Fast Cricket and Slow Beaches

Because it was the holy month of Ramadan, there was no way I could eat, drink or smoke in public between sunrise and sunset. That was certainly out of respect for the locals’ customs. Besides, taking such liberties would have resulted in instant censure... However, I did manage to quaff a glass of chilled water in the pantry of my uncle’s office – and felt guilty at the transgression!

The Twenty20 World Cup was in full swing… Desiree Premachandra, SriLankan Airlines’ Country Manager for the UAE, invited the diaspora to watch Sri Lanka playing New Zealand at the Marco Polo Hotel. We watched the match on a big screen, while hogging cashew nuts and short-eats (washed down with Bacardi and coke). When Sri Lanka won by seven wickets, party-poppers were distributed to celebrate the victory.

On another evening, Mark Pillai, HR Manager – Middle East of Halliburton Ltd, treated me to a few rounds of the brew that cheers at The Seamen’s Club, while we watched India beat Australia by fifteen runs. The Indian expatriates celebrated, as only they know how! We adjourned to an Arabian diner to sample the cuisine – dishes that are easier to digest than to pronounce.


The white sands of Jumeirah beach are nice, in a tame sort of way... That’s the problem with artificial beaches… One is so accustomed to the force and power of nature, the waves crashing dramatically against the rocks of Mount Lavinia… In Jumeirah, the sea laps against the shore with small waves that belong more to a lake or lagoon than to the majestic ocean.

The redeeming features of Jumeirah beach were the jogging and cycling tracks that run the entire length of the beach. I did manage to put in a fair amount of walking at sunset, but not enough…