Enjoying our long break..

It's been almost a week since our 12 day vacation began.  This year the UAE's National Day and Muslim EID break come almost right after each other.  So many people get an extra long break this year.  The fireworks were okay but they did not come close to rivaling Dubai's.  The media/gov't (they essentially are one and the same here) reported that Abu Dhabi's fireworks would be the biggest ever. 

We've put up our Christmas tree and Darcy baked a wonderful gingerbread cake last night.  We'll try and do some Christmas baking this week.  The weather has FINALLY cooled off enough where we can open our windows for hours.  There have been thunder and lightning storms too - how exciting!  It's nice to see clouds and rain for a change.  The northern emirates even had hail.

Last Monday Darcy and I registered for our national ID cards at a place reserved for ADNOC employees.  My workplace is run by ADNOC so I was lucky enough to use their facility rather than going to the few horribly disorganized EIDA (Emirates ID Authority) offices.  Hopefully we'll get our cards in the mail before the end of December and put that messy chapter behind us.

I've been busily pimping out (using Darcy's words) my iPod Touch.  There must be hundreds or even thousands of applications that you can easily download.  I've only paid for one app while the rest are free.  Some are Facebook, New York Times, Maclean's and Instant Messaging that syncs with Yahoo and Google.  I've also been trying some free games like Chess, Connect Four along with some arcade style ones.  Some really neat games are Nintendo like WII ones like iBowl and iGolf.  The graphics are improving and the technology, in my view, puts traditional hand held games like the PSP to shame. 

Abu Dhabi unveils interactive website for residents and businesses - ummm.....so what's the website's URL?  Current gov't website doesn't have the content that is mentioned in this article.

Shaikh Khalifa's full speech on National Day

Thousands yet to register for ID cards

Roads to receive new attention

Low paid applicants denied driving licences

Telephone is a ringer for royalty - my first observation was that it looked like mold growing on the phone

Global crisis forces Dubailand review - the global recession has hit the UAE!

Tourism growth to slow to 5%

Last pearl of history in danger

Registering for the new UAE identity card

The weather has definitely cooled and dried out over the last week.  So I've done a few walks along the Corniche at night.   The big news event this past week was the sudden announcement by the government to change the deadline for skilled expatriate workers to register for the new national smart card from 2010 to Dec. 31 of this year.  UAE nationals had until the end of 2008 to register for the card.  We had known about the new card for over a year.  The two year deadline in conjunction with employers *likely* being responsible for getting the cards for its employees were somewhat reassuring.  But this new development has resulted in a mad panic for hundreds of thousands of people to register.  A few articles below discuss the ordeal plus there is the usual assortment of fun articles.

One identity card, multiple uses

ID card deadline brought forward

Why the rush?

Crowds overwhelm ID card registration centres

Six New Parks Planned in Abu Dhabi - wow!

Outside and online: capital to offer free internet in parks - wow again!

Through child's eyes, director shows UAE's dizzying transformation

Warning on gap in climate research

Water price should go up says scientist

Experts invited to guide capital city's green plan

Cheetahs to roam free on island

Second annual camel festival aims to preserve UAE's rich cultural heritage - a related story says that a pure bred camel featured in a beauty contest was purchased for almost 3 million US dollars!

Comedians explore the Muslim experience