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Camels have a mind of their own
PCEC member Donna Westendorf
shares with fellow members her experience of living in Dubai for almost 20
years with her husband Robert, who was setting up hydroponic gardens in
nearby Saudi Arabia. Pictured is a photo of the old city of Dubai.
Got a hot tip on a camel race in Dubai? Well, you might
want to hold off placing a large bet because the camel you backed might just
decide it didn’t feel like racing that day. Camels have a mind of their own
that not even their riders can control.
This was one of the anecdotes recounted by Donna Westendorf when she spoke
to the Pattaya City Expats Club meeting on Sunday, June 9. Donna, and fellow
club member Roger Fox, spoke on the topic “Dubai, United Arab Emirates -
Then and Now.” Dubai is one of seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates
(UAE).
Donna and her late husband, Robert, spent almost 20 years there starting in
1980. Robert had a turn-key project, providing greenhouses and technology
for hydroponics growing in Saudi Arabia. Donna said that the couple
preferred not to live in Saudi Arabia, so Robert commuted back and forth.
She provided some interesting information on Dubai’s trading history that
underlies its economy, rather than oil.
Roger Fox, also a member,
visited Dubai for 4 days following a recent cruise. Roger said the things
that distinguish Dubai are; sand (lots of it), camels and mosques (lots of
them too) and dress. In the malls, Roger said, there is a lot of marble and
a lot of opulence - to the point of extravagance.
Both Donna and Roger talked about the Burj Khalifa, the
tallest building in the world, at 829.8 meters (2,722 feet). It has 163
stories. If you book online in advance, a ticket to the observation
galleries cost US$25. If you buy a ticket on site, it costs US$100. But it
is almost impossible to get a ticket if you haven’t purchased one in
advance. A ticket for the 2013 New Year’s Eve party held in the Burj Khalifa
cost US$4,300.
Donna also mentioned that her son Mark was working on an oil rig in the
Persian Gulf when, one day in 1988, the U.S. attacked two Iranian oil rigs
in what it said was retaliation for the Iranians having planted a mine that
damaged an American frigate. In its own act of retaliation, Iranian naval
forces attacked oil facilities, including the rig that Mark was on.
Fortunately, Donna said, all of the oil rig workers were safely rescued.
David Garmaise, of the Board,
advises the procedure for nomination and election of new members to the PCEC
Board of Governors.
Donna showed several photos as she described camel races,
wedding ceremonies, and other interesting activities she encountered while
living in Dubai. Arab hospitality being what it is, she related how she and
a friend were invited to join a wedding celebration even though, to Donna’s
dismay, they did not feel properly dressed. She also commented on
observation of the 28 days of Ramadan each year when Muslims are not
supposed to eat or drink anything from dawn to dusk. What is not so well
known, Donna said, is that this rule also applied to non-Muslims in public.
Hotels could provide food for foreigners, but only in closed-in areas.
Today, Donna said, the rules for foreigners are a little less strict. Donna
also talked about joining a Western women’s group and how they set out to
learn more about the history, geography and culture of the UAE; among other
things, they hiked in the Hajar Mountains and visited archeological sites.
Roger Fox then described his impression of Dubai when he recently spent four
days at the end of a ship cruise he was on. In many respects, he said, Dubai
is like a large and prosperous Western city. So, he looked for things that
made Dubai different. Roger identified these things as: sand (lots of it),
camels and mosques (lots of them too) and dress. In the malls, Roger said,
there is a lot of marble and a lot of opulence. “Extravagance” is another
word that describes Dubai, in Roger’s mind. For example, there is an
air-conditioned enclosed walkway that stretches three-quarters of a mile
from a metro stop to a major mall; another being air-conditioned bus stops.
Roger said he was struck by the innovative architecture; aside from some
housing developments, he said, no two buildings resembled each other. Roger
also said that the infrastructure is excellent. For visitors who don’t have
a lot of time, Roger explained, the sightseeing buses are a good way to see
the city.
