I AM .........

[Michael Alexander]

ARE YOU STILL WORKING , OR ARE YOU ALREADY ON HOLIDAY?

[Patricia Lotte]

Yes, I'm supposed to be on holiday but still have to get some work done. That's the problem with computers and internet ... you can never get away from work 

[SandyB]

Patricia  do the folk  there in the  land  of  tea towels on the head  celebrate  christmas ??   Over here many of our  tea towel  wearing folk  seem to  do it ,  of  course  just on the  material  level ... just another  opportunity to spoil  their  kids  a   bit more  rotten ... and yes  they just had  celebrations recently ...  so  strange ...

[Michael Alexander]

Patricia, you still in Dubai?

( ALways have a laugh when talking about Dubai, a lot of the Afrikaaners up here used to refer to Alexander bay as Die Baai..... pronounced DaBaai!)

[Patricia Lotte]

Yes, I'm still in the 'biggest and best' city on this planet ... though I am now in France for Xmas. Am flying back to Dubai on the 28th to celebrate the New Year there. My boyfriend arrives tomorrow morning, which is a major event for a South African who's never been to Europe.

Sandy, yes and no, the muslims do and don't celebrate Xmas. Shopping malls are decorated with stunning Xmas trees over 10m high. Many shops play Xmas carols and most restaurants and hotels have special Xmas feasts. But as far as I'm concerned, that's not enough to give the Xmas spirit. This country is such that many families are split with the father staying in the UAE alone and the wife and kids in their home country due to sponsorship regulations that impose strict conditions to be able to sponsor families. And what is Xmas if you can't be with your family and friends? And thank God that the ramadan changes dates every year, as celebrations are not allowed during the holy month. I remember celebrating 3 or 4 consecutive Xmas's that fell during the Ramadan and it was depressing. So now I always leave Dubai for Xmas. It's just not the same there.