A trip to....Mirdif

So, this morning after doing my daily one hour tutoring with a four year old who is as determined not to learn to read as I am determined to get him reading, I decided a spot of retail therapy was required.

Having been to Emirates Mall yesterday, and Ibn Battuta during the week I thought about Dubai Mall. But, the sheer size of the place puts me off. So, en route to Dubai mall I suddenly decided I should check out Mirdif City Centre instead.

Now, the first problem was that I have no idea where Mirdif is. But, for some reason I thought it was perhaps in the direction of the airport, so that's the way I went. Signs for festival city appeared but nothing for Mirdif. I headed for Festival City instead but, at the last minute, my blackberry came up trumps with some directions and so I veered off in the direction of Mirdif and to my delight, a few minutes later, there was the brown tourist sign with MIRDIFF CITY CENTRE emblazoned on.

Parking was simple and hassle free, although it was pretty early for a Saturday so I wouldn't have expected too much trouble anyway. First stop once in the mall was Starbucks for a coffee break. The one thing I noticed here was the number of locals, men especially, frequenting the coffee shops. I used to live in Al Ain and so am quite used to seeing a lot of kandoora'd men sipping their latte's but not usually in Dubai. However, they were by far the majority in Starbucks.

After my skinny latte and blueberry muffin (not very complimentary items I know!) I set off for a wander around the shops. The usual dubai shops were all to be found, well except the two I was looking for namely Pimkie and Marks and Spencers. However, a Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, American Eagle, Hamleys and a few other less common stores were also about.

I didn't buy much, just had a wander and picked up a few bits and pieces. But at least I can check another mall of the Dubai list. Where next?? Hmmm possibly Lamcy plaza...

What a mix

I was in Dubai Mall this morning, not shopping properly just on an errand to collect something, and decided to treat myself to a nice café latte and a fruit scone. I think I’m feeling a teensy bit homesick at the moment and had a craving for something from home. My Great Aunt Bridget used to make the most delicious scones and so when I saw fruit scones inside Costa Coffee I popped inside.

After ordering I plonked myself down and began reading my newly purchased book “How Fiction Works” by James Woods. So far, I’ve only read a few pages but I’ll update you it’s worthiness in due course. Anyway, as I was sitting there I began people watching and really noticed the mix of people and cultures passing by.

There was me, Scottish, on a trip to buy something for my boyfriend, Egyptian, (and we use the boyfriend term loosely lol). Sitting in an English originating café, which was founded by two Italian brothers. I was eating my English scone and reading a book by a famous American writer.

In front of me was an Iranian family, where the father seemed to be having a bit of a hard time dealing with his teenage daughter’s shyness. At another table sat an Australian man, I know he was Australian as I heard him order his coffee in a very ‘home and away’ style accent. A Japanese lady was sipping her cappuccino on the couch opposite. A few minutes later a young Emirati man wearing his Kandoora breezed in surrounded by three Emirati girls clothed in beautifully embroidered shaillas and abayas. An Indian gentleman was sitting reading a daily newspaper and the Filipino waitress was pleasantly serving everyone their orders. As the adhan (Islamic call to prayer) sounded, a Chinese family sauntered by the café followed by a harassed looking mum of two from Lebanon.

Sure makes for interesting people watching!

Grrrrrr!

I love living in Dubai. Really I do. But one of THE MOST annoying things about living here has got to be the magazines!

Let me explain. At home, I would religiously buy my monthly copy of Cosmo and more than likely Marie-Claire, Company, Grazia and a few other titles. However, since I moved here this has become a less frequent activity.

Firstly, this is because non-local magazines are ridiculously overpriced. Okay, I understand that they need to be imported so of course the cost will go up. But the cover price of Cosmo in the UK is $3.50(pounds). Here it can sell for anything up to Dhs72 depending where you buy it from – that works out around $12(pounds)!!!

But occasionally, when I feel like a girly night in I do splurge out and treat myself to Cosmo. That’s what happened yesterday and I arrived home ready for a night in, a bubble bath, some chocolate and a good old read.

Cue reason number two that magazines in this country are highly irksome. “5 Best Positions Ever” screams the second biggest headline on the cover. Interesting thinks me….lets have a look. But alas, pages 62 to 70 are missing. Yep, they have been torn out completely. Damn.

Okay- a female empowerment article next, Sexy Has No Size Limit, showing women of various shapes and sizes feeling sexy about themselves. I could do with a confidence boost thinks me so flip to page 87. And there is the article, well the first page of it. With a woman reclining on a couch with a hint of cleavage which has been very roughly coloured over with in thick, black, marker pen. The rest of the article….torn out! Aghhhhhh!

And don’t even get me started on Cosmo’s naked centerfold!

So there we have it, probably the thing that annoy’s me most about Dubai – the magazines!

Hello!

Good morning/afternoon/evening to all!

This is my first post to my new blog, a blog that has been swirling around in my thoughts for quite some time now but has remained a feature of my imagination until now.

I've been in the U.A.E for almost three years now and there is plenty noteworthy places/people/things to talk about here so I thought I'd have a bash at recording daily events that seem interesting to me and, hopefully, to others.

I hope you enjoy or at least get something from the blog.

Shukran for your thoughts!