Dubai part 2

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annimarianHeippa! LisÀÀ Dubai-juttua! Sunnuntaina eli viimeisenÀ pÀivÀnÀ mentiin molemmat aamupalan jÀlkeen hetkeksi poolille. Aws ei oo kauhean innokas oleen auringossa, mutta tuli kuitenkin mun seuraksi. Lilluttiin hetkinen altaassa ja sen jÀlkeen lÀhdettiin valmistautumaan pÀivÀn muihin aktiviteetteihin. PÀÀtettiin mennÀ kattoon miltÀ Emirates Mall nÀyttÀÀ, kun minÀkÀÀn en oo koskaan kÀyny siellÀ. Mentiin metrolla, mikÀ oli hyvÀ juttu, koska nyt tiedÀn millanen se on ja tiedÀn, ettÀ voin seuraavalla kerralla mennÀ sillÀ ihan yksinkin.

Hello! Some more Dubai stuff now! On Sunday, on our last day, after the breakfast we both went to the pool area for a moment. Aws is not so keen to be in the sun, but he came there to keep me company. We swam (or floated around ) for a moment and then we went back to the room to get ready for other activities of the day. We decided to go check out the Emirates Mall, because I hadn’t seen it either. We went with the metro, which was a good thing, because now I know how it is and I can go alone the next time.

Kun mentiin metrolle, juna sattui just tulemaan asemalle ja juostiin kyytiin. HypĂ€ttiin vaan ekaan vaunuun, kunnes huomattiin, ettĂ€ se olikin joku Gold Class-vaunu ja siellĂ€ oli sellanen pukumies palvelemassa niitĂ€ gold-asiakkaita. HĂ€n sitten ystĂ€vĂ€llisesti kertoi, ettĂ€ voitte poistua toiseen vaunuun. Seuraavassa vaunussa sitten joku nainen alkoi puhuun mulle ja ensin en ymmĂ€rtĂ€nyt, mistĂ€ se oikein puhui. Hetken pÀÀstĂ€ Ă€lysin, ettĂ€ se yritti sanoa ettei Aws saa olla siinĂ€ vaunussa, koska se on vaan naisille ja lapsille. Taas vaihdettiin vaunua ja sitten saatiin olla loppumatka rauhassa 😀

When we went to the metro, the train just arrived to the station and we ran in to catch it. We just jumped to the first car until we noticed it was some kind of Gold Class-car and there was even this man in a suit to serve the passengers. We were told to move away so we went to the next car. There a woman started to speak to me and I didn’t understand what she was saying. After a moment I realized she was saying that Aws shouldn’t be there because that car is only for women and children. Again we moved and the rest of the way we were fine 😀

Emirates Mallilla on mm. tuo ekassa kuvassa nĂ€kyvĂ€ “lumimaailma”, jossa on pieni laskettelurinne ja muuta lumijuttua. Kaikesta ne ihmiset maksaa! Tuolta lĂ€hdettiin sitten taas metrolla Deiran alueelle, missĂ€ on yks irakilainen ravintola mihin haluttiin mennĂ€. Oli ihan jĂ€nnĂ€ nĂ€hĂ€ tuotakin seutua, koska se on ihan erilaista kuin vaikkapa Marinan tai Business Bayn alue. SiellĂ€ ei oo mitÀÀn pilvenpiirtĂ€jiĂ€ vaan ihan tavallisia taloja ja ei nĂ€hty varmaan yhtÀÀn turistia. Ihmiset nĂ€ytti olevan enimmĂ€kseen “paikallisia” työlĂ€isiĂ€, eli siirtolaisia muista maista ja jonkun verran oli myös ihan oikeita paikallisia. Sangen erilainen tunnelma oli siis tuossa osassa kaupunkia.

In the Emirates Mall we saw this “snow world” that has a small hill for downhill skiing and other snow stuff. I can’t believe people pay to get there! From the mall we left again with the metro to go to Deira neighbourhood to visit this one Iraqian restaurant. It was interesting to see that area too, because it was very different compared to Marina or Business Bay, for example. No tall skycrapers there, just normal buildings and we didn’t see any other tourists there. The people there seemed to be mostly “locals”, meaning the immigrant workers from other countries as well as some real locals. Very different atmosphere in that neighbourhood.

