With the heat and humidity over here, it makes you wonder some times how people managed without air conditioning. It's on wherever you go. It's on constantly in the flat, constantly in the car, constantly in the office, all the shops, bars and restaurants operate with it on and even the tents that are being erected for the different Iftars have air conditioning units with them.
Earlier this week we learnt why air con is so needed. The air conditioning system in the whole of ADNEC went down and you felt the difference the moment you stepped into the building. Getting into the more enclosed space of the office it was even more uncomfortable. It was advised we all work from home that day, which is just as well as I managed 15 minutes in the office before it was time for another shower and a new shirt!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Farewell Fingerprint
Live music is very popular over in AD with most bars having a resident band playing music nearly every night. As we enter Ramadan music is not really played so a lot of the bands contracts come to an end and new acts come in October.
One of my favourite haunts is Hemmingways at the Hilton, it was the first bar I visited in January when I came to scope AD out. That night there was a 2 piece band from New Zealand playing called Fingerprint.
Have been going there a fair bit since I moved and they are extremely good and very entertaining. They play all sorts of music, blues, soul you name it and have been known to take request, though my constant request for Englebert Humperdink's Please Release Me has fallen on deaf ears!
As well as good band they are also very friendly people and always chat and have drink between sets with customers, whether regulars or tourists staying in the hotel.
Unfortunately it's their last weekend this weekend, so it's farewell Fingerprint, good luck, enjoy going back home and seeing all your kids, and if you ever come back to the desert for another stint, let us know and make sure it's on your web site!
Another very different drink
In an earlier post I mentioned the Fosters Mexican, a pint of lager with salt and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Well, another one has been discovered, which to be fair is more wrong than different.
On a recent night out drinking cocktails, and after one Mojito too many, I plucked up the courage to try a Bull Frog. Why it has the word Bull it in will become clear shortly, but why Frog it's not so clear! The ingredients of this very lethal drink are simple, white spirits, four in fact, tequila, vodka, white rum, and gin, then a measure of blue curacao topped up with a can of Redbull! A potent drink that after a couple you are gone, but still keeps you awake all night! The Bull obviously from Redbull, the Frog apparently because it is meant to be jade green colour. the ones I had were more turquoise and the only green was my face at the end of the night!
On a recent night out drinking cocktails, and after one Mojito too many, I plucked up the courage to try a Bull Frog. Why it has the word Bull it in will become clear shortly, but why Frog it's not so clear! The ingredients of this very lethal drink are simple, white spirits, four in fact, tequila, vodka, white rum, and gin, then a measure of blue curacao topped up with a can of Redbull! A potent drink that after a couple you are gone, but still keeps you awake all night! The Bull obviously from Redbull, the Frog apparently because it is meant to be jade green colour. the ones I had were more turquoise and the only green was my face at the end of the night!
Friday, August 29, 2008
The Holy Month
In a couple of days time we enter the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, the Holy Month of Ramadan. Though not confirmed yet it is expected to begin on the Monday 1st of September and run through till the end of September or the first couple of days of October. During this month, Muslims fast and literally do not eat or drink or basically allow anything to pass their lips, everyday from sunrise to sunset. The reason is to teach patience and humility. It is also a month of giving and a focus is on giving to the more needy. When the sun sets, the fast is broken with an Iftar everyday where families and friends gather to eat together.
Over here, everyone is preparing for Ramadan. Marquis are being erected outside the different Sheikhs' palaces for the nightly Iftar, some shops are changing their opening hours, and the working day is different. Officially it is shorter, even for non Muslims.
We are also asked to respect Ramadan and not be seen to be eating, drinking, smoking etc in public.
As I've said before and believe in strongly, wherever you are in the world, you have to respect the local customs and traditions. Ramadan should be an interesting time, witnessing this complete change in the daily life and seeing the discipline of others. From a business perspective, it will be challenging, though I'm sure we'll be putting the hours in and work a full day, some of our clients will be on shorter days and subsequently getting business done will be that little bit tougher, but things don't come to a stand still. In fact, a lot of meetings are held in the evenings when the fast is broken as you have more of a chance of getting peoples attention. let's be honest, who wants to hold a business meeting when both parties have not eaten or drunk anything for hours. I'm can be a miserable sod until I've at least had my morning coffee!
Will keep you posted on how the month goes!
Over here, everyone is preparing for Ramadan. Marquis are being erected outside the different Sheikhs' palaces for the nightly Iftar, some shops are changing their opening hours, and the working day is different. Officially it is shorter, even for non Muslims.
We are also asked to respect Ramadan and not be seen to be eating, drinking, smoking etc in public.
As I've said before and believe in strongly, wherever you are in the world, you have to respect the local customs and traditions. Ramadan should be an interesting time, witnessing this complete change in the daily life and seeing the discipline of others. From a business perspective, it will be challenging, though I'm sure we'll be putting the hours in and work a full day, some of our clients will be on shorter days and subsequently getting business done will be that little bit tougher, but things don't come to a stand still. In fact, a lot of meetings are held in the evenings when the fast is broken as you have more of a chance of getting peoples attention. let's be honest, who wants to hold a business meeting when both parties have not eaten or drunk anything for hours. I'm can be a miserable sod until I've at least had my morning coffee!
Will keep you posted on how the month goes!
Holidaying in Blighty
I've not managed to post much recently, for a number of reasons, but the key one is I made my first visit back to the UK recently for a few weeks. Saying I was going on holiday to England was a bit weird but it was good to get back and catch up with friends and family.
