A colleague of mine has been staying in the same hotel since he arrived in the UAE. He's a South African Indian and at breakfast this morning, the following conversation took place:
Waiter: Excuse me Sir, are you Sri Lankan?
Colleague: Ummm no. And of all the places in the world, why Sri Lanka?
Waiter: Well, Sir, you look like you could come from Sri Lanka and you eat poached eggs.
There you have it.
The absentee blogger is back! Sorry folks, but I have been on a BBC-presented “Appreciating HD” course for the last few days. Have gotten home exhausted every night, to say the least.
So I thought I ramble about some random things:
1. Lebanese Lentil & Lemon Soup is THE BUSINESS! Have it for lunch almost every day. We get it delivered from the local Lebanese take-away, rather strangely named “Automatic”.
2. Actually, the food here, in general, is amazing. Am trying very hard not to pick up weight. There is in fact a syndrome round here called “The Middle-Eastern Stone” which refers to the, erm, spare-tyre that most ex-pats develop around their stomachs during their first two months of living here. It’s seafood buffet night again tonight… someone please tell me how I am supposed to resist unlimited sushi, the endless row of enormous prawns just waiting for me to add garlic sauce, the poached salmon, crayfish tails…..??? It’s just not possible.
3. You drink a lot of water here. Like a lot.
4. The heat is ridiculous.
5. Companies here spend a load of money on corporate stationery.
6. I have decided to live in a hotel for the next two months. Finding a place to stay is almost impossible. Am working pretty hard, so not a whole lot of time to go searching. Not to mention the ridiculous price of rentals in Abu Dhabi. Wish Dubai was a little closer – there are fab apartments there for a fraction of the price. Most people live there for that very reason, and travel here every day. But travelling over 250kms a day doesn’t exactly float my boat.
7. I miss my dogs more than I can describe – especially on weekends.
8. I miss my friends. Have made friends with two guys who also live in the hotel. One is an Aviation Engineer (from Britain) and the other builds rollercoasters (American from Baltimore). They’re both nuts, which is fun.
9. Have plans to go skiing next weekend in Dubai with them. Yup – you heard right. Skiing in Dubai. And Yes, I am talking about snow skiing. Real snow. OK it’s a ski slope in a mall, but with real snow. Check it out: http://www.skidubai.com/
The water in the Arabian Gulf is very very salty. Now before all of you chortle over your cup of tea and tell me that all seas are salty, please bear in mind that I have put my little toes into many an ocean: the Indian, the Atlantic, the English Channel AND the Gulf of Mexico. But, never have I experienced the full body exfoliation experience that comes with getting wet in the Arabian Gulf.
We went kayaking (somewhere... can’t be sure exactly), and it was loads of fun. So nice to be in a place where you hear the birds and, when people on the tour stopped yakking, just the sound of your paddles swishing through the water. Peaceful, calm and beautiful on the iridescent turquoise water.
The water is even warmer than in Mozambique, and flat - not a wave in sight. I found out about the tides here - they only rise and fall about 1m every cycle.
The entire tour is about 4-5kms, first through the sea, and then into the mangrove forests, which are “untouched” by humans and in their natural state. The reason I use the word “untouched” so reluctantly, is that the first part of the tour entails paddling through a channel that has been dredged to allow boats to go through. You can clearly see what damage this is doing to the natural banks. Even though the tides are so mild, every time a boat comes screeching through, it creates waves that are bit by bit creating serious damage to the natural vegetation on the shoreline. The tour company we went with keep sandbags on the edge of certain areas to prevent more erosion. But it is pretty much too little too late.
The mangrove forest channels themselves are wonderful. Crabs of various sizes and colours absolutely everywhere. Birds (herons, egrets, osprey...) are everywhere. For how long though, is the question. For me, the saddest and most unconsidered part of dredging the new channels is that it has put the fate of all fish in the Arabian Gulf in serious jeopardy. No research is available yet, but it’s estimated that 70% of all the indigenous fish spawn in the mangroves, and with the vast amount of boat traffic nearby, one can’t help think that this is all going to end very badly. There are projects around that are trying their best to fix this problem, and before I make any more judgements, I will be sure to do some more research.