Oltiin kĂ€velemĂ€ssĂ€ metropysĂ€kiltĂ€ sitĂ€ ravintolaa kohti, kun Aws yhtĂ€kkiĂ€ sanoi, ettĂ€ “O-ou, tuossa on moskeija ja meidĂ€n pitÀÀ mennĂ€ siitĂ€ ohi. VĂ€hĂ€n vaarallista.” Ihmettelin, ettĂ€ mitĂ€ vaarallista siinĂ€ on, niin Aws selitti, ettĂ€ pelkkĂ€ mun lĂ€snĂ€olo moskeijan vieressĂ€ voi olla liikaa jollekin kiihkoilijalle. Sanomattakin lienee selvÀÀ, ettĂ€ mulla oli kuitenkin polvien yli ulottuva mekko, jossa oli myös lyhyet hihat. Siirryttiin kadun toiselle puolelle ja hipsittiin ohi.

We were walking towards the restaurant when Aws suddenly said “Oh no, there is a mosque right there and we have to go past it. A little dangerous.” I was surprised and asked why, so he told me that even my presence near the mosque might be too much for some fanatic. I think it’s needless to say that I was wearing a knee-covering dress with short sleeves. We moved to the other side of the street and walked past it quickly.

Ravintola oli siis irakilainen ja Aws oli kÀynyt saman ketjun ravintolassa Bagdadissa. Ruoka oli super hyvÀÀ! Irakilaiseen tyyliin kuuluu, ettÀ pöytÀÀn kannetaan myös ekstrajuttuja, mitÀ ei oo tilattu, vaan ne kuuluu hintaan. Kaikki oli tuoretta, laadukasta ja niiiiiin hyvÀÀ! Ravintolan sisustus oli myös tosi nÀtti, mutta nÀköjÀÀn otin kuvia vaan kattolampuista. Illallisen jÀlkeen kÀveltiin ravintolan vieressÀ olleen ostoskeskuksen lÀpi toiselle metropysÀkille. Ostarin ovilla oli isot merkinnÀt, ettÀ siellÀ pitÀÀ olla siveÀsti pukeutunut ja kaikki mahdolliset tunteiden osoitukset (kuvan perusteella myös kÀdestÀ pitÀminen) on kielletty. Ehdotin Awsille, ettÀ kierrettÀis vÀhÀn kattelemassa, mutta sen mielestÀ se ei ollu hyvÀ idea. Paikka oli tÀynnÀ paikallisia, jotka ei ilmeisesti ollu tyytyvÀisiÀ mun/meidÀn lÀsnÀoloon, joten oli parempi ettei jÀÀty pyörimÀÀn.

The restaurant was Iraqian and Aws had visited the same chain’s restaurant in Baghdad. The food was super good! It’s the iraqian way to bring stuff to the table that we didn’t order and it is included in the price. Everything was fresh, good quality and soooo delicious! The interior of the restaurant was also very beautiful, but apparently I only took photos of the lamps. After the dinner we walked through a mall next to the restaurant to go tho this other metro stop. On the doors of the mall there were big signs that modest clothing is required and no signs of affection may be shown (including holding hands). I suggested that we walk around a little to look around, but Aws said it was not a good idea. The place was full of locals that apparently were not happy to see me/us there, so we decided to just walk straight through the place.

Vaikka Dubai onkin kiva kohde työmatkalle, niin on se silti aika kummallinen paikka. Kaikki on niin kiiltÀvÀÀ, hienoa ja modernia, mutta kun astuu askeleen turistialueiden ulkopuolelle, niin meno onkin ihan toista. Suuri osa varsinaisista paikallisista edustaa vielÀkin todella vanhoillista ja jÀykkÀÀ kulttuuria, vaikka sitÀ ei turistit vÀlttÀmÀttÀ huomaakaan. Yks nÀkyvÀ esimerkki tÀstÀ on ne paikallisten valkoiset ja mustat kaavut mihin ne pukeutuu. Nykyaikaisemmissa ja vapaamielisemmissÀ arabimaissa, kuten vaikkapa Irakissa, noita kaapuja harva kÀyttÀÀ. Dubai kaupunkina on niin uusi juttu, ettÀ paikalliset ei oo ihan samalla tasolla kuin mitÀ ulkokuori antaa ymmÀrtÀÀ.

Even though Dubai is a cool destination for a layover, it still is quite weird place after all. Everything is shiny, fancy and modern, but once you step outside the touristic places, it’s all different. Most of the locals still represent the conservative and rigid culture, although the tourists might not notice it. One visible sign of that is the white and black gowns the locals wear. In the more modern and open Arabic countries, like Iraq, almost no one wears those. As a city Dubai is still so young that the locals are not on the same level as the appearance of the city let’s one assume.

