He asked me if I can help him with an appeal for voting his drawing from my blog readers

Dear Readers, please help vote Fathan’s drawing:

http://www.anchorNZchallenge.com/Vote.aspx?Id=1277/

(there may be website problem encountered with no picture shown, but (as long as it shows 1277) go ahead and click vote, Fathan will be very happy)

Fathan Anchor Drawing

We can’t give you much in return. Probably a nice travelog from there Insha Allah? and for sure a big big thanks!

Our respect to the brave firefighters and emergency teams 

Thank you dohanews.co for keeping us updated

http://dohanews.co/post/23944038060/qatar-reels-after-villaggio-fire-kills-19-including-13

http://dohanews.co/post/23919755454/a-fire-broke-out-at-the-villaggio-mall-around-11am

Two weeks ago, I joined a football team in a one day fun football tournament organized by Indonesian community in Al Khor. The event, participated by 10 teams from every town in Qatar, was held from 7.30 in the morning until 7 pm in the evening. Hot weather is one thing, but for sure, though the match was only 2×10 minutes I couldn’t play for one single match straight…..sighhh. The first match, I was out due to foot ankle problem, after wrong tackling. In another match, I was out due to short of breathing. And in the last match, I pulled out due to hamstring…duhh.

So I probably need to realize my limit, to understand the consequence of non-regular exercise, and should have thought age matters.

Ouch! This tackling costed me an ankle problem

I am in action to guard our opponent

Football with sunglasses!

Protect the asset!

My team – crazy sand duners football team

All players with our Indonesian Ambassador for Qatar. If you can spot me…:)

 All pictures are credited to Mustafa Kamalullah.

Though tofu (= Tahu in Indonesian) is not originated from Indonesia, this side dish is one of the most important dishes due to its price and versatility. No wonder tofu comes in unlimited variety of cuisines. Indonesian must have been familiar with Batagor (BAkso TAhu GOreng = fried meat ball and tofu),  Siomay (steamed tofu dumpling with vegetables served with peanut sauces),  Tahu Gejrot (slightly fermented fried tofu snack with slices of shallots, chilli, and garlic in spicy-sweet sauce), Kupat Tahu (ketupat/packed rice or dumpling, tofu, rice vermicelli and beansprouts in peanut sauce), Bakso Tahu (meatball, fried/steamed tofu served with a bowl of beef broth, noodles, crisp wonton and sprinkled with fried shallot and celery) and many others.

The restaurant is founded by an Indonesian couple, long time Qatar residents since 2002, born from his tofu maker father back in West Java, Indonesia. The couple started making tofu since 2005 in very small scale for their neighbors or Indonesian friends. It was in 2010 that they started putting a brand and making it a serious business. They now supply many Indonesian groceries, restaurants and one of the hotels in Qatar.

The restaurant is, you may say that, their business expansion.  

We visited the restaurant during its promotion/opening period when price was slashed in 25% discount from its normal price of QR12 per portion. Located in The Center area (behind Ramada Hotel), it is easily accessible with lots of parking spaces. If you know Great Wall Restaurant, the restaurant is located just beside it, housed within a green glass window building, on the ground floor. 

Tofu & Cake Restaurant housed within that a green glass window building beside Great Wall Chinese Restaurant

The actual restaurant can only accommodate a small kitchen, a cashier and order desk, and two tables barely enough to fit 6 persons possibly. All other visitors have to be willing seated outside in six 4/6 seater table arrangements. A bit hot during summer period. A fan just doesnt help much.

An outdoor seating area – can be challenging during summer

We ordered many, for a reason. To know which one is their cerry of the cake. Our order arrived pretty quick. I finished my Bakso Tahu Goreng Kering (meatball served with a bowl of beef broth and fried tofu) very quickly. So mouthwatering that I just couldn’t stop. Their meatball seems produced without preserver or MSG-like ingredient. Unfortunately it’s not that hot enough to enjoy. Bakso wouldn’t be complete without sambal (chili sauce). The best is for you to use real bakso sambal which unfortunately not available in every table. Search around.

Bakso Tahu Basah (meatball with steamed tofu)

Bakso Tahu Kering (meatball with fried tofu)

Batagor came next. It was poured with peanut sauce. The hot fresh from the fry pan made it enjoyable. Ketupat tahu came with lontong (packed rice/dumpling), and tofu served with peanut sauce and crackers. I found it pretty standard. The sauce is different than used for batagor, and apparently made fresh.

