Ca'meal

Train of thoughts are funny. Mine jumped from Arabic writing on a laban (yogurt) drink label to Arabia, desert, camel, camel milk, camel chocolate?

Yes, it exists… top end quality Camel Chocolate

http://www.al-nasma.com/

Camel cuisine also seem to be taking off in Dubai - inventions of camel burgers, kebabs, salads and even hotdogs. For the average Non-Arabian Bedouin camel might be a bit of a stretch for the pallet but historically camel was served to celebrate.

Nowadays, mostly prominent members of Arab society enjoy this Bedouin tradition, in the form of the 'largest item on any menu in the world' (according to the Guinness Book of World Records). It takes 20-24 hours to cook and is stuffed with a whole lamb, 20 chickens and 12kg of rice just to name a few. It's simply known as Stuffed Camel.

(This is also a stuffed camel. The dish is quite full on but for anyone interested)

http://www.weirdworldfacts.com/fish-inside-chickens-inside-lamb-inside-camel/

Anyone game?

(Yes, it's Saudi Arabian, but it's the only clip I could find for Stuffed Camel)

From its shear size, stuffed camel represents richness (as one would expect of an Emirati). However the etiquette of eating reveals a different form of richness, one intricate to the Arab culture- brotherhood and kinship. From the proximity of your fellow companion and manner of sitting to sharing from a central plate, there is a heightened sense of togetherness. And with old Emirati sayings such as 'Give your friend your blood and money', it is no wonder at the loyalty an Emirati would have for his tribe in the past.

As Dubai recreated its image over the past 50 years, adding a more cosmopolitan layer to it, such etiquettes aren't perhaps as prominent. But next time you are invited to a Sheik's wedding (with stuffed camel) remember the old Emirati saying 'Live together like brothers and do business like strangers'.

La Afham

Whenever travelling to a place whose national language isn’t English, my assumption would be to pack a mini dictionary, or phrase book or at least learn the most essential words such as food and toilet.

So if packing for Dubai, whose official language is Arabic, one would assume to learn the following:

Habibi: Friend

Shukran: Thanks

La Afham: I don’t understand

Min Fadlak: Please

However, of the approx. 2 million living in Dubai, 71% are foreigners and expats. Most working behind the scenes of Dubai’s world-class buildings. So with over 60 nationalities in one city and languages such as Hindi, Urdu, Malayalam, Bengali, Tamil, Tagalog, Persian and Chinese, even learning the word ‘food’ would be quite a task. However, despite Arabic being the official language, English is the most commonly spoken word in Dubai. It is taught in schools alongside Arabic.

With road signs even having English translations, I have refined the list of words to know (bare minimum):

Ibn Battuta/ Mercato/ Wafi Mall- different types of Malls in Dubai

Burj Khalifa: tallest building in the world (and still growing)

Sikkat al-Khali Street: Deira Gold Souk (market) and Perfume Souk

Interestingly, I came across the concept of Dinglish- Dubai English on Expat woman. com. It is a more colloquial form of speech, being a mixture of Hindi, Arabic and English. This more recent form of language exchange provokes for a deeper insight into Dubai’s identity, beyond the created cosmopolitan façade into the world of the 71% also shaping this city.  On a lighter note, examples of Dinglish.

http://www.expatwoman.com/dubai/monthly_faqs_language_in_dubai_8458.aspx

To where or not to wear? That is the question

I had much difficulty trying to find an iconic feature of Dubai without having to include its many unique ways of expressing its wealth, from outrageously opulent hotels to the local gold souks (market).  But I suppose my judgment of what constitutes ‘iconicy’ in Dubai was limited because as a Muslim I did not see certain aspects of this ‘Islamically’ influenced city as ‘iconic’. As I took a step back, I realized that the Dress Code observed in Dubai was most certainly something to take note of. This being, because Dubai is considered the gateway between the East and the West. Even during the holy month of Ramadan where during the day eating and drinking is prohibited in public, bars and clubs are opened as soon as the sun sets for the Non-Muslims. In retrospect, Dubai accommodates almost equally for the East and the West. How then, does Dubai ensure comfort in dressing for one without offending the other?

There is a clear distinction between what is worn by the locals and their Western counterparts. Local women don what is usually considered in the west as an identifying feature of the Middle East-the Abaya. These are long black robes that loosely hang from the body. What I found was really interesting is that the Abaya is not an Islamic requirement but rather a cultural one. Likewise for the local men, loose white robes known as the ‘Dishdasha’ are worn. Usually this is accompanied with a ‘Gutra’, a white or red-checkered headdress.

For those who are not local, men are advised against wearing shorts and the women against baring tops or anything above the knee. Once Ramadan hits, the local appreciate more conservative dressing. However, the dress code is much more liberal in Beach setting- bikinis are considered acceptable along with swimming trunks and shorts for the men.

Basically, even through the dress code, Dubai goes all out comfort whether it be for its largely western market or its local people.