If you have never been here – in this part of the globe – then it is interesting to know the local customs.

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So, they drove to Abu Dhabi on Thursday night and we checked in quite late in Beach Rotana. The rooms assigned to us were on the 7th floor. A strong food smell welcomed us as we stepped out from the elevator. We realized that it was still dinner time and the “Rosebuds”, their all day dining restaurant, is located in the lobby at the heart of the right wing of the hotel. As it is an open-air restaurant, it is not a surprise that the food smell lingers and it is very evident in the corridors of each floor. Luckily, the food smell doesn’t penetrate inside the room.

Perfect pool to take a dip!

It's the Rosebuds Restuarant view from the 7th floor corridor

The soaring atrium of Beach Rotana Hotel

We took one single room and one twin room. The rooms are just enough, not spacious nor too small. It is equipped with modern and chic furniture from the sofa to its note pad holder. I personally like the quality of their bed. It’s large, soft and very comfy. The same with the pillows and duvet – so soft – and the texture is very fine.

The Rosebuds Restuarant

My only comment is the TV set in the room. With such high end quality products in the room, you will somehow expect a better television set like a plasma and flat screen that will go along with the room’s modern ambience. They still have this old “bulky” TV unit.

I actually appreciated this self-explanatory red tag.

Anyway, we slept late because we were busy catching up with each other’s latest gossips and news. The next day we had our breakfast at the “Rosebuds” restaurant. Unfortunately, we woke up very late. So the moment we stepped in the entrance of the restaurant, the waiter approached and bluntly reminded us that they were closing in the next 15 minutes. I wish he informed us in gentler manner.

As we checked in quite late, the turndown service was already done.

We didn’t manage to have a closer look at the breakfast buffet selection. We simply had a quick round then we started filling our plates. Indeed minutes later they began to clear their buffets. We felt the urge to hurry up though we knew that we could still stay longer if wanted to.

Beach Rotana Standard Room

Later we headed to the pool side which was also adjacent to the beach area. There were just few people around though I didn’t swim, my friends did. There is an extensive construction works just meters away from the beachfront. You cannot ignore it because buildings are mushrooming left and right.

The sauna and steam bath area

My other girl friends hit the sauna and steam rooms. There was nothing spectacular about it even for their Jacuzzi but I liked the airy ambience of their locker and changing room.

To sum it up, it was a great weekend and we truly enjoyed our stay.

The beachfront - opposite to that is the Reem Island where extensive construction works are on-going

Photo Source: http://leebecker.wordpress.com/

Honestly, at the moment it does not bother me but since my new job obliges me to have a car, this can be a foreseen additional expenses. I am just quite lucky that my house is not located in the main streets of Abu Dhabi otherwise I really have to shell out significant amount of money. Imagine if you do not want to go out on weekends and public holidays, you are left with no option but to pay a parking fee of 24 hours or more.

According to the news, the fee will be AED 3 (USD 0.82) per hour in the main streets and AED 2 (USD 0.55) in other areas. The penalty will range from AED 200 (USD 54.80) to AED 1000 (USD 274). There is also an option for unlimited parking for residents who wants to use the designated paid parking areas and every residents are allowed only up to two permits for unlimited parking which will cost AED 800 (USD 219) for the first permit and the second will be AED 1200 (USD 329).

Parking here in Abu Dhabi is really a nightmare. It is evident when you visit the main streets as the streets are congested with cars parking on the sides and in between. One of my friend keeps whining that his “dating life” is always ruled by the availability of parking space in his building. Sometimes he needs to shorten his dinner date just to ensure that he will find parking space in the evening. Others will roam for half an hour or more just to look for parking space after office hours.

Indeed the implementation of paid parking in Abu Dhabi will somehow ease the parking problems. However, there is no doubt that the parking fee can really hurt the wallets of most car owners. Paying AED 800 for unlimited parking is not a joke.

The Mina Port fish market in Abu Dhabi

We decided today to eat “real food” (Yeheey!!) in the next seven days so my friend and I went to the Mina Port fish market. People visit the fish market for two reasons. It is cheaper and has more variety.

By the way, real food for me means homemade dishes.

Selection of seafood

Our charcoal-grilled fish

Anyway, I do not know what she would cook in the next few days but we wanted to have grilled fish for today’s dinner as it was late already when we headed to Mina Port fish market. The left-wing of the building is an array of stalls which offer to fry, grill or bake your fish, prawns, crabs, etc.

The big oven

On weekends, it is common to see people in queue because this is a convenient and easy way to prepare for picnic on weekends. Just buy a big fish or prawns in the fish market, and then take it to any of the stall for grilling or frying. Their cooking time takes between 20-30 minutes and they charge AED 10 (USD 2.70) per kilo regardless of the method of cooking.