Batagor

Ketupat Tahu and Iced Tea

The restaurant also sells ready-to-cook tofu for take-away, many varieties of crackers and few other Indonesian food.

If I were to be back, I would definitely be back for Bakso in its many forms, just making hot please, and Batagor. Heard of Tahu Gejrot is also good, haven’t tried it yet. For all money spent it may be worthed to pay a visit. In the end, they are the best tofu maker in Qatar any way!

Coordinate: 25°16’25.4″N   51°30’55.2″E. Open from: 10am to 21pm.

Okay, let me give you my example. I am a member of ex-Unocal (once an oil and gas company before taken over by Chevron) alumni association, a member of Bandung Institute of Technology Alumni Association (IA ITB), a member of Petroleum Engineer Association (IATMI) Chapter Qatar, and a member of non-formal groups like Sand Dune Community, Fishing Community, Sundanese Community (though I’m not a Sundanese) or Hajj Group. Many of them are on the same two or more associations, making meeting the same faces is not unusual. Though I’m sometimes surprised to find new facts: “Oh, I don’t know that you are from….” “Hey…how come you are here?” “Sigghh…it turns out we’re linked..” .etc.

One thing for sure is that the more diagrams you have the wider social networking you own. And it surely will be beneficial for ‘staying strong’ in this foreign soil.

Venn Diagram of four ‘ellipses’

Here are some pictures.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (from south parking side)

Gold-plated pillars at Grand Mosque

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque has seven imported chandeliers from Germany that incorporate millions of Swarovski crystals. The largest chandelier is the second largest known chandelier inside a mosque, the third largest in the world and has a 10 m (33 ft) diameter and a 15 m (49 ft) height

The courtyard with its floral design

Parts of the world's largest carpet

One of the chandeliers

One of the mosaic tiles in Grand Mosque

Men's ablution

Abu Dhabi City

Sheikh Khalifa Park

Grand Mosque seen from Sheikh Khalifa Park

Capital Gate Tower or Leaning Tower

A mosque in Qasr Al Hosn (currently closed for renovation)

Oh my...found the best 'gulai padang' in GCC here in Abu Dhabi - Restaurant Sari Rasa

The Souk Central Market

Inside The Souk Central Market

Emirates Palace

Emirates Palace's Grand Arch

Emirates Palace

Inside Emirates Palace

another shot inside Emirates Palace

Emirates Palace

Etihad Tower with Emirates Palace fountains on the foreground

Heritage Village

Road to Breakwater Area. Seen here Marina Mall

Heritage Village Abu Dhabi

Enjoying view toward Abu Dhabi Corniche area from Heritage Village

Learning the life of Bedouin at Heritage Village

Heritage Village

At Heritage Village

View towards Abu Dhabi Corniche. In the afternoon watersports enthusiast will usually show their best

View toward Etihad Tower and Emirates Palace

Indonesian Restaurant

Just another visit to Indonesian Restaurant in Abu Dhabi

Grand Millenium Hotel Al Wahda

View from Grand Millenium Hotel Al Wahda

Abu Dhabi from the 47th roof top swimming pool of Grand Millenium Hotel Al Wahda

Yas Island - seen here red roof of Ferrari World

An interesting bus stop design at Yas Island

At the fence of Yas Marina Circuit

At Yas Island Public Beach (under construction) with Aldar 'Circle' Tower

Ferrari World

Ferrari World is Ferrari themed amusement park, featuring Ferrari based visitor experiences ranging from thrill attractions, to 4-D movie and to gallery. Here are some pictures inside Ferrari World. We were lucky that day that there are only minimum visitors making repeat entry entirely possible and take no time.

Ferrari World - right after out of parking area

Welcome Pavilion - to the left is Ferrari Store, right is ticketing offfices

Under the Ferrari's prancing horse

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Formula Rossa track - the long horizontal track is where the car reaches 240kph in just few seconds

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Scuderia Challenge

Fathan at Bell'Italia

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A virtual tour inside Ferrari factory in Maranello

A virtual tour inside the Ferrari factory in Maranello

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Ferrari Legends

Kids inside V12 - a flume ride through the heart of Ferrari 599 engine

Be a paddock team

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La Gara Show

G Force - a spaceshot tower which launches riders up to 62m (at the time of visit was under maintenance)

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Enjoy Ferrari collections at Galleria Ferrari

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Racing Legends - a journey showcasing Ferrari's racing history

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Decided to check-in at Metro Central Hotel & Apartment with two stops: Burj Al Arab and Palm Jumeirah (Atlantis Hotel). Our hotel is just at doorstep of one of the entrances to Dubai Internet City metro station. We parked our car at hotel and used metro to Dubai Mall. Centered around Kids interests: Kidzania, Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, and The Dubai Fountain, we left Dubai Mall around 8pm to go to Mall of the Emirates for dinner with using metro.

