Mediterranean waves crash below patrons snacking on freshly-caught fish at the Maldive Gaza Restaurant & Cafe, offering a glimpse of paradise to Palestinians confined to the blockaded strip.
The new three-storey restaurant, protruding 15 metres over the rocky shoreline, also features the tropical juice drinks typical of the distant Indian ocean island after which it is named.
Many of Gaza's two million Palestinians have never left the city, which is blockaded by Israel.
The people of Gaza can't go to the Maldives, so we said to ourselves, 'Why don't we bring the Maldives to them?'
"The people of Gaza can't go to the Maldives, so we said to ourselves, 'Why don't we bring the Maldives to them?'" says Emad Al-Bayya, co-owner of the cafe, which seats 1,200 and which he hopes to expand.
It is one of several new seaside cafes bearing the names of dream travel destinations, Marbella, Dubai and Sharm El Sheikh among them.
They offer a brief window into a more exotic life to people "who have been subject to wars, pressures and blockades", says Rola Al-Agha, one of hundreds of patrons packed into Maldive Gaza on a pleasantly breezy evening last week.
Gaza has had no Covid-19 cases among the general public, and there are few curbs on social interactions.
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Read more:
Banksy in Palestine: A look at the street artist's work in Gaza and the West Bank
‘Hope and wonder’: meet the man bringing magic into the lives of refugee children amid the coronavirus pandemic
Palestine, Today: A new virtual map allows visitors to discover the legacy of the Nakba
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SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Pari
Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment
Director: Prosit Roy
Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani
Three stars
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
Crazy Rich Asians
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeon, Gemma Chan
Four stars
