An Anniversary Not Forgotten

Posted by Kanga.

Earlier this week DaddyBird said “What are we doing Thursday?” I stupidly said “Is there a reason we should do something Thursday?” Oh, yeah. That pesky wedding anniversary has come around again. Needless to say I am not the romantic in this relationship. This was an improvement over last year when we both missed our 10th anniversary remembering it a week after the fact.

So, what did we do on our anniversary? Well, we started by driving around town to find the Afghani restaurant that I had previously seen, but couldn’t remember exactly where it was. This led to stopping to photograph stray cats and dogs around dumpsters. There were eight around one dumpster, including kittens. Unfortunately, we can’t take them all home and pamper them. (If I were independently wealthy, I would have a cat sanctuary.)

We did eventually find the restaurant.

We had a really delicious dinner of mutton bukhari (the rice dish – there are two large pieces of lamb/goat meat under that rice), grilled meat (I didn’t get the name of that dish), hummos, chana dahl (lentils in a tomato sauce) and lovely bread. The red substance in the small dishes is a cold soup or thin sauce made of tomatoes and spices. It was a lot like salsa. Very tasty. It was clear that they had used fresh, ripe tomatoes. The hummos was also very fresh tasting. On the whole, yummy! The entire meal cost us 41 AED ($11.00 USD)

Then it was onto the main attraction – The Avengers movie. I find it hard to describe just how good this movie is. All superlatives seem insufficient. As we walked out, DaddyBird asked if we could see it again – immediately. I insisted on waiting until the next day. It is action packed and witty. Perfect.

The evening was not over, yet, however. We finished with a trip to Baskin Robbins because DaddyBird was in the mood for a milkshake and it is hard to find a good milkshake here. I went for the banana split.

There you have it. An anniversary well celebrated.

Merry Christmas from Athens Greece

Posted by Kanga.

Christmas decorations have been somewhat reserved. This is due to the economic crisis. However, I have a few pictures to share.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

December Lights

Posted by Kanga.

I have to admit that I do miss the cold weather of winter and the American holiday season from Thanksgiving through New Years Day. The weather here gets down into the 70′s (Fahrenheit) which is pleasant, but not very wintery. We aren’t bombarded with Christmas shopping commercials and ads. We don’t get to see “It’ a Wonderful Life” or “Frosty the Snowman” or “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” or “Miracle on 34th Street” on the TV. The last three years I haven’t had any time off for Christmas, even working the day when it fell on a weekday. So, it doesn’t seem much like Christmas.

Happily, one thing that hasn’t been missing is lights. The U.A.E.’s anniversary falls on December 2nd. This means lots of red, green and white lights. This year was a special anniversary – 40 years – so there was even more celebration.

There were concerts, dance performances, jet ski parades, air shows…

Fireworks on multiple occassions…

Decorating one’s vehicle with pictures of the leaders and colors of the flag is a widespread tradition.

And lights, everywhere.

This is the Fujairah central souk (market – meat, fruit, vegetables, clothes).

The number 40 is everywhere.

Lights are done in a big way.

I particularly like the lights shaped like boys carrying the flag.

My favorite building display is the Fujairah Municipality Building.

It has been a pleasant celebration season and a delight for the eyes. Happy 40th Anniversary to the United Arab Emirates.

Fujairah Celebrations Continue

Posted by Kanga.

The Al Saif sword competition and accompanying celebrations continue through December 17th. So, last Friday we headed down to the Fort to see what was happening. We were too late to see the bull butting contest or the camel race, but some of the camels were still out basking in the attention of their admirers.

This little fellow was lucky enough to get a ride.

We had a tasty snack of lamb and chicken skewers.

A wide range of traditional items were on display – pottery, tools, platters, coffee pots, etc.

More camels – these are taking a rest. In the background, a horse and a miniature pony who have been giving rides to children.

Two majlis tents were available for those wishing to sit, rest and enjoy each other’s company. (Majlis has a variety of meanings, but generally refers to any area where people sit comfortably and discuss.)

The activities at the Fort have been very enjoyable, much like a county fair. These are genuine foods, activities, sports, and arts of the local area.

Happy 40th U.A.E. National Day

Posted by Kanga.

On December 2nd the United Arab Emirates turned 40.

We went to the Fujairah Fort to join in the celebrations. There was music, dancing, food, and fun.

