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.  

Exploring the Excellent Dubai Expo 2020:

Monday, November 29, 2021:

Exploring the Excellent Dubai Expo 2020:

 

            Although the Dubai Expo was inaugurated and is being held in 2021, it was meant to begin in 2020.  All posters, publicity material, etc. had already been printed—and they carried last year’s date! Covid delayed the event by a year and now that it has finally opened, it is being held with a great deal of fanfare—but the 2020 date remains!

            But to begin at the beginning of the day…we awoke in our friend Shayab’s home, showered, got dressed for a day out (comfortable walking shoes, of course) and enjoyed breakfast prepared by the maid, Seema: scrambled eggs with buttered toast, preserves and coffee. Once again, it was our friend Naazli who dropped us to the Metro station. We thought we knew the drill by this stage, but after getting our tickets (we deliberately paid double and got the Gold Star cars to avoid the heavy rush of the standard tickets cars), made an error. About ten minutes into our journey, not having Metro maps with us, I realized that we were travelling in the opposite direction and needed to change tracks. We did so, alighting at the next station and moving to the right platform. We lost about twenty minutes, but with all that, we make it to the Expo venue by 11.00 am. I need to state that the Expo is very easily reached by public transport and that the UAE government has especially created a Metro station to link the site with its public transportation network. This will, no doubt, make it very easy for people who do not have their own conveyance.

 

Arrival at the Expo Venue:

            Security was very tight at the Expo venue. We were required to show our tickets (we have Senior Season Passes for free—a huge perk of growing up!), our PCRT Test results (we showed the one we took before leaving the US) and our vaccination certificates. After that hurdle was cleared, we were put through electronic security as at an airport—all our bags were scanned and we went through a body scan as well. They were taking no chance with security.

            The Expo is superbly organized. But, I suppose, that is understandable, since each country gets about 10 years to plan and set it up. I understand that the next one (after five years will be in Osaka, Japan and the one after it, in ten years’ time, will be in Saudi Arabia). At any rate, the visitor is immediately struck by the brilliant architecture of the venue as you enter through a really huge square arch. From then on, it is nothing but a feast for the eyes as one goes from one pavilion to the next.

            So here is a bit of background on the “Dubai Expo” as it is being called. 192 countries have joined in to create a showcase of their efforts to make the planet more environmentally-friendly. Hence, depending on where their interests lie, they are then grouped under one of three headings: Opportunity, Sustainability or Mobility. The venue is vast and covers hundreds of acres. To speed up the transportation of people from one section of the Expo to the other, there are free shuttle buses that operate on a 10-minute cycle throughout the day. Naturally, Llew and I picked up a map at the entrance and decided to take the shuttle bus to the first pavilion we wished to see: Singapore. This was in the Sustainability section and that was where we alighted.

            I ought to say that while at home, last night, I had googled the Dubai Expo and keyed in “Ten Best Pavilions for Adults to Visit at Dubai Expo”. This took me to two sites where two different individuals gave their recommendations for the best pavilions. From among them, we saw the following:

Singapore: The entire pavilion is constructed around three upside-down cones, each of which represents a tropical rain forest. You stride upon a circular walkway that winds slowly to the top.  Along the way, you pass by thousands, yes thousands, of potted plants that are embedded into the structural cones—you do not see the pots—you only see the plants. This is what gives the ambience of walking in a garden. There was one small section devoted to orchids and as they are my favorite flower, I really did love that bit. Once we had scaled the entire hill to the top, we took the elevator to get down. Singapore’s pavilion was a good way to begin our exploration.

            We then browsed briefly through Slovenia, Sweden, Brasil and Azerbaijan, but there is not much to note about them.