Roger said that the “snow in the mountain” feature in one of the malls was a
real bargain. For between $40 and $60, one can be fully outfitted and can
snow ski for several hours. He said that when he goes back to Dubai one day,
he will definitely go skiing. As to cost, Roger noted that a night at the
Burj Al Arab hotel will set you back US$1,200, but he was more than happy
with his 3.5 star accommodations, only a 10-minute walk from the Mall of the
Emirates, which cost about US$60 a night.
After the presentation, Master of Ceremonies Richard Silverberg updated
everyone on upcoming events and called on Roy Albiston to conduct the Open
Forum, where questions are asked and answered about Expat living in
Thailand. To learn more about the Pattaya City Expats Club and their many
activities, visit www.pattayacityexpatsclub.com.
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Green Pattaya Community undertakes two days of cleaning at Cosy Beach
World Ocean Day clean up
Chai yo! Everyone in this crew
likes keeping the environment clean and green.
Neo Lothongkum
On the 8th June 2013 the Green Pattaya Community gathered over 80 people
to Cosy Beach Pratamnak near the Varuna Yacht Club to celebrate World Ocean Day.
Green Pattaya’s event was the only official event in Thailand on World Ocean
Day. They also did a big clean up around Soi Rajchawaroon.
Green Pattaya staff gathered at noon to set up fresh fruits and drinks for all
participants.
Around 1 p.m. people in different groups started to arrive and took some
refreshments before heading down to the beach. Various organizations were
present, including the Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard, Friends of Rotary Club
Eastern Seaboard, Children from the Human Help Network Foundation Thailand and
Gerry Rasmus.
Pattaya City Hall’s Environmental
Department helped the cause with two big trucks, over 15 staff plus 150
different tools for clearing and cleaning.
Once again Green Pattaya also received help from Pattaya City
Hall’s Environmental Department who kindly dedicated two days to the occasion
with two big trucks, over 15 staff plus 150 different tools for clearing and
cleaning. They took care of all the rubbish and sorted out the recycled items.
Kingdom Property provided extra shirts, caps and drinks. Bangkok Hospital
Pattaya provided first aid kits and Defence International Security Services
provided security throughout the whole day. Many children from the Human Help
Network Foundation Thailand, were present and received a lesson from Gerry
Rasmus about the importance of keeping the Ocean Clean. Gerry has been cleaning
the beaches in Pattaya for over 12 years and given awards by City Hall for his
great work. The Human Help Network once again made a great contribution to the
Green Pattaya cleanup for their great work on Cozy Beach and in teaching the
children how to preserve nature.
The Pattaya media was well represented promoting and covering the event on TV,
radio and social media.
By three o’clock Saturday the truck from Pattaya City Hall was full with rubbish
and they departed promising to return on Sunday for more garbage removal. On day
two, Pattaya City Hall again with Green Pattaya sorted and cleaned away a
further truckload of old, burned rubbish, making over 300 separate journeys from
the beach up the Cosy Beach stairs.
Unfortunately the laws in Thailand give protection to the owners of any property
on public land and so it is not possible to make assumptions about rubbish. City
Hall is very careful sorting and assessing which of the rubbish is abandoned, as
someone can actually come and claim the rubbish after removal. Therefore
everything with potential value, like bags of bottles, old broken boats or
equipment, needs to be left for the rightful owner to claim it.
Green Pattaya will work with City Hall and beach vendors during the next weeks
to try to create some order among old seemingly abandoned boats, jet skis,
ramps, tyres and other related equipment.
Green Pattaya aims to create awareness of green issues, encourage people into
action and involve Pattaya City Hall in solving the area’s environmental
problems. This is Green Pattaya’s third regular cleaning day and it has been a
great success with not only the removal from the beach of two truckloads of
rubbish but also the leveling of ground and tidying the environment on the
approach to Cosy Beach.
In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give out
completes the circle and comes back to us.
Green Pattaya is a non profit grassroots community and an initiative by members
of the Rotary Club of Eastern Seaboard. (Club 65768, District 3340) To check the
date and time for the next event please see more information available on
Facebook;
https://www.facebook.com/GreenPattaya. Again, everybody will be
welcome.
