The Lost Glamour of Munson Mountain

If you've ever driven down highway '97, you can't miss Munson Mountain, it's the little mountain next to Okanagan Lake with PENTICTON spelled out in big white letters a la the Hollywood sign. I'm totally ashamed that I've been up only a few times in my life despite having driven past it countless times on my way home. Most tourists cruise past this little jewel as well, with the lure of free wine tasting just around the corner!  Well, one afternoon we stopped and walked the short distance to the top. Under-appreciated Munson mountain needs it's glamour restored!

Penticton from the top. During the summer months, 

teenagers and tourists gather at dusk to watch the sunset.

This humble little mountain has an interesting history. Firstly, the land was donated to the city of Penticton by J.R. Munson, hence the name. Secondly, the mountain is the remains of an ancient volcano. A volcano! In Penticton! Who knew? What's more, it's the remains of not one, but TWO! volcanic cones.

Up until 1974, the view up the valley from this mountain was on the back of the Canadian $100 bill. (Way back in 1974, when hundred dollar bills were actually worth something!) (Interesting side-note: My parents bought a house in Naramata in 1973  for $4,500.)

That $100 dollar view up the lake, looking towards Kelowna. 

Naramata is on the right, Summerland on the left.

I "borrowed" this picture, as I have none of the actual letters....yet! 

(To be replaced at a later date!)

The letters were originally placed up there in 1937 to create a landmark for Penticton. When I was a kid the sign was made of thousands of tiny white silica rocks, but the sign was upgraded to poured concrete letters with embedded silica in 1998. It is, and has always been, maintained by volunteer groups from Penticton, notably the Jaycees, the Rotary Club and the Boy scouts.

View from the top, Munson is surrounded by wineries, vineyards and orchards.

A few deer also live on and around the mountain. The day we visited we saw one doe just under the Penticton sign, and last week I saw three deer grazing on the back slope next to the road - which is why I hope the proposal to build an amphitheater up on top doesn't come to fruition. I like the idea of keeping this mini ancient volcano as pristine as possible.

A recent commercial, which got mass airtime during the Winter Olympics, features Kim Catrall of "Sex ad the City" fame raising a glass of white and smoothly delivering a single word, "Sophisticated", with Munson Mountain in the background. Thanks Kim! Glamour! That's what I'm talking about!

In Search of Sri Lankan Cuisine

One of the most pleasantly surprising things about Sri Lanka is that even though it's just a stone's throw away from India, it's not really like India. In fact, Mel and I observed several times that Sri Lanka reminded us of a mix between Thailand and Goa, (Yes Goa is in India, but Goa is nothing like India either!) 

This is particularly true when it came to cuisine. I love indian food and can rattle off six dishes right now that I count among my favorites. None of those were to be found in Sri Lanka. I think that's a good thing, but the problem is that traditional Sri Lankan cuisine is getting harder and harder to come by.

Our guesthouse owner in Kandy sat with us one night and lamented that there was no decent place to eat in town outside his guesthouse, (we concur!). He'd taken his family and friends out to dinner the night before to celebrate his son's birthday. 

"Chow mein! Chop suey! Fried chicken! Why can't I find anything really Sri Lankan beyond a Sri Lankan-style curry?"

He was right. Every menu we encountered was the same. Only in a few select quest houses did we find real Sri-Lankan home cooking. I can hear people now saying, "Yeah, but you probably only ate in touristy places", I assure you we ate with the locals more often than not!

Ella weekly market - notice the vegetable that translates as "snake vegetable". 

It tastes like a cross between zucchini and okra, we ate it mostly on veg curry.

Eggplant and limes! Buying this way in markets is my favorite way to buy
produce. I love how basic ingredients can transform from this.....

...to this.

A very monotone guesthouse dinner in Sigiriya, the dishes on the left are not spicy,

the ones on the right are. Sri Lankan curries are renowned for being spicy - they have kick, 

but not burn-your-taste-buds spicy. Then again, Mel and enjoy a curry that can

 make your eyes water and your nose run!

This was served with rice. 

Vendor on the train selling fried snacks.

Each piece just costs 10 cents! Idli and vadai with shrimp and chilies.

The vendor served up his snacks in cones made from his children's 
recycled math textbooks.

At last! Traditional Sri Lankan cuisine! With some chow mein thrown in for good measure!

Sri Lanka - In Pictures

Between the lion's paws at Sigiriya

Where do you go after a month in the Emirates to unwind on short notice? Mel and I pondered this question just a week before we were due to catch the plan in Vancouver to Abu Dhabi. In our minds, we both wanted to return to India and spend time in either the north or the east, but we both knew it wasn't going to happen because of the long and sticky visa process, which we simply didn't have time for. 

