22nd - 24th March 2024 Post Comment Love

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

We're taking a 2 week break now until the 12th April, we'll tweet/x you a reminder when we're back. In the meantime, link up, leave a comment or two and we'll do the same back.

Hope you have a Happy Easter if you celebrate. Ramadan Mubarak to those of you celebrating that also.

We'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter, tag us and we'll RT. You can find us on twitter here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby 

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 

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Post Comment Love 21st - 23rd April 2023

Welcome back to #pocolo with Stephanie from Lifeat139a and I.

I hope you all had a good Easter and Ramadan Kareem whatever you celebrate. We were in Dubai for Ramadan and Easter. Then I took mum to Brighton for a few days to see her family. Easter isn't a big affair in Dubai unlike Christmas and Halloween, but there are still chocolate eggs and decorations for sale in the supermarkets.

It's been two years since I've been in Dubai and as you can imagine there have been huge changes. The construction and development seems to double in size every year.

It was lovely to visit the Worlds Largest Aquarium in Dubai and then the Worlds Oldest Aquarium in Brighton over the holidays. 

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week and all we ask is that you leave a comment on either mine or Stephanie's post which you linked up through and at least one other post. We'd also love it if you could RT us on Twitter when we tag you to help us reach a wider audience.

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the weekend.

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Ramadan in Dubai 2023

It's been almost 2 years since we were in Dubai during Ramadan and so much has changed in the way non muslims can operate during the day.

In 2015 there was no alcohol served during Ramadan and all food outlets were closed during day light hours.

In 2016 they allowed alcohol to be served after Iftar (sundown) Some places were open for take out only but hours were restricted and the number of venues limited.

In 2017 - 2019 coffee shops with indoor service only were open during restricted hours and hotels were allowed to serve alcohol during the day, the food halls were open and screened off.

2020 took place during lock down.

2021 we were surprised to see the removal of screens and all coffee shops, restaurants were open during the day. However the rules asked you to refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and chewing gum in public during daylight hours.

2023 People were walking around the tourist areas eating, drinking and smoking. There were decorations in the malls and offers in the stores.

It was also Easter at the same time and whilst there are decorations in shops and chocolate eggs in stores, it's never been a big thing in Dubai unlike Christmas which is a huge event over there.

The take out coffee cups were decorated, but that was that. No restrictions at all and it just didn't feel like Ramadan at all.

Post Comment Love. 29th April - 2nd May

Welcome back to #Pocolo with Stephanie from Lifeat139 and I where we host a weekly post where you can link up with any post, on any subject, you've written this week.

Hope you've all had a good Easter, Ramadan and a blessed Eid Al Fitr.

We were away in West Wales for 5 nights with the dog. Have you been to this part of the world? Did you go away for the Easter break.

I've been back in school for 4 days and have Monday off for the bank holiday, then just over 3 weeks till the half term holidays and we'll be off to explore the Yorkshire coast. 

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Week 16 - One Daily Positive - A staycation and Ramadan Kareem

It doesn't feel like I've been away from Dubai at all. It's automatic to hop in the car and drive on the other side of the road and the money and way of doing things is familiar. 

However Ramadan is very different this year, it's cooler for starters as it occurs 11 days earlier each year and most of the restrictions of previous years have changed and as long as you eat or drink in a cafe or restaurant there is no need for screening from the rest of the public. More places are open this year due to not requiring a permit to operate during Ramadan.

Smoking, eating and drinking whilst walking around or in your car is still prohibited during day light hours.

I've been back and forth to the Drs for yet more blood tests, thankfully my phosphate levels have corrected themselves with medication but they really do need to get to the bottom of the iron deficiency anaemia as the side effects of the infusions are causing other issues now and I really don't want to be on more and more medications long term.

We managed to get away for a few days, but if I'm honest I'm not a big fan of hotel stays. The staff were excellent but a lot of the guests refused to wear masks in communal areas both indoors and outdoors, but this is what happens when people visit from other countries, they don't recognise the laws or think they can do the same as they do at home but in the sun. The hotel was also very tired, soft furnishings were stained and towels were thread bare and a good clean was needed in the rooms. The communal areas looked ok as they were being cleaned throughout the day. 

107 Saturday All change with Ramadan. We went to the Outlet Village and other than coffee didn't buy anything.

108 Sunday Stopped at the beach on the way to the Doctors

109 Monday A mini break in Ras Al Khaimah at the Rixos. 

110 Tuesday Days split between the beach and the pool side and dinner and a show in the evening.

111 Wednesday Some of the entertainment leaves a lot to be desired such as Baby Shark throughout the day and the Macarena at night, thank fully it was relatively quiet with numbers.

112 Thursday Morning by the pool and the drive home, stopping at the local mall for a coffee and a food shop for the week.