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Pattaya Sports Club help the children with new uniforms
Just one of the houses on site.
William Macey
Whilst driving around Pattaya, it is easy to be distracted by everything
that is happening all around or, perhaps, the motorbike that that appears
desperate to reach their destination. I have driven along Soi 7 many times
without noticing that just beyond the tree line was housing facility for
families who have nothing.
Khun Toy of the Human Help Network accompanied Nigel and myself along to slum
No. 7 and, when looking around, we were saddened, through no fault of their own,
at the conditions in which they live. But, having said that, there were warm,
welcoming smiles on everybody’s face to greet us. Many were living in shacks
built of odd bits of tarpaulin, corrugated iron or wood that they had found
lying around, hardly any TV’s, fans or any electrical items. The Fountain of
Life, Hand To Hand and others help some of the families by having the children,
not yet of school age, in a pre-school kindergarten to allow the parents to work
and earn whatever they can to help with the everyday expenses, but additional
help is always needed.
In true Thai style, always
smiling.
May is the time of year that families have to dig deep into
their pockets to provide everything that a child needs to attend school which
amounts to thousands of baht for each child in the family and, according to
reports, prices have increased by anything up to 10% this year. Pattaya Sports
Club was there at the invitation of Toy for she had made a request for us to
provide funds to purchase school uniforms, which are compulsory in Thailand,
which we were happy to do much to the delight of the children. There were some
funds left over and the remainder was spent on providing the children with
special treats which included biscuits, sweets, fortified milk and some trainers
to avoid them running around in bare feet with the obvious danger of treading on
something sharp.
We were made very welcome and everyone crowded around to see the uniforms being
given to those over the age of 5.
It is sad to see the conditions under which these families live, not only in
this slum but all the others around Pattaya, so if you feel that you would like
to make a donation, regardless how small, please contact William on 0861522754.
Many families live here.
Various goodies were given to the
children.
Children of all ages live here.
The older children receive their
uniforms.
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Holiday Inn hosts wine appreciation
(L to R) Akkarapong Yuwaphan (right), Wine
Consultant, VS Classic Wines Ltd., Part., talks wine with Holiday Inn Pattaya’s
team.
Dr. Iain Corness
The Holiday Inn was the latest property to promote wine appreciation in
Pattaya with a “Southern Hemisphere” wine tasting, held in the Havana Bar. The
wines came from the cellars of VS Classic Wines, but unfortunately MD Virach
Sriprasert was unable to attend at the last minute, so Aom from VS Classic Wines
was able to step in with assistance from Thanagon Poungbubpchart, PR for Holiday
Inn.
The wines originated from Australia, Argentina, South Africa, Chile and New
Zealand, hence the “Southern Hemisphere” name for the event.
(L to R) Janet and Richard Smith, Jan and Jim Benson
sample the best wine on offer.
As opposed to the usual style of wine tasting, the Holiday Inn divided the ten
wines into three flights, dispensed from two stations around the Havana Bar with
the first flight from 7.30 p.m. to 8 p.m., the second from 8 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.
and the final flight from 8.30 p.m. to 9 p.m. This was a novel way of carrying
out the tasting, but could be confusing when one went back to the wine station
to find the wines had changed.
Each vineyard had both a white and a red to sample and Lindeman’s offered
Henry’s Son Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc and a Henry’s Son Shiraz Cabernet. The
Bodegas vineyard had a Salentein Portillo Chardonnay and these made up the first
flight.
The second flight had Echeverria Sauvignon Blanc and the Echeverria Carmenere,
plus the Fairview Estate La Capra Chenin Blanc and their Pinotage.
The final flight had two wines only, both from the New Zealand Wairau River
winery, with a Sauvignon Blanc and a Pinot Noir.
(L to R) Jason and Meagan Kamerbeek, Ladda Kasena
and Kevin Watkins are certainly enjoying this great event.
It was difficult to choose between many of the wines, and a return trip to the
wine station was fraught with danger for the taster as the flight had often
changed.
However, for me, the Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc was the pick of the evening.
Great nose, easy on the palate and a long, long finish.
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