The Good News and the Bad News about Fujairah Housing

The Good News
Some apartment towers that have been standing in ghostly silence in Fujairah are slowly getting connected to the electrical supply.

Like this tower (pictured), labeled Burj Amoon on its exterior but generally known to the residents as the Al Yasmin building.

It stands on the right side of Fujairah’s main street as you head towards the corniche and is located in the section after the Perfume Roundabout, just before the Sharjah Islamic Bank.

The building opened for business about three months ago boasting sizeable 3-4 bedroom apartments on the dozen floors. They appear spacious, with their high ceilings, solid sound-proof walls and views both sides (north and south) across the city and out to the Arabian Sea.

The Bad News
The Al Yasmin building filled up in a few weeks leaving many home hunters waiting for another tower to be switched on.

Villas are still hard to find (especially those with 3-4 bedrooms) and there are several diesel generators outside new blocks of flats, keeping the lights powered until the dwellings are hooked up to the electricity.

Related
Hotels and apartments springing up in Fujairah City, FIF, 11 June 2010.
Hotel and apartment towers rising in Fujairah, FIF, 31 May 2010.
Rental property update in Fujairah, UAE, FIF, 5 October 2009.
Power shortage in Fujairah leaves sparks flying, FIF, 26 August 2009.
Fujairah homes and businesses without power, switch to generators, FIF, 16 June 2009.
Power and water in short supply for Fujairah’s new buildings, FIF, 4 June 2009.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page upon which many more articles and links are posted than on this blog.

Image: “Labeled Burj Amoon on its exterior but generally known to the residents as the Al Yasmin building.”

What’s for Sale at the Fujairah Tourist Night Souq?

In addition to the rides for the children in the amusement park and the scenic shisha site, there’s much to buy at the Fujairah Tourist Night Souq.

Cruise Customers and Tourists
One cruise review prepared for the growing number of passengers on cruise ships around the Middle East gives this urging:

“There is also a shopping center where you can bargain. You should visit Fujairah Night Souq. There are approximately 5,000 products you can choose; including trendy boutiques, store chains and a lot more. This place also offers the best entertainment for the whole family. This place is open until the wee hours of the morning.”

Many of the products on display are in the souvenir category and designed to help tourists with their gift and shopping needs.

As the review says, the Fujairah Night Souq is the place to put your bartering skills into practice!

Reasonably Priced
A few of the shops have big ticket items such as computers and printers but generally the Night Souq deals in large quantities of goods that are reasonably priced. Hanif Shaikh, the Managing Director of the Fujairah Tourist Night Souq, says that bags and shaylas are hot items that sell fast. “One of the popular shops,” Hanif says, “sells low-priced clothes from a factory outlet.”

Sweets, Drinks and More
Like any good souq there are shops with refreshments including a stall that specializes in Arabic sweets.

When you’re tired from wandering around the shops, check into the place that offers Thai foot massages.

Take a Preview!
The best way to get a preview of what’s on offer at the Fujairah Tourist Night Souq is to check out this photo album.

More on Fujairah Tourist Night Souq
Lots of Entertainment for Children at Fujairah Night Souq, FIF.
The Most Scenic Shisha Site in Fujairah, FIF.

Further Information
* The Fujairah Tourist Night Souq is located on the corniche next to the Marine Club.
* The souq is patronized by His Highness, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Hamad Al Sharqi, the Crown Prince of Fujairah.
* The Managing Director of the Night Souq is Mr. Hanif Shaikh.
* The normal hours for the Night Souq are 5.00pm to 12am.
* Phone: (09) 2239272.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page upon which many more articles and links are posted than on this blog.

The Most Scenic Shisha Site in Fujairah

Hanif Shaikh, the manager of the Fujairah Tourist Night Souq, knows that not everyone has a fixation with shopping. Realistic as he is, Hanif has established the newest and arguably the most scenic shisha café in Fujairah.

Go through the Night Souq, out the other side—just beyond the children’s entertainment area but stop when you arrive at the water’s edge.

This is hardly a café because shisha smoking has been forced out doors in most public places of the UAE.

The shisha is still very popular with the locals and most tourists feel that they need to try at least a puff to inhale the Emirates.

The Tourist Night Souq shisha site is simple and minimalistic:
* The children playing behind in the amusement park.
* A large TV screen to one side for checking the football.
* A few friends around the tables, chairs or lounging on a couch or two.
* Waiters to take your order and help you light up.
* The starry sky above.
* The gentle waves of the sea lapping at your feet.

The Arabian Peninsula! The Arabian Sea! The Arabian culture!

Take a Look!
A few daytime shots of the Fujairah Tourist Night Souq shisha establishment can be found in this photo album.

More on Shisha Culture in UAE
Fujairah Exports Shisha Café to USA, FIF.
Why Women in the Emirates are Smoking More Shisha, ETE.
Shisha Cafes Could be Extinguished in New Anti-Smoking Laws, ETE.

More on Fujairah Tourist Night Souq
Lots of Entertainment for Children at Fujairah Night Souq, FIF.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page upon which many more articles and links are posted than on this blog.

Lots of Entertainment for Children at Fujairah Night Souq

As fast food restaurants and shopping malls have found, if you can provide enough interesting things to do for the children, then the parents will come and tolerate the ordeal of going out as a family.

Hanif Shaikh, the manager of the Fujairah Night/Tourist Souq believes this and he has ramped up his offerings for children, especially during the Eid Holiday.

