A Life Far Removed from Durian Trees

= Kannot Fry Chicken lah Remember KFC's Ramadan special offer? S went there two days in a row and came back with nada. The first day, he got there too late in the afternoon - they were closed. The second time, he went a bit earlier and they were open...but they couldn't cook until the electricity came back on. After waiting in the parking lot for 30 mins, S came home. Nevermind. Back in Malaysia in 10 days.

Bored with our own cooking, S and I went out for iftar twice a couple of times last week. Once at the Sheba Hotel and once at the Movenpick. Same price ($30 pp)but I thought the food and atmosphere of the Movenpick were better. Both places had the cheek to charge extra (500 rials/$2.50 each) for the small bottles of water that they open for you without asking first! Otherwise, it was nice. At the Sheba, we saw our old friends (the waiters) who were there last year when we'd just arrived. We stayed two weeks before we moved into the house. One, whose name happens to be the same as my late grandfather's, even remembered what I liked and plonked a heap of omm ali (like bread and butter pudding) in front of me. Bless. The Movenpick was snazzy (5 star hotel I think) and had a bigger spread. I think one of the chefs is from Malaysia because there was kuih sugee (my favourite) and the nasi goreng tasted really asli and I'd heard about him. Today, we're having KFC. There's...

Today we get a new driver. After a year of putting up with the antics of M and thinking a replacement one might be even worse, we decided to call it quits. He has a good heart. But his last, last, last, last, last, last chance was used up a couple of days ago: after the usual morning wake-up call and saying he's on his way, he disappeared. The whole day. Phone switched off. No news. We thought, what if he had an accident rushing to work? Poor guy, hope he's okay. The next day (we'd made arrangements for a standby driver), he showed up at work. All smiles. No explanation, except that he was sick and there was no electricity so he couldn't charge his phone and call us. Unbelievable. He pulls these stunts; shows up late for work; drives erratically; uses the car for his errands and to shuttle family around; goes home (which is far) to sleep during the day using OUR petrol money; always rushes us because he's got plans; makes a sour face when he has to work the...

MURTABAK!!! Discovered along the famous shopping area - Jamal Street - last weekend during an evening walkabout. We bought eight! You can buy plain, with egg or with veggies. We didn't see any with minced meat but I'm told you can get it. WHY HASN'T ANYONE SAID YOU CAN GET MURTABAK IN YEMEN?!?! And not just during Ramadan!