Snow-less Tehran and Farewell to Friends

I arrived in Tehran on the Sunday morning expecting a white blanket of snow to greet me. It’s deep winter now and by all right, there should be snow. But, to my disappointment, there’s no snow at all.... except in the mountains.

Why was it actually? Global warming has taken its toll on Tehran? And the temperature was also not very cold. I can go out of the factory building with only a t-shirt and a light sweater. I haven’t been wearing my winter jacket except for the first night when I went out to buy dinner.

Last week, when I checked the weather condition in one of the on-line sites, it said that this week the temperature would be at the maximum 0 degrees..... And no sun. As I was writing this entry, the sun was shining brightly....the cold breeze only came occasionally. Well, I guess you could never trust weather forecast, couldn’t you.

I received news.... one of my Iranian friends, Shohre Kamali, is leaving. She said that most probably she would be going back to her hometown in Shiraz, a city south of Tehran.....about half-a-day drive from the Iranian capital. I told her that maybe one of these days, I would want to bring my family for a vacation in Iran..... So, who knows that we might be going to Shiraz as it’s one of the tourist cities in Iran, apart from Tehran, Esfahan and Kish Island.

The next day, I received an even bigger surprise. My friend Ali Reza was also leaving. I didn’t want to ask why, but I knew that it would almost be the same reason as Kamali’s.

Shohre Kamali (extreme left) & Ali Reza Tajgardoun (extreme right), in Feb 08

For me, personally and professionally, I will definitely miss the both of them, especially Ali Reza. He had been helping me a lot whenever I went to Tehran......and professionally, he is not the typical Iranian-styled worker. He worked smart and always gave his own ideas if we had any problems or troubles. He was not the one who liked to point fingers at other people.

To my friends Ali Reza Tajgardoun & Shohre Kamali, I would like to wish you the best of luck....and I hope that we will meet some day in the future. Salam, Merci va Khoda Hafez....

A Birthday Weekend

15^th January 2009....my first-born daughter’s 11^th birthday. Since this is a special day, we have planned a weekend in Dubai like never before.

It all started on the late afternoon of the 15^th. Since my flight from Cairo arrived early morning of the 15^th, I have some time in the morning before I had to go to the office. I went to the driving school to get my driving license. I have been postponing it since last week due to my biz trip to Cairo.

Late in the afternoon, I went back from the office in my officemate’s husband’s car. I asked him to help me bring the LCD TV that I bought from the company. So, I managed to reach home earlier than usual. After thanking my new-found friend and sending the TV up to the apartment, I went on a short walk to a car rental office. I rented a white Toyota Corolla.....for the weekend travel plan that I’ve worked out with the family. And for the first time, I drove in Dubai (without the driving instructor of course).

Then, I treated them to a Pizza Hut dinner.....thanks to Pizza Hut delivery. That night, we take our first car ride to the Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah areas..... just to feel the night air in the posh residential areas.

On the Friday morning, I brought the whole family out. We went to the Jumeirah Beach Centre to buy some new uniform for the girls, but the shop’s closed on Friday. Then, we went to the Green City restaurant to have lunch but it’s closed because it was near to the Friday prayer time. So, we went to Lamcy Plaza instead just to fill our stomach enough to take us through the early afternoon.

I performed my Friday prayer at Jamia Mosque near Oud Metha. The sermon (khutbah) was in Urdu and the most interesting thing is that it’s located just beside a church (St Mary’s Catholic church).

Sky Dubai ride (Ibnu Battuta Mall)....we had to take a rain-check for this

The Kids....enjoying Ibnu Battuta Mall

After that we went straight to our next destination....Ibnu Battuta Mall. It was not actually straight forward though....we had to take a U-turn near Jebel Ali Free-zone because I missed the exit to the mall. Read HERE to know more about the mall. The trip to the mall ends with a visit to Magrudy’s bookstore. We each got a book of our choice.....and of course with me paying for them.