All the Fun of the Fair
Hanif has shifted the children’s playground to a larger area on the southern side of the souq.

There are more rides on ferris wheels, trains and merry-go-rounds this year, plus cars to drive up and down the corniche.

There’s a new camel and a pony for only 10AED a ride.

There are stalls within the souq that will attract children as well as sweets, Magic Corn, drinks and other refreshments.

Take a Look
The best thing is for children to view this photo album before planning out how they will use their spending money at the Fujairah Night Souq.

Details
The Night Souq normally opens between 5pm and 12am (maybe later during Ramadan and Eid).

The Managing Director is Mr. Hanif Shaikh and the contact number is (09) 2239272.

The Tourist Night Souq is another service granted under the patronage of His Highness, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Sharqi, the Crown Prince of the emirate of Al Fujairah.

Further
Night Souk (Market) in Fujairah, FIF, 2009.
Fujairah Corniche Coming Alive During Ramadan, FIF, 2009.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page upon which many more articles and links are posted than on this blog.

Giving to the Poor in Fujairah, UAE

In addition to the hundreds of free meals that are being served each night in the huge Ramadan tents, there are droves of donors pulling up outside Fujairah’s Red Crescent this month to make their gifts.

Beyond this there are individuals in Fujairah who organize their own schemes for giving to the poor.

The photo [alongside] shows the line of men that appear between 4.00 and 4.30pm each day outside the Fujairah National Air Travel Agency, opposite the Hilton Hotel on Al Faseel Road. Here the accountant of the business manages the distribution of 100 meals of biryani every night of the month of Ramadan and during the following days of Eid.

This gesture by the Managing Director, Mr. Jahangir Ali Shamsi, brings cheer to many expats residing in Fujairah and probably this saving on the cost of an evening meal over 30+ days, puts 175AED into their pockets.

The Pillar of Zakat
This act of generosity and charity, known as zakat (Arabic: زكاة), is one of the five pillars of Islam in which the well-to-do are required to give to the poor, the needy and the hungry.

To the recipient it alleviates need and to the giver it is a means of spiritual purification from greed and selfishness, which is a part of the cleansing desired in the month of Ramadan.

Who are the Poor in Fujairah?
This question is being asked by the accountant [photo below] as he disputes with a man as to his eligibility. For one thing the man in question has the temerity to jump the queue (a sign of power in this culture) and his collar and tie suggest that he is probably a well-paid clerical worker. After a few minutes this man walked away with his biryani!

When labourers on Dubai’s skyscrapers protested some years ago about their meager salary, the employers disputed that there was any injustice and contended that the salaries and working conditions were fair.

If people are in the UAE on a work visa should they be regarded as poor and destitute? Surely the workers are worthy of their hire and therefore the salaries to all should be sufficient to keep their heads above the poverty line.

If they are regarded as poor and needy what happens for the 11 months of the year when the biryani lines no longer exist and the Ramadan tents have been pulled down? Are they still in need of charity or do their wages suffice? How much are the Ramadan meals given for the poor and to what extent are they given for the benefit of the giver to fulfill the requirements of Ramadan?

Giving that Empowers
Accepting charity, for people with honour and self-respect, can be a harder task than the act of the wealthy giving money or food to the poor.

To be most effective charity must empower the recipient and be given in such a way that maintain a person’s dignity.

Ramadan all Year Long
Providing a special meal does bring joy and this can be a wonderful service.

Implementing a respectable minimum wage that is given every month of the year is also an act of justice that is at the heart of zakat.

Related
Ramadan Hours and the Last Week of the Holy Month, FIF.
I Know I’m Back in Fujairah during at Ramadan when…FIF.
Ramadan a time for Giving in Fujairah, FIF.
What if the Ramadan Fast is broken by eating food or having sex? ETE.
The UAE offers 10,000 dirhams to quit smoking during Ramadan, ETE.
Ramadan up in the air, ETE.
Can a Christian learn from Ramadan? ETE.
Ramadan in Recession, ETE.
Paying and Cancelling Debts this Ramadan, ETE.
Ramadan Increasingly captive to Commercialism, ETE.
What to wear in the UAE—especially in Ramadan, ETE.
Smoking and Dietary Patches Ease the Pain of Ramadan Fasting, ETE.

Ramadan Kareem!

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page upon which many more articles and links are posted than on this blog.

The Sweet Taste of Fujairah UAE

Ramadan in Fujairah, UAE, seems to be as much about eating as it is about fasting.

After a day without food it must come as good news to break fast with a date (in the tradition of the Prophet Mohammed) and then to enjoy iftar (the evening meal) which includes traditional desserts and sweets. In this way one experiences Ramadan as much with the taste buds and stomach as with the mind and spirit.

Eid-ul-Fitr (the Festival of Breaking the Fast) is the celebration that marks the end of Ramadan. Eid is about festivity and the purified person is outwardly symbolized by washing, worship, new clothes, perfume, gift giving and receiving, visiting and sharing more delicious food.

Location and Hours
It is no wonder that a Sweets Souq (Market) exists in Fujairah during the month of Ramadan and extends to the end of the Eid holiday.

The Sweet Souq is open each afternoon between 3.00-6.30pm to keep the tables laden at iftar and during Eid.

This open-air market is located on the Fujairah corniche over the road from the ship-shaped Fujairah International Marine Club.

Take a Look
Take a look at photos from the Sweet Souq at this link but better still, visit the market and get a sweet taste of Fujairah.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page upon which many more articles and links are posted than on this blog.

