The World's biggest Annual Food Service Industry Trade Show was held this past week in Dubai. I attended a portion of all four days, mostly accompanying Mahesh(Building Engineer and Sidekick), Anu (QA Officer) and Harish (Butcher) as we looked for equipment for our new cut shop/butchery that will be opening along with Barakat's 78,000 sq. ft warehouse this fall. We found a lot of good fits for our facility and got to know each other a lot better.Mahesh is constantly snapping photo's - but I guess in reality, I like this. I spent the first year here taking lots of pictures, then in the last year I figure out how to add pictures for my blog, and I don't even know where my camera is. lol.
March has finally arrived. It is exciting to me looking at the calendar everyday and realizing before April hits, I will have my feet back on the ground in the good ole USA. I am not looking forward to the 14 hour flight back to the States, but on the other hand I am really looking forward to that 14 hour flight home... What is the saying, "in like a lion, out like a lamb"? Well this lamb is ready to board the plane and get the heck out....
The UAE is a fascinating nation, that is very complex in its makeup and yet so simple in its governance. It is a Muslim state run Kingdom.
Located at the entrance to the oil rich Persian Gulf, it is probably one of our strongest non-NATO allies in the world. On a typical day, you can find your self driving down the highway, filled with SUV's (Gas fixed at a $1.67 a gallon makes big vehicles popular) and sports cars, listening to American pop music and radio announcer Ryan Seacrest on Virgin Radio as the air conditioning blows in your face, you wouldn't know you weren't in Los Angelas instead of the heart of the Middle East. The country feels extremely safe (I can honestly say my feeling of crime and it's effect on me is at a low point - I have never,ever felt safer). There is strict gun control, and just control in general. Just this past summer, a British citizen along with a Moroccan citizen got sentenced to death by firing squad for selling an undercover officer 3/4 of an ounce of marijuana. (an Emirate citizen was also involved - sentenced to 1 year in rehab). That case actually points out some of the sure realness of living here. You follow the law, and you live safely with a chance to make a good living (no income taxes), you get on the wrong side of the law, and the consequences are scary. You will spend prison time in very harsh conditions and if you survive that - deportation is a certainty.
Bloggers have also faced prison and deportation here (I try and choose my words carefully) and there is clearly control of the press by the government. I feel (please note that the word feel makes this an opinion) that the strictness of the laws means we have such low crime here. It is clearly a deterrent (another good example is DUI laws - a trace of (yes .001) of alcohol in your bloodstream, you have a minor accident you face 6 months in jail followed by deportation. Almost everyone realizes the penalty for drinking and driving so the hotel bars have tons of cabs waiting to take the expats home after their libations are consumed.
Non citizens (85% of the population here) can not buy land (The exception are the new man made islands off the Dubai coast) so we all rent. Rent pricing is somewhat controlled (only 5% increase allowed at renewal) but apartments are plentiful. Dubai is like Las Vegas without gambling. Plenty of free things to see and do, although the number one pastime is hanging out in the ginormous air conditioned malls. Coffee shops (the Arabs love to smoke Sheesha - tobacco and flavor mix - like grape or mint flavored tobacco) are everywhere. Most people don't drink soda - coffee, tea and juices are the drinks of choice. Most of the water is created at the desalination plants that pull their water from the Persian Gulf. Nobody drinks it, so the "bottled water" industry is huge here.
The military is aligned with the USA (we have a squadron of American fighter jets stationed outside of Abu Dhabi) and they actively support us in our missions around the region. There are only a few American expats (last estimate 5,000 in the whole UAE), but many residents from the region (number one is the Indian population - tons of Filipino's in the service industry. There is a vast difference in incomes between the haves and the have nots.
Tourism is big business in the oil poor Dubai. Abu Dhabi produces more than 3.2 million barrels of day and is sitting on a 99 year supply of reserves. It is the capitol of this 31 year old country and has bailed the other Emirates (there are 7 - Abu Dhabi - the largest, followed by Dubai) out of their financial issues. There is an obsession with having the biggest and best of everything here (great example - the mighty Burj Khalifa), It has 163 floors and was almost a third higher than the next tallest building when completed in in December 2009.
One of my mother's favorite sandwiches is an egg salad sandwich. For some unexplainable reason (boredom leading candidate), last night I decided to make deviled eggs. I took Mt. Olive sweet gherkins finely chopped three of them, boiled a half dozen eggs, added my Miracle Whip light to the hard boiled yolks, and pickles (touch of mustard) and walla! They were great - only missing a touch of celery salt and a dash of paprika for perfection...lol...I need a break.
I think my eyes have hit a wall. In the last few months there have been a few occasions when I can not read the menu at the restaurant. Fighting old age is no fun. Speaking of old, it is time for me to quit writing this tiring blog today....Grab a deviled egg, hit the shower and face the day! God (and Emirate security force) willing, see you next Friday!
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