Tag Archives: entertainment
A taste of UAE tradition
A taste of UAE tradition Lily B. Libo-on / 24 June 2013 Arab expatriates and their families in the UAE have been looking forward to joining Hag Al Leila celebrations, observed midway through the month of Shaaban, to feel in their hearts the tradition that only the UAE in the GCC religiously and traditionally celebrates. Egyptian Khalid Shaaban and wife Lamiya, who have been in the UAE for five years, are among those expatriates, who are excited to participate in the celebrations. “Preparations for Ramadan actually begin with this night-time celebration ‘Hag Al Leila’, but we do not practice it in Egypt. We observe Ramadan only. When I and my family first came here, I was amazed to see how the UAE celebrates the occasion with fervor and excitement,” Shaaban said. He said he never missed bringing their children to the Hag Al Leila celebrations so they could learn by experience how Emiratis celebrate this tradition. “I want my children to see for themselves how Hag Al Leila is being celebrated so that they will grow up with this experience in their heart. Then, they will appreciate completely the observance of Ramadan from the first day of its preparation,” he added. Shaaban came to the Hag Al Leila celebration, organised by the Sharjah Museums on Saturday, in cooperation with other government and private entities at the Sharjah Heritage Museum, with his twin daughters, 14, five-year-old son and six-month-old baby that his wife patiently held in her arms all throughout the four-hour celebration. Wahiba Al Alawi, a Bahraini student, said that she found joy in witnessing and in becoming part of the celebration. “This is one tradition we miss at home. But, here in the UAE it is very much alive with students, teachers, families and visitors enjoying and preparing before the start of Ramadan. I have learnt a lot and, of course, I am queuing up to go around and fill my traditional bag with sweets, dates, and nuts. I am excited, for this is my first time to join with my teacher and classmates,” she said. A Kuwaiti national, Wathiqa Al Nafisi, is filled with the same excitement. “I am here for holidays, and reading in the newspaper about the upcoming event, I became curious to see what it is, and how it will be celebrated, for we do not have it. It is heart-warming to see all these girls in traditional dresses singing traditional songs and boys dancing their traditional dances. I am glad I have decided to come at this time of the year,” she said. Syrian couple, Ashur and Yalda Al Halbi, came with their two sons, aged nine and five. Ashur said, “Hag Al Leila is always in the family calendar yearly. We welcome it, and my boys are looking forward to it when they can participate and come home with the traditional bag full of candies, nuts, and others.” “Today, they have the special “Halwan” with the Arabic bread as a surprise. So cute,” said Yalda. Before the start of the celebration, Ashur said that their sons joined in the free educational workshop of making a traditional bag supervised by the staff of the Sharjah Maritime Museum. “It is not only fun. My kids have learnt something new today,” he said. An Emirati traditional celebration, Hag Al Leila is an annual occasion in the middle of Shaaban — the eighth month in the Islamic Hijri calendar — where families in the UAE exchange sweets and nuts in preparation for the arrival of Ramadan, something they are proud to share with the expatriates in the UAE, particularly Muslims who have not experienced it in their own homeland. lily@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Homes of needy Emiratis to undergo face-lift
Homes of needy Emiratis to undergo face-lift Ahmed Shaaban / 24 June 2013 Two charity societies in the emirate of Umm Al Quwain have allocated Dh7 million for maintaining, constructing and furnishing old houses. Deputy Director of the UAQ Charity Society, Khalfan bin Yukha, has specified Dh2 million for maintaining and constructing the utilities of the 23 houses. A special committee at the society has provided the utilities needed for five houses. Meanwhile, the Dar Al Ber Society in UAQ finished maintenance works on 20 houses in the emirate at a cost of Dh2 million. ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Training in UAE for a hot run in the US
Training in UAE for a hot run in the US Sarah Young / 23 June 2013 The UAE is the perfect training ground for one extreme runner who will traverse hundreds of kilometres in searing heat in the United States next month. Dubai resident Dr Catherine Todd, 34, will run the Badwater Ultra-Marathon from July 15 to 17 in Death Valley, California, despite vowing to a friend after last year’s race never to do it again. Known as the world’s toughest footrace, runners on the 217km course scale a cumulative elevation of about 4,000 metres from the hottest, driest place in North America to Mount Whitney, the highest summit of continental United States. It has to be completed within 48 hours. The assistant professor at the University of Wollongong in Dubai, who focuses on biomedical engineering research, is no stranger to long distances, having run from Dubai to Fujairah last year, and completed ten 160km marathons and three 217km marathons. She has been in training for this invitation-only event, which takes 100 runners each year, since completing the same race last year, in a time of 36.5 hours — despite having a cold and ear infection. This year, she hopes to be the fastest woman on the course, aiming to complete it in under 30 hours. She will also be raising funds to help friend Richard Holland who was hit by a car in a “horrific accident” while cycling in Dubai last year. “He’s been taken back to South Africa, but the rehab costs are enormous.” Holland, who is in his early 30s, was now unable to speak, but had begun communicating with his mother by blinking, she said. “The worst thing is it could have been any of us out there. Richard was the safest cyclist we know.” Todd has just returned from a 13-hour, 160km trail run in Ohio, giving her some variety from her usual training regime here which involves road, desert and mountain runs, including back-to-back ascents of Jebel Hafeet, on the outskirts of Al Ain, starting at 3am. She trains between two to four hours each day, with a long run between five and 10 hours on the weekend. “I try to fit in a lot in my life…I believe you make time for the things you’re interested in — you’ll get up early and manage your time effectively. I don’t go out and party every night so that helps.” The UAE was the perfect training ground, she said. “I’m really lucky as a lot of people don’t have that exposure to the heat,” she said of the 55 degree heat. “Death Valley is absolutely horrible… hot, dry, barren. There’s a long stretch of asphalt which everyone hates and you have to run on for a very long time. “It’s like being out on the roads out of Dubai, quite rocky and deserty. “The issue in the dry heat is the sun piercing your skin. Throw some sand and a hot wind in there and it can really destroy your soul. It’s important to have very positive people in your crew.” Staying mentally positive during the race was incredibly important. “Your feet get trashed. It’s tough on your msucles, your whole body aches by the end, you’ve just got to push through the pain. But it’s not all downs…there’s highs as well.” Along with getting enough fluids, the biggest challenge would be forcing down food while running, including avocado on crisps, soup, lentils, salads and rice, and plenty of electrolyte drinks. Todd, who has lived in Dubai for seven years, got into marathon running at the university and was then inspired by a friend at a running club in Dubai to try out ultramarathons. “He told me about all the adventures he had, and I thought it sounded more interesting than just putting your head down and running a marathon to get a good time. It’s more of a challenge to finish…what will go wrong and how to deal with challenges as they arise. It’s also a good way to travel, and you meet a lot of people from different parts of the world.” sarah@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
