Enjoying the EID break....

Not much exciting to talk about. We're into the second day of our EID break and it's been nice to sleep in, browse the web, watch movies and read.  We've made no plans for the week so we don't have to rush to do anything - very therapeutic!  We'd like to visit the new public beach on the corniche but we'll have to wait until EID officially begins (Oct 1 hopefully). Then we can have a picnic outside during the day.  Back to reading my books and playing games on my iPod!  
 
Emirati Iftar Experience for Expatriates in the UAE

Economy Needs More Graduates

Ease Yourself Into EID Feasting, health experts advise 

Challenge Lies Ahead, says rights report

Accounts Differ on Human Rights

High Rate of Divorce Costing Dh807m


Counsellor Treating More Cases of Business Burnout


Abdullah Addresses the United Nations

New Signs Baffle Dubai Drivers - It would be more logical to also publish new maps with the sign changes and have a huge marketing campaign.  Is Abu Dhabi next?

Store prepare for EID shopping spree - now read the next article!

Holy Month straying from tradition - interesting contrast to the previous article

No Tension with UAE says Iranian President

Cultural Tourists Key to Economy

almost the end of a long 4 day work week

I don't know why this shortened 4 day work week has seemed so long.  Perhaps it's because of our relaxing trip to the Bab Al Shams Hotel last weekend.  It felt like being in an old Arabian fort.  Darcy posted lots of photos on Facebook.  There were hardly any *hardships* desptite it being Ramadan.  We could still drink (non alcoholic) poolside.  The Al Hadheerah restaurant was very nice but the humidity worsened as the night progressed.  Maybe we'll go back next year when the new section of the hotel opens.

Work is crazy as usual - we desperately need a Systems Librarian.  All my other projects seem to be on hold as technical problems occur.  Darcy is also being pulled in many directions so it seems like we just spin our wheels half the time doing a thousand things and not seeming to be making much progress anywhere.  But that must be the case with a lot of people nowadays.  Severly understaffed and overworked. 

But luckily we have next week off for Eid al Fitr to relax.  We've got to back up our Mac laptop onto our two portable hard drives.  We have less than 1GB of space on the Mac.  We've also got a ton of books to read and dvds to watch.  I also have a ton of websites saved in delicious that I want to look at.  Darcy found a great one at http://www.wowio.com/users/product.asp?BookId=1622.  Yes - the stories were terrible but these old comics are fun to read.  I've got many of these issues packed in mylar bags in storage.  The weather is also starting to dry out a bit so maybe we can have a picnic on the Corniche Park too.

Below is the usual collection of stories, with some outrageous ones, from the past week….

Visitor surveys to help tourism plans

Emirates Palace launches a lavish Million Dollar Package - only in the UAE!  See the last article about the nation's newest hotel to open.  Will this bling competition never end?

Sweet sustenance - looks delicious!

Ramadan enters its holiest phase

Welcome to a costly tax-free life

University housing angers new staff

Khalidiya fire prompts airlift rescue

Abu Dhabi fire rescue

Air Wing patrols for rooftop shanties - 60,000 buildings in Abu Dhabi!

Lack of food and nicotine 'leads to accidents' - that's a no brainer.

Are plans for a 1.5 mile tower in Dubai a valid development or a building project too far?

UAE's first satellite 'ready to launch'

Princess Haya calls on people to join green project

Ramadan in Saudi Arabia is a different experience

Motorway to offer quicker path to Dubai - hmmm...140 km/hr speed limit?!

Academic City plans campus facilities - 40 campuses yet only 40,000 students?

Atlantis rises to the occasion - the Leap of Faith water slide has an 85 foot vertical drop with a transparent tunnel that passes through a shark filled aquarium?!  Only in Dubai.....

Meditation pool

Lamp by our door

Arrival

Socked in by dust and sand from Saudi Arabia

It's the end of another hectic work week.  Darcy has been unwell for most of the week by a stomach bug.  I've not been 100% either but hopefully she will be well enough to relax for two nights at the Bab Al Shams Desert Resort Hotel this weekend.  We leave on Friday and the dust and sand storms are supposed to subside by then.  I've been able to work slightly shorter hours during Ramadan and Darcy has been working six hour days.  She'll get one week off for Eid while my work hasn't posted its schedule yet.  Hopefully we'll get time off from work to take a two week trip to Morocco during the first two weeks in December!

