Fashion Week in Middle East

Over the last few days Pakistan has been celebrating Fashion Week in Islamabad, the first ever held in Pakistan. The four day event showcased fashion designers from all over the region. Although the styles are still more Middle Eastern, the fact that colors and beautiful fabrics with beaded decoration is surprising.

Kamran Sani, one of the directors of Excellent Events Entertainment, the company behind the four-day extravaganza, is quoted in Gulf News as saying he believes this event will change how the world views Pakistan.

Sani says, "There is a bright side to Pakistan, which is modern, secular and upwardly progressive. No one bothers to see that side — they see the Taliban, bomb blasts, floods, poverty. But Pakistan is alive and kicking and the time has come for our fashion industry to go global. The west needn't be so surprised global culture has fully crept in to Pakistan and our fashion designers are brilliant."

Pakistan fights religious sect governing, in particular in regards to the way women dress. Some regions are forbidden to wear colors and decorative abayas so this is quite a change. From what I have seen in the pictures in the paper, there is nothing immoral about the clothing that is on display. The clothes are quite beautiful. I see this event as an advancement in the right direction and, hopefully, change will take place.

Photo and content quoted provided by Gulf News.com

Pizza Hut Arabia

Yesterday I decided to look at the Pizza Hut advertisement in my daily paper. I have never paid much attention to them, but the photo and the price of the food on the photo caught my eye. I decided to look further. I was astonished. (We haven't eaten at Pizza Hut while here)

Front page: A feast for a family of 4 --one small square pan pizza, one Lasagna, 4 pieces of garlic bread, potato wedges, 4 medium pepsis and sauce for 55 dirhams ($15).

I could not believe the incredible price nor to imagine what this package would have cost in the USA. I would safely guess at $35 to $45. Let's break it down:

USA prices based on Pizza Hut Menu Price website
1 medium pizza thin crust $15.00 (they don't have square in US)
Potato wedges 4.49 (in US sauce would cost extra)
Lasagna 12.99 (breaksticks would be included)
4 Pepsis 8.00 (conservative educated guess)
Total $40.48

Amazing!

They offered another plan for six which included 3 medium pizzas, six slices garlic bread, a salad, and six pepsis for .....drumroll..........85 dirhams ($23)

They call them value meals----and they are definitely a value! Wow!

Wish I knew why it was so much cheaper here. The government does keep strict controls on food prices and aims to make food prices affordable for everyone in the country. Not sure if Pizza Hut just maintains a lower profit margin or their production costs are lower. I imagine that Pizza Hut just makes a larger profit in the US.

Surprises never cease!

Driving in Abu Dhabi

Driving in the Abu Dhabi is, without a doubt, a dangerous endeavor.

On a daily basis drivers encounter selfish driving techniques: reckless overtaking, driving on the hard shoulder, road rage, cutting other people off, excessive speeds, driving too slow in the wrong lane, tailgating, driving while texting, driving while talking on the mobile phone, misuse of hazard lights, flashing of the high beam — the list goes on. The scene in this photograph is a common situation: a driver decides that he needs to overtake you on the hard shoulder while maintaining an illegal speed on the Abu Dhabi highway.

Speeding is the main culprit. Due to the wealth in the country, many Emirati buy expensive sports cars and take advantage of the freeways to drive the cars at excessive speeds. In September of last year, one driver speeding at 250 km/h in a Ferrari and another at 213 km/h in a Bentley were caught on the Abu Dhabi – Dubai highway. A driver speeding at 225 km/h in a Lexus and another doing 222 km/h in a Mercedes were also caught along the same highway. In a separate incident a station wagon, speeding at 204 km/h and a Mercedes speeding at 210 km/h were caught in the Western Region. In all cases, traffic patrols immediately seized the vehicles and referred the drivers to the public prosecution for legal action. Drivers speeding recklessly risk confiscation of their vehicles for 30 days, 12 black points on the driver’s license and a fine of up to Dh2,000 (USD 544).

In March 2010, Abu Dhabi Police installed 300 sophisticated radars called “Snipers” throughout the city in an effort to crack down on traffic violations, predominantly speeding, but in many cases it seems to be useless. One thing that prevents this method from being effective is the lack of care and concern from the drivers themselves. Apparently when you are very rich, traffic tickets do not mean much. Violators pay them and continue driving as before. The government has recently started impounding vehicles when drivers are caught at excessive speeds, (60 KPH over the speed limit). This move came about due to cars being stopped on some of the less congested outer ring freeways around the city traveling at speeds of 200 KPM. The problem with impounding vehicles is that many Emiratis have lots of vehicles so taking one away does not inconvenience them or affect their lifestyle in any way. The government has resorted to revoking driver’s licenses along with impounding vehicles. However, recent studies show that many drivers are not of legal age or have licenses.

