A Global Gastronomic Tour of Dubai

 

A Global Gastronomic Tour of Dubai--Palestinian Breakfast, Filipino and Lebanese Dessert, Middle Eastern Lunch; More Dubai Expo 2020 and Barbecue Dinner at Reuben’s:

 

            Since today was the last full day we’d have in Dubai because our whirlwind tour of the UAE came to an end, we decided to make the very most of it. With my goods shipped off to India via air cargo, I could breathe easy. But we still had to make the time to go to a Covid testing center to get tested and, hopefully, receive reports on time to enable us to board our flight within 24 hours (tomorrow).

 

Palestinian Breakfast at Mama’esh:

            Once we’d showered and got ourselves sorted to face the new day, Reuben suggested he take us for a Palestinian breakfast. Now either Llew nor I had ever partaken of one and being ever eager to try out new culinary experiences, we grabbed the idea. Accordingly, Reuben drove the two of us to a place called Mama’esh which had a really beautiful setting and ambience. We could sit outside, if we wished (and the weather was wonderful and would have made it very pleasant), or we could sit inside and enjoy the rustic atmosphere created by visible wood-fire ovens, clay and exposed brick walls and lots of pictures reminiscent of the Left Bank. We decided to take a neat corner table inside and enjoy the black boards with their multiplicity of handwritten instructions and daily-changing menu. We placed ourselves entirely in Reuben’s hands and told him to go ahead and order for us. And so we ended up eating something called an Authentic Palestinian Zaa’tar Manaesh—which was a long piece of bread-dough, baked and filled on the inside with a zaa’tar mixture—it looked a bit like the Central European kachapuri. He also got us a Chickpea Fatayer which was a saucy like dip filled with really tasty whole chickpeas. You dipped bread into it and ate it—delicious. And finally he got us a fatteh, another pizza-like bread topped with tomatoes, onions, cheese, etc. We washed it all down with glasses of Indian-style kadak chai—a very milky and very sweet chai concoction. We did not leave without a number of spice mixtures peculiar to the region: zaa’tar, sumac and dukkah—these spices and toppings can be placed on grilled toast and eaten with just olive oil as a flavoring (as is often done in the Middle East). It was truly a most unusual, but very memorable breakfast.

  

Next Stop--The American Hospital for a Covid Test:

            Our next stop was uppermost on our list of priorities as we would not be able to board our flights tomorrow without clear Covid tests. Since Emirates required Llew to do one just 24 hours before boarding his flight, we pretty much had to keep the mission to the last-minute. When we arrived at the American Hospital which charged us 150 dirhams (or about $15) each, we found ourselves sitting in a very orderly fashion in a very clean and calm space and awaiting our turn. Our passport and other details were obtained, and, in a few minutes, we were directed to one of the stalls where the test was actually done through nose swabs. We requested the staff to expedite our reports as we were rather concerned they would not reach us in time. We need not have worried as both of us received our results by about 10.00 pm that evening.

 

More Global Gastronomy:

            I thought that we would make our way back home right away, but Reuben had other gastronomic plans. It so happened that I had seen a huge hoarding advertising a Filipino restaurant in Dubai and I had mentioned that I had first eaten Filipino food in Manilla, on a visit to the Philippines, a few years ago. I also mentioned that my favorite Filipino dessert is called Halo-Halo and I had described it as containing a little bit of everything: ice-cream, condensed milk, tapioca pearls, frozen coconut, mixed fruit, sweet azuki beans, etc. Well, Reuben was kind enough to find a Filipino restaurant and, as a surprise to me, he drove us to the very place where Halo-Halo was advertised on bright posters at the entrance. And so we ended up immersing ourselves in the delights of this most unusual East Asian dessert that is basically unheard of in any other part of the world except the Philippines. Needless to say, we enjoyed it although the shaved ice that is supposed to be a big part of this dessert, was in too large chunks. But overall, it was very good indeed.

            And then, again, just when I thought that the culinary tour was done, Reuben took us to another part of the city—in fact, to the old apartment building in which he had once lived and in which I had once stayed with his brother Rolen and his wife, Jolene. This building had a kunafa shop on the ground floor that supposedly sold very good kunafa. And so we ended up getting a big serving of it as a take-out order! It really had been a culinary tour of Dubai and we were so lucky to have Reuben as a guide to help us accomplish this.      

 

Back Home to Pack and Get Ready for Early Morning Departure:

            Reuben then drove us home and we spent the next couple of hours getting our bags packed, ready and organized for our early-morning departure. Llew was taking a few of my things back home to the States with him. I was still juggling my weight issues until the very last minute.

            When we were done, Reuben suggested he take us out for another tasty treat—chicken shwarma from a food truck that was parked very close to his home. As we had not yet eaten Chicken Shwarma on our trip, we decided that we could not leave the Middle East without giving it a try. And so he drove us to the food truck where we ordered our shwarmas on pita bread. They came with tsaskiki, the cucumber-yoghurt salad that is a usual accompaniment for this dish. They were very filling indeed and we really did enjoy our lunch. With all the eating we did on that last day (and the days before), you can just imagine how much weight we put on! Still, we were not willing to give up on the rare treats of tasting regional and local delicacies that we would not get in other parts of the world.  

            Back home, we took a little bit of a rest and a lie-down before awaking to spend the evening at a venue to which we were keen to return—the Dubai Expo 2020:

 

Returning to the Dubai Expo 2020:

            So you would think that we had received our fill of the Dubai Expo 2020 on the first leg of our travels having spent 11 hours of a single day there. Why then would we wish to return? Well, mainly because we had not seen the India and the UAE Pavilions and we were keen to see them.

            While we had gone to the Expo venue by metro, the first time, this time Reuben drove us there in his car. It took just about 20 minutes and in no time, we got through Security and were inside. The place was a bit more crowded than it had been when we were there the first time. 

            Without wasting too much time, we went straight to the India Pavilion as we knew its location well—yes, we did take the shuttle bus once we were in the venue and after we had parked Reuben’s car. 

            The India Pavilion had really nothing to write home about. In fact, the only bit that I found really interesting and very well done was the floor that projected 20 seconds each of the varied classical and folk dances of India on massive I-Max screens that surrounded us fully. Everything else was boring as the information conveyed relied solely on posters, text written on walls, etc. There was no audio-visual interest to engage us. The ground floor was devoted to India’s space program with references to Aryabhata and other devices that have been launched into space for data collection as well as satellite facility. The emphasis was very much on India as a scientific power reaching out to join the big boys. I wish they had taken the trouble to present us with more documentaries, films, etc. 

            With not much time left, we went to the UAE Pavilion but again, were very disappointed to discover that it was closed to the public—so on two occasions when we attempted to get in, we were turned away! I could not believe that the host country would turn away visitors by scheduling its events in its Pavilion so poorly. 

            Our next and final stop was at the Al-Wasl Center to see the lights display on the dome that all the media folks had been raving about. Once again, we had a bout of bad luck as the place had just been taken over for a religious meeting that featured a long sermon in Arabic. We were told that it would go on for at least an hour during which time the lights show was suspended.

