Abu Dhabi 101

Don't use this as a guide. I'm only pointing out what I found interesting in UAE.

1. First impression of UAE (either Dubai or Abu Dhabi) is... what a modern city and modern life they have here, despite the fact that it is one of the moslem countries in middle east. Extravagant malls, especially in Dubai, happening night clubs, bars, entertainment centres, cheap motels to 7 star hotel (Burj Al Arab - Dubai, with its gold plated interior, restaurant at the lower ground with windows facing the depth of the sea since they have this hotel built by the sea...just like sea world, and the sky restaurant on top of the building). Really...you won't find it different with other cities in the world, except that some time in a year, it will get really hot. And I'm not kidding when I said hot, it's just like feeling the hot air when you open an oven after baking for some time.

2. And what a rich country it is, despite the fact that it's a dessert area, you will still find beautiful gardens with coulourful flowers and green grasses all around the city and along the roads, with regular watering for the plants at least twice a day. In Dubai there's even a water park called Wild Wadi (Wadi means dry river stream, that will get really flooded once it rains in the mountains), where you can play in the pools and water with all those water games. Definitely no problem with water supplies all year round.

3. Unique smell of UAE. Go to the malls and you will definitely smell their unique perfume. Yup, they have their own favourite perfume which you won't find in any international perfume store. It is only sold in their local perfume stores. I found one of these perfume stores as well in KL, especially Bukit Bintang Walk, where most Arabic people gather. Once you get used to it, it actually smells really good. Sometimes...too strong though.

4. Unique costumes. They don't use these every time, and not every one wear these, but you will still find they use these costumes in casual occassions with their families, in the malls for example. Dish dash for guys which is that white robe, and abaya for girls, a long black soft fabric robe paired with their long black scarf I would call 'jilbab'. Under this black robe, the girls normally where their day to day attire such as jeans or long skirts. How do I know these ? Because you can actually see the clothes underneath when they walk :p. This is exactly a robe, not a fully covered black dress. Some use abaya for religion cause, and some will only use it as a traditional costume. They also have a unique way to use their long black thin scarf as jilbab and I'm really fascinated by that. I bought for myself one pair of abaya and the black long scarf, and I'm waiting the moment to actually use it over my normal attire :D

5. Caution !! The most hazardous activity you will find here is....crossing a road. These UAE drivers are crazy. They speed a lot just because the roads are in good condition and no traffic jams ever occured (for the time being), plus the fact that they have nice cars here, but they pay no respect for pedestrians. It's really life and death experience when you cross the road (in a proper zebra cross) and you see the cars heading towards you don't even reduce their speed!! So...better cross the road in a traffic light, when the cars have actually stopped or underpass.

6. Most comers and workers you will find here, besides from other Arabic countries like Oman, Libya, Yaman, Jordan, etc, are from India, Pakistan, and Philipines. I haven't seen a lot of Indonesian here, but there're plenty in Dubai. Indian and Filipino in the other hand...are everywhere. That's why I have no problem finding an Indian restaurants, or practice my Tagalog language (if I do really want to practice it...but..unfortunately I have forgotten every words I once knew very well in my childhood. In fact that was my second language after Javanese, but all I could remember now is only Mabuhay to say welcome and Pare to call a friend...sigh).

7. I found one most interesting phone booth just beside my office here in Al Masaoud Tower, a red kind of British type of phone booth. You will find this red phone booth everywhere in UK, they even have the miniature made as a souvenirs beside their famous classic black taxis, red mail boxes, and red double decker buses in London. But I didn't expect to find it here. Well....looking at the fading colour (picture above), it's quite old and it's just probably a left over from the old times. Now the picture below is the one from Newark, UK, of me, my friend, and the red phone booth.

Newark phone booth...wanna make a call anybody??

8. What else I should write here....oohh...this interesting desert safari where they will bring you in a 4WD car to roller coaster in big sand dunes. I didn't quite enjoy that bit because of my sensitive stomach. It's worst then the Super Tycoon ride in Sixflags - Houston which had got me nausea. Fiuuhh..I really should avoid those kind of ride...white water rafting excluded ofcourse :p Then we got a chance to ride the camel (it's really quite an experience, especially when the camel is standing up or sitting down while you're riding it...jerky moves!!!), sand boarding from the top of a sand dune (believe me or not, but the sands have different sliding properties...a kid told me the sand dunes in Saudi is the best to sand board..hahh), and barbeque dinner while entertained by a belly dancer...Russian belly dancer...hmmm. We even can try some of their traditional costume (dish dash and abaya) while relaxing in the camp. One thing you definitely need to try is their sheesha. It's their unique way to smoke cigar with an equipment (called sheesha). And boy they have lots of flavours. I tried the strawberry flavour. Interesting.... I have to get myself one of those real sheesha before I leave this place.

9. I think I will still be able to find something interesting while I'm here...so I'll just keep my eyes open.

Area near my office - Al Masaoud Tower