Month: October 2010

Exploring Abu Dhabi – through Clicks and Writes – Al Wathba Camel Race Track

Posted on Updated on

Exploring Abu Dhabi – through Clicks and Writes – Al Wathba Camel Race Track

Al Wathba is one of the most prominent racetracks in UAE  and hosts a camel festival along with camel racing.  
Camel Racing is an integral part of Sports in UAE and it also reflects the unique culture of it’s citizen.
The sport attracts everyone from members of the royal family to local and foreign visitors.
Prominent races are held during the winter season on Thursdays and Friday mornings, at specially designed racetracks. The winner of the race is given huge amount of money therefore camel racing in Abu Dhabi is incredibly competitive and exciting.
Al Wathba is one of the most prominent racetracks in UAE  and hosts a camel festival along with camel racing.  
It is situated on the Abu Dhabi Al-Ain highway.
Location : Al Wathba Camel Racetrack – 24.237020N , 54.653290E

This entry was posted in Abu Dhabi - Must Visit Tourist Spots, Abu Dhabi - Sporting options, Clicks and writes, Exploring Abu Dhabi, Photo Speaks.

Thikkarthika Maholsavam at Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple – 21st November 2010

Posted on Updated on

Thikkarthika Maholsavam at Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple – 21st November 2010

To know more about the temple, please visit Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple

This entry was posted in Events - Mahanavami Maholsavam at Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, Events - Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, Events Covered and Reviews.

My letters – GULF NEWS – Dt. 26.10.2010 – Give them attention

Posted on Updated on

My letters – GULF NEWS – Dt. 26.10.2010 – Give them attention

Give them attention

I refer to the news of Indian football team’s visit to train in Dubai (“India team to train in Dubai for a month”, Gulf News, October 20). It is an opportunity to promote the game by regional associations and interested corporate bodies, who could think outside cricket as the only commercially viable marketing option. This visit should therefore be utilised to give necessary support and encouragement to the Indian football team during the time they are in the UAE. This will be inspiring for them, for the game and for all non-cricket playing athletes. Let us hope that it will gain bigger momentum in India and benefit all track and field sports personnel who deserve more attention and pampering.

From Mr Ramesh Menon
Abu Dhabi

To read it in original, please visit GULF NEWS online.

This entry was posted in Campaign Pass, Gulf News, Letters to the editor, Opinion 2010, Sports +, Sports Reviews.

Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 30.10.2010 – At the hospital

Posted on Updated on

At the hospital

As a regular visitor to the Oncology Department at a prominent hospital, I get to see several patients and interact with them. Some of them old, but they are striving their best to hold on to the pain and agony of this dreadful disease.
While waiting for my turn today, there was an old man, unlike others, and he was curious to see me fiddling with my phone and answering messages promptly as they come in without disturbing the others.
After some time, we sat close to each other, and I started casually conversing with him. He was a retired agricultural engineer from Iraq and now living with his son who is employed here.
Talking to me about his disease, he said it is nothing compared to the days he had seen and lived during the last couple of years. I, too, had memories of the country passed on to me by a friend who was working there in the 80s. He rekindled it with the fertile soil and the life around before it all turned bloody and continued thereafter. Even after several years and several hands at the regime, the lost glory has not been restored yet, nor is there any sign of serious effort towards it in sight.
While talking, we found an infant on his father’s lap, crying continuously. Hardly more than 2 or 3 months old, he was also there for treatment. Looking at the eyes of his father, we knew the state of affairs, and we all looked at each other in silence and our conversation discontinued as the baby’s cry overtook our emotional quest to share personal experiences.
Driving down, I was stuck on the road – again another accident – a death, due to the crazy driving of a driver. His car also was in a wreck and was struggling to come out of it in pain and blood while the other vehicle was a total loss.
As we drove ahead, I was thinking of the guy who caused the accident and his life ahead and comparing with those at the oncology ward. It is a difficult world especially when we create our own cancerous environment due to arrogance and attitude.
Ramesh Menon

This entry was posted in Gulf Today, Letters to the editor, Opinion 2010, Short Take.

Exploring Abu Dhabi – through Clicks and Writes – Pedestrian Overbridges

Posted on Updated on

Exploring Abu Dhabi – through Clicks and Writes – Pedestrian Overbridges

Abu Dhabi has now several pedestrian bridges, make life easier for road users to cross across the busy streets. Wish more people use them and make the road safer for drivers and pedestrians.

Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
Post 8 29.10.2010

This entry was posted in Abu Dhabi - Miscellaneous, Clicks and writes, Exploring Abu Dhabi, Photo Speaks.

Mind Speaks – South Africa sweep Pakistan 2-0 in the Cool-Cool T20 series at Abu Dhabi

Posted on Updated on

Mind Speaks – South Africa sweep Pakistan 2-0 in the Cool-Cool T20 series

The two match Cool-Cool T-20 series between Pakistan and South Africa finished yesterday with South African side winning on a 2-0 margin.
Before the match, cricket lovers from all over had the expectation that Pakistan, with it’s fondness for the UAE grounds will give a tough fight. However, against all expectations, and with some un-imaginative batting and bowling display they proved otherwise. In the first match it was the captain Shahid Afridi with the bat whereas in the second it was Misbah-ul-Haq. Both the batsman, played shots which should be termed as turning point towards defeats. The remaining batsman in the team did not raise their individual game to the expectation. South African’s on the other hand displayed a disciplined effort with bat and ball. J Theron, R Theron and LL Tsotsobe  were excellent with their bowling and JP Duminy and CA Ingram played well on both the occasions. Bosman was not upto the mark but overall the team fielding was excellent that at times it was like Pakistan was playing against 18 players on field.
Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi is one of the most beautiful green ground currently available for international matches. Although the grass is thick, the outfield is short and fast. During this time of the year, there is a certain element of humidity and due factor making batting second difficult with the extra excellent lightings. There is also fair amount of air movement making accurate bowling and hitting high difficult. It is here that the batsman and bowlers have to show patience and skill and on both occasion South African players showed there superiority in adjusting better than the Pakistan team players who are more used to this condition than any others.
We hope they learn fast from the mistakes and adapt fast in the long version starting tomorrow or otherwise, the series will be of no interest by the time it moves to Dubai for the remaining matches. It looks like Afridi and company have to really aim for the stars to stay alive in the series in UAE.
Ramesh Menon
28.10.2010

photo courtesy: www.cricinfo.com

This entry was posted in Events Covered and Reviews, Sports +, Sports Reviews.

Campaign – "Madinati" – matters to me

Posted on Updated on

Campaign – “Madinati” – matters to me

Participate with interest. Please call 800 90 90 if you find any anomalies. Or log on to http://www.rta.ae/ . You may write to them ask@rta.ae .
Please circulate amongst your friends and contacts

This entry was posted in TQM, UAE.

Campaign – Our City, Our Responsibility

Posted on Updated on

Participate with interest. Please call 800 22220 if you find any anomalies. Or log on to http://www.adm.gov.ae/ and report them.

Please circulate amongst your friends and contacts.

This entry was posted in TQM, UAE.

Photo and Mind Speaks – Divine colors

Posted on Updated on

Photo and Mind Speaks – Divine colors

A simple but beautiful kalam (or religious platform) prepared using rice powder, turmeric, kumkum, and powdered leaves. This is normally done before keralites hindu priests when they do pooja at home, where idols are not used. They prepare this platform and do sankalpam (meditate upon) the god or godess and perform the pooja.

What is amazing is the efficiency with which the priest(s) draw these? It leads us immediately to the simple management principles of concentration, focus and goal.

In one way or other, we do pray and conduct all these rituals for achieving one or all of the above.

This entry was posted in Mind Speaks, Photo Speaks.

Exploring Abu Dhabi – through Clicks and Writes – Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium

Posted on Updated on

Exploring Abu Dhabi – through Clicks and Writes – Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium

The Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi built at a cost $22 million is one of the world’s finest cricket grounds. Opened in May 2004 and staged its first first-class match when Scotland played Kenya in the Intercontinental Cup during November 2004.
The ground is dominated by two large stands at either end, with the areas square of the wicket offering large grass banking for spectators to sit, although during the daylight hours that might be less than appealing as there is no shade. There is no pavilion as such, with the large changing rooms under one of the stands, and teams watch from inside air-conditioned glass rooms.
Regular club and international matches are played here.

Ramesh Menon
Post 7  Dt.  27.10.2010

This entry was posted in Abu Dhabi - Sporting options, Clicks and writes, Exploring Abu Dhabi.