The first time I flew to Dubai, I was immediately whisked from the
airport to a fancy banquet and laser/fire light show; I had to change
into an evening dress in the back of an SUV on the way. It
was strange to arrive in Abu Dhabi this time with four massive bags
and realize this is my new home.
Until we find a flat, we are staying in the same hotel I had visited
on my last trip to here. There is an amazing view of the azure
sea. A new island has appeared in the view, close enough to swim to,
since I was last here a year and a half ago. One morning as we gazed
out the window at breakfast my colleague asked "Was that building
there when I went to bed last night?" The pace of development is
astounding. There are 120 large development projects under review
right now by the Environment Agency. Some of them are complex
industrial areas and many are large resorts. One project requires
that 20,000 animals be removed from an island so that large hotels can be built.
My favorite activity so far is people watching; women look exotic and
mysterious and men look quite regal. Local men wear long white robes,
sandals, sun glasses, and mobile phone microphones next to their
mouths. Individuality is displayed by the choice and knotting of the
headscarf: white and long, red and tied together in the back; white
and held in place by a black ring. Some teen males sport long white
robes and baseball caps; one teenage posse wore black plaid robes.
Women from the Gulf wear long black robes; some robes have bands of
sequins or sparkles along the borders. Some women show their face,
some only their eyes, and some completely cover their face in
translucent black material. A few women wear a metal mask that covers
the eyebrows, nose and mouth.
Reading the local paper is enlightening. Headlines include: Sloppy
Animals in the Road, British Woman Arrested for Lewd Acts (for making out on the beach); Robber uses Chili Paste to Stun Victim. I'll send more
entertaining headlines and highlights as I come across them.
4 comments:
So I;m dying to know more about those odd looking hawk-nosed metal face plates women wear - I've heard they are from Saudia Arabia but no idea where to find that tidbit in the Koran. Glad to hear you are settling in - what did you decide, Yoshi or Rana????
xo,
Lea
Camille, I'm so glad you posted and I am excited to hear more. It's so crazy that you guys live there now. I'm fascinated.
One day in Dubai, I counted 80 cranes in the skyline. It's nuts. And be sure to go skiing! Great posts.
I can't choose Yoshi or Rana until I find an apartment! They are elusive. Lea, I will try to find out more about the metal masks, I have some posts on women brewing. Chelsea, thanks for setting this blog up--I wouldn't have cleared the technological hurdle. The number of cranes, and I'm not talking about birds, is quite astounding.
Post a Comment