Kulttuurieroista löytyis juttua vaikka kuin, mutta lopetan tĂ€mĂ€n nyt tĂ€hĂ€n! Tulihan tuossa jo tekstiĂ€ 😀 Huomenna lĂ€hden vaihteeksi sitten Oulun yöpyvĂ€lle. Kivaa illan jatkoa! 🙂

I could write so much more of the cultural differences, but I think I will sop this here! I wrote quite a lot already 😀 Tomorrow I’ll fly to Oulu for an over-night trip. Have a nice evening! 🙂

 

 

 

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Dubai part 1

annimarian dubai part 1

annimarian dubai part 1

annimarian dubai part 1

annimarian dubai part 1

annimarian dubai part 1

annimarian dubai part 1

annimarian dubai part 1

annimarian dubai part 1

annimarian dubai part 1Dubai part 1 – Heippa! Nyt sitten Dubai-asiaa! Kuten jo aikaisemmin mainitsin, Aws oli ekaa kertaa mun mukana reissussa. Id-lipuilla matkustaminen on kyllĂ€ niin hermoja raastavaa, ettĂ€ sitĂ€ ei voi suositella kenellekÀÀn 😀 Aamulla olin sitten paskoa housuuni jĂ€nnityksestĂ€, kirjaimellisesti. JĂ€nnitti niin hulluna pÀÀseekö Aws mukaan. No pÀÀsihĂ€n se sitten! Onneksi! Oltiin kyllĂ€ molemmat aika tĂ€pinöissĂ€mme koko reissun ajan 🙂

LisÀjÀnnitystÀ aiheutti viisumi-asiat, koska Awsin piti hakea viisumia ja meille kerrottiin, ettÀ suurin osa irakilaisten viisumihakemuksista hylÀtÀÀn. Viisumi piti tietysti maksaa, vaikka ei ollut mitÀÀn varmuutta siitÀ, meneekö hakemus lÀpi tai mahtuuko lennolle. TÀllÀ kertaa riski kannatti!

Ekana iltana kÀytiin Marinassa illallisella ja kattelemassa. Tultiin ihan hyvissÀ ajoin hotellille, koska ainakin minÀ olin nukkunu niin huonosti edellisen yön jÀnnityksissÀni. Ollaan edelleen samassa hotellissa kuin viime kaudellakin. Onneksi, koska hotelli on ihana! Joka reissulla otan kuvia tuosta aulan orkidea-asetelmasta, vaikka se ei kuvissa nÀytÀkÀÀn kovin erikoiselta. Se on kuitenkin livenÀ aikamoinen! Toisena pÀivÀnÀ minÀ kÀvin aamupalan jÀlkeen puolisen tuntia ottamassa aurinkoa hotellin poolilla ja sen jÀlkeen lÀhdettiin Dubai Mallille. Melkeen ekana mentiin sinne mun lempparikauppaan eli Kinokuniyan kirjakauppaan. Molemmat löydettiin ostettavaa! Suurimmassa osassa kirjakaupoista, ainakin noilla turistialueilla, ei oo arabiankielisiÀ kirjoja ollenkaan, mikÀ on aika hassua kun kuitenkin kyseessÀ on arabimaa. Tuolla Kinokuniyassa kuitenkin on.

Illemmalla kĂ€ytiin sitten nauttimassa kahvia ja baklavaa ja katsottiin suihkulĂ€hdeshow Burj Khalifan juurella. Sen jĂ€lkeen suunnattiinkin takas hotellille. Tuommoinen koko pĂ€ivĂ€n kestĂ€vĂ€ ympĂ€riinsĂ€ lompsiminen on aika rankkaa loppujen lopuksi 😀 Huomenna kirjottelen lisÀÀ viimeisestĂ€ Dubai-pĂ€ivĂ€stĂ€! HyvÀÀ yötĂ€! 🙂

Dubai part 1 – Hello! Now some Dubai stuff! Like I mentioned before, Aws traveled with me for the first time. Traveling with the id-tickets is so nerve-racking, that I don’t recommend it to anyone 😀 In the morning I almost shit my pants, literally, because I was so nervous. Well, he got in! We were both so happy during the whole trip 🙂

All the visa stuff added the uncertainty of the whole trip. Aws needed a visa to enter Dubai and we were told that most of the Iraqian visa applications get rejected. The visa has to be paid of course, even though we didn’t know it will be accepted or if he will get on the flight. This time the risk was worth it!