            Of course, there was nothing then to do but to return to the car park and to our car and to get back home.

 

Wonderful Barbecue Dinner at Reuben’s:

            Reuben had intended to barbecue for us on his grill out on his deck. But, grilling foods in that way would take far too long and since time was of the essence and we still hoped to get a bit of a nap before we awoke at 2.00 am to take our flight, he decided to grill in his indoor oven instead. And while we sat with our last round of drinks (wine, G&Ts and the like), he was busy at the grill. In course of time, the food was ready and we had a chance to taste his brilliantly-marinated meats—sheekh kebabs, chicken boti kebabs, etc. There were salads and hand bread to go with the meats. Everything was plentiful and delicious and it made for a memorable last meal with Reuben and Tabita. We simply could not believe that our stay in the Middle east had come to an end. The days had galloped past so quickly and we had packed them so full of activity that we simply did not realize their passing. 

            When all of this eating activity was over, we made our way upstairs to bed and set our alarms to awake at 2.00 am. to get to the airport at 3.00 am as my flight to India was departing at 6.00 am. We said our goodbyes and thank-yous to Tabita before she turned in for the night as we did not want to disturb her in the middle of the night. 

            And with that our wonderfully interesting travels in a developing part of the world came to an end. Dubai and Abu Dhabi have grown into tourist meccas and it is little wonder that people from all over the world are flocking there now to avail of their pleasures. Llew kept saying how different the place was from anything he remembered. He looked with awe upon the development and, as the skyline changes daily, we have little doubt that the next time we get there, everything will have changed again.

            Until tomorrow, kuda hafiz…

  

 

A Day of Varied Activity In Dubai: Exploring The Palm, Atlantis Dubai, Souk Medinat Jumeirah and Ibn Battuta Mall

 

Saturday, December 4, 2021

Dubai, UAE

 

A Day of Varied Activity:

            We awoke in our beautifully comfortable room in Reuben and Tabita’s home in Damac Hills after a very restful night.  It is supremely quiet here with no disturbance at all to inhibit rest. After showering and getting dressed for the day, we went downstairs to a huge breakfast, no brunch. In fact, Reuben is a foodie who fed us generously for the next few days with all the enthusiasm of someone who loves to cook and entertain.  Accordingly, there were eggs and sausages (wonderfully delicious pork chipolatas that he had bought from Waitrose—yes, the Waitrose, my favorite supermarket chain in the UK!), a variety of cold cuts and cheeses, croissants with butter and fruit plus coffee.  

            The plan for the morning was that I would focus on re-packing and sending my excess baggage to India through the services of a cargo company called Prime. They would be providing door-to-door services that would include forwarding and clearing my goods through Customs in India. I suggested that Llew use the time to go off with Reuben (who had a few days off as a result of the National holiday weekend) to his former haunts in Dubai. He was keen to see the bank building in which he had worked and the apartment building in which he had lived—both of which were in Deira-Dubai, the very heart of the city. So off they went.

 

Packing and Sending off my Excess Baggage:

            I don’t know if I will ever be able to convey the anxiety I experienced for the next couple of hours as I went minutely through all my belongings to make choices. I had to decide which items I would carry with me, accompanied in a suitcase not exceeding 30 kgs. and which items I would get the movers to pack up for me to be sent by cargo to Bombay. It was entirely nerve-wracking and I was glad I had the time, space (Reuben has a large home and so I could spread out) and the privacy to go through all my belongings without feeling as if someone was looking over my shoulder. This was no mean task and I often had to quell my feelings of being overwhelmed and remind myself to stay calm as I had all the time in the world. Llew and I had made the decision to send my goods by sea cargo (which the movers had told me would take about three months to arrive) as opposed to air cargo (which would take 15-20 days). The price of the latter was double that of the former. 

            Providentially, while I was in the middle of my travails, Tabita received a call from a friend of hers—truly the voice of an intervening angel—warning her that I ought not to send anything by sea cargo to India. It appears that, as a result of Covid, thousands of containers had piled up in the Bombay docks and were fully neglected. The friend had been waiting for over five months for her own goods to reach Bombay from Dubai. Tracking the progress of the items had led her to realize that they were in the Bombay docks but were simply not being touched. Of course, it was then a ‘No Brainer’ for me to switch carriers and to go from sea to air cargo. I informed the movers who had arrived by this time and the operation of packing and mailing my goods began. 

            In about two hours, Llew and Reuben returned and Llew was able to take decisions with me and assist in the final stages of sending out them out on their way.  His own mission had been far less successful than he had imagined as the traffic in that congested part of Dubai was, he said, hard to believe.  Despite his best efforts, Reuben could barely get his car to move a few feet every fifteen minutes.  Eventually, they took the call to abandon their mission and return home. Llew got a few pictures of the neighborhood that he remembered well (as little has changed in that part of Dubai) and, somewhat disappointed, returned home.

            The movers finished the job with tremendous skill and expertise. I was amazed at the speed and efficiency with which they taped the cartons—one of my suitcases went directly into a carton—and the proficiency with which they used a synthetic kind of sacking to enclose the entire carton. There were two cartons I sent off and after signing the paperwork, we saw the movers off. It left me feeling far more light-hearted than I had done for days.

            With Reuben back and both of us not quite hungry yet, we decided to take a bit of a rest before we planned the next part of our day. I was keen to see the famous Palm of Dubai and to get to the end of it—to the Atlantis. The Atlantis is a resort hotel of sorts that originated in the Bahamas but has a branch in Dubai. I did not recall seeing much of it on the last time I was in Dubai because night had fallen by the time I took the metro to get to it and there was barely anything I saw.

 

Evening Sight-Seeing Tour--The Palm, Atlantis Resort, Souk Medinat Juneirah and Ibn Battuta Mall:

            It is good we had Reuben to ferry us around in his car and to explain things to us—nothing like having a ‘local’ guide to assist when one is traveling. We started off by making the longish drive (about 45 minutes) from Reuben’s home to the Dubai waterfront and to inch on to The Palm. This new-ish feature of the Dubai skyline was the brainchild of an architect who thought of making the most of the sea-views possible by visualizing and creating a township in the shape of a huge palm leaf. The main stem would run through the center of the township and the fronds of the palm would be the avenues on which upscale housing would be created—with each house taking advantage of a direct sea-view. Indeed, it is an ingenious idea! 

            As we drove along the main stem of the Palm, we received an idea of the luxurious villas, more like mansions, that have been designed and built to house the wealthiest people in the world. We drove right to the end so that Reuben could park his car in the parking lot of the Atlantis Hotel and made our way, by elevator, up into its lobby.

            The lobby of the Atlantic Hotel is basically the only part of the hotel that casual visitors can access.  This area is very much of a shopping mall and food court. To actually get to the lobby of the hotel, there is no access unless one is staying in it. We walked around the stores (all high-end, such as Tiffany) and made our way towards the Grand Aquarium which is one of the largest in the world. Although there is an entry fee to see it, we were able to escape that price by restricting our viewing to a huge, really huge, tank that was filled with marine fish such as sting-rays, sharks, etc. It was a very exciting sight indeed! A little later, we took an ice-cream break at Cold Stone Creamery before we made our way to the waterfront.