But back to the exfoliation. It only happens once you dry off. And then your skin begins to form a crust of salt. Sticky and icky. You really feel attractive. Thank goodness for hotel showers and their complimentary “soothing body gels”. Took a whole lot of moisturiser to stop feeling like my skin was about to crack open. On the bright side, I’m sure my top layer of skin needed removing anyway.
And my arm muscles have proven that they DO still exist, even though the reminder is somewhat painful.
So, there wasn’t exactly a queue at the Gold-Bar dispensing Auto Teller Machine when we went to the Emirates Palace Hotel on our official Abu Dhabi tour yesterday. Dis.a.point.ed. I was hoping to see an actual little nugget, in the little packet that it comes out in, all shiny and stuff.
Fortunately that was the only unimpressive moment on the tour - the rest was incredible. You’ll notice that in one of the photos I am wearing an Abaya (black robe-dress-thing) and a Shiela (the scarf-thing). How the Australians got involved in this I’m not too sure.. Anyway, we had to cover ourselves up for our visit to the Mosque. And yes, it is very very hot under those things. You sweat like a ... well you sweat a lot. Let’s leave it at that.
But, what an experience! This mosque is the biggest in the world next to the one in Mecca. It also lays claim to having the largest chandelier and the largest carpet in the world. I may be shot down in flames for saying this, but to me the building is something Disney would have created. It reminds me of the palace in Disneyworld. I’m not saying that like it’s a bad thing. I think the palace in Disneyworld is amazing. The difference is that the Mosque probably cost a hundred times more. This is a city where all that glitters IS gold. I could go on for hours about the exquisite attention to detail, the huge ceilings with their intricate designs, but I’ve decided to post a few photos for your viewing pleasure instead.
We then visited the most expensive and exclusive hotel in the world - the above-mentioned Emirates Palace. Personally, I found it ostentatious and over-the-top - a very obvious display of the wealth of this Emirate. But, to their credit, they do have a “Camelcino” on their menu - a cuppucino with camel milk - which is noteworthy, I think. Oh, and the “normal” cappucino costs AED45 (about R90). Before you gasp at the outrageous price, consider that real gold flakes adorn the froth. Now you don’t get that everyday!
For me, the highlight of the tour was where we got to see the most extraordinary views of the city. Abu Dhabi is beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. And yes, the sea really really is that colour and that crystal clear.
It’s our day off today, so I’m going on a canoe tour through the mangroves. I can’t wait. Have such a desperate need to be in nature - somewhere where aren’t buildings. And am SO looking forward to actually being in an ocean again. Yahoo!
Newspapers here are interesting. Along with all the usual politics, art & culture, sport, and business sections you’d expect, every now and then your eye stumbles upon an article that reminds you that you’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto. I had to share some of them...
It’s incredibly hot here. And as I keep saying: it’s apparently not even the real summer yet. The temperature gauge in the car only registered 35 degrees when we left the office at 6pm this evening. Think about it. It can get to 55 degrees. That’s 20 DEGREES HIGHER THAN THIS!!! Oh dear God.
On another note, Grand Prix-Opening-Ticket-Sales-Fever-Season has begun here. If anyone is interested in buying tickets, you can expect to fork out AED1200 for a 2-day pass. Double that in ZAR and you’ve got yourself seats to the loudest show in town! (Apparently they even serve alcohol inside the circuit..)
Speaking of shows, I missed Harry Connic Jnr last weekend. So many international artists come out here, and because they’re sponsored by the government, the tickets are actually pretty affordable.
Have had a hectic couple of days at work and am completely exhausted. Thank goodness tomorrow is Thursday (read Friday to all of you people in the normal world). And to make it even better, our official “Cultural Tour of Abu Dhabi” (courtesy of our company) is happening in the morning. Will be sure to take LOADS of pictures. Can’t wait.
I apparently live in the richest city in the world. It is a construction site at the moment, a city that’s literally being built from the sand up, but the wealthiest place on Earth nonetheless.
However, progress is not happening as fast as it did in Dubai(which led to the crash). All the plans are in place (and they’re incredible... just google ‘Abu Dhabi 2030 Plan’ and you’ll get the picture) to make it one of the most beautiful and exciting destinations in the world. But things in this Emirate are far more considered. It is going to be astounding though. Masdar City, a new development here, will be the first zero carbon, zero waste city in the world once it’s built - a combination of insane engineering, the most cutting edge technology available to the human race, and a huge amount of foresight and wisdom.
