20 Years of Blogging

The dark days are upon us. Israel has bombed Iran, our northern neighbour, and there will surely be retribution. What is it with this world? Since I started blogging 20 years ago, (yup, it’s already 20 years, as of March this year, believe it or not!), the world seems to have grown colder. Calculative, manipulative, power above all else. That was how it was like in the medieval times; every country for themselves. Now, we’re starting to feel it all come back, the age of empires. I thought humans would have evolved to be kinder to one another, more concerned for others, regardless of their views, beliefs, nationalities, ethnicities and social standing. But no, we’re back to square one, our basic instincts. We’re humans after all. God help us.

One fundamental problem, is that we, humans, tend to choose the strong to lead us. That’s what you call leadership qualities, you know? Well, from looking at what’s happening to the world today, I’d say, to hell with the strong and forceful leaders, I’d prefer the kinder and more compassionate leaders that’d not make my country great again, but make my country kinder, to all. 20 years ago, we seemed to be on the right track, …no more Cold War, countries opened to trade, travel and cultural exchanges, behaving lawfully and responsibly, respecting one another, with an international body overseeing the rules. Where did that all go?!?

Anyway, I am no God to correct this. We’ll rely on our great and mighty ‘leaders’ of the world, who want to shape history, leave their mark here, win, and show who’s boss. Why can’t they understand that we’re merely visitors to this world.? We come here for a few decades, and then we die, and leave the world. Why not make it a better and happier place for all when we’re here?

Also, prayers and blessings for strength, perseverance and hope to those affected by the tragic airplane crash in Ahmedabad. May God strengthen and bless you all through your difficult times.

To commemorate my 20 years of blogging, I’m posting some older photos of our time here in Dubai, circa 2019 – 2023. Photos that I can’t seem to fit anywhere, but are still interesting. See you in my next post!


Some family in Dubai – Anu’s eldest sister Manju, and her son, Kunal, at Zabeel Palace, Dubai, UAE – in the COVID Days! (Jul 2020). They were stranded In Dubai due to COVID-19, they were in Dubai to visit Karishma (Manju’s daughter) and were supposed to be back in India by March 2020!


Hey, there’s a peacock! No, Jayden, they’re not so easy to catch – Zabeel Palace


And then, there are friends! Anu with Madhavi (middle) and Jasna (left) at Da Vinci’s Italian Restaurant, Millenium Hotel, Garhoud, Dubai – Sep 2019. They’re the mothers of Justin’s former classmates Aria and Mashel


Here’re the kids. Justin and Jayden with Mashel (middle), Aria (right), and Viva (between Mashel and Aria). Viva is Aria’s younger sister. Mashel and Aria are the same age with Justin, while Viva is the same age with Jayden. At the Jebel Ali Village Recreation Club, Apr 2021


We meet again, kids and their mothers at Bounce X, Dubai Festival City Mall, Jul 2021. Bounce X is a trampoline park. Hmmm, where’re the fathers? Well, who’s gonna look after all the stuff, and snap the photos? And old men don’t really jump, do they? Wouldn’t mind sitting around, having a beer or two, haha!


Pizza time! What better way to wind down after jumping, then pizza!


Another meeting, Anu and Madhavi at Zinc, a café in Sports Society, Dubai – Nov 2022. The kids were ice skating at the ice rink. This time it was for Justin’s farewell, just before he moved to Singapore for his studies. Jasna and daughter, Mashel had already left for Canada, a few months prior…


Best thing to do before ice skating, is to learn some roller skating. And skateboarding, while you’re at it! Justin’s a quick learner. Jayden took a li’l more time, but he’s OK now. At the NShama Town Square Skate Park, Dubai, May 2021


Not content with one skate park? Here’s another free one, haha! – the Damac Hills Skate Park, June 2021. No, you don't skate on the grass, the skate park is just on the horizon towards the left of the photo!


The NShama Town Square Skate Park also features a Battle Park, surfing pool (a pool with waves for you to learn surfboarding), trampolines, sports courts, etc. Justin looking at some players at the Battle Park. Next time, OK? When you’re a li’l older!


