Malls

The work week here is Sunday - Thursday with Friday being the day of rest or holy day, much like Sunday in the US. So after work on Thursday is the big night for going out to eat or bars or anything having to do with entertainment here.

Since I am such a wild and sociable guy I went out walking again last night after taking Wednesday night off. I ended up in the Madinat Zayed Shopping Center which is air conditioned as almost any place here is that wants to attract customers. I would say it's more of a Middle Eastern shopping center with a lot of textile (clothes and materials for making clothes) stores, jewelry stores, perfume stores etc... than a westernized mall.

So I wandered around for a while and hit the streets again heading back to my apartment. I can walk almost anywhere in any city so that's how I learn the lay of the land and I like being able to stop and look at something if it interests me as opposed to flying by in a cab. I'm kind of fortunate because Sama Tower where I'm living is easily the tallest (50 stories) building in the area so it's easy to spot and it's tough to get lost.

Today (Friday) I got up late because I stayed up late watching an old movie, Swordfish, with John Travolta, Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry. The cable tv we have in the tower only offers about 5 - 8 channels with english language programming and that's usually old stuff. But I digress, I worked out, had breakfast, read for a while, took a nap, read for a while then finally headed out to the Khalidiyah Mall. It was about a 25 minute walk in the 3:15pm heat of the day, probably 105 or so.

It is a much more modern and westernized mall. Not quite the biggest or most upscale on the island, but very nice and cool once I got inside. Again jewelry stores, textile stores a huge Krispy Kreme restaurant along with a Starbucks. The food court had the following options along with many others; McDonald's, Burker King, Subway, Papa John's, Pizza Hut, KFC, Hardee's, Dunkin Donut's and Chili's. There were teenagers all over the mall, families with young kids, old people and a 10 screen movie theater.

After a meatball marinara sub, chocolate chip cookies and a coke I took in a movie, Jonah Hex, in English with Arabic subtitles. They have assigned seating so you pick your seat when you buy your ticket and I believe the location determines the price. I spent 30 Dirhams for mine which is a little under $10. All the same movies you're seeing at the theaters back in the states.

After the movie it was a stop in the "Department Store" which is a good name for it because it was a typical department store, electronics to toys to clothes to appliances. Then a stroll through LuLu's a grocery store to pick up anything I needed. Many American brands with a very crowded and large fruit and vegetable section along with a bakery, a bulk area and anything you'd see at a WalMart or Meijer at home. I have Kellogg's cereal and Nutri Grain bars in my apartment along with Kraft cheese, Nesquik and Oreo's.

Not that I'm sticking with everything westernized, but for now it's what I'm comfortable with. I'm here for a long time so once I get settled into my own place I'll find myself venturing into the unknown more and more.

Tomorrow is another off day and I hope to get up early to head out to the Corniche, the area along the Arabian Sea for a run before it gets too hot.



Stay Cool,

Wayne