We were so tired when arriving home...... after Maghrib prayer, I felt asleep until about after 900pm. I had to cancel going to a “majlis” organized by the Malaysian society here.

We could wait for the next day to come....

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Saturday morning.....we left home at about 1130am..... Our destination was the Jumeirah Beach Centre to buy uniforms for the girls. We only got Along a sweater and a new pair of pants. We talked Ain into taking a rain-check....luckily she didn’t mind.

Taco Bell at Dubai Mall

Some of the Taco Bell meals we had

Taco Bell bean burrito

Then....off we went to the ultimate destination.... Dubai Mall. Dubai Mall is one of the biggest shopping mall in the world....or maybe the biggest. Our first stop was Taco Bell. My wife had wanted to taste the real burritos. We ordered 3 bean burritos, french fries and empanada.... It was the first time since I left the US that I tasted the tasty and mouth-watering taste of Taco Bell burritos. My wife also liked it.....and for a meal of five people, the price was quite reasonable..... It looked like that Taco Bell will be our monthly meal affair.

Inside the tunnel under the aquarium

The Kids at the aquarium

I went to perform Dzuhur with Apit while the ladies went into the Kinokuniya bookstore. We always make it a point to bring the kids to a bookstore....to get them acquainted with books. Then, we went to the aquarium.....we were expecting to see the controversial whale-shark, but the gigantic creature was nowhere to be seen. Probably they had removed it due to pressures from the environmentalist groups.

We left the mall.....the next destination was Dubai City Centre..... we wanted to buy Along her birthday present.... a pair of Converse All-Star that she had been craving about. Then, after performing ‘Asar, Apit and I met the ladies at Carrefour..... we did some shopping especially for the food-stuff that the girls are going to bring to school.

We went home in a hurry as I needed to return the car by 730pm..... I performed Maghrib and then took the car back at the rental office. I paid the friendly clerk (Mr Zia) and went back.....

What a weekend.....I hope my family enjoyed the first weekend we spent driving by ourselves..... and I hope this would be a birthday weekend that Along never forgets.

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To Along:

I’m sorry, Ayah didn’t put in a special entry for your 11^th birthday.....but please remember Ayah and Ibu love you all the same.....We hope that entering a teenager stage in your life would bring in more maturity and sense of responsibility to you.....

Happy 11^th Birthday to you (15^th January, 2009)

In Egypt

11^th January 2009.......My first trip in this Gregorian calendar. This time I took the journey west, towards the African continent. We are just starting the factory operation in Cairo, Egypt or (Kaherah, Mesir). I took a red-eye Egypt Air flight to the Egyptian capital. The plane landed in Cairo International Airport at about 715am. The weather in Cairo was good, not too cold compared to Tehran..... maybe about 10-12 degree Celcius.

I was greeted by a Holiday Inn staff waiting for at the Arrival Hall entrance. I told him that my friend is expecting me and I won’t be going to the Hotel. He helped me through the visa processing and after giving him Aed10 as a tip, he left. I went out of the hall and waited for my friend Aly. I waited for about 10 minutes before giving him a call. He said that he was waiting for me at Terminal 2.....I said I’m at Terminal 1 as it only caters for Egypt Air. He came in about 20 minutes.

This ambulance was according to Aly on its way to Rafah, Gaza

The masjid in front of the Hotel

Stars Centre shopping mall, just beside the Hotel

The Hotel is superb....it’s attached to a big shopping mall.....Stars Centre....and is just opposite a mosque (masjid). So, on the first and the second night, I performed my Maghrib and my Isya’ (Qasar) at the masjid. On the first night, I went to the mall right after solat at the masjid. I almost got lost looking for the food court. Luckily, my “survival instinct” guided me to it...hehehe.....

I went back to the room and prepared for the next day.

British University of Egypt, Shorruk City

Sunset over Cairo

My breakfast of hash brown, french toast, beef bacon & a bun with butter (buffet price - LE122/head)

There food is great in Cairo.....but I only got to taste the real Egyptian food once....I was served with Kushari on the 3^rd day......read more about Kushari HERE. Maybe next time, I’ll get to taste more of the local delicacies....not only pizzas, sandwiches and fried chickens.