Going around town, shopping and visiting friends (very rarely, we prefer friends visiting us, hehe) make up most of our activities in the city. We prefer the mountains, but you can’t do that in bloody summer. So, it’s malls, until saner weather comes around. Here’s us watching a movie with Danylo, Jayden’s Ukrainian friend, who stayed in the same apartment block as us, until he moved to Germany. VOX Cinemas, Mall of the Emirates, Mirdif City Centre (Jayden, corrected me, ahem) Sep 2023. (I remember it was Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning)


Going back in time, Anu at Mankhool, Dubai, outside a building (Badri Building) where a friend stayed, Feb 2019


Another retro photo. Yours truly, in front of the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Dubai, Mar 2019. This hotel was the location of our company’s first and only annual dinner in 2010 (or the only annual dinner I knew about), in my 14+ years working for them!


Sometimes we end up in places like this library! The Al Twar Public Library, May 2022. We were waiting for Justin to finish his World Scholar’s Cup event, in the school next door (Cambridge International School)!


Finally, here’s mommy and son at Ghantoot, a Nepali Restaurant in Bur Dubai, Sep 2023.

A Madrasa Too Many

In the Itchan Kala, the old walled city of Khiva, Uzbekistan

It’s Eid! Again, this weekend. And it looks like we’ll just be spending some quiet time at home this time, with Justin, who’s back from Singapore for his school break. This is all thanks to Moldova, who did not grant Anu’s visa… (We were supposed to have a short family holiday there. We got the news only a day before our flight! But at least, they informed.) Well, things don’t always go your way. That’s how it is with life. You just have to get on with it! And wait for the next big adventure!

Meanwhile, here’re some photos of the old city of Khiva for Eid. Eid Al-Adha Mubarak! Selamat Hari Raya Haji!


The West Gate (aka Ota Darvoza) of the Itchan Kala, Khiva, the main gate for tourists. (That's where the ticket booths are). The taller fort-like structure seen further back, along the wall, is Kiva's citadel called the Konya Ark

This ‘old walled city’ is chock-a-block with madrasas. Almost every other building is a ‘madrasa’ (i.e. school, or educational institute in Arabic, the plural for this in Arabic is actually ‘madaris’, but who knows, man?) How many madrasas do you actually need?? Are there really so many scholars and students around in this small city? Beats me, man? But that’s what the Itchan Kala of Khiva is now, a walled city of madrasas, that has been converted into museums. Yup, gone now are the scholars, books and seminaries, replaced by antiques, artefacts, artwork, photos, costumes, tacky mannequins, stuffed animals, you name it, depending on which themed museum it is. Take your pick. Music? Fine arts? Arabic writing? Natural history?... I lost count. After a few visits, every madrasa looked the same… that may be why they ‘enhanced’ them with different themes! Your ticket for the Itchan Kala ‘Open Air Museum’, (yup, you need a ticket to visit the ‘attractions’), covers all the palaces and ‘museums’ in the walled city, and is valid for umm… 2 days, if I remember correctly. (It was 150,000 Uzbek som per ticket, about AED 50, and cheaper for kids, the ticket seller lowered down the age of our kids, I forgot whether it’s Justin or Jayden, or both, to make it cheaper for us, bless them). But there’s a catch, there’re a few interesting places that aren’t covered in the tickets, like the beautiful mausoleum of Pahlavon Mahmud, the Islam Hoja minaret (the most striking minaret inside the walled city), and the city walls. You don’t actually need a ticket to enter the walled city itself, if you don’t enter any of the attractions. You can go in and out as you like, from some of the gates, or if you stay in one of the many guesthouses inside the Itchan Kala. There, explanation done, photos to follow.


A walk in Khiva (or Xiva in Uzbek – ‘X’ is the alphabet for the ‘KH’ sound in Uzbek). On the right, is the Ak Mosque (or Oq Masjid) and on the left, facing the photo, is the Allakuli Khan Madrasa (Olloqulixan Madrasasi), one of the more prominent madrasas in the Itchan Kala (Ichan-Q’ala in Uzbek)


Revellers dancing in freezing temperature for a wedding! (If you look carefully, you'd see glimpses of the bride, hidden behind the crowd). Yup, it was freezing when we were there. Friggin -13C! All the pools were ice. And we had to thaw out the solid frozen mineral water from the bottles we bought from the shops, to drink! The minaret seen here is of the Juma Masjid. Itchan Kala, Khiva, Dec 2023


Inside the Juma Mosque… So that’s where the Sohar Mosque got its ideas from… recognize those wooden pillars? They’re one of the distinguishing features of the Islamic architecture of Central Asia and Iran. You can see them all over Uzbekistan!


