Dubai Journal 5 - Midnight stroll

Just came back from a midnight stroll by myself around one of the many lakes. Bumped into my folks' Canadian neighbour, Jamie, who was out walking his Beagle. He's just arrived and loving it - even enjoying the weather. Clear night, with my constellation directly above - Orion - it was the first constellation I ever learnt as a kid, and I've always seen it as "my" one. Aah, this is the life :))

Dubai Journal 4 - Alien vs Consumer

This is at the entrance to a shop selling traditional Arab souvenirs - as you can see by the surrounding items. Bizarre!!

Dubai Journal 4 - Raffle - Dubai Style

A major property developer is holding a raffle, which you can enter by buying one (or more) of their properties. One for the Pam Golding marketing department? lol ;)

Dubai Journal 4 - The House of Aoud, Amber and Perfumes

Went to an incredible Arab perfumery shop today (once again in the mall), where they make up perfumes using ingredients of your choice. Absolutely beautiful shop, with sumptuous appointments, and prices to match of course!


Some of the ingredients are displayed in tall glass containers (1.5m) as you can see from the pic. They also sell wood chips (aoud) which you burn in a burner, similar to oil or incense burners, using the same method as you do to burn tobacco in a hookah (on top of the "coal"). The wood chips either have a natural aroma, or they can be perfumed for you as well. They smell gorgeous (which you'd expect - enough to cover about half the palm of your hand will cost just under R600, lol!)

Dubai Journal 3 - What the hell!

So let me get this straight: avocados are indigenous to South Africa. They grow on the KwaZulu Natal coast. So how is it that I can buy them for R11 a kilogram in the Middle East, but I pay R5.95 for ONE measly bruised little avo in PicknPay at Rosebank??? What a farce! It would be funny if it wasn't so sick, and if thousands of people in SA weren't starving to death.

How can they say that the economy is coming right when we can't even sell our own food in our own country at the same price that they can half way around the world???

Dubai Journal 3 - The weather with you

Wouldn't you know it - this is what the sky has been like pretty much all the time since I got here. But it really doesn't matter!!! The locals are talking about strange weather not seen in the last decade and there are rumours of a big sandstorm cos the wind is pretty strong at times. Cool :)

Dubai Journal 3 - There is something wrong with Africa

What is striking me so forcefully here is that there is really something truly screwed up about the African psyche. Our moral degeneration and lack of respect for life and other human beings and, quite frankly, our outright stupidity, is not caused by poverty or apartheid - because other cultures live in dire poverty too, and have been brutalised as much as people in South Africa have been.

There is just as much poverty in rural Middle East as in Mpumulanga. The Arab people have been persecuted just as much as black South Africans - and for FAR longer. The Phillipines was systematically raped by first the Japanese and then the Americans for decades.

So why is it that illiterate Arabs and Phillipinos still have a basic dignity and respect for life and morals, while Africans will steal the copper out of the very pipes that provide them with electricity, will murder for a cellphone, and will rape babies as a "cure" for AIDS.



Yet, as the accompanying picture shows, here in Dubai they have see-through glass charity collection containers all around, and they don't get broken into. In South Africa they would be smashed up, the money taken and the wood used as firewood.

And on a totally different level - how come an illiterate Filipino shop assistant can work quickly and efficiently, being friendly, personally hygienic, polite and quick-witted, while you simply don't get that at the PicknPay in Melville?

Apartheid and poverty seem to be no excuse - what the hell is it that makes Africa such a basket case?? Is there really (gasp, shock horror) a "cultural" difference? Are some cultures just more enlightened and less primitive and brutish than others?

Dubai Journal 2 - The long arm of Naspers

Seems you can run, but you can't hide. I suppose many South Africans take comfort from the fact that they can read the same rubbish in Dubai as they can at home!

Dubai Journal 1 PS

Just went for a quick midnight stroll with my brother-in-law (Eddie) - as we got back he says: "This place feels a bit strange... I dunno, like freedom?"

Dubai Journal 1 - My first taste of civilization

Decided that I may as well use this blog to jot down my impressions of Dubai while I'm here. Today was my first day here and I got an unexpected shock when I went to my first supermarket -

BILTONG IS CHEAPER IN DUBAI THAN IN JOHANNESBURG!!!!!!

Besides that: everywhere is clean, the people are polite, service is slick, there are no bars on the windows, there are designated smoking areas in malls, cigarettes are cheaper (Marlboro 20s cost the equivalent of R11.70) - in fact so far everything is cheaper, from Red Bull to fruit salad, Brie cheese to books and DVDs. Not only are the local supermarkets (Spinneys) cheaper than the Spar in SA, they make Woolworths seem low class. Thrupps comes close, but can't compete on prices. These supermarkets are open til 10pm every night, and the staff are friendly, efficient and have an air of intelligence and helpfulness about them that you just don't get at your local Pick n' Pay in Johannesburg.

I've seen people strolling along the streets enjoying the sunset, and children riding their bikes unsupervised, past houses with low walls, open gates and no security features.

Oh, and I'm typing up this blog entry while sitting on my bed, having plugged my laptop into the internet connection point that is fitted standard in every room in one's house!!

What did I learn today? The myth that South Africans fool themselves with about the standard of living overseas being lower and more expensive than in SA is BUSTED!!!!!!

The joke is on us, people :) There is MORE space, not less; there is MORE freedom, not less; and it is CHEAPER, not more expensive.

So THIS is what civilization feels like - after 41 years it's an awesome feeling - yeeeehaaaahhh :))))