Dubai Summer Time

August is in the dust, and we are beginning another month.  Just when we thought the weather was cooling down, the September Sun has cancelled those plans...

Almost done with the process for Kait's visa and everything else has been going good. Few pics below ( Pics 1-3 are of a par 3 golf course that I went to, Pic 4 is of the sunset, Pic 5 is a beach view, and Pic 6 is a beach view with the Hilton Hotel)

Oman Part 2

And once again, the Dubai gov't screws us.  Still haven't gotten Kait's visa finalized and we are going on 4 months living here...

We made another trip up to Oman to get Kait's passport stamped.  Few pics below of the dessert.

Summer...

It is getting extremely hot out.  Kait and I went to run some errands the other day (or I mean walk our errands) and it was around 120 degrees out.  The humidity makes it worse and feels like you are being cooked in an oven.  This weather will make summers in DC a lot easier, but I dont know if we will be able to handle the NY cold...

We will be booking our flights home soon and look forward to seeing family and friends, but most importantly being able to eat at Nicks!!!!

VA Bound :  Roughly Nov. 8-16
NY Bound :  Roughly Nov. 17-28

Ramadan Rules...

This is interesting, taken from the Dubai gov't site describing rules about Ramadan.  I guess we need to be careful...

Rules and expectations specific to Dubai and the UAE

• It is illegal to eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours (including in your car). Urban legend has it that you end up in jail for the remainder of the month of Ramadan if caught, however it is more likely that you'll get a lecture from the police and possibly a fine. The law says a fine up to 2000 / 2500 dhs or up to 1 or 2 month jail sentence as far as we know.
• For example, in September 2008, a Lebanese male resident and Russian female visitor were drinking juice in an EPPCO petrol station in Dubai before Iftar, and fined 1000 dhs each according to an article in the Gulf News. Apparently a witness saw them and reported them to the police, who shipped the couple off to court. It seems a surprisingly harsh outcome, unless there is more to the story than was reported.
• Sharjah is likely to have harsher penalties for the same offence.
• Khalil Ibrahim Mansouri, Director General of the department of criminal investigation at the Dubai Police, was reported on 20 August 2009 as saying "We call on people to help us by reporting anyone they see breaking the fast", referring to people eating, drinking, or smoking in public during the day during Ramadan. The report seemed to think that Mr Mansouri was keen to see residents and visitors chucked in jail - the headline was "People caught eating during Ramadan face jail" and pointed out that 24 people had been jailed in Dubai in the past 3 years for violating the Ramadan fasting period. The original source of the report is unclear.
• If you have hungry children, they are permitted to eat during the day but it would be sensible to be discreet about it. If you're desperate for food or drink for them, get a snack at a supermarket or service station, or possibly a restaurant/cafe even if they look closed (knock on the door - there might be someone in the back).
• It is respectful and polite to dress more conservatively during Ramadan - shoulders and legs should be covered, although it is apparent when walking around some of the shopping malls in Dubai that many people either don't know or don't bother.
• Bars in Dubai are usually still open but patrons might be asked what religion they are and refused entry if they are Muslim. Live and loud music is banned, so is dancing, so most nightclubs in Dubai will be closed or very quiet. Bars in Abu Dhabi might be closed. Bars in Ras Al Khaimah usually stay open. Bars in Sharjah don't exist.
• Any alcohol related offences will probably be treated much more severely than outside the month of Ramadan - it is quite possible an offender is stuck in prison until the end of Ramadan.
• Car stereos should be turned down - loud music, especially rock or similar music, is disrespectful at least, and if police hear it, they'll have something to say about it.
• Traffic jam times change - the morning is not much different but afternoons from 1300-1600 is quite busy, and again just before Iftar as many people are trying to get to a desired location for Iftar. Every year there are numerous accidents and requests from police to drive carefully at the time. For an hour or so just after Iftar, and from 1600 to an hour or so before Iftar, the roads are relatively traffic-free.

Ramadan working hours in the UAE

• Companies are required by law to reduce working time by 2 hours per day for all employees, not only Muslims and/or those who are fasting. If employees work longer hours, they should receive overtime pay. Workers can file a complaint at the UAE Ministry of Labour if a company is not following this rule, or not paying overtime for employees who do work longer hours.

Burj Khalifa and Aquarium

We had the chance to explore the aquarium in the Dubai Mall.  This included walking through a tunnel aquarium along with a glass bottom boat ride.  Lots of sharks!!

Watershow near the Burj Khalifa

I am having trouble uploading the video of the watershow, but I will keep trying.  This is held behind the Dubai Mall, next to the Burj Khalifa.  Funny story which leads up to the big show...

I have heard from a few buddies that the watershow is a must see and that it was spectacular.  When Kait and I first got in front of the Burj Khalifa, we pateintly waited for what we expected to be an amazing water show.  Before making the journey, I head that it was held every 30 minutes starting at 7PM each night.  We counted down the minutes to 7 and were left dissapointed as the founains were cool to see, but nothing that I would reccommend to anyone to go out of their way to see.  We thought that maybe the shows did not start until 730, so once again we counted down the minutes until 730 and we were right back to dissapointment, only this time, the dissapointment was accompanied by pools of sweat...

It was not until now, I asked a security guard about the extravagent watershow, and he pointed to the other side of the building where the show is held.  Anyway, we did some shopping and then caught the watershow which was breathtaking.  The show runs everyhalf hour and the water is in sync with the music and apparently the songs are different every nightly show.  One last word of advice would be, watch out Vegas!

Oman & Atlantis Weekend

It turns out that we ran out of time to get Kait's visa and needed to buy more time for the process.  We ended up going on what people refer to as the "Oman Run."  Oman is another country to the East of Dubai, which contains more of an authenic feel of an ancient Middle Eastern country.  One of my buddies from the office agreed to take a trip and drive us the hour it takes to get to Kait's passport extension destination.  It only took us about 20 minutes to get past all of the Glam that Dubai has to offer until we were driving with endless sand dunes on each sides of us.  There were many camels on the way along with sand and sand and more sand.  Did I mention we were driving in the middle of a desert?  Finally we reached one of three checkpoints to get into the Oman boarder.  It really hit home when we pulled up to the first checkpoint which had Army guards along with AK 47's on their shoulders.  From here, the 2nd and 3rd checkpoints became more familiar and we ended up reaching the Oman boarder patrol.  It was very ironic for how strict Dubai seems, as the ease to "play" the system by going to Oman.  Kait was able to get an entrance stamp on her passport, which allows her to remain in Dubai for 30 more days.  Within this time, let's hope that we can get our visa's finalized, or else we will be making another trip to Oman in July...

On the way back from Oman, we stopped at the Atlantis Hotel, which is on the manmade Island known as the Palm Jerimeah. The Hotel is breathtaking and we plan to spend some more time there during our stay in Dubai. The Hotel offers numerous bars and restaurants, a water park, and a chance to swim with dolphins!

Kait's favorite- Glass figure in the Atlantis entrance

Aquarium in Atlantis

GOLD ATM.  It really works too!

The view from the Atlantis looking back to Dubai Marina.

Atlantis Entrance