New Website for the Abu Dhabi Experience!

Well after posting all of our experiences here for the last 2 and a half years, Natova and I figured we could use a space that allowed us to be even more creative.  Blogspot has been great but we felt it was time to branch out into our own website.  Hence the birth of www.AbuDhabiExperience.com!  From now on we will be posting all of our new experiences of travel and culture here.  It took a while to get the blog where I wanted to show it to other people but now it's ready for viewing.  And don't forget to subscribe so I can let you guys know of any new posts.  Speaking of new posts I know I have been on hiatus for a while but I plan to get back to regular weekly posts.  There are already a few posts on the new site that I hope you will enjoy.  And thanks for all the support.  When I went back home to the states I got to meet a couple of people that I didn't even know who kept up with the blog and in general I got a lot of encouragement to keep it going.  So thank you everyone, and I hope you like the new site.

Also, through this blog I know you get a lot of my perspective on things but rarely do you get to hear it from my wife.  So we developed a blog for her as well: www.inneractionnnetwork.com.  Inner Action Network is more of a video blog (or vlog), where as my site is a more tradition blog.  Between the two of us we hope we are able to put you right in the middle of our experiences.  (For instance, one of the videos we try to do in every city we go to is called  "The Five Senses of..." Basically we try to give you a snapshot of the city based on what we have heard, felt, smelled, seen, and tasted).  And though Inner Action Network features our travels, it also is designed to be a place of encouragement and inspiration.  Natova is a certified life coach and so some of her videos are simple reminders about being positive and maximizing your potential. You definitely want to make sure you subscribe to her blog as well.

Be sure to check us out at the links below and we will see you soon!

www.abudhabiexperience.com                                            www.inneractionnetwork.com

Trip to Al Ain

This photo of Mercure Grand Jebel Hafeet Al Ain is courtesy of TripAdvisor

There are three main parts of Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi city, Al Ain, and the Western Region.  When I first got to Abu Dhabi I didn’t know which one of these areas I would be teaching and luckily I got Abu Dhabi city, which I believe is the best fit for Natova and I.  The other two areas are said to have their pros and cons.  The Western region is first and for most very remote.  It’s what you think of when you think desert, rolling dunes and sparse vegetation.   Now the upside to ending up out that way is that you don’t spend as much money because you are less prone to hop in the car and go to an expensive restaurant because you have to ride a couple hours to Abu Dhabi city.  I am also told that the quiet of it all can be quite profound, as opposed to the hustle and bustle of the city. 

Al Ain is the second largest city in the Abu Dhabi Emirate.   I had heard stories of its oasis and lush greenery, even more so than the city of Abu Dhabi, which does have pretty decent amount of plants.  It is also well known for its zoo, which is supposed to be one of the best in the whole country.  Most of the teachers that don’t get placed in Abu Dhabi city end up in Al Ain, so there is a good number of teachers spread about there.  Natova and I had been wanting to take a weekend in Al Ain ever since we have been in the country, just to see a different area of Abu Dhabi. 

We found our opportunity when Natova picked up a Cobone coupon for a one night’s stay in the  Mercure Grand hotel, located at the top of the Jabel Hafeet, the third and probably the most notable of the three major attractions of the city (the other two being the oasis and the zoo).  It is the mountain that overlooks the entire city of Al Ain and at the top sits the hotel we will be staying for the night. 

We took a bus provided by the city out to Al Ain, a two hour ride on a pretty nice chartered bus that only set us back $6 USD per person one way.  Since we travelled as a “family” we got to sit together in the front (men in the back, family/women in the front) which had a bit more space, though there weren’t that many people on the bus anyway. If there is nothing else I can say about the UAE I can definitely say they have an outstanding bus transportation system that runs throughout the entire country with very, very reasonable prices.   

It became pretty immediate the second we got within Al Ain that this place is a different animal than Abu Dhabi.  The most striking difference were the amount of people on the street, or lack thereof to be more accurate.  Granted it was a weekend, but there was very limited activity on the streets of Al Ain and even less taxi cabs, which I didn’t expect at all, and hence led to our first dilemma once we pulled into the bus station and grabbed our things (also the Al Ain bus station took us by surprise too.  We weren’t expecting the Taj Mahal but I didn’t think it would be a hole in the wall; I mean this is the second largest city in the Emirate).  There is normally a line of taxis at the bus station in Abu Dhabi just waiting for customers, but here, there wasn’t one in sight.  Luckily Natova was able to flag one down while I got our luggage (I have heard that the taxi drivers are more prone to pass over guys to pick up ladies, particularly Western women).

