March 3rd week
Howdy Guys and Gals out there. We have great sunshine in Dubai (although as I write, it is a sort of a cloudy day out here) good enough for cycling or going to the beach, while you know what I am sitting and doing. Well, you guessed write. I am sitting and writing my blog. Tee Hee.
You can call me lazy, you can call me any name you think befits me, but, here I am, slouched over my chair, sipping Folgers and contemplating what I would do, other than work or physical exercise, that is.
A little bit of our history and some Arabic Culture.In the late seventies, groups of expatriates (including a handful of Nationals) would be partying, specially on Thursday nights (our weekday off at that time was a Friday only) and we would return home very late in the night, or very early in the morning, it all depended on how you looked at the situation. And, this was much to the detriment of my late Grandmother, who was a very holy person, and this made her feel very sad for I was not following in her footsteps. Well, I am not very sure, if it was New Years Eve or Christmas, we were all invited to the British Council’s house in Sharjah (mind you , Sharjah at that time was not barren, I mean in the alcohol sense of things). And, since everybody knew each other in some way or the other, we all ended up in his, sort of, estate in Sharjah. I think it was probably midnight when most of the expats decided to take a dip in the swimming pool. (again mind you, fully clothed). So it was all fun, and I was standing by the edge and cheering the guys and gals alike, when all of a sudden, I felt a thud, and the next thing, I found myself in the freezing water, all suited and booted. Imagine me, returning home, and there is my loving sweet little grandma waiting for me. I told her it was raining in Sharjah. She did not believe it, for there was hardly a whiff of a cloud in the entire sky. I got a stern lecture on the why’s and the why not’s, and I couldn’t wait for the cue to exit and get into my snug, warm bed.
Now for some Arabic Customs.
The Arabian culture goes a long way. The white flowing dress we adorn has some history to it as well. It’s white color reflects the sun, and the robe being of full length manages to trap whatever air or wind and circulate it all around thus cooling the person. The headgear (it may sound silly), but there was a time when the whole caravan’s fate and survival depended upon it. There are very few trees in the desert, you know and as such, very few places to tie your camel. The black woven piece called ‘Agaal’ that holds the white headgear in place, opens up and the two front legs of the camel are lodged into it. Thus the camel is not able to wander off into the night. For you see, without the camels, the whole caravan would be in danger. The white long scarf would protect against the wind and the sand that it would hurl at the travelers, and also serve as protection in blinding sandstorms where the parents would tie each of their children’s hand on one side of the piece and tie the other to their hand. Visibility during sandstorm is very low in the desert and the howl made by the wind makes it impossible for a person to shout over the noise, thus an infant or a small child wandering off, could be lost forever.
I have quite a few interesting facts cropping up here and there in my first book. So, if you get the chance, then read it to get more insight in how Dubai developed in the seventies and eighties.
Last week I accompanied our PAL1 and Pal 2 trainees to a team building event to Hatta. I was purely amazed at what the puny twins and the other participants achieved during this extravaganza. If I am able to post some photos of the event on my WebPages, then I shall do so next week.
Well, it is now time from my weekly routine. A glass of the very best chardonnay, and the amazing Tchaikovsky’s ‘Swan Lake’.
Take care my friends, and I shall join you all soon. If you have not been able to visit my friends homepages, then do so now.
Eoin Ó Donnuartaigh also known as Dún Garbhán is from Ireland. His poetry webpage is http://www.geocities.com/eoinodonnuartaigh
My dear friend from Canada, is Aimee Pecile (aka the little fairy princess) and her webpage ishttp://www.chebucto.ns.ca/~ag477/libra.html
Cheerio
You can call me lazy, you can call me any name you think befits me, but, here I am, slouched over my chair, sipping Folgers and contemplating what I would do, other than work or physical exercise, that is.
A little bit of our history and some Arabic Culture.In the late seventies, groups of expatriates (including a handful of Nationals) would be partying, specially on Thursday nights (our weekday off at that time was a Friday only) and we would return home very late in the night, or very early in the morning, it all depended on how you looked at the situation. And, this was much to the detriment of my late Grandmother, who was a very holy person, and this made her feel very sad for I was not following in her footsteps. Well, I am not very sure, if it was New Years Eve or Christmas, we were all invited to the British Council’s house in Sharjah (mind you , Sharjah at that time was not barren, I mean in the alcohol sense of things). And, since everybody knew each other in some way or the other, we all ended up in his, sort of, estate in Sharjah. I think it was probably midnight when most of the expats decided to take a dip in the swimming pool. (again mind you, fully clothed). So it was all fun, and I was standing by the edge and cheering the guys and gals alike, when all of a sudden, I felt a thud, and the next thing, I found myself in the freezing water, all suited and booted. Imagine me, returning home, and there is my loving sweet little grandma waiting for me. I told her it was raining in Sharjah. She did not believe it, for there was hardly a whiff of a cloud in the entire sky. I got a stern lecture on the why’s and the why not’s, and I couldn’t wait for the cue to exit and get into my snug, warm bed.
Now for some Arabic Customs.
The Arabian culture goes a long way. The white flowing dress we adorn has some history to it as well. It’s white color reflects the sun, and the robe being of full length manages to trap whatever air or wind and circulate it all around thus cooling the person. The headgear (it may sound silly), but there was a time when the whole caravan’s fate and survival depended upon it. There are very few trees in the desert, you know and as such, very few places to tie your camel. The black woven piece called ‘Agaal’ that holds the white headgear in place, opens up and the two front legs of the camel are lodged into it. Thus the camel is not able to wander off into the night. For you see, without the camels, the whole caravan would be in danger. The white long scarf would protect against the wind and the sand that it would hurl at the travelers, and also serve as protection in blinding sandstorms where the parents would tie each of their children’s hand on one side of the piece and tie the other to their hand. Visibility during sandstorm is very low in the desert and the howl made by the wind makes it impossible for a person to shout over the noise, thus an infant or a small child wandering off, could be lost forever.
I have quite a few interesting facts cropping up here and there in my first book. So, if you get the chance, then read it to get more insight in how Dubai developed in the seventies and eighties.
Last week I accompanied our PAL1 and Pal 2 trainees to a team building event to Hatta. I was purely amazed at what the puny twins and the other participants achieved during this extravaganza. If I am able to post some photos of the event on my WebPages, then I shall do so next week.
Well, it is now time from my weekly routine. A glass of the very best chardonnay, and the amazing Tchaikovsky’s ‘Swan Lake’.
Take care my friends, and I shall join you all soon. If you have not been able to visit my friends homepages, then do so now.
Eoin Ó Donnuartaigh also known as Dún Garbhán is from Ireland. His poetry webpage is http://www.geocities.com/eoinodonnuartaigh
My dear friend from Canada, is Aimee Pecile (aka the little fairy princess) and her webpage ishttp://www.chebucto.ns.ca/~ag477/libra.html
Cheerio
posted by Ayadh at 10:40 AM
<< Home