On the first night we went to Marina to have dinner and to look around. We came back to the hotel in a good time, because at least I slept so bad the last night because I was so nervous. We are staying in the same hotel this season again, which is very nice because the hotel is amazing! On each trip I take pictures of that beautiful orchid arrangement, even though it doesn’t look so special in the pictures. In real life it is quite amazing! On the second day after the breakfast I went to the pool area to sunbathe for half an hour and after that we went to Dubai Mall. We went to my favorite shop, Kinokuniya book store, almost right away. We both found something to buy! Most of the book stores, at least in the touristic areas, don’t have Arabic books at all, which is quite funny since that is an Arabic country after all. Kinokuniya has them.

Later that night we enjoyed some coffee and baqlawa and watched the fountain show by Burj Khalifa. After that we headed back to the hotel. That strolling around for the whole day can be quite tough after all 😀 Tomorrow I’ll write more about the last Dubai day. Good night! 🙂

 

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Home from Dubai

 

annimarian Home from Dubai

Home from Dubai – Heippa! TĂ€nÀÀn puolilta pĂ€ivin palattiin kotiin Dubaista! Aws oli siis mun mukana, ekaa kertaa 🙂 HerĂ€tys Dubaissa koitti aamulla 02:45 mikĂ€ on Suomen aikaa 00:45 eli aikamoisen vĂ€syneitĂ€ oltiin kun pÀÀstiin kotiin! Just tuossa laittelin kuvia ja videoita kovalevylle ja huomenna teen sitten varsinaisen matkapostauksen. Nyt lĂ€hen kĂ€ymÀÀn kaupassa ostaan ruokaa ja sitten teen varmaan jonkun pikaisen kuntopiirin ennen kuin meen aikaisin nukkuun. Tai yritĂ€n mennĂ€… Vaikka kuin vĂ€syttĂ€is nĂ€in alkuillasta, mulla menee aina se vĂ€symys ohi joskus kymmenen aikoihin ja sitten saatankin valvoa pitkÀÀn. No, nyt ainakin vĂ€syttÀÀ siihen malliin, etten malta oottaa ettĂ€ pÀÀsen nukkuun 😀 Palataan huomenna asiaan!

Home from Dubai – Hello! Today around midday we arrived home from Dubai! Aws was traveling with me, for the first time 🙂 The wake up time in Dubai this morning was 02:45am which is 00:45 the Finnish time so we were quite tired when we got home. I just put some pictures and videos to the hard drive and tomorrow I’ll do a proper travel post. No I’ll go to the market to buy some food and then I’m planning on doing a quick workout before going to sleep early. Or I’ll try to go… No matter how tired I am in the evening, normally the tiredness fades away around 10pm and then I might end up staying up for late. Well, at least at the moment I am so tired I can’t wait to go to sleep 😀 Talk to you tomorrow again!

 

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Layover life

annimarian Layover life

annimarian Layover life

annimarian Layover life

annimarian Layover life

annimarian Layover life

Layover life – Iltaa! Eilen iltapĂ€ivĂ€llĂ€ palasin Bangkokista takas kotiin. Paluulento oli kivan rauhallinen, kone oli aika vajaa ja saatiin pitkĂ€t leparit. Jee! Bangkokissa oli vĂ€hĂ€n sateinen ilma, joten en edes miettinyt poolille menoa. En varmaan olis kyllĂ€ muutenkaan vaivautunut meneen aurinkoon, kun en oo taas aikoihin ollut auringossa. Ei olis kuitenkaan voinut olla paahteessa kovin kauan, niin en mennyt sitten ollenkaan 😀 KĂ€vin unien jĂ€lkeen jalkahieronnassa siinĂ€ hotellin lĂ€hellĂ€, samassa paikassa kuin viimeksi. Aina jalkahieronnan loppuun ne tekee yleensĂ€ myös pikaisen parin minuutin hartiahieronnan. Mun hartiat oli enemmĂ€n jumissa kuin varmaan koskaan ja jokaisesta lihaksesta kuului vaan hirveÀÀ rutinaa. Pyysin sitten vielĂ€ lisĂ€ksi erillisen hartiahieronnan ja jestas, ettĂ€ teki hyvÀÀ! Teki myös kipeÀÀ, mutta hyvĂ€llĂ€ tavalla. ParikymmentĂ€ minuuttia (aika kovaotteista) hierontaa ja johan alkoi veri kiertÀÀn! Nyt on kyllĂ€ sitten hartiat hellĂ€nĂ€…