Ramadan Hours and the Last Week of the Holy Month

Ramadan Hours
Ramadan is different from other months. Most companies and Colleges advertise ‘Ramadan Hours’ which are certainly not uniform in Fujairah and the UAE.

Some Colleges start early and finish early. Some clubs open and close later. Some businesses open only after iftar (the evening meal) and their employees work into the early hours of the morning.

Many shops are open until 1.00am or later. Restaurants and cafes that are closed during the fasting hours open their doors later, promising tantalizing Ramadan treats to boost their income.

Most licensed restaurants, bars and clubs are prohibited from selling alcoholic drinks and the ones that normally depend largely on the revenue from customers who like to have a drink, do it hard financially in the holy month.

Nocturnal Creatures
Many Emiratis in Fujairah during Ramadan are like owls, bats and kiwis—they mainly come out at night. Most expats were astonished to learn the hours of the Maktoum Championships Ramadan Tournament, firstly to discover that sport was played in a month of fasting, secondly to hear that the sport was played between the hours of 9pm and midnight and finally to learn that most Emiratis would stay up until the Morning Prayer time!

The Last Ten Days
In the last ten days of Ramadan, there is a special night, Laylat al Qadr (The Night of Power), when believers are rewarded for being engaged in prayer, eager to seek and remember Allah and to read the Koran. This night that is “better than a thousand months” no one but God knows when this time is, so believers are encouraged to be active in worship in order to help prosper their destiny in the next year.

In this last week of Ramadan when faithful believers ‘gird up their loins’ in persistent prayer and disengagement, it is harder for those not observing Ramadan to contact businesses and get things done.

Related
I Know I’m Back in Fujairah during at Ramadan when…FIF.
Ramadan a time for Giving in Fujairah, FIF.
What if the Ramadan Fast is broken by eating food or having sex? ETE.
The UAE offers 10,000 dirhams to quit smoking during Ramadan, ETE.
Ramadan up in the air, ETE.
Can a Christian learn from Ramadan? ETE.
Ramadan in Recession, ETE.
Paying and Cancelling Debts this Ramadan, ETE.
Ramadan Increasingly captive to Commercialism, ETE.
What to wear in the UAE—especially in Ramadan, ETE.
Smoking and Dietary Patches Ease the Pain of Ramadan Fasting, ETE.

Ramadan Kareem!

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page upon which many more articles and links are posted than on this blog.

Take a Look at the Fujairah Souqs

I like to put markets on my list of places to tour in a city and the Fujairah markets (souqs or souks) are no exception.

I prefer markets over malls, plain old markets rather than super or hypermarkets.

I love to see traders going about their daily work and people haggling as they buy fruit, vegetables and fish in the way they have been doing so for years.

One touches something very basic about the local culture when you see fresh fish being examined, selected, gutted, purchased and taken away for cooking that evening.

Market Inspection
The Ministry of the Economy has been conducting an inspection of the Fujairah markets during Ramadan 2010. Take a look at this video to see the aspects they have been checking.


Following this inspection is probably the best time to shop at the souqs—when the prices are clearly marked and the costs are fair.

Fujairah Souq Location
The central souqs in Fujairah have been marked on this Google Map:

View Fujairah Souqs in a larger map

Related
Fujairah Tourist Night Souk, FIF.
Fujairah Friday Market, FIF and TGI Friday Market at Fujairah, FIF.

Geoff Pound

Image: “One touches something very basic about the local culture when you see fresh fish being examined, selected, gutted, purchased and taken away for cooking that evening.”

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page upon which many more articles and links are posted than on this blog.

Looking for a Job in Fujairah?

I wrote earlier about the number of jobs in Fujairah being advertized, how this was a healthy sign of the economy and what I would do if I was looking for a job in the eastern city of the UAE.

'Tranquil Fujairah'
This pattern seems to be continuing. I was interested in the descriptive detail that supported one job listed in an Australian newspaper today.

It was headed up:
“Stunning School in tranquil Fujairah needs an Early Years Teacher ASAP!!

Among the supporting information it said about the school’s location and Fujairah: ‘Beautiful and peaceful location….nestled against the rugged Hajar mountainous range. Ideal location for someone looking for peace and quiet and who enjoys outdoor activities.’

I was intrigued by a different role advertised in an email that also came today in a listing of ‘Jobs in the Gulf’. It contained this exciting one minute video entitled:
Collecting Sewerage in Fujairah


The additional information to this footage said: ‘All sewerage here has to be collected weekly by tanker truck—most different.’ Fortunately that 2008 information is now out of date following the introduction of a modern sewerage system.

On the Youtube site there is a range of ‘related videos’ depicting other moving operations but I have spared viewers from reading these on the video embedded in this blog.

Between the marketing blurb about the tranquil position for a peace-loving teacher and the very moving experience of a modern Fujairah Night-Cart man there are lots of good jobs going!

Geoff Pound

Image: “Nestled against the rugged Hajar mountain range.”

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page upon which many more articles and links are posted than on this blog.

Discover What Fujairah is about from its Roundabouts

Al Ain would win any competition for ‘roundabout art’ but Fujairah’s roundabouts symbolize the rich cultural identity of the emirate.

Take the ‘Coffee Pot’ roundabout in Faseel and only a coffee mug's throw from the Fujairah corniche. The coffee pot depicted is the sleek and stylish coffee pourer used in the Emirates (called dallah—Arabic: دلة‎). Unfortunately in banks and businesses the dallah has been replaced by the plastic, press-the-button, thermos flask.

