Holiday Plans

Moving Day tomorrow.  Reminds me of a book I used to read to my kids called Teddy's Moving Day.  Hopefully all goes well.  We have an early start but I picked up the keys today so at least that is one less job.

I'm just posting my travel plans so that if there are any disasters this side of the world you'll know where I'm supposed to be.  Travel is getting iffy with Syria and Turkey at odds.

Flights are with Gulf Air Abu Dhabi to Rome via Bahrain leaving 11pm July 28th & returning late evening August 8th.  We have a stopover in Bahrain each way for an hour or two.

From  Rome we head to the port to catch our cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean - Navigator of the Seas, departs 7/29/12, 7 nights Day Date Port or Activity Arrive Depart Sun Jul 29 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy 5:00pm Mon Jul 30 Messina, Sicily, Italy 10:00am 7:00pm Tue Jul 31 At Sea Wed Aug 1 Ephesus / Kusadasi, Turkey 7:00am 6:00pm Thu Aug 2 Athens (Piraeus), Greece 6:00am 6:00pm Fri Aug 3 Crete (Chania), Greece 6:30am 3:00pm Sat Aug 4 At Sea Sun Aug 5 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy 5:00am

At the end of the cruise we have 3 nights in Rome before flying home.  We will be visiting the Vatican and other attractions.

Side trips booked from the cruise include:
Taste of Sicily, Mt Etna & Taormina.
Highlights of Ephesus, Turkey.
Athens sightseeing and Acropolis.

I'll be offline for a few days until after our trip but will be in touch via Facebook and Skype.

Ciao.

New apartment photos

I thought I'd pop some photos of the new apartment here for you to look at.  The apartment is called Sun Tower and it is on Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi.   You can google it and see more.   If you are interested enough there is a plan of the apartment at the very bottom of the photos.  Happy scrolling!

 Looking down the lounge towards the outside view.  Apartment 2802, 28th floor!  No good if you don't like heights so not sure how I'm going to go in the lift.  Fastest one in Abu Dhabi apparently.

 Kitchen sink and cabinets.  One opaque glass cabinet to display my four new wineglasses in.  The sink has a water filter.  Note the space for a dishwasher.

 Cabinets next to the stove space.  It includes a rangehood.  The counter tops are black and the cabinets are light wood which makes a nice change as everything here is dark brown/black wood.

 Looking back down the lounge towards the kitchen which has an open servery with a breakfast bar.
To the right is the +one room and front door.  The cabinets on the wall are one eyesore as they are the utility cabinets so can't really be covered.

 Mum's pet hate.  Toilet straight through from the kitchen.  With only the one door!  They don't have rules here like we do in NZ about having to have two doors between the loo and the kitchen.  I disliked this idea.  But I've seen much worse such as a guest bathroom right off the kitchen!

 Inside of the said bathroom.  The loo is in the dark and doesn't have a light above it.  I only noticed that when I did the inspection with the lady.  The apartment is brand new and no-one has lived in it before me.  This bathroom has a shower with a glass door.

 Lots of storage with built in wardrobes.  These line both sides of the hall going down to the bedrooms.

 More wardrobes in master bedroom going to ensuite.

 Wardrobes in 2nd bedroom.  This room is much wider from wardrobe to window but narrower across.

 The +one space.  The apartment is advertised as 2+1.  2 bedrooms plus an extra space.  I am not sure how we will use it yet but it is as you walk in.

 Bedroom view looking out towards the city.  It has windows that open.  Many buildings don't.

 Ensuite bathroom containing shower over bath, basin, toilet and bidet.  Only problem is the bidet sticks out so the door doesn't open fully.  Obviously a man designed these apartments as many flaws in design.

Master bedroom looking towards hall and ensuite on right.

 Kitchen cupboard with built in rubbish bin.  Note the drain in the floor!  All the wet floor areas usually have these.

 Outside on the ground floor.  Kids playground under the sails.  And green grass!!!  A first for me.

 Ground floor outside.

 Ground floor walkway but I'm not sure where it goes.  Lots of exploring to be done once it cools down a bit.

Ground floor corridors.  Very nice decor and a few shops opening.  Latest is a Waitrose supermarket which is an English chain.  No queues either but more expensive than Lulu's or

One of the new cafe's about to open.  Currently there is a frozen yoghurt shop, several coffee shops and the supermarket.  A pharmacy is nearly ready and this cafe by the look of it.  It looks like there will be lots of shops eventually.

The shopping complex walkway.

Plan of my apartment.  It might be a bit small but you get the idea.  It is bigger than where I am now but the bedrooms aren't as wide.  It is difficult to judge without furniture in there so once I've moved I'll have a better idea of the size.

Ramadan/driving/moving/shopping and more!

Ramadan Kareem!

Greetings to you all on the first day of the holy month, 'Ramadan'.  I wonder if Ramadan is the same time as Matariki?  I've survived day one but didn't fast as slept in which is very unusual for me.  I did venture out to the Mall early, around 10.30am and it was empty. No coffee shops or eateries were open and most of the shops were closed.  Whether the closed shops was due to Ramadan or is normal at that mall on a Friday I'm not sure.  Not many shoppers either although I did see several Phillipino men sitting eating and drinking at one of the coffee shop tables.  No-one did anything about it but there were no Emirates in sight.

I was shopping for a gown for our cruise.  As we have two formal nights and get photos with the Captain I thought I'd better dress up.  I've managed to get my son outfitted which can be a mission in itself.  As anyone with teenage boys knows they aren't into dressing up or shopping with mothers but after a recommendation we headed into Pierre Cardin in the Abu Dhabi Mall to buy a suit.  Yes!  A suit nonetheless!  And three shirts and two ties.  No, make that four shirts and three ties as the last one was a tux shirt and bow tie.  Very flash.  I think the Wellington Uncle will be impressed!!!

Just imagine being able to decide at the last minute that you need a suit and going into an upmarket shop and getting one, off the rack as well.  Very impressive with a choice of fabrics.  This one is wool and silk mix so looks and feels lovely.  The young guy in there was very helpful and even taught him how to tie a Windsor Knot so now knows it all.  Pity neither of us could manage to operate the bow tie once we got home and had to ask when we picked up the suit which was getting the pants taken up.  Imagine, taken up!  So armed with a nice Pierre Cardin suit bag my son thinks he is the bees knees.  Lucky he brought new dress shoes from home as he wouldn't have a hope of getting any here, me neither for that matter.  Lucky everything was 75% off so we saved 5580 AED and paid 1860 AED which is $633 NZD.

So back to my gown.  I managed to get a flowing teal dress which looks fabulous.  I'm looking for a second one so will have to hit the shops again.  There are some great sales on at the moment but most clothes are made for tiny Phillipino girls.  Also a lot of short skirts around which don't do me any justice.  My gown was 365 AED on sale so $125 NZD.  Many dresses are up in the 3-4000 price range but we're talking red carpet gowns here.  The Emirate women wear them under their Abaya to weddings then take the Abaya off. So no shortage of glamour and bling or money.  I'm shopping in the cheap shops compared to them.

So I've had out my lovely high-heels that I bought in Hamilton before I left NZ and been striding up and round the corridor outside our apartment while I adjust to wearing heels again.  I've managed to wear the wedges to the mall twice and haven't fallen over yet.  So I'm getting more accustomed to them as I need to be able to walk on the ship.  It's been years since I've worn heels so it's taking some getting used to again.

Hopefully I get some lovely photos to share with you all during the cruise.

I am moving on Wednesday so have sold my newly bought wardrobes today.  I have movers coming in at 8am Wednesday to pack and shift stuff.  I've had to book the lift at the new apartments so did that for 1pm.  Not sure what the 5 men will do for 5 hours but no doubt there will be a lot of standing around looking!  It takes ages to get stuff down in the lifts too which they need to allow for I suppose.

So I've been busy organising that.  My curtain man is going to adjust the curtains to fit the new place so that's good.  He will take them down and then put them up at the new place.

I'm hoping it will be all sorted and I'll have my clearance from here before I go on the cruise so I can relax.  I think I deserve it after all the rigmarole to get the new apartment.  So look out for photos of that too.