113 Friday Whilst we have a lot more freedom in Dubai we are required to wear masks 24/7 including outdoors, in parking lots etc. Both Peter and I are used to wearing them when out the house, I'll just have to remind him that he can take his mask off in open space when he's back in the UK. I attempted to sit out in the garden, but by the time I'd swept and put the cushions out I had overheated, so spent the day trying to sell the garden, organise Bupa to continue when we relocate (quoted £23,000 per annum for medical aid) cancelling internet and sorting out investments. 

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Ramadan Kareem 2021. Then and now in Dubai. 'Service for non-Muslims'

Ramadan in Dubai is very different this year as an observer.

Our first Ramadan was in July 2015. Muslims fast, which means they do not eat, drink, chew gum and yes that includes not even having a sip of water during daylight hours. It also means as a non resident in the UAE that you will also observe this and not eat in, drink or smoke in public places or in the view of others. So no drinking water in your car, smoking a cigarette or dipping your hands in a bag of crisps during the same time period. You can how ever eat in the privacy of your own home or allocated room at work.

In 2015 I rarely left the house for a month, no where was open, no coffee shops, no restaurants, nothing during the day and it was dry as in no alcohol served at all during Ramadan.

2016 was slightly different, they lifted the rules on drinking alcohol for tourists and residents but only in the evenings and with a licence, places were allowed to open in the day to serve food, but only after a certain time and doors and windows had to be blocked off. Most places though were take out only. I was teaching that year in an Arabic school and had to go into the toilets in the classrooms to have a drink of water and had to wait for an hour to drive home before I could drink again. I'd skip lunch most days as the break room was too far away.

Summer in Dubai reaches 50c.

2017 more changes, now alcohol could be consumed during the day at brunches, coffee shops now open to sit indoors only, Mall food halls now serving food from midday if you sat behind the screens.

2018 and 2019 pretty much the same.

2020 Ramadan took place during a full lockdown.

2021 You wouldn't even know Ramadan was happening. You can eat and drink in public seated in a cafe or restaurant indoors. No screens, no curtains, no signs.

The first weekend some areas had outdoor seating open, people were smoking and drinking whilst walking around. The rules have now been clarified to indoor dining only and the general public should refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and chewing gum outdoors during daylight hours.

 

Around the home and garden in Dubai and South Africa May 2019

This month I've been at home in Dubai with a 12 day break to South Africa in the middle of Ramadan.

During Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking in public during daylight hours is illegal and unfortunately there is little consistency with opening hours and who has a licence for drink in or take away only and in this heat high 30's I find life in Dubai quite difficult, so I tend to escape for as much of it as I can.

Ramadan decorations at Mall of the Emirates

Eating and drinking only during the day, behind the curtain

Both the cat and the dog have been in an out of boarding as they do most of the summer while we travel and are always pleased to see us when we're home.

This stray cat is being cared for by one of our neighbours but likes to sit on our doorstep where the air con escapes underneath and keeps him cool during the day in the shade.

We've had some strange weather for May, even seeing some rain, but it has meant we've been able to spend more time outdoors than normal at this time of year. There has been time by the pool, on the beach and in the garden.

The garden has been doing well this year also. The lawn had its final cut. I researched how to care for the cactus over the summer.

Water once a week. Deep and slow watering over a 4-6 hour period, by making small holes in the lid and turning the bottle upside down.

No new purchases for the house, just a rearrange so we're not sitting under the full blast of the air con.

South Africa, our former home for 4 years, I have to be on high alert with my personal safety when I visit, something I've noticed I'm doing more of in the UK also, since leaving there almost 9 years ago. Dubai is so safe, we often forget we can't behave the same way everywhere else 

On Safari

This is NOT Bob. It's Grace she was rescued from the same area a year after Bob and is 3 years younger.

Part of the reason for my visit to South Africa is support my friends with their charity work. I'm no longer affiliated with the charities directly.

Donated Teddy Bears

Rape Care Kits 

Cleaning out, sorting through donations and tidying the storage unit.

Always time for some shopping at an African Market and a typical mall.

A drive round the countryside and over the dam. The water is polluted as far as the eye can see.

Garden goals.

Lemon trees and homegrown Granadilla

Succulents on safari

Tea rooms

And of course time for friends and lovely food and drink. It's always great to catch up with friends, something I don't have many of in Dubai. It's important to me to maintain contact throughout the year also.

In other news this month I've decided to ditch the linkys other than #pocolo #mysundayphoto and 'Where am I in the world?' and #project365.

We were finally able to share our news that we're going to become grandparents and I've had my final round of dental surgery and have been able to ditch the plate. Won't be finished until mid July.

In June I'm off to Ireland with a friend, then visiting child 2 and 2a in Northern Ireland before flying to the UK for a week.

So that's all from me for May, how's it been for you?