The coffee cups (called finjaan—Arabic: فنجان) on the Faseel roundabout are nothing like those in Starbucks as these ones come without handles. Typically they are small because the offering and receiving of more than one cup is all part of the coffee drinking tradition in this land.

Even the cardamom-laced, milk-free coffee is different and even bitter but in time the taste buds will become attuned and familiar.

The coffee is usually served upon arrival. The pouring by the host, the receiving and the drinking is all about hospitality, acceptance, communion and replenishment.

Keep pouring out your friendship! Don’t stop at one cup of hospitality. Drink deeply of the kindness. When three cups of liquid welcome have been imbibed and the cup is returned with a wiggle and a twist we will know without a word that we have been refreshed and sustained by friendship.

Related
Drinking Coffee Arabic and Turkish Style, Fujairah Observer, May 2009.
Imbibing the Emirates, Experiencing the Emirates, 1 April 2007.
Change, like Coffee Requires Time to Percolate, SFS, 19 November 2007.
Searching for the Finest Coffee in Fujairah, FIF, 4 November 2009.
Crap Coffee, SFS, 1 May 2006.

Geoff Pound

Image: Coffee pot and cups need to be cleaned and shined from time to time. The Coffee Pot Roundabout, 2 September 2010.

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page upon which many more articles and links are posted than on this blog, including this Photo Album of the Fujairah Coffee Pot Roundabout.

Pakistan Floods Up Close and Personal in Fujairah, UAE

When I saw our gardener, Aziz, after returning from our vacation, the glint in his eye and smile on his face were missing. Two months earlier his grin was impossible to remove as he spoke of his fiancée back in Peshawar that he was planning to marry immediately after Ramadan.

Aziz’ village Didar Garhi which is 39 kilometres from Peshawar and lies alongside the Swat River is completely under water. The bridge that connects it with Peshawar has gone (this video shows the height of the bridge and the speed of the river in normal conditions). In his village of 600 homes and 1500 people, 200 residents were drowned in the fast rising waters.

Evacuation
The floods commenced on 28 July and people fled from the village the next day. In the exodus, Aziz’ family (his seventy year old father, mother, sister, brother, sister in law and their children) went to live with another brother and his family in the village of Tangi. All 20 members of Aziz’ family are now living under the one roof.

Little Help from Friends
The waters of the Swat River are still high and raging over Didar Garhi with no sign of them abating. Aziz’ family existed by growing rice and vegetables and raising three buffalo and one sheep but now their livelihood has gone. They and other residents of Didar Garhi have received no money or food from government sources, only a little from a rich man who is sharing his wealth.

It's Here

View Larger Map

Basics and Rebuilding
The immediate need is for people like Aziz’ family to have money for food but just as urgent will be the need for medicines and vaccinations to stave off the ravages of cholera and other diseases. The UN estimates that 3.5 million children are at imminent risk of airborne diseases and 72,000 are at high risk of death.

Whenever Aziz’ family and others get back to their village they will face the immense task of rebuilding their house which will cost a minimum of half a million Pakistani rupees.

Transferring Aid
Like most other Pakistanis in Fujairah, Aziz regularly sends money back home to support his family. From his salary of 1800 AED per month he sends his family 800 AED which is used to supplement the food the family grows on the land. Even if this entire amount of 800 AED was used to fund a new house it would take Aziz 27 months to pay it off. In addition to building a new home will be the cost of replacing the buffalos (40,000 rupees or 1718 AED each) and buying seeds for crops.

Assistance
Many of the Pakistani gardeners and taxi drivers in Fujairah come from in and around Peshawar and I am meeting an increasing number whose families who have lost their homes and are living in tents. Giving to people in the UAE you know like Aziz is a practical and personal way to help.

International agencies like World Vision and the United Nations (with the help of Angelina Jolie) have launched their appeals.

The Red Crescent, (Ph. 800 733 or 09-2222456) which has an office in Faseel, Fujairah, is a major local avenue for sending assistance.

The Pakistan Embassy in Abu Dhabi is appealing for help and this link provides details of how money can be sent to the chief authority overseeing the disaster relief.

The people of the UAE have been amazingly generous with the Red Crescent Telethon this month amassing 85 million AED but this flood is the greatest in Pakistan’s history with more than 20% of the land and an estimated 23 million Pakistanis being affected by the calamity.

P.S. Aziz's marriage has been postponed because of the floods but he hopes to visit his family and get married in October, 2010.

Geoff Pound

Image: Aziz and Pakistanis fleeing the flood waters.

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page upon which many more articles and links are posted than on this blog.

Fujairah in September

‘September is Like No Other…’
There’s a positive feeling that comes when ripping off the August page on the calendar and revealing the month of September.

In the southern hemisphere ‘Spring is in the air’ with blossom abounding, football finals looming, a warming up and a drying out after the harshness of winter.

In the northern hemisphere, there’s often the relief that the mercury is dropping and in many countries the Fall brings with it an unsurpassed beauty.

September in the Emirates
Here in Fujairah and the United Arab Emirates generally the seasons are not as marked as in countries closer to the poles. September does signal a change from the VERY HOT season (this year the thermometer got to 54 degrees Celsius) to the HOT season.

Temperatures in Fujairah are currently down to the low thirties but the key factor is the humidity. Unfortunately September in Fujairah (and possibly in other parts of the UAE) is known for being the most humid month of the year.