I got a rental car for two weeks the day we finished school so I could get around easier.  A wee Toyota Yaris, very wee!  I drove home with my hands rigid on the steering wheel and made it in one piece only to scrape the side of the car as I drove into our parking garage!  Would you believe it?  The entrance has a nice sweeping curve then juts out at the bottom and I, not being used to sitting on the left hand side, misjudged it.  Or didn't even see it to be honest.  So I had to call the police, yes the police, to come and do a report.  He laughed and said, "But it's just a little car!"  So a 300 AED fine for my troubles.  Luckily I paid extra to have no excess on the insurance, must have known I wouldn't get through two weeks without some mishap.  I haven't changed the car as I feel happier knowing it's got one scrape down the side incase I somehow get another!  As long as you have the police report when you return it, I think it's ok.  As I've told you before, they drive like madmen here and it's even worse during Ramadan.  Over the last few weeks I see at least 3 accidents every time I go out.  Hence the no-excess.

Ramadan is very  much like Christmas in that it is the main holiday here.  All the shops are decorated with the words, 'Ramadan Kareem' which I haven't been able to find out what that means.  But I imagine it's happy or peaceful Holy Month.  My local supermarket has a date display because it is the time of year that the dates are ripe.  In Liwa they have a date festival which is a must see but I didn't get there this year.  Too hot at the moment anyway.  The date is important to Ramadan because they break their fast by eating dates.  Then they partake of 'Iftar' which is the meal to break the fast.  You see multiple restaurants advertising 'Iftar' buffets now.  That is because they usually do the Friday brunch but can't so have to get people in somehow. I've booked us one so will see what it is like.  I will do that later in Ramadan.

Here are some photos of the display in the Mall.  See if you can spot the name of the supermarket written in dates.  I didn't realise there are so many types of dates.  Makes my date scones look a bit tame.

 Lulu's display.  Note the camels glued on to the floor.

 Bunches of dates growing by our shops.  Note the red ones in the background.  People help themselves to the dates from the trees, especially all the workers.  You take what you need and leave the rest for others.

 Wonderful bunches of dates.  Did you know they came in these colours?  I didn't.

 Now these dates are more what I am used to.  They are ripe but still have many varieties.  You can buy them boxed stuffed with orange peel, almonds and tamarin or something similar.

 Artistically displayed dates complete with minature camels.

More bunches of dates.  These trees line all the roadsides and are laden at the moment.

Ramadan Kareem to you all.

Housing debacle Part 2

Off I go in another taxi to the other end of town to the Abu Dhabi Judiciary or Court House.  What a change from the other government agencies I've been to.

As you walk in there are two large customer service staffed by Emirate men.  They wear the customary white Kandora with a sand coloured jacket stating they are customer service.  That's a first, customer service.  So it was easy to find someone to help you and when you asked they couldn't go out of their way enough to ensure you had what you needed, such as photocopying documents for you.  They directed me to where I needed to go even telling me that I would need two witnesses.  Two witnesses!  Now that could be a problem.  I could just ask someone there.  Oh, and they had to be men!  How surprising!

So off I go, escorted to the correct counter by a customer service man, another first.  I ask around and find one man who will be a witness as he has to have two also.  He asks several Emirates and they refuse.  Then he asks more and they also refuse.  It quickly become obvious that the Emirates will not do it for us.  I ask another man who walks by and he agrees.  The first man finds his second witness (did I mention they have to have an Emirates ID?) and off we go to photocopy their ID.  Back to the counter and I get my number which is only one to wait.  Another first!  Usually it's about 50 at least.  5 minutes later my number is up and I find the office and an Egyptian lady types up the documents.  Another number and back to the counter and the witnesses sign their bit.  I take a seat on the women's waiting side while the customer service man here directs people to sit continually and makes sure they are on the right side.  Another wait and my number is up again and off I go to a second office.  The Emirate man there ignores me when I greet him in Arabic but once he finishes his work on his desk and then makes a phone call he is polite and pleasant.  He writes all the bits and asks if I am divorced.  I say no as I don't want it to become a problem here.  Next question is am I muslim?  No.  Off go my documents to the translator and I sit and wait.

Then the security man comes out and tells me I have to go to the NZ Embassy.  Oh no, I think to myself.  Here we go again.  As my son's birth certificate has been stamped and authenticated so many times already I sigh and ask why?  He goes away then comes back and says wait.  So I wait until the translator comes and we go back to the man in the office.  The translator explains to me that they can't process the application as I am not married!  Same, same...

However, I can now take my application to another part and apply for custody of my child through the Abu Dhabi court!  You can imagine how that went down.  Here he is nearly 17 and they are wanting me to apply for custody of him.  Bit late for that.  Any explanation fell on deaf ears as this is their law here.