The male population seems to be the problem drivers. I witness their recklessness almost daily as I live on a connecting street between two of the most traveled freeways. This street is a three lane stretch on each side with a couple of U turns in the median and is frequently used for one of the young Emiratis favorite pastimes-- street racing. I often see two cars running side by side at high speeds through this residential section of the city racing each other. The racing becomes worse at night as the Emirati tend to be out socializing, shopping, etc. after nightfall.

This month Gulf News reported problems of big time street racing in Dubai where young Emirati take their vehicles to mechanics and have super powered engines installed. One mechanic told Gulf News that sometimes these young men bring in two or three super engines and leave them at his shop knowing that one engine will not last but a weekend or two. Engine modification is prohibited in Dubai, however, 6,000 tickets were issued by Dubai Police for engine modification in 2010. Another 271 tickets were issued for illegal street racing in 2010, which is double the number issued in 2009. There have lately been an increased number of reports about fatal car accidents that involved vehicles with modified engines, some of which have been used in illegal street races in the outskirts of Dubai. Dubai Police Chief recently announced racing on roads might lead to permanent vehicle confiscation and not just impoundment. Good for him! More serious measures need to be taken.

"I don't think there is sufficient awareness in regard of the problem. The youth are reckless and such behavior should be addressed in schools or other educational institutions. There must be a better method of awareness to inform the youth of the danger of their actions," said Maj. Gen. Al Zafein. I agree that more effective measures need to be taken. It seems like revoking a driver’s license for many years might be a deterrent, but again, many of these youngsters have chauffeurs in the family and their mobility would not be hampered by such drastic measures.

Rain or fog does not deter speeders either. Certain times of the year a heavy fog rolls in and visibility is only a few feet ahead. Drivers just turn on their flashers and keep going full speed ahead, changing lanes, hitting their brakes as they run up behind slower drivers. It is a nightmare. Also, many accidents happen every year during this time. Recently during a particularly foggy time, there was a 18 car pileup on the freeway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. There was a bad wreck involving a bus with many fatalities last year during the fog. During rain, I witness people deliberately driving reckless in order to make their car fish tail or slide around curves and turns.

A recent study, conducted by the faculty at UAE University and funded by the Emirates Foundation for Philanthropy, had some alarming results concerning male drivers in the UAE. 576 drivers, between the ages of 18 and 33, were interviewed across the UAE by professors in Psychology and Social Work for a period over one year. The results of the study were as follows:

• 576 Emirati and Arab drivers surveyed of which

• 60% drove below legal age of 18 (including 7.3% between 8-12 years)

• 66% were involved in at least one road accident

• 25% sustained injuries from road accidents

Among the 466 Emirati males surveyed in the study

• 25% regularly exceed speed limits, overtake using wrong lanes, tailgate

• 2.6% almost always jump the red traffic light

• 50% do not regularly use seatbelts and talk on the phone while driving

• 50% stop on inner lanes to chat to other drivers, and drive in the wrong direction on one-way streets

• Most said non-binding safety measures, like using indicators while driving, were considered unpopular

I have seen all of the above actions in this study on the roads in Abu Dhabi. Having been in an accident in Abu Dhabi involving my taxi and a truck, I can testify to the reckless way in which drivers change lanes and exit the freeway. My taxi was in the fourth lane on the right of the freeway when a truck from the sixth outside land attempted to cross all lanes to exit on my right. As you can guess, my taxi hit the truck as it crossed in front of the automobile. My taxi hit the truck at full speed because there was no warning or time to brake. It is a miracle that both of us were not hurt, and I certainly would have received injuries had I not been wearing a seatbelt. I was thrown forward in the backseat of the car. I was restrained by the seatbelt and saved from injury.

One thing that I find most distressing in light of the speeding and reckless driving is the lack of seatbelts and car seats for children. It is not uncommon to see small children standing up in vehicles or hanging out the windows with the car moving at rapid speeds. I often see people holding infants in their lap. I have also observed parents being strapped in their seatbelt but the children moving around the vehicle freely. More emphasis is being placed on this fact and I have seen some campaign advertising promoting the use of car seats for children. I heard recently that the hospitals were now giving them away when people have a baby.

I recently read in Gulf News the government is tighten up the requirements for obtaining a driver’s license in an effort to alleviate the accident rate. I have found that most expatriates from Europe, the United States, and more industrialized nations observe the same traffic rules they are accustomed to in their country. Taxi drivers are also now being trained to use traffic signals, even though they don’t always do so.

