Postcards from Abu Dhabi with some tips from Ask Ali

Saying Marhaba (Hello) or As salamu alyakum is a way to greet local people here, so please allow me to greet you with a Marhaba!

This is the first post from our adventures in Middle East, starting from United Arab Emirates (UAE) where we arrived in the scorching and highly humid summer 2014.


Our first summer in Abu Dhabi: admiring 123-m flagpole on Marina Island across from Marina Mall. 



A bird view of Abu Dhabi City from Grand Millennium Al Wahda Hotel, where we lived happily for almost 4% of our days this year.


Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque where we learned from a funny tour guide who is also a civil engineer.



Madinat Zayed


Abu Dhabi Mall


Marina Mall has a Carrefour.


Khalidiyah Mall where I attended a worship in a cinema for the first time of my life.


A bird view of Reem Island, where we live in 2014.



The Gate Towers reminds us on Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.


Another view of the Gate Towers and their reflections on the Arc Towers.


Dramatic reflection of sunrise as viewed in Reem Island is always inspiring. 


Night view of Reem Island.



Public buses e.g. bus 54 of Abu Dhabi cost only 2 dirhams / passenger.


St Joseph's Cathedral of Abu Dhabi.

Hand shakes
Remember to shake firmly. If you are a man, it is impolite to offer your hand to a local woman. If a local woman offers her hand, it is then OK to reciprocate. Some Arab men will shake non-local women's hands, some will not (it is ok too)!

Learn some Arabic words. Based on my experience living in Abu Dhabi, one can survive in Abu Dhabi without knowing Arabic, but it is always wonderful to learn some Arabic words.
Yes : Na'am / Aywah
No : Laa
Bon appetit : Bel Aaafiya
My name is : Ana esmi
Congratulation : Mabrook
Thank you : Shukran
Sorry : Asif / Asifa

Respect - a universal value - for each other's differences requires open-mindedness, tolerance, adaptability and obedience. Although I have not lived long enough to give wise advice, I have found that respecting yourself and other people (regardless of their social, economic, education status) is among the best policies. Ask Ali also highlights that it is "illegal to defame any member of the ruling families of any of the emirates."

Be thoughtful. "Even if you must compromise, don't embarrass your Arab colleagues in public."

Depending on the context, the opposites may be right.
In Arabic culture, it is impolite not to answer a phone call during meetings.
In Western culture, it is impolite to answer a phone call during meetings.
What if you are in a meeting with both Arabic and Western colleagues?
I remember a meeting that I attended in my first week working in Abu Dhabi. Half-way through the meeting, a phone rang. The most important person (who was originally from USA) said, "I'm glad it's not mine."

Arab people may raise their voices when they speak, not out of anger, but to emphasize a point.

Trust Arab people like to do business with those they trust (those whom they know or wit whom they have friends in common). Arab people don't like to do business over the phone or without initially meeting you.

Local values that I hope to learn more:
respect
generosity / ikramiya
modesty / humility
trust

***

Social media that I follow:
www.emiratweet.com : a virtual majlis of events, news, street talk about Emirati individuals and society.
www.sailemagazine.com : about successful entrepreneurial Emiratis.
The National : an English newspaper of UAE

***

Things that I add to the bucket list:

1. visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the largest mosque in the UAE and the eighth largest mosque in the world. It also has a Center library. Gently step on the wool carpet (the most comfortable one I have ever had the blessing to walk on) in the main prayer hall. Admire the Swarovski crystals-decorated chandeliers.  
2. learn Arabic calligraphy as a way of learning Arabic culture.
3. enjoy a cup of coffee sprinkled with gold leaves @ Emirates Palace with classic luxurious stairwell. 
4. attend exhibitions (and if possible, weddings) @ Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC).
5. desert safari / dune bashing @ Liwa Oasis ~ 2 hours drive from Abu Dhabi. Imagine a roller-coaster ride over sand dunes accompanied by sunset.  
6. ride a camel.

