It is now the last week of Ramadan. I suffered quite a bit when it comes to lunches in some countries. This is also the last week of the 3rd quarter of the year and I’m done with my traveling schedules for this period. I tried my best to complete my visits so to enjoy Eid holidays which will start on 1st October.
So where I’ve been this time?...
So where I’ve been this time?...
All in 2 weeks....
Had a trip in Amman, Jordan on the 10th of this month. It’s a predominantly Muslim country so restos are all closed at daytime. They work until 4pm on Ramadan so I get to hold my hunger until that time, and know what, they are an hour behind, so the moment I got back to the hotel and order lunch, it will be about 6pm my time before my worms actually get their lunches…
Amman is a nice place, weather is colder (I just mean it is not as warm as UAE) and there are lots of places to see. However, I have never tried exploring the place on my own. During my first visit here, our business partner Leena and Husband Hani drove me around and showed me the old Amman, the new city and the Roman Theater where they filmed the Gladiator. I always say that on my next trip on this place I will schedule it on the weekend so I can go to the Dead Sea and float in the water. I’d also like to visit Petra. Well maybe next time because this time I opted to stay in the hotel for my 2 nights there than to go out thinking that locals are enjoying their Ramadan feast at night.
Come Friday I had to move to Cairo, Egypt and was relieved to see restos are open so I was able to take my lunch on time. For the Egyptians, if you eat, you eat…if you fast, you fast…well it makes sense…
I had already visited the Pyramids, Khan El Khalil market and the museum last time. Mohammed (I think half of the men here are called Mohammed), our business partner brought me to a floating resto at the Nile river. The weather is nice but I didn’t enjoy the food much.
Emille, an Egyptian friend from Abu Dhabi, happened to be on vacation in Alexandria so I tried finishing off all my work so I can at least visit the place. Emille did well in arranging everything for me. His friend (Alfred) in Cairo picked me up from the hotel and dropped me to the Cairo train station. He paid for my ticket even I kept insisting I should really pay for it. I was really feeling guilty and wanted to get even so I invited him for a coffee before he leaves the train station and while I wait for the next train. Before I even took my wallet out, the coffee is paid. I am really grateful with his gesture considering he didn’t even know me.
Sheraton Montazah Alexandria
Had a trip in Amman, Jordan on the 10th of this month. It’s a predominantly Muslim country so restos are all closed at daytime. They work until 4pm on Ramadan so I get to hold my hunger until that time, and know what, they are an hour behind, so the moment I got back to the hotel and order lunch, it will be about 6pm my time before my worms actually get their lunches…
Amman is a nice place, weather is colder (I just mean it is not as warm as UAE) and there are lots of places to see. However, I have never tried exploring the place on my own. During my first visit here, our business partner Leena and Husband Hani drove me around and showed me the old Amman, the new city and the Roman Theater where they filmed the Gladiator. I always say that on my next trip on this place I will schedule it on the weekend so I can go to the Dead Sea and float in the water. I’d also like to visit Petra. Well maybe next time because this time I opted to stay in the hotel for my 2 nights there than to go out thinking that locals are enjoying their Ramadan feast at night.
Come Friday I had to move to Cairo, Egypt and was relieved to see restos are open so I was able to take my lunch on time. For the Egyptians, if you eat, you eat…if you fast, you fast…well it makes sense…
I had already visited the Pyramids, Khan El Khalil market and the museum last time. Mohammed (I think half of the men here are called Mohammed), our business partner brought me to a floating resto at the Nile river. The weather is nice but I didn’t enjoy the food much.
Emille, an Egyptian friend from Abu Dhabi, happened to be on vacation in Alexandria so I tried finishing off all my work so I can at least visit the place. Emille did well in arranging everything for me. His friend (Alfred) in Cairo picked me up from the hotel and dropped me to the Cairo train station. He paid for my ticket even I kept insisting I should really pay for it. I was really feeling guilty and wanted to get even so I invited him for a coffee before he leaves the train station and while I wait for the next train. Before I even took my wallet out, the coffee is paid. I am really grateful with his gesture considering he didn’t even know me.
Sheraton Montazah Alexandria2 ½ hours to Alexandria. I enjoyed the train maybe because I got used to the cramped aircraft (I don’t fly on business class…not yet…lol). Here you have more legroom and a better recline. Emille was right on the train door when I arrived in Alexandria. With friend Feddie they showed me a nice mall and then drove on the long corniche of Alexandria to the Sheraton in Montazah (really close to the residence of the king of Egypt long time ago). I really enjoyed the place more than Cairo. Cool winds, lots of tourists around, long corniche where you can actually swim, long line of cafes....
Montazah with Emille and FeddieMontazah, Citadel, the biggest church in Alexandria (ok it is not very big, Emille admits it), the museum, the corniche, sugarcane juice, no traffic, cool weather…It’s good to be in this place and daydream…and then my daydreaming was interrupted by “we have to drop you back to the train station”…and I remembered I was actually on a business trip, sigh…but then I have to note this place as a vacation destination and recommend it to my friends….
CitadelStill reminiscing my Alexandria experience while in Cairo airport but had to start working while waiting for my flight, to finish my visit reports.
Back in Dubai but not for long. 2 days. Enough time to prepare my next luggage and the documents that I need so I really had to work overtime to get ready for my Qatar and Bahrain trip, my last schedule for the period.
In Doha, Qatar. It was an opportunity that Rommel’s family will have the Block Rosary in their place on Friday night. With Qpals, I became very religious for a while and then had a nice dinner all prepared by Rommel, wife Sandra and the rest of his family.
In Bahrain after 2 days and were just working. If my friends in Bahrain happen to read this, sorry but I’ll definitely see you all next time. I was there for 2 nights but was completely booked because we had to check new store locations.
Back in UAE, for a quite a while this time until the Eid holidays. After the holidays, it is time to get new visas for Saudi, Egypt and Lebanon.
And I need to go back to the Emirates Driving School to finish all the necessary things required to get the “most coveted UAE driving license”…
