The first thing we noticed after leaving the airport terminal in Dubai was the heat. Fortunately you don’t sweat. Any moisture your body develops to cool itself immediately evaporates. It’s like stepping into a very hot oven. The scale inside our car read 52 degrees Celsius (126 Fahrenheit)… it stood in the shade.
The second thing I noticed was the “Ladies Greeters Area”, which was a bit of a disappointment because although I walked through very slowly I didn’t get one hello.
Dubai is a big construction site. Wherever you go, wherever you look, buildings are being built by a huge army of workers shipped in from Pakistan. These guys work day (120s Fahrenheit) and night (100s Fahrenheit), and if they don’t work, they sleep in container barracks at the edge of town.
The raised concrete rail in the middle of the street is for a Monorail line. Traffic is a bit of a nightmare here. There are frequent traffic jams and not much public transport, so the Monorail will make a difference.
Dubai’s population consists of more than 80% expatriates, and whether you live in barracks, ugly concrete blocks, or big villas depends on which country you were born in and what kind of education you received. Americans, Europeans, Middle Eastern people and the odd Asian live in landscaped areas with swimming pools. People from the Philippines, Thailand, Africa, and India live somewhere else. The former are here to sell their education to the highest bidder, the later are here to serve the former. All are here to make money.
If you were born in North America or Western Europe, never forget that you were merely fortunate to be born in the right place.
The picture below doesn’t show it very clearly, but half of the skyscrapers in the distance are in a state of construction too. The only industry that makes stuff in Dubai is the building industry. And if you are wondering who is paying for all this construction… you are, with every fill of your car’s gas tank.
Dubai itself doesn’t have any oil. The investment money is mainly coming from neighboring gulf states, and people from Europe and America hopping on the bandwagon.
Yesterday, we drove into the mountains. It was wonderful to see the desert, camels grazing, and the mountain ranges in the distance. On the way back into the city, we drove by huge industrial areas with factories producing building supplies and passed literally thousand of trucks transporting the stuff into Dubai City. It’s mind-boggling, it really is.
Germany beat Turkey 3-2 with a goal in the 90th minute and is through to the final of the European football championship.
I didn’t watch it live - 3am is such an ungodly hour - but from the highlights I saw this morning, it must have been a thriller game. Germany will either play Russia or Spain in the final on Sunday… afterwards heart rates in Europe will hopefully be back to normal.
I am not much of a sports spectator, but I enjoyed following the world cup last year when I was in Berlin, and this year’s European tournament seems to be just as much fun.
I gave up on waiting for the storm at 2am this morning, only to be awakened by heavy rain banging at my bedroom window at 5.30.
It was a direct hit, but the winds were relatively benign. The rain on the other hand…
was and is still heavy. It’s coming down in sheets.
Hong Kong already had very heavy rains throughout May with lots of landslides. So it’s a good thing that wind and rainstorm warnings were hoisted this morning, and kids don’t need to go to school. Little man is very, very happy.
100 American sailors are very happy too. Their aircraft carrier left Hong Kong one day earlier than planned because of the storm, and they were stranded in town. What tough luck…
“A couple of sailors who were in Mong Kok when their ships left without them spent their Sunday night drinking at a Wan Chai bar.
“Hong Kong is a fantastic city to be stuck in,” one said.”
See the big, white swirl between Hainan (first Chinese island east of the Vietnamese coast) and Taiwan? That’s typhoon Fenshen, which already wrecked havoc in the Philippines.
It’s heading to Hong Kong (located midway between Hainan and Taiwan, at the Pearl River Estuary, where the red line meets the sea, just a touch north of the big, white swirl). The early morning hours are going to be interesting.
Pssst, don’t tell anyone, but I love typhoons.
The air is already fresh and clean. A strong breeze is going through our flat, a welcome relieve from the humid heat we had during the day. The night skyline of Hong Kong is in front of our windows, so clear that it seems possible to grab the skyscrapers with our hands.