I was randomly surfing maps on the lonely planet website when Mel yelled from the next room, "What about Sri Lanka?"  I did a quick search, and learned that Canadians could enter Sri Lanka visa free. Our decision was made. 

To even further confirm our plan was a good idea, our good friend Jonny who lived in Colombo for years turned us onto a few "must see" places. Other friends, Dave and Sandra, who we'd also met in Istanbul had just moved to the island and offered us a room in their gorgeous villa to base ourselves.

How much do I love travelling by train? A whole lot! These are kitchen workers watching another train pass us somewhere in the mountains between Kandy and Ella, where the temperature was downright chilly!

Mel taking pictures out of the window of the same train. 

Travelling by bus. This is how it looked at the beginning of the trip. Notice how skinny the seats are? Not a comfortable ride. This bus filled to well-past capacity in lass than 20 minutes. I spent a larger part of the trip sitting on that yellow bag of onions. 

The children of Sri Lanka are gorgeous and polite. Unlike the kids over in India who chase you down for "One pen! One pen!", the Sri Lankan kids are content with a wave and a smile. 

Stupa and prayer flags in Anurahapura - we were fortunate to have hit nice weather in that part of the island's rainy season.

The wildlife in Sri Lanka is probably the most prevalent and diverse I've ever come across, (except maybe Naramata!) Mahout washing his elephant in lake near Anuradhapura.

Old mosque in Galle, a small, relaxed colonial town we really loved. Unfortunately, the walled town lost thousands of inhabitants in the 2006 tsunami. 

Boys from the nearby Islamic school leaving the mosque.

Inside of a church in Galle. The floor is paved with tombstones, 

the bodies are in a crypt outside.

The beach at Unawatuna. Even though we hit this beach at the worst possible time, (huge Buddhist festival that involved crowds of people and near 24 hour chanting over loudspeakers hooked up to every corner of the town), we really enjoyed this place. Also notable as our friend Jonny met his wife on this beach.

This area was hard hit by the 2006 Tsunami. 

A few reminders remain.

Early morning fishing up the road from Unawatuna with a very simple set up - a bamboo stick, a hook and line and  plastic bag.

He caught this little guy within the first 3 minutes of fishing. 

No idea what kind of fish this is. He said it's a baby barracuda, 

but I really don't think so. 

The most frightening part of our trip. We decided to take a boat out and around to see the coastline. We were the first into the boat and watched as more and more people piled in. By the time we pulled away from the shore there were 36 people in our little boat. We tipped dangerously from side to side as people wiggled for a spot where they could see over the side. 

To make matters worse, as we got further from the shore, the waves got bigger and the boat rocked dangerously. The ride didn't last long, and we gave the boat operators a piece of our minds back on the beach.

Lastly, I love the facade of this old Dutch church - like dusty chalk on a blackboard. We spied this church from the train station, bought a ticket, ditched out bags in the baggage check, and set out to find this church before our train departed.

Sri Lanka was such a surprise! The weather varied from blistering hot to chilly, we visited churches, mosques, plus both Buddhist and Hindu temples. We tramped through ancient cities, climbed mountains and relaxed on pristine beaches. We met a few travellers along the way, mostly from Europe and many people travelling with kids. I'd definitely go back, particularly to the south end which was hit badly by the tsunami.

More to come....

Dining out in the UAE: Lebanese Food

Whenever we find ourselves back in Al Ain, we make sure to head out to one of the great Lebanese places on Khalifa Street. Al Safadi is one of our favorites because of the good service and fresh & flavourful food. We've been frequenting this place for years now. 

As soon as you order, the dishes in the photo above arrive at the table. A huge platter of fresh veggies, a dish of black and green olives and another full of homemade pickles and radish. Oh, and pita bread and crackers of course! Our vegetarian friends have options! Our vegan friends have options! 

Hummus beiruti ( garlic and greens added) and moutabal 

(an eggplant dip similar to babaganoush). This stuff is to die for. 

I looked forward to these two dishes all the way over on the plane! 

Really good olives! I've missed you!

Olives in Canada are just not the same. 

A pint of lemonade with mint. 

The mint is pulverized into a paste and blended into freshly made lemon juice. 

Fantastic on a 50-degree-in-the-shade-kind-of-day, which are typical in Al Ain.

A simple pleasure in life. Mint tea. Sigh.

We weren't that hungry on this day, so we didn't order the fatoush, taboulleh or lamb marinated in yogurt. (We usually bring along a group to order that much.) Besides, I learned to make a decent taboulleh in culinary school. Here it is! (I wish I'd made this more when I lived in Turkey.)

