There is cold weather and then there is “jou wathbawy".
Meaning Al Wathba weather, this term was coined by friends when referring to the special kind of chill encountered in the suburb on the outskirts of the capital.
A 50-minute drive from the Abu Dhabi Corniche, Al Wathba is home to a varied landscape of desert, residential communities and wetlands.
Most of the year, the area quietly thrives off the spirit of its close-knit communities and ecotourists visiting the wetlands for sunset snaps of flamingos. However, in the winter months, Al Wathba truly comes into its own.
Running until Saturday, February 20 and located on a purpose-built site resembling a fort, Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival invites not only the country, but indeed the world to Al Wathba for a colourful spectacle packed with international cultural pavilions, eclectic music performances, delicious bites and amusement park rides.
But you need to rug up first.
Jou wathbawy is desert cold – the kind of chill that is tough, probing and unable to be shrugged off with a long-sleeved shirt. Only a jacket or sweater will do when entering the vast complex, after paying a Dh5 ticket fee at one of the numerous entry points.
Mishal Al Mansouri is dressed for the occasion.
Clad in a thick, dark winter kandura and jacket, I find him among an enclave of pavilions when I arrive in the late afternoon.
The area is a purely regional affair with cosy-sized sections dedicated to Lebanon, Jordan and Oman – all home to a number of retailers selling everything from winter jackets, sweaters, rugs, coffee and tea sets to various types of Levant cheeses, olives and spices.
The queen of the block, however, is the Egyptian pavilion, which comes with its own replica of the Great Sphinx of Giza. It acts as a great background to the central stage, which hosts various musical performances and dances throughout the evening.
A Sudanese folk group is playing as Al Mansouri explains why he visits the festival every year.
“It's great to have a festival that is mostly dedicated to tradition and not just shopping," says the Abu Dhabi resident. "Yes, there are things to buy but the spirit is about knowing our culture and those from elsewhere. This is why I take my kids here, so they can have fun and maybe benefit from some knowledge.”
His annual visits also serve a practical purpose.
"We stock up on things for the house," he says. "Some of the furniture you find here you really can't see at the malls. They are traditional and sometimes handmade. So many Emirati families come here to get new things. It is a good chance to upgrade the living room every year."
Stepping back in time
For an insight into the festival’s keen cultural focus, I venture to both the Heritage Village and Al Wathba Souq.
Standing side by side, they are two of the many sections dedicated to Emirati history and traditional practices.
The Heritage Village recreates an Emirati square filled with majlises, stands selling home-made ouds and spices, as well as a falcon display. At the centre is a commanding stage on which a troupe perform the traditional Ayala dance.
A more immersive step back in time, however, is found in the sprawling Al Wathba Souq. Full of snaking paths and alleyways, this place resembles a television set from a historical Emirati drama.
That nostalgia is further accentuated by the local shopkeepers, whose own works are steeped in tradition.
"All of this is made at our farm that's not too far from here," says the Emirati woman – who prefers I call her "auntie" – behind the Yadooh stand.
With products ranging from fresh butter and chami cheese (Emirati cottage cheese) to zaatar, all the items sold are “fresh from the earth and flesh”.
It is the raw cow's milk she urges me to try. Sensing my initial discomfort, auntie's eyes soften as she proposes to drink it in front of me to quell my fears. I take a hearty swig: it is lukewarm, lightly fermented and surprisingly smooth. I buy the small bottle for Dh5.
Not far away is Umm Muhammad at her Al Burqa'a Al Emarat stand, home to a wide selection of oud, perfumes, jewellery and handcrafted Sheikh Zayed medallions.
She explains that the village vibe of the souk is not only cosmetic.
"We all know each other or make the effort to," she says. "All of us ladies greet each other, inquire about our families and ask if we could help in any way."
More Emirati history is found at sunset.
For Al Maghrib prayers, traders and visitors gather at the festival mosque, which is a wonderful replica of the 15th-century Al Badiyah Mosque, named after the small village in Fujairah where it is located.
After the service, we are immediately snapped back to the present, or maybe even the future, with the festival’s signature Emirates Fountain revving into action.
Located within a lagoon at the centre of the festival, the LED tower is home to a dazzling light and laser show which runs frequently throughout the evening.
From Uzbekistan with love
One person not too fussed by the spectacle is Komoliddin Abdullayev.
He doesn’t even notice when I step into his corner stand, so immersed is he in a chess game played on a hand-carved board.
It is one of the many beautiful pieces of art encountered at the Uzbekistan pavilion, easily the most lavish and culturally enriching of the festival.
Abdullayev's Art Anor shop is one of half a dozen decorated stands showcasing the best of the former Soviet bloc country's heritage.