As the Fujairah Weather gauge (on the Fujairah in Focus blog) states at the time of writing:
Temperature: 32 degrees Celsius
Feels Like: 46 degrees Celsius
Humidity: 89%

The humidity is the major negative factor in this season which brings with it haze and washed out skies.

Overwhelmingly, however, September introduces the season of change, newness and looking forward.

September is a good time for people to visit the emirate of Fujairah.

Geoff Pound

Image: Fujairah in September, looking from the corniche towards Faseel with the Hajar Mountains and the Port in the distant haze. Click to enlarge.

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page upon which many more articles and links are posted than on this blog.

The UAE in 2040?

‘Abu Dubai: A Forward Tale of Two Cities That Could Only be One’ is a provocative article that gets you dreaming about the future of the UAE.

Will Fujairah increasingly become a suburb of ‘Abu Dubai’ or will its remoteness and different landscape heighten its uniqueness?

Link: Mishaal Al Gergawi, ‘Abu Dubai: A Forward Tale of Two Cities That Could Only Be One’, Al Manakh, 31 August 2010.

Geoff Pound

Image: Abu Dubai (photo courtesy of Al Manakh at the above link). Click to enlarge.

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page upon which many more articles and links are posted than on this blog.

Sheikh Mohammed on the United Arab Emirates

'We Are One Nation'
This interview with His Highness, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum (25 June 2010), is important for understanding where Dubai is positioned following the global recession. It is also pertinent to understanding how Fujairah fits with other emirates into the United Arab Emirates.

Speaking not only as the Ruler of Dubai but the Prime Minister of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Maktoum says:

“The UAE is not just Abu Dhabi and Dubai—there are another five emirates and we all look after each other. We are one nation. We are one country. We are one President. The relationship is very good between the Emirates and we have a challenge now to bring the other emirates in line with Abu Dhabi and Dubai.”

‘It’s Not a Recession, it’s a Challenge’




Related
Sheikh Mohammed Called ‘Sheikh Mo Mentum’ at the US Horse Racing Sales, ETE.
More on Mohammed the Facebooking Twittering Sheikh of Dubai, UAE, ETE.
Make Sure to Connect with Sheikh Mohammed’s Correct Facebook Page, ETE.
Sheikh Mohammed Gets Public Page on Facebook and Thousands of Fans, ETE.
Sheikh Mohammed Showered With Birthday Greetings and Facebook Gifts, ETE.
Connect With Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid on Facebook, ETE.
Sheikh Mohammed Gains Too Many Friends on Facebook, ETE.
Follow Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai on Twitter, ETE.
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Judged One of the 75 Most Influential People of the 21st Century, ETE.
Poems Give Most Revealing Glimpse of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum, ETE.
Sheikh Mohammed Hailed as Most Powerful in Horse Racing Industry, ETE.
Sheikh Mohammed Pays Record Price for Aussie Horse Racing Deal, ETE.
Sheikh Mohammed’s Ambitions for Middle East, ETE.
Sheikh Mohammad Models Rare Style of Leadership, ETE.
Sheikh Mohammed’s Leadership is Honoured, ETE.
New Website for H H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ETE.
Dubai and Sheikh Mohammed on 60 Minutes Video, ETE.

Geoff Pound

More on Fujairah
This article and more information on Fujairah is posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

“…and it is culturally insensitive to ask an Emirati whether…”

Welcome to Britain
New tips on extending a warm welcome to overseas visitors in the run up to the 2012 Olympics have been posted recently by VisitBritain, the national tourism agency.

Here’s a sample of the suggestions (read the article for explanations) to help the English to be more culturally aware:
* A smiling Japanese person is not necessarily happy…
* Be careful how you pour wine for an Argentinian…
* Avoid winking at someone from Hong Kong…
* Avoid physical contact when first meeting someone from India…
* Never call a Canadian an American…
* Avoid saying ‘’thank you’’ to a Chinese compliment…
* Do not take offence if an Australian makes a joke about ‘Poms’…

Arabs and Emiratis
Here are the pointers in the article relevant to welcoming Arabs and Emiratis:
“Remember Arabs are not used to being told what to do. Visitors from the United Arab Emirates can take great offence if you appear bossy. They appreciate being looked after by staff who have been trained to understand Arab culture. For example, it is culturally insensitive to ask an Emirati whether they want bacon with their eggs or to include a half bottle of wine with the table d’hote menu.”

Welcome to the Emirates
At this time of the year when many have recently arrived to become expats in the Emirates it is advisable to be refreshed in Emirati etiquette or simply ‘what goes on around here.’

Here are some resources, books and links:
Check out Fines Before You Spit, Litter, Urinate or Abandon Items on UAE Streets, ETE, 15 July 2009.
Men, Leave Your Jewellery at Home when you Visit the Emirates, ETE, 22 July 2009.
‘Sex on the Beach’ Case is Tarnishing UAE as Holiday Destination, ETE, 9 September 2008.
What to Wear in the UAE? ETE, 24 November 2007.
Etiquette in the Emirates, ETE, 21 February 2008.
Drug Laws in the UAE: Travellers Beware! ETE, 4 March 2008.
The UAE and the Law, ETE, 30 December 2007.
UAE Information: Essential Guide for New Residents to the Emirates, ETE, 1 January 2008.
Dubai Malls Join Anti-Indecency Campaign, Gulf News, 7 August 2009.
Don’t they Know It’s Friday by Jeremy Williams, RBAM, 6 June 2008.
Are you ready to come to the UAE? ETE, 6 June 2008.