Across the UAE over 47,270 vehicles were impounded for a month for excessive speeding in 2009 while 25,862 vehicles were impounded in 2008, according to statistics from the interior ministry. I do not have the answers to eliminate this problem, and it seems, neither do the police even with all their efforts. They are desperately trying.

I believe that the answer lies within the Emirati community---self policing---abiding by laws----conforming to the government system designed for safer roads in Abu Dhabi. Emirati kids could not drive fast cars if parents did not buy them for the kids. Unfortunately, incredible wealth actually enables people to engage in activities that are self-destructive. Monetary fines and impounding cars are obviously not enough. Education and self control are the only two things that will make this problem go away. Emiratis must take responsibility and make take this important step.

Below is a link provided to view video of traffic violations captured by the new cameras around the city. Police have been airing these on television each month in an effort to campaign for better driving and more understanding of traffic laws and consequences for not obeying them.

http://gulfnews.com/gntv/news/traffic-violations-in-abu-dhabi-caught-on-camera-1.687952

Photos courtesy of Gulf News.com/Research information obtained from issues of Gulf News.com/ video obtained from Gulf News.com

Franci, the taxi driver

We have sadly learned that our favorite taxi driver Franci will not be returning to the UAE after a holiday back to Sri Lanka. If you have been reading my blog, you will know that Franci has been my regular taxi driver over the last year and a half. Over this time, our whole family has become devoted to him and he really became our friend.

Franci went home to visit his family on November 30th after being in the UAE for almost two years without seeing them. He was soooo excited about seeing his wife and little girls again. He came by our house the night before he left and we gave him a Christmas present and I sent some things to his little girls and wife. When I hugged him goodbye, I felt that he would not be returning. He seemed so sad and had tears in his eyes when he said goodbye. I told Shirley that I thought he would not be able to leave his family again once he returned. And it seems I was right.

Franci had a very difficult time being away from his family and grieved for them often. He frequently shared his sadness with us (with Shirley more than me). It was hard to watch his struggle---the need to earn a living for his lovely family and the desire to be home with them. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka does not have much to offer young families and eeking out a living is very difficult. He came to the UAE in hopes of providing a better life. In some ways he did,----his little girl was able to go to a good school and he sent home money every month to provide for their care. It proved to be a big sacrifice and one that Franci could not continue to do.

The other day, he called one of his Taxi friends (the one Franci recommended to take care of us while he was gone) and told him he just could not leave his family again. His sister told him she would try to help him get a job at the Colombo airport near their home. And so, he gave up his contract and did not come back.

We will miss our Franci. Franci was a good man. You could just feel it. He was kind to everyone and took great care to be kind to me. He told Shirley once that he would never forget "the madam and the boss" and the many kindnesses. It's really quite the reverse. We will never forget Franci. He was humble and good---a rare quality today.

Graziella Goes to the Park

When the weather cools off and it is not so hot, we take Graziella to a park near our house for a morning walk. We try to go on Fridays and Saturdays when John is home as I cannot take her in a taxi. Dogs are forbidden to travel in a taxi. I cannot tell you how much this dog loves this outing. We have to spell the word W-A-L-K so she does not get too excited in advance of our departure. However, she knows all the signs of readiness and has usually figured it out well before we call her to the door and tell her we are going out for a walk (we actually say the word). This causes her to go into a delightful spin---literally turning round and round so much you would think she would get sick from dizziness. She waits patiently for the leash to be hooked to her collar and then she's off! She trots happily to the car, jumps in, and climbs onto my lap so she can see out the window as we travel. She typically accompanies us to the car wash on Fridays, sits patiently on my lap through the automated wash, and then sits again patiently on the bench while we wait for the workers to clean the car. She knows the routine. When we pull up to the park, she jumps up to the window and looks around and begins to whine to get out. I cannot get out of the car fast enough to please her. She's down on the pavement and off for her big adventure. Even though it is the same adventure each week, she doesn't seem to mind. She trots along ahead of us checking out all the sights and sounds of the park as we walk along at a brisk pace. She often hangs back for us to catch up with her and then walks between us. She makes sure she stays between us---it is like her little comfort zone. She knows all the places where the park strays hang out and checks out each one as we pass. She's encountered a few of them in the past and never forgets where they hang out.






The park is one of the many parks throughout the city. There are a couple of parks near our house on the canal. However, you cannot see the canal except for a few lookout points built out over the water along the way. Such a shame the water cannot be seen all the way through the park. There are actually two parks that are connected by a long, paved walkway through a grove of trees. This walkway is perfect for walking as it is shaded by the trees and makes it easier to go to the park even after the heat begins.