            Overlooking the Atlantis is a beautiful bit of the Dubai shoreline. Since the rocks are rather craggy at this spot, there is no beach. But there is a lovely, wide Promenade which, in the Middle Eastern countries, are always known as Corniches and it was there that we stayed for a while to watch a spectacular sunset. A lot of local Emiratis were out with their families on what was a very pleasant evening—they enjoyed the sea air, the soft sea breezes and the backdrop (the hotel) which provided many photo ops. We too took a few pictures here before we piled back in Reuben’s car for the next leg of our sightseeing.

            This time Reuben drove us to a place called the Souk Medinat Jumeirah. This lovely setting is an attempt to reproduce old Arabia as it might have looked in medieval times. Around several pools, they had constructed restaurants and eateries offering varied cuisines. There were also bars that overlooked a central courtyard. Surrounding it, all structures were built in the traditional style of the sand-colored Dubai wind towers with small windows and beams jutting out of the walls. With the soft light of the evening and the holiday lighting of the Xmas season, it was very atmospheric. Also surrounding the medina were shops offering all sorts of tourist merchandise in the form of scarves, jewelry, handicrafts, etc. Reuben then led us to a restaurant that had a balcony (fortunately open to the public) that offered a really stunning view of the Burj-el-Arab, the seven-star hotel that sits on its own island and is highly exclusive. There is an entry fee simply for crossing over to the hotel. It was also beautifully lit up and allowed us to take some very good pictures.

            By this stage, we had discovered that Marks and Spencer at the Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai stocked the delicious chocolate eclairs that are among my very favorite dessert in the UK! Not all the M&S outlets have it—so I felt truly blessed to have been able to buy them and enjoy them before returning to India! Accordingly, we had made calls to the store requesting them to keep aside a couple of boxes for us—these actually happened to be priced down as it was the last day of their validity and would be sold at half-price after 7 pm. 

            As we reached there about 8pm, we went straight to the M&S store and found the sales agent who had kindly assisted us. With the eclairs in our bags, I looked forward to a really amazing dessert when we reached home. I think the chocolate coating on the top of the eclairs sold by M&S is definitely among the very best in the world. It is thick, exceedingly chocolatey and delicious—not thin and runny like the icing you find on most other chocolate eclairs world-wide. This is almost like a chococlate fondant but while fondant is usually tasteless, this is scrumptious.  The filling is also fresh whipped cream—not the crème pâtissier which one finds in the US. Anyway, it was an unexpected gastronomic treat and I was thrilled!

            Being at the Ibn Battuta Mall gave us a chance to see a most unusual Mall. As I have explained earlier in this travelog, Ibn Battuta was a medieval Middle Eastern traveler, one of the earliest the world has known, who kept detailed journals of his travels in varied parts of the world—he preceded Marco Polo by a few centuries! The Mall that is named after him is, therefore, appropriately inspired by varied parts of the world. You can go from one section to the next and, as you do so, you will be traveling through Tunisia, Egypt, Persia and the like—regions of the world that he had traversed. The ambience, the lighting, the interior décor, are all so stunning that it is impossible to imagine a place like this in any other part of the world where money is always an object. There were throngs of people all over the mall, but, in true disciplined style, everyone was wearing a mask and people were careful. Having just reopened doors to tourists and having spent so many billions on the Expo, the UAE does not wish to have to close its doors again! Hence, as closure could affect the economy at every level, everyone is playing their part in keeping the country safe and healthy. 

            We scoured around the mall and when we’d had our fill and were also foot-weary, decided to call it a day. Reuben drove us back to his home in the Damac Hills and as we sat down with drinks, he prepared dinner for us—he had ordered from a local Indian restaurant and the food was excellent: chicken tikka masala, mutton biryani, that sort of thing. It was all very good indeed and we were hungry enough to eat our fill. Kunafa and the chocolate eclairs, were our desserts and I have to admit that they were simply the best!

            On that happy note, with a wonderful day of sightseeing behind us, and with my goods safely on their way to India, we went up to our rooms to sleep.

            Until tomorrow, kuda hafiz.             

Return to Dubai and First Day with Affectionate Cousins

 Friday, December 3, 2021

Abu Dhabi-Dubai

 

Return to Dubai and First Day with Affectionate Cousins

 

            Having participated (indirectly) in festivities (fireworks, for instance) associated with the 50^th Golden Jubilee of the UAE’s National Day—the year of its founding in 1971—we slept in and woke at leisure. We’d had a wonderful time in Abu Dhabi and covered the items on our Must-See List. It was time to think about departing for Dubai again to begin the third leg of our travels in the UAE.

            I should state, at this stage, that in prolonged discussion with my cousin Ashley and his wife, Meena, Llew and I reached the conclusion that we had hopelessly over-estimated the amount of baggage I could carry into India, having based it solely on US air travel regulations. To cut a long story short: Emirates suddenly cancelled my onward flight from Dubai to India (apparently the Indian Government had decided to curtail the number of flights coming into India to keep Covid infections to the minimum). I had no choice but to book a flight from Dubai to Bombay on Air-India. Now, I was allowed 2 free bags of 23 kgs each when leaving New York and Llew, travelling with me, was entitled to the same. As a result, I had about 100 kgs of personal possessions with me and was prepared to pay excess baggage charges for them on the leg from Dubai to India. However, it was Ashley and Meena who informed me that having switched to Air-India, I would only be entitled to one bag of 30 kgs from Dubai to India—the rest would need to be paid for not per piece (as is the custom in the US) but per kilo! When I took into account the fact that I had to transport 75 excess kilos to Bombay, the cost was working out to roughly $1,500—no mean sum! Hence, carrying the excess weight with me was not an option.

            My cousin suggested it go “Unaccompanied” either by air or sea cargo. We put in a lot of time and effort, received help from my relative Savio in Bombay and his cousin Marilyn in Dubai, before we arrived at the conclusion that sea cargo would be the most economical—it would cost me about $150. This would be the first thing we would tackle when we arrived in Dubai (where our bags were stashed in our friend Shahab’s home). 

With that issue on our minds, we left Abu Dhabi after another good breakfast at Ashley’s place.

 

Bus Journey from Abu Dhabi to Dubai:

            With our little strolley bags with us, we said our goodbyes and thanks to Meena and piled into Ashley’s car. He dropped us off to the Abu Dhabi Bus Station from where we bought tickets to get on the bus to Dubai. The bus was packed but it was a very orderly crowd, returning home after the fun and frolic of the long National Holiday weekend. As much as I had been fast asleep on the journey from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, this time round, I was wide awake and indeed hard at work. I had just realized that I needed to write my annual Xmas article for The Examiner, a Bombay-based Catholic newspaper to which I have contributed unfailingly every year for the past three decades at least! The editor waits for my annual article and will send me a reminder in case I ever forget! Anyway, an idea just came straight into my mind this year with very little effort—in other years, I have spent weeks trying to come up with a suitable theme for my article. This year, my ideas, thoughts and words just flowed in one fell swoop on the bus journey from Abu Dhabi to Dubai. Outside our window, the dessert sand flew by, occasional structures proclaiming the presence of oil rigs came into view and faded, some interesting buildings became evident (such as a round structure that was the football stadium—it had Manchester City writ large upon it), etc. I kept writing steadily and in a little more than an hour, I had the first draft of what would be the article I would submit to the editor, two days later. I passed it on to Llew to take a look and he chuckled softly. It is entitled. “Covidius Pandemix Rocks the Roman Empire”. By the time we were skirting the fringes of Dubai, my article was almost done and dusted. 