You have to understand that I have a letter from his father stating that he can live in the UAE with me, as requested before leaving NZ.  No mention of anything else.  So I walk out, once again despondent.

I get out my phone with the Ambassador's number and dial it outside the court house.  Only to get the Dubai emergency consulate who tells me this is the emergency number and that the Ambassador is on leave.  Had I tried phoning the Abu Dhabi office?  Feeling rather foolish, even though it felt like an emergency to me, I grab another taxi and head down to the NZ Embassy here.  I tried phoning them but no reply.  So not even knowing if they are open I head down there and press the intercom on the gate, watched closely by the Pakistani workmen on the sidewalk.

Luck was on my side and someone answers and asks how they can help.  I get let inside and then through the door (heavy security) into the foyer.  I explain my situation to the guy there (Arabic but not Emirate) who tells me that the Embassy have strict rules and can't write a letter.  However, he can talk to the consulate and see what advice he has.  I am not ashamed to say that I played the card that I knew the Ambassador, calling him by his first name, and he knew my son.

So a kiwi man comes into view behind the screen, then comes through the door to talk to me.  He invites me into the next room and we sit while I explain my situation.  He reiterates that they can't write me a letter but suggests I could do a Statutory Declaration, for a fee.  He could type it today and I could collect it tomorrow.  Ok, I say.  Once again I play the 'who I know' card, telling him it's that type of society here.

Before I know it I'm being invited into the inner sanctum and the declaration is printed off.  They decide they can do it now so I produce our passports which are duly copied and stamped and signed.  Then I fill in the Statutory Declaration saying that I provide care and housing for my son who lives in UAE with me.  The man stamps and signs it.  It is on NZ Embassy letterhead.  I pay 140 AED ($50 NZD).  He clearly understood my need to have something official to meet the needs of my employer, even though the whole process is a farce.

While copying my passport he comments on the fact that I was from Fairlie.  I ask him if he has a connection but no, he just knows where it is.  It turns out he is the Consulate in Riyhad in Saudi Arabia and has come over to Abu Dhabi to cover for our Consulate while he is in Queenstown skiing with his family.  It was nice to chat to someone so down to earth about everyday things such as his house back in NZ.  A lovely man who spent his life in the navy then the foreign office.

So armed with my papers I head back to housing, not sure if this will suffice, considering it is handwritten by me.  I return to the Manager with my paper, hoping and praying all the while.  He reads it and says nothing while I explain that the court wouldn't do it.  We head upstairs to housing and I take a seat while he talks to  the nice housing woman.  A bit of head shaking then I am told to come tomorrow to the other office and collect my contract.

I live in hope...

To be continued (I'm sure).

Housing debacle

I am writing my entry early this week while the experience is fresh in my mind, before it loses its poignancy.

I had mentioned earlier that I was hoping to move apartments and commented that this would be a blog entry  in itself.  Perhaps more than one!

It all began over four weeks ago when a notice arrived at my doorstep asking if I wanted to renew my apartment.  As I had been told I'd have to stay here for a year at least I jumped at the opportunity to move.  Now don't get me wrong, our building  is very new, in fact it only opened in August last year.  The rooms are big enough and nicely finished.  The roof boasts a gymnasium and pool.  However, the building is on a building site and there are eight buildings either finished or works in progress that are powered by generators.  Each building has about six generators running continually.  Hence there is constant noise which varies from an annoying hum to an impossible to get to sleep at night rumble.  As I have acute hearing I find the incessant noise extremely intrusive, bordering on abusive.

So I signed the form saying I would terminate my contract.  This meant finding a new apartment.

First step was to get my housing allowance onto my ERP.  I've just realised that I don't even know what that stands for but it is all my personal information accessible online.  Any changes or information sharing happens through this site.  The site is used for uploading personal information, notifying of any personal changes, applying for leave, applying for visas, reporting back in after the holidays, in fact anything you want to do including terminating a lease or applying for a new lease.

So began my visits and emails to my employer.  An email to housing was the first step.  No response so a visit.  You have to understand that things work differently here.  Housing is an open plan office that you go into.  Then you wander to someone's desk and start talking to them.  You  have no idea who does what and many of them don't speak English.  If you are like me, you stand and wait or even worse, take a seat and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, until some helpful person tells you just to go over there.  One visit lasts anything from and hour to three depending on the mindset of the staff.