We left Dubai the next morning for Abu Dhabi.

Enjoy the pictures below! …or more in my Facebook.

Hard Rock Cafe Dubai

Road E66 Dubai - Al Ain

Heading to Dubai Festival Center

Hard Rock Cafe Dubai for the 23rd shot glass

Jumeirah Hotel and Burj Al Arab

Atlantis Hotel Palm Jumeirah

At Dubai Mall

Inside the tunnel of Dubai Aquarium

Underwater Zoo

Burj Khalifa, waiting for The Dubai Fountain show

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We stop by at two forts located about 11 km (Al Meel Fort) and 40km (Al Jabbanah Fort) east of Mezaira’a. These two forts are located on your left as you drive toward Hamim, so that you need to make a U-turn in dedicated u-turn point (that safely provided with adequate half-ellipsoidal receiving road on the other side).

Just 2km after turn-off to Qasr Al Sarab Anantara resort (that is another 12km inward) you will see an ADNOC petrol Station in Hamim. After this there is no petrol station (as far as I can remember) for the whole stretch of road E45 (except one small petrol station near Auto Museum). Make sure you either fill up your tank in Mezaira’a and/or in Hamim.

Road E65 between Hamim and Road E11

After Hamim, Road E45 is rather straight. It is only two lanes without physical road median, but its broad road shoulders help in ensuring safe overtaking. It seems that unwritten traffic rule is for the overtook vehicle to move aside to road shoulder to give way to overtaking vehicle. Everybody seems know about it. This to be honest helps a lot in keeping away my mounting worry before departure when deciding to use this road to Al Ain. The road is also surprisingly not that silent as claimed by many travelers. The road is mainly used by oil and gas field related workers and supporting vehicles.

Emirates Auto National Museum

About six kilometers after passing Maharqah Waste Landfill, an airplane, pyramid and huge truck dominating view on your right. That’s Emirates Auto National Museum (ENAM, http://www.enam.ae 50AED adult, children free) .

Emirates National Auto Museum

ENAM houses the private collection of Shaikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan with around 200 exhibition items. The collections are housed inside a metal pyramid, except two items located on the yard of the pyramid: the big globe, and portable house.

Big camper van, big globe (those are vehicles!) and a pyramid that houses the museum collections

Shaikh Hamad is also known as Rainbow Sheikh, and it is apparent how his loving of rainbow manifested into his car collections. Look at his rainbow-colored Mercedes, seven Mercedes are colored one in each color of the rainbow for each day of the week. Several other vehicles are also rainbow painted or have a rainbow logo.

The Rainbow Mercedes

Sheikh’s collection seems bought directly from owners, imported from their original places : California Highway Patrol, NYC Taxi, Walt Disney to name a few.  Other collections include electric motor vehicles, military vehicles, ambulance, fire truck, and disco car. But, central to the collection is a 5-m high Dodge fitted with complete apartment inside it.

This huge Dodge is the central of all collections

More picture in my Facebook

Al Ain

Finished with a rainbow tour, we continued our drive to Al Ain. Along with Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Al Ain forms imaginary equilateral triangle cities, with distance between cities about 140-160km. From Road E65 we drive north to meet Road E11 then drive east to Road E22 Abu Dhabi – Al Ain road

It’s lunch time when we reached Al Ain. I directed my car to Hili. This modern suburb of Al Ain is famous among local residents for its beautiful park and garden. What’s more, the garden and its immediate hinterland are the location of a large number of Bronze Age and Iron Age sites, dating to circa 2500–400 BC. We visited Hili Archaeological Park for a quick lunch break, or say picnic. The main point of interest in this free park is the reconstructed Grand Tomb. Nearby are Hili Settlement and smaller tombs amidst playground and shady grass areas. Though it is weekend the park wears deserted look.

