I've been tagged!

So there I am one fine sunny day, minding my own business and casually checking my blog WHEN evil rosh decides to TAG me! Now the thing is I actually didn't know what it meant until I had a look around the net. I guess I have to state my '8 simple pleasures' , so here I go:-

1) Driving off into the desert and watching some of the most beautiful sunsets in the world.

2) Sitting at one of three cafes that actually serve great espressos in Dubai with a cigarette in one hand and typing away a new blog entry on my laptop with the other.

3) Walking through the old souk at Al Ras-Deira. It is the only place in Dubai that hasn't been completely transformed since my childhood.

4) Reading four different news websites every morning( BBC, Al Jazeera, GulfNews, 7 Days)
as well as the plethora of blogs that I read on daily basis. It is my equivalent to having a cup of coffee in the morning.

5) Chocolate!!!!!!! I am a self confessed chocoholic. Dubai actually has an acute shortage of places that sell exceptionally good chocolates and pastries. My favourite has to be French Bakery near defence roundabout. Amazing cakes, chocolates and icecream YUM!!

6) Dancing. People paint or sing to relax, I love dancing. I used to dance a lot more before I started working. But with the right music you can leave me all alone in the corner of a dance floor in my own 'dance bubble'. But nothing beats dancing with a girl whom you can grace the dance floor together in perfect harmony.

7) Meeting new people from different backgrounds is a necessity for me. If I am stuck with the same group of monotonous, routine, narrow-minded individuals for a significant period of time I will go insane! :-) I guess every time I do meet someone from a different culture, not only do I find it adventurous and exciting to meet someone who doesn't think like me but, more importantly, I find it extremely educational.

8) JABAL AL NOOR! they have the best juices, the funniest names for those juices and some amazing sandwiches. Amazing food for dirt cheap prices. The countless number of times we have been broke and the only thing we could afford was cafeteria food. You can never go wrong with Jabal Al Noor ( tranlated into English : Mountain of Light ahahha)

You know you lived in dubai long enough when

You know you have been here for a while:-

1. You remember playing games in Sindbad
2. Dixie Cola was a rival to Pepsi. In fact coke wasn't around when i was a kid.
   
3. You remember Al Ghurari Centre and how it was the only shopping mall around
4. You remember the opening of the first McDonalds at Al Ghurari Centre and the crowds that flocked to it
5. You remember Naif as a residential area and not a 'Black Market'
6. Trade Centre was a TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL building and could be seen from miles around
7. Chicago Beach!! and the was stretches of open beach right next to it. Now its Jumierah Beach Hotel and the Madinat Jumeirah complex
   
8. The Shindagha Tunnel would often leak and they would regularly close it down for repairs
9. When you'd travel abroad NO ONE knew where Dubai was and you would always have to say things like: " Its next to Saudi or Iran"
10. Sharjah was the happening city and families would go there for their parks
    
11. Sharjah had that flyover right at the beginning of the city onto wahda street which would make me and my friends 'stomachs tickle' every time you would cross it. We nicknamed it 'tickle bridge'.
    
12. Dubai Sharjah highway had a very famous and popular site now dwarfed by all the construction. The KFC and Hardeez restaurants which became a family hangout spot.
13. You know you are a kid from dubai if you remember the biggest toy store back then: Dhadabai ( dunno if i got the spelling right) . There was a huge store located opposite present day Hamarain Centre/ JW Marriott.
14. channel 33 used to air a hindi film at 10:30 on thursday nights
15. there was a falcon roundabout just as you come out of shindagha tunnel and a flame roundabout near present Danata
16. The expo centre in Sharjah was the most happening place in the late 70's and 80's. Everyone would come from all over to watch the circus, shop, eat, the ice creams.
17. All the local TV channels would have "prayer intermission". A notice which would appear for a few minutes on the screen before the daily prayers.
    
18. The cartoons, remember Grundaizer & Jungar and Captain Majid
19. Sharjah fish and vegetable market pretty much remains unchanged thru the decades.
20. Al Ain fun city was Disney land! Al Nasr Leisureland ( and you could ice skate) was next, followed by Al Jazeera Park in SHJ.
21. Gulf News back in late 70's was in the format of today's tabloid section.
22. Junior news and Young times? I used to love Young times!
23. Hardrock cafe was the first and ONLY 'sky scraper' on SZR you saw when coming from Abu Dhabi
24. The road to Abu Dhabi was two-lane and had speed humps
    
25. Desert Springs Village was in the desert and had a licensed bar
26. It took 15mins. from Deira to Safestway via Shindaga
27. Safestway was originally called Safeway but had to change its name

Continue the list people... i will add them from the comments