New 2 Sharjah

The Lure of the EAST

2009-02-27T23:40:00.002+04:00

Shakespeare wrote a speech in As You Like it about the 7 Ages of Man, and it's funny as kid I was dragged through many museums and did not take much interest unless there were aircraft involved. However during my adventure in Sharjah, I have been "doing" the Museums and for the first time in a very long time I can say I was really enthused and emotionally moved by a set of paintings.

The exhibition The Lure of the East had been cleverly marketed – about 6 weeks ago – Taxis and Billboard started running strap line "Feed your Curiosity" – The exhibition has been put together Tate Britain and featured paints from Collections mainly in the UK, but also the US and New Zealand.

The Sharjah Art Museum is not the most stunning of building, but with calls to prayer sounding from a nearby mosque and some great lighting the ambience for viewing was great. There was heavy security in terms of people, armed police + contract security, but you could get close to the painting unlike normal museums in the UK.

The paintings were wonderful, a mixture of great portraits, landscapes and City scenes. Truly breathtaking unfortunately No Piccies as cameras were banned. I guess being a lover of the mixed cultures in the Middle East I have great affinity with the British, who travelled around the MENA in the 1700 and 1800s, recording what they saw in these great paintings. I guess now I have my digital camera.

The only disappointment is there seems very little local interest in the Exhibition despite the best efforts of the Sharjah Museums department and H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi for bringing the exhibition here.

'nother little gem in Sharjah

2009-02-14T16:40:00.006+04:00

Visited the Al Mahatta museum of flight - excellent museum based in buildings on the site where Sharjah aerodrome was built in 1932 by Imperial Airways & RAF - 4 fully restored planes + some great photos of the historic field and how it operated until it was shut in 1972 + a museum of flight - (if you don't like stuffed birds stay away I counted at least 40 stuffed birds)
The photo above right shows the atc tower, the hanger (now holds the plane exhibits), + the fort the original Sultan built for the airfield to act as a rest house.
The modern day appartment blocks behind were built on the airfiled. The runway became one of the main roads in Sharjah the King Abdul aziz road. The black white image below is RAF aerial photgraph circa 1960. the town of sharjah is top of the photo.

Has anybody seen a Palm Tree in a weird place ?

2009-01-10T12:40:00.004+04:00

On the Al Khan lagoon, there is new luxury tower - it's a very dynamic building, arrowhead in shape, and has a Palm tree on its outside on about the 18th Floor!
You can just see it in the first photo, but its leaves are presently tied up.
Please let me know if you have seen a Palm tree in a wierder position in the comments.

Hull Chamber of Commerce are you reading ?

2009-01-10T12:36:00.003+04:00

The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce used to be in a fairly faceless modern block by the Al Hijem fort. (those photos to come). However last month they moved into a new building - yes this the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce:

Now the ID card

2009-01-06T22:33:00.004+04:00

The new challenge is to get an ID card as well as your Visa.
The UAE authorities want all Western Expats to register for them - they were expecting about 600,000 expats to register but the process and particulay the ID website has been such a disaster they have struggled to register even 20% of this number. Therefore they were forced to extend the the deadline until end March (3 months)
It took me a month to fill out the forms, and I was only successful when they changed the web site software. The appointment system (webform and texts) frustrated me 10 times - each time the text came 24 hours too late to register on the 2nd stage of the webform.
So finally I phoned the help line - really helpful emirati genetlemen, who was very apologetic and booked me appointment, except everytime he meant to say January ( as we debated to find a time that fit my diary) he said June, so I was bemused until I finally received a text confirming my appointment from the IDA in January.
Will let you know how I get on.
Update 10/1 - Reconnoitred the Al Taawun Centre this am where I have to register - huge queues does not bode well.

It does rain in Sharjah!

2008-12-08T10:27:00.003+04:00

Myths 2023 b
It never rains in the UAE

It does and heavily.
Apparently the normal average for UAE in December is actually 3.6 days when it rains but this year so far we have had 5 days. Thus far 130mm have fallen since 01/12/2008.
Sorry folks must have bought it from Hull.

UAE National Day Celebration in Sharjah

2008-12-02T22:23:00.005+04:00

Well I warned you about what happens at football matches well UAE day (Bank holiday) it's even more crazy - they started in the same form i.e. 20 mile traffic jam around the Corniche, blaring horns, decorated cars, streamers etc. at 1700 - 7 hours later they're still going strong - complete mayhem but great fun to watch.
Wonderful Arab contradictions here is a really young nation (they are celebrating being 37 years old today in the UAE) really partying yet above the blare of horns, cracks of fire crackers etc. you could still hear the call to prayer (just !) ringing out from the mosques at dusk and then at 1930.
The other great thing - there is no alcohol and everyone form 3-80 years old is involved !