(I have already told you this bit of the story but I will continue anyway.)

So on the first visit I wait three hours to be told it is an HR problem, not housing.  So off to HR to be told that there is no-one there to help.

Next day I return to HR to find they have taken action by emailing housing as it's their problem not HR.  So back to housing I go.  Of course these two departments are in different buildings so I wander back over next door.  So at this stage my problem is to get a housing allowance allocated.

Back at housing I wait again then finally find a new man willing to help.  More time passes but eventually an Indian man loads my housing allowance.  Incorrectly, of course.  When I explain this to him he tells me I am Divorced therefore not entitled to the higher allowance.  I ask him to phone over to HR as it was approved there but he tells me he doesn't work for my employer and walks off.

So the saga continues.

Several more visits to housing and another to HR find me with the same allowance.  By this time the term is drawing to a close and housing is chaotic with people everywhere.  At least 30 waiting and at times not one staff member serving.  People push in and there are no systems whatsoever.  You can imagine that this irritates me immensely and I just want to get in there and sort it out.  Never mind my issue.

So a visit is now taking at least 3 hours, often spent standing as you don't want to lose your spot if you are close to a staff member.  By now the head of housing has taken leave so no-one knows what to do.  Then a lovely Egyptian man is hired and will be lucky to survive as he is currently working from 8am to 11pm to process applications.  He looks as if he will have a heart attack and drop dead behind the counter, running from A-B and dealing with at least six people at a time.  While no-one else lifts a finger!

One week I go in and they have put a desk out with forms for us to fill in.  I get the rude lady again about my housing eligibility (I filled in the form incorrectly and was told so) who says it is now a computer glitch and not to worry (or in Arabic terminology - 'No Problem!')  Just put the correct amount on the form when I apply.  Ok!  I am given this same information repeatedly over the next two to three weeks on subsequent visits.

The next week they have turned the desk around and blocked off the staff members so you have to yell over the counter with an office full of people listening.  Still only one serving.  And did I mention they shut at 2pm and we are all still at work until that time.

The real problem begins when I find an apartment and want to enter the data online.  Oops, I can't because the allowance is more than I am entitled to.  Another visit to HR to be told it is sorted at their end and they don't want me to go back as it isn't their problem.

'No Problem' though at housing.  Just put a note for housing and it will be ok.  Plus I need to tick the box to say I will pay the difference as the computer won't accept it.  It seems to be a problem for me but 'No problem' for them.  I have been told this about 10 times by now so I am beginning to believe it.   By this stage I have emailed the rude lady and have a reply of a copy she sent to the Indian man telling him, FYA.  I took that to mean, for your action.  How wrong I was.

So I find my new apartment and get a letter of offer.  I take this in to the Egyptian man and enter the details online along with my message to housing re eligibility & reluctantly tick the box, all the time wondering if I am going to have a hefty exit account.

Am I beginning to sound like a broken record?

Well just to vamp it up a bit there's a twist.

When you apply for a new contract you have to provide the letter of offer with supporting documents.  'No problem' you think.  Ummmm....

One of the supporting documents is a clearance letter from your existing apartment.  Now just to spice things up this can only be obtained once you have handed in your keys, parking remote, and have a clearance letter from the power company.

But I'm not moving for three weeks.  How does that work?  'No problem.'  Just bring your clearance letter in and then we will do the contract.

So off I head to the power company.  Another two hour wait (hey, haven't I done this already three weeks ago?  Yes, that's right!) to be told that to get a clearance letter they read the meter then disconnect the electricity the following day.  You then go in and pay and the following day come back in and get your clearance letter.  'No problem'.

But I'm not moving for three weeks.  How does that work?  'No problem.'  Just let us know when you want it done.

So back to housing.  'No problem'.  Just bring the clearance in and we'll do the contract.

Back to the maintenance man at the apartment.  'No problem'.  Just bring in the power clearance letter and he'll do the apartment clearance.   I feel a flow diagram coming on here to illustrate this process.

Several sleepless nights later I'm back at housing to be told by 'my' Egyptian that because he trusts me he will get the contract typed and once I've got the keys to the new place and moved my furniture to get my clearance.  All very against the rules but am I arguing?  NO!

Two days later he phones to say, 'Big problem!'  I can't get the higher housing allowance as I'm divorced.

Well, you can imagine me by this time.

But it gets better!!!!

He instructs me to go to HR to sort it as I told him it's all sorted there.  So back I go.  Remembering all this is in a taxi and in work time.  The lady at HR was not happy to see me and said, "Haven't you been in before?  This was all sorted."   Yes, I thought so too.  She picks up the phone to ring the rude lady who, of course, doesn't answer.  Then she rings the man in charge of the housing department and rants and raves at him.

Off I go to him and he takes me up to the rude lady (who I am sure hates me by this time and I her by the time I leave).  She patiently explains to me that I don't qualify as I am divorced.  D I V O R C E D!  Yes, a sin here.  I try to explain that I have been divorced for 30 years and the child in question is not from that husband.  Even worse sin.  I patiently tell her that HR has approved the higher allowance but she tells me that they don't understand housing policies.  By now I am crying with frustration.  Without a letter of support from the courts in New Zealand I am not getting a higher allowance.  We reach a stalemate.  She then explains that she wants to sort this and finds me other apartments within my budget.  I tell her I have looked and they are too small as I have a 16 year old son with me.  'No problem'.  Just move up higher in the building I'm in.  It should be quieter.  I leave totally disillusioned and ready to pack my bags and fly home.

I was so upset and emotionally drained I went home and slept for a few hours, much to my son's concern.  He suggested I phone our friend, the NZ Ambassador, to see if he could help.

After a night licking my wounds and some sleep I awoke ready for battle.  I phoned to say I wouldn't be going to work and headed downtown to the housing manager.  He was shocked to see me again but seemed to want to help me solve the problem.  Back we go to housing and talk to another woman who types the contracts.  A long dialogue takes place in Arabic but I get the gist of many of the comments.  From the gestures it appears the Indian man would not load the higher amount without this paper.  And I can't get this paper.  After much discussion I interrupt and ask would it help if I changed my status from divorced to single with a child?  Apparently not.  But I've since loaded that on my ERP so will see what the response is there.

Finally it is decided that this document doesn't have to be from a NZ court, they can do it for me at the courthouse in Abu Dhabi.  Probably take an hour and cost under 100 AED.  I had also asked about a letter from the NZ Embassy and they said that would suffice but the court would be easier.

Perhaps you'd better get a coffee about now and return to the saga after a break.  I might do the same as it's been a long couple of days.  Check out part 2.

Cooking 101

Last night I decided to make butter chicken using a recipe from my HOF.  She assured me that once I'd tried this recipe I'd never buy it again.

So off I venture to the supermarket to buy the ingredients plus a beautiful new stainless steel frypan to cook it in.  Of course I still only have my one element induction cooker so must pans don't work on it.  I wanted one with a lid but none of them were for induction elements.  

350 AED later I taxi home armed with an array of spices.  I had bought cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, tumeric, red chilli powder and whole cloves in 200gm bags.  Much bigger quantities that I'd ever buy at home.  Most bags were around 3.50 - 5.50 AED price range but I had to pay much dearer for the cumin as they had sold out of bags and I purchased it in a bottle like we buy at home.  So 16 AED for that one!

The fresh herbs consisted of a bunch of corriander, lemons, green chillis, garlic & onions.  My pitiful amounts of each are considered adnormal by the staff at the weighing counter as the locals have huge bags of everything.

One big pack of skinless chicken breast later plus a tub each of cream, sour cream and yoghurt and I'm all set.

Telling my son that tea would be at 7 I begin preparation at 6pm.  About an hour later he is still trying to undo my nearly new small whizz just made for grinding up herbs.  I'd decided it had sealed itself after the last use so we try numerous ways to break the seal without breaking the mixer.  So, off to a slow start I mix the first lot of ingredients in the big blender.  

Have you ever eaten cinnamon sticks not ground to a fine powder?  Well, I wouldn't recommend it at all.  Bits of stick in your food doesn't really do much for your reputation as a fine cook so out goes the first batch of my chilli paste into the bin.

