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.