Sand Between My Toes

Gene Fowler’s words “writing is easy; all you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until the drops of blood form on your forehead“, felt particularly true for me over… Continue reading →

Al Ain’s Old Souk

Although the word souk in Arabic simply means marketplace, it is so much more than just the buying and selling of produce. It offers a slice of life that dates back to a… Continue reading →

On Days Like Today

On days like today, I want to hide from the weather. The hot wind exhales dust across the road. The windows are shut. The blinds barely open. I retreat into a world of… Continue reading →

Remnants of an Ancient Civilisation

At the foot of Jebel Hafeet’s eastern slope, just outside Al Ain, 5000 year old tombs lie scattered across the harsh dry landscape.Forgotten piles of stone that once housed the bodies of early… Continue reading →

A Touch of Spring

I fling the windows wide open despite my intimate knowledge of the inevitable consequences. It is a stubborn act of defiance. I know that the gleaming wood surfaces will in twenty-four hours’ time… Continue reading →

Where History Lingers

In the bustling heart of Al Ain nestles the erstwhile residence of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan. Revered as “father of the nation”, and a much… Continue reading →

A Life in Monochrome

abaya  n. a full length, sleeveless outer garment worn by Arabs. < ORIGIN> mid 19th century: from Arabic ‘abãya – Oxford Dictionary of English – * * * A flock of black… Continue reading →

Finding a Forest

“When are you going to take me to that fort you’ve been talking about for so long?” I asked my husband as the weekend was drawing to a close. “Today,” he immediately responded,… Continue reading →

A Misty Wintery Morning

The usual early morning building noises that have become my alarm clock and are creating a familiar backdrop for me to slowly drag myself out of my dreams and warm bed were all… Continue reading →

Dust

The downside of living in the desert is that dusting becomes a daily chore. On those glorious windstill days, I can easily ignore the talcum powder dust sneaking into the house, but on… Continue reading →

My Year in Books

It is that time of the year when I am often surprised by the innate urge to reflect, re-live and re-evaluate my life. When I look back over the past year I see a steady stream of books… Continue reading →

Al Mezyad Fort

“So where are we going today?” my husband asks with a sigh of resignation. “Al Mezyad Fort”, is my quick reply, before I inform him that it is past Bawadi Mall and to the right of… Continue reading →

In Search of National Treasures

On Sunday morning we woke up to an unusual quiet. Nothing stirred, except for the birds who filled the air with joyous songs. When we moved to this neighbourhood at the end of June,… Continue reading →

It Smells Like Rain

It is only about 20°C outside and the sun is slowly sinking towards the horizon. At least I think it is as I cannot see it. The only bit of blue sky peeking… Continue reading →

A Garden Refuge

Depending on how you look at it, I am either the voice of reason or the terrible hand brake to my husband’s often elaborate projects that can be as unstoppable as popcorn that… Continue reading →

Getting Lost in Al Qattara Oasis

Since our return from Lamu Island at the end of October, and the onset of cooler weather in the UAE, I’ve been itching to explore more of Al Ain which has been inaccessible during… Continue reading →

Al-Hijra

Today is the first day of the first month (Muharram) in the Islamic Calendar. Although it is celebrated as the Islamic New Year and marks the Prophet Muhammad’s move from Mecca to Medina in the year 622AD,… Continue reading →

A Fishy Story – Part 2

“There is something wrong with this thing. It is not the same as the other one. I don’t like this!” I complained as I was reeling in yet another fish. No one was… Continue reading →

A Fishy Story – Part 1

It seems that I just cannot get away from the entanglements of fishing trips! My first introduction to a fishing trip, which co-incidentally was also when my husband proposed, sadly did not manage to hook… Continue reading →

Eid-al-Adha

Eid-al-Adha or Feast of the Sacrifice was celebrated today by Muslim communities all over the world, although the date my differ by a day depending on where you find yourself. Today, my husband… Continue reading →