Thankfully the winds are not as strong anymore as when Fengshen hit the Philippines, but the bedroom window just closed shut with a bang. I better tighten the hatches.
Don’t tell anyone, but when little man has fallen asleep I will go onto the balcony and stay there until even I get scared. Last time, I only went inside when the plastic chair of one of my neighbors was flying by.
PS: Update at 23.45 from the HK Observatory…
“Tropical Cyclone Bulletin
Here is the latest Tropical Cyclone Bulletin issued by the Hong Kong Observatory.
The No. 8 Northeast Gale or Storm Signal is in force.
This means that winds with mean speeds of 63 kilometres per hour or more are expected from the northeast quarter.
At midnight, Severe Tropical Storm Fengshen was centred about 80 kilometres southeast of Hong Kong Observatory (near 21.7 degrees north 114.6 degrees east) and is forecast to move north or north-northwest at about 14 kilometres per hour in the general direction of the Pearl River Estuary.
According to the present forecast track, Fengshen will be closest to Hong Kong in the morning, its centre might even cross the territory of Hong Kong.
In the past hour, the maximum sustained winds recorded at Cheung Chau and Sai Kung were 44 and 47 kilometres per hour with maximum gusts 62 and 69 kilometres per hour respectively.
(Precautionary Announcements with No. 8 Signal)
1. Complete all precautions in your home. Lock all windows and doors, fit bars into position and insert reinforced shutters and gates if they are available. Adhesive tape fixed to large window-panes in exposed positions will reduce damage by broken glass. Strom water drains should be cleared of leaves and rubbish.
2. Do not stand near windows on the exposed side of your home. Move all furniture and valuables away from these areas. Make sure you have a safe place to shelter, should windows be broken.
3. Since seas are rough, you are advised to stay away from the shoreline and not to engage in water sports.
4. Flights at Hong Kong International Airport may be affected by the weather. Please contact your airline for the latest flight information before departing for the airport.
5. Owners of neon signs are reminded that they should now arrange for the electricity supply to their signs to be cut off.
6. Please listen to your radio or watch your TV for the latest weather information broadcast at the 15th, 30th, 45th and 58th minute of each hour. You can also browse the Hong Kong Observatory’s web site for the information.”
It’s lovely and calm on my balcony, and I wonder if this was a fluke to begin with or if I am in the eye of the storm.
I have been listening to Buena Vista Social Club ever since the heat started…
(Ibrahim Ferrer and the Buena Vista Social Club “Dos Gardenias”)
I started to sing and said “play that please”
Two gardenias for you
with them I want to say to you
I love you, I adore you, my life.
Look at them carefully,
they are your heart and mine.
Ry Cooder heard it too
and when I went to him
I had sung the song
only for fun
and he recorded it.
Two gardenias for you
with them I want to say to you
I love you, I adore you, my life.
Look at them carefully,
they are your heart and mine.
Two gardenias for you
with all the warmth of a kiss.
Like the kisses I gave you.
Those that you will never find
in the arms of another love.
At your side they will live
and speak to you, as if you were with me.
You will even believe
that they say to you:
I love you.
But when one evening
the gardenias of my love wilt
it is because they guess
that your love betrayed me
because you desire another.
Here is the full-length version. While listening to it, imagine sitting on a verandah in Havana on a sweltering late afternoon, sipping cool drinks and ceiling fans swirling overhead.
I saw this at APJ’s blog, and it was the perfect excuse not to do filing and accounting…
[1] What’s one thing that would instantly make you dislike a person?
Disrespectful behavior makes me dislike a person instantly. Some people go through life thinking that they are just a touch better, smarter, more beautiful (etc, etc, etc) than the rest of us little earthlings. Thinking it is bad enough, but showing and acting on it is even worse. I think the fancy term is arrogance?!?
[2] What do you do when you need to relax?
It depends. Taking a walk or doing other physical exercise helps when I am stressed out and need to get adrenaline out of my system. At other times, watching TV programs that don’t need too much mind-bending helps. Cooking or travel programs, or even better a combination of the two, put me in an instant feel good mood. When I am at the very end of my ropes, I lie down on my bed and concentrating on breathing in and out.
