Tag Archives: georgia
Back-to-school excitement picks up
Back-to-school excitement picks up Muaz Shabandri / 25 August 2013 Malls and shopping stores are lining up deals and offers for school essentials as students gear up to return to schools after a two-month summer break. MY FIRST SCHOOL BAG… A mother shopping for her son at Geant Supermarket in Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai on Saturday. — KT photo by Grace Guino The sale of uniforms, books, shoes, bags, lunch-boxes and stationery products peaks during this time of the year as the school season gets under way. More than 225,000 students in Dubai will be back in classrooms soon as the yellow school buses hit the roads once more. For parents, this time of the year usually involves budgeting for education expenses and going the extra mile to support their child’s learning needs. Pamela Robinson’s son, who attends Greenfield Community School, will be among the thousands of kids going back to school next week. She said she planned to go shopping and help the 10th grader prepare for an important school year. “As your child gets older, the expenses change and they also learn to make their own choices. They want new gadgets, the latest technology and the expenses keep changing. It’s good to have back-to-school promotions because they offer value for money sometimes. Over the next few days, I will definitely be buying books and other school essentials for my child to get ready for school.” Parents shopping for back-to-school essentials with their children at Geant Supermarket in IBN Battuta Mall on Saturday. — KT photo by Grace Guino Malls and department stores have special discounts on most student-related products — with some even offering discounts on popular gadgets like the iPad. Mridula Pande, an English teacher at Indian High School and a mother of two, believes in giving children time to get adjusted to their routine. “As soon as I came back from our annual vacation, I headed straight to the uniform store and finished buying new uniforms and shoes. The children always want new things and it’s something which gets them excited for school. As parents, it is our responsibility to give them enough opportunities to relax and unwind while building an atmosphere of excitement at home for going back to school.” Mridula encouraged parents to create “small exciting moments” at home which would make it easier for teachers to help keep the children engaged in learning better. “Sometimes parents do not show an interest in their child. For example, some students join school after a week of reopening and they have already missed classes. Simply put, if a parent doesn’t value school, children will also not value the opportunity to learn.” Parents shopping for back-to-school essentials with their children at Geant Supermarket in IBN Battuta Mall on Saturday. — KT photo by Grace Guino Mohammed Rehan Hameed is another busy parent preparing his two sons and one daughter to return to school next week. His daughter, the youngest of the children, will be joining a nursery. “I will be paying Dh18,000 for the nursery’s yearly tuition fee and it is almost twice what I had paid for my eldest child who is now in Grade 8. The cost of education is steadily increasing and parents usually don’t have much of a choice.” He added the prices of school essentials were also on the higher side. “Stationery products and books have become expensive. Unfortunately, most schools have a monopoly over textbook and uniform sales also. A parent has to pay whatever price has been asked by the school’s supplier, leaving little option when it comes to budgeting for school-related expenses.” For retailers and school goods suppliers, the next few weeks will mark an increase in profits as parents will dash to fulfil every little wish of their little ones. – muaz@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Hot and hazy weather in UAE today
Hot and hazy weather in UAE today (Wam) / 24 August 2013 The weather in the UAE is expected to be hot and hazy today during peak hours, and some clouds may appear across some eastern and mountainous areas by the afternoon, the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) has said. Two playful road workers take a short break from their daily duties at the Al Quoz Industrial area in Dubai and use a large water hose to cool off in an attempt to beat the soaring summer heat. — KT by photo Rahul Gajjar Southeasterly and northeasterly winds may blow at speeds between 16–32km/hour in the morning and at night, becoming north, northwesterly during the afternoon and the evening at a speed reaching 40km/hour over open lands, according to the national forecaster’ statement. Sea conditions will be moderate in general, with waves being between one and two feet onshore and between two and four feet offshore. Continue reading
Marbella Resort: When a hotel resort becomes home
Marbella Resort: When a hotel resort becomes home Lily B. Libo-on (About Sharjah) / 24 August 2013 The middle of a Middle Eastern desert country is hardly the place you would expect to find Spanish architecture — but nestled near Sharjah’s corniche, one such place has proved so popular with locals that many have even set up home there. An aerial view of Marbella Resort in Sharjah. — KT photos by M.Sajjad Uniquely embellished with Andalusian architecture, the Marbella Resort — the emirate’s first and oldest hotel resort — still manages to lure hundreds of visitors, despite a number of newer establishments coming up around it. The resort has witnessed the development of the emirate’s hotel industry over the more than three decades since it was built, in 1976, with some guests staying for years at a time. Known to be the pride of Prince Alfonso Hohenlohe of Spain, Marbella Resort started as Marbella Club in 1976 under the management of Marbella Spain. Back in 1975, on the silver anniversary of Marbella Club in Andalusia, the idea for a unique club designed in the Arab-Andalusian style of architecture in Sharjah was thought up by the Prince.After more than three decades, Marbella Club, now Marbella Resort, continues to lure clubs and families — mostly Emiratis seeking a quiet retreat. Marbella Club was sold to the Sharjah National Hotels in 1992 and underwent a Dh50 million refurbishment to modernise its furniture, interior and rooms while preserving its Andalusian architecture. The four-star resort is a popular destination for many families seeking a quiet retreat. Financial controller of the Sharjah National Hotels Yousef Abu Salameh, says that Marbella Resort added in an Italian cafe, Café Undici, in 1997. “There are lots of guests interested in Italian cuisine. In the future, we may look into making a major renovation. But, as it is, Emiratis and GCC people particularly find Marbella unique and rare with the privacy of the club.” Now a four-star hotel, the resort has become a favourite haven of many families, especially Emiratis, GCC nationals, and Indians. Rendezvous Restaurant serves buffet and a la carte international and oriental cuisine, while Caesar’s Palace has traditional cuisine on offer. The extensive outdoor pool and tennis courts are situated next to Khalid Lagoon, while the resort’s 50 villas, each comprising a master suite and a junior suite, are dotted around the grounds. The master suite has a king bedroom with attached bathroom, separate lounge and dining room and a fully-equipped kitchen, while the junior suite has a queen bedroom with attached bathroom and a separate sitting lounge with sofa. There are also outdoor temperature-controlled pools, a gym, fitness studio, sauna and steam room, jacuzzi, two flood-lit tennis courts, two air-conditioned squash courts, an outdoor kids play area, and a table tennis and snooker room. It is so well-equipped, many families stay for months — some even years — making Marbella Resort their “permanent home”. A full villa with private garden and parking costs Dh1,500 per day. Sa’ad Al Suwaidi, an Emirati who has been a regular customer at the resort, says that he comes home from work finding everything just as he wants things to be. “My kids can roam around, relax and enjoy within and outside the villa. We have a private seating area and satellite TV inside. Coming back from work, I can sit at the private garden and relax. I know my kids are safe and they can go to the fitness centre or play squash and tennis,” he says. Manned by a workforce of 100, Marbella Resort has become a byword for regular customers who return every holiday. Italian tourist, Niccolo, enjoys the sports facilities and the pizza at Caesar’s Palace. “It is the best pizza I have tasted outside my home country. I can walk around the pool lawns and watch the lagoon from my villa.” His wife Giovanna enjoys the sauna and Turkish bath. “It’s perfect for me and I love this place.” Continue reading
