Ten Signs the Recession has hit Dubai

Ten Signs the Recession has hit Dubai




The world’s economy is on a downward spiral and even here, in the luxurious climate of the UAE, we are having to make major sacrifices in our daily lifestyles. Here are ten signs that the recession really has hit home in Dubai….

1 Changing your weekly call home to the parents to a thrice weekly one. Keeps the Du bill down and stops them worrying when you tell them that you spent your DEWA money on a Yalumba brunch, again!

2 Taking the long route home from work in order to avoid those pesky Salik fees, that Dhs 4 could really come in handy elsewhere.

3 Only watching TV shows/series’ that you can download, for free. Dhs 125 for a box set!! That’s a weekly shop!

4 Putting on around 4kgs. You’re saving money by not going out on the weekend but you have to entertain yourself somehow and Dominoes delivery or Zatar W Zeit is still cheaper than those nightclub fees.

5 Developing an unhealthy obsession with good old pop stars such as Peter Andre, Robbie and Craig David. They were there in the golden age i.e when we still had money so we like to reminisce with them frequently.

6 Actually purchasing nail varnish again in an attempt to paint your own nails! Weekly mani-pedis are a luxury we can no longer afford!

7 Cleaning your own apartment. Heaven forbid!

8 Driving around certain parts of town for hours in the hope of finding a precious unmetered parking spot.

9 Reverting back to your natural boring brown hair as those beautiful sun-kissed highlights you’ve been sporting are eating approximately a third of your rent money.

10 Being late for work after trying to give yourself a professional at home blow-dry since your credit card just won’t accept any more salon visits.

Art Conversations

"Everything we do in life is reflected in art."

On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of attending an 'Art Conversations' talk at Dubai Ladies Club. The key speaker was Sheikh Sultan Al Qassimi who I have been following, with interest, on twitter for some time now. His tweets are always informative and interesting and so I thought it would be wise to take the opportunity to see him speak in person about something he is passionate about. He is the founder of the Barjeel Art Foundation in Dubai which consists of more than 600 works of art.

In the last few decades the art scene in the UAE has flourished and has become somewhat of a hub for both national and international art. Persian, Arab, Iranian, Asian, European and American art have all found a home somewhere in the UAE. According to Sheikh Sultan, Dubai in particular has become the 'soul of the country's art world.'

An point I noted with interest was the fact that Dubai or the UAE as a whole is one of the very few countries in the world who have taken art from foreigners living in the country and proudly displayed it in the National Gallery. This, for me, says a lot about the good relationship that the UAE generally has with the many expats who live and work here.

Sheikh Sultan showed a slideshow presentation featuring some of the works in his collection. This included a fascinating piece entitled 'Snow White Without The Dwarfs' by artist Ghada Amer which is a highly controversial piece. You ave to look very closely to see the hidden image but trust me, it is very clever art. Another piece, created in 2008 was entitled 'Democracy is Coming'. This piece by Egyptian artist Huda Lutfi has proved to be very insightful if we reflect on recent events in Egypt. The Arab Spring is happening now and can, and is, reflecting events as they unfold.

The evening was highly entertaining and Sheikh Sultan spoke energetically and enthusiastically and is clearly an expert in his field. He stated "art should be free" and that "it is more beautiful when it is free." However, I couldn't help but notice the cautious undertones in some of his words. Not suprisingly so, when so many writers and intellectuals in the arab world have recently been hampered or restricted in their 'freedom of speech'.

The tragic tale of Amy Winehouse

On Saturday morning, Amy's bodyguard checked on her at her flat in the heart of Camden, London. He saw  the troubled singer asleep in bed. After a late Friday night this was nothing unusual and he left her napping.

By 4pm in the afternoon the pop starlet still hadn't surfaced and her bodyguard entered her apartment to wake her up. It was then that he realised the singer had no pulse.

Amy Winehouse was dead.

Although only 27 years old, and with an worldwide army of fans, Amy's death was not entirely unsurprising. Her entire career had been plagued with stories of drug abuse, alcohol abuse, domestic issues and she was constantly in the headlines for the wrong reasons. Just a few weeks ago she appeared in Serbia to open her European tour, only to be booed off stage when she appeared drunk, confused and unable to perform.

This followed on from her performance in Festival City, Dubai earlier this year where she took to the stage exceptionally  late, seemed confused and disinterested and proceeded to muddle her way through some of her tracks as fans left the venue disheartened.

In death however, she has shocked many. Despite all her troubles she truly was a beautiful and gifted musician and was still so young. Her powerful. throaty voice had a unique appeal and her fans showed their love for her by sending her album "Back to Black" back to the top of the charts just days after her death. Many of them also paid tribute to her by laying flowers, teddy bears, bottles of wine and cigarettes outside her London.

Although her funeral was a private, family affair, her father graciously gave away many of her clothes and belongings to her dedicated fans lining the streets as something for them to remember his 'little angel' by.

Amy battled her demons through her music and we can only hope that finally, in death, she has found her peace.

