My wonderful friends talked me into staying another week or so.... I happily agree, as I am having a very good time - enjoying the company, the weather and feeling like I am on a real holiday!
Back at Basma's I try to go to the beach every morning - may as well - as the beach is across the road! and it is good exercise! I manage most days to have my swim and intake of vitamin D! The water is so clear and warm. It is heaven!
The Dubai Airshow is on - I catch a climps of some of the performances:
I get a few things done this week; confirm my EK flight to Germany, last minute shopping, hairdresser and catching up with more friends!
Walk through the neighbourhood: Jumeirah Beach Residences and Dubai Marina
And what do I see???? A 'Tim Hortons'!! in Dubai - prime location!!
Cattle transporter...
Satwa: Iranian Hospital (with beautiful mosaik)
Monday afternoon I decide to drive to the Global Village; a big shopping event, which takes place every year in Dubai - where the world comes to Dubai! It is great bargain shopping for goods one normally does not get in the shops. My friend Jenni and I used to go every year several times - I usually managed to drag Hisham along once for special things where I needed his input and/or bargaining skills.... (Hisham as most men hated shopping...) This year I went alone.... not quite the same! However, I managed to get everything that was on my must have shopping list plus more of course. As always I went to Ali Baba in the Yemen pavillion to get some beautiful silver jewellery.... Jenni and I have been buying from him for so many years, .... and they know us well!
There are lots of new residential developments happening in the desert....
It is not very busy at the Global Village, it's 'family day' no batchelors allowed - it's a big permanent area with lots of pavillions for the various countries and a big food area and fun fair area. There are mainly Gulf Arabs who are here.... it is quiet and hence, great bargains are to be had! I am on a mission for about 4 hours - then drive home quite exhausted with lots of goodies and ready for my sheisha with Basma!
On Wednesday, finally and well overdue, my visit to my hairdresser Amera. She is wonderful! I tell her: Please fix me I am a mess! and she does! I am there for almost 4 hours - we have Turkish coffee and a chat - while I am being made beautiful again! I've been going to Amera for almost as long as I have been in Dubai .... am glad she is still in business! I feel so pampered and pretty again..... Ready for another sheisha with Basma!
Thursday morning I catch up with my dear friend Janine (she is the one who introduced me to Hisham on 28 January 1998! - Thank you!). We meet for coffee and have a lot of catching up to do and reminissing - the two of us always get emotional.
Janine is blessed with a beautiful daughter Holly, who is almost 1 year old (if I remember correctly) - Inshallah I will see her again on my next visit....
In the afternoon I catch up with Rima - Aeysha is participating in a school swimming carnival - I want to be there to cheer her! It's good fun - lots of kids and lots of screaming - and great performance by the swimmers including Aeysha!
Some evenings I sit with Basma's boys as the 'substitute teacher' - they need to practise spelling and maths and science (not that I am any good at maths or science...) - I am a great teacher.... hi hi
Poor Basma has to work today, Friday - weekend. She is away at a training seminar. I am off to Ajman to visit dear friends of Hisham's, the Kiftaro's from Syria - Ahmed is a longstanding friend and colleague of Hisham's at the baladia (Dubai Municipality) and we used to meet up occationally with him, his wife and children for nice outings. It's been a while since I have met up with them.
And of course I get lost somewhere in Sharjah on the way - when the signage to Ajman dissappears. (Again, Hisham used to always drive - I never had to pay attention) I end up almost at Sharjah airport - someone gives me wrong directions. I have to call Ahmed and finally find my way along the corniche to Ajman and their house. Of course I am late again....
Ajman has changed too, it has grown and the corniche is nicely developed....I haven't been to Ajman in so many years....
The flags are out everywhere.... UAE is celebrating its 40th year of existance! Big celebrations ahead...
Dubai Airport...
Sharjah skyline... growth everywhere...
Finally, Ajman corniche... maybe I should have paid more attention to where I was going instead of taking photos....
Little Leen, their daughter, is a young lady now and at school - and Firas, their son still plays the guitar beautifully... we had a little private concert. We all sat and talked and reminissed - we are all still very upset about Hisham's death..may his soul rest in peace; but God knows best. I was also spoiled with a sheisha... we sat and smoked after dinner. It was so very very nice! Thank you Kiftaros for a lovely day!