            At Ibn-Battuta Bus Station in Dubai, my cousin Meera’s son Reuben was waiting to pick us up. I spotted him as soon as the bus entered the bay. We met and greeted affectionately and I re-introduced him to Llew—Reuben had met Llew at my parents’ Golden Wedding anniversary celebration, many years previously. Reuben led us to the parking lot where his car (fortunately, a very large one) stood. His wife, Tabita, was inside and we had a nice reunion with her as well. The drive to their home was about twenty minutes’ long as they live in Damac Hills, a new gated ‘community’ that has sprouted up, as so many new ones are doing in Dubai, all over the city. They informed us that all the new housing settlements are being named with the word ‘Hills’ in them—in reference to Beverly Hills to denote luxury! 

            Reuben and Tabita’s townhouse is spacious and new and since it is only the two of them living in it, there was a room with attached bath reserved just for us on the top floor. It overlooked the wide open spaces of a playing field and was next door to a golf course owned by Trump. After we’d relaxed from our journey a little bit, they suggested we go out to eat lunch as it was already about 2.30 pm by this time.

 

Lunch at The Irish Village:        

            A fifteen minute drive brought us to a lovely place called The Irish Village in an area called Studio City.  As Reuben parked his car, we noticed that we were surrounded by buildings that, in some way or the other, are associated with film-making—either through administration or editorial or publicity offices, for Dubai has become a popular center for the entertainment industry.

            We had a lovely lunch, of course, as we caught up with Reuben and Tabita and got to know her a little bit. Llew and I chose to share the Pigs in Blankets—we did not realize it would be only appetizer size! However, we still had our breakfasts sitting somewhat heavily in our tummies—so the lighter lunch was quite a good idea. Reuben had the Steak Sandwich with chips and Tabita chose the Village Salad. With a few chips from Reuben’s humongous platter, we had quite a filling meal ourselves. I was delighted to be able to order a Guinness on tap—something I can do very rarely and only in an Irish bar. We had very attentive wait staff to look after us and, overall, had a great time. The weather was just lovely with a benign sun shining down upon us and zero humidity in the air.

 

A Tour Around Damac Hills:

            With lunch done, we returned to Damac Hills where Reuben decided to give us a little tour of his residential ‘community’. We arrived at the entrance of the Trump golf course, glimpsed it and turned around. Everywhere you go in the UAE, construction is never very far away. The place is sprouting up like a field of mushrooms after a thunderstorm. 

            Back at his place, I informed Reuben that we would like to meet his brother Rolen (with whom I had stayed the last time I had visited Dubai). But he told me that Rolen would be leaving for Bombay tomorrow morning and would remain there for a week. That would mean that Llew would not get a chance to meet him unless we planned a meeting this evening. Consequently, we told Reuben to inform Rolen and his family that we would take them all out for dinner tonight to the place of their choice. Arrangements were made by phone and decisions were made to meet at  Hessa Street Kitchen, a very lovely pan-Asian restaurant, for dinner tonight. 

This left us with enough time to have a leisurely evening at Reuben’s place on his deck as the sun traveled low in the Western sky and we sipped refreshing sundowners. And just before we arrived at the restaurant, Reuben drove us to Shahab’s home in Al-Barsha, so that we could pick up the baggage we had left behind there and bring it over to his. Good Job Reuben had a large enough car!

 

Dinner at Hessa Street Kitchen:

            And so it was that we arrived at Hessa Street Kitchen which is a snazzy, upscale restaurant located in the Radisson Hotel at Dubai, not far from Reuben’s home. The nice thing about living in such gated communities is that one is not in the middle of nowhere. In just five to ten minutes, one can be in the midst of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, etc.—an important factor for Reuben who happens to be a real foodie (he loves good food, enjoys cooking it, eating out and serving it to guests).  

            Soon after we made ourselves comfortable, Rolen arrived with his lovely wife, Jolene and their two little girls, Sophia and Mikhaela. They brought us a large box filled with assorted spiced nuts—so great! It was so lovely to see them again and catch up with them and the things going on in their lives. Sophia is a lively little thing and kept us well entertained. I could not believe that she is now in the fifth grade. When I had last seen her, she had just begun pre-school. She is talkative, vivacious and great company and kept us all going. We left the ordering to our guests and they chose well. I was delighted to find Laksa on the menu—this wonderfully filling Singaporean soup is made with a coconut milk base and contains a multitude of meat and veg ingredients. This variation was made the Malaysian way, but it was just as good. Extra broth was served on the side so that we could all eat from the bowl, family style. We had chicken satay and spring rolls for starters. Other dishes brought to our table was the Indonesian Nasi Goreng (a kind of spicy fried rice), Mee Goreng (the same in noodle form) Chicken in Green Curry, Beef Rendang (a spicy Malaysian curry that I had once eaten in Manilla in the Philippines and had found to be extraordinary) with Chicken Tikka Masala for the children. Everything was delicious and we had a very good time together. It was indeed a good thing we assembled together to enjoy this meal as it would be the only occasion we would have to do so.

            Dinner done, we posed for photographs in the lobby of the hotel before we got into our separate cars and made our way back to Reuben’s place where we got ready for bed.

            Until tomorrow, kuda hafiz…   

Visiting Yet Another Huge Attraction in Abu Dhabi: The Louvre Abu Dhabi

  

Thursday, December 2, 2021

Abu Dhabi, UAE

Visiting Yet Another Huge Attraction in Abu Dhabi: The Louvre Abu Dhabi

 

            After yet another leisurely lie-in, Llew and I showered, dressed and went out to meet our hosts. Meena and Ashley asked if we would like to have a South Indian breakfast. It seemed like a lovely idea and we opted for masala dosas. These were delivered to their apartment and with hot coffee, we had a really hearty brunch. We would not feel hungry again until tea-time.

 

Off to Explore Abu Dhabi:

            Ashley was keen to show us the Emirates Palace Hotel which has a quite stupendous lobby. Last night, when we had tried to get in, we were informed that the National Day rush had filled up the parking lots and there was no more room for cars. Hence, being turned away, we decided to return this morning. 