Serbia

When I thought 'Serbia', I'm not quite sure what went through my head. I didn't expect it to be pretty, I guessed it wouldn't be overly warm and I suppose I thought there wouldn't be very much to do/see. How wrong I was! 

The journey got off to a bad start when our proposed seven hour train journey was delayed at border control and then again for a random police search, which I was told later was related to a local football game, which turned the trip into an 8 and half hour one. Add to that the fact that there were no snacks or refreshments available on board and you can imagine it wasn't the nicest start to a trip. However, rushing off the train in Belgrade and sitting down literally at the first cafe we found we became aware of what makes Serbia special. The people. Within a few minutes the waiter had brought our drinks and some directions to our hotel, and then a few girls offered to call a local taxi for us to save us being fleeced.  

After checking in quickly we headed into the main area of Belgrade to meet some friends and have a few drinks. For a Wednesday night, the city was absolutely hopping. Every bar/restaurant/cafe was full, music was being played in the streets and there was a general feeling of life. After a few hours here we made our way down to the small river running parallel to the Danube where we boarded a moored boat. On board, there was a live band entertaining the enthusiastic crowd and we danced until the wee small hours.

The next day was the wedding of two close friends, my reason for travelling to Serbia in the first place. A very low, key, relaxed party was had with traditional Serbian music and dance, traditional Serbian food and a random selection of Serbian drinks. No structured plan like speeches or formal seating plans were observed and the result was a big, carnival like atmosphere. And a lot of fun!

Later, the group continued to party by travelling back to the river boat bars, I however had to be sensible and take myself off home to bed as I had a 7am flight to London to catch! 

Europe

Last Tuesday, I hopped in a cab and set off in the direction of Glasgow Airport with a carefully measure 20kg suitcase accompanying me.

First stop was the lovely Balearic Island of Mallorca. I've been here many years ago but my memories of the place were more than hazy. My parents and sister were spending a few weeks out here in the sun and so I decided to join them for a few days of sun, sea and maybe even a glass of sangria!

Palma city was bustling and the sun was shining brightly as I made my way to the main bus station to catch my ride to the coastal town of Cala D'Or on the South East of the island. A handsome looking Spanish man greeted me with "Ah Bravissimo" as I stepped off the bus which I like to think was a compliment rather than a random reference to an underwear brand! Just over an hour later I arrived at my parents apartment. The next few days were spent sunbathing, eating, swimming, drinking and generally taking some time out to relax. I have to say it was lovely, even though it was the first holiday I'd been on with my parents since I was 15!

Friday morning I headed back to Palma bright and early to catch a flight to Cologne in Germany. After a quick pretzel and hop-based beverage I was on my second flight bound for Vienna. Austria isn't a country I ever imagined myself visiting but when my best friend upped sticks for there last month it quickly jumped to the top of my travel list. I wasn't quite sure what to expect-classical music being piped into the streets while people flounced by in black and white clothes was one image I had in my head! It is, however, a beautiful city. Full of historical buildings, ornately decorated and brimming with character. We went to a beach bar by the River Danube, ate lunch in a local market, took in some ballet and opera performances and visited the oldest zoo in Europe. We even managed to find a spot serving shisha, accompanied by salsa dancing! Throw my best friends into the mix and I was a truly happy lady.

All good things must come to an end though so on Sunday evening I boarded a train in the direction of Hungary.

Alighting at Budapest myself and my friend had a challenging time ahead of us trying to find out lodgings for the evening thanks to the very uninformative instructions on the website. After an hour wandering the streets and a few 'hairy' moments we eventually tracked it down, smack bang in the middle of what appeared to be Budapest's red light district! A few days of sightseeing, castles, markets, pubs, Roman baths, bridges, restaurants and shops followed and that is where the story ends, for now.

Tomorrow, a seven hour train journey awaits as we set off again. This time the destination is Belgrade, Serbia and I'll be sure to update you on what we find there! 

Oasis Living Magazine

So, far the past few months I've been contributing regularly to a fairly new publication based in Al Ain in the UAE and entitled 'Oasis Living'. The magazine is fantastic and covers all aspects of life in Al Ain and in the other Emirates. This month I co-wrote the feature article, giving advice on what to do with 48 hours in Dubai and also have some advisory pieces about staying healthy in the heat and combating junk food. What's even more fabulous about Oasis Living is that it is absolutely free!!! Unfortunately, right now it's only distributed in Al Ain, to malls, cafes, schools, universities so you'll have to make the journey there if you want your own copy.
If you just fancying seeing what it's all about then you can read the virtual issue here
http://www.myoasisliving.com/digital_version/jul_2011/index.html

Summertime!

Well, that has been a long 3 months!! The last time I had a spare moment to post was Easter! Eeek! Time flies when you're having fun!
At long last, the summer holidays are here so I can get back to dedicating some time to my writing again, instead of using up all my time and energy on teaching, tutoring and marking exams! Right now, I am back home in Scotland for a few days before I set off on a little trip across Europe where I hope to keep you all up to date with what I see and where I go.
But, for now, the sun in shining in Glasgow (a very rare occurrence!) so I'm jumping on a train and heading into the city to see what fun can be had on a sunny Sunday in Scotland!