Don't try and get a Taxi if UAE win a football match

2008-11-15T02:07:00.004+04:00

I came out of my hotel tonight to be confronted by a huge traffic jam.
The youth of sharjah were celebrating I think UAE winnning a football match (later found it was the U19 ASian Cup !). Plenty of flags, constant horns, fireworks and complete mayhem greeted me. They had managed to convert the roads that go around the Buhiarah Corniche (about 7 miles of 3 lane roads) into a parking lot and were celebrating. The Police were not impressed but could do nothing. 1000s of cars were stranded.
Luckily I persuaded a stressed taxi driver to take me to Dubai airport - he did not want to do it, but his way home was blocked and he wanted to escape the parking lot ! A few extra Dhms and I made my flight in decent time.

Sharjah Museum of Archaelogy

2008-11-01T13:01:00.003+04:00

Another great Museum - full of interesting facts e.g. the Gulf was not the Gulf until 5000BC, when it filled with water. Beautiful selection of jewellry, pottery and early weapons well displayed. unfortunately my camera ran out power 1/3 way of around but some pictures are on my Picassa gallery.
Unfortunately the Science Museum next door was shut - a word of warning - Museums tend to open 3-8pm, the morning openings claimed by the Sharjah Tourist Brochures are not consistent i.e. the Museums of Archaeology and Islamic Arts were open in the morning as advertised, but the museiums of Heritage and Science were not.

Feeling Safe (and more about Taxis)

2008-11-01T12:27:00.004+04:00

You are very safe in Sharjah......classic example this morning:
I jumped in a taxi to go to the Sharjah Museum of Archaelogy. As ever the Driver's english was bad, but in this caese it seemed worse than usual like "none at all". I soon realised that gesticulating at a map, or trying to explain or pointing at Tourist guide. However he did understand left and right so off we set.
He was immediately on his phone, talking to someone. he tried to expalin he didn't understand but the only thing I could understand was "car not work". upon which he dived off the main road into one of Sharjah's Industrial areas. It is hard to explain what an Industrial area is like without sounding arrogant and western, but let's say it's very 3rd world slum like, no proper roads, with business packed, many people living and working together in abject squalor but in a very sandy environment.
So we are bumping along, the man talking in his phone and I have to admit all my alarm bells. Suddenly the taxi ground to halt and when I asked he said he was waiting for a man......I am now in a cold sweat.... Then another uniformed taxi driver appeared and dived in the back. I began weighing up my options
However the second man, with a big beaming smile, explained his friend had called him because he spoke good english. We were soon crashing our way (at one point the track got really muddy there was huge puddle of water twice the width of the track) of the industrial area and found the museum 10 mins later.

Taxis in Sharjah

2008-10-31T21:36:00.003+04:00

If you don't have car, then Taxis are the only way to get around. They're very cheap (unless you going to Dubai) about £2.50 for a 10 minute ride, but be aware;

There is nothing like the "London Knowledge", you will go a different route every time!
Taxis like using their horns - which given everybody else in Sharjah does as well, has no notable effect on others.
I am glad I don't understand Arabic, as they do express themselves very forcibly at the standard of driving by the felow road users - this can cause extra stress to the passengers given it normally entails taking both hands off the wheel.
Normally you can tell the mood - the louder the South Asian folk music normally means you are in for a hair-raising ride.

one other fact: a lot of the UAE guidebooks (not produced in UAE) claim you should "negotiate" the price before the journey. This I have found to be poor advice. All the taxis are metered and regulated. The Drivers stick to the metered price.

Now where did I put that Pipeline Share ?

2008-10-31T09:56:00.002+04:00

This blog is meant to be about Sharjah, but every so often I will take the chance to comment on something else.
Throughout my 20+ year career in the Oil and petrochemical Industry, I have learnt the more senior the boss you are briefing for a particular meeting, with another senior memeber of another company: the more succinct and detailed the documentation has to be.
When the meeting comes around and you are sitting in the background, one of 2 things happens: either the Bosses bluster about nothing (neither having read or adsorbed the briefings from the Underlings); or the other side raises an issue you haven't covered in the briefing and you squirm in the corner for forgetting it and take a bollo#king afterwards .
Imagine how the Underlings felt in this meeting:

ASTANA, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev told Russian Premier Vladimir Putin on Thursday the two states should jointly buy Oman's share in a major pipeline only to hear that Russia might have already bought it alone. "Oman is a shareholder in CPC and we should buy (its stake). We should take 50 percent each so the others don't do it. It is very important," Nazarbayev told Putin during a meeting in the Kazakh capital of Astana. The proposal appeared to take Putin by surprise. "I'm not entirely sure, but it seems to me we have already bought it. I need to check," said Putin. Russia and Kazakhstan, the two governments with a stake in CPC, have first right of refusal on Oman's 7 percent stake in the consortium, the key export route for Kazakhstan's crude oil. Oman decided to sell its stake earlier this year but so far there has been no information on who may have bought it.

