Brian Frank Holman

Brian Frank Holman  died peacefully on 4th January 2011 in Bournemouth. 


See Obituary

2010 : A year in Review

January

David Dent-Young CBE (1927-2010)

Sadly, Niki's father went into hospital on New Year's Eve, and passed away in his sleep at Epiphany.

A time to remember David

February

"Gun in Action Jan 1st 1917"

John Dent Young (1988-1955)

Paul has been scanning a vast collection of photos taken by Niki's grandfather, taken in West Africa (he lived in Nigeria), East Africa (where he fought in WW1), South Africa (where he met his wife) and North Africa (he drove from Jos to Algiers) during the first half of the twentieth century.


March

San Francisco Exploratorium

GDC 2010, and the stunning weather on the day Paul flew back allowed him to take an eight mile stroll across the city, as well as pop into see his siblings and of course our new niece.

The Mosby Clan

Southampton Uni's inimitable class of 1984

April

Miranda's Birthday

May

Reuben's Christening

May Bank Holiday and a trip to Norfolk to catch up with Ken, Gill & Danny - and a chance for the girls to meet their second cousins for the first time.










June

M's first First Holy Communion

More medals from the annual St Albans Run

 Herts Inter-school Gymnastics Competition

July

Tokyo in July

A summer trip for Paul to Tokyo, taking in the sights of Ginza.

Tim tries out the new decking

For our summer holiday, we returned for a second time to Luz - familiar and easy to slip into holiday mode.










August

A very wet day trip to Legoland

We planned a day trip to Legoland in Windsor, and what was supposed to be the driest day of the week ... it wasn't, but fun was still had by all.








However, over in Japan, Paul experienced their 2010 heat wave during his last visit to SCEI's old offices - relieved a little by one of their beer gardens at the end of the week.

September

October

View from the 16th floor

Paul returned to a somewhat cooler Japan, in his visit to SCEI's offices in Shinagawa.

... including Wicked and the Tate Modern

Minibreak in London

For half term this year, we decided to be London Tourists and stay in a small hotel off the Edgeware road and take in a musical (Wicked!), the London Eye, Tate Modern - and a lot of Lebanese restaurants.

Our Californian family arrived - the girls' enjoyed meeting their new cousin, and perfect timing for some pumpkin carving by the professional !

Fabulous Guy Fawkes Night at Tyttenhanger

November
Once again, a fabulous Guy Fawkes night in the Tyttenhanger village green, thanks to a kind invite from our friends the Suttons.

December

View from Deira side of the creek, across to Burj Khalifa (the world's tallest tower)

Paul returned to Dubai for a second time on business - to keynote at for Games Expo.    More photos here.

Eric at work

2010 Home Improvement : with another cold winter coming, Eric returns to add a Wood Burner

Miranda and the SaS school choir at St Albans Abbey

Reporting for Duty at the Imperial War Museum

Dubai Notes

When to Go, How to Get Around

View from Deira side of the creek, across to Burj Khalifa (the world's tallest tower)

The locals say that October through to January is the best for Europeans.  So luckily the Dubai World Games Summit was held in October (2009) and late-November (2010).

October was still a little too hot during the middle of the day, but this year I could walk comfortably for 20 minutes in 30 degree sunshine from meetings to the conference (a contrast to -2C back home).   Dusk from 6pm - so I tried to fit in shopping or sight seeing either the day before the conference, or between the end of the conference and events in the evening.

Taxis are cheap (most 20 minute fares were around 20Dhs) and plentiful, and there is a new metro system being built.    Beware Hotel Cars - look similar to Taxis, but are plain and their meters are set to be several times as expensive.

Currency is UAE Dirhams (Dhs).   You can buy in advance in the UK, or use your cash card in standard cash dispensers.    Rate has been between 5.5 and 6 Dhs to the pound.      Coins are fairly rare - for taxis one tends to round up to the nearest 5Dhs.      Tipping in general is like London.

Hotel Experiences

2009 - we stayed as a family in the Crowne Plaza in Festival City.

