i spy dubai الأول تجسس دبي

This was an advertisement from the local paper -  ’Gulf News’.

I will let you cum to your own decision on what they were exhibiting!

Speaking the native arabic language is not really necessary in Dubai as everyone speaks english. There has only been a couple of occasions where english just wasn’t working, but this has been limited to taxi drivers and there are so many of them, you just get out and get into another one where the driver speaks english.

Like anywhere in the world, dealing with local businesses is mainly done in english but like past companies I have worked for, the need for a translation on your business card is a must.  I have just received my business card today and below is my name in arabic.

Does that look like Jonathan Wiggans to you?

This is a travel agent next door to the office where I work in Dubai.

Don’t know about you, but I think they should have a re-think on their name or sack the branding company!!

Things to do at the weekend in Dubai can be limited to shopping, drinking, shopping, sunbathing, shopping, swimming, shopping or sleeping. As you can tell shopping in Dubai is one of the most popular past times, so thats why they introduced the ‘Dubai Shopping Festival’. It runs between the 15th January and 15th February and basically the focus is set around, yes you’ve guessed…..SHOPPING! All the shops in all the malls discount their prices, upto a massive 75%, just to entice the addicted shoppers. Shops use all sorts of tactics to get you to spend your money, they even call you to say that the sale is now on and what discounts they are offering, but when converted into english pounds you can still buy it cheaper in the UK.

One good thing about the festival is that most of the shopping malls have events to draw in the crowds and while visiting Dubai Festival City (another big mall in Dubai) at the weekend I discovered that they were playing host to the Chinese State Circus. I have seen the circus perform before in Shanghai and was well impressed, so I decided to part with my 100 dirhams (£20) and watch them again. As I sat there for 2 hours, I was once again impressed with breathtaking acrobatics and remarkable control and discipline from the performers.

The only disappointment was that I was looking forward to seeing the act they call ‘Bian Lian’, literally translated to ‘Face Changing’.

Basically performers wear brightly coloured costumes and move to quick, dramatic music. Their faces are vividly colored, for they are wearing masks. However, within a fraction of a second, their masks change — revealing completely new and vibrant visages. I sat and waited watching all the other acts thinking that it would be the finale, as the face of Bian Lian was advertised on the flyer. Unfortunately, as the audience clapped and cheered, the marquee emptied and the lights went off, I dried my eyes and realised the act was not performing. I was thinking of sueing for false advertising, but this is Dubai and the punishment for losing may be more than I bargained for!!

You don’t really see much rain in Dubai, but last Wednesday night saw one on the best storms I have ever seen. The thunder was so loud it was shaking the windows, but the most impressive sight was the lightning!

The pictures below (courtesy of Hayley) are of the Dubai skyline, in particular, The Burj Tower. Still under construction, it is not simply the tallest structure in the world; it smashed the tallest-building record a year ago and, last April, it overtook the world’s tallest antenna. No one can confirm the height it will be when complete (definately above 700m) as this has been kept top secret, but when it is finished some time this year, Burj Dubai will accommodate up to 35,000 people in a mixture of hotels, offices and apartments and, doubtless, it will clock up a few more records en route.

For example, the swimming pool on the 76th floor will almost certainly be the highest in the world!

Anyway, when lightning strikes the tallest building in the world, the pictures are amazing….enjoy!

Last Thursday, work hosted their ‘Winter Party’ at the world famous Atlantis Hotel here in Dubai. Unfortunately, due to high winds in Dubai at the beginning of December, our Christmas Party was cancelled and replaced by a ‘Winter Party’.

The Atlantis Hotel opened in September 2008 and the official opening, in November, witnessed the biggest ever firework display that could even be seen from space. It was also the home of David Beckham’s New Years Eve party as he arrived in Dubai prior to the exhibition match he played in with AC Milan against Hamburg on 7th January 2009.

The night started off with pre-dinner drinks followed by a buffet meal that was fit for a Beckham! As the free drinks flowed more and more we witnessed the best dancer in Dubai busting his moves to tunes from Kylie, Take That and many more ‘Now That’s What I Call Music’ classics!

The night continued to progress downhill and it ended with some people Ruch, finding it all a bit much to take! Roll on the ‘Summer Party’, I have heard that it is even better and people are less reserved…..god help us!