There are secular and religious artworks, national clothing including intricately embodied dresses, tunics and velour pants, and, of course, a stand selling the mighty pichak – a traditional Uzbek knife renowned for its versatile and acute blade.
Putting the chess game on hold, Abdullayev tells me Uzbek art is underrated both at home and abroad.
“We are only beginning to appreciate it now,” he says. “In my country there is a revival of the arts, particularly when it comes to miniatures and engraving. Inshallah, this will become popular internationally one day.”
What also needs to become more popular is Uzbek food.
The pavilion is home to an authentic kitchen serving traditional meals.
After asking for the chef’s recommendation, myself and two companions share a hearty meal of manti (steamed dumplings with sour cream), Uzbek pilaf (a rich dish cooked in beef stock and topped off with spices, veggies, onions and sultanas) and skewers of lamb, chicken and meat. It is delicious and comes at a cool price of Dh105.
A festival with heart
Satiated and content, I exit the festival convinced it’s one of the UAE's hidden gem.
Al Mansouri, the Emirati family man I met earlier in the day, was spot on. The Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival’s focus on culture rather than commerce makes all the difference.
While the place is particularly busy and vibrant during the weekends, there is none of the chaotic wheeling and dealing associated with a market place.
Everyone involved, from the performers to the traders, seem to work in unison to preserve and present cultures new and old to a curious crowd.
This all makes for a fascinating evening out … just don’t forget your jacket.
Newcastle United 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2
Tottenham (Alli 61'), Davies (70')
Red card Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle)
DSC Eagles 23 Dubai Hurricanes 36
Eagles
Tries: Bright, O’Driscoll
Cons: Carey 2
Pens: Carey 3
Hurricanes
Tries: Knight 2, Lewis, Finck, Powell, Perry
Cons: Powell 3
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
SPEC%20SHEET
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Tour de France
When: July 7-29
UAE Team Emirates:
Dan Martin, Alexander Kristoff, Darwin Atapuma, Marco Marcato, Kristijan Durasek, Oliviero Troia, Roberto Ferrari and Rory Sutherland
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)
Lecce v SPAL (6pm)
Bologna v Genoa (9pm)
Atlanta v Roma (11.45pm)
Sunday
Udinese v Hellas Verona (3.30pm)
Juventus v Brescia (6pm)
Sampdoria v Fiorentina (6pm)
Sassuolo v Parma (6pm)
Cagliari v Napoli (9pm)
Lazio v Inter Milan (11.45pm)
Monday
AC Milan v Torino (11.45pm)
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The biog
Age: 32
Qualifications: Diploma in engineering from TSI Technical Institute, bachelor’s degree in accounting from Dubai’s Al Ghurair University, master’s degree in human resources from Abu Dhabi University, currently third years PHD in strategy of human resources.
Favourite mountain range: The Himalayas
Favourite experience: Two months trekking in Alaska
SCHEDULE FOR SHOW COURTS
Centre Court - from 4pm (UAE time)
Angelique Kerber (1) v Irina Falconi
Martin Klizan v Novak Djokovic (2)
Alexandr Dolgopolov v Roger Federer (3)
Court One - from 4pm
Milos Raonic (6) v Jan-Lennard Struff
Karolina Pliskova (3) v Evgeniya Rodina
Dominic Thiem (8) v Vasek Pospisil
Court Two - from 2.30pm
Juan Martin Del Potro (29) v Thanasi Kokkinakis
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Jelena Jankovic
Jeremy Chardy v Tomas Berdych (11)
Ons Jabeur v Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
The%20specs
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The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: seven-speed PDK dual clutch automatic
Power: 375bhp
Torque: 520Nm
Price: Dh332,800
On sale: now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
more from Janine di Giovanni
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
About Seez
Company name/date started: Seez, set up in September 2015 and the app was released in August 2017
Founder/CEO name(s): Tarek Kabrit, co-founder and chief executive, and Andrew Kabrit, co-founder and chief operating officer
Based in: Dubai, with operations also in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon
Sector: Search engine for car buying, selling and leasing
Size: (employees/revenue): 11; undisclosed
Stage of funding: $1.8 million in seed funding; followed by another $1.5m bridge round - in the process of closing Series A
Investors: Wamda Capital, B&Y and Phoenician Funds
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Company%C2%A0profile
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RACE CARD
6.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh82.500 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.05pm Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
7.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (Turf) 2,410m
8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,900m
8.50pm UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm Dubai Trophy (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (T) 1,200m
10pm Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,400m
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
Read more from Kareem Shaheen
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
Prophets of Rage
(Fantasy Records)
Ferrari
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Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
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Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
The Beach Bum
Director: Harmony Korine
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg
Two stars