I have always found this photo of the bicycle in front of the reduced speed signs to be amusing. These signs and the bicycle have been here in the park along the trail for as long as we have been going.

The one thing about the parks is that sometimes they are very littered with trash. This is still a young nation and things like littering is still a problem. Even though, garbage cans are all over the park, people still drop trash on the ground, often within just a few feet of the trash can. Sometimes you will even see whole picnic parties just left where they were the night before. So sometimes in the mornings, the parks are littered and not very pretty. Lately we have noticed the sanitation people are working earlier and the parks are cleaner by the time we arrive, which is around 8:00 a.m.

In the UAE, people go to the parks at night, not during the day. The parks are relatively empty in the daytime except for sanitation workers and gardeners. However, the parks come alive at night with people picnicing, grilling, and celebrating birthdays and such. The Arabs are nocturnal because of the heat. Even when the weather is better, habits are hard to break. You do see more people in the parks in the day during the winter months---October to April--the weather is so much cooler and the parks are very pleasant.

We end every visit to the park with John and Graziella looking over the cobblestone wall that traverses through the park. John just happened to decide to look over the wall one day to see what was behind it. Graziella immediately climbed the wall to look with him and it has been a tradition since that day. She loves it. She has NO IDEA what she is suppose to be looking at or for but she clambers up that wall every time to see what she can see. John thinks she may think they are hunting something. She gets very excited about it and it seems to be the highlight of her trip to the park. We save it for the last thing we do. You can tell she knows that it is about time because she will trot in the direction of the wall as we get to the end of the walk. It is very funny
.

Forecasters predict rain in UAE on Monday

I know this does not sound like a big deal---but in the UAE rain is a big deal. It makes headlines! And it is cloudy out today and looks rainy. Sometimes when it rains here, it POURS. Almost like flash flooding type rain. And some flooding does occur as the drainage systems and streets are not designed to handle excessive water.

The headlines today encouraged people to stay away from the sea as the waters are suppose to be rough. The above satellite photo was in the paper and on the website of Gulf News showing the rain clouds over the whole Gulf region. Nearby cities are definitely suppose to get rain but Abu Dhabi might miss it. Not sure if that is good or bad! I wouldn't mind seeing some rain.

Car Wash

Every Friday morning, which is the Holy Day and the first day of our weekend, we drive down to the nearby ADNOC gas station and get John's car washed before we take Graziella to a park nearby for a walk. We go through the automated one, although there is lane where the car is totally washed by hand. After going through the car wash, we drive over to the vaccum and cleaning area where a hord of Filipino men descend on your car to finish the job. They wipe the car down completely inside and outside and use an air brush to get water out of all the cracks and crevices. They wash all the tires by hand and vaccum the interior of the car---thoroughly. No half-way job here like in the US. They take great pride in getting the car very clean and to your satisfaction. Also, they know the Americans will give them good tips. I have never seen an Arab give them a tip. John usually gives each worker about 5 dirham, the equivalent of 1.36 USD. The service is unbelievable and something you would not find in the US. These guys do not even make a US salary of minimum wage. The car wash plus the vacuming costs 30 dirham, which is 8.00 USD. Amazing!

Mail Delivery in Abu Dhabi

Since Abu Dhabi does not have street addresses, then obviously they do not deliver mail at your residence. If you want to receive mail here, you must register for a post office box at the main post office or apply for one in the district where you live. Most districts have small P. O. kiosks with about 100 to 200 boxes located somewhere near a center of activity, such as the local market.

Now to confuse things even more, your house has a number and name, but it is not used for mail delivery---only helping to determine location---which might be a bit difficult since only the main streets in the city have a number/name (many of them have a number and two names :) ) Therefore, I can tell someone I live at #3 Otaiba---this means I am the third villa in the Otaiba villas. Now, the street in front of my house does not have a name. I am lucky that 23 street, which is a main thoroughfare, runs right next to the other side of my house. What's even funnier is that the street in front of my house is actually 24th street or also known as Karamah Street, although a sign does not indicate it. Karamah Street runs all the way through the city but is broken up at various points due to those "medians" again so the street directly in front of my house does not have signage to indicate it is Karamah Street.