 

Visiting The Emirates Palace Hotel:

             At any time, the Emirates Palace Hotel is a lovely place to explore—even if only with tourist eyes. It is huge, tastefully appointed with the finest materials money can buy—loads of marble and glass, of course. But this weekend was a particularly significant time to enter as it is the National Day weekend and the country is in festive fettle. The colors of the national flag (black, dark green, red and white) are everywhere and in the hotel, the abundant flower arrangements, in ever feasible corner, sported those colors. It was simply breathtaking! Orchids, hydrangeas, roses, cala lilies, etc. were chosen specifically for their colors and they made the most creative bouquets and tall arrangements. Just beautiful! We had our fill of the lobby and the coffee shop area just inside before we returned to Ashley’s car and carried on our exploration of the city. Needless to say, everywhere we went, we were expected to show our newest Covid tests results as we had received ours by phone and could easily produce them when asked.

 

Exploring the Louvre Abu Dhabi:

            I had looked forward to this visit to the Abu Dhabi branch of the famous Louvre Museum of Paris for a very long time indeed and it was with real gratitude that I entered. Gratitude because, as a result of Covid, the museum had been closed for a very long time and has only just re-opened to visitors, provided they are vaccinated and have a clear Covid test result.   

            As such, Ashley dropped us off and told us that he would return home as the museum was not of interest to him. There was a bit of a walk from the car park to the main entrance along a shaded marble walkway. I soon found that everywhere a walk was involved, it was shaded as these parts of the world are so hot for most of the year. We were lucky—we had lovely weather. The sun was strong but it was never unpleasantly hot.

            So here is a bit about the Louvre Abu Dhabi. From what I understand, one of the Shaikhs of the UAE entered into an agreement with the Louvre in Paris, France, to create a branch of the museum in his part of the world. It seems that he endowed the project with 3 billion dollars and the venture began. The services of one of the world’s greatest and best-known architects, Jean Nouvel, were engaged to design the new building. If one has been to the Louvre in Paris, one sees that the entrance is through a magical triangular-shaped glass structure designed by the late Chinese-American architect, I.M. Pei. Well, this one is in concrete and is dome-shaped--a take on the domes to be found on the mosques all over the UAE. But it is not a simple dome—it is cross-crossed in the most magnificent manner with supporting beams that coat the entire surface—both interior and exterior.  It is really hard to describe, but I will say this. It is a masterpiece of architectural vision and having seen a lot of Jean Nouvel’s work in other parts of the world, I am a huge fan. Some of the ones I have seen: The Musee de Quai Branly, Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art and Institute du Monde Arabe in Paris, the Opera House in Lyon, Franc, Tour Agbar in Barcelona, the building at 40 Mercer Street right by my NYU office building in Manhattan, New York, the Serpentine Galleries in London and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Doha, Qatar. Each of these is entirely different from the other—that’s what’s so wonderful about his vision; no two buildings are alike!

            Anyway, once you enter the Louvre Abu Dhabi, it is nothing but a feast for the eye and mind. Here are some of the highlights, in my humble opinion:

1.     Some wonderful sculptural work from the Ancient world: a couple enjoined; a colorful Egyptian mummy with sarcophagus; a stone statue of Rameses; a Babylonian wall frieze in turquoise tiles with embossed design; a bust of Socrates; a bust of The Buddha; a bust of Cleopatra (looking more masculine than feminine); a Bodhisatava; a full-size Greek figure of ‘The Orator’.

2.     In the Medieval gallery: a beautiful Madonna and Child; an Islamic calligraphic series of terracotta panels found in Rajasthan, India, soon after Islam entered the Indian sub-continent, proclaiming Islam to be the one true religion; a milestone en route on the Haj Ppilgrimage route to Mecca in Saudi Arabia; a massive Syrian carved baptismal basin; beautiful, huge French tapestry panels.

3.     In the Renaissance Gallery: Giovanni Bellini’s Madonna and Child; Giotto’s Mother and Child; Vermeer’s The Astronomer; Georges de la Tour’s  Girl Blowing on a Brazier; Rembrandt’s Head of a Young Man; St. Joseph by Jose de Ribera; Sevres’ Painted Porcelain tea and coffee seats; Theodore Gudin’s Jacques Cartier Discovers the Saint Lawrence River (Canada).

4.     18^th- 19th century: Antonio Canova’s Fight Between Creugas and Damoxenes—two life-size sculptures; The Call to War and Victor Hugo by Auguste Rodin; The Prince Entering the Briar Wood by Edward Burne-Jones

5.     Impressionism and Post-Impressionism: Gaugin’s Two Boys; Caravans and Gypsy Camp near Arles by Vincent Van Gogh.

6.     Contemporary Art: Geometrical by Raza; Picasso’s Portrait of a Woman; Works by Marc Chagall and Jackson Pollock; a series of canvasses in blue and white by Cy Twombly.

 

Yes, there were loads of other items to see and we spent at least four hours on our feet. Good job we’d had a hearty breakfast. I excused myself and left Llew to continue his exploration as I wished to visit my friend, Prof. Mahnaz Yousefzadeh who teaches at NYU-Abu Dhabi. Her apartment was near at hand on the university campus and she offered to pick me up from the museum, take me to campus and have a light something at her apartment before she attended a zoom meeting, later in the day.

 

Visiting NYU-Abu Dhabi Campus and My Friend:

            After I had spent about two and a half hours in the Museum, my friend Mahnaz texted me to inform me that she was outside in her car. Llew continued to browse through the museum while I hurried out to meet Mahnaz. It was a fond reunion as I was seeing my friend after almost two years. She and I were close friends in New York where we teach in the same program. About two years ago, she was posted to teach at NYU-Abu Dhabi. Even more exciting than seeing her was seeing her beautiful little boy, Julian, who was just 9 months old when I last saw him.

            Mahnaz drove me for about twelve minutes in her car until we arrived at the entrance to the campus of NYU-Abu Dhabi. She told me that the place literally changes from day to day with new buildings and new landscaping occurring with each passing week. After I was cleared through Security which involved a song and dance (hence, Llew was unable to join us as Mahnaz had signed an Entry Permit with just my name on it), we were let through. She parked her car and then walked me through the main buildings of the campus. Since it was a National Day weekend, classes have been suspended and with the semester coming to an end anyway, there was almost no activity on campus. Some students were hanging about the cafeteria and the gardens, but for the most part, the place was dead. The Student Center had almost no life to it at all. Mahnaz showed me the new gym, the new dining hall, the new library, etc. but not much of it was vibrant. It was like a series of dead buildings. That said, I am glad I had a chance to see the new campus—it is small and very compact, but it is modern and filled with every desirable student amenity. When I had last visited the NYU-Abu Dhabi campus, it had been confined to just one building but was right in the heart of the city of Abu Dhabi. This new campus is on Sadiyat Island and it is indeed at least a 20-minute drive from the action. I can quite understand why a year is about all the time a faculty member might enjoy spending here as it is deeply isolating and one might get quite bored with the lack of activity. That said, every single one of us has had to cope with lack of activity in the past two years—so we are all, I suppose, sailing in the same boat.

