The Post Office in Abu Dhabi

Lobby - Madinat Zayed Post Office
 

Before there was a post office...

Letters and documents were placed inside a metal cylinder and transported by camel through the desert.  

Finely Tooled Cylinder to Carry Documents

Metal Cylinder to Carry Mail

  

The Post Office

The one place where women have more rights than men in the Middle East.  I was allowed to go to the head of the line! Go figure...    

I went to the Madinat Zayed post office to mail a birthday card to my friend in the United States.  As I was waiting patiently in line, the postal worker at the counter started calling out and motioning.  I looked around to see who he was talking to, but the men in line had turned and were all looking at me.  Then everyone began to motion to me.  

Postal Workers and Customers

Puzzled, I looked around and one of them spoke to me in English telling me that I needn’t wait in line.  As a woman, I was to go to the head of the line.  

Now that was a first!  Most of the time, woman are not treated as equals here in the Middle East.  So, imagine my pleasant surprise. 

About a month after I arrived in Abu Dhabi, I began receiving boxes which I had packed and shipped to myself from the United States.  I must have sent 20 boxes with clothes, shoes, household items, etc.  

It cost a fortune to ship all of these cartons from the USA, but I thought I needed lots of my stuff.  So, we received notices in our PO Box that we must pick up our boxes in person at the post office.  Mind you, there is no mail delivery in Abu Dhabi.  There aren’t even any street addresses, no mail boxes, etc.

Everyone has to rent a PO Box at the post office.  So, Bill and I headed out to the post office to get our boxes.  First, we had to remember that the hours/timings are split for postal workers.  

The post office is open from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, closed for lunch and an afternoon nap, and then reopens at 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.  Strangest thing…

Take Your Ticket and Wait...  

We finally arrive at the post office and find the counter for pickup.  We give the postal worker our notice to pick up boxes.  He looks at it, consults with other postal workers and asks us to wait.  So, we wait and wait and wait...  

Finally, they bring out a large push cart with about 12 boxes.  Now Bill and I are ready to push the cart outside and load the boxes into our SUV.  But, no, there is another form of bureaucracy for us to bear.  They inform us that they must open every single box in front of us and review the contents of each box.  What? 

So, Bill and I endured the opening of about a dozen boxes watching them sort through everything.  I had packed black bras, strapless bras, etc.  Imagine my embarrassment when they looked in that box! What to do? 

Empost (Post Office)

Post Office - Abu Dhabi

We had packed CDs, books, odds and ends.  They went through the CDs and books very carefully so as not to let anything objectionable into the United Arab Emirates.  Well, finally their search was over.  We were free to go.  

But first, we had to pay another tariff on the boxes.  Therefore, I paid to ship them from the United States and I paid another enormous fee to receive them into the UAE.  I should have known better because we paid to receive our boxes when we moved to Mexico the year before this experience.

The first Christmas holiday season in Abu Dhabi arrived.  I was so excited to buy gifts from the Middle East for our children, my sister-in-law, brother-in-law and our only granddaughter, (at that time) Colleen.  

Our 'Charlie Brown' Christmas Tree

I went to a small souk near the apartment and bargained for pashminas, small ornaments for Christmas trees, small Oriental rug coasters, silver cylinders which were ornately carved and were originally used as letter carriers years ago when camels were the mode of transportation, silk scarves, post cards, and small wooden camels. 

Souq in Sharjah

Excited about my gifts, I eagerly wrapped and boxed all of the special gifts I had so carefully chosen.  

I asked Bill to take me to the post office because I did not have a driver’s license and he had to drive me everywhere.  My boxes were filled with wrapped gifts, taped closed, addressed, and ready to mail.   

But the post office personnel had other ideas about my shipment.  They had to open each box and inspect every single item in it.  I really felt that my privacy was being invaded, but I kept my mouth shut.  This is not my country or culture.  These are not my customs.  I’m a visitor here.  I’m an expatriate and an American. 

After they looked at everything, I was told in broken English, signaled and motioned to go to another section of the post office where yet another postal worker would re-tape my boxes. 

The story gets better…  Here is the most interesting part.  Not only did they tape my boxes again, but they measured sturdy, white material to fit around each box.  

