Getting our bearings....

We have visited Turkey and Israel but have never lived in a Middle Eastern country.  So, much is new to us.  In Dubai, the "weekend" is Friday-Saturday.  We will attend church on Friday mornings.  So, on Sunday Andy and I went to the grocery store with Don and Becky.  It was quite an adventure.  I will need to take my camera with me the next time we go...the spices, figs, fruits and vegetable displays were all so colorful and pretty.  

Grocery stores are in many of the malls.  Seems like all the clothing stores, movie theaters, restaurants, and fast food places are all in Malls...because of the heat.  So, we went to the local mall, had a light lunch at the cafe in the grocery store, and then shopped.  Becky took me on a tour...showing me unusual things, telling me what brands to buy or avoid, introducing me to products we don't have in the US.  It was fun.  The store was large, colorful, and clean - with young women in many departments ready to help.

That evening we went out for a nice dinner in a wonderful restaurant.  Let me know if you plan a trip to Dubai...you must not miss this one.  Al-Fanar - where they serve authentic Emirate cuisine.  It is in Dubai Festival City - another mall.  Over 2,000,000 square feet of leased space...

Melony ordered all the food - things the locals eat in their homes.  When we first sat down we were served a bowl of warm chick peas.  That was followed by pancakes with syrup, a very thin, tasty bread, and a deep fried wrapped appetizer.  We shared 5 different dishes - mutton and chicken kabobs, and three types of fish (one was sword fish chopped fine and the other two were complete with head and tail).  We had white rice and date rice.  All were very tasty and well prepared.  We topped it off with coffee and tea plus three desserts - pumpkin, dates in a custard like form, and little fried balls.  It was a lively and fun dinner.

The restaurant had a walkway entrance along a creek depicting an old fishing village.  Very cool!  Melony is in her element - entertaining and sharing background and history as we walked.  She told me she would love to be a tour guide!

You have to walk through the mall to get to the restaurant, but just outside the restaurant is a hotel, a beautiful walkway along the water, and a wonderful marina.  Off in the distance across the water we could see a Ferris wheel and amusement park.  We went back through the mall and on the far end was IKEA.  The men headed home and the women stayed to shop.  Great fun - stayed til they closed at 11:00!

Outside the Al-Fanar Restaurant

One of the fish dishes...and the three dessert

One of several private dining rooms for small gatherings or business lunches....