The drive through the city was nothing to write home about, but it did get interesting the closer we got to the mountain.  It was clearly visible anywhere in the city.  The terrain became less soft and green and more red and rugged.  As we ascended there were some free standing rock formations and other smaller mountains.  The road became ridiculously winding and steep, not that our Taxi Driver was going to let the threat of flying clear of the mountain affect his need for speed.  Taxi drivers all over the Emirates are notorious for driving what most would consider recklessly, this guy was no different.  I had to remind him a couple of times that there was no trophy waiting for him at the top of the mountain and that he would not be penalized if he slowed down to a speed that did not have us trying to recall whether we had all of our affairs in order on every turn. 

We finally did make it to the hotel.  Upon first glance we were not overly impressed, though that’s not to say that the hotel wasn’t a nice one.  It just wasn’t the best, or worst, that we had stayed in. The exterior was fairly modest for Abu Dhabi standards and it was only 4 or 5 floors high.  What was really nice, though, was the view overlooking the city that we had from the small balcony in our room.  It actually oversaw the pool area the café restaurant in the foreground, and beyond that over the cliff was an expansive view of Al Ain, every inch of it. 

The view went from great to amazing after the sun went down.  We were already advised earlier by the taxi driver to check out the city at night on one of the many observation points carved out in the mountain on the side of the road heading up to the hotel.  We didn’t expect to have one such view right outside our window. Lucky for us we did, because it really was something special.  I wasn’t expecting such a varied collection of colored lights to illuminate different parts of the city.  The mixture of them across the landscape were like lighted paint strokes across an infinitely dark canvas.  The main roads served as the strongest strokes with their yellow and white lit light posts prominently carving out it is presence in the night, while other obscure clustered colors of blue or red only offered curious suggestions as to their purpose or origin.  Other restaurants and hotels let their neons randomly dance throughout the darkness.   It was one of those scenes you could let your eyes wander over aimlessly for an entire night…with or without a beverage of your choice. 

The coupon package included a dinner at one of the three restaurants in and around the hotel.  We decided on the one inside the hotel, the other two were outside overlooking the city.  The restaurant had a lounge feel to it: dimly lit with a candle lighting our small table.  The best thing about it though, and the main reason we chose this restaurant, is that it had it also had a singer, accompanied by a piano, singing some of the great American classic standards like “Singin’ in the Rain” and “Girl from Impanema”, two of my personal favorites.   It was a great setting for an intimate meal.  Although, the food itself let us down slightly the combination of everything made the dinner experience great. 

We moved outside to the other restaurant overlooking the city at night.  The closer we got to it the more engulfed we became in festive Arabic Music.  A few family and friends were dancing in front on the patio near the DJ while the surrounding tables watched in delight and clapped along.   The space wasn’t very large so it was easy to get everyone involved. The night was a good temperature with lots of good cool breezes, enhanced no doubt by the higher altitudes.  A table outside would have been great especially with the atmosphere but as you would expect it was already packed and there were no seats available.  It was a Thursday night (the equivalent of our Friday night) and the beginning of the weekend so we expected a good amount of people.  We had no choice but to sit inside, which was more like a tent/room.  The music was still very clear and I could see through the door the people dancing.  We got ourselves some shisha and a couple of drinks.

Shisha is something that I was against at first. I erroneously thought that it was the same as smoking a cigarette, but it turns out it much cleaner, in that there is no tobacco involved.  Natova tried it first with one of her friends and I later gave it a shot.  It is now something we do occasionally at certain settings like this one.  For those unfamiliar, it’s a long fancy looking pipe like bottle with a hose coming out of it from where you suck the smoke out of.  At the top of it there is a small grill where you set little flavored cubes.  The smoke produced from this is mixed with the water contained towards the base of the bottle, mixes with the water fumes, and is sucked out of the hose.  It does get you light headed based on how much you inhale.  Your buzz can last a few minutes up to a half an hour, based on how much you take and for how long you had been doing it.  

