Dubai it in Abu Dhabi

Red Bull Air Race- Abu Dhabi

I have a few busy weekends looming so really need to try and stay on top of my updates and photo filing. I should have gotten around to posting this last week, but at least I have gotten it done today- before the Tennis tomorrow!

So, a couple of exciting things happened last week. I was invited to an event where His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was in attendance. It was definitely an insightful and interesting afternoon/evening- but I have been asked not to say anything more about it, so I shan’t.  Other than it made me empathize (yes, even I know what that is like!) with all the English Language Learner students we have at school.  The entire event was carried out in Arabic and I just had to watch when others (who I assume spoke Arabic) stood up, sat down, looked left, looked right and applauded.  I hoped I was copying the right people and I was particularly glad I was not allowed to speak, as there was no chance of not being able to give a required answer.

 

Last weekend was spent back in Abu Dhabi- a city I love. Walking along The Corniche, and enjoying the trees, the fountains and the cycle tracks without feeling like I am either in the middle of the desert or surrounded by glass and metal buildings as is so often the case in Dubai. Not that I don’t like Dubai- just that I do like the change. That being said, the drive to Abu Dhabi is totally mental.  The cars come at you from left and right and if you get a piece of paper between you and the car in front that is an invitation for someone to try and pull into the gap.  Not unlike driving in Dubai and at least this dodgem madness takes place on tarmac and concrete roads rather than the Ghanaian efforts. 

One of the ongoing events was the Red Bull air race. Last time we were in Abu Dhabi for the FI this time it was an airborne equivalent in/over the Marina.

http://www.redbullairrace.com/en_US/event/abu-dhabi

 It was pretty impressive to watch the planes fly that low over the marina and maneuver through the gates. I have no idea how they made their way through the chicane. Gate four seemed to be causing a few problems with a lot of the pilots clipping the edges.  I say this as thought I could do it better J

Dubai it away

Al Ain

 I definitely meant to post this in January, before too much time disappeared between actually visiting Al Ain and getting round to posting the photos. Al Ain is very different to Dubai, but a great place to visit.

In the boring fact section, Al Ain translates as The Spring and it is a very green oasis city, it was fab to be able to walk out of the hotel and straight into a green park- particularly in the January weather. It was just the right temperature to be outside and sit out with a Starbucks breakfast and just enjoy the surroundings.  

Al Ain is also the second largest city in Abu Dhabi, and right on the Oman border, which made for an interesting view as we headed up the mountains- Jabel Hafeet.

There is also a fort network built around this area, which was an interesting place to visit. I am sure I am the only person in the world who can get lost in a fort built around two different squares- but I get easily confused in these places and struggled to work out which side of which quadrangle I had entered and then left. I blame the interlocking rooms and the covered verandas.  My sense of direction was only mildly helped by being able to identify one side of the fort from the other by referencing the exhibitions. A tribute to the life of Sheikh Zayed was on the right, and a photo exhibition of the works of Wilfred Thesiger from his 1945 travels to the Empty Quarter.  It was amazing to see how the people were living then compared to what can be seen around you today.

 Fantastic place for a chilled and relaxed weekend- loved the greenery compared to the sleek glass skyscrapers of Dubai and the sandy desert from my window at home.

There and Here

Month of Contrasts...

I really wanted to make a few notes about the last month while we are actually still in December and upload a few photos of what has been going on.

There has been the Dubai times, National Day, the Rugby 7s and the run up to the vacation, and then the time in Enkirch; down time with log fires and snow.

 

Dubai first- the start of December was the 43^rd National Day celebration, so school was transformed slightly. Instead of 8^th Graders using the soccer pitch for their own version of lunchtime soccer we had camel rides and falconry displays taking place around a majalis, while everyone waited in line for the henna, and ate traditional food.  This of course led into a three-day holiday…

 

We made the most of the three-day holiday by heading out for some of the rugby 7s, not just about the rugby, but about the atmosphere- total expat party, and the people watching.

Where the month started with holidays and days sitting in the sun, it has ended with Christmas vacations, roaring log fires, ridiculously cute German villages, and Christmas card style snow scenes from the windows.

Best wishes for the new year!

Dubai it here?

