supersize me

eine der eigentümlichkeiten der hiesigen gastronomie ist, dass es gehobene, internationale, teure küche in ebenso teuren hotels gibt, kleine, nichtvertrauenswürdige kaschemmen im dritten hinterhof rechts und ca eine millionen fast food restaurants. wir erinnern uns: wüstenprinz wohnt im "pizza hut-building".

was es nicht gibt, ist das einfache aber gute restaurant, die suppenküche, den leckeren sandwichstore, der ökoimbiss oder meinetwegen auch pret-a-manger. eine ganze gastro-kategorie ist hier schlicht unvorhanden. ergebnis: ich habe eindeutig, positively, unzweifelhaft in den letzten drei monaten mehr junkfood in mich reingestopft als in meinem gesamten leben vorher.

in meiner studentenzeit ernährte ich mich regelmäßig zum monatsende von döner – schließlich schloss die monatliche apanage nicht das zigarettengeld ein, welches aber zum damaligen zeitpunkt auf der prinzlichen must-liste stand. monate- ja jahrelang also regelmäßig döner. bis ich einmal wieder einen döner erstand, hineinbiss, würgte, alles auskotzte und seit dem nie wieder einen dönerladen auch nur betreten habe.

es ist nur noch eine frage von wochen, bis mir das gleiche mit kfcburgerkingdunkindonutsmcdonaldspizzahut widerfährt. ich führe schon mal wohlweislich spucktüten im handgepäck mit.



(dear english-speaking readers, sorry to have to write this in german. but i hope you understand: writing about fast food i felt so, well, german.)

running idle

still waiting, which is just a tad depressing. six are already out there, two more to go. and no clear feedback so far. is this just the arab way? i've been warned before that you'll repeatedly experience phases where nothing seems to move. or are we, with our very sophisticated offer of strategy-based branding, offering something that simply isn't needed in this market?

and while i'm idly waiting, i'm singing in a reversion of a frank sinatra song: "if i can't make it here, i can't make it anywhere..."

i'm waiting, waiting, waiting...

my sole colleague here in the desert has fallen of the face of the planet for the last days. all the requests for proposal have been answered to. my colleagues in berlin are busy attending to their clients. and i am waiting, waiting, waiting. waiting for prospects to become clients. nothing left to do except waiting. and hoping.

Fata Morgana

Wikipedia describes a Fata Morgana as " a mirage, an optical phenomenon which results from a temperature inversion. Objects on the horizon, such as islands, cliffs, ships or icebergs, appear elongated and elevated, like "fairy tale castles"."

Well, I found a Fata Morgana. It was blazing hot outside (38°C, and it's only April), and we were traveling through the desert: picture sand dunes, gravel, the occasional burst tire next to the deserted street, all the way straight to the horizon. The A/C running at full blast, all but drowning out the music from the radio. And blue sky. Then a turn off, and suddenly: a fairy tale castle.

That castle was special: unlike a mirage, the castle didn't disappear when approaching. It was tangible, provided shelter from the sun, offered cooling pools, fresh and delectable foods and exquisite wines. And it also had a name: Bab Al Shams.