forgive me
Don't be a fool--if I can't live with myself
How could you live with me?

Now that I'm filled with emotion you're dispassionate
You only live for yourself while I live to regret
But don't ever think that I could easily forget
Because I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't
I said that I would but now I know that I won't
And the chance of being right is looking kind of remote
I may hate you sometimes (x3)
But I'll always love you
I may hate you sometimes but I'll always love you

Mee Siam

2008-09-11T14:17:00.003+04:00

Ordered a lot of pre-packed Singapore cuisine online and I tried out mee siam last night. It was super easy to prepare and tasted authentic. There was a cute little packet of lime juice to go with the mee siam too.

The Noodle with egg
The mee siam soup
The lime juice
The complete mee saim with sambal chili
For those who are interested in ordering, here is the website: http://www.primataste.com/home/home.asp
One point to take note when you order is that they use FedEx to ship, which is super $$.

My first Earthquake

2008-09-10T15:16:00.002+04:00

I felt an earthquake in Dubai. It was approximately 15 minutes ago. I was in the office while I felt the building was swaying and shaking.

Very fascinating sensation actually. My first earthquake experience.

Some detail of the earthqauke:

Tremors from an earthquake registering 6.1 on the Richter scale 60km south west of Bandar Abbas in Iran were felt in Dubai today, prompting the evacuation of high-rise buildings on the Sheikh Zayed Road and in the Dubai Media City.
Some eye witnesses reported sensing a definite tremor for one minute, although others told AME Info they had not felt anything.

Al Safa Toll Gate

2008-09-10T13:57:00.002+04:00

With the new toll gate in operation, there's no escape on the road toll for me from home to work or the other way round anymore. I have to pay a total of 8 Dirhams everyday to use the highway.

But every grey cloud has its silver lining. Because of the new toll gate at Al Safa Road, I only get charged once when I go through both the Al Barsha and the Al Safa toll gates, as long as I pass through both gates within an hour. Therefore, I do not need to take an early exit from the expressway from now on. And that means more free time to be with catcat. heh.

Swiss Roll: A Failed Attempt

2008-09-09T11:57:00.005+04:00

Was in a cake baking mood last night and decided to try the simplest cake recipe possible on earth: The Swiss Roll.

I do not own a electric egg beater hence I had to whisk the egg into a firm form using a simple egg beater. The egg and sugar mixture was supposed to be fluffy enough to have a spoon go through it without its path disappearing. Let me tell you that the whole egg beating thing was a serious workout for my biceps.

Unfortunately, I over cooked the sponge cake and it cracked once I started rolling it.

The presentation was bad but it tasted alright. Anyway, I am in the market for an electric beater. I need to perfect this recipe before I can move on to more complicated stuff.

The egg beater
The serious workout
Putting the cake mix into the oven
Over cooked cake
The Raspberry filling
Nutella filling
Spreading the jam
Cracked Swiss Roll

My Poor Left Toe

2008-09-08T16:48:00.003+04:00

I accidentally bumped my left big toe while playing badminton last Tuesday and the entire toe has turned completely blue black since. It is G-R-O-S-S. My toe is now numb and has this stinging sensation like there is no blood supply.

What should I do?

Hershey's Chocolate Raspberry Dessert

2008-09-07T14:37:00.007+04:00

Went to a friend's birthday bash on Friday night and decided to bake a cake. I checked the recipe and got everything I needed.

Too bad I forgot to take a pic after the cake was finished. I didn't taste it but I figured it should be very very sweet, judging by the amount of sugar I poured into the cake mix!

The batter

The filling with raspberry jam

How the cake is supposed to look like

Picasso Exhibition

2008-09-01T14:41:00.004+04:00

There is a Picasso Exhibition in the Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi for the general public. Admission is free but the 2-hour drive each way between Dubai and Abu Dhabi is very daunting. Plus, Picasso is not exactly my favourite artist. (I prefer Van Gogh.)

However, judging from the responses from those who have went down to the exhibition, it is a good show as the pieces shown are from a wide range. So I made up my mind, filled up the fuel tank with petrol and drove all the way down.

The exhibition was good. Here are the pieces I like.

Road Advertisement

2008-08-24T14:56:00.003+04:00

Saw this advertisment on my way to work. It is interesting, isn't it? It really makes me think how I'd want to live my life, even though I am not a star. ha.

Yum Cha

2008-08-18T13:53:00.006+04:00

After working very hard on a report, I decided to celebrate and went to a cantonese restaurant in Dubai Marina to "yum cha". I ordered a table full of "dim sum" and congee for brunch.

I could feel the stare from the rest of the restaurant as I wolfed down all the food in a few gulps. My stomach was filled to the rim after the meal, and I was forced to skip dinner later in the evening.

Without further ado, here comes the food!

The Prawn Cheong Fun - Do not be fooled by the lighting. The cheong fun skin was not thin at all! The prawns were crunchy though.

Congee with century egg and chicken slices - There were only 2 bits of century egg in the congee. And the thing on top did not remotely resemble "you cha qwei" or "you tiao".

Siew Mai - Tasted great with real scallop on top.
Calamari - Tasted great too!

Movie night

2008-08-04T18:21:00.003+04:00

Rented a copy of Zodiac and spent the night watching it and eating some pseudo-healthy snacks.

The movie was nice. Jake Gyllenhaal is obviously very cute. The movie is based on a true story about a serial killer in the U.S. It would have been a good night if not for the fact that it scared me to death when I thought Jake found himself with the serial killer alone, locked in a basement. I almost had a heart attack in my apartment.

