2009 - July 19 (Dubai)

Today I had lunch at an alternative location in the Jebel Ali Free Zone. I went with one if the IT managers to the Seaman's Club (quite smirking). It seems that, in addition to all the construction facilities, shipping docks, and other port activities, there is also a part of the zone that has marina facilities for privately owned boats and ships. And the people who need to grab a meal on land while they have their vessels serviced go to this club to have a shower, get a meal, meet friends, and have some drinks, before going back on board. It was quite a place. There was nothing fancy about it, but the food was good and the variety of people visiting there was amazing. If you have seen movies of dock-side bars, merchant marine dives, and other such places, this would have seemed to be straight out of something like Casablanca, or perhaps African Queen. I think I did see Humphrey Bogart. And I saw a few of the cast from Pirates of the Caribbean, gold hoop earring and everything. The only thing missing was the parrot squawking “Avast ye maties”. No eye-patches though. I felt cheated.