Abu Dhabi Post Office

Lobby - Post Office

Then, they wrapped each individual box with the white cloth and hand stitched it closed as I watched in disbelief!  Can you imagine as I watched this process?  It was the strangest experience I’ve ever had.  

Next, they handed me a big black felt marker and indicated that I was to write the name and address on the pristine white material.  How bizarre… 

The postage was exorbitant!  I sent Bill to the post office with another box the following week and he paid nearly $60 (US Dollars) to send the box!  I don’t know how it was shipped, but it should have been air freight and fast.  I made certain that I went to the post office after that and mailed them as cheaply and slowly as possible.  But, they were still fairly expensive. 

Gold Souk - Dubai

Textile Souk - Dubai

I must say that my sister-in-law, Joanne, was quite intrigued when she and her husband, John, received the Christmas package from us.  They didn’t quite know what to think about the white cloth covered box.  

Interesting packaging and not quite like the speed and efficiency of the US Postal Service.  It took a couple of weeks for the boxes to be delivered. 

That’s when I made the decision to send a card and a check for future Christmas presents!  Merry Christmas from the Middle East!!!

From Mexico to the Middle East

    

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico 2004

From Mexico to the Middle East!  

Bill and I lived in San Miguel in 2004 for six months before moving to Abu Dhabi for Bill's career.

My blog is usually about my life in the Middle East, but this was part of the journey.   

These are my observations and reflections of San Miguel which is located in the central highlands of Mexico about eight hours from either coast.  No ocean, no sand, no beach.  Just a beautiful, historic, restored colonial Mexican town which is on the UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

La Parroquia

Cobblestone streets - Tough on the shocks of your car and your feet.

Our apartment was located in Los Balcones up a very steep cobblestone street from the Mercado.  Spacious apartment, beautiful gardens, gated compound and rooftop terrace.

Beautiful Garden at our Apartment

Our Apartment - Upper Left

Our Private Balcony

Bill in front of Fireplace

Rooftop dogs
Big dogs, small dogs, barking dogs, growling dogs.  All living on the top of homes to protect the building and family.  Some of these dogs NEVER, EVER leave that roof.

Rooftop Dog

Growling, Barking Rooftop Dog

Unhappy Rooftop Dog

Bull Fight

What a spectacle in the historic bull ring of Plaza de Toros Oriente close to the Centro on Feb. 14.  There was a big parade in the streets of San Miguel before the bullfight with horses, burros, clowns, Mexican bands and dancers. This was our very first bull fight.  

We drank Tequilla Shots with limes, Margaritas with salt and Cervezas at the Bull Fight. Fellow spectators shared their leather Bodas filled with wine or tequilla which we held high above our mouths squeezing the boda to take a drink!

Bullfight Poster - Feb. 2004

Family, fun and fiestas.

Fiesta and Balloons

Fiesta!

Church bells ringing several times daily.

Birds singing outside and inside.  Everyone has several birdcages and many birds.  You hear birds singing everywhere - in restaurants, shops, homes...  Also, lots of tiny humming birds flying around all of the plants.

Beautiful Birdcages with Singing Birds

Canaries & Parakeets

The Mercado (Market) in San Miguel

Walk, walk, walk everywhere.

See the Old Gas Pump?  Yikes!

Driving a car
I don't recommend it.  Streets are very narrow, often rutted and so very bumpy making it difficult to navigate anything larger than a VW Bug or a bright yellow Ford Focus (our car).  You must often pull over to the side to let a car or a truck go by.  Then you take your turn driving up or down the street.  Corners are also tricky with high curbs.

Someone Has a Parking Place!

Parking in San Miguel
Can't, so don't bother.  There are only about 15 parking spaces here and they're usually taken!  Also, the police will remove your license plate if you are parked illegally or parked too long in one area.  Now try to speak that Spanish you learned, pay your fine and recover your license plate.

Parking in San Miguel does remind me of one of my favorite jokes. 

     Question:  Why are men like parking spaces?  

     Answer:    The good ones are always taken & the rest are too small. 

Senora Slicing Fresh Fruit to Eat

Two Little Girls with their Mom

Mexican women wear lovely shawls, they keep their children close by, they walk to the market, and sweep their floors and sidewalks daily.

Mexican women do not carry their babies in carriers. They hold them or wrap them in blankets and tie the baby to their body. 