A night in Muscat

2008-07-13T14:10:00.004+04:00

Attended the last workshop in Muscat and went to a bar with colleagues in the Inter-Continental Hotel.

We played darts. This was my first time and I had so much fun. My bicep was sore for the following two days after a few sets of games. I enjoyed it so much I wanted to get a set for my place but decided not to as it would be rather risky when I have a cat who would chase after anything around.

The darts

The board

And Carlos, my Spanish colleague, beat all of us not only on the pool table, but also on the dart board by getting the bull eye TWICE on a row(see pic 1). And he did it without wearing his spectacles.

The Spaniard

Koala Bear

2008-07-13T14:01:00.004+04:00

A colleague of mine who worked in Dubai for a short term assignment last year comes back to Dubai for a month to settle some problems on site. It is always good to see familiar faces again. And he brought me a toy Koala Bear from Australia.

The cutest thing is, this bear sings when I press his belly.

I think I really have better friends than I deserve. So a big Thank You to you, Frank!

New TV

2008-06-30T17:41:00.002+04:00

I waited for one year before getting my TV in Dubai. This is the set that I want and the price has just dropped to a reasonable and affordable level.

I can resume my couch potato status, finally.

One Year in Dubai

2008-06-23T23:42:00.004+04:00

Today marks my one year in Dubai. Half of my long term assignment is completed. One more year to go.

Of course, what will happen after another 365 days will still be a mystery.

In my first year in Dubai, I had new encounters, made new friends, tried new things. I made lotsa mistakes for sure. And I am sure I will continue making them next year. :)

I am just glad everything has turned out fine and occasionally, better than expected. Coming to Dubai will never be something that I will regret at any point in my life. It has been such an awesome experience so far.

Fissler Pressure Coooker

2008-06-16T18:13:00.002+04:00

I bought my first pressure cooker from Fissler. I am super excited about the dishes it can prepare. Let's keep my fingers crossed that I am not going to blow up my flat.

Meet Jessica Mei Lumb

2008-06-16T18:06:00.002+04:00

This little girl's mum and dad are friends of mine. She is one cute little thing and is capable of speaking English and Cantonese at the tender age of 4. Her mum, her grandma and I went out for dim sum lunch together with her and her baby brother Joshua Ben Lumb(9 days old). I finally tasted my first steamed prawn rice roll (鮮蝦腸粉) in Dubai.

Long Hiatus

2008-06-16T18:02:00.002+04:00

Went back to Hong Kong and Singapore in the month of May for a one month long holiday. This blog is now back to normal. I will not describe my holiday as it is not part of my Dubai experience.

Just want to drop a line to thank my family and friends for all the fun times and good food shared.

You have to be kidding me!

2008-04-27T23:36:00.005+04:00

I was surfing online and this popped up.

In case the text above is not clear enough, here is the whole message.

"Surf Safely

This website is not accessible in the UAE.

The internet is a powerful medium of communication, sharing and serving our daily learning requirements. However, the page you are trying to access may contain content that is not consistent with the moral, cultural and social values of the UAE.

If the website you are trying to visit does not contain any such content we request you to immediately inform us by sending an email to safesurf@du.ae for an evaluation of the inaccessible site.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation."

Unbelievable. Am I a 12 year old kid who needs parental supervision and guidance before getting access to information? Do I need to seek for someone else's approval before reading uncensored material? This is totally unacceptable.

I am an adult and am fully responsible for my own actions. I have the right to read whatever I desire. I have the right to access any information I want to know. I have the right to see whatever I want to see; I don't give a damn if the information is consistent with MY moral, cultural and social values. And I certainly do not care if it is consistent with the UAE's.

I was not even reading internet porn to begin with. (And in my humble opinion if one desires to watch internet porn, one should have the right to do so, it is nothing to be ashamed of.) It is neither gamble sites, game sites nor any sites that sell illegal stuff. Of course I do not know for sure what the site shows now because it is BLOCKED in the UAE. But I believe it should be harmless. Anyway, that's not the point. The point here is: Who should be calling the shots on what needs to be censored. What makes the censorship board's decision superior to mine? They are better educated? (Even uneducated adults deserve to read what they want to read.) They are more morally upright? If such materials can corrupt the general public's mind so easily, what is done to "uncorrupt" the censors who have viewed these websites and considered them worth censoring? Send them into exile? (I am aware of using keywords to block certain sites but I have come across other censored materials in printed materials in the UAE)

The same applies to those idiots who used BLACK MARKER pens to mark ALL OVER MY copy of Marie Claire. It is an innocent, harmless fashion magazine for goodness sake. Stay away from my websites and mags, you brainless morons!

Dubai Grand Racing

2008-04-15T17:47:00.005+04:00

My friend had free tickets for the Dubai Grand Racing last weekend. We went together with a bunch of HKers and had both of my arms burnt at the end of the event.

Saloon car racing

Kart racing

Speedcar racing

A HKer on stage (2nd runner up)

When sand looks like gold...

2008-04-08T14:14:00.003+04:00

Love these two shots with Paula. We were doing desert safari (my 3rd time) and the colour of the sand looked so nice in the sunset photo.

Paula in Dubai

2008-04-07T09:54:00.003+04:00

Paula decided to visit Dubai and spent a 3-day weekend with me. She asked for a relaxing weekend and so I designed a non-activities packed holiday especially for her.

We had a great time. And to my amazement, catcat remembers Paula! They have only lived with each other for less than 3 years in total and didn't have the chance to get to know each other very well. But catcat remembers her right after Paula stepped her foot into my flat literally. She even showed off her belly when Paula was unpacking her luggage. This is a pic showing catcat sniffing Paula's shoes.