Dubai Day 5

 General, Meanderings Abroad  No Responses »
Aug 192008
 

Today was a relax-at-the-pool day. I may have found the best schedule. Get at 6:30, have coffee, water and breakfast. Do some studying/work from 7:30 to 9. Hit the pool from 9 to 11. Shop, relax or whatever until about 3pm when the temperature starts to cool down. Sit back at the pool from 3 to 5pm. Have dinner around 6 or 6:30 and then relax the rest of the evening. This could be the perfect life! Ha ha ha.

I did a variation of the above-schedule. I didn’t actually get any real work done until around 3pm, when I decided that I needed to at least accomplish my goal of getting a couple course-syllabi updated for next semester. Now, I just have one more class to work out, but that will require a bit of waiting.

Well, not much interesting to write since I was either at the pool or inside today. More to come tomorrow. I hope I can figure out the picture uploading somehow….

Until next time,

-T

Dubai Day 4

 General, Meanderings Abroad  No Responses »
Aug 192008
 

Since the sun rises around 5 or so, I was awake at 6am trying to decide what to do with myself for the day. So, I determined to read a bit, go to the Starbucks in the nearby Lamsy Plaza, come back, work out and then get ready to make a visit to the Deira City Centre Mall.

Well, waking at 6am makes for a bit of a slow passing of time especially when most things do not open before 8 and malls at 10. So, after reading a little bit, I decided that rather than use the gym, I would walk to Lamsy Plaza first to find out what time it opened and then come back and get my stuff to study there. I left at 7:30am. It is just a short 12-minute walk. By the time I arrived, I was already very hot. The mall opens at 9am. Too late for me today and for walking outside I decided. So, I trekked it back home and was very happy for the air-conditioning. How crazy is that? It wasn’t even 8am and I thought I was going to melt away in the heat!

Instead, I did work at home and was quite productive, if I do say so myself. Then, I headed for the mall at 11am. Note to self, 11am is a low-taxi time…. It took me nearly 5 minutes to get a taxi while standing in the heat and finally got one as I started to sweat, though nothing sticky like in Japan.

Deira City Centre used to be the biggest mall in Dubai until they opened up the Mall of the Emirates (to be visited later). It is still quite large. I had a quick lunch in the food court and then began my shopping. Luckily, I didn’t buy much except a few things on sale at H&M, though I did spot a beautiful purple jacket at Mango that I may just have to go back for when I pick up my jeans which are being hemmed. 😀 Inside, there is also a Carrefour where I bought some more groceries and four hours later, I was finally ready to call it a day. Sadly, the taxi line was 45-minutes long and so I was exhausted by the time I got back.

Thinking I wouldn’t go out again, I stopped at the internet kiosk first and then headed home. It was then that I found out that Allan had gone to where I had just come from!!! He finally got his resident visa, so he wanted to get his driver’s license, check on his cable setup and try getting the Internet and landline hookup. So, because it was dinner time, he asked me to go back to have dinner. Thus, another taxi ride back to Deira City Centre. He got the driver’s license and organized contact with the cable setup, but sadly still no joy for the Internet and landline hookup (more paperwork needed). So, we had a food court dinner and walked around a bit more, though I was in pain from back and neck soreness. It’s been ages since I have done that much walking!

We finally got back and I was ready to drop. I think Day 5 will be a pool-side kind of day!

Until next time,

-T

Dubai Day 3

 General, Meanderings Abroad  No Responses »
Aug 172008
 
After waking up to construction work, I realized that yesterday there was no noise in the morning. Friday is the holy day in Dubai, so there were hardly any cars on the streets, few people out and mercifully no construction work at the crack of dawn. It gets light here around 5ish, much like Japan. So, I have been awaking a bit earlier than usual on vacation.

With a leisurely start to the day, we made a trip to Ikea and the Dubai Festival City (aka visited shopping mall #1).

Allan wanted to buy a couple of tables for the living room and a nightstand for the guest bedroom (yes, I said guest bedroom!). So, we wandered around Ikea for a bit, then headed for a Thai lunch. I haven’t yet really eaten much Emirati food, though I did have a falafal and hummus the other day as a snack. I will though, I promise!

After lunch, we went to a few stores in the mall, but I didn’t really feel like shopping much for anything that I could buy in the States since it seems a little silly considering I am a tourist at the moment. So, instead, I bought groceries at HyperPanda. Apparently, this is a Saudi owned store, but is much like a Walmart or Target, but with a large grocery food section. So, I have mostly stocked up for a few meals to make to save on money a little bit and such.

The rest of the day has been spent relaxing since Allan went off to watch a soccer game. The tables are up, though, but the nightstand is still waiting. 😀 If I were kind I would put it together while he is gone, but I think perhaps a movie on my iPhone or even reading my book is competing for my attention!

Tomorrow, I have big plans to go to Deira City Centre mall, which is suppose to be quite large and lovely. Perhaps in the afternoon I will do something touristy. I know I have been a bit slow, but I am trying to space out my tourism as I also am balancing having to study and keep up with this blog!!! ;P

Until next time,

T

Dubai Day 2

 General, Meanderings Abroad  No Responses »
Aug 172008
 

My second day in Dubai was pretty quiet as Allan felt the need to clean his entire apartment floor and some of the outside windows despite the insane heat outside. So, I relaxed and did some homework.

In the evening, we went to happy hour in the MovenPick hotel nearby. No pictures there, but it was basically and ex-pat’s type bar where we could see some Olympics and he could enjoy a few cold beers.

After that, we got ready to go out with some other of Allan’s new colleagues – all lovely women! We shared a taxi in to Jumeirah and went for drinks at a very nice Persian style bar called Rooftop. It is located in the One & Only Royal Mirage, which was quite cool in the front with camel statues, though we were in the annex building. We had drinks with four others who are all very well-travelled and experienced in teaching, life, etc.