1 bunch of parsley, leaves only, roughly chopped

1 tomato medium dice 

1/4 cup fine bulgur, washed and soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes

2 green onions, white and green parts, finely chopped

a few leaves of mint, roughly chopped

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

salt & pepper

1. Combine all ingredients. Rest in fridge for at least 30 minutes. Toss before serving. 

Light on meat, heavy on vegetables; light on sauces, heavy on herbs and spices - I love this healthy cuisine and can't find anything quite like it in Vancouver. Especially at these prices!

Bye-bye Al Safadi! Until next time!

Gulf Fashion: From Black to Ack!

Three of my students at the museum, (I call this pic "Three Sheets to the Wind").

Back in Canada, when I told most people we were off to the gulf to teach again, we were really surprised at the reactions we'd get. Generally, only two people asked us to come see them when we returned and answer some questions they had about the area. 

A lot of other people decided to tell us "what it's like over there". And what they always focused on was the abaya, that black cover women wear over their clothes when they go out in public. 

"It's horrible! They're forced to wear it!" 

Well for the one millionth time, I'm here to say - it's NOT horrible and they are NOT forced to wear it. They love it. It's the national dress, and they want to wear it. (And trust me, the abaya is seriously the LEAST of their problems.) 

Gulf ladies are very fashion conscious. Our student mona unpacked her closet for us this week and it was jammed with clothes; bright traditional Omani dresses, western jeans and t-shirts splashed with Disneyland across the front and beautiful handmade indian Punjabis. She also has about a dozen black abayas, all different and very stylish.

An Abaya Store

Abayas are not all the same here. When buying a generic abaya, you go to just a shop in a mall, but many ladies prefer to go to a more traditional shop. There you first choose the body shape, fitted or loose and flowing. Then you add the sleeves, they will have hundreds of styles of sleeves to choose from and finally the trim or decoration. It's safe to say that in my classes, no two abayas were ever alike.

Many of the more conservative clerics complain about the way the abaya has gone in the Gulf, many of them don't cover your curves, in fact, the abaya can actually accentuate them. Those shaylas (headscarves) they wear can be very glamourous looking a la Audrey Hepburn, especially when paired with big Jackie-O sunglasses!

In class, I sometimes catch a glimpse of my reflection in the window, surrounded by my students and I'm struck by how stately they look compared to me. A 15 year old girl can look so womanly, it really as the opposite effect of what it's supposed to.

Gorgeous Gold Gowns for Weddings

It's safe to say, that because of the lack of colour in abayas, girls make up for it in their regular wardrobe. Pink and orange! Yellow and red! Orange and green! 

Sequins are pretty standard, followed by beads, tassels, trim, fringe, dingleballs and brick-a-brack. Sometimes it works and sometimes....ugh.

But the standards are here to, Mexx, Gap, Esprit. There is even a Le Chateau in Dubai. The malls are filled with luxury brand name products that get knocked off in China. One student has a Chanel bag, another a Gucci watch. 

Here are some of the more interesting examples from the mall.... enjoy! 

Pink and yellow!

Skin tight and over the top!

Purple, pink and green! 

The outfit on the far left is my favorite, check out those sleeves!

Teenage Tyranny

Every morning we blow through the doors of the University. Out of the heat, and into the cold colourless lobby. Marble floors support black leather couches arranged in a huge horseshoe around the edges of the room. On these couches sit more blobs of black, some fiddling with their cell phones, others chatting with friends, a few smile and call out, “Hello Miss! Good morning!”

Dealing with these young ladies is such a challenge. You can almost split them down the centre – obedient and shy vs rebellious and loud. The former always getting shafted by the demands and antics of the latter.

Across the board, they all show up at least twenty minutes late for class, but the rebellious ones are forty-five minutes late. The lesson is interrupted by constant demands to be let out to “drink water”, “go bathroom” and “go cafeteria”. You refuse to let them go because you know it’s just an excuse to roam the halls, and you unwillingly become involved in a “conversation” that goes something like this.

(For argument’s sake, lets call the student Sara.)

Sara: Miss! Miss! Me go bathroom, OK?
Rene: Sorry lady, you just got back 3 minutes ago. Not this time.
Sara: Miss! Please Miss!
Rene: Sara, please. Sit down.
Sara: Miss! MISS! Why miss? WHY? Bathroom Miss….
Rene: Sara, what did I just say?
Sara: OK, Five minutes Miss! Only five minutes! Please! OK miss?

(By this time you can see the girl she is desperate to go wander the halls with madly gesturing outside the door. Sara grows more insistent.)