Abu Dhabi alone produces almost 10% of the entire world’s oil supply (you know, the stuff that has messed up the planet, contributed to global warming around which the world revolves - enormous carbon-footprint generator and contributor) - AND it’s only about 67 500 square kilometers big! (As a comparison, South Africa is well over a million square kilometers.) Tiny place. HUGE cash-flow that all comes from that black stuff under the sand’s surface. But they think big here. And they really actually seem to care about the environment.
It’s not actually that far-fetched to comprehend that the Arabs give a damn about the land itself. Less than 40 years ago, Abu Dhabi was little more than an oasis and the people that lived here were Bedouins. You’ve got to admire those folk. Seriously. Them and Eskimos. Why oh why would you even want to live in places of such harsh extremities? There are loads of other places on our planet that are much, much easier to live in.
Anyway, survive the Bedouins did, thanks in no small part to their connection with the animals and plants of the region. There’s centuries of heritage here and the government regularly pays homage to the land that sustained them for so long before the discovery of oil.
Enough with the philosophical history lesson, but still on the topic of the richest city in the world: Yesterday an ATM machine that dispenses gold bars was unveiled at the Emirates Palace Hotel. Thank goodness! I was getting worried because I couldn’t find anywhere that would give me my daily fix of bullion.
Don’t believe me? Check it out.
Everyone who comes to the UAE to work, regardless of what job you do, has to undergo an obligatory medical exam. This is what I spent most of the day doing. What it entails is having to sit in a queue at a government hospital (rooms separated into male and female) and wait till they call your number. Then they give you a chest x-ray (checking for TB) and take your blood to make sure you are a) not HIV-positive, b) don’t have hepatitis or c) not pregnant. If they tick the “yes” box on any of the above you are taken to the airport immediately- do not pass the hotel, do not pack your stuff, they’ll send it later - and put you on the next plane home. Unless , of course, you are unmarried and pregnant, in which case you go straight to the chookie. I kid you not (no pun intended). It’s a criminal offence to be with child without husband.
Anyway, I had the most wonderful weekend. Went to Dubai with surrogate aunt JTI. She has an amazing apartment with a view of the Burj Khalifa - the tallest building in the world. Dubai is a remarkable city, completely different to Abu Dhabi. To think that most of it was built only in the last 8 years, a feet that no other place in the world can lay claim to, is pretty darn remarkable. In less than a decade it has become one of the most vibrant, bustling cities on the planet with skyscrapers and state-of-the-art architecture.
I must admit though that I didn’t think Dubai was terribly “bustling” when we first drove in. There are loads of cars on the roads, but it took me a while to figure out that there was something a little odd about the place.... there are no people on the street (OK except two lost souls who looked suspiciously Australian to me) and the shop doors are all closed. The penny did eventually drop that it’s hot and everyone is indoors under the cover of aircon. Yes, yes, it’s that slow South African ex-pat thing again...
JTI and I had a fabulous time. She’s been living here for 5 years, so she really knows her way around. She took me for breakfast at The Creek - which is on the Dubai Golf Course - tres larney (see the photo with the, erm, small little boats and you’ll get the vibe). Great place, even a nice breeze to go with it AND they served pork sausages & bacon with our brekkie!
Took a very short (3-hour) trip around the Mall of the Emirates. Could have spent an entire day at the Virgin Megastore. And if you want to know what a Gucci store smells like ........ hmmmmmmmmmm....... unfortunately they haven’t invented internet scratch-n-sniff yet, but I’m pretty sure it’s the aroma of style, the most expensive leather in the world, and lots and lots of money. (You should have - high pitched squeak - seen the shoes!!!!!!!)
Unfortunately, we didn’t have the whole day to potter around the mall. It’s so big, you need days to navigate it. In fact there is a saying that if you try on a pair of jeans when you get to the mall and they don’t fit - don’t panic! By the time you’ve walked through it all, you’ll have dropped a dress-size!