[3] Why do you think there is war in the world?
An avalanche of stupidity and fear on all sides. It always seems to start very small, then gets fanned by people who want to profit from it in one way or another, and soon enough it snowballs out of control… but ultimately it remains a mystery to me.
[4] Do you think it’s OK to sometimes tell lies?
We learn from an early age that it is not OK to tell lies, yet we all do. It’s confusing to me. I tell lies sometimes, but most of the time I remain silent, and that may be even worse.
[5] Do you like things in life to stay how they are or change?
I like to discover new things everyday, but I also need a secure base to do it from. What I hate is people taking important decisions that change my life without discussing them with me first.
[6] If someone liked you, what would be the best way to let you know?
It’s a multitude of small things that makes us like a person. Sometimes it comes instantly and sometimes over time. I don’t think it’s always necessary to spell it out, because one can feel it, but it’s also nice to hear it. Then, the where and how doesn’t matter at all.
[7] What are you listening to right now?
The hum of the ceiling fan.
[8] If you won a lot of money on the lottery, what would you buy first?
I would buy a home, and put the rest in a savings account and pay our living expenses with it. Sounds really boring, I know, but in my current situation even the mere thought thrills me to no end.
[9] Would it change your life?
No, but it would settle a few worries.
[10] What was the last thing you purchased?
A brownie for little man and a coffee for me. We had an after school indulgence at our neighborhood coffee shop.
[11] What do you do when you’re stressed out?
I try to step back and get some rational perspective on things. Unfortunately, I am not always successful.
[12] Would you honestly say you’d risk your life for someone else?
I have never been in a situation where I had to make that decision, and it somehow feels wrong to say I will without a doubt. I think I would for little man, and other people I love.
[13] Do you believe in Aliens?
I don’t know if there is other life on distant planets, and as long as they don’t visit us or we them, I won’t give much thought to the question.
[14] Could you forgive a boyfriend or girlfriend who physically hurt you?
Willfully? No, I don’t think I could.
[15] What’s your greatest fear in life?
I have worries when I let my mind wander too much. Sometimes the little worries grow out of proportion and become debilitating. I hate when that happens. They are imaginary, what-if fears. So far, in real life, I have survived everything life has thrown at me.
[16] Do you have a best friend?
I have several good friends, but no best friend.
[17] Are you afraid of death?
No, I am not. I don’t believe in hell, so there is nothing to fear.
[18] Do you think parents should stay together for the kids?
I am not sure, not at all cost, but I am not sure where the cut-off point is. I think they should at least try to remain friends, and support their children and each other.
[19] Can money buy happiness?
I have met seriously rich people in my former line of work (we are talking private-plane-kind-of-rich). I don’t think they were any happier than people like you and me. Some of them even thought that they were poor.
On the other hand, I know people who have very little and exude contentedness and never miss a chance to smile. They would probably love to have more money, but that doesn’t stop them from having a good time here and now.
To have a certain financial security is very nice, but true happiness seems to be a state of mind not a state of the wallet.
[20] Are you looking forward to anything?
No. At the moment, I am taking one day at a time, but I am hoping for nice surprises.
[21] Write some lyrics from the song you’re listening to?
I am not listening to any music at the moment.
[22] Do you open up to people easily?
To some people I do, because I feel an instant connection, but on average I am rather reserved.
[23] Has anyone given you a compliment today?
Not today, but can I tell you about last week, when I wore my new jeans skirt for the first time? The other mummies at the school bus stop thought that I look fabulous. It made my day!
[24] What do your friends call you?
Not Cosima… lol
[25] Has anyone upset you in the last week?
Yes, very much, and I have him in return. To tell you the truth, I feel awful.
[26] What usually causes your relationships to end?
Disrespect for each other and/or a lack of common ground.
[27] Are you close to your parents?
Yes.
[28] What’s the best thing about you?
You have to ask other people.
