Sri Lanka is fun, part 2: Signs

Hikkadua

Overheard in the newsroom: A super special triple Thursday edition

"You act like I am some sort of lush. I am just a family man who likes to throw some back."

"I keep getting SMS messages from Big & Tall because they think I am still fat."

"Don't Canadians make bagels?"

A trend I wish would die: Gold to go (and this time, Burj Khalifa-style)

First Emirates Palace, now the Burj Khalifa: ATMs that dispense gold bars. As a colleague pointed out, this time one would have to pay (at least Dh100, or about $30, if you book ahead) just to get access to the gold machine on the 124th floor.

One ounce for Dh5,645, almost Dh1000 more than it would cost on the international market. 

Snap caption: Sign about Korans in Al Ain Carrefour jarring, but true

Photo courtesy of Essam al Ghalib.

For more information on handling, go here. (Other links welcome) Thoughts?

Overheard in the newsroom

"Now we have Floor Cat, too?"

-Response to mewling below the floor boards, from a tiny "I want-to-explore" offspring of the always awesome but quite loud Ceiling Cat.

Overheard in the pilates studio

The reaction of one pilates teacher as another talks about her fender-bender earlier than morning:

"Did you brace your core for the impact?"

New UAE visa rules leaves Canadians stranded

Oh dear, not surprising this happened given the new visa rules, which see Canadians having to secure a $250 visitors visa for a simple trip into the country. Checking with authorities at the Canadian embassy in Abu Dhabi and with UAE authorities upon leaving the country was not enough for 69-year-old Donald Caufield. He spent 24 hours at the airport, unable to come back in via India to visit his wife, who lives and works here.

Then this statement:

A spokesperson for Emirates said: "There is no evidence that Canadian travellers are deterred from coming to the UAE because of visa requirements. Capacity to and from Canada is severely constrained due to the limited number of flights."

Hmmm, Canadians, what would deter you from fleeing a Lethbridge winter for the sunny climes of the UAE: the lack of flights to and fro (because the rest of the world offers no other airlines or routes that are much cheaper and take roughly the same amount of time as Etihad or Emirates, surely), or the extra $250 the UAE has lovingly decided to tack onto your trip?