On my way home, I pop into Sharjah Suq - a nice indoor area with shops.... I see some nice things - have to come back with Basma next time and do some shopping.. maybe....
Saturday, finally weekend for Basma! The four of us have an outing to the beach! It is good fun! We play in the water with the boys, swim and they build a sand castle..... so nice and relaxing and fun! After a few hours, we all get hungry and decide to call it a day and pack up and go and have lunch - Walid joins us for a pizza. Afterwards, the boys go and play with friends and the three adults go for their well deserved sheisha at Tche Tche's!
I have another get together with friends in the evening: Mamoun and Hala - also longstanding Sudanese friends of Hisham's - Mamoun and Hisham used to go to the World Cup horse race every year - Mamoun usually got free tickets.....
We meet up at a cafe at Mall of the Emirates; again - I have not seen them in years....It is so wonderful to catch up - lots to talk about! Their eldest daughter Lena is now a teenager; and meanwhile they have two more beautiful children - Mashallah.... how time goes by. Hopefully I will see them next time.....
I am truly truly blessed with all the people in my life! And I thank God for putting them in my life, expecially after Hisham's passing, as life is very lonely for me!
Two more days to go before my departure to Germany.... and so much more to do and people to meet.... typical... you think you have so much time... and then you run out of it!
Sunday was a very special day for me! Thanks to Basma's help, who investigated for me, I was able to receive my official papers from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs! Huda and I were talking whilst in Canada, that we both wanted to go for Umrah
(is a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, performed by Muslims that can be undertaken at any time of the year. It is sometimes called the 'minor pilgrimage') in the near future. She alerted me to the fact, that I would need an official paper, saying I am a Muslim. This is what got me started on the matter.
Basma came with me to the Ministry - neither of us knew what to expect. We had a very nice, young local 'senior guide' who took us through the ceremony. There was some confusion of who wanted to convert - as I was wearing an abaya and Basma normal clothing... We thought it was very funny!
It was all very casual, and seeing that I already was a Muslim - just needed official papers, the guide only briefly went through the 5 pillars of Islam and I had to perform the Shahada
(from "he witnessed" The shahada is the Muslim declaration of belief in the oneness of God and acceptance of Muhammad as God's prophet) again with him. Then he chatted about his travel experiences to Germany and Australia. He was very nice and funny. As we waited for the paper, we went through the literature I received... afterwards we went for coffee and cake to the Festival City to 'celebrate'!
I went on for some shopping - took the metro - while Basma went to work. Her neigbour (and mother of her son's friend), took me out for coffee in the afternoon! And Walid brought home a very yummie chocolate cake to celebrate.... I am getting so spoiled! It was a very special day for me and I am thankful for the support of my friends and specially Basma!
It was funny - a few Western men got on the Metro and didn't realize they were in the 'ladies carriage - where they have no business to be.... and they were told to move by the guard... very funny!
View from the Metro.
In the evening Basma, Gabija and I went for sheisha (unfortunately Rima couldn't make it), and a relaxing evening.
Sunday, last time at the beach - 32C, sunny and beautiful warm water... Can't imagine that I'll be in Germany, and cold weather tomorrow.....
I finally am able to catch up with Habiba, Emirati lady, she is also a dear friend of Hisham's. She established a now very successful NGO - Emirates Environmental Group; and she does a lot of good work with a small team, hence she is always busy. Hisham used to work with her and give presentations on the subject of 'water savings'. Hisham used to love this kind of work - he also presented at schools - he had a talent of being able to relate to whatever public he was talking to and to convey his message with flair! Bless him!
Archive Photo
Habiba ran a very nice orbituary for Hisham - I am thankful to her for that!
I pop in at Rima's and the kid's to say goodbye for now.... Not sure whether they will still be in Dubai next year when I come back.... But there is always emails and skype! Unfortunately, Rima's mom never made it to Dubai - due to a family emergency.... a pitty for both! It would have also been nice for me to meet her again. Rima's mom and Hisham struck an instant friendship when they met for the first time many years ago.... they both are very witty and both smoked!
Then off for my last sheisha with Basma - we sit outside and chat and relax and smoke - I will miss our sheisha nights. It is so nice to finish off a day with a wonderful friend, and a sheisha..... what more can I ask for.....
I am truly blessed - people are the most valuable asset in my life - it is important to me to spend quality time with family and friends... in the end... only our deeds count after death! And our souls will meet again in the other realm....
S & D
