The Big Game

On the non-American football landscape (aka, soccer) tonight's UEFA Champions League Championship is second only to the World Cup. It's the Super Bowl of European soccer. (So I ask you, why are they playing on Wednesday night?)

Anyway, after an early threat by Manchester United, Barcelona played stifling defense...ah hell, I know you don't care. Barcelona 2 Man U. Nil

Oh, and if you've never seen it, rent Eurotrip (rated R). The scene with the Man U fans driving the double decker bus thru Paris will split a gut.

Why Can't We Be Friends?

I have met alot of folks from all over the planet since I have been here. Almost without exception, everyone has been very friendly...even the folks at HSBC. The group that intrigues me though are the Iranians. These are supposed to be the crazy, nuke building, flag burning jihadist who are terrorizing the middle east and a thorn in America's side for the past generation.

Well, I have met quite a few and they have all been very engaging, generous, intelligent, and just the nicest people you would ever want to meet. My buddy Rod and I were chatting out by the pool one evening last week and 2 Iranian couples who were grilling out insisted that we join them (even though they only had food for 4). We ate small portions and wound up talking to them for a couple hours. By the way, Iranian food is very delicious too.

We talked about normal Dubai things, but we also talked some politics. They are very proud of their country and insist that we must visit some time--and we told them that as US citizens, we may not be welcomed (as in, we may not be issued a visa). Like many US citizens, they are frustrated with their government--elections are next month in Iran and these Iranians believe the outcomes are fixed. Unfortunately, they also get alot of their news and history from YouTube--which worries me a little. But they all seem to love Americans, Westerners, actually they seem to like everyone--even the Isrealis (though not big fans of the recent shellings, and neither am I)--It's just the people in power who can't seem to get along.

I know these folks I'm meeting are living outside Iran, but their families are still there and they are very connected to home. I'm sure I would get the same warm welcome if I were walking the streets of Tehran (which is on my list). It's a shame that so many good folks are misunderstood because of politics, because I think we are missing out on making some great friends around the world.

Tidbits al a May

I spent an hour before I left on my Istanbul trip knowing I was forgotting something--something I had kept reminding myself to pack all week. I thunk and thunk and thunk, but all I could come up with was that it had to do with wires and electronics. I had all the right adapters packed for the cameras and computer. It sucks getting old. When I sat down in my seat on the A330 to Istanbul, I remembered what it was! I forgot the adapter for my earphones--the B777 I rode from London last month needed the 2-prong adapter. For whatever reason, the A330 uses the single prong, so I need not have worried. Unfortunately, the A330 also doesn't have the very nice in-flight entertainment system that Emirates is known for--so I just read my book and listened to music.

I thought Turkey censors the web like the UAE...maybe more so since Youtube is blocked there. However, they do have liquor stores everywhere and women's loungerie shops. Thank Allah that they are spared from watching my daughters spring musical on You tube! Just this week, I did find out that Youtube is blocked because of some material that makes fun of the country's hero Attaturk (his image is on everything and there are plenty of busts and statues of him in Istanbul).

Friggin HSBC update...first thing I see when I clear customs in Turkey is an HSBC ATM. I stick my card in and I'm asked if I want to withdraw US Dollars or Euros? Now I'm under the impression that Turkey uses Turkish Lirasi but that's not one of my options; I think they must take Euros too here...wrong! After being turned away at the train station ticket window, I'm back at the ATM right next to HSBC--withdrawing TL! My Lord HSBC, do you spend your time thinking up ways to seem idiotic??

Had to get full insurance coverage on the Tundra (something I wasn't able to do back in December). But after a couple letters from the bank asking about the coverage, I decided to renew my search for full coverage. I found coverage--but it's not as simple as just signing up since insurance is tied to your car registration. So I had to re-register the truck. I was told by the insurance agent that it would have to be re-ispected and it would cost 400AED ($110) to register the truck--but it actually was a very quick, simple process and only cost 55AED. Getting a copy of my insurance to send to the bank took a little longer--Bureacracy will keep this place in the 1900s.

