Eid

Last night around 9:30 I was having a late dinner at the sports bar downstairs with a friend and a black box appeared on the TV's and then the announcement came across- YES, it was EID! Everyone in the bar started hooting and hollaring and kissing their girlfriends and guys shaking hands and hugging- it was like it was New Years Eve- utter joy and excitement. Then all the texts started coming across saying "Eid Mubarak" and it was really cool. It was not what I had expected but it was a true happy moment for everyone. We had all done it, and now life is going back to normal!
This morning when I got up, it was really early still, but I was excited- today was Eid, nothing but the malls will be open, we can eat, we can drink at the pool again, we can wear shorts again! I opened the curtains, got back in bed, and just waited for the day to start- excited like it was Christmas morning and I was waiting to go open my presents. I know you are all probably reading this thinking- what's the big deal? But after a whole month of being told when you can eat and where and what you can wear and not, and not being able to play music in your car, or in any public places, it was really starting to wear me down.

I have already been to the mall today- went around 11am and it was already packed with Expats. The true Muslims are with their families today, but for all the expats- 85% of the population in Dubai- it's like we are reborn! :-) I met up with the Operations Manager from the franchise and we went to Shake Shack for hotdogs, fries and diet coke- and it was the BEST I can ever remember having. I'm heading down to the pool now for a cold beer, some sun, and catching up on my Time-Out Dubai magazines, and the newest Gq. It is just the best day!!

Eid Eve

It's the night before Eid and all through the city, everyone's FREAKING OUT! There are no rhyming words to describe the absolute flipping chaos that is Dubai the day we think Eid will be called. For one, accidents- every road I was on today had an accident. On the way home from my office I was stuck on the Sheik Zayed Highway for 1 1/2 hours due to a four car INFERNO on the highway- seriously cars on fire blocking the highway! It is also 115 degrees today- the hottest day we have had in a very long time; it's 80% humidity and as I was crawling on the expressway my gas light comes on! HS! My worst nightmare- in the middle of a 8 lane express way, everyone stopped around me, 115 out, and I'm going to have to walk to a gas station!! Luckily traffic started moving and I was able to get off the highway and take back roads to the gas station. That was my Eid Miracle- :-)
It is also SUPER windy today. On the outskirts of the city they were reporting traffic at a standstill because of the sandstorms and even where I live it's been blowing sand everywhere. But it will all be solved tonight because we are going to have Thunderstorms! YAY! It hasn't rained yet since I arrived in Mid April, and I'm hoping to get to see it rain- but they said Thunderstorms don't usually have visible rain, it's just loud and bright, so that in itself will be cool to experience.

So getting back to Eid- it is "called" when the Shaman goes out into the desert and looks at the moon and he says- yes- Ramadan is over. So it might be tonight, might be tomorrow- It's kinda like "will he see his shadow" without the news coverage or the funny hats. Then when Eid is announced no one works that next day- and nothing is open except for the malls. It's like Christmas day- presents, food, family, friends. The government offices and non-private sector has been off since Friday last week, and will not go back to work until next Sunday- so 9 days off! Lucky for them. There are great "Eid" sales at the malls the day after Eid and concerts, and festivals the whole rest of the week. I'll keep you posted with pics if I venture out to the festivities. Mostly though, I'll be in the malls seeing peak holiday traffic- and hopefully finding some good luggage on sale because my luggage is getting trashed from all the travel.

Blooms @ DBX

Many of you know I like visual merchandising. Lucky for me, the Bloomingdale's at Dubai Mall always has the most amazing windows. Currently they are bucking the trend of Purple and Gold Ramadan windows for intricately constructed "Giants of Fashion". I have put the pictures on flickr as there are a lot of pics, so here is the link if you'd like to see them:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66702971@N03/

It is a strange concept for the shoppers here- Window Shopping. No one does it here. The term itself seems so ridiculous to the Emirati's because they want to shop, they shop hard, and often, and with no concept of costs. To illustrate the point- I was walking out of the grocery store and there were three teenage guys- locals, the one had on Louis V loafers- $760, shorts by Empario Armani (usually $300), and the Ralph Lauren Pony Polo- which is $320.00. This was just casual clothes, out to the mall with his friends. Wearing a $1500 outfit! They just have no concept of money. They don't need to save up and "christmas" shop, they don't go to the mall once every few months. Most people go to the mall to eat dinner, to go to the movies, to pay their phone bill, to hang out; it is just so routine. Also, every mall has these high end stores- even the "lower" class malls have Tommy Hilfiger Purple Label, a Ralph Lauren store...we often times joke there are more Dolce & Gabanna stores than McDonalds in this town between the D&G line, the D&G Kids, D&G Couture, and the ready to wear stores.
So back to the point- Window Shopping. I have to say every time I have been at Dubai Mall, I go to the windows and look at each one, and EVERY TIME a security guard comes over and asks me what I'm doing. I explain that I'm just looking at the window to which he walks away usually clutching his walkie talkie like I'm going to freak out and blow something up. But truely- no one stops to look at these windows. It's a shame because so much work went into them. All the detail of rotating the heads on the wooden figures; each of those ropes has to be tied individually, and all the painting, and posing. It's amazing. So I feel that by posting the pictures on Flickr more people will see them and enjoy the windows for what they were supposed to do; delight, entertain and get attention.