What did I tell you? (About the pillars I mean). Anu, at the …errrr, let’s see, the Konya Ark (Ko‘hna Ark), the citadel, former residence and administrative centre of the Khan of Khiva. Yup, Khiva used to be an independent country, called the Khanate of Khiva until it was conquered by Russia


A view of Khiva city, the parts outside the Itchan Kala, from the Konya Ark. That smooth surface, beyond that garden and just beyond the wall in the photo (centre, left), is a pool, frozen solid! (Yup, you could walk on it, the kids did!)


A bedroom in the Toshhovli Palace. No, this isn’t part of the Konya Ark, it’s on the other side (i.e. the east side) of the Itchan Kala


One of the excluded attractions, the Islam Khoja Minaret. It’s the minaret of, wait for it …a madrasa! You guessed it. Hmmm… was Khiva in the past, something like those competing tuition centres in some Singapore malls?? Nope, we didn’t climb it. On the first day, we went there a bit too late, and we just didn’t go back I guess. Besides, Anu’s scared of heights. Brrrr…. As you can see from our clothes, it’s freezing!


Inside the mausoleum of Pahlavon Mahmud. This is another additional paid attraction, not included in the ‘open air museum’ ticket. It is a complex of beautiful tombs (something like the Shah I-Zinda, but not as grand). Anu and Justin hung around outside (Anu’s not a fan of tombs and mausoleums), while yours truly and Jayden went in to explore… Pahlavon Mahmud by the way, was a Khiva poet, a Sufi teacher, a wrestling champion known for his exceptional strength (no kidding, go ahead, Google it), defender of the city, and, patron saint of Khiva! Top that!


This is the East Gate of the Itchan Kala, or Polvon Gate (named after who else, but the superman of Khiva, Pahlavon Mahmud)


Whoa, what’s this? It’s an underground chamber in the courtyard of one of the many madrasas/ museums. If I’m not mistaken, this is the Kutlug Murad Inaq Madrasa aka the Fine Art Museum. I wonder what’s this chamber for...


A restaurant with a view! When you’re hungry, you could stop at the Terrassa Café, just next to the Konya Ark’s entrance. Very nice food, but a bit pricey for Uzbekistan. Remember to try out that green lagman (noodles)! It's vegetarian. This is one of the restaurants you should definitely visit, if you’re beef adverse (like the missus, and yours truly, when he is with the missus!), as beef is the main consumed meat in Uzbekistan. That madrasa in the background, is the Mohammed Amin Khan Madrasa (Muhammad Aminxon Madrasasi) or, …the Orient Star Hotel (yup, it’s now a 3-star hotel, fancy staying in a madrasa??)


This was the second guesthouse we stayed in, in Itchan Kala. The Yulduz Hotel, near the quieter, northern walls of the Itchan Kala. Our first guesthouse was Boyjon Ota, near the centre of Itchan Kala. We stayed a total of 4 nights in Khiva, believe it or not! Nobody stays so many days in Khiva just to see the madrasas! Why we did it was because in between the stays in the 2 guesthouses, we made an excursion into the reclusive state of Turkmenistan! We didn’t want to carry all our bags for a 2-day excursion, so we put our bags in the Yulduz until we returned! Luckily, we did that, as it was not easy lugging huge bags across the cold and desolate border! Also, we stayed an extra day in Khiva after coming back to Uzbekistan, so that we could travel on a night sleeper train to Tashkent, our next stop, 1000km away, 14.5 hours by train. The night trains don’t happen every day! Didn’t fancy spending 14 friggin hours of the day stuck in a train!


Night time in Khiva. That short stunted turquoise minaret (on the right of the photo), called the Kalta Minor, is one of most recognizable landmarks of Khiva. The then Khan (ruler) of Khiva who commissioned it, wanted it to be the tallest minaret in the Muslim world, aiming to surpass the Qutb Minar in Delhi. Unfortunately, the Khan was killed in battle before the construction was completed, and it has been left in that state since then…

There you go. Have a blessed and peaceful Eid!