Dubai - week 2 & visit to Abu Dhabi

The weather is great, I visit some of the shopping malls, find an exchange bureau in Satwa where I can sort my foreign exchange; there is also a second hand bookshop, where I buy a couple of books for my onward journey. I also buy a heavy winter jacket and boots for Germany!

But mostly spend quality time with Rima and her family.  They are all off for the week - schools too are closed, as it is Eid.

It is good to see that there is more and more accessible recyling happening in Dubai!

 Sheikh Zayed Road towers... and growing...

 Beautiful flowers in Rima's garden....

 Full moon.... and the Burj Khalifa... a fascinating view!

We manage to go for sheisha one evening this week and catch up with Gabija.  We went to 'Shu' - a trendy & contemporary Lebanese restaurant and lounge in Jumeirah.  And this time of year, we can sit outdoors - wonderful!  The waiter is nice, he tells us that normally it is 'ladies night' we get free sheisha; but not today, as it is Eid... We all laugh and say why are you telling us then?  He won't budge and refuses to give us free sheisha ... but offers to come with me to Germany and be my personal 'sheisha man'.....   well....





On Friday I drive to Abu Dhabi to visit family.  As always I have a late start - but there is no traffic and the road is good, so I speed along and get there in just over 1 hour.  I take the ring road passed the Formula One race-course on Yas Island (which is a new development - residential and tourist - very nice).

View of Abu Dhabi skyline

Beginning of Corniche

Of course I get lost in Abu Dhabi (this city was always Hisham's territory, meaning he always drove here as he knew the place - I don't) - I call Ahlam and she gives me direction - finally we meet.  It is so nice to spend the day with Ahlam and Nisreen and Yusuf (son) = some other family members are travelling and Budoor is studying in the UK!  We have lunch - Ahlam is a great cook and always puts on a feast! We then go to the old suq as I am looking for a new majlis (sitting area) for my future home.  I am lucky - I find a nice one with the help of the ladies - poor Yusuf falls asleep and we take him home.

Nisreen and I spend the rest of the afternoon in the new suq area in the city.  Abu Dhabi has changed a lot - they developed the corniche and the city itself.  It has become like a mini Dubai - but without the hype. There are still new developments - it will be interesting to see how it develops further, as Abu Dhabi was always a very conservative place with only a few Western expats....

We visit Mamoun and Rasha, who were just blessed with a baby girl called Mays.  She is so cute - Mashallah! It is good to see them all and to catch up again.

Nisreen and I leave and wonder off to the corniche, which is buzzing with people and activities all related to the Formula One events.  We have a wonderful time together!  It is getting late and I need to drive back to Dubai - should have brought my overnight bag and stayed - next time Inshallah.
Saturday is my girlfriend Patrice's birthday the big 'X0'... they are having a tagine night without me... buhuuu....but we had agreed to try and skype and so we did.  Was a bit chaotic to get the technical side of it going - and the girls were in party mode... need I say more....  It was great to see everyone briefly and to chat.  Also Rima was with me and was able to say hi - as she had met some of them during her stay in Sydney last year.  Nice to have technology that enables us to stay in touch!  Happy Birthday Patrice!!!

In the afternoon Peter takes the kids to the beach fishing and I tag along for a stroll ....Jumeirah open beach

View to Burj Al Arab

 Off they go to get dinner....

 View of Burj Khalifa

 A beautiful sunset

 And still ... the fish are not biting....plan B for dinner: eat out at a restaurant!

 And here it is - finally I don't only spot the police patrol but also the ambulance service - both cruise all the open beaches in Dubai - just in case.....

I move back to Basma's on Sunday, as Rima is expecting her mom to visit from Lebanon.

I am so lucky to have such wonderful friends and family - I had a very good week!

S & D