First of all, a very happy Ramadan to you! Today is the seventh day of fasting here in the U.A.E. and the shorter working hours is a blessing. However, time is flying by so swiftly that there doesn’t seem…
Category:Dubai
Funny how it’s actually in Dubai where I get to dine in all these Pakistani restaurants that are famous back home. It’s embarrassing how I am so unaware with what’s in and what’s not in my own birthplace. Growing up,…
On my way to work earlier today, I saw a bus full of tourists who clearly appear to be regretting the day they decided to visit Dubai during this time of the year. The travel sector has lowered air fairs,…
Considering the countless events scheduled to take place throughout the United Arab Emirates to celebrate the 40th National Day on the same day at the same time, we chose to attend an event that we had never experienced before—the sky lanterns…
The fundamental reason for driving to a certain restaurant in Karama is to get hold of these beautiful, eco-friendly, handmade terracotta vessels called kulhar. Drinking tea there is just an excuse. Kulhar is a traditional terracotta cup/tumbler—typically unpainted and unglazed—from…
After getting bored during my first GITEX experience, I thought I’d never visit again. But yesterday, I had a much better time. It’s probably because I’ve now been exposed to the world of software, networking, database, security, etc. so the…
Dolphins in the middle of the desert? Yes! And there are seals too. Inaugurated in May 2008, Dubai Dolphinarium is a modern marine mammal facility located in the Creek Park. This is the Middle East’s first fully air conditioned indoor dolphinarium and…
That’s the October 2011 issue of Sisters, UK’s first magazine for fabulous Muslim women! It’s my second hard copy of the magazine and I can assure you it’s a great lifestyle magazine with topics that cover all walks of life. It…
We’ve been saving At The Top for the day when we eventually leave the U.A.E. for good. Since we live just an hour away, the building visible from my bedroom window, we were in no rush to see the view of…
Filipinos always look out for an excuse to celebrate, hence the annual Barrio Fiestas. Barrio refers to a place, more specifically a village, and fiestas are the annual celebration in a particular barrio. There must be thousands of barrios in the…
In other words, why I haven’t been around to reply to your comments, publish a new post, stop by your blogs, respond to your e-mails, or greet you on Facebook. 2 days before Eid: We were at the Dragon Mart shopping…
“Put it back,” he calmly said. It was a quiet early morning in Shindagha several years ago. The entire household was still asleep, even the guards were yet to awake. Sheikh Saeed crossed the courtyard of his home and caught…
Drive along the Emirates Road (towards Hatta-Oman) and you won’t miss Dragon Mart, the largest trading center for Chinese products outside mainland China. The first time I came here to shop was a few days before my wedding, to buy…
Never have I seen so many peacocks strutting merrily outside someone’s residence. They walk about casually—ignoring vehicles and spectators—as if it was the most natural thing to do. This is the way to Dubai ruler, H.H. Sheikh Maktoum’s palace… This…
In the early 20th century, Dubai was a small coastal village inhabited by a tribe—who came from the neighboring emirate, Abu Dhabi—led by the Al Maktoum family. Unlike its neighboring emirate, Dubai lacked the fertile oasis, so its inhabitants settled…
Dubai is known for several things—both good and bad—and one of them is the tallest structure in the world, the Burj Khalifa … … and not so far away from this engineering marvel lies a 620-hectare area comprising of sabkha…
I love tea. I have been thoroughly complacent and happy in my own world with what I was having—regular black tea with milk or the green tea that comes in teabags—until I saw this exotic-looking tea from Turkey. I couldn’t…
This angry looking fish lives at the Dubai Mall’s huge aquarium. I think it’s angry because it doesn’t enjoy any privacy and people are constantly taking its photograph. I wouldn’t be happy if I were in its shoes. Except that…
Earlier today, my sisters and I attended a one-day photography seminar organized by the Adamson University Alumni Association, U.A.E. chapter. This seminar was organized as part of the association’s fund-raising activity for the deserving students of Adamson University in…
Shooting water jets as high as 500 ft (150 metres), equivalent to that of a 50-storey building, the Dubai Fountain dances each night – for 3-5 minutes – just next to Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa. I had taken these…
Dubai has a fleet of new, clean and impressive public buses. But since we have a pick and drop service provided by work (an enormous blessing, alhumdulillah), I never use these buses on a regular basis. It had been a…
“We built the high-rise for people with strong will and determination. The highest point in the world should be linked to the big names and I announce today: the opening of Burj Khalifa.” ~ Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,…
So the largest mall in the world is house to the world’s largest indoor gold market. Inside, it felt like King Midas had been there touching everything. Designed by Northpoint architects of South Africa, the Gold Souq at Dubai Mall…
BurJuman – one of the oldest malls in Dubai with very high concentration of designer stores – is just next to it, everyone started calling this the BurJuman Station (which is also much easier to pronounce for a lot of…
The Al Jafiliya Station is right across Dubai’s Department of Naturalization and Residency, where we went a few days ago to renew Mom’s residence visa. The stations are designed to look like sea shells. For a moment, I thought I…
Born in 1304, Abu Abdullah Mohammed Ibn Battuta left Morocco, his birthplace, when he was only 21 years old and traveled for almost 30 years, covering 75,000 miles (we’re talking about the pre-steam age). He is the only medieval traveler…
A full moon hanging low besides the Business Central Towers Temperature: 20 C (68 F) Time: 20:00 hrs Location: Dubai Internet City Check out breathtaking photos at Skywatch Friday by clicking on the image below:
Wishing you all a blessed new year. Please pray for peace and solidarity, and remember our brothers and sisters who are currently going through very terrible times. PS: If you are crazy about photography, just like myself, then you’ll love…
Hand in hand, Masood and I walk past the shops in the Dubai Mall, taking our sweet time to take things slow and enjoy the moment together. We have taken half day leave from work and went out for a…