Sports Day

The kids had their sports days last week. They started at 8.00 and were finished before it got too hot at 9.30. I've bought a new telephoto lens for my camera and enjoyed taking loads of pictures. This one, of a boy called Ziad in Lucy's class is my favourite. As Janet pointed out, it's a shame I can't take such good photos of my own children. Anyway, both events were really well organised and the kids had a great time.



I finally got my new car today after 7 months in Dubai. It's a black 7 seat Pajero (a brand spanker as well - see previous post) and I'm very pleased with it. Janet pronounced it underpowered, which it is compared to the Durango (190hp to 340hp). And this from someone who spent years in a nasty 1.2 litre Vauxhall Nova.

Janet has finally got a job as a Supply Teacher at the kids school and will be there full time until at least half term. I've already noticed a difference to our finances - not because of what she's earning, but the reduction in how much we're spending on 'coffee, cake' (as Max says everytime he sees a Starbucks!).

A sour taste

At the weekend we went to a restaurant called Tang at Le Meridien Mina Seyahi. In spite of Chris Eubank and Calum Best staying there, it is a very good hotel. Apparently, Tang is 'a gem for the discerning food lover who is passionate about ultimate sensual dining experiences in style.'

The restaurant has set itself up in the manner of Heston Blumenthal at
The Fat Duck or Ferran Adria at, reportedly the world's best restaurant, El Bulli on the Costa Brava. However, chocolate dusted scallops with bits of froth and cod ice cream didn't do it for Janet who declared it to be 'pretentious c**p'. I found a lot of the food to be excellent but agreed with her about the wine list which was a sheet of red acrylic which couldn't be read without the help of a torch.

The bill came to 700Dhs (£100) per couple. Not too bad since, as I am constantly reminded by my UK colleagues, we are now on a tax free, fat cat, expat 'package'. However, an event earlier in the day put it into perspective that we aren't all living the dream in Dubai.

Four hundred construction workers blocked the traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road - Dubai's busiest and most lethal. They had the temerity to claim that they deserve 27 Dhs per day rather than the 25 Dhs they presently earn. 2Dhs is 28 pence. All in all, the earn about 600 Dhs (£85) per month on average. Most of them will have paid large sums of money to an agent in their home country to get to Dubai in the first place and will then send most of it home to support their families. No wonder there weren't any construction workers in Tang. I can't imagine this was part of the Ruler's Wise Vision.