The message seems to have been lost on the gentleman in this photograph, but as a marketing slogan "Smile You Are In Sharjah" is right up there with "I love New York" and "Paris is for lovers."
This sign dates back to the early 1970s, which is when the municipality presumably first coined the phrase.
In the intervening years it has come to represent the spirit of Sharjah, both good and not so good, intoned while stuck in gridlock or suffering a summer power blackout, as well as when taking in the city's lively art scene and vibrant culture.
More recently the letters, in English and Arabic, have been picked out in blooms planted around the city's Al Ittihad Roundabout. Or "say it with flowers" to use another expression.
Time Frame is a series that opens a window into the nation's past. Readers are invited to make contributions to yourpics@thenational.ae