[29] Do you think you would be a good parent?
I am a parent, and I try my best every day.
[30] Are you a forgiving person?
No, it’s not one of my strengths. My memory is too good.
[32] Who was the last person of the opposite sex you had a conversation with?
The man who works at our local post office. He gave me a receipt for a parcel I posted, and then said good bye. I reminded him that I have yet to pay for the parcel. I think he was a little stressed out. The queue was long.
[33] Where is the last place you went out to eat?
The day before yesterday, I had lunch with very good friends at a dim sum restaurant. It was delicious.
[34] Whats your favorite drink?
I am a coffee addict, but to quench serious thirst there is nothing better than water.
[35] Do you miss anyone?
Yes, I do.
[36] What were you doing at 3 AM this morning?
I don’t know if it was 3am, but at some point during the night I woke up because I was too hot. I switched the air-conditioning on. After a while, I woke up again because I was too cold… off, on, off, on… and then it was 6.30 am and the alarm clock went off.
[37] Who do you hate?
No one. It’s much too stressful.
[38] Is your room clean?
Yes, but there are cushions all over the floor, and documents for Cosima Inc. Little man and I had a pillow fight last night, and I should do accounting for Cosima Inc instead of writing this post…
[39] What are you going to do tomorrow?
I am hoping that the weather will be good, and that little man and I can go to the swimming-pool.
[40] What is in store for your future?
I don’t know.
[41] Do you take care of your friends while they’re sick?
My friends have families that take care of them when they are sick. I have taken care of sick family members, and what I find interesting is that while some people draw into their shells to heal, others get whiny and loud. Guess who I like to take care of more.
[42] When was the last time you purchased something over $500?
For a single item? A long time ago. So long ago that I can’t remember.
[43] Any piercings?
One in each ear.
[44] Favorite color?
Blue.
[45] Who is your favorite person to have a serious conversation with?
How serious?…lol… I would rather have fun conversations.
[46] Who was driving the last time you were in a car?
A cab driver.
[47] What kind of digital camera brand do you have?
Panasonic.
[48] Does any part of your body hurt right now?
I feel a headache coming on and feel like a nap. I am exhausted.
[49] How many tickets do you have?
For speeding? None, I don’t have a car.
[50] Do you like coffee?
Yes, I am addicted to it.
[51] Why are you doing this survey?
I saw it at APJ’s blog, and I am as bored as she was, and I don’t want to do accounting.
[52] Who was the last person that texted you?
Someone who wanted to sell me something. I can’t tell you what, because it was all Chinese to me.
[53] What does your twelfth message in your inbox say?
I am too lazy to look.
[54] What are you craving?
Nearness.
[55] Whats the closest red thing to you?
My bra is bordeaux. Does that count?
[56] What is the last pill you swallowed?
A vitamin pill this morning.
[57] How did you sleep last night?
See 36.
[58] What was the first thing you thought this morning?
I wish I could stay in bed.
[59] What did you do last night?
I read a good-night story to little man and lay next to him until he fell asleep. Then I called an overseas customer, and did this and that for Cosima Inc. When I was finished it was 11.30pm. I chatted a bit with a friend until my eyes started to close. With a last effort I changed, brushed my teeth and went to bed. When I was in bed, I couldn’t sleep. Many things went through my head, and I couldn’t make them go away. So I got up again, and saw a bit TV, which must have put me to sleep. I woke up on the couch a little later. I stood up and went to bed.
[60] Do you think you will be in a relationship 3 years from now?
Yes.
[61] What were you doing at 7 am?
Asking little man to come to the table to eat breakfast.
[62] Are there any previous relationships you wish could have lasted long?
No.
Wine, tasty tit-bits, cigars… and suddenly we get the inspiration to do a Clint Eastwood / Don’t mess with us - shot!
Lecram, Rachel, Joy, and me got a Taste of the Tower District on the last day of my visit to Fresno. For fifteen bucks you can nibble and drink around the Tower District. If you ask me, it’s an ingenious way to get people to come, see, and come again. But boy, it was hot! I thought my body was used to heat, having lived in tropical heat for more than ten years and all, but I was melting. Please, dear Taste of the Tower Organizers, let it start one hour later next year.
The last stop was the “backyard” of Veni Vidi Vici, where we met with APJ. (Dr. Jones, invite her soon to one of your adventures, because chances like her only come once in a life time!)
Rachel agreed with me that men who know how to cook are keepers, and she loves Marlene Dietrich too. She is my soul mate!!!
Clint Eastwood look-a-like… enjoying it all…
Afterwards, we went further down the road, and Joy exclaimed “Look, the nerds are giving away freebies too!!!” So, we went inside and got an extra helping of glow sticks. To this day, I am not exactly sure what kind of shop it was (big LCD screens and very nice 17 year old boy behind the desk).
I have to admit that by that time the seven glasses of wine and one Mojito had done their magic. Luckily, the Tower District’s Velo-Cab-Driver came by and drove us through theTower District. He was faaaaaaast…
I switched the camera mode to night shot and got this lovely shot of the Tower Theatre…
He is the best driver in town!!!
The next day, Lecram drove me back to San Francisco, and I thought “F*beep*!!! This visit was much too short!!!”
I was telling the Fresnian princesses that Fresno (and especially the Tower District) reminded me of a friendly village, where you constantly bump into people you know. Joy replied that not Fresno is the village but Lecram, who knows so many people around town.
It was wonderful to tag along the Malay pirate. To be well fed, entertained, and generally spoiled rotten by him. Thank you very much, Lecram :)
And it was wonderful to meet you all in Fresno and spent time with you. A big thank you!
The highlight was the big “meat burning feast”, which not only had ample food and drink but also a special performance by Suicide Lounge. Two thirds of Suicide Lounge arrived early to help set everything up, and Nate even brought his new love, a shiny five-string bass guitar. Have you checked out Nate’s MySpace Page yet, and his website? He is a man of many talents. He plays the bass guitar and piano, acts, and draws. Tarkus of Darkness became a favorite of little man and me, and all sorts of stories roam through my head that involve a cute little dragon desperately trying to look scary.
Fresnian princesses, court jesters, knights and other merry folk were arriving in the late afternoon. Throughout the evening it became evident to me that I was the only one without any special artistic talents. I remember that RP (sitting next to me) asked me if I play any instruments. My lame reply was that I know how to operate my stereo… yawn.
One of the first bottles to be opened was the great Costco find “Gnarly Head”. It was very nice, strong flavored, not gnarly at all, with a hint of… je ne sais quoi… lol, oh boy.
Then we all went inside the pirate’s garage theater to listen to Suicide Lounge. Joy, Nate, and RP called it a rehearsal. The rehearsal blew me away. It was a wonderful experience to listen to them up and close. The mix of songs was perfect and very entertaining, and the three of them - each of them very talented - play so well together. They make it look very easy, and you can see and hear the fun they are having making music together.
If you haven’t done it yet, go to their MySpace page and listen to their rendition of Lush Life.
Meanwhile, at the back of the room, a cuddly seal was looking for company. I think Dr. Jones will get very envious, APJ ;D.
Nate and RP also gave a very funny version of Creep.
When the “official” program was finished, Joy sat down at the keyboard, playing and singing, and I managed to shoot the picture below. Doesn’t she look fabulous? I wish there would have been more light on her face, but instead of photoshopping, I thought I post it as is.
And of course, we had to do a group “Zonthar” shot… lol
Sorry to keep you waiting for so long for the third part of the fairytale. Life caught up with me, and the photos have not magically reappeared… real life can be sooooo frustrating.
Luckily, I found copies of them in the recesses of my computer. Of course they had to be resized and uploaded once more.
So where were we? Aah yes, beautiful Fresnian princesses and other magical people…
The first princess the beanstalk met in Fresno was the wonderful Rachel, who had kept watch at the pirate’s den while he was away. She reminded me more of a faerie though. Beautiful, kind hearted, and with just the right amount of quirkiness. No photos of her yet, they will follow later.