My trip ends on the 14^th January....as I need to get back by the 15^th as there’s a special day awaiting me....

Kanoute Facing Fine......

Saturday, January 10, 2009

MADRID, Spain (AP) - Sevilla striker Frederic Kanoute is facing a fine from the Spanish football federation for revealing a T-shirt expressing support for Palestine during a match.

Kanoute lifted his Sevilla shirt over his head after scoring in the team's 2-1 Copa del Rey win over Deportivo La Coruna on Wednesday to display a black T-shirt on which the word "Palestine" was printed in several languages.

Sevilla's Frederic Kanoute (left) shows a t-shirt in reference to the Israeli offensive in Gaza. (Jose Manuel Vidal / Associated Press)

The federation's Competition Committee is expected to study the incident on Friday.

Kanoute, who was born in France but plays internationally for Mali, is a practicing Muslim.

Kanoute's action, which has been interpreted as a response to Israel's recent attacks on Gaza that have killed nearly 700 people, was met with a yellow card from referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz.

Lahoz said in his post-match report that he'd cautioned Kanoute for raising his shirt over his head in accordance with federation rules, while also noting the message of the striker's T-shirt.

Raphael Schultz, Israel's ambassador in Madrid, told Radio Marca on Thursday that Kanoute's gesture "had gone beyond his profession and FIFA rules to this respect."

"I saw the match and the T-shirt bore nothing more than the name of Palestine. It was not an incitement against Israel. I don't think it extolled violence," Schultz said.

Meanwhile, Palestine embassy official Mahmoud Aluanen told the same station that Kanoute "has shown himself to be a very brave person to support our people at a public event."

"Sportsmen are human beings and cannot contain their feelings. They have all the right in the world to express their opinion about matters which contravene human rights. I'm sure that all Palestinian children, those who love football, will be happy about this gesture," Aluanen added.

The incident came a day before Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas paid a visit to Madrid for talks with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and King Juan Carlos.

From: http://pedulipalestina.blogspot.com/2009/01/kanoute-facing-fine-for-showing.html

I Passed, At Last.....Alhamdulillah

I have always believed that every cloud has its silver lining....a blessing in disguise.... That’s why when I failed on the first time; I didn’t feel too bad.... although a bit frustrated considering how much money and time I had spent for it.

So, yesterday, after waiting in total anxiety for about 5 hours...enduring the hunger, the thirst and the urge to go to the “john”, I finally took the driving test for the second time. With me were two Indian guys and an Arab..... The tester was a soft-spoken Arab who looked like one of my old friends back in Malaysia.

Instead of being the number 1 driver like the previous test, I got the number 2 spot this time. It didn’t matter anyway as the tester took each of us to different routes.

When my turn came.....I sat on the driver seat, closed the door and did all the necessary things..... Then the tester asked me in Arabic....I didn’t understand. He rephrased it in English....”Where are you from?”....”Malaysia”, I said.... “Ok... Malaysia”, he responded.... Haa... a positive sign...

So, I drove around....following all his instructions carefully....”change lane to the left” or “change lane to the right”.....so on and so forth....and then after about 4-5 minutes, he told me to stop and park the car....”Next driver...”

I just sat there in the back seat and enjoyed my fellow hopefuls' driving.....Then, the last driver drove us back to the Driving Centre. In the parking area....there was a moment of truth..... He called my name a few time without telling me how I did. The first two names before me failed.....I knew it for sure because there was a split second that the tester had to “take control of the car” for them. That’s a “NO NO”. Then he called out my name again, while handing to me the test paper...with just the date, his name and mine; and the result (all order columns were left blank)....”Haza, you passed”....and ”Alhamdulillah”.... was all that I could say at the moment..... I didn’t know the fate of the last driver because once I got the result, the tester told me to get out of the car.

One of my office colleagues asked me about a celebration..... I think I’d go celebrate with my family first....