            We then made our way to Mahnaz’s apartment where I had the chance to see little Julian again. As might be expected, he has grown. And he has grown even cuter with his long blonde hair and his winning smile. He was at lunch with his day attendant Afra who is Sri Lankan—a very sweet person who seemed to care for him and look after him well.  Mahnaz and I caught up a bit with the news in our lives as she cut up a watermelon and we nibbled on it. I was still very full with my large breakfast but accepted a piece of bakhlava (sweets for national day, as Mahnaz put it!) and some orange juice as I was more thirsty than hungry, really. A good hour later, after we had gabbed for a while and Mahnaz had told me a little bit about her life in Abu Dhabi and the upcoming seminar that she had organized that was to begin in just a few days after my departure from the UAE, I said goodbye to her little household and left.

            I was able to retrace my steps back to the front to the Student Center where the taxi stand was and from there I took a cab back to the Louvre.

 

Back in the Louvre-Abu Dhabi:

            Mahnaz told me that she had, with considerable effort and perseverance, managed to bring a particular manuscript from the National Library (Le Bibliotheque Nationale) in Paris, France, on temporary loan to the Louvre Abu Dhabi. She told me that I would find it in the Prints and Manuscripts section and I went out in search of it. It was a translation of the Old Testament into Farsi (the language of Persia). Mahnaz is working in this area of research right now and the seminar she would be organizing through NYU-Abu Dhabi was on The Book of Tobbit in the Bible. I found this quite exciting and went out in search of these manuscripts and took some pictures with them.

            I found that Llew had finished his perusal of the museum and was in the recreation area close to the café. He was also hungry and went out in search of something to eat. I re-entered the museum and continued my perusal of the galleries that I had not completed. These were, in fact, the more interesting parts of the museum as they contained some of the more famous and recognizable work. I took at least another one hour to see these parts of the museum that were beautifully laid out—the collection is small but quite amazing. There was a whole lot of works from Old Masters of the 19^th century and significant paintings from giants of the 20^th century as well. Mahnaz explained to me that these works have come to Abu Dhabi from the Louvre in Paris but over the next thirty years, they will be bought by the Shaikh and will become the permanent possessions of the Louvre in the UAE. Certainly, from everything I could see, this is now a premier global attraction. There were busloads of tourists being dropped off at this venue and there is actually a Hop-On, Hop-Off Abu Dhabi bus that drops passengers off at the museum, to browse at their leisure before re-boarding the bus. The galleries were not crowded, but there were a sizeable number of people there. Entry is about $25 per head—I received a 50% discount as an educator, but my Met ID card was not recognized. Overall, both Llew and I were absolutely delighted with our visit and really happy the place was open. Imagine how disappointed we’d have been if we had landed up here and not been able to enter!

            Instead of bothering Ashley and dragging him out to the museum to pick us up, Llew and I decided to take a taxi back to him place. I gave the driver his address and, twenty minutes later, we were at Ashley’s. It was about 5.00 pm by then, just time to have a cup of tea and some nibbles. We were also very tired after our long excursion and were glad for the opportunity to take a nap—indeed that was exactly what we did.

            When we awoke, Ashley and Meena suggested we get out to one of the malls—we went to Mushrif Mall—where we had a chance to see some really amazing fresh water fish in an aquarium from which Ashely buys his fish as it is his hobby. We browsed around and I looked for a particular shade of Rimmel nail polish that I use but which seems to have been discontinued. So, although I tried at many malls, there was little sign of it. Anyway, after Ashley and Meena had picked up some grocery items, we left and made our way back to their place.

 

Fireworks on National Day and Dinner at Our Hosts’:

            December 2 is actually UAE National Day and we were very excited that the fireworks that were scheduled to begin at 9.00 pm could easily be seen from Ashley and Meena’s apartment as they live on the 18^th floor of a high-rise building. We sat with drinks and nibbles and awaited the moment when the clock would toll nine and then, on the dot, the spectacle began. It was indeed wonderful as there were barges on the river from which the coordinated sound and light show was being run. Initially, there was a lights show in the dark sky that picked out the symbols of the country—the ibex goat, the figure 50, etc. And then the fireworks began! And they were superb! We were so glad that we had the chance to see fireworks on both nights—last night and tonight! They are just as grand as the Macy’s Fourth July Fireworks display each year in New York City. Within ten minutes, they were over and we sat down to enjoy Meena’s home-cooked dinner.  

            For dinner, Meena offered us one of her specialties—roasted pork ribs. Now I am usually not one to care much for ribs—as I find there is basically not much to eat on them! However, they happen to be one of Llew’s favorite things to eat—so it was as if Meena had read his mind by throwing in this surprise. And they were really awesome! Her secret ingredient was something called Banana Sauce which is bottled and which she purchased from the mall.  She tweaked that base ingredient with all sorts of other spices and came up with the marinade that made her ribs so unique. Together with a bunch of other dishes and some salads, we had ourselves a top-rate dinner with kanafi for dessert as well as another one of Meena’s swift surprises—mixed fruit cocktail in canned Alphonso Mango pulp! It was a great idea and it actually worked!

            So with that lovely meal and a lot more conversation and laughter, another wonderful day in the UAE came to an end. 

            Until tomorrow, kuda hafiz! 

Visit to one of the UAE's Biggest Attractions: The Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque

 Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Abu Dhabi

Visit to one of the UAE's Biggest Attractions: The Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque

 

            Today is Chriselle’s birthday and top most on our To-Do List was a call to her. Fortunately, Llew has Shahab’s phone for use during our time in the UAE. But we would have to wait until late in the evening (due to the time-difference) before we placed a call.

            Our day began leisurely.  We slept well but felt vacation lethargy settle over us. As a result, it was pretty late by the time we showered, dressed and made our way outside for breakfast. Meena had been hard at work and presented us with a bountiful breakfast: eggs scrambled with chicken sausages (a sausage bhurji). It was absolutely delicious and was eaten with slices of bread. Plus there was coffee to keep us going for what would be another tiring day. We were headed to the Grand Mosque—a first time for Llew although it was going to be a second time for me (I had toured it with an NYU team, a few years ago, when I was attending a Leadership Seminar at NYU-Abu Dhabi). 

            Breakfast done, we were ready to leave and Ashley was ready to drive us there. It is about a fifteen-minute drive to the mosque which has become one of the biggest attractions in the UAE—and not without very good reason. It is truly spectacular. In fact, long before you even enter the building, you are completely thrilled by the architecture which has the simplest lines—a few domes, a few minarets—all in pure white concrete. It never fails to remind me of the Taj Mahal at Agra, except that it is a much larger structure. Needless to say, I started to take pictures long before we set foot anywhere in the mosque precincts. 

 

Visiting the Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque:

We reached there effortlessly and made our way to the regular car park. Inquiries with the watchman on duty, however, informed us of the fact that entrance to the mosque is now strictly regulated due to Covid constraints. We had to walk to a new, glass-domed structure where our vaccination certificates and negative Covid tests results were very carefully checked. An escalator then took us underground into a marble and glass shopping foyer that resembled a mall. 