***

First and finally, please remember the followings:

1. Stand up when someone approaches you to say hello. 
2. Use your right hand to pick things up or accept things. 
3. Reshuffle your position (at an elevator, a doorway) to place an important person / guest to your right. 
4. Dress modestly.
5. Remove your shoes before entering your host's home. 
6. Refer the gulf as Arabian Gulf (not Persian gulf!)
7. Send a Ramadan Kareem (Blessed Ramadan) card at the beginning of the Ramadan month or an Eid Mubarak (Happy Mubarak) at the end of Ramadan, to your Muslim friends. 
8. Wait until after Ramadan to approach Muslim businessmen with new ideas. 
9. Offer local friends food - a symbol of goodwill and friendship, especially home-cooked food if you know how to cook. Remember to exclude pork or alcohol (even in chocolates)! 
10. Do not touch anyone of the opposite sex. No gentle pat.  
11. Do not schedule any meeting / gathering / sport event on Fridays, at least not until after 4 pm because, to respect people's need of praying.
12. Do not leave your host's home before coffee and Arabic sweets are served (or else they may feel that they have not completed their hospitality duties; hospitality is an important value here, rooted in the harsh desert conditions). 
13. Do not point your soles / the bottom of your fee towards anyone, especially someone's face. 
14. Do not say Mashallah when praising something beautiful to an Arab.
15. Do not say swear words. 
16. Do not post sexually suggesting, politically / religiously controversial material.  
17. Do not take photographs of a local person (especially women and families) without asking for a permission. 
18. Do not take photographs of Muslims praying.
19. Do not take photographs of military sites, the royal family's palaces, government buildings (e.g. airports, police headquarters).
20. Do not eat, drink, smoke, or chew gum in public during Ramadan. 
21. Women traveling alone in taxi should sit in the back and not make conversation with the cabbies, as drivers may misinterpret friendliness. 

With love,
ServicefromHeart
201410 #travelxp

Last updated 20141026

Postcards from Dubai Mall, United Arab Emirates

Inspired by Americans who love superlatives, I am grateful for a visit to the Dubai Mall (迪拜购物中心) of UAE - the world's largest shopping mall (based on total area).





Dubai Mall was developed by Emaar Properties, that also own Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world as of today).







Visiting Dubai Mall on almost on her sixth anniversary (it first opened on 20081104) was a blessing for me. I always love birthdays, not only of mine but also of others. Birthday = a reason to celebrate the miracles of being alive and continuous growth.

We drove from Abu Dhabi to Dubai on a morning of sand storm. We could not see very far, but I managed to catch a glimpse of Burj Al Arab from far far away. Our petite beautiful driver was hungry, so we stopped at a gas station with a McDonald.

Fabrice said the most delicious coffee in UAE is the one sold by ADNOC. For me, I still love South East Asian roasted coffee the most.

Although I grew up as a child in Jakarta, where malls are ubiquitous, I had also called Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, UK my home. In a town like Cambridge, malls (not to mention malls with inspiring design) are not common, though I appreciate the convenience of shopping in small supermarkets and shops. 

Dubai Mall has more than 1,200 stores. We had a lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, which I had heard about while living in La Jolla, California but had not have a chance to visit until today. I ordered (1) fresh kale salad and (2) portabella mushroom avocado and zucchini fries. i also sampled (3) beets with goat cheese comprises fresh beets, apples, baby arugula & pecans, (4) burger (5) salmon (6) chicken. Consequently, I had no more space left for the dessert. I will be back for trying the cheesecake!

The Dubai Mall implements courtesy policy: shoulders and knees should be covered, no kissing or overt display of affection in the mall, no smoking in the mall, no dangerous activities (e.g. sport games, rollerblading, skateboarding), no pets are allowed in the mall.


My impromptu tour guide once worked in the construction of a nearby hotel. He told me that when things were challenging, they de-stressed by gazing the fish swimming in a carefree manner, without worrying about the burden of life and work.

Herein, may I please suggest a must-do list in @TheDubaiMall:

1. Visit the Dubai Aquarium and Discovery Centre. Admission fees range from AED 80-110. Dubai Aquarium Underwater Zoo reminds me on a night sleepover in the Underwater World, Sentosa Island Singapore; thank you Luke How!   
2. Cage snorkeling with the sharks (AED 290)@ the Dubai Aquarium.