(Make sure you specify - there is an older (smaller) Crown Plaza in the centre of town, closer to the convention centre)

Upgrades always seem to be offered - sometimes worth considering, especially if you can get broadband or breakfast included.

View from our room at the Crown Plaza

Pros:

• adjoins a mall, with a lot of reasonably priced restaurants either side of narrow canal  (nice to eat outside durung the evenings)
• Mall itself is mid-level in quality  (i.e. not outrageously expensive), with an interesting mix of US and European shops
• Nice views from most rooms over the creek
• Crowne Plaza pool adjoins a larger pool area from an Intercontinental (which you can use)
• Its fairly close to the airport, convenient for flights that arrive late and depart early

Cons:

• Festival City is on the outer part of town.    Taxis are fairly cheap, but its a 30 minute drive to Jumeirah beaches etc.    (It is on the same side of town as the World Trade Centre (perhaps 20 minutes))

In 2010, I stayed in the Renaissance Hotel (i.e. part of the Marriott chain)

Pros:

• its pretty cheap (£80/night) for advance booking, although broadband was 100Dhs/day 
• Its fairly close to the airport (5-20 minutes depending on traffic), convenient for flights that arrive late and depart early
• Some interesting and good value restaurants (eq Iraqi ) 10 minutes walk away near the Reef Mall - on Al Muraqqabat Street (parallel with the street where the hotel is based) where one can eat well for 50-100Dhs.    A more upmarket Marriott is around the corner (reputed to have an excellent, if expensive, restaurant)
• Regular shuttles to the Dubai Mall (biggest one in the world they claim) and the closer Deira City Mall (which I prefer of the two) 
• Pool here is small, with no real view - but generally empty

Cons:

• hotel is in the older  (Deira) part of town, which is a little careworn now and a bit remote  (World Trade Centre is perhaps 20 minutes by taxi)
• Closest Mall (5 mins walk) is the Reef Mall - which is a bit small and downmarket
• Views are poor
• Evening food at the hotel is expensive and not wonderful (and not really middle eastern)

Things To Do

Al Faidi Fort

Al Faidi Fort (Dubai Museum)

The oldest building in Dubai, near the creek in Bur Dubai area.       Entry is only 3Dhs.   Take photos of the fort before heading into the museum part (which is underground and designed to channel you to the exit).    

From the fort, its a short walk to the old Souk Area (has a feel of the original town) and thence to the Dubai Creek banks.

Take a river taxi (1Dhs) with the locals, but sit on the left hand side of the boat for the best photos.    The five minute cruise brings you up the creek onto the Deira side.      (During our first trip to Dubai in 2000 there were many local restaurants along the banks, but few remain - and mainly as Dhows for cruises).

Jemeirah Mosque

I'd like to visit - but for non-Muslims its only open at 10am on a few mornings a week (check in advance)

Burj Kalifa   

"worlds tallest tower"  - they provide a one hour ticketed view up the tower, but generally booked well in advance, so better booked online in advance.   However minimum of 48 hours in advance (so I haven't had the opportunity to see the view).       Note: entrance to this is via the lower level of the Dubai Mall

Kibbe at the Lebanese Restaurant

Souk Al Bahar

The Mall is physically big, but not as interesting as the Festival City Mall (apart perhaps from the ice skating rink and aquarium).   However, head outside to the  Souk Al Bahar - in addition to touristy and local goods, there is a decent Lebanese restaurant with a view over the water.    Every 30 minutes there is a water show synchronised to music.

Madinet Jumeira (2009)

Madinat Jumeirah is a larger version of the Al Bahar, with very nice views of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel (the one that looks like a sail and is £1000/night - and you can't enter except as a guest!)

Carpet Shops at "Friday Market"

Friday Market

In 2009, we took a tour to East Coast in some holiday tacked on after the conference.     It was perhaps a little too long for the children, but we did see some wonderful sights and a feeling for the rest of the country.

In particular Friday Market, a little touristy strip of shops and carpet sellers, but a nice break.

At the end of the trip, it was nice to dip our toes into the Indian Ocean, although in October the sand was almost too hot to walk on !

East of Dubai - Indian Ocean