By this stage the small grinder is finally open so attempt two begins.  This time I wise up a little and just grind the dry spices first.  The aroma is delicious when I undo the lid.  Then I add the fresh herbs and garlic.  Just a tip to the newbies.  Crush the garlic first as mine didn't mush up and I ended up with fine slices rather than crushed.  But I decided we could live with that.  So a paste of sorts ensued and I added it to the chopped chicken and mixed it around.  It was still very dry and after rereading the recipe I added the lemon juice that was needed!

The onions and cumin seeds are now nicely cooking in butter and oil and the chicken gets added.  Now I worry about it burning but it all cooks beautifully and smells delicious.  15 minutes later I add some seasoning and tomato paste then the dairy products.  After the oil rises to the top (as per the instructions) I garnish with additional corriander then serve.

I used pompadoms and naan bread as accompaniments rather than rice as when I opened my packet of rice it was yukky.  I've never had rice go like that in my life but who knows where rice here comes from.  So I discarded the packet and decided we could live without it.

The meal was a hit, although a bit rich with the cream.  I think I'll just use yoghurt and sour cream in future.  The spices were mild so I know that I can vamp that up a little next time.  All in all a great dish that went down a treat in my house.  So yummy was the verdict.  I'm keen to use the same spice mix on fish which will be more to my liking.

Earlier that day I'd made pikelets in my new frypan which were wonderful.  It must be all that talk from my sister of sitting at home being domesticated!

I was lucky as my friend arrived the other night with a microwave for me from someone who is leaving.   So that was a good score.

I've spent most of the week apartment hunting so hope to have an update on that next week.  

Yesterday I was up early and went for a walk then a swim before 6.30am.  It is pleasant at the moment as the temperature is only in the low 30's.  Last week it got up to 46-47degrees and was unpleasant.  Plus it was the first time the humidity had got up and I now see what everyone means when they say it is hot and sticky.  No wonder everyone leaves for the holiday break.

Ramadan is nearly upon us and that is interesting.  I liken it to our Christmas holidays and see a marked increase in families with kids out shopping.  The supermarkets are full of goodies, especially chocolate and dates.  You have to see the arrangements of chocolates here to believe them.  They arrive at school for us regularly from parents and are works of art.

The food isles are laden with insulated serving dishes of huge proportions.  Coffee pots and small cups are everywhere as are large bags of every lentil and pulse you can imagine.  This is because everything revolves around food during ramadam, or lack of it.  Men are in the stores choosing serving dishes with their wives while the kids run riot.  Choosing my one frypan was minor compared to their purchases.  All electrical appliances imaginable are on sale for use in the kitchen.

I hope to be able to report more on Ramadan and how it affects Westerners in my future blogs.  I have been asking lots of questions at school to find out how it works.  Basically you eat a breakfast before first prayer before sunrise.  Then you fast (no food or drink) until after sunset and the call to prayer.  

Everyone is expected to observe this, even non muslims when in public.  I think you can still order takeaways from places like McDonalds and have them delivered to your place to eat inside.  So it will be interesting to visit the malls as nothing much will be open until night.

The breaking of the fast seems to be a big event with the food being like our Christmas dinner, depending on what your own custom is.  My HOF breaks her fast with dates then water.  While the men go to prayer they cook the pre-prepared food and eat when they return.  In her culture (Sth African Indian) they eat a lot of oily food during this time such as deep fried samosa (delicious as we've already sampled the ones her mother made), fried chicken etc.  I noticed all the frying pans in the shop were for frying chicken and wondered about this, now I know.  All their food is prepared earlier and frozen, then taken out for quick cooking.  So they spend minimal time in the kitchen during Ramadam.  They have lots of nibbly foods which they spend a few weeks beforehand preparing and freezing.

I think the Arabic food may be more partified as there are jellies and deserts on sale plus lollies etc.  I would love to get invited to a breaking of the fast but don't know any Arabic people well enough yet.  I'm not sure if I ever will as they keep to themselves.

On that note, I see an article in the paper about a protest about the immodest clothing westerners are wearing, especially in the Malls in Dubai.  Western women especially wearing short shorts and low cut singlet  tops.  During Ramadan the expectation is that you will cover up so this may become an issue.  I regularly read headlines about men and women imprisioned for having sex out of wedlock!  So the old ways are being eroded but the law is harsh if you step out of line.  Many westerners who have never set foot here consider the wearing of an Abaya unnatural and demeaning for women but it is women who are setting up a protest about the western clothing, or lack of it.  Food for thought...