Out and about…

Once again it has taken longer than it should have done to write a few thoughts about Dubai and the surrounding Emirates. I did get out to Abu Dhabi for some of the Grand Prix weekend. Unfortunately having a working work of Sunday to Thursday meant that I missed the actual race as I was stuck in Dubai and didn’t have time to make the trip to Abu Dhabi.  On the flip side driving here is somewhat similar to dodging and weaving around Yas Marina Circuit so I have had a somewhat similar experience myself.   It was pretty fun be able to see some of the practice sessions and the time trials though over the weekend.

The weather here is absolutely glorious at the minute, sunny, light breezes, low humidity and just right for spending time outside and enjoying the outside space that are to found. That meant that this weekend has been spent out and about in Dubai. Old Dubai and Deira. The old fort, the old souk, walking along by the creek and generally enjoying sitting outside and people watching.

Next week is National Day, so I am sure there will be a lot of celebrations going on, a whole three days off work (one of which was a newly announced surprise) and a weekend that leads into the rugby 7s. Looking forward to next week.

Dubai it here?

Dhows and Abu Dhabi

This has taken me a few weeks longer than it really should have done to update and has to mini sections to include- a trip around the marina on a dhow, and a brief visit to Abu Dhabi, both fun and both whetting the appetite for more. In fact Abu Dhabi is already booked for Grand Prix weekend and tickets have been purchased- roll on November 21.

The Dhow trip was a brief jaunt around the Marina, a chance to see some of the hotels, restaurants and holiday villas and to feel the breeze on the water, before heading into the souk and finding a few different places to try out for dinner and drinks while watching the sun go down over the Gulf- all very pretty, and pleasant.

Abu Dhabi was completely different to Dubai- although only an hour away, but still a different Emirate. It is the capital city of the UAE, but has more of an old-world feel about it than Dubai. It does still have the glitz and glamor factor, but much more concentrated and amid low rise buildings and green streets, including the corniche running along the coast. The shopping malls, while still large and plentiful, were not as overwhelming as those of Dubai, and seemed to run to a slightly slower pace, possibly due to the fact that Friday is taken as a more serious religious observance than in Dubai.

In Dubai the shopping malls still open at 10am on Friday and stay open until 1am in the morning, but they blast the prayers throughout the mall, and people duck into prayer rooms scattered around like restrooms if they feel the need to join in- otherwise everything carries on as normal. In Abu Dhabi nothing was even open until after 4pm- not that is seemed to close any earlier.  

The mosque and the heritage village are two big tourist destinations- the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is beautiful and a feat of engineering.  It is one of only two mosques in the UAE that non-Muslims are allowed to enter. I have another trip planned next week, just to spend a day here so more will follow later…

I am sure I will be making many more trips to Abu Dhabi over the next few years as Sadiyat Island continues to grow- it is totally reclaimed land, and within then next 12-15 months will include a branch of the Louvre, the Guggenheim, and the British Museum, along side heritage and cultural museum that tell the story of the development of the UAE.

Yas Island- where I stayed- is the home of the Yas Marina circuit and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.  I am quite excited to e heading back here- and the Viceroy- amazing hotel if you are looking for somewhere to stay- is the only hotel in the world that is attached to/ part of the grand prix circuit. It is also a very funky building and has some interesting architectural features- a few top tips came out of here, but Zids, you would love it.

 Anyway, this first trip was much more about what it looked like and the visual experiences, so I will let the photos tell the rest of the story.

Dubai it where?

Dubai it where?

So, having been here for five or six weeks now, I thought it was probably time I started to post some photos and let people know how I have been getting on.

Things have been slowly starting to fell into place, but as everyone says, until you have your Emirates ID here you don’t exist. So, I have no Internet, no home phone, and no driving license… but yesterday my ID card arrived! Things might now start to move forward. Although based on yesterday’s conversations I am still not convinced that things will happen as fast as I would like.

