Pingelap, a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean is lush with natural colours — azure blue waters, green palms and white sandy beaches. But the biggest irony is that almost 10 per cent of Pingelap’s inhabitants are colourblind. They suffer from achromatopsia, a condition that makes people sensitive to light, results in poor vision and […]
I am a fan of books being made into movies, yet I always make sure to read the book first and then see its cinematic adaptation. That’s because I am a true bookworm who loves to smell and savour the story, relish the lives of characters and the lush setting of a book one page […]
Syrian artist Majd Kurdieh was forced to flee his homeland and now lives in Lebanon. This displacement and the current volatile political situation of his country has deeply impacted him. His art, a creative expression of his thoughts, features tiny cartoon-like characters he calls Fasaeen. Stealing Sadness, his latest exhibition at The Workshop, on Al Wasl […]
Her kohl lined doe eyes and sugary voice were an integral part of my growing up years. In the 80s and 90s there was often an Asha Parekh starrer on the telly. She was the dancing girl in Caravan matching steps with Jeetendra, the sad widow with soulful eyes in Kati Patang and the enchanting Japanese girl dressed in a […]
December 2 is commemorated as UAE national day because of the historic unification that happened on this day in 1971. Six rulers of six emirates met to form the United Arab Emirates. The seventh emirate Ras al Khaimah joined the federation only on February 11, 1972. But what most of us don’t know is that […]
One hot August afternoon we crossed a bridge over clear blue waters to reach a tiny green island in Sharjah. Our first sight was instantly heartwarming — a group of crows were quenching their thirst from a small pool of water. And right behind those birds was an impressive arch shaped building with floral patterns […]
Piti, served in an earthern pot, is a soup made with meat, vegetables, potatoes and chickpeas. The broth is tempered with several spices and is cooked for hours. A layer of flaky bread seals the top of this delicious and nutritious dish. Kyufta, on the other hand, are meatballs, but ours was a variant of the traditional […]
This impressive castle with wooden ceilings, Arabic calligraphy and decorated windows is located in the Dakhiliyah province of Oman, about 175 kms from Muscat. It was built in 1670 by Imam Bil’arab bin Sultan, the son of Sultan bin Saif, who helped in driving the Portuguese from Oman. Visitors get a taste of period architecture […]
This calm oasis is part of a desert reserve called Saih al Salam. A recently established site, maintained by Dubai government’s civic body, the Al Qudra lakes are perfect for picnic and birdwatching. We spotted several ducks and a few other exotic birds. According to the UAE birding website several birds have been introduced in the […]
In March we drove to Muscat and then to the scenic town of Sur in Oman. We had estimated a four hour drive to Muscat and then an overnight stopover at a cousin’s place. But ended up spending almost six hours on road owing to no particular reasons that left us wondering how on earth […]