back of Souk Madinat

Here are the pictures of the back of the Souk. It has two water ways with condo's and villas, and the back of the Souk is all restaurants with outside dining on patios. Very posh, great setting and view of the Burj AlArab which they pronounce like (Burjjjj AL alab) Think "Burrrr" but with a J then Alalalab because they don't say the R here. Like Ramadan Kareem- they say "Ramadan Kaleam).

Souk Madinat

Lately I'm so infrequently in Dubai that I feel like I need to sight see when I'm back there, so Sunday I went to Souk Madinat in the Jumeriah District. I had been there for dinner for my bosses birthday, but it was night and really crowded and didn't really realize how big it was. There are so many shops, and corridors that I ended up spending 2hrs just walking around and looking at stuff. Then between all the corridors are walkways outside and different public squares for outside dining, concerts, and just open areas.
I had never even heard of the back area of the Souk with the water ways but it is so gorgeous. The commercials for Jumeriah say "The rebirth of Elegance" or "Spend Arabian nights in the Golden Era" or the like, and I thought it was ridiculous, but really, they are right! I can't wait to go back when it cools down to have dinner at the restaurants on the water way. I'm sure it's storybook with the Burj AlArab (big white hotel like shaped like a sail) lite up at night, and the candles burning in the elegant lanterns.
I also realized that I'm possibly a bit jaded on "tourist" things. I started noticing this when the US store managers came to work in Saudi. The one was like "OMG- I need this coffee mug that says Riyadh, KSA"- whereas I was like really?? The the other one saw the Ramadan Lanterns everywhere and was like "I need a lantern!" Again- I was like Really? So that made me think that I should probably start looking at things with a Curious/excited eye as opposed to the business eye which I'm thinking I use everyday.
This morning, as I was belly crawling into the Speakeasy Starbucks at IBM, I saw the "Dubai, UAE" coffee mug and thought... Yes. I'll take it. :-)

Views of the City

Finished training today, so to celebrate another great week of training I went out and sight-saw a bit. It wasn't too hot today- only 105 today, not too much humidity so walking was the best way to go. Also, I didn't feel like taking a cab around the city as it would cost me big $$ just to ride around. Here are the pictures- blend of old and new throughout the city. Small side streets winding through the older parts of town.

Day2 in Manama

Day 2 was action packed- starting by me going to the wrong mall this morning for training! AH! Worse nightmare for starting a training week- in a new country!!! :-)

I even went to the Bahrain City Center last night, and scoped out the store that I thought had the training room in it, and clocked the time to get there, and then I was standing outside the store at 10am- no staff- and called the Regional Director who told me that I was supposed to be at Bahrain Mall, not Bahrain City Center!
So it was short cab ride over and the rest of the day went off great. The VP of the franchise showed up to watch 1/2 my training, which felt kinda like principal/teacher evaluation, but I think he was impressed as I had planned today to be a really interactive- out of their seats day.

Much to my delight- the training room also had an office attached to it, which myself, the Regional, and the one store manager all took refuge into eat and drink on our break. So no eating in the bathroom this week! YEAH!

A suprisingly high cost of Manama is the taxi's. From the hotel to any of the malls is about 5 minutes, and it costs 5BD- which is about $15.00 so if I go to and from the mall it's $30.00! Just to take a ride for that short distance- but walking is not an option- really- the roads are elevated (due to the low sea-level and it's still 110 degrees+ here. All the taxi's I've been in are new cars and the drivers are all Bahraini Nationals: I know- right? My first cab driver was very proud of the fact that there aren't any Indian or Phillipino drivers- that they are all government workers and are national. They all speak perfectly clear English, and are SUPER friendly as this is their home country. All the people that I have come into contact are very pleasant, and helpful.

