Portugal!!

I was in Lisbon recently and to be honest I am not much of a sightseer but my colleagues managed to drag me out. Went to a place called Castelo de S. Jorge. Gives you a good view of the city below.

 

After a good stroll round the castle, we went to a restaurant called Ja Disse at Bairro Alto. My colleagues were determined to have the sardines which apparently is really popular in Lisboa. I opted for the pork and beef...yes, yes....not very adventurous of me...but hey!!aren't the Portuguese known for their good meat?? I think the sardines were really good though, seeing as one of my colleagues had two orders.

Some bread pudding kind of thing with shrimp!!lol!!don't rem the name but it tasted better than it looks:-)

 

Bizarre eating rituals around the world

The things you find on the internet are amazing. Here is an interesting read from www.wildjunket.com

 

Traveling gives you a chance to see the world, explore new cultures, and gather new experiences that will challenge your preconceptions. People from all corners of the earth have their own eating habits, beliefs and rituals, some of which are pretty weird – you have been warned!

1. Blood Drinking in Kenya

Flickr photo by Shortshot

In the West, cows are used primarily for producing either beef or milk. In Africa, cows have always provided a different kind of sustenance. Drinking the blood of cows historically helped travelers cross vast tracts of desert when water and food was in short supply. In places like Kenya, the Masai (also named Maasai) warriors still follow the ritual of blood drinking, as a delicacy mixed with milk or directly from the veins of the beasts.

Global Village - Dubai

Global Village is located along Emirates Road in Dubai.....there is a huge sign so you can't miss it. In my 5 years here, I have never been there and so I decided I would go and come share my experience with you guys.

The place is massive. I have never seen parking lots sooo full. By the way, you don't have to worry about parking here, it is more than enough and it is well organised, so you wont go in to a parking zone that is already full. There's even a ride from the parking to the main entrance for those of you who just can't walk for some reason.

The point of global village, which by the way is open only from October through to March, is a sort of melting pot for different cultures. You have different countries showcasing their dances and selling goods that they are known for.

 

 

 

 

There is also an amusement park which pulls in a lot of families. There are plenty of rides for both young and young at heart. My son and I enjoyed them immensely.You have to be careful with your money here though.Just to give you an idea, the entry charge into Global Village is only AED 10.....I was a bit surprised by this because I thought it was quite cheap. At the amusement park the first ride we took was the ferris wheel....1 token is AED 5.....you need 6 tokens!!the ferris wheel went round only twice....is anyone feeling this rip off.......I almost refused to get off.....This is where they make their money. Hmmmmmmm maybe this is a business I should venture into.

On the ferris wheel

 

 

Soon after, we left the amusement park and went to watch some of the showcases by different countries. My favorite was the African dance ofcourse....to be more specific, the maasai who were dancing. They just made you want to move to the beat...it was awesome.

 

 

 It was then time for some shopping. Managed to bargain for some beautiful African paintings. You better bargain if you know whats good for you. The starting price is almost always triple what you should pay. As I say, to each their hustle, and I was hustling :-)

Once we were done with that, it was time to eat. There are a lot of stalls serving different cuisines. From Iranian to Indian and then your usual KFC type places. I opted to eat at Chicken Tikka. Yup...thats what it is called,. Nothing fancy but oh boy, the chicken was really really good.

 

All in all, a good family outing. Entertainment, shopping, food...check. Definitely worth checking out when you are in Dubai.