We tried before for baked squids and shrimps. It was really good even though they garnished it with certain sauce concoction. Then we tried grilled and fried fish too. We didn’t like it because they coated the fish with some spices. We prefer a plain grilled and fried method, no spices and flavorings except for salt. Simply rub it on to the fish skin, then that’s it! It’s ready for grilling and frying, no other cooking rituals needed. LOL!

For today’s dinner, my friend specifically gave instruction to grill our fish in charcoal and to use salt only, nothing else. Just make sure they understand your instructions because they have limited English though they understand the basic.

After dropping our fish for charcoal-grill, we shopped around for shrimps, more fish and the needed vegetables. I really didn’t know what she had in mind but we bought a lot.

Cleaning the fish

To lessen the kitchen process at home (I can’t hide that I detest loitering in the kitchen area in our house. LOL!), I asked one of those men in red overall jumpsuit to clean the fish. They charge AED 2 (USD 0.58) to clean every kilo of fish. It is  important to give the ‘fish cleaner’ specific instructions of the way you want the fish to be cleaned. Like today, my friend specifically asked to remove the gills and scales of it. Good that I urged her to pass by to the cleaner’s section before buying another item because the ‘fish cleaner’ didn’t remove the scales, only the gills. This is quite doomed to happen especially if your instructions are not that clear. Most of them understand basic English only so misunderstanding is quite prevalent.

Then the most important tip, always haggle! You can always bargain between AED 5 to AED 10 per kilo.

Fresh Coconut juice

Then after more than an hour, we headed back home. There is nothing to worry because there are many available taxis. Also, if you have a car, it is easy to find parking (based on my experience). It is not a nightmare at all!

The search engine terms (words that people used which led them to my blog) in the statistic page are varied but rooted in the same subject – how to settle overdue bank loans and credit card bills to avoid being locked up in jail.

I am receiving overwhelming response and queries which I am happy because somehow the Frugal Expat serves its purpose – to help others.

On the other note, I cannot help but conclude that a significant portion in the expat population here in UAE is going through such predicament. Such response, queries and search engine terms reflected a cry for help or enlightenment on their plight. So, I decided to take further this particular topic hoping that this will help those who are trapped in this kind of situation.

In today’s post, this is about settling unpaid HSBC credit card bills. Payment policies differ from bank to bank thus this information will not be applicable in all cases.

According to the woman I spoke in the payment plan department of HSBC in Dubai, the cases of delinquent payments are generally taken to their legal department once you fail to pay for three consecutive months. Prior to this, you will receive incessant phone calls from their collection department. If you continuously ignore their calls in your mobile phone, then they start to call in your office number.

The feedback I heard is that they are very polite in dealing with your issue compared to other banks. There are no yelling and harsh words. They explain politely the consequences of missing the payments though very persistent in insisting to make an immediate payment.

Just a word of advice. It is better to always cross-check the information you obtain when inquiring in their toll free number. I first heard about the payment plan for HSBC credit card holders last year from a friend. Curious to know more about this option, I called the HSBC toll free number to inquire. The customer service agent advised me that this option is only available for delinquent payers.

Honestly, I found it ridiculous and I could not fathom the logic behind it. I even reacted sarcastically to the customer service agent and uttered that therefore HSBC credit card holders must wait first until they reach that ‘delinquent’ stage before they can avail this option.
It doesn’t make sense because no one knows better your financial condition but you. If you come to know that you will be laid off in the next two months, then you will certainly look for options to avoid legal consequences, right?

Anyway, a year after that phone conversation with the HSBC customer service agent, I managed to source the telephone number of their payment plan. I spoke to one of their staff who advised that the customer service agent had given me the wrong information.
In fact, any HSBC credit card holders can apply for payment plan (even if you are not a delinquent payer) however it will be subject to approval of the management.

So what is payment plan? If you hold HSBC credit cards and are unable to continue regular payments for whatever reasons, you can opt for the payment plan. It means that the bank will consolidate your HSBC credit card bills and convert it into a sort of personal loan.

Generally, unpaid monthly credit card bills will incur fees for late payment, finance charges, over limit and so on. The more you delay the payment the more the charges escalate.

In payment plan, they will close your account and top your outstanding balance with 6% interest rate. Then you can discuss the timeframe of the payment and your capacity to pay regularly without fail. Accordingly they will advise you of the fix amount which you will pay on monthly basis until the amount is paid off.

There are few things to remember when applying for payment plan for your HSBC credit cards.

Liabilities vs. Monthly Income
The bank will weigh whether you can commit to pay monthly the agreed amount. Therefore, they will calculate your expenses and other liabilities against your monthly income. The difference must at least justify your ability to pay religiously and to spend on your basic needs.

Pre-Qualification Payment
The bank will require you for initial payment which they refer as ‘pre-qualification payment’. It is usually equivalent to two months of the agreed monthly payment. According to them, it is their way of gauging your commitment to go for the payment plan and they will proceed only with your application for approval unless the initial payment is made.