After surveying the merchandise on offer at the mall I now have a dilemma of epic proportion on my hands: Gucci or Prada sunglasses? The glare is very bad here, you know. And one has to protect one’s eyes.
Yahoo! Busy weekend ahead. Tonight (as I mentioned yesterday) is the seafood buffet at the Rotana Hotel on Yas Island. Can’t wait to taste the local fish, which I am told is really great. The price includes a glass of veenho. Methinks I should sample a little French vintage tonight....
Tomorrow I am off to Dubai to spend the night with my surrogate aunt who lives there. She’s picking me up and taking me on a tour. Can’t wait!!! Will no doubt be taking many many photographs Japanese tourist style.
Saturday night is a work function. Our sister channel (the Arabic channel) is hosting an evening to introduce us all to the local traditional foods and filming it for an insert on TV. We’re apparently going to be sitting on the floor (as is customary), and will be served a four-course meal consisting of delicacies like Majbous Hamour , Majbous Meat, Saloonah on Rgag ,Majbos Robyan, and Lgemat for desert.
I haven’t a clue either. But I will be sure to report back.
Crisis. I don’t know my blood type.
And whilst this may not seem like something to be concerned about, this little bit of information is standing between me getting my resident’s permit, my computer, and (most importantly) my company BlackBerry.
It’s either O+ or 0-. I think. Are they really that different anyway? What happens if I just pick one or the other?
On another note.... work is fab. The people are amazing and talented and the environment is wonderfully creative and stimulating. So much to do and the possibilities are endless...
Here’s some interesting Abu Dhabi things I have discovered:
First day of work. The production office is situated in a theatre... seriously. A magnificent, ornate Arabian theatre by the sea! And speaking of the sea, this ocean is very very different to anything I have ever seen before. Because of all the reclaimed land, little channels of water literally snake in and around buildings and developments. Not a wave in sight and I can’t visibly distinguish any tides (will have to learn more about this...). Actually, I have absolutely no frame of reference for anything here, which makes it all so hard to describe. Even the light here is different. The sky isn’t blue - it’s almost the same colour as the white, white sand. It looks overcast, but it’s not. Many of the buildings come in various shades of sand. Even the grass is sandy-coloured. This lack of colour is somewhat disturbing for someone who comes from a country where (it now seems) everything is in vivid technicolour. The landscape is flat, flat, flat. But it’s not without its beauty. It’s kind of uncomplicated. A simple landscape for a region of the world that is so culturally and politically complex, I’m told that a lifetime of study wouldn’t be enough for me to understand it.
It also reached 45 degrees today - and it’s not even close to the middle of summer yet. Can’t wait for that.
The hotel I’m staying at is divine. The view from my room is the Grand Prix Circuit and is also next to the new “Ferrari Theme Park” which is due to open in October. This amusement park will house the biggest/fastest/allegedly-most-awesomest roller-coaster on the planet. I shall be avoiding it at all costs. But wish I could live in this hotel. Sigh...
Went out for supper with my new boss and some colleagues last night. And whadda ya know... working behind the bar was Palesa (from Soweto), Jack (from Tembisa) and Ross (from Cape Town). South Africans are clearly colonising the Middle East. Not sure if I should be afraid or not.
By the way... the top picture is the view from my hotel room - the GP circuit is the funny tent-like construction in the background. The 2nd picture is of the hotel pool - gorgeous, but not very refreshing.
Am sitting at my hotel next to the (infinity) pool drinking lots of (superb, freshly-ground, 24-hours free) coffee.
It’s so hot and humid that it makes Durban seem like an air-conditioned airport terminal. In fact, if there was an award for “The Hottest and Stickiest City in the World”, Abu Dhabi would win hands down. Great marketing opportunity for Shield, Axe or Sanex. Someone should tell them.
Anyhow, seeing as though my colleague and I only arrived at 1am this morning, we’ve had the day off. Whoo Hoo! went to the mall, drooled through the Ikea store and Gap, and got ripped off by two taxi drivers - all this in one day!
Also pottered about the supermarket. Saw vegetables I have never seen or heard of in my life (pineapple tomatoes anyone???). Next time will take my camera. Sure it’s perfectly acceptable for tourists to take pictures of the fresh produce.
