You would expect the first holistic wellness retreat in Abu Dhabi to focus on the mind as well as the body, and that is just what my massage at Anahata did. The spa that promises a combination of physical, mental and emotional well-being officially opens today but I had a sneak preview this week. I lay down in a room that looked like one the White Witch might live in, in a benign way. It was all white and just ever so slightly off-white. The effect of this was to immediately relax me.
My therapist told me that the first step was to ascertain how freely my chakras are flowing by laying crystals in strategic spots over my head and body. By the time she came back to start the massage, I was fast asleep, but thankfully I woke up in time to enjoy a truly amazing massage that combined hot smooth crystals, oil and hand pressure. I was told that my body chakras are all fine, but my crown chakra is blocked. "Too much thinking," said my therapist. So I am planning some return visits soon to take my mind off things.
Seven Chakras Crystal Massage, Dh450, 90 minutes, Anahata Spa, Khalifa City A, 02 557 7722, www.anahataspa.ae
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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.