I thought I would miss the UK a bit more than I do, but surprisingly i don't. Obviously the day to day contact with friends and family I miss, especially watching my two little nephews grow up. But when you go back after being away for a while, you realise more some of things about the UK that you don't like. Am not going to go on about the weather, that is clearly something I don't miss, but there are a host of other things. The key one being security, over here you can go to a coffee shop, and place your wallet and mobile on the table, walk away for a few minutes, come back and it's still there. Try doing that in the Starbucks in the Bullring! You don't even have to leave them unattended on the table and they risk being swiped. Times I leave my phone, ipod or laptop in the car over here, without worrying about the window being smashed and them gone as soon as my back is turned, again a sign of the times in the UK.
Going out in an evening is different, on the occasions I went out when I was back over, in Leicester Square and down Broad Street, I was shocked at the number of young, drunk people staggering in the streets and walking aimlessly in front of cars. Things I never used to notice much, but when you don't see it for months it really sticks out. The key thing I don't miss is the attitude of club doormen, going out in Brum one night wearing the type of clothes I would wear going out here, I got turned away from 2 places both saying I was "too casual". Admittedly one place was Mechu which has a reputation of not so much being fussy, but making up the rules as they go along, but still I can't be doing with that attitude on a night out!
One thing i do miss though, especially over recent weeks is my fortnightly trips to the sacred Villa Park. It's great that every premiership game is shown live over here so I won't miss a match, but it still doesn't beat watching it live, the banter with your mates and guys around you, and the scalding hot chicken balti pie and flat pint at half time! Bring on the 39th game!
I thought I would miss the UK a bit more than I do, but surprisingly i don't. Obviously the day to day contact with friends and family I miss, especially watching my two little nephews grow up. But when you go back after being away for a while, you realise more some of things about the UK that you don't like. Am not going to go on about the weather, that is clearly something I don't miss, but there are a host of other things. The key one being security, over here you can go to a coffee shop, and place your wallet and mobile on the table, walk away for a few minutes, come back and it's still there. Try doing that in the Starbucks in the Bullring! You don't even have to leave them unattended on the table and they risk being swiped. Times I leave my phone, ipod or laptop in the car over here, without worrying about the window being smashed and them gone as soon as my back is turned, again a sign of the times in the UK.
Going out in an evening is different, on the occasions I went out when I was back over, in Leicester Square and down Broad Street, I was shocked at the number of young, drunk people staggering in the streets and walking aimlessly in front of cars. Things I never used to notice much, but when you don't see it for months it really sticks out. The key thing I don't miss is the attitude of club doormen, going out in Brum one night wearing the type of clothes I would wear going out here, I got turned away from 2 places both saying I was "too casual". Admittedly one place was Mechu which has a reputation of not so much being fussy, but making up the rules as they go along, but still I can't be doing with that attitude on a night out!
One thing i do miss though, especially over recent weeks is my fortnightly trips to the sacred Villa Park. It's great that every premiership game is shown live over here so I won't miss a match, but it still doesn't beat watching it live, the banter with your mates and guys around you, and the scalding hot chicken balti pie and flat pint at half time! Bring on the 39th game!
Keeping up with the Al Jones's
When you go out to a club in the evening, there's always a bunch of people who like to show off, stand out and our do each other. At the Jazz Bar not so long ago, one group of revellers asked the band to announce they were getting everyone in the bar a drink and then all the waiters went through the whole club dishing out classes of wine. However recently i saw a hilarious spectacle.
On a recent night out at the Embassy Club in the Emirates Palace, there were a couple of tables sitting at either side of the dance floor, with what seemed like two unconnected groups at them. One table ordered a bottle of champagne, out came a waiter working his way through the crowds, holding a tray above his head with a standard bottle of champagne in an ice bucket, 4 huge sparklers, and delivered it to the table. Not wanting to be out done the second table ordered champagne and shortly after, the waiter comes out again, tray over his head with 2 standard bottles of champagne in ice buckets and the 4 sparklers. That wasn't the end of it. Not long after, the waiter is making his way through the crowds, tray over his head and a magnum of champagne in an ice bucket and the 4 sparklers, over to the first table. Score - 2-1 to table 1! But, as with most competitions, it's not over till the fat lady sings, or at least not until the waiter comes out again, tray over his head, 2 ice buckets with a magnum of champagne in each and the 4 sparklers delivered straight to the second table. Slam - dunk, it's all over table 2 wins! well actually the Embassy Club wins, the prices they charge for drinks, they would've made a pretty penny off the back of these egos!
On a recent night out at the Embassy Club in the Emirates Palace, there were a couple of tables sitting at either side of the dance floor, with what seemed like two unconnected groups at them. One table ordered a bottle of champagne, out came a waiter working his way through the crowds, holding a tray above his head with a standard bottle of champagne in an ice bucket, 4 huge sparklers, and delivered it to the table. Not wanting to be out done the second table ordered champagne and shortly after, the waiter comes out again, tray over his head with 2 standard bottles of champagne in ice buckets and the 4 sparklers. That wasn't the end of it. Not long after, the waiter is making his way through the crowds, tray over his head and a magnum of champagne in an ice bucket and the 4 sparklers, over to the first table. Score - 2-1 to table 1! But, as with most competitions, it's not over till the fat lady sings, or at least not until the waiter comes out again, tray over his head, 2 ice buckets with a magnum of champagne in each and the 4 sparklers delivered straight to the second table. Slam - dunk, it's all over table 2 wins! well actually the Embassy Club wins, the prices they charge for drinks, they would've made a pretty penny off the back of these egos!
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