Becoming Expert in Culture
Britain might have issued their cultural tips to raise their profile as a tourist-friendly nation but there are more important reasons for becoming adept at reading the local culture.

A series of highly publicized bloopers made by British tourists in the Emirates some time back raised alarm bells and scared tourists away from visiting the UAE. Even an article like this can induce the fear among expats about making a blunder and causing disrespect to the people of the land.

Things will be different living in a new country. If people don’t like the way things happen here they can go home. Encountering cultural differences will challenge our culture and question the way we do things and why we do them.

Living in another culture can be one of the greatest educators if we embrace the experience as a growing adventure.

Geoff Pound

Image: This looks like a cultural difference! Khalil Bin Mossa (Fujairah Media) and Ross Brown (Manager of the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club), greeting each other at the recent Maktoum Championships—Ramadan Tournament 2010.

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page upon which many more articles and links are posted than on this blog.

Sheikh Maktoum Extends Invitation to the Maktoum Championships—Ramadan Tournament

Maktoum Meets With Organizers
His Highness, Sheikh Maktoum Bin Hamad Al Sharqi, the visionary and patron of the Maktoum Championships, spent some time this week with the Organizing Team of the upcoming Ramadan Tournament.

Different members of the committee spoke about the events being planned. The meeting included a tour of the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club and Sheikh Maktoum gave valuable input regarding the placement and interrelationship of the events.

Keen Sportsperson
Sheikh Maktoum has been involved in sports of many kinds and he loves the challenge of being in a competition. When asked if he had only one sport in which he could play he said he would choose football.

Huge Benefits
As the patron of the Maktoum Championships the Sheikh is keen to promote sport among all people in Fujairah and he does this with passion, believing that sport is a strategic way of building bridges among different groups. "Sport," he said, "has a wonderful capacity to gather people together.”

With obesity and related illnesses like diabetes being big problems in the UAE the Sheikh has set as a goal of the Maktoum Championships, "the encouragement of young people to exercise." Getting involved in playing sport, he believes, will help people of all ages to enjoy healthy living and raise positive awareness.

Developing the Maktoum Championships
In the few years since the games commenced in 2007, Sheikh Maktoum has developed the Maktoum Championships to the point where last year the Fujairah competition was the second largest Ramadan Tournament in the country, with 1154 players and 32,000 spectators.

The biggest hope Sheikh Maktoum has for the tournament this year is that it will be greatly enjoyed by everyone and it will do much to focus attention on the importance of the family.

Sport, Culture and Tradition
A recent photograph of Sheikh Maktoum shows him with a falcon and highlights the lead he is giving to the ancient art of falconry. In addition to promoting sport, His Highness believes it is our duty to teach children about their culture and to present the Emirati heritage to the world.

The Maktoum Championships are part of a larger vision for sport in Fujairah and Sheikh Maktoum is confident that much will be done in the years ahead to build the emirate and the people of the UAE as a sporting nation.

Welcome to the Arena
Sheikh Maktoum was heartened to learn of the progress and eager to contribute suggestions to the Organizing Committee for the Ramadan Tournament. As the plans are developed and the players prepare for the championships, His Highness, Sheikh Maktoum extends this enthusiastic invitation, "Welcome to Fujairah! Welcome to the arena!"

More Pictures
See the photographs that record Sheikh Maktoum’s meeting at the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club and His Highness playing sport, at this link.

Further
Fujairah Crown Prince Receives Maktoum Championships—Ramadan Organizers, Fujairah in Focus, 8 June 2010.

Fujairah Tennis Club Gets Biggest Challenge in Scoring Maktoum Championships, Fujairah in Focus, 7 June 2010.

Maktoum Championships Plan New Sports for Ramadan Tournament in Fujairah, Fujairah in Focus, 4 June 2010.

Maktoum Championships—Facebook Page for up to the minute information, photos and video clips.

Find Fujairah in Focus on Facebook for much more information, links and photos on Fujairah.

Geoff Pound

Connect with Geoff Pound on Facebook, Twitter or at geoffpound(at)gmail.com

Image: The visionary and patron of the Maktoum Championships, His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Hamad Al Sharqi takes a tour of the venue of the forthcoming Maktoum Championships—Ramadan Tournament.

McDonald’s, Thai Express and Subway Coming to Fujairah

Fast Food Fujairah
Many people thought globalization would never reach Fujairah but a Fast Food corner is developing at the beginning of the Port Road and going in the direction of the Fujairah Port and Khor Fakkan.

Behind the Al Kasil EPPCO Service Station there is a Subway, a Thai Express, a building that is unassigned and then taking pride of place with some Golden Arches out the front is a Drive-Through McDonald’s.

Coming Soon
These restaurants have been under construction for months and some think the delay has been due to Fujairah’s electricity shortage. The sign on the Maccas window has been saying it is ‘Coming Soon’ but the Fujairah restaurant still hasn’t been put onto the McDonald’s Arabia Restaurant Locator.

Public Pressure?
Back in 2007 a Facebook Group was established with the name, ‘If This Group Reaches 2,000, They’ll Open MCDONALDS in Fujairah!!’ The creator of the group wrote this description of the Facebook Page:

“it is the time that McDONALDS should open in fujairah.. BECAUSE WE REALLY NEEEED IT !!! we really love it ! and we go to dubai just to eat it !!! JOIN SO WE CAN HAVE McDONALDS IN FUJAIRAH :D !”

