On Dates and First Impressions

My overall impression of Dubai is that it’s a great place in which to experience a new and alien culture. However, when it comes to living, I’d prefer Colombo, Bangalore or Goa any day… The fast pace of life in Dubai cramps my style, which probably indicates that I am not as young as I used to be.

The traffic is certainly fast but, thankfully, orderly. The public transport sucks - Taxis are expensive and unpredictable. Buses are predictable: You can consider yourself fortunate when the bus you are waiting for arrives in less than 45 minutes.

Like the Yanks, the Arabs drive on the wrong side of the road – I mean the right hand side. On my first day in the Middle East, I looked right while stepping off the kerb, into the path of an oncoming car. Luckily for me, the driver braked and waved me across. “Another Indian,” he must have assumed.

These Indians are everywhere. I asked a young man managing an Internet café whether he was from Tamil Nadu. “No, from Kerala,” he replied.

I ordered a parota and kurma at an Indian restaurant. They were good, but the uppuma that my Aunt ordered smelt better. The buffet lunch and ginger beer at ‘Chef Lanka’ nearby was worth the price (AED 14) for nostalgia value.

Unlike housing, electronics is reasonably priced. Uncle bought a desktop - complete with web cam and Internet access - for AED 2,200 (LKR 66,000).

Dubai’s malls and departmental stores are a browser’s delight. The chilled buttermilk in cartons (brand: Laban-up) and unlimited variety of fruit juices were delicious.

In BurJuman, there was a shop specializing in date products - including date wine and ‘chocoDates’; these were a gastronomical experience. My personal favourite was dates stuffed with marzipan, probably because it was after a long time that a lady was offering me a free date!