            We then took the shuttle bus again and moved towards the Opportunity section. Here we started our exploration in 

            Luxembourg: This was a wonderfully visual pavilion.  It had a massive I-max screen that beamed all sorts of information and pictures about the country. We learned that although a tiny principality, it supplied all the glass and steel for the construction of the Burj-al-Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, in Dubai. Fancy that! Next, we visited

            Great Britain: This was a very interesting architectural building that seems to jut out like a pipe. Inside, it was a feat of technology entirely conceived by the country’s best-known scientist Sir Stephen Hawking. Visitors were encouraged to type out any word of their choice on a small I-pad. This word was then instantly crafted into a short poem of a few lines which also appeared on the screen.  Meanwhile, the word of choice appeared high up on a large screen that looked a bit like a game board. I chose the word ‘Imagine’ and Llew chose the word ‘Believe’. We were happy to see our word choices reflected back at us. From there, we moved on to

            Monaco: Like Luxembourg, Monaco is a tiny principality and its visuals, projected on another gigantic screen in many tiny sections, like a Cubist painting, were a representation of everything for which the country stands: luxury, entertainment, casinos, fine design…but it was also a chance to see what its monarch, currently Prince Albert, is up to in terms of making financial contributions towards sustaining our planet. Very classy. Just like the country. And on to

            Lunch! Yes, we were famished by this point and decided to look for sustenance.  There are a lot of national snacks offered by each country in the respective pavilions, but if you want something more generic, there are also little cafes sprinkled around everywhere.  We used our map to find Food Street and settled for Greek Gyros from a food truck. These were very tasteless and easily the worst meal we ate in Dubai. Certainly not recommended. I have to admit that by this time we were starting to flag, so I was delighted to find that outside the Monaco pavilion, there were steps leading to the entrance. Someone had the inspired idea of throwing dozens of bean bags on the steps that then draped themselves to offer comfort. Llew and I rushed towards them and had the great pleasure of actually going almost horizontal as we stretched our bodies out to give ourselves muscular rest. I actually took my habitual 20-minute nap and I cannot even describe how utterly refreshing it was. After gaining our second wind, we moved on towards the next pavilion.

            Switzerland: Switzerland was just wonderful. You enter a darkened space—a kind of huge hall—and start to climb gently upwards (as if you are climbing the Alpes) in the semi-darkness.  You are surrounded by fog so that you do not see well at all. As you go higher, twilight gives way to night and the moon appears in the sky. It is so atmospheric that you can almost believe you are somewhere in the foothills of the Alpes in Switzerland. Amazing experience!

Next door was Egypt where the big attraction is a reproduction of the famous gold bust of King Tut. Since we had been to Cairo and see the real thing at close quarters, we decided not to brave the line but to move on. Indeed, by this time it was after 4.00 pm and we began to notice that what seemed like a fairly empty space in the morning suddenly began to crawl with people. It is clear that visitors arrive each day after their working hours end (in Dubai, at 3.00 pm, I believe). So after 4.00, the crowds grow in size. Our next stop was 

            Saudi Arabia: This place was incredible! Not only did they have a kind of waterfall—like a gigantic shower—that played and stopped at intervals, allowing people to try to hop in and out of it without getting wet--but it reproduced the sense of a Saudi village in an oasis using mood lighting, national music and the movement of an escalator. At the end of the ride, there was a humongous globe that had kaleidoscopic projections focused on it. It was simply mind-blowing. Out next port of call was even more awesome!

            Pakistan: The Pakistani Pavilion is just stunning. It is a visual delight, being composed of upturned cones in a jazzy fluorescent color palette. When you enter, you are transported to Pakistan which is presented as a staggeringly beautiful country with incredible natural vistas enveloping the Himalayas, assorted mountain lakes, glorious wildlife, etc. This was done through the clever usage of I-max screens. In another section, you are introduced to the pluralism of its religious groups—a lot of emphasis on Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism (in addition to Islam) as it flourishes in the country today. Here too, the vast diversity of religious houses of worship sprinkled all over the country, was emphasized. Overall, it was an unforgettable visual experience.  

