It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust as we enter the dimly lit, silent crypt of what was formerly the Santa Clara convent in Cartagena. I'm standing at the spot where Gabriel Garcia Marquez was sent as a young reporter in 1949.
He was there to cover the story of the excavation of a crypt, which unearthed the remains of a young girl who had 22 metres of red hair attached to her skull. Marquez later drew on the event as the inspiration for his novella Of Love and Other Demons, published four decades later. It's a book I first came across as a little girl growing up in Sharjah, where I watched my father, a journalist, translator and writer, spend hours meticulously translating into Arabic the Latin American writer's most famous works.
I'm thrilled to be at the site where Marquez found his literary inspiration, although it has certainly gone through a lot of changes. The convent has been transformed and opened as the luxury Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena hotel in 1995. Our tour guide, Daniel, regales us with facts about the Nobel laureate before we arrive at the convent, which is lined with passages from some of his most famous works. When he mentions that Marquez's posthumously published novel Until August had recently hit local bookstores, I make it my mission to hunt down and buy an English translation, knowing that such a gift would be the perfect souvenir for my father.
Cartagena de Indias, about an hour-long flight from Bogota, is Colombia's fifth-largest city and a Unesco World Heritage site. Nestled on the Caribbean coast, it's a place filled with colour, music, street food, restaurants and an impressive art scene. The city has year-round tropical weather and is a fascinating mix of old and new. The 13km of centuries-old stone walls built by the Spaniards in the mid-17th century to protect against pirates and invaders contrast with the towering skyscrapers of Bocagrande.
After a hearty lunch at the Sofitel's fine-dining restaurant, 1621, a sudden downpour offers a welcome respite from the day's scorching heat as we head towards the village of La Boquilla. Here, we join local fishermen who take us on wooden canoes to explore the mangrove forest, a distinct change of pace. As my red and white canoe gently slices through the water tunnels, the silence is almost meditative after the loud, thumping tempo of the city. The tranquillity is only punctuated by the occasional bird cry and a stray whoop of excitement from a gaggle of teenagers playing football by the shore as the sun's last rays tinge the surface of the swamp with golden ripples.
Much like Colombia itself, which has fought back from a troubled past, the mangrove swamp is a lesson in resilience: the mangroves have adapted to live in the saltwater thanks to their extensive tangled roots, in turn providing habitat for birds, crabs and fish. One of the local fishermen proudly displays how he casts his handmade net across the water – fishing is the main source of income here. Visitors are offered the opportunity to offset emissions generated by their travel by planting a mangrove root in the water.
Returning to the shore, it's time for an African drums workshop, taking place in a beach kiosk where the city's Afro-Caribbean heritage comes alive through music. After a short introduction, the group I'm travelling with is divided into smaller clusters and given instructions on how to play different styles of drums. We practise our beat, before coming together to perform, the rhythmic thumping reverberating in my chest, the music pounding as a collective heartbeat and our laughter rising as we stumble through our initial attempts.
But the performance is about more than just entertainment. The musicians and dancers are young men and women from the community of La Boquilla. They are performing under the umbrella of a social project aimed both at preserving the cultural traditions of their African heritage and keeping disadvantaged children in school. A short stroll away from the frenzied beat of the drums, the shores of the Caribbean beckon me to take in a glorious sunset. The cool waves lapping against the soft sand offer a calming change of pace.
Exotic fruit roulette
The next day, we are whisked away to an exotic fruit and chocolate-tasting experience. It proves to be as delightful as it sounds, despite the protests of a fellow traveller that the two should never be mixed. Arriving at the Casa Santiago Botero, the spread set out before us is a feast for the senses. It is colourful and abundant, with many fruits that I did not yet have a name for and had never seen. Even for my Covid-dulled sense of smell and taste, the spread is a refreshing way to map out every corner of Colombia, with staff providing details on what they were and where they were grown.