The third week of the Al Saif sword throwing competition was held in this arena.

The swords used have thin flexible blades to reduce the chances of injury. Competitors balance the swords, feign mock fights, and toss the swords up into the air as high as possible.

The sword must be tossed from inside the circle on the arena floor and, hopefully, caught safely while remaining inside the circle.

I don’t know all the details of the scoring system, but points can be lost for loss of headwear, failure to catch the sword, or landing outside the circle. Two young men compete at a time and when done stand before the judges for evaluation.

After the competition finished, the little boys not, yet, old enough to compete took the opportunity to try their hands at it.

Ten Years Sneaks By

Posted by Kanga.

We have been married for 10 years, as of May 3rd. However, the day went by quietly without either of us realizing it was THE DAY. Oops!

We were out to dinner that night. We just didn’t realize we should be celebrating. We had dinner at an old favorite restaurant, Special Ostadi, with ten other people. For me, there were as many new acquaintances as old friends.

DaddyBird says we don’t have any pictures of the food at Ostadi in the previous blog posts. Of course, he told me this when it was too late because the food had been consumed. So, you will have to be content with the tea.

Another Year Older, but Wiser?

Posted by Kanga.

We celebrated both our birthdays by eating copious amounts of food and enjoying the company of good friends.

There are no photos of my birthday celebration this week due to the “no photo” policy of the restaurant, but here is shot of DaddyBird’s birthday last month.

It was held at Aroos Damascus restaurant. We didn’t take a head count, so no idea how many were there. Let’s face it, there comes a point where you shouldn’t bother counting. Many, but not all, of our dear friends were there. Fun was had by all and the deserving waiters were well tipped. A success.

My birthday was this week and a smaller more intimate affair was held at the North Korean restaurant, Okryu Gwan. (Previous post about this restaurant here.) Seven of us ordered amazing dishes and shared them all round. The stuffed squid was a big hit with everyone. The spicy kimchee soup was a delight to the Indian tastebuds (and DaddyBird’s), but I know enough to stay clear of that.

The musical floor show did not disappoint. This restaurant is fun, tasty, and I highly recommend it to anyone in/visiting Dubai.

So, we are another year older and I believe a little bit wiser and definitely happier.

New Year’s Eve in Dubai 2010-2011

Happy New Year!

We celebrated much the same way as last year with fish dinner at Bu Qtair and a short walk down to the beach to watch the fireworks at the Burj al Arab.

There were cupcakes (courtesy of the Nystedts).

My camera takes crappy pictures in the dim lighting and if I use the flash, everyone has red eyes. So, you will have to take my word for it that there were nine of us over the course of the evening. No hats, but there were noise makers and confetti poppers.

Then, the fireworks. (To see all the still photos click here.)

Thanksgiving

Posted by Kanga.

We gathered with a large group of our friends at one of the restaurants serving a special Thanksgiving meal, Billy Blues. We didn’t take an official head count, but by the end of the meal, it was somewhere in the 25-30 range. We spilled over into additional tables.

It was not the same as a home cooked meal, but the food was good and the company was GREAT. The restaurant staff were pretty amazing, handling such a big crowd well.

DaddyBird’s Birthday Party

Posted by DaddyBird

Last night, to celebrate my birthday, we had a dinner at my favorite restaurant, Aroos Damascus, with a number of our Dubai friends, most of whom we have gotten to know through Twitter. We had a great turnout, including ourselves 30 people showed up over the course of the evening, and it was a really wonderful time. Aroos Damascus serves very delicious Syrian-style Arabic food, and has a large menu, so there’s plenty of choice. The staff there is always very helpful and kind. I like getting people to visit this restaurant with us, but it can be difficult coaxing some to our part of town since the traffic can be very heavy coming this direction in the evenings. So last night, it was a particular thrill to have so many of many favorite people together at one of my favorite places.

Aroos Damascus has a large outdoor seating area which is very popular, and always full in the evenings when the weather is nice. We managed to monopolize several tables for our large group. It was a lovely way to spend a birthday evening!

Here are a few pictures taken by our friends at the party:

Our friend Mahdi took this picture of me, along with (part of) Muhammed Ali, Wajiha and Money:

Micheline had several picture to contribute, capturing much of our group:

Here’s Micheline herself flanked by Muhammed Ali and Ritesh: