I got back to Dubai on July 4 but missed the Independence Day festivities sponsored by the American Business Council, since these were held on Friday, July 2, a weekend day for the UAE, instead of on Sunday which was a work day. I arrived in time for another Muslim holiday, Lailat Al Mi'Raj, celebrating the Prophet's ascension into heaven, the main impact of which seemed to be that no alcohol could be served from Thursday sundown until Friday at 7 p.m. No problem for those making dinner plans so long as they went around 8 p.m.
My husband's law firm moved from its cramped temporary space in the Gate building into terrific new space in Currency House. When we visited on Friday, the workers were scurrying to finish all the last minute installations, and it had the same clean, modern, bright look of K & L's new space in downtown Pittsburgh, with similar furnishings. The lawyers and staff will now have plenty of space with private offices and conference rooms and room to grow, and a convenient location close to the Gate and all the amenities of the DIFC.
I also found myself back in Dubai right in the middle of another shopping festival called Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS), running from June 17 to August 7, much like the very popular winter Dubai Shopping Festival in January and February, only much hotter. Many stores offer 25% or higher discounts on merchandise, and raffles of cars and big-screen TV's take place every week to lure shoppers to make purchases. (Yes, a minimum purchase of AED200, around $55, is required!) The ubiquitous mascot of DSS is a silly looking yellow spring-like character, called Modhesh, which means "surprising" or "amazing" in Arabic. (Image credit: Gulf News archives). Of course, almost all of the events surrounding the festival take place inside in the air-conditioned comfort of various shopping malls. We went shopping for more bedroom furniture for our third bedroom, as it looks like we will be putting up visiting attorneys from other K & L offices, and it was a good time to buy furniture on sale.
It's hot all right, but not too hot for me. Like many people who live here, I don't find temperatures hovering in the 100's to be uncomfortable. A recent survey showed that 45% of the people living here do not consider it too hot until the temperature gets above 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius). I am told that there is a law that workers are not allowed to work outside if the thermometer reaches 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). (Some cynics suspect that the thermometers never get past 49 for that very reason.) I have been checking temperatures n Baghdad where my brother-in-law is working and Istanbul, where I will soon be visiting, and Dubai is right in the middle, with Baghdad much hotter and Istanbul cooler. But as they say, it ain't the heat, it's the humidity that kills you, and I hear that it can get really bad here with windows and doors dripping in sweat just like the people.
My Dubai orientation continues with my first need to seek medical help for unrelenting back/hip pain. Seeking a word-of-mouth referral I was directed by various friends and acquaintances to physiotherapists, herbalists, chiropractors, orthopedic surgeons--plenty to choose from. I also did some internet research and discovered I might need a rheumotologist or physiatrist, doctors who specialize in treating pain and disorders relating to arthritis, which I suspect may be the underlying cause, since I have not suffered any recent injury. I decided to start with an orthopedic doctor to get x-rays and other tests done, hesitating to even say I wanted a surgeon as surgery would be a last resort option in my book right now. We'll see how the insurance and service compares with what I'm used to in the US. I hope I can at least get some temporary relief as I head to Turkey this weekend for a working trip with Yale alumni.
Things seem to be on a slight upswing here, although it also seems pretty deserted if you look outside at the pools and beaches. The big circular project at the entry to the Palm Jumeirah, called the Dubai Pearl, now seems to be rising from its foundations. It should connect with the monorail leading from the base of the Palm to the crescent at the top of the Palm and the Atlantis resort. I assume it will provide a mix of shopping, restaurants and perhaps more hotel or apartments to complement the amenities available on the Palm. The Atlantis seems to be the only hotel open still but others are under construction with a couple of new ones looking close to complete. The big question is how the additional traffic will impact us. I kind of like it the way it is now, not too congested.
In the interesting news department, Hershey World is now open in the Dubai Mall! I will make a point of looking for it next time I am there, as I spent quite a bit of time there during many wrestling tournaments. On the local crime scene, a man was arrested for running to catch the metro. He was later released with no charges filed. I also hear that it's a crime to drive a dirty car in Oman, not sure about the UAE, but that would explain the car wash services everywhere. Finally, the Brit who spent a month in jail and was then deported for kissing women, no his wife, in public, continues to say it was just a friendly peck and he is only sorry to be forced to leave since he likes Dubai and has many friends here. I guess we expats will just need to be a bit more careful as we live our lives in this somewhat confusing, crazy place.
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