Documentations
HSBC will require you to submit salary certificate, passport and visa copy, one security check and supporting documents of your existing liabilities (i.e. statement of account).

Lastly, HSBC urges you to pay regularly and failure to do so can breach the agreement though I am not sure the consequences for missing any payments.

I hope that the above info helps you one way or another.

Beautiful sandy beach in Abu Dhabi Corniche

I just visited last Friday the Abu Dhabi Corniche and I was amazed to see the improvements. My last visit was more than a year ago. That time, there were many ongoing constructions in the Corniche Area.
Now, the place is totally converted into a recreation venue where people can enjoy various activities. There is no wonder that it is swarmed everyday particularly on weekends with people from all walks of life.

Abu Dhabi Corniche has a beautiful white sandy beach which is stretched along the Corniche area but segmented into small portions with different entrance gate. The entrance fee is AED 10 (approx $3). Try to keep the ticket stab so you can access all the beach sections without paying again the entrance fee.

A pair of sun bed in the front row costs AED 55 (approx $15) and the rest of the rows is AED 35 (approx $10). According to the beach attendant, the throng of beach goers starts to arrive at 10 o’clock in the morning on weekends (Friday & Saturday) and at 12 noon on weekdays.

While strolling, it is inevitable to notice a great number of health buffs loitering in Abu Dhabi Corniche. Its paved pathways make it an ideal place to walk or cycle. Also, bikes for kids and adults are available for rent.

These available recreation facilities are complemented with great a range of restaurants and coffee shops with outdoor dining area. In fact, this is what I like most in Abu Dhabi Corniche.

Last Friday we arrived at past eight in the morning and the weather was really pleasant. Then we decided to stop in Seattle’s Best for coffee and to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the beach. The shop attendant offered us to try their combo breakfast for AED 15 (approx $4). It was a mug of coffee and a choice of sandwich (beef or turkey). I suggest you try the turkey because it tastes really good.

The beachfront coffee shop made us enjoy not only the delectable breakfast sandwich and coffee but also the scenic view of the beach.

Here are few photos to convince you that the Abu Dhabi Corniche is worth a visit.

A beautiful sandy beach

Beachfront restuarants to satisfy your taste palate

A hearty breakfast for only AED15

Isn't it inspiring to see a family exercising together?

The underpass tunnel in Corniche Road

Great paved pathways for walking and cycling

After a day's work, the construction workers were resting in the park while waiting for their bus.

Commuting in a public bus

Friday morning in Hamdan Street

Public Bus

Corniche Area in Abu Dhabi

This is the mosque located next to St. Joseph Church in Abu Dhabi

Actually, there are only selected shops in Abu Dhabi that sell pork products. You can purchase though not all branches in Spinneys, a premier supermarket with branches spread out across Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Available items include ranging from sausages, hams, frozen and fresh meat, and other pork products. 

Pork Meat in Spinneys

Pork items are not generally displayed in open area or along with the other similar non-pork goods. There is a specific room allotted for it with a noticeable signage - “Pork for Non-Muslim”. I really cannot say if the prices are expensive or not because I have never been to other pork shops except for Spinneys. However, the price for fresh meat ranges from 40 to 60 dirhams (approximately $10 – $16) per kilo. 

I personally recommend shopping in Spinneys - Khalidiya Branch because it is spacious with ample nearby parking space. It has also an alcoholic beverage shop, one reason that this branch is swarmed by expats. 

Spinneys - Khalidiya Branch

Just a caution – If you do not have a car, you need to stretch your patience because it is quite difficult to get a taxi in this area. There is always a queue of shoppers waiting for taxi.

Wishing you all a year of abundance and success all throughout 2010!

May this year be a more intellectually, emotionally, financially and spiritually rewarding to you and your family!

First, I was surprised to see the article, which I submitted earlier this year, was published. In fact, I had no clue at all that it was accepted and published. It is entitled ‘Catching Up With the Relics of Bygone Eras‘ for Valley Scene Magazine.

Secondly, I found out that my article ‘Bangkok Sightseeing Vacation – Frugal Tips‘ in EzineArticles was used by another blogger without proper credits. I felt my copyrights were violated because the blogger didn’t include at all the author’s name and resource box. The EzineArticles allows anyone to publish and to reprint articles however there are terms and conditions that you need to abide.

Anyway, I hope the blogger will realize that it is unethical to use the articles without the author’s proper credits.

As for the recap of my writing pursuit in 2009, I would say that it has been very prolific year in terms of honing my skills and learning the ropes of freelance business. 2009 was a challenging but profitable year for me and my sacrifices really paid off.

This is the reason that I am culminating year 2009 with a smile and a deep sense of accomplishment.

I am excited to welcome 2010 and I hope to land more lucrative projects next year.

Happy New Year everyone!