Al Shindaga Watch-Tower

Jumeirah Lake Towers - JLT

Ramadan - A spirit of giving

Ramadan is here. 

The holy month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calender, is a time for for fasting for the Muslim population. Each day of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, drink and smoking from dawn to dusk. The time is also spent in increased spirituality, humility and devotion. During this period, Muslims also refrain from all forms of entertainment or enjoyment.

This is also the time for selflessness and charity towards the needy. It is amazing to see the momentum towards charity across all areas of Dubai. From individual efforts to very organised large scale charity events, charity takes center stage in Dubai during Ramadan. One of the most common form of charity is distribution of food to the needy during Iftar, the meal that signifies breaking of the fast at sunset. Lots of organisations distribute food to need workers in the city.

I had the opportunity to witness one such event organised by Axiom Telecom, a local company based in Dubai. Axiom has plans to distribute over 1500 meals everyday during Ramadan across several points in Dubai. 

Formula 1 Grand Prix - Abu Dhabi

What a splendid end to the fifth edition of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The sheer superlative performance of Sebastian Vettel this year was further stamped by a huge 30 second margin from the second placed Mark Webber. After having sealed his championship in the previous race in India, there was no letting go by the world champion. Vettel raced as though this was the deciding one.  

Although a big fan of the Mercedes team, I was happy to see the Red Bull team finish 1 - 2 in the end. They truly deserved the honor. In the end my favorite Lewis Hamilton had a few spots of bother today and was lucky to finish seventh. He could have well finished at the head of the pack today if not for the unfortunate incident in the last lap of the qualifiers yesterday. 

The organizers lived up to most of the promises having put up an extraordinary show for the day. The village was buzzing with excited all through the day with lots of stuff to do. As for me I thoroughly enjoyed the big race experience changing tyres at the NBAD stall.  

One area that needs attention is the maps and directions around the place. While I consider myself a bit challenged when it comes to finding my way around, I was surprised to see the number of confused people struggling to reach their seats. And a few of the attendants seemed as confused as the fans.

In the end what a splendid finale to the 3 days of fun. Well done to the guys in Abu Dhabi. 

Dubai scores another first - Blackberry Q5

Dubai scored yet another first and continues to take a leadership position in the global mobile devices business. Blackberry laucnhed its latest introduction to its portfolio, the Blackberry Q5, at a global launch in Dubai today. Customers in Dubai will be able to buy the model 2 weeks before the rest of the world where the model is expected to launch in the first week of July. This is the first of Blackberry's BB10 offerings in the mid segment with the new model expected to retail at AED 1,499/-. Based on a dual core 1.5 GHz processor and Blackberry's popular keypad, a whole new segment of customers will now be able to experience the new BB10 operating system.

The Blackberry Q5 is available exclusively at the new Blackberry store being opened at Dubai Mall. The launch of Blackberry Q5 also coincides with the opening of the first Blackberry store in the Middle East. As per media reports the store is being operated locally by Axiom Telecom. The store was opened by Blackberry's COO Christian Tear today. Huge queues were seen at the store in Dubai Mall, with customers all waiting to pick up the new Blackberry Q5 while it lasts. 

Sikh Gurudwara in Dubai

A gurudawara, meaning The Gateway to the Guru, is a place of worship for Sikhs, the followers of Sikhism. This Gurudwa is located off Ibn Batuta Mall near Jebel Ali

Safa Park

The Eid Al Adha holidays are just about to end today as we headed out to Safa park for some fun. The entire family spent the day at Safa Park. We had packed a nice lunch for all of us (had an overdose of BBQ over the last few days) along with beach toys for the kids.

Safa Park was build in 1975 and lies along the Sheikh Zayed Road south of Burj Khalifa. The area was apparently used by illegal immigrant labor who lived in makeshift homes until the area was converted into a park. This park has something unique, a ladies only exclusive section where ladies can relax in privacy.  

Souq Madinat Jumeirah

Designed on the lines of a traditional arabian souk, Souk Madinat Jumeirah is a unique shopping experience. The high wooden arches,  stone floor and meandering lanes  provide a true souq like experience. The souq is located adjacent to the Madinat Jumeirah hotel.

Read about Bur Dubai souq here

Sheikh Zayed Palace Museum 2

The post is a continuation of the last one on Sheikh Zayed Palace Museum in Al Ain. Pictured below is a replica of the Land Rover that the former President used to travel across the emirate to meet with his people. Another interesting picture is the one of the kitchen utensil. The utensils that were used were so huge that a step was included so that the cook could climb up and stir the food!

Global Village 2010 Part II

In my last post, I have spoken about my visit to this year's edition of Global Village. Here are a few more pictures from the visit.

Global Village 2010

Positioned as one of Dubai's premier cultural, entertainment and shopping festivals, this year's edition of Global Village was just as popular as the previous years. I was expecting a smaller turnout given the recent crisis situation but I found the place buzzing as usual when I visited the venue last night.

Started as a small event alongside Dubai creek in 1996, Global Village now attracts over 4 million visitors each year. Here are a few pictures from last night.

Picture of the tallest building in the world CLICK HERE

The link to the website of Global Village is here

Dunlop 24 hrs Dubai

It is now almost 3 months since my last update at this blog. I have been travelling a bit and just been busy with other things. It is not surprising that the Dunlop 24 Hrs Dubai Grand Prix finally got me to dig out that camera and get going. Here a few pictures from today's action.