What's the difference between Swine flu and other flu outbreaks? The Media! I'm sure if you check the records of flu outbreaks in 3rd world countries (aka, Mexico) the death rate would not be much different than the "swine"outbreak. At the Istanbul airport, all the workers were wearing masks and they were making everyone pass by a thermal scanner--checking for fevers. The UAE has their first case now--and thermal scanners are on the way.

Enjoyed walking around Istanbul. Only saw one Starbucks and 2 Mc Donalds--not much else as far as US-Western influence. Unfortunately, the only folks who seem be fluent in English are pushy carpet salesmen and rogue tour guides.

I paid $24 for a bourbon and coke at the hotel bar in Istanbul! My first thought was "call the police!" Good thing I was paying as I went and not running a tab. After that, I switched to the cheap local beer, Efes (not too shabby).

Did you know Kevin Costner does commercials for Turkish Airlines? They are in Turkish and he has no speaking parts...wonder if he got paid in Dollars or Euros?

Back in the UAE the summer heat has kicked in--over 100 everyday with several days reaching to 110-115 range. Humidity is low (they say it gets worse) so it's not been too bad--hasn't stopped me from doing anything.

They do alot of big raffles here...Harleys, Porsches, Bentleys; but they aren't for charity--they are for profit! I refuse to buy the tickets..usually $50-125. Dubai Duty Free (where nothing is free) is the worst offender, though the Dubai Mall has gotten into the act this month.

I asked an exterminator in our building what the micro bugs that I mentioned a few months ago were. He didn't know what I was talking about--so I'm thinking he is just a low paid sprayer of pesticides. He actually told me they were roaches when I persisted--but I'm not buying it. They have pretty much disappeared with the hot weather--maybe they went to the Ukraine for summer.

We had a small fire in our building this month...some cloth left in a trash disposal room caught fire--it happened on Rod's floor and he did leave the country, so I'm suspicious. Anyway, the water from the sprinlers ran into the elevator shaft and knocked out 2 of the 4 elevators in the building. Of the 2 remaining, 1 is the frieght elevator, so most of us in the building were sharing 1 ride. Waits got pretty long during the busier parts of the day. Now on the plus side, I did get to meet alot of my neighbors--I have a theory that when all the elevators are running, they are programmed to keep people from meeting each other. I have been passed by so many times waiting to catch the elevator. I know an elevator guy in Columbus--I will have to ask him about it. How about it, Henry?

I've read a bunch of books since I have been here. I need to sit down one day and put down some recommendations...now you have somethng to look forward to!!!

Istanbul

Since we get a nice 4 day break between work cycles, I took a 'weekend'trip to Istanbul, Turkey. Great fun and I highly recommend it if you are ever in the neighborhood. It's a very old and historic city, with history and surprises everywhere you turn. Great restaurants, bars, rooftop dining, sidewalk cafes, tea gardens (usually in a cemetary), and yummy bakalavars. 1000+ yr old mosques, churches, and other buildings and ruins everywhere you turned. The Grand Bazaar is a great place to get lost for a few hours--just have to keep saying 'no'to all the hawkers.

If you go, do go in numbers. The vendors and tour guides can be very aggressive--but once I teamed up with a couple new friends from England they were less of a nuisance. Also for ladies, I heard that there is alot of harassment--so take a guy along with you to fend off some of the static. But do go--it's well worth it!

The photo album is quite large--I haven't had a chance to edit it down, but if you have some time enjoy!

April Tidbits

I've learned you don't read books with black covers at the pool when the weather heats up in Dubai unless you want blisters on your fingers. Summer arrived in Dubai today (April 27) as the mercury had climbed to 41C when I left work at 1pm (that's 106F for you folks in the mother country).

Bought some tickets online for the cricket match this week (Australia v. Pakistan). I think something was wrong with the website and I got away without paying a 'çonveinence charge.' Or could it be they don't use service charges here? Take that TicketMaster!