It was at this point that we ran into a woman who came towards us to ask if I had a head covering or long-sleeved outfit (I was wearing jeans and a short-sleeved T-shirt). Having visited the mosque before, I was aware that women were required to wear an ‘abaya’—a black hooded tunic which used to be provided for free at the entrance. However, the woman explained that, as a result of Covid regulations, those coverings were no longer being offered. Female visitors needed to be dressed appropriately or would need to buy an abaya that cost the equivalent of $15 from one of the shops in the place that looked like the foyer of a mall. Luckily, I remember that I had left my black (long-sleeved) hoodie in Ashley’s car (as I do find air-conditioning in cars too strong, sometimes, and need a wrap). I decided to go back to the car, bring in my hoodie and wear it into the mosque. That would more than suffice, the woman said. Hence, I returned to the car with Ashley leaving Llew to pick up his whatsapp messages outside McDonald’s by using their free wifi, and a few minutes later, I returned to the mosque again. 

We then had to walk underground, from this entrance to the mosque itself along beautiful spacious marble walkways that were fully air-conditioned.  This prevented us from having to walk under the hot sun. All along the walkway, there were huge pictures of international dignitaries lining the walls to announce the eminence of this venue: Queen Elizabeth II of England and her late husband, Prince Philip; their son, Prince Charles; the current Pope Francis, etc. And then, after what seems like ages of walking along the marble-clad corridors, you enter the mosque and are immediately overwhelmed by its beauty.  The first thing you notice is what seem like hundreds of slender marble columns inlaid with semi-precious  stones to form delicate floral skein designs that climb up the top of columns that are crowned with what look like upturned crowns of golden acanthus. The ceiling is also adorned with a stucco design in sage green and white which is also strikingly delicate. All the while you are walking alongside the main space of open-air worship which, I am certain, could accommodate many thousands of Muslims at prayer. The floor is equally striking, as it too is entirely clad in marble, inlaid with very large botanical designs in varied shades of green and coral marble. From time to time, you will pass by a niche made entirely of blue Turkish tiles from Iznik that resemble the intricate designs of a prayer rug or carpet.

Eventually, on following the directional arrows for visitors, you will enter inside one of the halls of prayer characterized by gigantic glass chandeliers made in Murano, Italy. They cast a soft golden glow on the ceiling and the floor. At other times, you will pass by entire walls embellished with more marble flowers, leaves and stems that looks like fine embroidery. More Murano chandeliers, looking a bit like upturned umbrellas, are found further in the main hall. While, in the past, visitors could stand right under them, today you can only look at them from afar. There is also a gigantic silk carpet on the floor that is breathtaking in itss size, soft coloring and design. Curves on the ceiling, more columns to hold the higher floors in place and support the many domes bring aesthetics and architecture together in a seamless union that makes it impossible to stop clicking photos. There are windows clad entirely in glass with etched stars on them surrounding a primary flower-like motif (in keeping with the principles of Islamic design that does not permit the use of human figures). 

When we had finished our tour of the inside, we were out in the bright sunlight again. There, once again, I was able to notice and appreciate the stuccoed design running alongside the walls and surrounding arched doorways and on columns everywhere where Islamic calligraphy added to the splendor of the place. Yet, despite all this opulence, at no point did the place feel gaudy, over-the-top or ugly. It is such an exquisite statement in luxurious restraint that I felt as if I could start the whole tour right away and notice completely different elements to enchant me.

I have said this before and I will say it again—to go to Abu Dhabi and not to visit this masterpiece of architecture and interior design would be like going to Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tour or going to New York and not making a trip to Lady Liberty. The monument has come to be synonymous with the UAE (at least in my book) and I do think that I would gladly return to the spot, if only to marvel at the possibility of human wealth and human craftsmanship, if ever the opportunity presented itself.

On our ride back home to Ashley’s place, he took us alongside the Cornich again so that we could admire the intriguing architecture that has come to represent Abu Dhabi—buildings that resemble pineapples, leaning towers, etc. 

The long National Day weekend had begun and with all the emiratis in holiday mood and spirit, Karen and Sharon were off to spend it with friends in Dubai. Just before they left, we took some pictures with them around the Christmas tree that was up already and decorated beautifully by Sharon and Meena in shade of red and gold alone.

By the time we returned home, it was time for a long afternoon nap when we gave our feet a rest and prepared ourselves for the evening’s program. For Llew and I had offered to take Ashley and Meena out for dinner and their daughters suggested a Thai eatery called Desert Lotus that was a good 20-minute drive away.

 

Dinner (and Fireworks) at Desert Lotus Thai Restaurant:

Accordingly, we freshened up after our naps and then got dressed for dinner. We enjoyed the drive in the darkness when all the architectural gems of the city are lit up skillfully and beautifully to highlight their angles and curves and after crossing a bridge arrived at the venue. Then, much to our delight, just as we got out of the elevator and headed to the entrance of the restaurant, the sky exploded as the firework display began! And it was awesome! The sky was turned into a garden of fountains in fluorescent colors. The show continued for about ten minutes as we used our cameras to videotape the spectacle. It is just uncanny as our timing was simply perfect. A few minutes later and we would have missed it all!

The restaurant was lovely and the wait staff were gracious. We ordered drinks (margaritas for the ladies, wine for Llew, whisky for Ashley) and then picked the most tempting items off the menu: tom kha gai soup (spicy-sour chicken soup with mushrooms in coconut milk), chicken in basil and cashew nuts, prawns, pad thai. We loved every morsel of our selections—they were just delicious. Conversation flowed easily as we made the most of our time together and toasted our hosts for being so attentive and generous to us. While we were at the restaurant, we called Chriselle to wish her for her birthday—hence all four of us could speak to her and she was delighted.  

Dinner done, we entered the car again and made our way home on what had been another super-exciting and very active day in the UAE. Indeed, the place has turned into a tourist paradise and I was simply thrilled that we were able to enjoy it together after so many years.

Until tomorrow, kuda hafiz…   

Journey to Abu Dhabi and First Day in the UAE’s Capital:

 

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Journey to Abu Dhabi and First Day in the UAE’s Capital:

 

            Salaam Aleikum from the UAE!

            Today was all about getting ready for the next leg of our travels in the UAE—we were off to Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE. Although one might be led to believe that Dubai is the capital city (because it is far more scintillating, for one thing), it is, in fact, this slightly less dazzling sister, that has the distinction.

            To fuel up for our travels, we had another big breakfast, courtesy of the Ayubs and prepared by Seema: scrambled eggs with buttered toast and preserves, coffee. It was a great way to start our day that would provide much-needed foot rest after the hectic day we’d had at the Expo on our feet for literally twelve hours at a stretch! 

            With just our strollies (wheelies) packed and ready to be loaded into the taxi, Naazli called us a cab. We said our temporary goodbyes to her (knowing that we would meet again after three days, upon our return from Abu dhabi). The taxi driver took us to what is known as the “Ibs Batuta” Bus Station. By the way, I recall from my eight-grade history classes that Ibn Batuta was a well-known Arab traveler who was one of the earliest to document his extensive travels in the Medieval Age. What a great name to give a bus-station!