hattip Reuters

Sharjah Museum Of Islamic Civilisation

2008-10-25T19:58:00.004+04:00

Out Museum hunting again today, the Heritage area by the Creek entry was the target. To be frank the Heritage Museum and surrounding area were quite disappointing. However a short walk away from the Heritage area is the Museum of Islamic Civilisation. The Museum is new, a beautiful souk that was converted into the museum, before it became Souk, following intervention from the ruler of Sharjah. The interior decoration and the elaborate ceiling itself are well worth 5dhms (less than £1) entry fee.
There are 4 main Galleries + 1 visiting exhibition gallery + small shop and nice restaurent. 2 Galleries show the development of Islamic civllisation since 1st century AD until now, one devoted to Religous artefacts and writings and my personal favourite the science and medicine gallery. I had not realised how advanced the Middle East was in terms astronomy, particularly given European education systems' emphasis on Galileo. Middle East Astronomers seemed a lot more advanced in the same timeframe (model shown below).

Helipads

2008-10-24T08:22:00.002+04:00

Wandering around Sharjah, I have noticed that almost all the highrise blocks (luxury or otherwise) have helipads on the rooves. But I have yet to see a single helicopter land on one, and given how close some of the different sized blocks are to eachother, one wonders whether all the helipads are actually accessible.
When I quizzed a work colleague, he pointed out they were for rescue situations should a block catch fire..........the only problem being is there is no rescue helicopter service in Sharjah.....mmh........

Al Qasba with the Eye of the Emirates

2008-10-18T22:32:00.003+04:00

Things I miss so far (1)

2008-10-17T17:39:00.003+04:00

So far the things I miss so far:
1) bacon sandwiches
2) Red wine
3) Supporting my son's rugby team (Hull Is U16) on Sunday morning - big game against Doncaster this weekend

UAE & the internet

2008-10-17T13:58:00.007+04:00

UAE restricts access to the internet - I guess through the fact that there is a monopoly isp/broadband provision through Etisalat....... (If someone who really knows how it works, could explain in the comments below, I would be grateful)
The rules I found so far are these, I do not know whether it is a draconian versus other Countries in the World and have thus far only bumped into the limit twice:
Unsurprisingly the Theo Spark blogspot is blocked - I do enjoy the rants but I guess some of the pictures are definitely bit "risque" for a Muslim County.
More surprisingly until you read the rules) the IG index site is blocked and all I wanted to do was to follow oil & gasoline futures.......

Health Screening for a Residency visa

2008-10-17T13:53:00.004+04:00

Definitely my worst experience of Sharjah were my medical tests as part of the Residency visa process.
I was taken by one of the company drivers to small complex (The Sharjah Ministry for Preventative Medecine) on the edge of the city - I guess it was the size of small UK cottage hospital. It has 4 areas physical examination clinic, blood test clinic, x ray clinic and admin area with separate facilities for men and women.
Now fill it with 1500-3000 people from every nation of the world with countless language trying to fin their way through screening process (obviously in Arabic). A real recipe for chaos and where any concept of order and queueing. To be frank the staff were overrun and very stressed.
I managed the first day to get my examination and blood test done , but gave up on the xray because the queue was very long for a 40 ft Container, outside in the very hot yard, with an xray machine. I went back the next day at 0730 for teh x-ray and still waited (luckily inside) for 90 mins for a chest xray. I found out during the wait, that the outside container is for construction workers and the inside for supervisiors and management........
Anyway I am told the Dubai process is a lot more calmer and organised but Sharjah still has some way to go to achieve acceptable standards.

Contradictions

2008-10-17T13:22:00.005+04:00

You realise that in a growing country like UAE, there are real contradictions between the impact of the "outside" world and Muslim traditions.
There was an incident I walked past yesterday - two sisters I guess - one in full "Burqa" Black dress* tending to her 1 year old in his pram, and the other in western clothes - expensive & branded with full make-up, jewelry and technology.
In the 30 seconds it takes to walk past such a cameo, I picked up the one western dress was pleading with her sister to come back to (I guess) their family home. I did not hear why.......
It was odd as well because they were speaking english............but it's the image I will remember in terms the difference in clothes but still family...............

* I am unclear on Muslim ladies dresscode, but it was of the most severe Burqa form i.e. the headdress is almost hood with a slit for eyes as opposed to wrapped headdress with part pinned across the nose & mouth for coverage, or no face coverage at all.

why did I leave 2 come and work here

2008-10-10T13:51:00.001+04:00

well to give some insights - there will be more to follow:
view from old office - (yes my office was in a converted cowshed)

to the view from my new office window: