Week 89 - Back to school and cold tea My Sunday Photo and Photalife

For many parents, they are celebrating Back to School by finishing a drink while it's still hot.

For me, I'm struggling to find time to make a drink let alone finish one while it's still hot, as my back to school is teaching.

Sunday is a working day in Dubai and despite only being back in school for 2 weeks, we are now off this week for Eid Al Adha.

Eid Al Adha is one of the holiest celebrations on the Islamic calendar. Known as the Feast of Sacrifice representing the end of Hajj. Ibrahim was about to sacrifice his son, but God told him to sacrifice an animal instead.

The day is celebrated with a morning prayer and the exchanging of gifts and food, with family and friends and the poor.

Week 32 - My Sunday Photo. Petit Spa L'Occitane

This isn't a sponsored post for Petit Spa L'Occitane but I did win vouchers with The Beach, Dubai on Instagram with #HappyGatherings during Eid.

I've never been one for Spa days/treatments although I've had a few massage treatments over the years, but they've either been gifts or for reviewing purposes.

I'm letting the side down a little as an expat woman, I know you all think that's all I do now I'm living in Dubai, you're more likely to find me gardening, sewing, swimming or walking than finding me in a spa or even a hairdressers and yes, I do like to get my nails done, but after bad experience involving a nail file (my nails are still recovering) and with the gardening I now do, it seems a pointless exercise.

I arrived 10 minutes early at Petit Spa L'Occitane and was introduced to Tina the therapist who asked me a brief general history of what brought me there today, what my expectations were and asked me to complete a form with preferences and medical history.

After showing me into the therapy room, with scented candles and soft music, she pointed to a little box where I could leave my jewellery and asked me to undress and put the robe on. I was offered a pair of paper panties to protect my own, but seeing as mine were £1 from Primark I didn't see the need.

I had booked for a 45 minutes back and neck massage, which surprisingly started with a foot soak and massage. She then asked me to do a breathing exercise and said I wasn't to focus on my breathing and just relax. It took me a good 10 minutes to stop thinking about my breathing.

The back and neck massage were wonderful, I drifted in and out of sleep for the next 45 minutes, she focused on my shoulders where she could feel the tension and my lower back after I slipped 3 discs earlier this year. She also massaged down my legs and arms.

Unlike other massages I've had, Tina didn't make me jump or startle me at all, she kept one hand on my body at all times, even when moving from the neck to the legs and several times checked that the firm pressure was ok.

Finishing off with a foot massage or so I thought then asked me to turn onto my back for a head massage, which was simply divine.

After dressing Tina made me a cup of green tea and provided some dried fruit and nuts and advised I drank plenty of liquids for the rest of the day and to keep my shoulders warm from the air conditioning.

I had to add 50 AED to the 200 AED voucher and I was asked if I would be in again, but no pressure was put on me to make another appointment and I wasn't pressurised into buying anything either.

I will return in a couple of months as I thoroughly enjoyed the morning and I finished my morning off with Pancakes, fruit and tea at Big Chefs Cafe.

If in the meantime anyone else thinks their massage and customer service can top that, I'd be happy to  try them out.

Week 29 - My Sunday Photo. Eid Mubarak

It's been a long and lonely week with hubby working in the UK. I've been fairly housebound with Ramadan and the fact I can't eat or drink in public during daylight hours. But I've made a point of getting out and about and on Friday I headed off to The Beach in Dubai, near the Marina to join in the Eid Celebrations and to watch the fireworks.

This photo won AED 1000 over on Instagram. You can see a video of the fireworks here.

Eid Al Fatr marks the end of Ramadan with 3 day celebrations and marks the end of month long fasting during Ramadan.

The celebrations are a time for family and of forgiveness and of giving thanks and many Muslims give donations of food to those less fortunate than themselves.

I've only been in Dubai for the last week of Ramadan and what I've learnt from speaking to shop workers and taxi drivers has been interesting.

There has been one thing I've been puzzled by and if anyone could let me know the answer I'd be grateful is when you go to a coffee shop that is licensed to serve take away food and drinks during Ramadan and have signs for 'non muslims and children only' is why they have covers over the food counters, yet the supermarkets have open fronts and anyone can go in and shop and purchase any foods they like during the day, yet they don't cover their food.

BTW Muslims can clean their teeth during Ramadan, just not in day light hours as if they swallowed the toothpaste they would be breaking their fast.