When we first came here in January 2007, we were really shocked to see store and malls open until the wee hours of the night. On Sunday-Wednesday, most are open until 10pm while on weekends starting on Thursday night until Saturday, they are open until midnight. When it’s the month of fasting when the place only comes alive after sunset? Some malls cater to late night shoppers until 2am!!

Don’t get me started on the shopping festivals. The people here love to shop at night.

(Very different from the quiet town we lived in Japan or the town we visited in Germany where stores are closed at 8pm!)

A convenience yes but when you see a lot of families with small children, even babies in strollers in these malls at the unholy hours, it is disturbing. Don’t children need like, what, 8-10 hours of sleep?

We were out last Friday night to drive around the baby who refused to sleep and getting cranky at 10pm. He slept earlier at 8pm but somehow woke up and decided to tell us who’s the boss. I suspect teething and over-stimulation during the day – we had guests and baby Ben must have gotten tired entertaining them. So we got to the car, put him in the car seat and drove around. Initial plan: drive around until he gets tired and decides to sleep.

We passed by a popular grocery store near our place so we stopped by to pick up something we needed. It was nearly 11pm and the store was packed as packed is! Families with strollers, children running around, moms still not done with the grocery list.

Oh and baby sharks still waiting to be bought.

Even the food court was filled with people ordering greasy fried chicken.

Our baby finally got tired from looking at all those people in the grocery store so we went home. On the way, the husband said: “Hungry? The Moroccan restaurant is still open!” There’s this new-ish Moroccan restaurant near us that serves fantastic, authentic Tagines at very budget price!

Tagine, at midnight?

Yes, why not. We ordered our favorite Lamb Tagine with prunes, apricots and almonds. The butter tender lamb meat has been slowly simmered to perfection and the dried fruit combination of prunes and apricots was a lovely accompaniment to the thick taste of the sauce.

Ok – I know what you’re thinking: After almost six years in Dubai, we must have adapted the nocturnal lifestyle. Maybe, yes though definitely not always! But actually, we might be worst than the midnight grocery shoppers. We’re eating tagine, at midnight!