            

Bus Journey to Abu Dhabi:

            We were at the Bus station in about fifteen minutes and found out the counter from which we could buy our tickets to Abu Dhabi. The UAE has built a superb highway that now connects Dubai and Abu Dhabi (and the rest of the five famous Emirates) within 90 minutes. The journey cost us about 28 dirhams which is roughly $7—a real steal for the length of the journey, its speed and comfort. I have taken this bus journey both ways, about six years ago, and so although my cousin Ashley (from Abu Dhabi) volunteered to drive to Dubai to pick up and bring us to his place, we declined his kind offer as we did not want to unnecessarily inconvenience him. We told him we were more than capable of taking the bus ourselves. And, indeed, that was what we did.

            The bus journey was so comfortable in a luxurious, air-conditioned bus (that was about fifty percent full) that I have to admit I simply put my head on the backrest and fell fast asleep. I guess our hectic days and late nights are leaving me sleep-deprived and my body is craving a bit more rest. At any rate, we were driving right by the gorgeous Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque close to Abu Dhabi City Center when I opened my eyes. Less than ten minutes later, we were skimming through the capital’s grid of evenly constructed streets and making our way towards the Main Bus Station. A few minutes later, we unloaded our bags and connected with my cousin Ashley who has lived in Abu Dhabi for at least the last forty years. I have stayed at his spacious apartment before and feel fully at home in their residence. About a ten-minute drive later, we were at his building, Golden Tower, a high-rise apartment building in the Electra Park area of Abu Dhabi which is basically a very happening segment, right in the heart of the city surrounded by shops, restaurants, banks, etc. 

 

Meeting with Ashley’s Family and Enjoying a Home-Cooked Lunch:

            Waiting for us in Ashley’s apartment was his wife Meena whom we were seeing after about six years as she and Ashley had come to Connecticut and stayed with us at our place for a week. They have two adult daughters, Karen and Sharon. While Karen was home (working at home due to Covid and came out to greet us immediately), Sharon joined us about an hour later as she is working from her own office. They lost no time showing us our room, offering drinks and snacks and then getting lunch organized as it was about 1.30 by the time we arrived at their home. 

            Meena is an excellent cook and she started us off with delicious homemade chicken satay that was absolutely tops. This was followed by a table full of dishes: Pork curry, chicken curry, pulao and salad. For dessert, Meena made a spectacular Caramel Custard that was just delicious. Eating our fill of her delicious offerings also gave us the chance to catch up and find out what and how the girls are doing, Both Ashley and Meena have retired from their respective jobs and were intending to return to live in India. However, since their daughters, both single, continue to live and work in Abu Dhabi, they have decided to stay with them at least for the moment.

 

Celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the Formation of the UAE:

            I have not made mention of the fact that we had arrived in the UAE at a most auspicious time. The nation was in jubilation as the Emirates were celebrating the founding of their nation in 1971--this occurred 50 years ago. December 2 is celebrated as National Day with a festive, holiday air. This year was even more jubilant because it was a significant milestone in the history of a fledgling nation. We were told that celebrations would include wonderful fireworks at night and we were happy to bear witness to the gaiety. Everywhere we turned, there were larger-than-life size cutouts of Sheikh Zayed who made the UAE the modern nation it is with enlightened religious pluralism and an incredible modernist outlook in a country in which Islam is the state religion. The four-colored UAE flag was flying from every building, official and otherwise, in the run-up to the actual date.    

    With our bellies groaning with food, it was time for a shut-eye and we retreated to our room to get in our forty winks. By the time we awoke, twilight was fast falling over the city. We decided to go for a long city drive before we lost all light.

 

A Drive Around Abu Dhabi:

            Ashley kept telling us that, unlike Dubai, Abu Dhabi is a very small place. And indeed it is.  All the same, it is spiffy and modern, super-clean and organized. Traffic moves in orderly fashion, cars are snazzy and new, public transport is quick and easy-to-use, malls are buzzing. However, since the UAE has suffered deeply over the last two years due to the closure of its borders to tourists, it is determined, not that it has opened up, to keep its people and visitors safe. There are strict Covid protocols everywhere. Although the situation is more casual in Dubai, you cannot enter a public place (malls, mosques, museums) in Abu Dhabi without showing proof of a clean Covid test. Hence, although Ashley did drive us down the beautiful sea-facing promenade which is known as the “Corniche”, around the Royal Palace and the gorgeous Emirates Palace Hotel, he did suggest that we get to a vaccination testing center as soon as possible so that we would have a clear test certificate to show at the entry to all important buildings. It was the best and most inspired idea he had.

 

Getting Tested for Covid:

            Ashely next drove us to the Covid Center and we were whisked through the various desks to get registered and tested. It was superbly organized, ultra silent and, as in every place in the UAE, located in spacious quarters. People moved about in a very purposeful manner, the assistants at the desk (mainly Indian Keralite women) were extremely polite and well-spoken and, before you know it, we had our tests done and were told to provide email and mobile numbers as our results would be revealed through those platforms. We were told it would take 10-12 hours and indeed, by the time we awoke in the morning, both of us had clear test results. This appeared on our phone and was shown at the entrance to every building from then on.

 

Off to the Carrefour Mall:

            With this important errand accomplished, Ashley and Meena drove us to the Carrefour department store (a French chain of supermarkets that has a dominant presence in the UAE). Here too, the place is huge—like a BJs or Costco warehouse! They led us straight to the Xmas decorations’ section which was huge and filled with all that one might desire to decorate the house. I decided to buy something for my Bombay apartment and ended up with a set of baubles in blue and silver that came in a single box—I received about fifty of them in varied colors and sizes and textures—and a set of lights. Equipped with these, I felt as if I could bring some festive cheer to my Bandra apartment. We left with our goodies, as well as some food items that Meena wished to purchase before we left the store.

 

Dinner at Zahrat Lebanon:

            Night had fallen over Abu Dhabi by this time, and people were out—either buying dinner to take home or congregating on the streets to enjoy it at the restaurants themselves. Ashley and Meena decided to swing around to their apartment so that we could use restrooms and pick up their girls who were also going to join us for dinner. They too decided to take us out for Arabic food and they too chose a Lebanese restaurant called Zahrat Lebanon which is a chain with many outlets in the city. The one they chose was spacious and offered table seating for larger parties.

            As at Dubai, here too, the meal consisted of mezzes such as hummus and mutabbal with kaboos, the wonderful puffed bread eaten all over the Middle East. They also ordered a Mixed Grill platter which came with a variety of meats: lamb chops, lamb kebabs, ground beef kebabs, chicken shaslik, etc. and a variety of vegetables and pickles. Yes, everything was absolutely delicious. For dessert, I was keen to eat kanafi, but our hosts suggested we pick it up from another place that specialized only in this dessert. Accordingly, Sharon drove us to the place, I stepped out with Karen into a tiny little shop that had a variety of them in large circular platters, I picked one of them and with our little parcel, we returned home. 

            We did tuck into the kanafi right away and it was indeed wonderful. I was certainy having my fill of this unusual dessert in this part of the world. I was tired but Llew and Ashley sat down to shoot the breeze with a glass of their favorite tipples. Meena and I bid everyone else goodnight and went off to bed after what had been another lovely day in the UAE.

            Until tomorrow, Kuda Hafiz.