Santorini Water Truck
Huge bottles of purified water delivered by their truck and delivery men.  They ring your bell, you buzz them in. You tell them how many bottles of water you need.  

They bring in these giant bottles of water and take your empty bottles.  We pump the water out of the very large bottle because there is no spiget in the bottle. 

Toilet paper in trash cans -  never in the toilet (at least not where we lived).

Pinatas and parties.

Street decorations tied to the houses above the streets. 

Decorations in Town

Road Construction - Axes, picks, shovels and wheelbarrows.
All street deconstruction, construction and house construction is literally done by hand.

Road Construction - Done by Hand

Shops open at approximately 10 am.  Closed from 2-4 pm for lunch and siesta.  They re-open at 4 pm and close at 8 pm.

Store down the street from apartment

Clothing, etc. 

Tablecloths& Napkins

Car wash - Inside and outside for 30$ pesos (less than $3 US).

Pharmacies and prescription drugs are available for the asking. No Rx necessary. Need some Lipitor?  Just ask.  Vioxx?  OK. 

However, there is a lady pharmacist in town whose name is Cielo, also known as the 'Black Widow'.  

Perhaps you don't want to go to her store for medication or advice.  Seems as though she lost her last 5 husbands who were all terribly RICH.  They all died, unexpectedly.  

And gosh, they all died of unexplained causes.  And there were no autopsies performed.  Hmmmm...

Dr. Baldridge - what do you make of this? 

Pozos - Old mining ghost town nearby.

Pozos

No dishwasher - Boiled water to wash the dishes by hand and let them 'air dry'.

'Happy Hour' at most restaurants during the day and evening.  It's 'Happy Hour' somewhere every hour in San Miguel.

Happy Hour Anyone?

Can I Get a Wine Spritzer?

Check the Front Door!

Teenagers - Girls holding hands as they walk together.  Best friends.

No loud teens or children.  No attitudes either. 

Smiling, warm people; very polite, gentle and caring locals.

Everyone buys flowers at the market, especially for festivals and Mother's Day.  Mexicans buy flowers nearly everyday.

Old women walking up the cobblestone streets each morning and then returning home with two buckets of water. Not all casas have running water. Tough way to get your exercise. Not everyone goes to ‘Curves’. 

Street vendors making carnitas and other Mexican food.  Smells great.

The Store down our Street

Old women sitting in the shade of doorsteps scraping huge thorns from cactus with a knife.  They sell them to eat and put in salads.

Jardin - The Garden or Town Square in the center of town.  Old and young alike sit and visit with one another on the park benches or eat their ice cream.

The Jardin in Center of Town

Bellas Artes - Very old art and language school in a former convent.

Instituto Allende - Another old language and art school from 1950 in a large old hacienda.

Instituto Allende (El Instituto)

View of La Parroquia from El Instituto 

La Parroquia and Jardin in Town Center

La Palapa

The thatched roof covering and shaded outdoor living areas in warm climates, especially at the beach.  This particular "La Palapa" is a yellow tent covering an outdoor hamburger joint that caters to Americans. 

Bill - Lunch at La Palapa

Burgers, fish tacos and chili dogs are grilled on a gas grill outdoors,  just like you would do on your patio.  Feels like you're at a backyard barbecue.  Great food, conversation, beer and people.

Milk Trucks

A faded, dented pickup truck full of old fashioned metal milk cans drives down the cobblestone streets on its daily route honking a very, very unusual horn to signal the women that the milk truck is outside. 

The women bring out pans and buckets to have milk ladled in them by the young man riding in the back of the truck.  They pay the driver.  He's the 'money man'.  Then, the milk truck moves on down the street another half block to deliver more milk.  And so it goes daily.

Beautiful Doors and Door Knockers

LP Gas Trucks

You telephone for gas and out they come to deliver a new gas tank.  Once again you have hot water for showers and gas for your stove to cook with (well, not me). 

Stoves and Ovens - They don't have electronic ignitors.  No sir, you light the 'ole match, turn the gas on and stick your hand in to light the burner!  Doesn't always work, then the kitchen smells of gas. 