My hotel has an amazing mall attached to it below the "twin towers building"- it seriously is called that. The mall is brand new and has only high-end stores. I went around last night and browsed the new D&G fall line, the shoes at Gucci, and then strolled through Armani because I'm totally being a tourist here. For some reason it just feels more right here. I found that in Riyadh I had to keep my "I'm a citizen of the world" face on, with the attitude to match. (imagine Amelia Amalfi from Sex in the City- only male, and not as crazy) But here in Bahrain I've been honest with people, telling them this is my first time here, and where should I go, best restaurants, etc. Again, I think it's because everyone is really nice here, and I heard they would be so it is just more comfortable here. I went to a really good Indian restuarant next to the Gold Amaran Souk tonight. Reasonably priced, good portions, and it satisfied my craving for Indian food that I've been having since Kuwait last week.

Pictures: The skyline of the "Seef" area. Lots of new development. Also a picture of the Ramadan display in the center of the City Center.

Bahrain

Today was a busy one, as are most over here, but this morning especially. I had to get up and pack for the whole week, which I always find a challenge to plan all my outfits for 5-6 days, then my "fun" clothes and shoes, and then can't forget all the toiletries and passport and cash... maybe it will get easier over time.
After packing, I had to meet with the franchise partners to set up the week. I'll be in Bahrain, they'll be in the UAE & some in KSA. It was great to get aligned on everything and we'll be having Sunday meetings go forward as we enter into our busiest months of the year now.
The flight up to Bahrain was very nice- not crowded at all, and we were on a very small plan- I couldn't even tell you the numbers but they were in the 300's, so definitely not a 777-300 like I'm used to. As we were circling for landing I got a really good view of the islands- there are apparently 30 or so islands that make up Bahrain- which I did not know till I was reading the brief this morning. But when I hear "islands" and "archipelego" I immediately think Hawaii and cliffs, and waves crashing up on the sandy.... no. Not here. These islands are at sea level, and they are flat. And there probably would be waves crashing if there were beaches, but they are few and far between. Mostly everything I saw was concrete retaining walled and it makes for a very unique island. It's very much like Manahatten when you fly into JFK, everything is flat, squares and rectangles jutting out into the sea. It's not by any means a bad thing, and the inland areas are very pretty with palm trees, and landscaped roads- I'll get pics tomorrow because it was already dark by the time I taxi'd to the hotel.
The Airport was soooooo relaxed, and chilled out, and no lines anywhere. It was heaven. After traveling so much in KSA and Kuwait, it was amazing. My hotel is very nice, staying at the SHeraton- need to get the Starwoods points :-) Everyone at the franchise was jabbing me "oohh, look at you and the sheraton!" because they have to stay at some kinda motel 8 on the far end of the island. But whatever, again, I love the company I work for, and they really do take care of us!
A crazy "small world" moment- when I was in the lobby I saw a woman who I had seen on the plan from Dubai so I started small talk with her- she was obviously an american from her dress and luggage. Sure enough! Turns out she was from Arlington Heights- 5 minutes north of the Woodfield Mall in Chicago! I was like - no way- I used to work at Woodfield... So that was cool :-)
I jumped into a cab after settling in to see the first mall- Bahrain City Centre. It was about 45 minutes till sun down so everything was still closed but I enjoyed the quiet to walk around and look at the store windows and take pictures while no locals were around. Then at Sunset I was starving, so what should appear- yep, a Chilis. I know what you're thinking- get a life right? But it was there, I was there, so it was meant to be.
Iftar dinner is different than normal dinner. This is a "special" meal just for Ramadan that is available at all restaurants. In the case of Chili's, it was a full size appetizer (usually that alone is $13 American), a soup, a full entree, and a dessert for 4.9 Bahrain Dinar- or about 15 bucks American! A steal!! So I that and by the time my entree came i was full, so that was literally the best meal I've had for the money since I got to the ME.
I am looking forward to training this week. From what I've heard the new team is very excited about the brand and so excited to have "an American from Home Office" coming all the way to Bahrain to train them (apparently the partner didn't tell them I live in Dubai- so we'll go with it). Because we are still in Ramadan we only work 6 hrs a day, so training will be from 10am-4pm, we are not allowed to eat or drink during this time, so we will not be having "lunch" break either. So I've packed a bottle of water and a few granola bars just incase- which I've been told I'll have to go to the bathroom and eat them so I don't get in trouble.... ?? We'll see about that.

So the picture above is a the view from my hotel room. It's a new office building that is powered by it's windturbines! How cool is that! I'll get a better pic tomorrow during the day.

In Riyadh

Here are some pictures of my last trip to Riyadh. Luggage- wow. I think this was one family's luggage. Everyone in the middle east jokes about how Saudi Women need a car each to carry their luggage- I just had never seen it before!

