Dubai Friday Brunches

Hi Guys,

So Erin mentioned that we went to a Friday Brunch with some friends from work! By all accounts they are always a quite drunken event!

Nearly all hotels have these Brunches and they all seem to last about 4 hours. They are basically All you can eat and All you can drink! We look forward to trying out a lot of these Brunches so that we know the best ones to take any of our visitors to!

However - The basic idea is that you get your table and are waited on for drinks and go and chose anything that you want to eat (As Erin said, From Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding to all your favourite Sushi)! But there seems to be a game that most people play..........

Try and finish your glass of Champagne before the waiter is there to top it up for you!

Its a challenge as they are the most efficient waiters ever - but i think i managed it on our Friday Brunch Debut! - However i did end up in bed at 7pm!! Oops!

Hope you are all well!

Love & Miss you guys

Mark & Erin

xxx

Flying High in Dubai!

Two weeks have flown by since I last sent an update….I can't believe how fast the weeks are going by. And that is with me not having a job. Yes I'm still unemployed :( but continuing to look and hoping to find a job soon. I may have a few options…for met some people in the last few weeks that said they will keep their eyes open for me at their companies. Luckily life is far from boring here, and I am keeping myself very busy still, finding new things to do daily, and being a housewife! ;)

Our taco night dinner party was a great success…the 2 couples headed over for dinner and Steve brought some illegal beers over! We hope to try to do them once a week with our Discovery Garden friends!

Mark's old boss Neil was in Dubai on business and he treated us to a lovely Chinese Dinner at Le Meridian…which was then followed by some drinks at the Irish Bar Dubliners….they even had Magnus Cider on Tap, so I was very happy!

We were very excited to head to our first Friday Brunch, at Madinat Jumeirah, a amazingly beautiful hotel on the beach and surrounded by man made streams with turtles in them! We have heard that this is the best and poshest Friday Brunch, so when we get visitors here we will be taking you here!! (http://www.madinatjumeirah.com/special_offers/#PTP_061102_01332184_1BKW8) –

There were16 of us at the brunch, most of the guys work at Balfour and a few were ex-balfour employees. The food buffets were just spectacular, there were 2 rooms and all of outside full of food from around the world, there was anything and everything you could ever imagine – Mexican, roast dinner, sushi, chocolate fountain, and then it was also all you could drink margaritas, bloody mary, mojitos, champagne, wine, etc, Mark definitely enjoyed the all you can drink and decided he was going to do make sure and get his moneys worth…he was quite drunk and around 6:30pm we had to head home so he could go to bed! Haha It was a lot of fun and we are continuing to meet lots of new people and make new friends.

After Mark's early night, he was able to get up at a decent time the next day and surprisingly didn't feel too horrible. We made it out to the Autodrome at motor city – after getting lost and heading the wrong way for about an hour. There was The Superbike Championship motocycle races, so we were able to watch mark's co-worker, Rod Scott, race and win (http://www.gulfnews.com/sport/Motor_Racing/10259993.html). Abdul Aziz Bin Laden, Osma's nephew was also racing and we were standing right next to him after the race was over….kinda freeked me out. There was also a motorcycle stunt driver which was cool to watch and then Touring Car races, where we watched the Porsche win! While we were at the autodrome we experienced our first sandstorm….the wind started to pick up and a few minutes later you could only see a few feet in front of you because it there was so much sand in the air.

We have never seen something like that before….but I guess the Sandstorms happen about once a month here (http://www.saranair.com/images/others/sandstorm_dubai2.jpg). After the sandstorm passed it then rained…….for about 10 seconds, which will add to its 10mm (0.4 inch) average rainfall for the month of November.

This weekend that just passed, Mark only had Friday off work…so we tried to squeeze lots into Thursday night and Friday…. The Atlantis hotel, which is a new hotel that opened at the end of the Jumeirah Palm Island, had it's official opening party. Over 2,000 VIP guests flew into Dubai to attend this $20 million dollar party. Look at this link to see some of the famous people who were there:
http://www.gulfnews.com/tabloid/Society/10260390.html There was a firework display about 3 times the size of the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, this display was visible from space and had rockets launched from over 716 spots!

Mark and I had a few drinks with some work mates at the Mai Tai bar in the marina, where you can get bowls of rum….bowls of drinks are the future as we discovered on our honeymoon in Santa Cruz!! We then made our way to the beach at the base of the Jumeirah Palm Island with our friend Ian who brought an ice chest of beers to watch the amazing fireworks!!! We were in awe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie5ear3bHUQ

We had a relaxing beach day on Friday and stayed till 5:30 to watch the amazing sunset over the Arabian gulf.

Mark is back at work today and I'm continuing my housewife duties and job searching. Tonight we are having a few friends over for dinner and to watch the football matches!

I may head to airport tomorrow to try and catch a glimpse of some of the famous celebrities that are now leaving town!!

Here are some pics we have taken over the past few weeks:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2212822&l=48361&id=6402232

We hope you are all doing very well and miss you all!!! We are enjoying all the updates you are sending us about what you all have been up to, so keep those coming!! :)

Happy 18th Birthday Simon and Happy 25th Birthday Amber!!! Sending you lots and lots of
love!!!!

xxxxxxxxx

Funny Work Story

So today a guy who works in admin came to see me – Just to see how my day was going, nice guy, met him a few times and he told me his name yesterday (Pally), so anyway he said:

“Mr Mark Sir, where are you from”?