You wait a while so you don't blow the place up, then try it again.  If successful, you're "cooking with gas".  I've never even turned my oven on (only because my landlady cautioned me against it - so now I can't cook, not that I want to!)  How disappointing for me not to be able to use the oven!!!  However, I do use the stove top for toasted cheese sandwiches and to boil water.  OK? 

The Parroquia - Festival Time

Rules of the Road

Well, there really aren't any! 

Mexican drivers make their own rules up as they go. 

Stop Signs - Merely suggestions!

    

Passing Zones

It's always a Passing Zone.  There is no such thing as a 'No Passing Zone'.  And, nothing so challenging as the Passing Zone Etiquette in Mexico.   'Virtual' lines in the middle of the road, so you just take your chances and pass when you feel like it. 

CURVE in the road?  No problem, you can pass! 

HILL?  No problem - several cars and trucks pass!

A CURVE AND A HILL?  Great, even better!  Everyone passes

on a curve and a hill. 

Actually any vehicle that is driving really slow, belching stinky smoke or carrying more than a dozen Mexicans in the back of the pickup with three dogs MUST be passed.  Now, that's a 'Rule of the Road'.  

Speed Limits

You guessed it, occasionally posted, but rarely followed or enforced.  

Speed Bumps

Everywhere and such creativity!  There is a great variety of them in Mexico. 

Bugs

Very few real bugs (maybe a Scorpion or two).  But lots of VW bugs of all colors, with or without windows, doors, and in various stages of rust. 

View of the Parroquia

Sunset over the Parroquia highlighting the pink and mauve tones of the marble.  Just breathtaking!

Clotheslines on rooftops

There is always a family of baby clothes, school uniforms and adult clothes dancing in the breeze and hanging out in the sunshine to dry.

Ice Cubes

I don't need 'no stinkin' ice maker.  No sir!  I make them the old fashioned way - by hand!  My kids will love this because 'ice cube making' was one of their daily chores when they were growing up.  Well, it's come full circle. 

I pop ice cubes from the trays, put them in a bowl in the freezer and refill the trays with purified water (not typhoid tap water).  Then, WAIT for the water to freeze.  It's all terribly sophisticated.  Actually, we became so frustrated with this method that we now buy bags of ice at the grocery store!  Come on, it's 2004!  What did you expect? 

No washing machine or dryer

I hand wash special garments and hang them on the rooftop clothesline.  But I take our clothes to the laundry once a week.  No English is spoken, so in my fluent Spanish tongue, I give them my name and they say 'Manana'.  That's pretty much it.  They wash/dry/fold them and I pick them up manana.

Barbecue Bob's

Great pulled pork sandwiches, excellent fruits and vegetables, and even some delicious sorbet.  Barbecue Bob is a real person.  He is a really nice guy, retired and living the Dream~

Leather Bob's

Wonderful leather shop.  Actually, his name is Ernesto, but he doesn't mind if I call him Bob (we call everyone Bob here).  He makes fabulous belts, purses, wallets, wall coverings and floor coverings.  Very talented artist.

Trash Pick-Up

Not your typical truck with mechanical doors and compacting features.  No... First, you hear a loud ringing or clanging of what sounds like a really big triangle.  Actually it’s only a large rectangular piece of metal and a big metal rod hitting it. 

However, what is really cool, if you are lucky enough to be on the street when you hear the triangle sound, you'll see a man running ahead of the garbage truck banging the metal pieces together which lets everyone know the garbage truck is coming.  Then people bring their bags and cans of trash out to the truck to be taken and/or dumped. 

There is a man standing way up high in the back of the truck.  He reaches down to get the trash bags and plastic cans, he empties them and hands them back.  So, you just don't leave trash cans or bags of trash out on the street on the day of pickup. 

This is really a "Participant Activity".  Everyone participates.  No Spectators.  The least desirable job is definitely the man in the bed of the truck with all of the garbage. 

Best job:  Driver. 

Next best job:  Running in front of the truck with the triangle.  He is away from the odor.  I think that my music background and degree qualifies me for the running and clanging position.  I could get my exercise and get paid for it!

Lovely cafe and garden

Brushing your Teeth

Rule Number 1:  DO NOT USE TAP WATER to brush or rinse!!!   I learned the hard way.   This may have been my introduction to Amoeba's 'R' Us!