(this picture took 5 minutes to upload…I am gonna have to figure out something else for the pictures….)

It was such a change to meet people in the same field and yet have so much more knowledge of the world through their own experiences. Japan is very sheltered. People who work in Japan tend to get the island attitude and never leave Japan. Thus, it is thought that when something good comes along in Japan, life doesn’t get any better. Well…I have now seen what else is out there and I have to say if it weren’t for the doctorate I may not return after summer break!! At least I know that I will come back and I think that I could at least live here easily, but still don’t know about the work yet as I haven’t met anyone who has really started their jobs yet.

Anyway, that was the end of Day 2.

Dubai Day 1

 General, Meanderings Abroad  2 Responses »
Aug 152008
 

I am in my second day in Dubai and have to admit that I haven’t really seen or done much just yet. However, I thought that I would write anyway. 😀

Starting with my nearly 24-hour travel from Portland, Oregon to Salt Lake to Paris to Dubai, it was a very long day to say the very least. The travel was okay for most of the journey. However, we were a bit late arriving in to Paris and I had about a half hour to de-board, find my next gate, go through security and get on my next flight. Of course, my next gate was the furthest from where we came in and the security line was ridiculous long. After sweating and wondering if I was going to make the flight, I just barely went through the ticket gate and found myself waiting on a crowded bus to get us to the plane, which was a good 5 minutes away! Thinking that I would be one of the last groups to board the plane, I was a little concerned about finding a place for my carry-on backpack. However, when I got to the plane, it was relatively uncrowded and I had no problems finding space. Thinking that it might not be a full flight, I settled in to my seat…and proceeded to wait for another hour in the plane!!!! We were an hour late and though the pilot claimed that we would still arrive on time in Dubai, I had my doubts.

I have to give props to the flight attendants on Air France. They were professional, nice and efficient. I wish I could say the same for those on Northwest and Delta….

Anyway, I arrived around 11pm in Dubai and got out of customs by midnight. We caught a cab after a mad dash and I finally went to sleep around 1:30am!

Thus, my first day was spent basically trying to orient myself to the time change and place. Allan’s apartment is ridiculously HUGE! I will try to get some pictures soon, I promise!

I took advantage of the free gym downstairs, where there is also a pool (I’ll be using that later!). Then, around 11:30am, I decided to brave the outside and see just how hot it is mid-day. Well, I have concluded IT’S HOT! The humidity is really nothing at the moment, but by the time I made a short 5 minute walk to the nearest supermarket/mall, I was sweaty and knowing why there seemed to be no one around. They are all inside!!!! So, I got a few food necessities and headed back with a stop off at Subway for lunch. By the time I got back, I determined it is not wise to go out at all between 11 and perhaps 3 or 4pm. I did venture out again with Allan in the afternoon to use the Internet at a kiosk. I managed a short nap in the afternoon and then we went out to Wafi for drinks with one of Allan’s new colleagues, who also lives above him. I did get a couple of photos of Wafi, so I will put them up in the next post.

So ends my first day posting!

San Francisco ~July 27, 2008~

 General, Meanderings Abroad  2 Responses »
Jul 292008
 

On my way to Oregon, I had a layover in San Francisco. Realizing that I had a full day to spend in the city, my officemate who lives in San Jose/Santa Cruz offered to show me around the city. So, he and his wife kindly picked me up from the airport and whisked me away through the city for the day. You can see the photos on the Creative Meanderings site. (I hope the pictures are working!)

After stopping off for a quick cup of coffee at Peet’s Coffee& Tea, which brought back memories of my time in LA, we were off to see the city a bit. With a drive through downtown along the waterfront, I saw the Bay Bridge, Pier and port of San Francisco. As we drove up the main center area, I saw the cool triangular looking building though I still am not sure what the building was, but it was near the financial district. I also got a glimpse of the colored houses (no photo due to speedy car ride) as we headed towards the Fisherman’s Wharf area.

In hopes of seeing the fog lift, we walked around the wharf area where I got to see the outside of the Ghiaradelli chocolate factory, Pier 39 and had lunch by the harbor. Unfortunately, the fog never lifted…so seeing the Golden Gate bridge was not in the cards! So sad.

We went on the cable car, which has been a long time thing I have wanted to do and I had the tune of the Rice-a-roni advertisement running through my head at parts. Still, it was amazing to go up and down the hills in the cable car.

With some shopping downtown, we taxied it back to the car to head to North Beach to see a free jazz festival. My officemate’s good friend and former band members were playing, amongst whom was Eddie Gale. I know nothing about jazz, but apparently he’s a big name in the genre. The music was good and it was great to people watch! Finally, due to extreme coldness, we headed for dinner in the Italian area and enjoyed a delicious meal at Caffe Delucchi nearby.

Finally, we headed to the hotel where I repacked and relaxed before an early flight home to Oregon.

Overall, my impression of San Francisco was as a combination of Portland and New York. It is, of course, much bigger and sprawled out than Portland, but the buildings are more quaint like Portland. Also, the Pearl District reforms of Portland had a similar feel. The hilliness of the city, though, was much like driving and getting around Seattle. When we were walking around we heard a number of different languages and all kinds of people. While there may have been a higher density of hippy-like people, it was similar to a walk through the streets of New York. The weather was a big cool and cloudy, which is supposedly common during the summer months, but milder during the rest of the year. So, I am not sure that I would want to live there due to the climate, but the city life felt great! Even though I was only there for a day, I definitely think I would want to visit again for a few more days to see the surrounding areas in the Bay Area!

Thanks so much K & SB!!! I had a great time!!!

So, that was my layover in San Fran.

Until nex time…

-T

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