ABU DHABI // Friends and families gathered across the emirate yesterday to enjoy the first day of the long weekend.
Sun lovers flocked to the beach and cooled off in the ocean, while others escaped the heat by heading to coffee shops and malls for the Isra Wal Miraj holiday.
Adelle Lumalang, 34, from the Philippines, enjoyed a picnic with friends at a shady spot under a tree at Al Bateen beach.
“It’s an extra day off. It’s nice,” she said. “On a normal two days off you don’t get to go to the beach and spend time with friends as much because there are other things to do.
“It is really hot. I was going to go into the sea but now I don’t think so,” said Ms Lumalang, who works in investment banking and has lived in Abu Dhabi for 10 years.
Sed Maulion, 32, from the Philippines, was with his wife and 11-month-old baby, Kalista, at the same beach.
“Every weekend Kalista goes to the beach. She likes the water a lot,” he said. “Now it’s too hot for her so we go early in the morning. I am keeping her in the shade a lot.
“For the rest of the weekend I think we will stay at home. It’s too hot outside.”
Essam Ahmed, 51, cooled off by swimming in the sea with his son Omar, 10. “The water was very good,” said the Egyptian project manager, who lives in Abu Dhabi.
Emirati Sultan Al Mehairbi, 16, was also enjoying the water with his friends.
“I’m going out on the jet ski because I don’t have school,” he said. “For the weekend I will go to Dubai. It’s a time for family and friends. One day for family and one day for friends.”
Khalid Hussien, a 24-year-old accountant from Egypt, also planned to head to Dubai.
“I have a diving course. The time off gives you a chance to do more things,” he said.
“I will go to the park with my family on Saturday. We have children in my family.”
Taking in the view at the capital’s Breakwater was Fadi Farhat and his 18-month-old son, Ahmed.
“I take him to the beach and afterwards to Dubai,” said the 32-year-old Syrian, who works for a building company. “I see it as a good time to spend with my son. Most of the week I am at work. He wanted to see the beach. He wants to swim and play football.”
Teachers Mohammed Jaffel, 33, and his friend Mabrouk Hamrouni, 40, both from Tunisia, were relaxing at a cafe near the Corniche.
“We no longer have the pressure of preparing lessons so we feel a little bit more at ease. We try to enjoy it,” Mr Jaffel said.
“We meet friends and some friends come from other emirates to visit us. It’s a social occasion.”
Mr Hamrouni added: “This weekend we may go to Dubai and go to a club there and maybe do some shopping. The summer holiday is approaching and so we need to do some shopping.”
Ace Cammacho, 32, a planning engineer from the Philippines, was shopping at Al Wahda Mall yesterday morning.
“It’s good to get out of the heat in the mall. I’m planning to go to the beach in the afternoon,” he said.
ecleland@thenational.ae
Scorecard:
England 458 & 119/1 (51.0 ov)
South Africa 361
England lead by 216 runs with 9 wickets remaining
Afro%20salons
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Company%20profile
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group B
Barcelona v Inter Milan
Camp Nou, Barcelona
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
MATCH INFO
Karnatake Tuskers 114-1 (10 ovs)
Charles 57, Amla 47
Bangla Tigers 117-5 (8.5 ovs)
Fletcher 40, Moores 28 no, Lamichhane 2-9
Bangla Tiger win by five wickets
Company%20profile
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Racecard:
2.30pm: Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoun Emirates Breeders Society Challenge; Conditions (PA); Dh40,000; 1,600m
3pm: Handicap; Dh80,000; 1,800m
3.30pm: Jebel Ali Mile Prep Rated Conditions; Dh110,000; 1,600m
4pm: Handicap; Dh95,000; 1,950m
4.30pm: Maiden; Dh65,000; 1,400m
5pm: Handicap; Dh85,000; 1,200m
The Specs:
The Specs:
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 444bhp
Torque: 600Nm
Price: AED 356,580 incl VAT
On sale: now.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