 

Meeting Zafar, Ridda and her Family:

            By this time, Llew’s former colleague and friend Zafar had finished with work. He was keen for me to meet his daughter Ridda who had taken my course on South Asian Studies when she was a student at the Stern School of Business at NYU in 2002! She remembered me affectionately and well and was keen to meet me again. Now married to Salman and with two little ones, she is a designer of high-end fashion handbags. She had spent one year at La Pietra in Florence, NYU’s Italy campus, and had then spent another year, after graduation in Florence, where she went into fashion design. Now based in Dubai, she designs handbags in crocodile and snake skin (responsibly sourced, she assured me), has them made in Italy and then sold in the UAE at pop-up exhibitions. I was so delighted to meet her (I did remember her once I saw her), her husband and her two children that I felt it was a high point of my stay in the UAE. Imagine meeting a student after 20 years who remembers you and makes the effort to seek you out to say Thanks! It is immensely gratifying. We took some pictures together, exchanged news about other batchmates I recall from her year and then exchanged contact information. Truly, our sit-down in the restaurant called Dawaat in the Pakistani Pavilion where we enjoyed Kadak Chai and Punjabi samosas was so meaningful to me that I was barely focused on anything other than catching up with Ridda.

            Then, it was time to say goodbye as she left to find suitable dinner for her little ones while Llew and I sought out the Norway Pavilion as Ridda told us that there was a massive waterfall built inside it that we simply had to see.

            Norway: Ridda was mistaken—there was no waterfall in the Norway Pavilion They were actually one in the DP World Pavilion, not far away. We sat through a thoroughly boring documentary film about Norway’s oil drilling efforts and wind turbine efforts in the North Sea (which we could not even leave even if we were bored stiff) and then told that was it. Utterly disappointing! Since Ridda had raved about the waterfall, we entered the DP World Pavilion next.

            DP World: Again, yes, there was a waterfall that plays every fifteen minutes, but it was very similar to the one we had seen in the Saudi Arabia Pavilion—so again, we were not impressed. We decided very quickly to move on as it was almost 9.00 pm by this point and we were fading away. On making inquiries, we were told that the pavilions closed at 10.00 pm and the Expo at 11.00 pm. We had two more that we really did want to see, the USA and India. 

            USA: The American Pavilion was also highly impressive. By means of a moving platform, visitors are ferried through its various sections as they read text and see pictures of American History from 1776 onwards. There was special emphasis on American invention and contribution to global technology such as Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone and Ford’s Model T automobile right up to the moment. The section began with a welcome address from Kamala Harris, VP, but other than that, there were no images of the country’s leaders at all. Emphasis was on the common man, not on celebrities. Finally, in the last section, you could see a reproduction of the module that has been left behind on Mars and actually touch a piece of moon rock that was brought back to the earth by the Apollo 11 Mission that first put man on the moon.  A lot of emphasis on America’s scientific achievements as it moves towards creating a more eco-friendly nation. 

With this one done, we hurried to the India Pavilion. And what did we find? Not only was the façade least interesting, but it was closed! It was only 9.35! We discovered that the India Pavilion closed at 9.30. Again, this was a disappointment to us and we realized that we would have to return just to see it!

            We had caught glimpses of the nightly light show in the Main Pavilion, but as we were simply too tired by this point, we did not stop for it. We were also disappointed to find that the UAE Pavilion which everyone said was gorgeous, was closed because a special function was being held inside it. Another disappointment!

            By this time it was almost 11.00 pm and we had covered a lot of ground. It was time to leave. We found the shuttle bus that took us back to the first stop from which we joined the crowds leading back to the Metro station. A little later, we bought our tickets and hopped on to the train and were at our stop within 20 minutes. By then, it was almost 11.30 and we had not eaten dinner. It was time to look for a suitable place near the station.

 

Dinner at Kapadokya Turkish Restaurant:

            Luckily for us, the Kapadokya Turkish Restaurant was still open and we were able to find a lovely table inside and order a nice meal. We decided to share a large plate of mezzes which included hummus (chickpea mash), babaganoush (eggplant mash), tabouli (parsley salad), Fattoush (pita bread salad), dolmas (rice-stuffed vine leaves)—all served with puffed up kaboos (bread). It was all wonderful and we were fully stuffed by the end of it.

