1. Everyone still works with landmarks even though there are street names

(©MRandin)

In the 1980s, Dubai was the epitome of the U2 hit, “Where the streets have no name”. Instead, directions were given using landmarks, which were sometimes as…

Someone decides to put “miracle grow” on the buildings

At one time, the Dubai World Trade Centre, with its 39 floors, was the tallest building in the city.

Image Credit: Gulf News Archive…

My family and I moved to Canada from Dubai in 1997. At that time Dubai was a not-so-talked-about dot on the map, vaguely located “near Saudi Arabia”, for many people. Some people even wondered if we went to school on camels or had to hunt for our food. When my brother once told someone he grew up in Dubai, that person’s reply was “To buy what?”

Continue…

The Burj Al Arab, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Copyright: MRandin)

Want an honest description of the Burj Al Arab? Here’s one by Sam Wollaston of The Guardian who described it as “fabulous, hideous, and the very pinnacle of tackiness – like Vegas after a serious, no-expense-spared, sheik-over.”…

Internarse en la barranca de los Jilgueros, en la Sierra nte de Puebla, no es fácil. Salimos del Campamento Tlatempa cerca de las 7 am. Las espinas y los saltos en las rocas para no caer al fondo logran que el llegar al río sea complejo y lleno de aventura. Pero más complejo se torna el mundo interior del explorador que llega hasta allá y descubre un poco de esa tierra que al mismo tiempo nos muestra nuestra pequeñez. Hay numerosas paredes por escalar. Los senderos te invitan a un viaje por…

Volunteering your time to an organization and dedicating some of your time to a cause is one of the most noble and meaningful things a person can do. Whether assisting the poor, taking care of abandoned children or helping communities grow, the simple and generous act of participation is a rewarding experience to both the volunteer and the people they help.

Being that our own volunteer program is only months away we thought it a good idea to highlight why volunteering in…

I have just spent a couple of days in the fascinating colonial town of Diamantina which is on the diamond circuit of the gold route that runs from Diamantina to Ouro Preto and then on to Paraty and Rio de Janeiro. Set amongst rolling hills with lush vegetation and tropical flowers and plants, Diamantina is a fascinating city with plenty to do for a two or three day stay. Visiting the waterfalls and seeing the…

Antarctica is one of those places where history fuels a desire to step on those grounds where early explorers left their footprints and perhaps even their souls.…

Growing up in Hawaii you develop an appreciation for cross cultural mingling, especially in cuisine. Kurt Winner, my husband a native New York to Hawaii transplant

and an avid chef, developed this favorite family recipe years ago. You

can use it to create kabobs along with fat quarters of red,green and

yellow bell peppers and onions or as a simple marinade for grilled

chicken. He favors it served Buffalo New York style with an…

By Samuel P.N. Cook…

Part-café, part-shop, part-gallery, Coffee, Cake and Kink is a melting pot of owner Alan Cassidy’s three favourite things. The welcoming two-tiered space is where erotic art lovers come to leaf through kinky books and peruse the latest fetishist exhibitions while supping on Fairtrade coffee and eating handmade cake.…