Below are stories from what's been going on in our neck of the woods.....

Police to enforce key-cutting permits Just what we need - more bureaucracy!  I've gone to the store that's mentioned in this article.  There is a tiny key cutting store in a run down walk apartment that is across our street.  I wonder how this law will affect them.

New logo for 2030 plan

Gulf real estate a stable investment unless crisis hits, says official - hmmm....there's no real estate market bubble in the GCC?

Isolated students enjoy free flights

Ramadan violators penalised Dh1,000 - I'm tired of tourists complaining about not knowing what the basic laws are here.  Reading a Lonely Planet book will explain the important dos and donts when visiting or living in the UAE.  A no brainer is don't eat, drink or smoke in public during the day during Ramadan whether you're Muslim or not!

Love of homeland grew overseas
More tremors felt in Emirates

Keeping it oud school

Trying to relax during Ramadan

Luckily I've been able to work a couple of normal 6 hour work days during Ramadan.  Unfortunately I also caught a cold.  There are a lot of sick people as fasting all day and a lack of sleep for a month can wreak havoc on your body.  Not much exciting news has happened here besides finding out where I can get our vacuum cleaner serviced.  It's always an adventure to find a store here because there are no street addresses. We did not feel the earthquake or its aftershocks.  That's a good thing. 

We have gone out three times for Iftar now.  Twice to a friend's place and last night at the Emirates Palace.  All were very enjoyable and we had way too much to eat!  I just learned that the new iPod Touch has been unveiled.   Darcy says she wants one for Christmas.  We're looking forward to our two night weekend getaway next week at the Bab Al Shams Desert Resort.  They have a Ramadan special until the end of September.  We also need to start planning our proposed trip to Morocco in December. 

Below is the usual list of selected stories that we've found on our RSS feeds....

Who speaks for Islam: Part II

The changing face of tradition

Vimto's appeal is undiluted - I love this drink!

Text messaging spikes 84% first day of Ramadan

Malls cater with late hours for Ramadan

University warns of overexpansion

Festival draws region’s talent to capital

Building a city from the sands

Author laments architect’s departure

Survey recognises Abu Dhabi’s environmental credentials

Buildings cleared as tremors hit UAE - fortunately we didn't feel anything but we have noticed a few hairline cracks in our walls....

Increased seismic activity in Iran could affect fault zones in UAE

Selling the Abu Dhabi dream

Emiratisation and the curse of entitlement

Abu Dhabi TV takes tribes series off air

Bidoon offered chance of citizenship
 
Registration plan for stateless

Khalifa urges promotion of moderate Islam
 
Crisis looms in Sharjah
 
Adnec green move fruitful
 
Ringtone menace upsets worshippers in UAE mosques
 
Abu Dhabi residents getting an earful from construction
 

Kiran peacocks!

Old henna/new henna

Ramadan Kareem!

We're into the second week of Ramadan now and we were invited to a friend's house for an Iftar dinner.  It was delicious!  Unfortunately I can't remember the names of all the dishes and drinks.  We went to the mall last weekend and many stores were shut down during the afternoon.  Most open in the morning and then shut down around noon or 1 pm.  They they re-open around 6 or 7 and close around midnight.  I've been able to work a few shorter work hours during Ramadan as the law stipulates here for most people.  I like being able to start work at 9 am though! 

Below are some interesting stories that I've found.  It seems that my media list is growing longer....

National Library of Iran

How to eat healthily during the holy month

Address system nears completion - long over due but it will be a steep learning curve for the taxi drivers

Atlantis opening on track despite blaze

Police warn against accidents during Ramadan rush hour

Helicopter crash kills seven oil-rig workers

Canceled Muhammad novel finds new publisher

UAE ‘astonished’ by Iran’s claims of mistreatment

Abu Dhabi plants seeds of $1bn Hollywood-style film industry

A piece of Jerusalem in Abu Dhabi

Other cities don’t have the guts

Who speaks for Islam: Part I

Sufi chants bring Ramadan evening to life in Abu Dhabi

Number of banned books on decline as nation takes more tolerant stance

Ramadan decor