Colombia is one of the world's top coffee, flower and fruit producers. This is mapped out in trays before us that symbolises the country's agricultural prowess; its location on the equator; its rich bio-diversity; trade routes; and economic growth. The country is a producer of fine-quality cacao and we're given samples from Sierra Nevada in the north and Tumaco in the south to nibble on. Chocolate bars of varying cacao percentages are then brought to our table to accompany and accentuate the taste of different fruits.
Discovering the flavours is a fun game of fruit roulette: mamon, a round fruit that is green on the outside and orange inside, is sour. Bright yellow uchuvas, or gooseberries, are used to make jams and pair particularly well with a 53 per cent chocolate piece. Lulo is orange on the outside with a greenish pulp inside and has a distinct citrus taste. I sink my teeth into a feijoa, which tastes like a cross between pineapple and guava, and pitaya which in Colombia has thick yellow skin and is sweet and refreshing. Cracking open a guama fruit – one that is native to the Amazon forest – I bite off the white cloudlike sweet pulp encasing its black seeds. Since Emirates began flying to Bogota in June, some of these Colombian fruits have started to increasingly appear on Dubai supermarket shelves.
Hip Getsemani
Stepping outside the ancient fortifications of the city walls, I encounter neighbouring Getsemani. A quarter where slaves once lived, it is a historical place of resistance and is now home to hip restaurants and buzzy nightclubs. Cafe Havana offers a fun night of salsa dancing and live music – Hillary Clinton, former first lady and US presidential candidate, was pictured dancing here back in 2012 – while our lunch at Celele, a Caribbean restaurant where each dish is designed to highlight the diversity of the region's ingredients, is highly recommended.
Afterwards, we head to La Bodeguita, the pier at the docks of the Port of Cartagena. A boat is waiting to take us out on a tour around the Bay of Cartagena – and enjoy another of the city's dramatic sunsets.
Getsemani exudes a bohemian air with its street art, large-scale murals and alleyways decorated overhead with colourful umbrellas. I'm delighted to come across a wall depicting Marquez reading One Hundred Years of Solitude amid a swirl of yellow butterflies, a scene described in his novel. Calle de la Sierpe (or Serpent Street), is the centre of street art in this captivating barrio. The Plaza de la Trinidad is the district's popular square where the street musicians are not only talented but also quick-witted. One of my fellow journalists – sporting sunglasses, tattoos and a clean-shaven head – gets his own rap tribute from the performers who dub him “Bin Diesel” in a twist on the actor's name, much to the amusement of our group.
Colombia's second-oldest city
Cartagena's old city is 10 minutes from here. Nestled within ancient fortified walls, it is a place that brings history to life with its cobbled streets and painted houses. Founded in 1533, Cartagena is the country's second oldest city after Santa Marta in the north and a walk around the old town is the best way to take in its history. I start by winding through its twisting streets, admiring colonial mansions where overhanging wooden balconies burst with bougainvillaea, exploring its churches and shopping at its boutiques. My favourite has to be discovering some of the locations mentioned in many of Marquez's novels.
Palanqueras – women dressed in bright colours selling fruit – are a striking sight. Wearing blue, red and yellow ruffled dresses, they portray an important aspect of the city's history. Our guide Fernando explains that many of them hail from San Basilio de Palenque and are descendants of African slaves who were brought to the country under Spanish colonial rule, but who fought for their freedom, escaped slavery and created their own settlement. Today, most of their income comes, not from selling fruit, but from taking photos with tourists.
As my whirlwind stay in Colombia draws to an end, I'm enthralled by all that I've seen but can't help shake the niggle of disappointment that despite an abundance of tropical fruit during my visit, my own search for Marquez's latest work has been less fruitful. This does not feel like the right ending to my story in Gabo's city.