Sara: MISS!
Rene: (Says nothing, but gives Sara a look that says, “This conversation is over”. Unfortunately, it isn’t.)
Sara: MISS! WHY??? MISS BATHROOOOOOM! (Takes on a terrible whine that spreads over several octaves and just makes you crawl in your skin) MIIIISSSSSSSSSSSS!
Rene: (Trying my best to ignore her) Ok everyone, let’s carry on! Who can answer num…
Sara: MIIIIISSS!!!! WHY?? Bathroom. Please miss! I love you miss! Please! Why? Miss! Really, really, I love you! Please! MIIIIIIISSSSSSS! Pleeeese!
Rene: NO
Sara: Ok. Sorry Miss. Miss? Me go drink water, OK?
The truth of the matter is that Sara has no intention of going to the bathroom or drinking water, and she knows she‘s wasting the whole class’s time, but she doesn’t care. Because Sarah has learned from her other female relatives that persistence, whining and whinging are powerful tools. In the hospital, you see mothers absolutely haranging the poor nurses with “Why Missss?” When they are told they must wait in line to see a doctor.

The sad part is after two weeks of dealing with this several times a day, they wear you down and you just can’t take it, so you yell, “Fine! GO!” And they’ve won. Because you just can’t take their constant pestering and nagging any longer. And so they go out into the hall and meet up with their friends and sit in the mosque until the security guard kicks them back to class. Where they wait three minutes and start all over again, “Misssssss!”

And you could have the most brilliantly planned class with all the bells and whistles, but it won’t matter. So slowly you watch the teachers become “untrained”, they no longer bring their A-game. They bring B or even C game some days. And it’s sad and it’s wrong, because you have other girls there who do really want to learn.

Kick those girls out you say? Can’t. Their parents are rich and the University wants to keep them happy.

Read the riot act, you say? Can’t. Losing your cool in this culture is a huge no-no.

Perhaps the worst part is coming to school and listening to these fresh-faced little girls straight-out lie to you. Two girls asked me if they could go to the bathroom moments before we boarded the bus on a field trip. I said “Yes go quickly!” I watched them casually saunter down the hall and turn into an empty classroom, definitely NOT the bathroom. I chased them down only to find them on the classroom computer trying to log onto MSN while three busses full of girls waited patiently in 48 degree weather.

But I can’t say I don’t like them, some of them I really like a lot. I try to remember that this a just an excuse to get out of their gilded cages for a while. I try to remember that for some of these girls, the friends they’ve made here they will never see again except on MSN messenger, because it’s forbidden for girls their age to go visit another household - God forbid a brother or uncle catch a glimpse of their faces!

A few moments ago, during class time, I passed three students in the hall. They were carrying 2 large pizzas from Pizza Hut. They had them delivered to the school and were off to eat in the classroom while their teacher tied to teach them the differences between present simple and present continuous.

“You ordered pizza? During class time?” I asked, shocked.

“Hungry Miss!” They threw over their shoulders as they skipped down the hall with their abayas puffing out behind them, revealing their tight blue jeans and converse runners.

Welcome To Our Villa!

Hello! And welcome to our fabulous villa! This time around, we live on the exotically named 27th street in Al Towayya District. We have now lived in all 3 of ADU's villa locations. In our opinion, this one is the best. 

This villa differs from the others we've been in as it's a bit of a sprawling one story, (as opposed to two and even three story villas elsewhere). It also only houses 4 people at once instead of 7, which means 3 less people to annoy and be annoyed by. We also like this villa for it's nifty location, which is just a few round-a-bouts from our fave mall, Al Jimi and 8 minutes to school. Oh! And of course, ease of taxi procurement!

This sign is smack outside our villa.

As with tradition, our villas have always had one dead tree out front, this one is no exception.

Look at the gorgeous dates growing over the carport wall! They aren't ready yet, but to be honest, we've nearly had our fill of these, even though they are absolutely delish!

Thick curtains to block out the summer heat? - check!

Beige Marble floor? - check!

Beige furniture? - check !

Beige walls? - check!

Dusty Christmas tree leftover from last year? - check!

Yes! It's got all the markings of an ADU villa!

Large kitchen where we do all our socializing. 

Two villa-mates kicking back after school.

Inner sanctum. 

We could go out there if it weren't a scorching 48 degrees.

My room, devoid of decoration. 

The alcove leads to my bathroom and the Great Wall-of-Closets.

The best part of the villa! 

Our own private bathroom equipped with a bidet AND squirty hose!

How does one live without them?

And this guy. He wakes me up around sunrise with his screeching.

No matter how far you go, some things stay the same...