I was thinking ahead on these things, so I have already submitted my forms, completed the eye test and provided multiple copies of my visa, passport and photos with glazed eyes, white background and 18mm head to the driving license authority, no objection letters (these are a joy unto themselves).  All I need to do now is turn up, show my ID card and take another photo.  Easier said than done! I have to go to a center that is only open between 8:00am and 2:00pm on Sunday to Thursday- nicely in the middle of my workday then.  I know I work in a school, but this is a school in the middle of the desert- with no address. One bit of desert looks much the same as another to me. I have not yet perfected the art of directing taxi drivers (who do not want to pick me up from the middle of the desert) to my particular sand covered area. I do not have high expectations for a Sunday resolution…

I am also discovering that while some things are just like home, some phrases seem to get lost in translation.  So, again in my usual organized manner I have done all the prep work for the Internet connection. I have no choice in provider. There are only two Etisalat and Du. Etisalat have taken control of/ been allocated/ cabled my building so I have to use them.  I have provided all the photos, passport copies, visa copies, no objection letter (letters from your employer- needed for everything from using the internet, driving, having a bank account and probably eating; to say they don’t mind you doing/ having these things.) So, I was feeling positive when I phoned them up to see when they could come and set up the Internet. The conversation went something like this:

Me: You have all my forms, letters and documents now. Do you need anything else?

Etisalat: No madam.

Me: When can you come and install the router and turn on the Internet?

Etisalat: Maybe at the weekend, maybe next week, maybe the week after. Some people are waiting a month or more. You might be lucky.

Me: (Channeling my mother) but I need to be able to connect to the Internet and have a phone. I will speak to you every day until you set up an appointment and come and fix it for me.

Etisalat: Ok madam, we I will talk to you tomorrow.

Hang on- that was definitely not the response I was looking for there! I don’t want to talk to you everyday, that is not supposed to be a treat or the objective of this…. Live and learn.

Obviously being Dubai there are a huge number of positives. Huge shopping malls, each with there own special features, including inside skiing in the desert, aquariums, skating rinks, sky diving, dinosaurs, dancing fountains, miles and miles ad miles of shops and restaurants.  All of which have working lights and running water. The water does take a bit of getting used to- but I can work with the desalination aspect.

Work and general settling in have been taken up most of my time recently. I have been very excited to get my nails done, and to eat in a few old favorite places- Cheesecake Factory being one, try a few new places- the food can be amazing here and I am sure I will be piling on the pounds if I am not careful. However, I have a few days off in October for Eid so I have a short trip to Abu Dhabi planned and a night in the desert booked; I feel like I am starting to be able to get out and about and make the most of being here, having new experiences and exploring again.  Now all I need to do is make sure I have my driving license sorted out so I can get there.

So, thank you Starbucks for use of your Internet. It is unfortunately timed based on the number of coffees you buy, not unlimited, and there is only so much coffee I can drink! So for today, I am done. More to follow after more adventures.

Ghana be...Fun

It Really IS The Final Countdown:

I really haven’t written anywhere near as often as I should have, particularly in the last few months.  I am struggling to believe that the last post I made was in November. I should be ashamed of myself. Now I am in the last few hours before leaving I am finally getting around to putting together the last few photo memories before I leave.

Corner Shop

Four years on- and no more built.

Another shop

Ghana has been an adventure- a distinct change of life style from the US before it, and as I am sure Dubai will be after it.  Ghana has had its challenges and frustrations, power, water and open sewers to name but a few… but it has had its rewards too. I’ve met some fantastic people; I’ve had opportunities to see wildlife and I know I have been able to make positive changes.

I’ve learned that, “my husband says, no.” Is a reason for not doing anything you don’t want to- including paying bribes, and fines. I have consistently found that even though I have carried a bag all the way from school to my home, as soon as the guard sees me he runs down the street to take it from me- with cries of, “madam, madam, no- you must let me help!” This also applies to trying to carry a shopping bag from the car to the front door- a distance of all of 10 steps J

Then there are things that happen here to make my life easier that I know won’t happen when I am back in Europe and I don’t even notice until they are gone. No longer will someone pack my bags, take them to the car and load the car, in future I know I will no only have to pack and carry my own bags, but remember to take them and pay for them in the first place. More than once in Europe have I found myself causing a queue as I stand and talk at the check out, oblivious to the fact I should be packing and moving my own bags, or standing in front of a door waiting for someone to open it- really pushing it should not be too hard! I know I will all of this when it ends.

I have spent three years whinging about the need for razor wire, electric fencing, security gates and guards outside my house 27/4, but I also know that next week I will miss the cheery hello, have a good day, how was work and smile as I come and go.

For now, it is back to Europe and the US for the summer- seeing friends and family, catching up on news and adventures, easting some good food, and buying some new clothes. Then onto Dubai for a new job and whole new round of experiences and challenges. I can’t wait!

Lotto Tickets

Ghanian Problem Solving

Huge mosque- under construction....