The Dubai Date

Its been a while since i mentioned this so here goes:

I had no intention of hanging out socially with anyone in Dubai other than my 2 friends but i had loads of plans to ogle the men. What can i say? I appreciate God's work.

While walking downtown, i passed this fabulous shop that had the sexiest bags in the window. Of course i did a turnaround and headed into the store to see which of those works of art was going back home with me. The shop was very classily done and also sold hard to find perfumes. While browsing, someone asked if i needed help and i turned around and there he was. This man was about 6"3 and looked like a Bollywood star. Dressed very impeccably. Wow. I thought to myself. See fine man. So i smiled and said i was just looking.

I picked 3 bags and walked to the counter. He was behind the counter addressing some of the people that worked there and they were attempting to display some creams. He asked if i was interested in checking out one of the creams. Turned out to be an aloe vera cream with some oils and stuff packaged ina very fancy tub thingy. So i began to ask questions about it, what it was for and asked to smell it. I decided to take one and then he asked me if where i was from as i spoke very "polished english". I laughed and said Nigeria.

He then said he hadnt been to Nigeria but he spent half of his life in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Of course that piqued by interest so i began to chat with him. Then he told me he spent the other part of his life in Spain and that he had just moved to Dubai about a year before. So i practiced some of my rusty spanish with him which made him smile some. He told me the store was his and that the aloe vera creams were his exclusive imports from Spain and that he sourced his products from Europe and was in the process of finishing his factory that would manufacture bags in India for the Dubai market. Wow i said. As he wrapped my stuff and brought out perfume testers for me to try, i noticed a little hindi altar in the corner of his store. So i asked which of the members of his staff was hindi. He looked taken aback and asked me how i knew the altar was hindi. I laughed and told him about my love for India and all things Indian and that i was planning a trip there next year. He told me was actually from India - Mumbai precisely.

Now, people that know me know i was indian in my former life and that i am nuts about anything indian. My parents have given up on me and just let me be when i start my madness.

Anyway, we talked about India and how long he had been away from home. Talked about the hotspots in India, talked Bollywood for a bit. That's when i said my love for india was so intense that i would actually be searching for a handsome indian man during my trip there to marry and settle down to live in Goa. He looked shocked that i wasnt married. Asked me why and i said i was looking for a man to sing and cry for me like in the bollywood movies.

Okay, so i was shamelessly flirting. I was giggling and as i talked and flipping my braids all over the place. What can i say? I was on vacation. I realised that i had spent close to an hour chatting and my bags were still unwrapped. Then i remembered my manners plus the stares from other people in the store got me, so i said i had to leave. He asked what i was doing for the rest of the day. I said shopping and more shopping so he asked if we could keep talking over dinner. I stopped and stared. Thought about it for a bit and said yes. He asked where i was staying and said he would be at the hotel at 9. He then laughed and said he didnt even know my name. He liked the name and told me his name was Aamir. He took my cell number and i took his and off i skipped.

Of course all thoughts of shopping escaped my mind. I trotted down to the hotel as fast as i could go and called one of my friends to tell him about it and he laughed and told me to have fun. I am sure some of you are wondering why dinner was so late? Well in Dubai, activity begins at 8am and everything shuts down at 2pm - 3pm for a break. Since this was also ramadan period, activity kicks off again after fast is broken at about 7pm and dubai is buzzing till 2am - 3am.

I dressed very simply. Launched one of new jewelled tunic things, (Everything is Dubai has a bit of a bling or a lot so a simple top can look so dressed up) a pair of dark pants and some strappy sandals. Put my braids up and left the makeup to a minimum. Thought i looked pretty nice. At 9, the call came to my room that i had a guest in the lobby. Off i went.

He looked yummy. Obviously a man that takes care of himself. Dressed simply in a gray silk shirt, jeans and a blazer. Anyway, we stepped out and the valet guy brought his car around. I really tried to look cool but his car - something i have only heard off and seen in magazines and hip hop videos. I looked at him and said nice car. He smiled and said, my one indulgence. We got in and the seats of his car hugged my tushie and felt like butter. The difference between this car and my altima was sooo clear.

We talked in the car and laughed. Dinner was at a very nice restaurant called Veeda (sp?). We were shown to the patio which overlooked water. The view was beautiful. The famous El Burj hotel was to one side while another hotel (he said it was the Hyatt) was on the other side. Dinner was chef's choice. Which meant we had 7 courses of suprise dishes. All of them fusion dishes. East meets West stuff. I realised that this was one of the best dates ever. There were no sexual innuendos, no looks at my chest. He was really interested in me - where i was from, my work, my family, my beliefs...Me. He also wasnt guarded and shared information about himself and all. Talked about the fact that he wasnt interested in getting into a relationship at the moment since he was building his business. I told him he would have absolutely no trouble finding someone when he was ready. I told he was one of the best looking men i had ever seen and one fot he most interesting as well. He laughed and said it was rare to meet someone as outspoken as me and beautiful as well. I told him i kew i was beautiful but i wanted to be thinner and he said there was absolutely nothing wrong with me as long i oozed confidence....

Had to be the air or the food but i was almost a different person that night. Dinner ended at about 11.30 and he took be to Trilogy (apparently one of the hottest places in Dubai - a bar/club). We stayed just a few minutes. Too loud and not my thing. He drove around showing me a few places of interest and took me back to my hotel. Said goodnight and asked to come round his store the next day. No awkward silence, no attempts to kiss me. Just a goodnight and i had fun.

The next day, i trotted to his store where i was greeted with a hug. He had a present for me. A couple of new hindi movies and 2 cds (indian of course). said he had them lying at home and since i was going back to Nigeria, i could have them as he could always replace them. Bought another bag which i got for a fraction of the price since i insisted on paying something. I said bye and that was it.

No promises. No waiting for the phone to ring. Just hanging out with a very interesting person that thought i was interesting as well. What a refreshing change.