Chocolate bunnies ... really?

A few quick hits before the action begins in a few hours:

-- I walked into a department store and was stunned to find a huge display of Easter items for sale--chocolate bunnies, baskets, and plastic eggs with goodies in them. Talk about doing a double take.

This is one of the last places on Earth I thought people would celebrate Easter. I'm assuming they just go through the ritual and do not really honor the meaning of the holiday. I may have to do some more research into this one. I did not see any chocolate camels.

-- In the states, millions of consumers guzzle soft drinks like water. Although people do drink soda in this part of the world, fresh fruit juices seem to be the drink of choice for most.

We sat at an outdoor cafe on Friday night and were amazed at the number of fresh fruit juices that were offered on the menu, more than 20 in all though some were combinations of one or more flavors.

Everything from the usual like apple, grape, orange, and tomato to less common ones such as pineapple, mango, pomegranate, guava, watermelon, cherry, and a coconut-flavored concoction that was listed with the juices.

The group of four us each chose a different one. We had pomegranate, watermelon, pineapple-mango, and lemon-mint juices at the table and all were outstanding and very refreshing, served in tall glasses with a straw. My only complaint is that they could have been a bit more chilled but, over here, room temperature is the norm for drinks unless otherwise requested.

--We also smoked shisha (tobacco soaked in flavored molasses) at the cafe and I have a new favorite flavor. I will not leave Dubai until I find some to bring home.

My previous favorite was chocolate mint, which has an aftertaste like a Girl Scout Thin Mint cookie. Really smooth and really good, though not quite as good as snarfing a box of Thin Mints in one sitting.

Last night, we had watermelon-flavored shisha and it mind-boggling how it was really sweet, but not too sweet; strong, but not overwhelming or harsh. It had a relaxing quality that you dont get from many flavors of shisha and you coudl still taste it in your mouth several minutes after inhaling.

For those of you who partake and have never tried watermelon, I give it two enthusiastic thumbs up.

--Another interesting tidbit about this part of the world is that every bathroom has a bidet. We've even run into a few places where there would be a water hose next to the toilet, a bidet--and no toilet paper. That would be VERY hard to get used to.

T-minus five hours to post time for the Purebred Arabian race. The excitement is building as the public should be pouring into Meydan soon.