Getting used to the heat...

It was another hot day, but since we started filming outside before 8AM, the heat gradually heated up and our body was able to catch up with the heat. It was also good that there were some moderate winds blowing from time to time. Still it was impossible to film around 3PM and we took some rest in the middle and start again from the evening before 6PM.
I really can't understand how people can live in this climate, but I felt the same at Dubai when I went there last summer. It's still May and I don't want to find out how crazy it would be a month or two later!

Some pics...

reconstruction on the way...


near sunset time...


Japan is still helping!

A unique experience...

I worked till 3AM and after a brief nap, it was time to leave. We reached the airport at 6:30AM and I was left speechless...

Only one line...

of the bulletin of departures said...

CANCELLED!

I couldn't understand what happened and I was standing in front of the bulletin with my wife open-mouthed and even dumbfounded... I tried to think how we can still go to Dubai while starting back to central Tehran. The next flight available would be too late to get me to Dubai to make it to an appointment and tomorrow is a day off so I won't be able to do anything tomorrow...

After returning to my office, it was nearly the time I had to leave for the next flight I found the solution! I asked our bureau chief in Dubai to help me out to be a proxy and it seemed to become the right solution to my case and everything would be fine if I could meet the bureau chief later on in the day...

After making the decision and going throught the formalities, we rushed to the airport and made it 35 minutes before the flight time. The agent sitting on the counter of the airline told us the ticketing was closed, but I pleaded for mercy and with a smile from an "innocent" customer being troubled with their cancelling, it somehow worked and we were inside the plane in 20 mintues. Everybody seemed to be on board already, but we did see some ladies boarding the flight after us... phew....


the plane we took...
be careful when you're taking this carrier!

After reaching Dubai, I dedicated my time to finish off an important task to meet the bureau chief and felt relieved that my decision was correct...

I had a bite with our bureau chief at...

Sumo Sushi!? hmm... a "mimicry" of Japanese!?

oh... the sushi's not bad... sorry! I'm sorry calling you a mimic!
it's something different but not bad!
I hope we can have one in Tehran... really...


view of Media City

one more beer!

After 7PM, we went out to shopping centers nearby the hotel and finally spent some time feeling relaxed...

Our target of the day...

a "thrifty" shop, very popular in Japan!

a variety of things...

many of the goods were just 6 Dilhams each and we bought 10 items!

Shopping around for other necessities...

we also got some nice shoes for my wife!

We moved on to a different shopping center walking for about half an hour from the hotel...

here in Egypt!?

not really!
it's the Wafi City Shopping Mall...

Here, many of the shops looked very expensive and there were not much people around compared to the first shopping center with many locals...

We hunted for a restaurant and settled in a restaurant near the roof of the hotel connected to the shopping center!

It was very nice to have dinner outside watching the night view of the city and we had a pleasant time... really...


view of the city in front of us...


nice appetizer with beer!

Asian taste!

It was nearly midnight when we finally finished eating our dessert... We have to return to Tehran tomorrow, but I hope the dream will not end now...

PS
Shots of the nightview of Dubai...


New downtown in the far left...


Wafi Mall below...

PS
On our way back to the office...

I saw Mount Damavand, the Mount Fuji of Iran, for the first time!
My staff told me I was lucky I can see the mountain, as it's usually invisible under the smoggy atmosphere!

Resort time

After finishing writing my brief story, I welcomed a very important guest early in the morning and I finally took a rest in the room.

I wasn't able to stay in the $35,000 suite... where they say they can have a 360 degrees view of Dubai...

but the view was fine enough for me from probably one of the cheapest rooms...

In the afternoon, after sending in my English report, I finally had time to feel a little relaxed and see around the resort for the last time to be sure I haven't missed a thing, as we were going to be kicked out from the resort at 5PM.

the guests were enjoying the accompany of cute dolphins

camels on the beach side

outside of the lobby, right near where the red carpet was last night...

We left the resort, saying to ourselves I'm going to be on the other side enjoying, and not working! (but I have to use my own money for that!)

After leaving the Palm Jumeirah it was time to see some other Dubai spots.

We went to...

the Mall of the Emirates...

