Gingerbread and carolers come to Abu Dhabi's hotels, Sarah Wolff writes.
The hotel staff choir at the Abu Dhabi Intercontinental Hotel sing with trained precision: "Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling you hoo....you HOO!" No one seems to care a figgy pudding that there hasn't been snowfall in the United Arab Emirates since, well, ever. Christmas cheer will be had, no matter what. In the UAE, known to the rest of the world for its flashy glamour, it's not a surprise that Christmas is also done to the hilt, even though the majority of residents come from places that don't celebrate the holiday. Just walking up to the front door of the hotel, visitors are greeted with rows of red and white poinsettia lining the driveway, twinkling lights strewn about the hedges and at least three christmas trees decorated tastefully, if brightly, with red and gold balls. Even the revolving door, which features two glass window boxes, houses chic gray topiary trees with gold tinsel, just in case guests haven't yet realised it's Christmas.
Once inside, there is a huge and functional gingerbread house where guests can buy holiday treats from around the world, such as German pfefernussen - crumbly shortbreads covered in powdered sugar - and Italian pannetone - a giant brioche studded with candied fruits. The oven-baked house at the Intercon is an A-frame, perhaps a cheeky reference to the 1970s. But it's not the only gingerbread monument in town: the Sheraton corniche hotel in Abu Dhabi decided to let form follow function, building its edible edifice around its coffee shop counter, so that staffers serve cappuccinos and the like from gingerbread takeout windows.
But the main event at the Intercon is the choir's floor show of caroling, for which the singers have practiced nearly every day for about a month. The chorus has 22 members, nearly all of them Filipino and all from different parts of the hotel's staff. They swish into place wearing a blush-inducing combo of red satin sleeveless capes and Santa hats. Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone and Bass sections are all lined up into neat rows set up on the main steps of the lobby piano lounge. The choir sings Christmas ditties like Jingle Bell Rock - a song that has no religious significance but does somehow evoke boozy office Christmas parties - alongside church classics such O Come All Ye Faithful, as sunburned tourists from Europe stroll in and out, sometimes pausing for a minute or two.
There are also a few tables of Arab businessmen who are smoking and deal-making. They seem totally unbothered by the loud singing and proceed without any visible acknowledgement of the carolers. A European mum comes to sit right in the front with her two little boys, the smaller of which, a toddler, begins to howl along with the tunes. Every day at around six o'clock, after 30 minutes of cheerful singing, the choir goes back into a private room where they review their performance. "It's a time we can all get together and laugh at our mistakes," says Josie, an executive secretary who has been with the Abu Dhabi Intercontinental for 24 years. "It's fun actually." The choir keeps in reserve one song in Tagalog, Pasko Na Naman (It's Christmas Again), which they don't perform every afternoon but sing only when the spirit moves them.
Ivan "Magic" Mejica, the security supervisor at the hotel, conducts the choir and even sings a lovely solo on O Holy Night. A tenor who has been singing since high school, Mejica says he ended up conducting the choir only because everyone else was too timid to step up. "I used to sing in church too as a tenor," says Mejica, a former member of the Filipino military with a buzz cut hairdo and the requisite security-team accessory, a walkie-talkie, hanging inside his jacket. His favorite carol to sing, conduct and hear is Silent Night. "When I sing it, I feel the presence of the music," he says. "I love soft songs - when I hear them it's like a form of unwinding."
swolff@thenational.ae13:35:12
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Company%20profile
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Spain drain
CONVICTED
Lionel Messi Found guilty in 2016 of of using companies in Belize, Britain, Switzerland and Uruguay to avoid paying €4.1m in taxes on income earned from image rights. Sentenced to 21 months in jail and fined more than €2m. But prison sentence has since been replaced by another fine of €252,000.
Javier Mascherano Accepted one-year suspended sentence in January 2016 for tax fraud after found guilty of failing to pay €1.5m in taxes for 2011 and 2012. Unlike Messi he avoided trial by admitting to tax evasion.
Angel di Maria Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain star Angel di Maria was fined and given a 16-month prison sentence for tax fraud during his time at Real Madrid. But he is unlikely to go to prison as is normal in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying sentence of less than two years.
SUSPECTED
Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid's star striker, accused of evading €14.7m in taxes, appears in court on Monday. Portuguese star faces four charges of fraud through offshore companies.
Jose Mourinho Manchester United manager accused of evading €3.3m in tax in 2011 and 2012, during time in charge at Real Madrid. But Gestifute, which represents him, says he has already settled matter with Spanish tax authorities.
Samuel Eto'o In November 2016, Spanish prosecutors sought jail sentence of 10 years and fines totalling €18m for Cameroonian, accused of failing to pay €3.9m in taxes during time at Barcelona from 2004 to 2009.
Radamel Falcao Colombian striker Falcao suspected of failing to correctly declare €7.4m of income earned from image rights between 2012 and 2013 while at Atletico Madrid. He has since paid €8.2m to Spanish tax authorities, a sum that includes interest on the original amount.
Jorge Mendes Portuguese super-agent put under official investigation last month by Spanish court investigating alleged tax evasion by Falcao, a client of his. He defended himself, telling closed-door hearing he "never" advised players in tax matters.
A%20QUIET%20PLACE
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
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Movie: Saheb, Biwi aur Gangster 3
Producer: JAR Films
Director: Tigmanshu Dhulia
Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Jimmy Sheirgill, Mahie Gill, Chitrangda Singh, Kabir Bedi
Rating: 3 star
Top 10 in the F1 drivers' standings
1. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 202 points
2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-GP 188
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-GP 169
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing 117
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 116
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing 67
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 56
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 45
9. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 35
10. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault 26
Company%20Profile
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Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
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