Desperate for McDonald’s
At the time of writing this group has 534 members or potential customers, hardly enough to warrant the establishment of a thriving fast food restaurant but perhaps Rafic Fakih, the Managing Director of Emirates Fast Food Co and the owner and operator of McDonald’s in the UAE, has read their hungry comments and taken pity on them.

Feedback
Here is a sample of the Comments posted:
* I’ve been waiting & waiting...........
* Do we even have 2,000 people in Fujairah?
* Hey, I just moved to Fujairah..what do u guys do around here?!
* Last times I wanted to eat McDonald, had to drive to RAK... It's so sad!!
* We really need McDonalds people!! Especially that amazing ice-cream they make, lovely burgers and french fries .... im overwhelmed :-[
* to be able to eat Mc. Arabia and drink Coke Float every single day when i get back to Fujairah would be just perfect...
* i doubt it that mcdonalds will ever open up in fujairah !! but i'm desperate...

Other McDonald’s Restaurants?
On this Facebook site are also posted rumours that a McDonald’s might be opening at the new Al Safeer Mall and on the Fujairah Corniche (between the Marine Club and the Evening Tourist Souq).


It would be a pity to think that the advent of these Fast Food outlets is the thing that marks Fujairah’s coming of age but possibly this fast food frenzy is further recognition of the city’s development and sustained population growth.

At What Cost?
Fans of Fast Food restaurants will argue that choice is good and Fujairah residents and tourists will have a greater selection of food to taste.

The advertising power of these international Fast Food chains is illustrated by the number of Lionel Messi billboards standing in Fujairah at present where the Argentinean and Baca champ is standing with his bucket of KFC. In addition there have been McDonald’s advertising posters around Fujairah for months, a long time before Fujairah has even a McDonald’s restaurant.

Still Not Convinced of the Advertizing Power? Watch This



The negative side of all of this is that some traditional snack bars will not be able to compete and sadly will have to close. It would be a great pity if in the hungering for a Big Mac we will not be able to order in Fujairah a shwarma, a falafel and other types of Middle Eastern street food.

Pictures
See some photos at this link of Fujairah’s Fast Food Corner on Port Road.

Geoff Pound

Connect with Geoff Pound on Facebook, Twitter or at geoffpound(at)gmail.com

Image: McDonald’s first restaurant in Fujairah.

Fujairah’s Lulu Hypermarket Developing into Shopping Mall

New Shopping Complex
Lulu’s General Manager in Fujairah city, Mr. Asif Moidu Ahmed, believes the time is right for Fujairah to get a big new shopping mall and more supermarket space. He thinks the population growth warrants it and that the increasing number of tourists will also enjoy a shopping mall complex.

Today Mr. Ahmed elaborated on the Lulu Mall and Hypermarket Extension. From the existing Lulu Hypermarket, excavation work, which began three months ago, is almost complete. Currently an enormous cavity extends from the existing building towards the Fujairah International Airport.

Timetable
With a total built up area of 44,500 square meters, this Basement+Ground+1st floor building will be constructed in two phases in order to avoid disruptions to the existing hypermarket. Building work on the project is expected to begin in mid-September 2010 and the opening date is December 2011.

Facilities
The basement will be used for a car park to expand upon the huge parking area that already surrounds the hypermarket.

The ground and first floor will contain the following:
* 100+ shops including chain stores representing popular brands
* An Amusement area for children
* A Cinema with at least two theatres
* A food court

Construction Company
Amana Contracting and Steel Buildings has been awarded the task of construction. This company constructed Ajman’s Lulu Hypermarket in 2003 and is just concluding the construction of the Lulu Hypermarket in Fujairah’s town of Dibba which is due to open in two months just prior to Ramadan.

Hyper-Hypermarket
The existing Fujairah City Lulu Hypermarket, which is to be the flagship for the whole complex, is to undergo a major extension.

The supermarket will double in size and in checkouts—from the current 14 to 28 checkouts.

The existing first floor will also undergo an expansion with a big new area for electronics, clothing and household appliances.

The staff at the Lulu Hypermarket will need to be increased from 300 to 450, meaning many more employment opportunities.

Fujairah Malled
After many calls for Fujairah to have its first shopping mall, there are now at least three malls on the go—the Lulu Mall, the Al Safeer Mall and the Fujairah City Center (which will incorporate a Carrefour supermarket).

Photos
Check out some of the photos taken of the area where the Lulu Mall will be developed. Click on this link.

Further
Plastic Supermarket Bags Slowly Being Replaced by Jute Bags, Fujairah in Focus.
UAE Malls: Shopping the Emirates, Experiencing the Emirates.
Shopping is Super, Hyper and Going Ultra in the UAE, Experiencing the Emirates.

Geoff Pound

Connect with Geoff Pound on Facebook, Twitter or at geoffpound(at)gmail.com

Taekwondo is Growing Steadily in Fujairah

Taekwondo is an up and coming sport in Fujairah with a team of 43 athletes and a dedicated manager in the person of Eid Fairooz Mesmari.

The Rise of Taekwondo
The Korean martial art of taekwondo made its first appearance at the Seoul Olympics (1988) as a demonstration sport, at the Sydney Olympics as an official sport and this year (2010) it was confirmed as one of the 25 ‘core’ sports for the 2016 Olympic Games. Great efforts are now being made to introduce taekwondo to the Paralympics, hopefully by 2016 at the earliest. Taekwondo is now the world’s most popular martial art in terms of the number of practitioners.

