What are weekends made for?
Trip Start
May 01, 2008
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Trip End
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Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates
Friday, June 6, 2008
But in the end that was not so simple. After a few late evenings at work (rather late nights in fact), and knowing that I start work at 7 every morning, I collapsed on my bed at 6.30pm on Thursday night, and got up only 14 hours later...
After beakfast I decided to set off in the city before the heat was unbearable. I drove out to Khalid Port, at the far end of the beach road I live on. Plenty of drilling rigs there, with their 60m piles towering above the port. A big turbine plant, making electricity and water. A few fishing boats... that was all that there was to see there.
I headed back and drove across Khalid Lagoon to the city center. As there was not much traffic, I just drove around, I know that is sad, but I figured that it would be good to take my bearings before going to specific places. And anyway, all the museums were closed, the souks and markets were closed, to the notable exception of the fish market. It was prayer time, nothing is open on Friday mornings.
I drove up the coast, sand and a still Gulf on my left, a string of hotels and buildingas on my right, and I arrived in Ajman, the next city and Emirate. There lays our usual thursday night hangout, serving beers at sunset, after what I usually escape before a swarm of Filipino "ladies" prey upon some "unsuspecting" drunk "single" men.
And right by this beach hotel, there is a small place. You have to drive over sand and crap to enter the gate, then there is one building in these walls. Three counters open to the outside, to point out and choose your beers and spirits. One big fridge room to keep the beers in a friendly state. And one entrance, to the wine "cellar". It is small, but there's wine from all over the world, and in there you can cross wine drinkers from all over the world too.
So I made my shopping, two bottles better than one, just out of safety. I took great care in putting my precious cargo in the trunk, as if any policeman was to see me carrying alcohol into Sharjah I would certainly go to prison. Remember? Where I live there is a total ban on alcohol! I had already written about that colleague of mine who had spent a month in jail for having a littel bit of alcohol in his blood. Actually I got the full story, he had a car incident, which automatically results in police intervention (even the car repair shop cannot work on a damaged car if there is no police report), and in fact he did not have only a little bit of alcohol behind the tie, as we say.
Anyway, it was quite nice to see that even on the most islamic half-day, namely friday morning, the bottle shop is the only place working at regular opening hours.
In the evening I moved my arse too late for museums, but no big deal as I could go during the week. I decided I'd go replenish my fridge and drawers with some nutella, cashew nuts, cheese, yogurts and stuff... I decided that instead of going to the Carrefour mall as usual, I would go to another mall. Big, BIG error. I got caught in traffic on the highway to Dubai, and of course the next three exits were closed for who knows what reason. When I finally got out, there was the Al Mulla Plaza, I decided to check it out. At least there were locals in there, but I did not stay long, as there was not much to do unless you wanted to buy a couscous plate to serve 40, or a black overall dress for your sister, or some jewelry that anyway you'd have to cover with a black dress bought by your brother.
Actually I don't want to sound like criticizing the burka religiously. It is more on a personnal and social level that I find it a big piece to swallow. Let me explain: in plain heat and sun, when dressed in white (like men), you don't last very long. But if you are covered in black (like women), your life expectancy drops dramatically, and I am not talking about the humiliation of having to sweat so much. Women here are just not meant to go out in the sun, I guess.
After that mall I tried another one, there was not much more to see or buy, I ended up in the huge last level which is in fact the "space city" or something like that: indoors theme park for kids, great great great...
That little outing cost me over an hour and a half, and I spent only 5 minutes in each mall... better have good music in the car when you live in Dubai...
Comments
Hello...
Mr. peacefrog, glad to see you're out and about in the Middle East, I missed you in the forums!
Louise Brown
TravelPod Community Manager
not filipinos
hey there mate... just want to correct one point where you mentioned the swarming filipinos... i had been there on quite a few occasions, first time of which when my friend shoved my arse into that ditch, i also noticed these lady trumps. but when i talked to a number of these godivas, i found out that most of them were chinese and indonesians. no bloody difference on the outside eh.
anyhow, you were right, the hypocrisy of this place shows when you visit their 'holes in the walls' which are usually open during their most holy hours. haha, haram as they put it.