Obviously, we had to shoot the next installment. With the washing in the background, which movie could it be? A gritty adaption of one of Brecht’s plays… Low-dive Jenny and Mack the Knife?
You may know this already, but let me point out the obvious, Fresno is hot in summer and this year it was already very hot in May. Perfect excuse to go to the neighborhood’s watering hole for rehydration. Where we interrupted Solitaire’s studies for her new role as the male (?!?) lead. She showed us her newly short-cut hair and very convincing machismo. Which is no small feat for a beautiful Fresnian princess.
They pour very stiff drinks at the watering hole. Which didn’t stop us from wandering on to the newly opened “English pub” to meet even more Fresnian princesses.
Well, it was an American version of an English pub, much bigger and with ample parking spaces right in front of the entrance. Which is ok with me. Who wants to drive around for hours to find parking? That would be much too much realism. I only have to nitpick a little. A “real” English pub always has a beer-soaked carpet, gone brown and musty. And that they had run out of the locally brewed “Cluster Fuggle Cream Ale” was a big disappointment too (But yes, APJ, it was great to say it!).
I got to meet two wonderful ladies, Joy and APJ, and they graciously oversaw that jet lag was beginning to hit me, and I was speaking in monosyllables. We were trying to do the Zonthar-look, and they are so much better at it than me.
The next day, the pirate got the Bonnie-and-Clyde car ready for a foray into the country-side.
The pirate wanted to show me enchanted nature, I was more interested in golden booty. Along the way, I was pointing out fruit-laden orange trees, ripe for the picking. The straight-laced pirate did not stop the car. Then came a post office, alone in the middle of nowhere. Dismissed as too small.
The river bed was full of gold… all sparkly. “Hooray!” I shouted. “We are rich!”
“Do you know how cold the water is?”
“Well, let me test it.”
Dismissed as too icy. Great spot to sell woolen socks to stupid tourists though.
On the way back we picked up groceries at the “Super Oriental” and the little shop across from it. “Super Oriental” puts any supermarket in Hong Kong to shame. They have a great selection of Asian foodstuffs, and because it is run by people from Laos or Vietnam, you find lots of things for Indochina dishes that are not commonly available in a Chinese supermarket. It was great fun to look around.
In the evening, the pirate spoiled me by taking me out for dinner to Veni Vidi Vici, where we met by chance Mustang and his sister-in-law. Mustang was sharing stories of his European travels, and they sounded a bit like Gulliver’s tales… lol.
We were also discussing if people in normal life are anything like their blog persona. Mustang thought that the woman in front of him was like Cosima. I think it’s also nice that people can share sides of them in their blogs that are not always obvious in daily life. Mustang does that with his blog, and I enjoy his posts very much.
Then my giant pork chop arrived, and I felt like a dwarf.
Not to be outdone, the Malay pirate had ordered half a cow.
After the beanstalk ate half of the giant pork chop and the pirate half of the steak, they looked at each other and had the same thought “No more!” … such loosers. They came, they saw, but they didn’t conquer.
The next day, Joy came and took us for a “Costco run” in preparation for the party later in the evening at the pirate’s den. Yes, Costco gave me culture shock… lol. I don’t think it would work in Hong Kong though. Where do you store “packs of twenty” in a tiny kitchen?
Then the pirate took us to his favorite Indian restaurant, which turned out to be inside an Indian convenience store. It’s a winning combination. While you wait for your meal, you can browse around the aisles for Indian spice mixes, sweets and snacks, and natural cosmetics and toiletries. We did that for a while, but then sat down and were captivated by Bollywood music videos that were playing on two TV screens. Our favorite was a very, very long music video by a girl group in skimpy Britney Spear’s school uniform outfits. They sang and danced around St. Petersburg for half an hour. Why they were in Russia remained a mystery.
In the next episode: A gnarly head, a cuddly seal, and other strange creatures.
