Alexander McNabb

Topless Butlers in Dubai? Just Another Ho-Hum

Topless Butlers in Dubai? Just Another Ho-Hum

ALEXANDER MCNABB: Hoping to provoke an ‘official investigation’ into a ‘scandal’ a Dubai-based newspaper was sadly disappointed

 Dhofari Gucci

Immune to ‘Planning’: The Curious Dhofari Disease

Immune to ‘Planning’: The Curious Dhofari Disease

DHOFARI GUCCI: If the Swiss are at one end of the planning spectrum then my fellow Dhofaris at the furthest extreme

 thehedonista

Dining in Dubai: What To Expect in 2014

Dining in Dubai: What To Expect in 2014

SARAH WALTON: It’s going to be a very busy year indeed on the dining front in Dubai. Here are my predictions.

 Crossroads Arabia

Saudi Tourism: Is It Finally About To Happen?

Saudi Tourism: Is It Finally About To Happen?

CROSSROADS ARABIA: We’ve had many false dawns on the Saudi tourism story but we may be on the cusp of a breakthrough now.

 Abu Muhammed

Packed Malls and Road Rage: Hajj Break in Kingdom

Packed Malls and Road Rage: Hajj Break in Kingdom

ABU MOHAMMED: Many of us on the Hajj break are slaves to our cars, busy transporting our loved ones from beach to mall to play center

 The View From Fez

A Tale of Hunger, An Empty Fridge and A Rubber Duck

A Tale of Hunger, An Empty Fridge and A Rubber Duck

THE VIEW FROM FEZ: The last thing you need when you’re searcing for sustenance at 3.30 in the morning is a practical joke. Watch out, Doug!

 Alexander McNabb

A Step Back in Time To The Wonder That Is Hatta

A Step Back in Time To The Wonder That Is Hatta

ALEXANDER MCNABB: Whether it’s to take in the beautifully welcome retro of the Hatta Fort Hotel or the natural beauty that surrounds the town it’s a trip well worth taking.

 Susan Al Shahri

A Rainy Ramadan in Salalah: Of Caffeine, Vimto and Tourists

A Rainy Ramadan in Salalah: Of Caffeine, Vimto and Tourists

Six days down and approximately 23 more to go if the moon cooperates! Once again Dhofar has been blessed with cool temperatures and a heavier-than-normal monsoon drizzle to help us get through the holy month of fasting. To be honest, I am not necessarily looking forward to a couple of years from now when Ramadan […]

 sarah walton

A Happy Accident: The Undiscovered Joy of Doha

A Happy Accident: The Undiscovered Joy of Doha

SARAH WALTON: If you happen to find yourself in Doha by accident, and a lot of people do, here’s a guide to the high-spots.

 Alexander McNabb

Ka-Choo! Sharjah’s Mystery Radar Shooter Still At Large

Ka-Choo! Sharjah’s Mystery Radar Shooter Still At Large

As eagle eyed observers will recall from earlier posts, Sharjah has been suffering from a mysterious and expensive spate of radar shootings. Someone has been regularly taking out the traffic radars on the Mileiha Road – the arterial route that leads from the notorious National Paints parkabout all the way out to the delightful East […]

 thehedonista

Dubai’s Fishy Delight: A Friday Lunch at The Barracuda

Dubai’s Fishy Delight: A Friday Lunch at The Barracuda

SARAH WALTON: It’s taken me a lot longer than virtually everyone else in the city to discover one of Dubai’s dining gems.

 Alexander McNabb

The Quirky Joy of Camel Dressage: Return to Umm Al Quwain

The Quirky Joy of Camel Dressage: Return to Umm Al Quwain

ALEXANDER MCNABB: Not one of the UAE’s tourist hotspots Umm Al Quwain has some unique pleasures and holds fond memories for us.

 thehedonista

Egypt’s Culinary Treasure: The Delight That Is Feteer

Egypt’s Culinary Treasure: The Delight That Is Feteer

SARAH WALTON: How did I not know of it before? The heavenly taste of freshly baked feteer is a treat worth celebrating.

 Susan Al Shahri

Salalah Dining: An Experience But For All the Wrong Reasons

Salalah Dining: An Experience But For All the Wrong Reasons

SUSAN AL SHAHRI: Wa-hoo, McDonald’s has opened in Salalah. You’re in trouble if the the fast food eatery sets the standard in your home town.

 sarah walton

Turkish Cuisine: Is Dubai Ready for ‘Whirlwind Silvena’?

Turkish Cuisine: Is Dubai Ready for ‘Whirlwind Silvena’?

SARAH WALTON: She’s a force of nature who looks as if she’ll fit in perfectly. But what’s her take on the glitz and glamour of Dubai?

 The View From Fez

The Inter-Connected Magic of the Medina Souk

The Inter-Connected Magic of the Medina Souk

DEREK WORKMAN, THE VIEW FROM FEZ: Everything has its place and everyone has their role. It’s an easy reality to overlook with the pace of modern life.

 The View From Fez

Scams and Expense Hitting Mecca Pilgrims in Morocco

Scams and Expense Hitting Mecca Pilgrims in Morocco

THE VIEW FROM FEZ: There has been a marked increase in the number of scams as well as increased cost, two factors hitting religious pilgrims in Morocco

 sarah walton

‘Tasty Baghdad’: Dubai’s Treasure Trove of Iraqi Eateries

‘Tasty Baghdad’: Dubai’s Treasure Trove of Iraqi Eateries

SARAH WALTON: My recent experience of the dearth of interesting Middle Eastern restaurants in my home country makes me appreciate Dubai all the more

 Abu Muhammed

The Good, Bad and Interesting of Life in Jeddah

The Good, Bad and Interesting of Life in Jeddah

ABU MOHAMMED: Life’s more expensive than the capital, Riyadh, but Jeddah provdes a haven of outdoor art and it’s close to the sacred sites.

 sarah walton

Jebel Akdar: Exotic, Warm and Welcoming

Jebel Akdar: Exotic, Warm and Welcoming

SARAH WALTON: It’s a place of simple but genuine pleasures, truly a delightful destination in Oman