The Dubai Expat Diaries

Sheikh Mohammed has ordered the cancellation of all New Year celebrations in Dubai as an act of solidarity with the Palestinian people. There has been a lot of confusion over which or if any of the planned events will go ahead. If you have purchased tickets or made bookings, you may have to check with the venue for their [...]

There has been a new addition to the ever-growing list of shopping malls in Dubai, another one has just opened its doors in Dubai Marina. The Dubai Marina Mall boasts of a total of 160 stores, including a supermarket (the second Waitrose in Dubai), a six-screen cineplex, and a seven-storey Gourmet Tower.  Only a part [...]

The Emirates Identity Authority has announced the following schedule for the ID card registration of the expatriates in the UAE. They have been divided into four different categories based on profession/industry; each with its own time frame for registration. Residents and Professionals working for the Government and the Private Sector have been given a deadline [...]

Possibly as a temporary measure to ease Internet traffic and load on bandwith, Youtube.com and various other popular sites have either been blocked or put on low priority over the past few days here in Dubai and the UAE. This follows an incident where 3 underwater Internet cables were cut and Etisalat and Du, among [...]

A funny piece sent to us by a reader via email…   What to expect when you receive your UAE ID Card in year 2010: Operator :’Thank you for calling Pizza Hut . May I have your…’ Customer: ‘Helloo, can I order..’ Operator : ‘Can I have your multi UAE identity card number first, Sir?’ [...]

When the going gets tough, Hotel eMarketers play harder: As the world gets harder, better, faster, stronger in many respects, so do the ripple effects of world events. The recent attacks in Mumbai are a prime example – hotels the world over are now scrambling to take a re-look at their security measures. In terms of [...]

A fascinating look into the state of the US economy and huge economic deficits. This is a 30 minute compressed version of a full-length documentary – IOUSA Official website: http://www.iousathemovie.com Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/IOUSAtheMovie Some argue that the debt situation is merely a result of the Monetary system employed by the USA…i.e. It is based on [...]

Some expert tips from Theo Lotz, the Assistant Recreation Manager at The Westin Dubai Hotel, who offers guidance on Dubai Marathon preparation (nutrition, clothing, etc) The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi has also launched their second Facebook competition! Upload a fan photo of YOU, dressed in your funkiest / snazziest or “sportiest” Dubai Marathon gear on [...]

The Westin Dubai Hotel has just launched a weekly competition to promote the upcoming Dubai Marathon…on Facebook! You can become a fan of the page and participate to win prizes. Here’s some official info from the hotel: About The Westin Dubai + Dubai Marathon Competition: The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi, home of the Standard Chartered Dubai [...]