Cafe Che Che!

Do you remember the Burj Kalifa Che Che?
Its the tallest building in the World.

Last night I was walking nearby and I noticed new cafe with a very cool name.
Here is a picture of it.













Can you read what it is called?
Shall we go there next time you come to Dubai?

Plant Asians

Do you remember my garden Che Che?

Well while we were in France this summer my plants didn't watered, so most of them just shrivelled up and died.

This one just about managed to survive but as you can see its not in very good shape.













So I decided its time for some new plants, (and some advice on looking after them. )
Meet Ali and Bhasin the gardeners. They are from Pakistan which is another very hot country.
They work here at the University looking after all the gardens for all the houses including mine.












They brought me some new plants, and told me how to make sure they survive and thrive!
This one is my favourite. (I must ask what its called.)













Will you help me water plants and help Ali and Bhasin look after the garden when you come to visit Che Che?

Al Ain Beastie

Hey Che Che.

Last weekend I went to Al Ain which is an old city about an hour and a half drive from Dubai.

I visited the fort and the museum. Look what was inside as an exhibit!
















A Beastie!

Its a white one so it wasn't used by the fire brigade.
What do you think it was used for?

Registration Frustration

See this picture Che Che.

Its the registration plate on the front of my car.If you look closely you can see its not been put on properly by the men at the garage and is a bit loose.

The one on the back fell off.

So I decided to save time and make my own replacement. I took a picture of the front one and then on the computer then made it into a new square one that would fit on the back. Then I printed it out.


Heres a picture of the one I made.













I thought it looked good and would do the job. So I tied it on the back of the jeep.

The Sharjah police had other ideas.

They stopped me with red and blue flashing lights and sirens the other night on my way to my piano lesson. They told me that what I had done was very bad and that my car would go to jail and me too probably, or at the very least I would have to a big fine.

Fortunately I phoned my local Emarati friend -(her name is Emma so I call her Emma Rati.)
Anyway I put her on the phone to the policeman and she managed to talk him out of arresting me.

I still have to pay a fine -200 dirhams (about 40 pounds) and cant drive the car til I get a proper registration plate.

But at least Im not in prison :)

Night Trip Walk

So I am back in Dubai/Sharjah again Che Che.

Its still very hot, even at nights.
So hot I decided to a night trip walk along the Corniche beach where its a bit cooler.
And look what I bumped into! A camel left tied to a palm tree!

He seemed quite pleased to see me (although it is rather difficult to tell if a camel is smiling or grimacing)

He told me his name is Lawrence & he sleeps there at night - Camels sleep standing up as do horses, and then during the day he gives rides to boys and girls.

Do you want to ride Lawrence next time you come to Dubai?

Or speaking of horses perhaps you would prefer to ride a little horse like this one which lives next to Lawrence.
















His name is Stumpy and sometimes he is grumpy! (According to Lawrence)
But Im sure he will be fine if you give him a sugar lump.

Stormy Weather

The weather has been a bit strange here lately Che Che.

This weekend there was a sandstorm and some trees were blown down by the wind!

Keep on Truckin!

On the way back form the Wood yard Tom saw some old trucks he liked.
So we stopped to look at them.




It was a very old truck but Tom reckoned he could do it up and make it look good again.




But the chickens said they didnt want the truck moved!

Timber!

The other day I went to Sharjah to buy some wood with Moses and Tom.

The wood is kept in a giant warehouse in big stacks.
They use forklift trucks when they need to move it.




and put it onto the delivery lorries



Would you like to drive a fork lift truck Che Che?

Big Fish!

This weekend I went to Abu Dhabi Fish Market.
You can buy all sorts of fish there, as well as crabs,lobsters, prawns and squid.

Look at the size of this fish!





They also sell KING PRAWNS! :)





These cats live nearby.
Maybe they get lots of free fish ?

At the Barbers!

The other day I went for a haircut at the Indian barber shop

in Bastakiya.

The barber did a pretty good job.
And then when he finished cutting my hair he gave my head a massage!

All for 15 dirhams (about £2.50)

I didnt get a lollypop though :(

Will you get a haircut in Dubai next time you visit Che Che?

Xray Vision

Today I had to go for my medical checkup so that I cna renew my visa and stay working here Che Che.

Remember I went last year? 1 year ago in fact.
Well this year it was the same.

I had to line up with all the workers again, & once again we had to take our shirts off and then the doctor called us into the Xray room & took a chest Xray. This time I took a sneaky picture while we were in line. Here it is:

After the X-ray we had to give a blood sample. Ouch!
But I was very brave and didnt cry. :)

Will you be brave when you go for a medical Che Che?

Motorcyle Mayhem!

Look Che Che. Someone brought a motorbike right into
the college & the students tried drawing it!

Bet you would have liked to ride it round the building like this boy!
Brrrrm! BRRRRRMMMM!

Little Beastie!

Look Che che!

Here is my new Jeep!
Its like a small 'Beastie'


I had to take it to the Dubai Registration place



Where they check it over.



and fit new number plates!

Young Guns!

Salaam Che Che! (this means hello in Arabic)
I am back in Dubai, and it is the end of Ramadan.
so all the local Emirati are on holiday & celebrating.

They call this holiday Eid.




They have been fasting (not eating) for a whole month during Ramadan (although I think the big man in the picture forgot about this). When Ramadan comes to an end they have a big celebration with lots of food and dancing.

Only the men are allowed to dance though, and they like to dance with camel whips and toy guns! And they like to twirl and throw their toy guns.

They twirl it around.






And then throw it up very high up!
Then catch it!

Could you do that with your gun Che Che?

Dont drop it! (like this boy did!)

After the Fire

When they finally managed to put it out there was still lots of smoky rubbish.
They had to scoop it up with a digger and then hose it to cool it down.

The fireman was very tired & very thirsty & needed a rest and a drink!

Kaboom!

Another big Fire Che Che.
With a BIG explosion!

KABOOOOM!




This time I managed to get pictures of the firemen trying to put the fire out.
Can you see them high up on their ladder?





Does Fireman Sam's ladder go that high?

Fire Trucks

These are the Fire Engines back at the Station
after putting out the fire.

Can you see the ladder on top,the hose at the back,?

And look at all the tools in the middle!
There is a fire axe, big cutters and a big big saw!

Fire!

There was a huge fire at the Paint Factory this morning Che Che.

It was so big & it made so much smoke I thought the weather had turned cloudy!

All the fire engines in Dubai and Sharjah came to try & put it out.

They sprayed it with their big hoses
It took all day before it was properly under control.

Do you think Fireman Sam could have done better?

:)

Chocolate Cake!

Do you remember the big tall building with all the fireworks we saw
Che Che?

Well someone made a big chocolate cake of it!

Its a very big cake dont you think?

Its a lot bigger than you!
And Much bigger than mummy!

Bet she would still try and eat it all though!

:)

The Animals came in 2 by 2.

Che che.


Did I tell you that I am designing an animal sanctuary in Dubai ?

Its a home for animals that have nowhere else to live.
Its run by a lady called Ayesha.


At the moment she keeps them at her house. But she has so many she has run out of room for them all. So we are going to build a big house for them. Will you help us build it?


These are pictures of her with some of her animals.


Which one is your favourite one?
I like the baby owl.



Llama and Baby Llama


Gazelles



Iguanas




Chinchilla


Baby Owl