I had an interesting and expensive experience with the IRS this April 15th. I did wait til the last minute to file my taxes--had them all ready to go electronically. But when I went to hit 'send', I was rudely told that I can't file electronically from Dubai--has to be mailed. Well, this was a problem, since I also owed taxes. No Problem, I will just go to the IRS pay site and pay the tax and mail in the paper work. NOOOO...you must register first to use the IRS site and that takes 6-10 business days. But, I can use another site where they take credit cards and charge a 'convenience fee.' (I'm detecting a theme here). So anyway, cost me a little extra but at least I won't be apprehended at the border next time home.

Speaking of which, while I was waiting on my flight to London I availed myself of the Crown Room travel services and booked my trip for July (with a stop in Portugal-Spain...anyone up for a 8-9 day motorcylce tour?) on the way home. I had tried to book the passage on my laptop but Orbitz wasn't taking my payment. So I walked over to the desk and asked the receptionist if they could book the flights. And she did--and actually wound up a couple hundred dollars cheaper (though I do have to ride Air France for a couple legs...yuck). Of course, I was charged a $35 service charge for making the woman do her job. Since I had saved a little bit overall, I didn't gripe too much.

Met a lady named Yummy this week. She works at Dubai Duty Free at the airport. Also at the airport, I saw an Emerati woman in a full Abaya, face covered, typing on her laptop and wearing Chuck Taylor's...sometimes this place is a but surreal.

Dubai Cricket Stadium

After a few months of watching the occasional cricket match on TV and getting schooled by some of my co-workers on the rules and finer points of the game, I had a chance to go to my first live Cricket match. The match was held at the new Cricket Stadium in Dubai Sports City. I will say two good things about the evening:

1. The Cricket action was enjoyable to watch
2. There is not a bad seat in the stadium (unless you are being roasted by the afternoon sun, which was avoidable for most fans). But for veiwing the action--all good seats.

Now the not so good. Dubai Sports City consists of a cricket stadium and 20 square miles of construction. There are 3 ways into the place and they all merge into the same one lane road. It took about 45 mins to get to a parking 'space' once I arrived at the Cricket Stadium. That 'space'was in the middle of alot of sand and rocks. Now, there should have been shuttle buses to carry the fans from these remote desert, construction wastlands--I saw signs that said Shuttle Route--but I didn't see any buses. So I walked for about 20 mins until I finally came across a shuttle bus which carried me about 300 meters and then dropped us off another 300 meters from the stadium.

Everything around the stadium is unfinished--it's just a huge, dusty, gravel lot. They had security set up for screening the fans due to the fact the Pakistan Cricket team was fired upon last month in Pakistan (and also the reason why they were playing in the UAE). It was now close to start time and the line for the 'middle class seats' was stretched out two thousand people deep...with 2 screening positions. Same for the cheap seats. So I upgraded to a premium ticket which put me in a line about 20 deep, but still took 15 mins to get thru.

The short security line was the ONLY benefit of premium seats. You have the exact same view from the opposite side of the pitch as the Middle Class Seats. The stadium is spartan. Concessions were very limited: Popcorn or Nachos; Pepsi or 7UP. No Souvenier stands. You could have done better at any little league park in the USA. And you have to understand, a normal one day cricket match lasts 8 hours--people get hungry.

As for the cricket, it was enjoyable and the crowd was into it. Australia beat Pakistan (avenging a loss 2 nights earlier). The stadium was 90% full, with an announced crowd of about 24,000.

Afterwards, there was no shuttle bus. I walked 25 mins in the dark to my truck. Drove over an unfinished curb to get on a road and into the traffic jam. At one point the police directed us to use both lanes of a 2-way street--except they never stopped the opposite direction traffic which consisted mostly of construction vehicles. 45 mins to get to the highway--10 mins to get home.

At the time I swore I would wait til they finished construction before I went to another cricket match; but I have since been talked into going again. This time the shorter version (3-4 hrs) known as 20Twenty. Stay tuned.

Burj Dubai Fountains

Here is a clip I shot of the new Burj Dubai Fountains. They are about 50% larger than the Bellagio Fountains and capable of shooting 500 ft in the air, though about 300 ft is the most I've seen.