Oon sanonut ennenkin, ettĂ€ kĂ€yn yleensĂ€ samoissa, hyviksi todetuissa paikoissa syömĂ€ssĂ€ layovereilla niin vĂ€lttyy ikĂ€viltĂ€ yllĂ€tyksiltĂ€. EikĂ€ tarvi kĂ€yttÀÀ kallista aikaa uusien ravintoloiden etsimiseen. Kaduilla nĂ€kee paljon kaikenlaisia ruokakojuja ja jotkut nĂ€yttÀÀ kieltĂ€mĂ€ttĂ€ aika houkuttelevilta. En oo kuitenkaan vielĂ€ uskaltautunu noista mitÀÀn ostamaan. EnkĂ€ varmaan työreissulla ostakaan, aika noloa olis saada joku ruokamyrkytys ja sitten myöntÀÀ syöneensĂ€ katuruokaa. Menin siis lautalla joen yli mun vakkariravintolaan. Jostain syystĂ€ ravintolassa ei ollut ketÀÀn muita kuin minĂ€, vaikka se on yleensĂ€ aika suosittu paikka. SiellĂ€ sitten ylhĂ€isessĂ€ yksinĂ€isyydessĂ€ söin illallistani, kunnes loppupuolella joku perhe tuli mun viereiseen pöytÀÀn istuun. Ne loi muhun vĂ€hĂ€n katseita, varmaan ihmetellen, ettĂ€ miksi lĂ€nsimaalainen nainen tÀÀllĂ€ yksinÀÀn istuu. Satuin vielĂ€ just sillon syömÀÀn tuota salaattia, mikĂ€ oli tosi tulinen. Vesi valui silmistĂ€ ja niiskutin, joten ehkĂ€ ne tuijotti siksi, kun ne luuli ettĂ€ yksinĂ€ni siellĂ€ itken ja syön 😀

Nyt alan laittaan ruokaa ja punaviini ja ihana juusto odottaa sitten illallisen jĂ€lkeen. Huomenna lĂ€htÀÀn Tallinnaan Awsin kans. Kivaa viikonloppua! 🙂

P.s. Kattokaa mitkĂ€ kengĂ€t tuossa toisen katukeittiökuvan vasemmassa reunassa nĂ€kyy. Wtf?! 😀

Layover life – Good evening! Yesterday afternoon I got back home from Bangkok. The return flight was nice and easy. We had quite few passengers and the flight time was long, so we got quite long rests. Wohoo! In Bangkok the weather was a little rainy so I didn’t even think of going to the pool area. I think I would have skipped it even without the rain, though. I haven’t been in the sun for a long time now, so I couldn’t have tanned for long anyway. So I didn’t go at all 😀 After my nap I went to have a foot massage in a place near the hotel, the same place I visited the last time. In the end of a foot massage they always do a quick, few minutes shoulder and neck massage as well. My shoulders were probably more jammed than ever and I could hear and feel this crackle on each muscle she touched. That’s why I asked for an extra shoulder massage and oh boy, that felt gooood. Well, painful, but good. Twenty minutes of (quite rough) massaging and I could feel the blood circulating! Now my shoulders are a little sore though…

I have mentioned it before that on my layovers I usually go to the same restaurants over and over again, so I can avoid unpleasant surprises. And I don’t need to waste precious time on searching for a new restaurant. There are a lot of street food stalls around and some of them look quite tempting. I haven’t ever bought food from them and I don’t think I ever will on my work trips. It would be quite embarrassing to get a food poisoning and then having to admit eating street food. So again I took the ferry over the river to go to my favorite restaurant. For some reason, I was the only customer although it is normally fairly popular place. There I was eating my dinner, alone in the whole place, until in the end a family came to sit at the table next to me. They were eying me, maybe thinking why a western woman sat there all alone. At that moment, I was eating my spicy salad, which happened to be very spicy. Water was pouring from my eyes and I was sniffling, so maybe they were staring because they thought I was crying and eating alone 😀

Now I will start making dinned and red wine and a delicious cheese are waiting as a dessert. Tomorrow we will go to Tallinn with Aws. Have a great weekend! 🙂

P.s. Did you see the shoes on the left side of the second street food picture. Wtf?! 😀

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Rainy Bangkok

annimarian Rainy Bangkok

Rainy Bangkok – Pikaterkut Bangkokista! Tulin just takaisin hotellille kierrokseltani. Nyt tÀÀllĂ€ on jo ilta ja en malta oottaa, ettĂ€ pÀÀsen nukkuun! Huomenna on aikainen herĂ€tys ja lĂ€hdetÀÀn hotellilta 6:30 paikallista aikaa. Palataan asiaan taas Suomessa 🙂

Rainy Bangkok – Quick hi from Bangkok! I just came back to my room from my little tour. It is already evening here and I can’t wait to go to sleep! Tomorrow we have an early morning and we leave from the hotel 6:30 am the local time. Talk to you again in Finland 🙂

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