We ended our night just kicking back enjoying the ambiance and smoking shisha, talking about how amazing it is that we are even here, something that comes upon us from time to time.  It helps to reconfirm our decision to come out here.  There were only a few other couples in the room with us so it was pretty comfortable stretching out on the couch and pillows.  Our table area was designed for a group and since it was only us two so we had plenty of space to relax.  

At the end of the night we negotiated our way back to the hotel room and were sleep within a few minutes of hitting the bed.  The next morning we took advantage of the breakfast that was included in the package (I had already been up struggling to get Wi-Fi so I could watch my Miami Heat win a championship in a game 7, and she eventually conceded to the disruption of me coming in and out of the room).  After breakfast Natova got some time by the pool to write out some ideas and relax, and then it was time to check out. 

Overall, even though it was only a one night stay it was very memorable. 

I can’t say I fell in love with Al Ain, but we may end up at that hotel again for another long weekend.  

Getting a taste of Dubai

Dubai is on our list of places to visit at least a couple more times before we leave.  To be honest there really isn’t any reason not to, with it only being two hours away.  I know that had I not hurt my leg that we would have definitely gone more often.  As of a week ago we had only been 3 times in almost two years, but we decided to make it a fourth last weekend.  We also decide that this weekend would be a more ambitious than what we are used to, as far the number of things we set out to do.  We packed our day with events and sites, and we vowed not to let tiredness keep us in the room.  

Headed to Dubai

I took off a day on Thursday so we could head on out and get a full weekend in Dubai.  We caught a cab to the bus station, paid for our ticket, which is wonderfully inexpensive by the way (50 dirhams for both of us- about $13 USD).  The buses are coach buses and very comfortable.  This one was actually the most comfortable I have had, with a really good amount of space in front of me and some really relaxing cushions on the seats.  After a few games of UNO and Scramble on the IPad with Natova, the next thing we know we are pulling into the station in Dubai.  

The taxis in Dubai are way more expensive than in Dubai so we decide to give the Metro a try (an above ground monorail).  It was something we wanted to do anyway so it worked out.  There was a station right across from the bus station so we hop on.  Just entering the station we were impressed with the design and the state of the art technology.   We packed onto the train and I do mean packed on, and made our way to the hotel, which is pretty close to the Mall of the Emirates.  We got off at the mall to catch a cab to take us the rest of the way.  It was while we were waiting in the taxi line that we got a pretty good look a gluttony of luxury cars, including the most Bentleys I had seen in one place in a long time.  Most were passing though, but a couple were parked and I was able to snap a few photos.

Once we got to the hotel (which we found out is located behind the Holiday Inn just like our apartment), we dropped our things and headed out to the Global Village.  Before we left I was able to record a clip of the room.

Global Village

The Global Village is a lot like what it sounds.  It is something of an amusement park (it has a few roller coasters and other rides) but it mostly consists of themed shopping areas representing different countries from around the world, mostly Middle Eastern.  I had a colleague describe it as a glorified flea market and I could understand where he was coming from.  But for us, because of the decorations, it had a more of a traditional souk (market) feel at times.  Walking around the whole thing got our feet hurting but it was definitely worth it to check out.  

Atlantis

The next day we ventured out to the world famous Atlantis hotel.  There are only two of them in the world, the other one is in the Bahamas.  It is situated at the tip of the Palm Jumeriah, which if you are unfamiliar is a huge man-made peninsula in the shape of a giant palm tree with a crescent covering it.  If you check it out from Google Earth or Google Maps.  Palm Jumeriah is all upscale and on each of the “branches” of the palm are rows of beach front luxury property that goes for a minimum of a million dollars a piece.   In the hotel there is a large Lost City of Atlantis aquarium which was our main reason for visiting the hotel.  

The hotel was nice but not the nicest we have been to (that distinction goes to the Emirates Palace).  There were tons of tourists as we expected and a good amount of shops with way over priced clothes.  We had a little down time before our tour of the Aquarium started so we were able to get some good pictures in front of the hotel.  It was really hazy at first but that cleared up later (I don’t think I have talked much about the fogs and hazes in this part of the world-I have never seen anything like it.  There have been times driving to work and we cannot see the road 10 feet in front of us.  By far the densest fog I have ever been in).  

We had to wait around for about two hours but finally the time rolled around for the tour.  We had already seen the aquarium in the Dubai mall so this one wasn’t really as impressive, but there were some pretty interesting fish in there, including a huge catfish (I had no idea they got that big).  Overall we liked it and are glad we took the time to check it out.

