We had a gathering at MATRADE building to celebrate the Agong's birthday......I brought the whole family after the Jumaat prayer.....we arrived just on time to sing "NEGARAKU". We had the opportunity to meet fellow Malaysians, feast on some bihun goreng, nasi lemak and lontong. Not to mention karipap, kuih lompang, sirap bandung etc. It really felt like we're in Malaysia.... Poem recital.....the show of Muhibbah....
For more reports, click HERE
Ali Reza dropped me at Ekbatan 1 at almost 500pm, with a promise to pick up at 700pm....."go shopping" he said. I ended up spending the next 2 hours in Ekbatan wondering around, watching Iranians go on their daily life. Ekbatan was almost like a deserted town when I arrived. It was close to 600pm when suddenly everything came to life.....all the shops started to open...suddenly people came and went.....young and old. Ali Reza said that shoppers close their shops at lunch time, go home to rest and re-open in late afternoon...usually until 1100pm. That's why Ekbatan comes to life only after 600pm.
It was interesting to see some road-siders selling their stuff....from pirated CDs to cheap clothes to imitation sunglasses to kids toys......hey, it's just like at home.....if not for the Farsi.
Two road-side vendors preparing their goods
Ekbatan's coming to life.....on the right is a masjid
Ali Reza came at 5mins past 700pm (I had just finished with my Asar prayer at the masjid) and took me to Ekbatan 2 taxi office to get a taxi to IKA. I arrived at IKA at about 815pm......performed maghrib prayers at the musalla....and went upstairs to check in.
I thought if I checked in on-line for my flight home, I wouldn't have to face the hassle of checking in at the counter. So wrong I was.......I arrived at the counters and failed to find the baggage drop counters to check-in my luggage.....So, I had to stand in the line for 1 hour to check my luggage in....when I finally finished the check in and had my passport stamped by the customs, it was almost boarding time......so, I had to fight off hunger and went straight to the boarding gate. And I spent the next 2 hours trying to get some sleep but I only dozed off for not more than 10 minutes.....so I watched the reruns of The 70's Show, 30 Rock and also Shark.....not bad actually....
When the Airbus A330-200 arrived ni Dubai.....we had to take the airport bus to the main terminal.....the announcer said that an Emirates dedicated terminal is still under construction....so, the plane will park some distance away from the main terminals and the passengers would have to take a bus to reach the terminals.
Lining up at the customs counters was ok.....baggage collection was also ok....the only problem was....I stood at the wrong carousel for more than 10mins before I realized it.....I collected my bag and went out to catch the cab.
It was almost 130am but the taxi stop was so congested that the airport staffs had to take control......I'll let the pictures tell it......
Sea of people at DXB taxi pick-up area
Sea of taxies........I also saw a few lady cabbies....
People were still lining up when we headed out of DXB
I arrived home at almost 230am....thanks to the sleepy cabby....I hope he'll be ok....
I was taking a break this morning at the small park in front of the office building when I saw these two very interesting "figures"....jeng, jeng, jeng....One looks like a pigeon and the other looks like a sad face.....whoever did this must be very artistic and creative.....
I went Nuts
My wife texted me today....with an order of the Iranian pistachios.....well, I was craving for that nut as well. I asked Ali Reza about Ekbatan's pistachios.....He said they're of inferior quality.....There's a shop near Vanak Square that sells very high quality pistachios and other nuts. So, from Ekbatan I took a cab to the shop....Tavazo Dried Nuts just opposite the Saie Park.....
The entrance to Saie Park
I bought 1kg of Pistachios, 1kg of mixed nuts and 1/2kg of black raisins. It costs me almost USD30.....(luckily the shop accepts USD...I was short of Rials).
These are the things that made me go NUTS
Ali Reza said I could take a cab to Homa Hotel for only about 3000Rials...but I decided to do the unthinkable....to walk my way back to the hotel.....And walk I did. My target is to reach the Vanak Square.....
It was an acsending road towards the Square......and I was carrying about 7kg on my back (includes my Vaio with its cables, my external harddisk etc....not to forget 2.5kg of nuts). Luckily, I was wearing my Adidas running shoes (thanks Sis, for the RM50 voucher)....so, my feet and legs didn't hurt a bit.....(now I know why my wife alwasys insisted me to buy expensive shoes)....
My journey from Tavazo to Homa.....
I reached Vanak Square about 40mins later.....there were a lot of people....Vanak Square is like a transportation hub for the surrounding areas....so, I was about 10mins from the hotel....Thank God.....I was almost dehydrated......
I started off from Tavazo at about 715pm and arrived at my hotel room at about 805pm.....a 50min-walk....tired but I think I needed that work out.....It's been quite some time......
But next time....I think I'll take a cab......but today....today, it's just to get some fresh Tehran air.....and to test my will....hehehehe.....Phew!....tomorrow morning...I'll check out.....can't wait to get back to Dubai and be with my family.....
Just want to share something....I ate dinner in my hotel room tonite....
A Homa Hotel Club Sandwich, garnished with some fries, pickled olives, slices of fresh tomatoes, fresh lettuce and some dill pickles. The dessert was chocolate cake..... Total cost? 77000+ Rials....plus a couple of thousands more as a tip.....Luckily, they have some complimentary mineral water in the fridge...I didn't have to order drinks.
Here they are.....Selamat menjamu mata....hehehe
p/s: Exchange rate....USD1.00 = 9360Rials
I took some photos of the flowers that they have in the small "garden" just in front of the factory building I'm working in.
Some how, it reminds me of Ayah & Mak....their house in Kota is surrounded by trees and flowers......We can see some samples here.
Here are the Shahab's photos......the last one is actually a butterfly who waited for me to snap and then flew away.....amazing right?
