Second thoughts on Dubai

I finally understood what is First World Hotel (Country, shopping interchangable), Third World Service. When JC first told me about Venetian in Macau....inside myself...I wondered about the level of her tolerance...probably just JC being JC...wahhahahaha...

Well...stepping back into Dubai the second time round...i finally understood how she felt. My first brush was lunch on the first day

Had super big craving for Tabouli / Shwerma (Parsley Salad / Chicken wrapped in Lebanese bread)...so I went to order the items at the food court. I was asked to come back 10 mins later to collect the food.

10 mins later

Big commotion at the Lebanese stall...there is no sense of queue in Middle East..a bit like India/China?

Then i finally got up to the front 10 mins later and asked for my orders. A BLANK look was on the cashier's face..mind you this guy was in shirt and tie and in a food court taking orders. Machiam like part time job in food court during his work hours. He had no answers for me...can u believe it? Just passed my receipt to one of the 15 guys working inside the stall...

I stood there waiting while the chef was informed my salad was missing while the wraps were on the tray. Then the chef asked the person who was slicing the meat. Then the person slicing the meat asked the person who packed the wrap...this went on with all 15 people inside the stall...and i stood there looking at them waiting for "pls hold a moment mam, we are in the midst of preparing another portion"...nooooooooo......they just went on and on until my salad appeared mysteriously from outside the stall....this was lunch

Dinner

This was a super expensive restaurant where oysters (normal ones) went for US$8 per piece...so imagine the standards. I ordered Tuna and Steak. Steak was supposed to be medium and Tuna just seared on the outside. And I checked with server if he knew what seared was. He was yes mam...seared...!" My tuna came out cooked right through. And fillet was rubber like...disappointed

Next day dinner

Restaurant just finished buffet service. We had ala carte. Table was gross...no one cleaned it while we sat for 20 mins. Even after cleaning...still dirty...nevermind...we were already late...had to eat

Walking in the mall

Needed a hot chocolate to wake me up. So i went to one of the 20 coffee joints in Mall of the Emirates.

Me: "skinny hot chocolate pls"

Cashier: "yes mam, skinny hot chocalate!" he helled to the barista "please wait for your drink at the next counter mam"

while waiting. I was looking deliciously at my hot chocolate being lovingly prepared. then i realised the barista (if they qualify) used the same milk for my drink as the previous coffee. When my drink came

Me: "Is this my skinny hot choc?"

Barista: Turning around and looking at the milk "Mam, i used full cream milk"

Me: stunned for 2 secs....with the crow going above my head "I only take skinny pls"

Barista: Look of "shits i did it again or rather I need to do it again" turned around and made me another drink...

Verdict: Drink was horrible.

You see, the reason why I miss singapore is because of its efficiency. I had 4 days of misery there...before each meal i had to be pissed off ever so little...how to enjoy?