The other picture is of the road to the airport. Once you get out the city it is desert. I had always imagined huge sand dunes- a very "Aladdin" type sweeping curving desert landscape, but not here. Here it is flat- for as far as the eye can see. Those images you see of desert must be from the Sahara desert I guess. :-)

Like a present for traveling in Ramadan

Just got back from Riyadh Sunday morning, had been there since Wednesday. Riyadh, during Ramadan is an experience. I knew to expect a more strict layering on- especially as this is the holy'st of holy Islam countries, but still it was a shock. There is no food available anywhere until sunset, even my hotel's restaurants were closed, which is a surprise as hotels usually do have a small cafe or snack bar curtained off in the basement for us infidels. Also, the malls did not open till 9pm which is after last prayer, then were open till 2am. So my store visits were from 9pm till 2am- literally doing store visits till 2am! It was funny because a colleague of mine in the US was texting me about a project and she was like "...wait- isn't it 12:30am there? What are you doing up!" Oh the days of working 9-5.
This obviously changed my sleeping pattern to not getting up till noon the next day, which was fine, it allowed me to have a shorter amount of time to do nothing put sit around the hotel room watching tv. I feel bad for the US store managers we have working in Riyadh though; not only are they stuck in their hotel rooms for the next month, but they have to work when things are actually going on, so it is horribly boring for them. But I tried to reinforce to them that it is a once in a lifetime experience- keep smiling! Make it work! :-)

On the way back to Dubai, after what seemed like a month in Riyadh, my reward was that my plane was a new 777-300! (pictures above) YAY! It was gorgeous, and business class was like sitting in first class on an A380. I hope I get this plane when I head to Kuwait tonight!!

It's like a speakeasy!

So when I heard this morning that there was a Starbucks that was still open during the Holy Month I immediately had drive over and check it out. So it really does make you reflect on what you have when you can't have it anymore, and I have become so addicted to the Raspberry Cheesecake and Skinny Vanilla latte's as my morning routine. Yes, I said it- I eat cheesecake in the morning- speak amongst yourselves, but it is the best! This is what the Starbucks looks like. Window gates are down, black cloth is put behind the gates as they are mesh to hide anyone in it, the gates are 1/4 of the way down with black drapes over them- again so you can't see in. Then you go in- no music, people huddled around their tables, not talking- just eating. IT IS ODD! It's so odd, I was like... Really? Oh well, if it gets me my Coffee and my cake, I'm happy and will deal with the "shame" of it all. :-)

Mall of Emirates Ramadan Deco

Here is a short vid to show you all the flashy sparkle in the Mall of Emirates. My first time using the Blackberry video- so if this works I'll post more :-) Imagine- you could be riding in the car with me next week!! Or in the Kuwait Airport! Can't wait to see what I can do with this.

Ramadan Day1

Today is the first day of Ramadan here in the Gulf. It marks the shortened work day- we only have to work 6 hour days with no salary loss to anyone working in an Islamic Country, and the no eating or drinking from dawn to sunset. Somehow all this equated to no traffic-?? It was nice though driving from my apartment to the office in less than 30 minutes this morning. I also went to the mall and that is where I took this picture. It was such a tranquil moment in the busiest mall, taken up in the "fashion corridor". Those things that look like falling water are actually white butterfly cutouts that hang down to the main level- very pretty.
The malls are DEC'd out in all kinds of Ramadan Decorations. It really is just like Christmas. Stores all use the same colors: Gold, Hunter Green, Royal Blue, Dark Purple and Silver. The store windows are all done up with different Islamic looks- even my stores went with dark purple banners, and Silver stars and Crescent Moons. It was very odd to be walking through the busiest mall in the world and not have any restaurants or coffee shops open. I mean NOTHING- the Starbucks were empty- no food in the displays, gates down at all the places, dark inside. As I was at Mall of Emirates tonight it was nearing Sunset and you could see workers inside getting ready for the explosion of people that would soon be arriving.
I do have to say I couldn't make it all day. It was hot! It was 45 out this morning at 10am! I'm not cut out for all this heat and starving myself. Usually I can put up a good "starve-out" when I'm angry or depressed or working too much- but today I could not find it in me and succumbed to a bottle of water and granola bars (yes that was plural- and yes it was the whole box). I literally had to drive home, get in the elevator, go up to the top floor, into my apartment, close the shades, and sit in the dark at 2pm to eat my box of granola bars, then leave and continue on with my day! :-) It felt so dirty!!!!! I can just see myself on the security camera walking in to my place with the box of granola bars; long pause on the tape- me leaving 25 minutes later----- with no box of granola bars. lol. The security gaurds were probably like "that's disgusting- we know what you just did!" :-)

Ahhh, well we'll see how I do tomorrow!