Overseas Work

[eddiebob]

Thought I'd share a couple of things that happened to me overseas working. Not a lot of forum activity so what the heck.
Abu Dhabi desert (UAE) during the Ramadan. Muslims can not eat, drink, smoke, dip, or put anything in their bodies from dusk to dawn. Around dusk I was asked to come to the rig floor. I asked if there was a problem and they said no just please come. Temperature during the day was around 125F. Come to find out the caterers from base camp brought an enormous tray of fruits and liquids for the guys to hydrate after the long hot days. They said since I was a visitor there I had to eat something first before they could eat! I made it a habit after that to be sure I was present when the goodies showed up.

Downtown Dubai. I stuck my ATM card in a machine in front of a 50 story bank. Several men with the flowing head dresses on in line behind me. I did not know at the time but the machines there always said insufficient funds, kicked the card, and them spit the money out. I asked for $500 US (3500 Dirham) and it spit my card out. I thought dammit Diane, I'm half way around the world and you have f'ed my checking account up. I started walking down the street and all of a sudden a man comes running up to me and says "Sir, you forgot your money". The men would not touch the cash because it was not theirs! I had to walk back to the machine and get it. Think that would happen here?

Stavanger, Norway. Expensive as hell. $50 for a pizza and a pitcher of beer in 2001. And don't look at the Viking girls unless you have time to play!

Amsterdam, Netherlands. One of the coolest and most beautiful places in Europe. Legal weed and if you order a beer with breakfast it is no big deal.

Cheers, Ed

[Charleslee]

Yeah that 's a trip about the honesty in downtown Dubai! I work at a hotel in Times Square & they have these rip off electronic stores all over there, Arab ran or whatever. We always tell guests to go to Best Buy or someplace legitimate. I had a guest from Dubai come to me awhile back complaining that one of those rip off scumbag stores sold him a camera for a grand which should have cost $300. He fucked up by checking out the price on line after the purchase. He went back & complained to no avail. A cop told him it was a civil matter. I bring this up because this fellow told me in Dubai they would have taken the guy [salesperson] away. That'swhat we need here.
I was in Amsterdam in '79 on leave (Army) & went into a cafe w/ another GI & noticed these young guys smoking hash. There was a family @ the next table. We were blown away. Didn't know it was legal. They invited us over to partake .& we didn't refuse.

[eddiebob]

Theft is virtually nonexistent in the Middle East. You don't have to see too many people with only one hand to understand the severity of punishment. No trial just lop the hand off. Ed B

[ilovekittens]

Theft is virtually nonexistent in the Middle East. You don't have to see too many people with only one hand to understand the severity of punishment. No trial just lop the hand off. Ed B

I use to think that method was justified, but after watching a video of this guy getting his fingers chopped off with an axe on liveleak for supposedly trying to steal a motorcycle . I discovered I have a softer side. Why I even click on crap like this, I will never know. ILK

[eddiebob]

By crap like this I hope you mean the video and not my post! Ed B

[ilovekittens]

Of course I'm talking about the video. ILK

[Charleslee]

Eddie: No one would EVER call your posts "crap!" Well, not all of them. LOL

[eddiebob]

Easy, killer!

[Snapper]

Of course I'm talking about the video. ILK

Come on, link to video please.

[ilovekittens]

Come on, link to video please.

Alright, you've been warned the image will be permanently burned in your brain. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=4c5_1382115025 ILK