The Taste of Dubai

We attended the Taste of Chicago during the time that we lived there and really enjoyed it, so I was glad with Natova’s diligence to get us to the Taste of Dubai.  We ran across some tickets on one of the coupons sites that give discounts and deals on events and products, like Groupon for the Middle East.  When we got there the place was pretty packed (evident by the fact that both ATMs on site ran out of cash so attendees, i.e. us, had to go across the street to get money out).  Ultimately we didn’t stay very long. After we looked at a couple of cooking demonstrations and just generally took in the atmosphere, we naturally wanted to get something to eat.  Well, it turns out the Taste in Dubai is run a little differently than the Taste in Chicago.  First of you purchase the food with actual money, which leads to longer lines because people need change and so forth, which holds up everything.  Also, the prices were ridiculous.  The going rate for most dishes was about 30 dirhams (close to $8 USD), and when I tell you the dish was bite size, I’m talking 4 bites tops and you are done.  Our stomachs, and our wallets, convinced us that we were better off heading to the Mall of Dubai to pick up something fulfilling there.

We did just that and ended up in an African restaurant called Tribes.  It is not some hole in the wall joint either.  The place was full of expats and I have to admit the prices were on the pricey side.  But we figured we deserved it after a long day walking around Dubai so we went for it.  I must say the food was excellent.  I got the ribs and Natova tried the lamb, both of which I thought were delicious.  The amazing part was the vegetables that came with the dish were cooked in some type of sauce that made the vegetables as good if not even better than the ribs!  And I never thought I would say that about any vegetables. 

Clubbin’ in Dubai

So now we run into a dilemma, the same one we ran into last night.  After the Global Village our feet were shot and we were exhausted from travel and walking.  We vowed that we would go out clubbing in Dubai because we wanted to do it at least once.  However, our bodies had other plans and we decided to postpone our fun until the next night, this night.  But unfortunately, our bodies started to sing that same tune from last night, and this is our last night here, so it’s now or never.   Natova left it up to me to make the decision and I began to get swayed with conversations of “we could come back and just do the clubs only and no walking miles during the day.”  In fact, it did work and in my head I figured we could just come back, but I didn’t tell Natova that.  I wanted to see here in her club outfit and I knew she would only put it on if she thought we were going to the club.  So I made here think that we were going out and she got herself dressed (not too happy about my decision either, I could tell).  We did a brief photo shoot before we left to go to the “club”.  When we got downstairs I informed her that I am not going to drag her to the club but I planned all along just to take you across the street and get some drinks and chill out for a bit before we come back here and collapse.  I expected her to be relieved but to my surprise, she insisted that we just go to the club.  And so it was.

I had researched a bunch of clubs in Dubai most of that morning and decided that Club N’Dulge was our best bet.  It seemed to play Hip Hop music, and on the Youtube clip I saw, they were having a Chris Brown’s album release party there, so I figured it would be a good choice.  Like all clubs and bars here, the club is located in a hotel.  Lucky for us it is Hotel Atlantis, so we were already familiar with the location and the layout.   

The club itself was nice, nice vibe, nice location, nice décor, nice everything.  The drinks may have been a bit watered down, as they did not seem to affect us much throughout the night.  And they were crazy expensive.  But the cover for the club was free so I guess it balances out.  We were disappointed with the crowd at first, and it never did get really full.  We learned from one of the waitresses that the Sundance Film Festival was the same night so that drew away a lot of customers.   Nonetheless, we had a good time, dancing and chilling on one of the couches they had available.  We kind of wanted to strangle the DJ because he would play one decent song and follow it up with something from ten years ago, but that was okay, we still had fun.  We got out on the dance floor for a good little while.  Natova’s feet dictated when it was time to go and I didn’t have a problem with that, I was ready too.  We plan to go back on a regular night when it gets full; that would be amazing. 

The next morning we hopped a bus back to Abu Dhabi and that was it.  Great trip, can’t wait to do it again, and there is no reason not to.  We have a few months left and this is an easy weekend getaway only a couple of hours away.  We always like Dubai because it feels so much like a regular city in the U.S.  We figure if we had to live anywhere in the region again we would want it to be Dubai.  So if you ever get a chance definitely check it out.  ‘Till next time.