I told him the UK, and he seemed to like that answer.

He then asked me where I thought he was from, I said

“I have no idea whatsoever”

He told me to guess and I was very hesitant (as I didn’t want to upset him) but the only place I could think of was India! He replied:

“Noooooo Me not from India, they all stink – I don’t like people who come from India”

Was brilliant – cracked me up!

For anyone who is interested - He is from Sri Lanka!
Hope this finds you well

Love Mark

Our 2nd week here!

So I assume most (hopefully all) of you got Mark's email with an update about his job and what he is doing at work.

Last Thursday, as I mentioned before, we went to Barasti.  It is a huge place right on the beach with about 5 different bars.  We met quite a few people from Mark's work there and there were about 8 others that he used to work with at HBG there as well.  We went with Steve & Laura and Dan & Gemma, who are are new friends who live at Discovery Gardens as well.  They have both been here about a month longer than us, and Steve works at DBB as well.  The night was very fun and just a nice atmosphere.  We only had a few beers/ciders because the alcohol is quite pricy and we are trying to be reasonable.

The BBQ, which I also mentioned before, was a lot of fun.  It was mainly people who have worked at DBB for a long time that were there, but everyone was very friendly and we got to ask lots of questions to experienced world travelers/workers.

Last week, I spent my time job searching and applying.  I had 1 interview so far, and got the job as the head receptionist at a new spa that is opening, but the hours are ridiculous and it is 6 days a week, and the pay wasn't very well. I decided to decline this offer, and am hoping more interview and offers are on their way.  Last week I also went to the beach one morning.  Salam (Aubrey's friend from New York & now my good friend here) picked me up at 7:00 am and we went to a public beach until about 11.  The sun is less strong at that time of the day and the beach was our own!  The water is soo clear and light and the sand is so white :)  

I haven't really  mentioned the weather in the past emails/blogs.....it was pretty hot when we arrived, but has substantially cooled down over the past few weeks.  Nov-Feb are the best months weather wise here, so we picked the right time to come so we can get used to the heat.  It has been high 80's to low 90's during mid day and then cools down to the 70's at night.  It is a humid heat as well, so doesn't work so well with my hair! hehe  But the heat is completely bearable at the moment and we are enjoying no rain or snow or frost, and enjoying getting a sun tan!

I made it to the new mall on Wednesday, the Dubai Mall.  (www.albawaba.com/en/countries/UAE/237570) It is where Mark's office is as well.  It just opened this week, but only 1/3 of the shops are opened.  I just walked around the 4 levels, watched the fish and sharks in the massive aquarium, watched people ice skate on at the ice rink, and checked out all the shops that are going to be opening..........including Bloomingdales, Sephora, forever 21, and lots of others.  I think that is going to be my favorite mall, once all the shops are opened :)  Mark met me after work and I was able to see his office and his job site and understand more so what he is working on :) It is just so spectacular!

This past weekend, Mark only had Friday off, so we made the most of it!  On Thursday evening we went out with Steve & Laura to the Emirates Tower Hotel, and went to a very nice Chinese dinner and then out to a few different bars which were also in the hotel.  We thoroughly enjoyed our evening, and woke up Friday and had a big English Breakfast....pork sausages, bacon, eggs, beans.!  So we thought we couldn't have pork here, but really they sell it at all the grocery stores, it is just in a different section...it is called the Non-Muslim section.   We then were off to the beach with Steve & Laura & Dan & Gemma.  We went to a Beach Park, it is open to anyone, you just pay a small fee to park and enter and then can rent chairs, umbrellas, towels, and there is food and drinks there as well.  The 6 of us were there for a good 4 hours and enjoyed the water and sun.  Neither Mark, nor I got burnt! :) We were very good and put on lots of sun cream! :)

We now have internet, TV, and a phone at the apartment :)  It was just installed today, so have to find the channels that we'll actually watch (lots are in other languages), but we got the sport channels so Mark can watch his football!  And now that we have the internet it will be easier to chat with everyone and webcam :)  We do have a phone, which is probably cheaper to call in to and out from, especially compared to a mobile.  The number for that is +971 04 4315334.

Also, I sent our temporary PO Box address out, but just in case you didn't receive it and would like to send us anything it is:

Dutco Balfour Beatty

Attn: Mark Foden Vst:2587

PO Box 8944

Dubai, UAE

Make sure to write somewhere 'Private & Confidential' or the company may open it.  Also, we have been told that it would be a good idea to send everything recorded delivery, for it can then be tracked (things tend to get lost or misplaced apparently)

This week we have a few plans.......

Monday night we have invited Steve, Laura, Dan & Gemma over for dinner.  I'm going to make tacos, for they all said they haven't had much mexican food, so I thought it would be good.  And then Friday we are going to go to a Friday Brunch, which is basically where you go to a hotel and there is all you can eat and drink for 5 hours!  It is a traditional thing that expats do here on their day off.  We are going with about 15 people from Mark's company, so should be lots of fun!

Hope this finds you all very well!  We are missing you all & send our love!

xxxxxx

Pictures

Check out pictures I posted on Facebook of our apartment and a few sites!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2209421&l=3e98a&id=6402232

xxx