"Sirmam"

I am very accustomed now to being greeted as "mam" or "madam" every where I go. When ever Barry and I go out together the greeting obviously changes to include both of us. But instead of greeting us separately or "Sir and Mam" it is always, and I mean every time slurred together.

Barry and I have to work at refraining giggles when we walk into a restaurant or shop and here;

"Good afternoon sirmam"

"Good evening sirmam"

"Hello sirmam"

"Thank you, come again sirmam"

Traffic Jam in the Mall????

Radio 2, which is basically the expat radio station of the UAE, does a pretty good job of updating the listening audience with road accidents, traffic jams, etc. Today they were talking about a massive traffic jam on the entire first level of the Mall of the Emirates parking garage, which by the way is massive.

Turns out they are testing the new ticket system for parking, all the major malls in Dubai will start charging for parking in September. It's connected with the brand new mass transit system (elevated trains) that will begin operating in Dubai on Sept. 8th. It's a big deal and supposedly will make getting around Dubai way easier.

The mall parking ticket system requires you get your ticket validated while you are in the mall. People were leaving the mall without validated tickets, no place to turn around when they got to the exit, and the gate wouldn't lift without the validation!!

Oh yeah, that one was really thought out!!!

American Restaurants - Middle Eastern style

We have lots of "American" restaurants here in Abu Dhabi. Fuddruckers, McDonald's, Hardee's, Burger King, Dairy Queen, Starbucks, Seattle's Best, Subway, Gloria Jean's, KFC, Pizza Hut, TGI Fridays, Chili's, Basking Robbins, Dunkin Donuts, Benihanna's, and probably a few I am forgetting. A short drive to Dubai and you can have; Taco Bell, Macaroni Grill, Ruby Tuesdays, Johnny Rockets, Tony Roma's, and more.

Each one of them has a "local" twist on how they serve the American menu with inevitably at least one variation on the menu. I am sure this is common around the world with these popular chains. I remember in Ecuador that at Kentucky Fried Chicken, extra crispy or regular came with a side of rice and plantains!

I'm not a big fan of fast food, and I haven't eaten at all of the above but a few things I've noticed.

Starbucks drink menu has many less choices.

McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, Hardees, KFC, and yes Dairy Queen delivers!!!!

Subways meats are all turkey or beef products.

Tony Roma's ribs are not baby backs, they are beef short ribs.

The pizza here is not even close, from what I have heard.

Baskin Robbins serves a local saffron icecream that is amazing!

The best has got to be McDonald's grilled chicken wrapped in Arabic flat bread.

A picture is worth a thousand words!!

An Interesting Breakfast!!!

This past Saturday, August 1st 2009, Barry and I headed out early in the morning to take care of some banking business. Afterwards we stopped at a restaurant we had found recently in the neighborhood called Bite Rite. It's very health conscience, with calories, carbs and fat grams listed below every item. All the breads are whole grain and they even have sugar-free deserts. We have been there twice for dinner and saw some interesting things under the breakfast menu so we thought we would give it a try.

Barry ordered the whole wheat french toast with orange sauce and I got some kind of Indian pancake made of brown rice flour with a tomato chutney. And then we each ordered a scrambled egg. I ordered coffee, without milk, which was quite a challenge. You wouldn't think it would be so hard to explain a dairy allergy in a health food restaurant! Barry ordered orange juice and a "glass" of milk.

The french toast and the pancake thingy were both good, not enough sauce on either, but I understand why everything is portion controlled. My coffee and Barry's juice arrives and so far everything is cool. Then we each get a little plate of something white and fluffy, we are informed they are the scrambled eggs, they use only the whites. We are both thinking great and then we taste them. It was almost like grits were mixed in, they had a faint egg taste but a definite texture that didn't belong. As we are trying to figure out what it is the waiter arrives with Barry's milk, steaming hot in a coffee cup! He left and it was all we good to do not to laugh out loud! After all, he didn't specify cold! We asked about the eggs, only whites and skim milk we were assured. I guess they forgot about my dairy allergy! Yes, I was miserable later.

We decided two things as we drove away. One; it's a good place for dinner not breakfast, and two; it was probably powdered egg whites thus the texture!

Hopefully a Perfect Fit!

This past Friday afternoon, July 31st 2009 I finally dragged Barry to the men's tailor

a friend recommended. I had been once with a favorite shirt of his and some fabric to

have another one made "same-same". It came out okay but the issues with it were

mostly all to do with the fabric we had selected.

I had been wanting to take him there to be fit for a suit for there are no stores here we can go in and purchase one for him in is size. As Barry says, I live in the land of Lilliputians where all the clothes are made for them! He picked out a lovely light weight dark grey wool and Barry him started conversing. He was right at ease by seeing the finished suits in the shop awaiting final fittings. The tailor asked Barry all the right questions and the only time they struggled in their communications was when Barry asked the pants to have a cuff. The tailor said, "You want turn up? Inside or outside?" After we worked through that we left with the promise of a final fitting in "after four days". So this Friday after church and lunch we will stop back in and hopefully have a perfect fit!

Language on the Mind!

I am still was working with "my little angel'. He has recently turned six and continues to make remarkable progress. He is reading, writing well, and really communicating! We have gone from one word answers or nothing at all to I can't get him to be quiet! Along with all the chatter is quite the sense of humor, also.

This past Monday, August 3rd 2009, we were playing chutes and ladders and he was talking really funny. His eight year old sister was playing with us and she kept making comments about the way he was talking. Finally she said, "Why do you have an accent?"

He answered, "I'm speaking French today!"

Today (on Wednesday), we were working on handwriting and as he was writing I was finishing up a note to his father. It was in cursive and Hussein noticed his name. He asked me why I wrote his name like that and told me it was wrong. I explained it was written in cursive and his reply was; "Miss Pattie, please write my name in English!"

Sadiyat Island Display

Next to the "island" part of Abu Dhabi, which the main city part of the Emirate is, are three islands that are under development. Sadiyat, Al Reem, and Yas Islands. Each island will have malls, hotels, commercial, and residential properties, etc. Yas Island is the "fun" island, it will be the home of Ferrari World opening in 2010. The world's largest indoor amusement park, housing over 20 rides including the worlds fastest roller coaster. Eventually there will be a water park and a Warner's Bros. Park, but those are on hold for now. Al Reem Island is where Barry works on Sorbonne University, it will mostly be the above mentioned.

The third island, Sadiyat, is the one that is getting much attention. It will be the cultural island, with a focus on museums, parks, and pavilions. Here's a peak below of what it will look like.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi, scheduled for 2014 right now. The ceiling is a pattern of holes that will look different through out the day and the months as the sun and earth moves. It will light up at night and be a future landmark for Abu Dhabi.

The Abu Dhabi Performing Arts Center. There is also a Sheikh Zayed Natonal Museum planned, I have no picture of it.

The Maritime Museum.

The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, I believe slated for 2013.

At the tip of the island, the other big future landmark.

Now look back at the first picture, top left. You can see how all the museums will be clustered near one another, in walking distance. It will be interesting to see if it all happens as planned. This entire display is on exhibit at the Emirates Palace Hotel.