After landing back in Bogota, where my direct flight back to Dubai was due to depart, I strike gold. In a small bookshop in the Usaquen neighbourhood, I finally get my hands on Marquez's posthumously published novel. So while the Spaniards came to Colombia's shores in search of riches – attracted by the promise of El Dorado, a city made of gold and the namesake of the country's international airport – I am delighted to be leaving with my own treasure, rich memories of this incredible country coupled with a memento of Marquez himself. Returning home, I present my father with his gift, and the smile on his face is priceless. Watching him leaf through the pages, I breathe a sigh of contentment. My Colombian treasure hunt is complete.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
On the menu
First course
▶ Emirati sea bass tartare Yuzu and labneh mayo, avocado, green herbs, fermented tomato water
▶ The Tale of the Oyster Oyster tartare, Bahraini gum berry pickle
Second course
▶ Local mackerel Sourdough crouton, baharat oil, red radish, zaatar mayo
▶ One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Quail, smoked freekeh, cinnamon cocoa
Third course
▶ Bahraini bouillabaisse Venus clams, local prawns, fishfarm seabream, farro
▶ Lamb 2 ways Braised lamb, crispy lamb chop, bulgur, physalis
Dessert
▶ Lumi Black lemon ice cream, pistachio, pomegranate
▶ Black chocolate bar Dark chocolate, dates, caramel, camel milk ice cream
Day 1 results:
Open Men (bonus points in brackets)
New Zealand 125 (1) beat UAE 111 (3)
India 111 (4) beat Singapore 75 (0)
South Africa 66 (2) beat Sri Lanka 57 (2)
Australia 126 (4) beat Malaysia -16 (0)
Open Women
New Zealand 64 (2) beat South Africa 57 (2)
England 69 (3) beat UAE 63 (1)
Australia 124 (4) beat UAE 23 (0)
New Zealand 74 (2) beat England 55 (2)
Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
Read more about the coronavirus
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SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHakbah%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENaif%20AbuSaida%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESaudi%20Arabia%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E22%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24200%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Epre-Series%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGlobal%20Ventures%20and%20Aditum%20Investment%20Management%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
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UAE v Ireland
1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets
2nd ODI, January 12
3rd ODI, January 14
4th ODI, January 16
Profile box
Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India
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Getting%20there%20and%20where%20to%20stay
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last-16, second leg:
Real Madrid 1 (Asensio 70'), Ajax 4 (Ziyech 7', Neres 18', Tadic 62', Schone 72')
Ajax win 5-3 on aggregate
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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The nine articles of the 50-Year Charter
1. Dubai silk road
2. A geo-economic map for Dubai
3. First virtual commercial city
4. A central education file for every citizen
5. A doctor to every citizen
6. Free economic and creative zones in universities
7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes
8. Co-operative companies in various sectors
9: Annual growth in philanthropy
Young women have more “financial grit”, but fall behind on investing
In an October survey of young adults aged 16 to 25, Charles Schwab found young women are more driven to reach financial independence than young men (67 per cent versus. 58 per cent). They are more likely to take on extra work to make ends meet and see more value than men in creating a plan to achieve their financial goals. Yet, despite all these good ‘first’ measures, they are investing and saving less than young men – falling early into the financial gender gap.
While the women surveyed report spending 36 per cent less than men, they have far less savings than men ($1,267 versus $2,000) – a nearly 60 per cent difference.
In addition, twice as many young men as women say they would invest spare cash, and almost twice as many young men as women report having investment accounts (though most young adults do not invest at all).
“Despite their good intentions, young women start to fall behind their male counterparts in savings and investing early on in life,” said Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, senior vice president, Charles Schwab. “They start off showing a strong financial planning mindset, but there is still room for further education when it comes to managing their day-to-day finances.”
Ms Schwab-Pomerantz says parents should be conveying the same messages to boys and girls about money, but should tailor those conversations based on the individual and gender.
"Our study shows that while boys are spending more than girls, they also are saving more. Have open and honest conversations with your daughters about the wage and savings gap," she said. "Teach kids about the importance of investing – especially girls, who as we see in this study, aren’t investing as much. Part of being financially prepared is learning to make the most of your money, and that means investing early and consistently."
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers
1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