Taekwondo in the UAE
The UAE is one of 190 member nations of the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), taekwondo’s international governing body. The nation’s standing in the sport was internationally recognized when Sheikha Maitha Mohammad Rashid Al Maktoum, daughter of the Dubai ruler and the prime minister of the UAE, competed in taekwondo at the Beijing Summer Olympics.

Taekwondo in Fujairah
Although Eid Mesmari was the manager of the UAE National Team based in Dubai, he wanted to return to his home town of Fujairah and introduce the sport he loves to his own people. On the first day of 2010 Eid took up the job as manager and instructor of taekwondo in Fujairah.

The Fujairah Instructor
Eid has been a determined person from a young age. As a boy all his friends played football but he said to his Mum, “I want to be different.” He was a good runner so when was eight or nine he pursued athletics.

Leaving school he joined the army in Dubai because he ‘wanted to become a man’ and for him the army embodied the Emirates. In the first few months his athletic prowess was noted by his officers and he was transferred to the Sports Unit where he soon represented the UAE Army and later the UAE National Team in the 400 metres and the 4 x 400 metres relay. This arena gave Eid considerable international experience and in his spare time he learned boxing and taekwondo.

After years of competitive running, Eid narrowed his focus to develop his skills in taekwondo. This took him first to the USA and then to South Korea where he underwent a rigorous training schedule, earned a series of belts (ranks) and participated in international competitions.

When he returned to his homeland he became the champion in his category and he held this honor for many years. He ceased competitive taekwondo in 2006 to concentrate on managing the sport and training young players.

Building a Sport
Eid helped establish a boxing team in Fujairah in 2004 and became involved with its management and training. But his dream persisted to develop taekwondo in Fujairah and since sharing this idea with the Crown Prince, the dream is becoming a reality.

Space for a taekwondo centre was obtained within the basement of Fujairah’s Football Stadium. He started with three young people but now there are 43 athletes in the squad.

Most of the training is done in the evenings, where young men and women of different ages and nationalities attend. Taekwondo is for everybody, it is offered free but each player must put in lots of time to do well and experience the benefits.

While enjoying sport for the joy that sport can be, Eid has a greater vision—helping to build his city of Fujairah in the way that he knows best, through taekwondo. Taekwondo is a tool for building character because it places value on etiquette, self-discipline, respect for others, fair play and friendship with others.

Eid elaborates, “Taekwondo teaches you to be calm and not to get into trouble. It is more than martial arts; it is another culture and a philosophy that integrates the mind (tae), hand (kwon) and do (leg).”

He believes he is making some progress when some parents ask Eid, “What have you done with my child? He’s so calm!”

Taekwondo in Fujairah largely revolves around the inspiration that Eid gives but increasingly the parents of the players are assisting in the administration of the sport.

Dream On
One does not have to spend much time with Eid Mesmari to sense his passion for taekwondo and his love for Fujairah. Eid is keen to develop some world class players in Fujairah and the entire eastern region and the Fujairah team is already first in the Emirates this year. He is hoping that Fujairah might host some national and international tournaments in the near future.

Mesmari is eager for his taekwondo friends around the world to visit the UAE and especially the emirate of Fujairah. He says, “There is much for tourists to see in Dubai but I love the naturalness of Fujairah. It is more normal. One can get a sense of how people have lived here for centuries. I want the whole world to know Fujairah and when my people do well on the sporting stage it is a way of saying, ‘We are here.’”

Taekwondo at Maktoum Championships on 20 August
Eid Mesmari and his Fujairah taekwondo team will have an opportunity to display their talent at the Ramadan Tournament on 20 August 2010. They will be joined by other taekwondo athletes from around the UAE.

Mesmari is looking forward to the Maktoum Championships because he believes strongly that sport is vital for building the country.

Geoff Pound

Connect with Geoff Pound on Facebook, Twitter or at geoffpound(at)gmail.com

Image: “One does not have to spend much time with Eid Mesmari to sense his passion for taekwondo and his love for Fujairah.”

Seeking a Job in Fujairah

I am amazed at the number of jobs being advertized in Fujairah at the moment but I shouldn’t be surprised when remembering that the population is 165,000 and it is growing by 10,000 a year.

Add to that the new power plants which are bringing on stream the apartment towers and industries, the thriving rock export business, the new oil terminals, the movies being made, the drive in cinema complex set to screen at 10pm on the 10/10/10 and the new motorway that will increasingly make Fujairah a dormitory suburb of Dubai-Sharjah.

If I was looking for a job in Fujairah I would do two things:

1. Set up a Twitter account and link with employment firms and every other business and person in the UAE and the Middle East. Being a Twitter user I see many jobs being advertised and I have set my Tweetdeck (also used by Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai and Queen Rania of Jordan) to Search for ‘Fujairah’.

2. Set up a Google Alert for ‘Fujairah’ and ‘Fujeirah’ so that everything on the World Wide Web that has a reference to this city comes directly into your email inbox.

Set up another one or three Google Alerts for the role you are looking for—‘butcher’, ‘baker’ and ‘candlestick maker’. Sure, you’ll get lots of irrelevant material but you will learn much about what is going on in the city and you will get notices about jobs going as soon as they are posted.

You can do these things from anywhere in the world, plus you can connect with Fujairah in Focus (by subscribing to it) and Fujairah in Focus on Facebook (which has even more articles and links posted on it) to cover all your bases.

Geoff Pound

Connect with Geoff Pound on Facebook, Twitter or at geoffpound(at)gmail.com