I have attached an ad that recently ran in the newspaper advertising mail boxes as "bundled services"---kind of like the bundles of cable, internet, and telephone that you find in the US. For one annual price, you can be a bronze ezimail member, or a silver, or a gold depending on how much you want to pay and your needs. As a bronze ezimail customer, for instance, you have an annual rental of a mail box, plus 1 free mail bag, plus 1 x a week mail pickup and delivery, 4 free domestic courier coupons, and 50% discount on domestic unaddressed mail up to 20K units. Now, I don't know about you but I am wondering how "unaddressed" mail will ever go anywhere. Beats me. Oh, and if you want mail picked up and delivered 6 x a week you must be a gold member and pay 12,000 dirhams a year which is 3,264 USD which amounts of $62.76 a week----FOR MAIL DELIVERY AND PICKUP!

Okay, 44 cents per stamp does not sound too bad. And we thought USPS was highway robbery. My goodness. Now, Emirates Post advertises their new bundling concept as innovative! A new service that offers a host of value-added services. They claim to "deliver absolute peace of mind." I don't know about you but this would DRIVE ME CRAZY! I am sure they are trying to appeal to businesses who have larger delivery needs but still----this is crazy. Oh and by the way, they are going techy----they will send you a free SMS to notify you of your mail service.

Sounds like the UAE skipped the Pony Express and the Stagecoach.

Street Addresses

One of the things I found most unusual upon arrival in Abu Dhabi was the lack of street addresses. No----they do not have street addresses. I cannot give a taxi driver an address....say of 223 15th Street. The conversation goes something like this:

"I need to go to Light Bright Fashions, a tailor near Hamdan Street," I say as I plunk down in the back seat of Emirates Taxi #8421. The number is posted on the window next to my face as well as on the large digital screen meter sitting square in the middle of the dashboard. This little box also sports a very bad photo of the driver and his name in big, bold letters MUHAMMAD AHMAD or VESTRIK DULIK or something along those lines.

"You need tailor on Hamdan?", questions the taxi driver. "I don't know. You know? You go?

"Yes, I know, " I respond. "I will tell you how to get there. It's near Sun and Surf on Hamdan Street---you know, 5th Street. Opposite Sun and Surf. One block from Salam Street, near K.M. Trading on 8th Street." I say opposite not across from because the drivers do not understand the word across.

On the return trip, it goes something like this:

"I need to go to 23 street, off Airport Road."

"23 street? Airport Road?, asks the taxi driver. "Okay, Muroor Road. 23 Street. I take you."

"No, No.", I exclaim. "Not 23 on Muroor Road. Go Airport Road. Take a right onto 23 street on Airport road. Near Kuwaiti Embassy. You know Kuwaiti Embassy?" Airport Road, a six lane highway, happens to have a median in the middle of the road. 23 street runs all the way across the city but is chopped up by the median on Airport Road. If you are traveling on Airport Road from the city, then 23 street is a right hand turn and heads in the direction of 30th Street, another six lane freeway. If you are traveling to the city on Airport Road, then 23 street is a right turn heading toward Muroor Road, an outer ring highway that runs parallel with Airport Road. Then, the direction I need to travel is a left hand turn to get to 23 street, which cannot be down because of the median if you are traveling toward the city. Very confusing I know.

"Yes, yes, I know Kuwaiti Embassy." he responds. "I take you."

And so it goes. Heaven forbid if you do not know your way around Abu Dhabi. The first month or two I was here, getting around was a challenge. I would most often call ahead and get these landmark directions before I embarked on my journey. Life was just easier that way. And then heaven forbid again should I get a NEW taxi driver who speaks very little English AND does not know ANYTHING about the city.

Life is an adventure every single day---especially when I get into a taxi.

Back on line

I have been really bad and neglected blogging for the last few months. I have vowed to get back into my writing, one of my many resolutions for 2011. I have done a lot of traveling since the beginning of October and neglected spending time recording these travels.

The main objective of my blog is to give my readers a different view of the Middle East----one they probably have not experienced or heard about as the view in America tends to be a little lopsided. I want to share my experience of living in the Middle East with friends and family---an experience that has been both eye-opening, enlightening, frustrating, and exciting all at once.

So after today, I promise to be better at posting blogs and get down to the business of sharing Abu Dhabi and my other travels with my readers. I have made a few other promises to myself for this new year and earnestly hope that I am capable of fulfilling those promises!

Our year ended with a bang at the announcement that my son Dan and his lovely wife Heidi are expecting their first child in August 2011. Excitement does not fully express what we feel. I cannot wait to be a grandparent and experience what all grandparents describe as the best experience of their lives. We already have an ultrasound showing the little bugger in all its tiny glory---I think it was the size of a raspberry or blueberry on that day---and cannot wait to see more as he/she grows. Life cannot get any better than this!

So back to the grind---the drawing board----the keyboard----the notebook----or whatever you want to call it. More blogging to come.