3. In Dubai Ice Rink in Dubai Mall, imagine the romance of ice-skating as described by the ballet-loving and warm-hearted Veronica Weston of the Sadler Wells by Lorna Hills. Remember to bring a pair of socks. 
4. Appreciate candies and chocolates in the 2010 world's largest sweet shop "Candylicious" spanning over 10,000 sq ft (930 m2) inside Dubai Mall. I bought a Belgian dark chocolate for our driver simply because the cover girls remind me on her. Thank you for driving us safely! I also bought a 70%-cacao Mucha-covered chocolate by Chocolate Amatller for myself. 





5. Imagine yourself as an Alibaba being surrounded with the glitters in Dubai Mall's Gold Souk. Caveats: (1) unlike Alibaba, you must pay the price before taking any gold out of the souk (2) "All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost." ~ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring.


6. At The Emirates Official Store in Dubai Mall, be a captain of the Emirates A380 - the world's largest aircraft.  A 30-minute session of simulator flight costs AED 350. I am also grateful for my past experience of flying A380 with Singapore Airlines and Qantas, and look forward to flying A380 with Emirates. 
7. Experience the Dubai Fountain - the world's largest dancing fountain, designed by California-based WET, the creators of the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas. I recommend the daily evening shows every 30 minutes from 6:00pm to 11:00pm.
8. Enjoy bird view of the Arabian Gulf and desert from level 124 of the world’s tallest tower, At the Top, Burj Khalifa (first inaugurated 20100104). Dated & Timed Adult ticket costs AED 125, < 12 years old AED 95, < 3 years old free. Fast track ticket costs AED 400.
   
9. Meet and Pose with the DubaiDino, the original skeleton of a long-necked, whip-tailed vegetarian sauropod (Amphicoelias brontodiplodocus member of the family Diplodocidae) that is over 155 million years old, and of 80 ft (24.4 metres) long and 25 ft (7.6 metre) high. When it was alive, it weighted as heavy as five elephants. The dinosaur could have died during drought in a natural trap - Dana Quarry, Wyoming, USA. I love to imagine arriving at a world we have heard of only in stories such as Jurrasic Park.
   


10. Pose with the Dubai Mall Waterfall, designed by Singapore-based DP Architects. This is my favorite artwork.
    


11. Visit Kinokuniya bookstore and forget the time.
    
    
    
    
    
    A mango lemonade with some Spanish and Belgium chocolate appear to be ideal companions for a happy reading session.
    "Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is." ~ The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway.
12. Do shopping and window-shopping.

Mickey Mouse with its iconic ears always bring back the happy memory in Disneyland Paris.


Since I could remember, I have loved stories, and Pinocchio was among the first few stories that I read. I appreciate how Jiminy Cricket reminded Pinocchio (and us), "remember always let your conscience be your guide."

Once, I dreamed of becoming a fashion designer and a fashion model. Everything starts with a dream. I have created handmade dresses for my (only) Barbie girl. Though I am not a professional model, I have done some catwalks in Vancouver and Singapore, to promote the causes that I believe in. Thank you for the opportunities to do so! "Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." I always admire beauty, as I do for truth and kindness. I think ... I am highly sensitive to beauty, especially of people and nature that I grow loving more than ever. Beautiful things make me happy.

The design of postcards sold in the Souk Al Bahar (Market of the Sailor) reminds us to "keep calm we still have oil." In 2013, petroleum engineering is the most lucrative college major. Will the situation be still the same several years and decades down the road? I am concerned for our children and grandchildren. I believe in the importance of research and development for alternative renewable energies, because eventually the non-renewable fossil fuels are going to be used up.


This is the first Spinneys market that I visited in Dubai. It is situated in the Souk Al Bahar (Market of the Sailor).

What's next?
♥ visit Abu Dhabi Yas Mall, the second largest mall in UAE after Dubai Mall. Like Ferrari World and Yas Waterworld, Yas Mall is situated on the Yas Island.
♥ I am grateful to be able to view the world's tallest building hitherto. I also look forward to appreciating the next world's tallest building. I imagine that the future world's tallest building will reach the outer space (perhaps anchored by a satellite for stability) and ordinary people like me, can fulfill our dreams to visit the outer space.
♥ re-visiting postcards from our other #travelxp always evokes special feelings of contentment and excitement.

♥♥♥

Many thanks
ServicefromHeart
20141101