To look around one of the most sophisticated malls with...

the famous ski slope! crazy to have this in the red heat nation!

Walking around the mall, I couldn't feel any of the financial crisis hurting the people hunting for brands parking their million dollar sports cars at the VIP parking spots.

I didn't want to be too stingy, but there seemed to be no Michelin ranked restaurants around, so I just chose what I wanted to eat!

a beef steak! they say it's a Kobe WAGYU-alike meat...
to be honest, it was tastly like the Japanese Kobe-gyu and I liked it!

It was time to say good-bye to my cameraman as I had to stay a bit longer to do some transactions on Sunday. I can try to relax just a bit more in this resort city... I hope! Please Iran, be tranquil!

and the fireworks!!


it was flaring up the whole man-made island!

I've never seen anything like this in my life!

It is wonderland!

Dubai from the plane... Burj Dubai is in the middle like a stick!

We arrived in Dubai after midnight, and reached our destination on one of the largest man-made island ever at around 2AM. I had to work on my story and it was around 4:30AM that I finally slept in a very nice bed.


nice room... if this was a real vacation...

We strolled around the resort hotel and its vicinity for shots and interviews. We saw many guests smiling with the satisfaction being the celebrities on a newly opened first class resort. Though I was a guest too, we were not here to relax but to cover their opening ceremony and it was really regretful that I was not holding a cocktail on my hands but rather a heavy Sachtler tripod on my shoulders!


a great resort to stay for several days!

looking down on us...


like a castle...


the Persian Gulf behind the resort...

I'm sure it's the best time now as it would be too hot in the summer!

view of the Palm Jumeriah from the resort

enjoying the aquarium built inside the hotel

The other important event in the night time...

the red carpet! I'm never going to cover this unless I'm a correspondent in LA!

After 10PM, we moved to away from the resort to a spot where we can film the fireworks...

Opening?

They say it is the opening day... but I was quite skeptical as they were saying that the public will only be able to visit from next February which is still 4 months away!

the Borj-e Milad (Tower of Birth)
I've seen it since I arrived in Tehran for the first time...

they say they inaugurated The Tower today!

let's get off the elevator!
at the altitude of 297 meters!


wow... a great view!
it was like looking down from an airplane!


inside the skydome on the top of the observation area!


not really bad... the moon above...


it's beautiful at night...
but let's not waste too much electricity!

There were some crazy happenings today bothering many of our fellow collegues, but I was luckily not involved. I made a mistake leaving my notebook inside a bus and I asked my staff to go get it... What an elementary mistake that a kid would do in first grade! I know I'm getting really tired... Still we had to feed the material nearly midnight and I had to write the story so they would be able to use the footage in any way.

Fading passion...

My eagerness was deteriorating as many elements of life is now turning against me. I made some decisions and though I never can know the consequences before taking them, sadly they are just turning against me...
It's tough to see despair among people I can trust, but now I just have to believe it's a variation of encouragement who really care.

I might be feeling I'm a loser because I'm really tired and there doesn't seem to be any chances that I could take a rest for the coming weeks. I have to try to fight off the pessimism as there's really a long long way till I would get some days off...

Eating dinner with my elder colleague...

starting with a green Tuborg...

and the kyabab... but not the usual one!
I tried the sturgeon kyabab for the first time!

a beautiful view from the hotel!

Maybe delicious food and superb views are would keep my passion going... I hope...

Monsoon continues...

Last night I had to write tons of e-mails to many friends and colleagues who responded to mine reporting about my transfer to Tehran. The Italians were doomed by the Dutch outscored by 3 goals.

We went to see the parts of the city where there were slums... there's so many people living in unfavorable environments... but what can we do? We can't give money to all of them!

It was another day with lots of rain... it seemed to be just a little better than yesterday, but just a little bit... the cycle is still there as it rains quite strong and softens a bit and then rains steadily again... oh how depressive it is to see this weather continuing forever!

rain, rain, rain!!

kids! they're always smiling!

and they really like the camera!
I like that... there's happiness even in this adversity!

Taking a look at Mumbai from high grounds...

a great view!

having some beef for dinner! yum yum!