Grand Tomb at Hili Archaelogical Park

Lunch picnic at Hili Archaeological Park

With full stomach we continue to Al Ain Oasis with a stop at Hili Fort. Hili Fort is around fort with central round tower, located at the edge of Hili Oasis.

Hili Fort

On the eastern side of Al Ain Oasis is Al Ain National Museum (Sat-Thu 8am-7.30pm Fri 3pm – 7.30 pm, Mon closed, Adults: AED 3 Children under 10: AED 1). The museum, the oldest in the UAE, is located next to the Eastern Fort (or Sultan Fort). Built by the former UAE President, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the museum has an extensive archaeological and ethnographical collection. Reconstructions of a majilis (traditional reception area) and traditional life in general are also very interesting.

Eastern Fort

Inside Al Ain National Museum

Al Ain Oasis is the largest oasis in the region basically only open to tourist and owners. Made up of thousands of date palms, the oasis is known for its underground irrigation system “falaj” which brings water from boreholes to water farms and palm trees. The falaj irrigation is an ancient system dating back thousands of years. Tight roads run through the oasis (hardly adequate for two cars passing) , so you can drive through it, or you can walk. A small restaurant/coffee shop (currently closed) is located in the middle.

Al Ain Oasis

Traditional irrigation system in Al Ain Oasis

Al Ain Oasis

Though close to Al Ain Oasis, we didn’t visit Al Ain Palace Museum (on the west of Al Ain Oasis) and  Al Jahili Fort (further west of Al Ain Oasis).

Our next stop is Al Ain Wildlife Park (daily 9am-8pm, Adult 15 AED, Children 5AED), located on the foothills of the Jebel Hafeet. The park/zoo is well organized, has variety of animals/exhibits, picnic areas and playground and scheduled shows of bird and animals. Currently under construction nearby the park is Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Center.

Fathan in Al Ain Zoo - Oryx area

Rhinos at Al Ain Zoo

Jebel Hafeet is our last stop in Al AIn. The mountain is actually straddles part of the border with Oman. Its mountain top area where it has big parking lots, restaurant and 360 deg. view, divides the mountain into two for UAE and Oman. At the foothills of Jabal Hafeet lies the Green Mubazarrah, where green meets brown in a very contrasting panorama. There is a lake formed by hot-water springs with a fountain in the middle.

Green Mubazzarah

Green Mubazzarah from one of the viewing stop at Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road

Jebel Hafeet rises 1249 meters and offers an impressive view over the city. The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road scales the mountain, extends for about 14km up the mountain, with several viewing platform/stops along the road. There is one stop equipped with playground and  one other stop with restaurant. The road, with 21 corners and three lanes (two climbing and one descending)  is rated one of the best mountain road.

Jebel HAfeet Mountain Road and Green Mubazzarah

Closer look of winding Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road

Top of Jebel Hafeet

We stayed one night at Mercure Grand Jebel Hafeet Hotel, at elevation of 915m, and 2.4km from the top of Jebel Hafeet. Entrance road to hotel is impressive, through a man-made opening of rocky hill cut provides a little surprise after short bend. The large hotel swimming pools at the back of the hotel have stunning over low land areas.

View towards Mercure Hotel's swimming pool and Al Ain

More pictures at my Facebook

Coordinates and Links to Websites

Jebel Hafeet    24°3’30″N   55°46’39″E          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jebel_Hafeet     

Green Mubazarah        24°6’14″N   55°44’16″E                     

Al Ain Oasis   24°13’02″N   55°46’26″E        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Ain_Oasis   

Al Ain Zoo      24°10’45″N   55°44’18″E        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Ain_Zoo             http://www.awpr.ae/en/Pages/Home.aspx

Al Ain Palace Museum           24°12’53″N   55°45’39″E        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Ain_Palace_Museum            

Al Ain National Museum        24°12’57″N   55°46’26″E        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Ain_National_Museum             http://www.adach.ae/en/portal/heritage/alain.nationalmuseum.aspx

Hili Archaelogical Park           24°17’35″N   55°47’39″E        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hili_Archaeological_Park             http://www.adach.ae/en/portal/heritage/alhilli.archaelogical.park.aspx

Hili Fort          24°16’56″N   55°46’0″E                     

Jahili Fort        24°12’58″N   55°45’9″E                     

Mercure Grand Jebel Hafeet      24°4’40″N   55°46’6″E       http://www.mercure.com/gb/hotel-3573-mercure-grand-jebel-hafeet-al-ain/index.shtml