Cross-Border Reunion

Family Reunion Dinner, Middle Eastern style, on Chinese New Year’s Eve, at a Seafood Joint in Sharjah

When the going gets expensive, skip over to the next Emirate. Sharjah, in this case.

That’s what we did for our Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner this year (err, last year if you’re using the Chinese calendar. Reunion’s held on CNY eve). Did it the lazy way. Ditched the cooking and all the preparation. After all, niece Karishma’s just got a nice pay rise and a friggin bonus! So it’s her treat! (I’ve worked for nearly 4 friggin years in the Company and all I got were some nice pats in the back, and some smiles. Now, if only I can pay the friggin school fees with pats and smiles, that’d be wonderful!)

Went over to a seafood joint at Sharjah Beach, one we’ve gone before which wasn’t too expensive and was pretty nice. (That’s what cheapskates in Dubai do. Just hop over to the neighbouring Emirates, like Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain or Fujairah for a cheaper outing. Dubai’s getting too good at sucking up money!)

This time, the food wasn’t that nice. Maybe it’s the crowd, …or maybe it’s just the friggin cook, having a bad time. The last time we were there, for lunch, there were only 3 tables occupied, and we were the first customers. Anyway, here’re the pictures until I find more inspiring stuff to write about.


Our first visit to the Shathi Al Amwaj Restaurant, Sharjah – Jan 2017


That’s what you get for 99 dirhams – a small baby lobster, a couple of prawns, mussels, crabs, squid and a fish, + rice (or chips if you prefer), Arabic bread, pickles and dips…


On our first visit to the restaurant, there was a friggin sand storm under way – that's the beach opposite the restaurant, partly flooded and off-limits to visitors (there’re police patrol cars going up and down the beach that day)


The same Sharjah Beach in calmer times, Feb 2016 - (Sharjah has many beaches, this is the one at Al Muntazah)


Having a blast at the beach – if you like sand and sun, this is the place for you. After all, that’s about the only thing the beaches here have. Don’t expect coconut palm trees and rocks, they don’t exist in this part of the world, save the ones planted by the government or some holiday resorts built along the beach


Jayden and Papa at the breakwater, Al Muntazah Beach, Sharjah


A view of the tiny Emirate of Ajman (those high rises) from the beach in Sharjah


A Good Samaritan Syrian couple at the Shathi Al Amwaj Restaurant, who stopped Jayden from venturing out of the restaurant alone, when his parents were too busy to notice that he had sneaked out! Whew, close call! – CNY Reunion Dinner 2017, Sharjah


Happy Chinese New Year!!! In front of our home in Dubai


The kids on CNY, International City, Dubai – Jayden insisted on having his bhoo-ba (blue bus) with him