Actually, I contracted both Typhoid and a tough, long living amoeba at the same time.  I think I got these bugs from a local restaurant.  My photography class went to lunch at the local Carnita Restaurant.  Guess I had no resistance built up to the bugs.

The local Carnita Restaurant

I initially thought I had the worst case of food poisoning ever! But, after three days and nights laying on the floor outside my bathroom, we decided to call Dr. Sylvia, our lady doctor, in San Miguel. 

Guess what?  Our doctor made a House Call!  Yes, she did.  Then, Dr. Sylvia called the laboratory and one of the lab techs made the 2^nd house call collecting specimens.  I won’t go into the details…

After the diagnosis was made that very afternoon, the Pharmacy delivered my prescriptions making the 3rd house call.  It took weeks to really be normal again.  I think you can take pills to prevent this sort of thing!  Next time… 

Shiny, black, slick hair on the young girls and women.

Tight jeans and tops on all teen girls.

School uniforms - Plaid skirts, white shirts, sweaters, white knee socks.  

Pure white clothes - lots of bleach used here. 

Mangos, Avocados, Papayas, Oranges, tiny Bananas, big Bananas, Cantaloupes, Peppers.  So many colors, shapes and sizes to select from. 

Great Selection of Fruits & Veggies

Helado - Ice Cream!!!

Hielo - Ice Cubes!!!

Ice Cream Shop across from the Jardin

Tortillas being delivered on Mopeds.

Dominos Pizza being delivered on Mopeds.

Siestas - Nap Attacks!  Love that one. 

Rooftop Terraces

Fabulous space on the top of every building (most homes are 2 or 3 stories high).  Potted plants and trees, flowers, tables, chairs, palapas, chaise lounges, bars, fireplaces.  The space is always utilized and beautiful.  

Some are very private and some are not as private.  Usually with spectacular views!  We have a view of the entire city, the Parroquia and the mountains!  Wow!

I also had a view that I wasn’t expecting on my rooftop terrace!  I had a neighbor, an attorney who had retired from his law practice in Chicago, who enjoyed sitting at a table or in a lounge chair on the terrace to get his suntan.  

He very much enjoyed doing this in the nude!  So, every time I went up on the terrace I averted my eyes and tried to avoid any conversation with him!  Order in the Court!!! 

Disinfecting and scrubbing all fruits and veggies.

Buying roasted chicken.

The Meat Truck

Fireworks for every fiesta, no matter how small or large.  We could see the fireworks going off around the Parroquia from every room in our apartment, even while sitting and reading in bed.  Now that's a "front row seat". 

No pacifiers for babies and very few bottles.

No cigarette smoking.  Very few people smoke here.

Moms or Dads always walk their children to and from school. Richard Simmons would be so happy here!

Loud music for fiestas and parades.  I've never seen such enormous speakers in the back of pickup trucks.

Love It or List It!

Flowers Everywhere

Roosters crowing all over the city from rooftops to the backyards no matter what part of the city you are in.

Markets for fruits and veggies, markets for cheese, markets for panareria/bread, meat markets, candy stores, very similar to Europe.  Not many grocery stores carry all food items. 

No babysitters. Children go everywhere with parents and grandparents.

Mexicans don't have cars unless they are quite wealthy.

Artists Painting the old Catholic Church

Paging Dr. Baldridge:  Mexicans are not overweight, certainly not one obese person that I've seen.  They walk everywhere, up and down the streets, to the market, to school with their children, to work, etc.  There just aren't very many heavy people. 

Don't know about the prevalence of heart disease, high cholesterol or diabetes, but people seem healthy.  However, they love their dulces (sweets), tortillas and "real" soda - Orange Crush, Grape Soda, Coca Cola.  The Americans are the only ones who drink "Pepsi Light" or "Coke Light" and you know how 'thin' we are!!!  Any thoughts?

Coca Cola

And more soda...

Catholic mass every Sunday and many attend daily.

Everyone makes the sign of the cross each time they pass in front of the church doors.  I'm finding that now I'm making the sign of the cross and I'm not even Catholic.  When in Rome...

Bill in front of a small Catholic Church

Well, these are my reflections and observations of life in San Miguel.  I hope you enjoy reading about them as much as I've enjoyed experiencing them. 

Adios!