            All that was left for us to get to the Taxi stand and hail a cab that took us to the Ayub residence. We had the key and since it was almost midnight and the entire household was asleep, we crept up quietly to our beds and called it a day!

            Until tomorrow, kuda hafiz. 

         

Exploring Dubai and Doing the Tourist Thing: Dubai Museum, Dubai Mall, Fountains, Ride up Burj-al-Khalifa, Dinner at New Shanghai Restaurant

 Sunday, November 28, 2021:

Exploring Dubai and Doing the Tourist Thing: Dubai Museum, Dubai Mall, Fountains, Ride up Burj-al-Khalifa, Dinner at New Shanghai Restaurant

 

            Salaam Aleikum from Dubai!

We took it easy this morning. After all, we were on holiday! Arising at leisure in the Ayub household, we took showers, dressed for a day of sight-seeing and went downstairs for breakfast. Our hostess Naazli was out shopping but Seema, her maid, took care of us. Breakfast was omlettes with buttered toast and good decaff coffee. Armed with this meal, we were ready to face the day. Naazli arrived on cue and offered to drive us to the nearest Metro station so that we could begin our day of sight-seeing with a visit to the Dubai Museum.

 

Our First Ride on Dubai’s Metro:

            I used Lonely Planet online to access tourist information about Dubai and having found out about opening hours for the Dubai Museum (which I decided would be our first port of call), I made one mistake. I did not check the website of the Museum itself. Hence, there was a disappointment in store. But I am rushing forward. First, the metro ride…

            Few cities have as plush a metro system as Dubai does. It is quick, soundless, spotless. We bought our tickets on the ground level concourse from Mashreq Station (which serves the Ayub residence at Al-Barsha) and took the escalator up to the platforms. We jumped into the last car as the train was already on the platform and ready to depart in a few seconds. We were very pleased to find seats and, as the stations passed by, we received out first sights of a city that is starting to show evidence of urban sprawl. It was only as we were alighting that we realized that we had  jumped into the Gold Star car—where fares are double. Hence, the luxury of our ride (the other cars were packed). Indeed, with all the expat laborers that crowd Dubai today, the metro is a God-sent and used by everyone. Hence, it can get very crowded indeed. Luckily, we escaped getting fined and decided to be less impulsive in the future!   

            We had to change lines before we found a connecting train to take us to our destination. Once we arrived at the station, we had a good 15 minute (hot and bewildering) walk to the waterfront to arrive at Dubai Museum which I had visited a few years ago and found fascinating. Llew had never been to it and, on my recommendation, was eager to explore it. To our utter disappointment, however, it was shut, long-term, for renovation! This was where looking at the Museum’s website would have been useful!!! Anyway, we had no choice as the neighboring Wind Towers Museum (which I had also visited and found fascinating) also seemed closed. We had plans to meet a friend of Llew’s called Ruquaiyah and coordinating our meeting with her, later in the day, proved challenging as we did not have the museum exploration to eat into our time. Having Shahab’s phone with us was a real boon and we managed to coordinate.

            

Off to Dubai Mall:

            Not to be daunted, we told her that we would meet her for lunch at Dubai Mall as that spot was convenient for her. Accordingly, we retraced our footsteps to the Metro station again and rode it to the Burj-al-Khalifa/Dubai Mall station. Llew was keen to take a ride up in the tallest building in the world (at least at this time!). I, having done it a few years ago, decided not to do it again. Hence, our plan was that Llew would go out in search of a ticket first before we explored the Mall.  Fortunately, the two attractions are literally side-by-side. 

            It was another long and crazy walk from the metro station to Dubai Mall. It seemed to us as if we had walked for miles along pedestrian flyovers skimming over the streets below on which traffic whizzed by. These walkways are shaded and air-conditioned—and so very pleasant—but you have to be in good walking condition to use them. Eventually, after what seemed like ages of walking, we arrived at the entrance of the Mall and went in search of tickets for the Burj (as we were simply unable to navigate their website to buy tickets). 

            Llew was able to get a ticket for 6.30 pm that evening. He would have liked to get one earlier—this would have allowed him to see the city while there was still daylight and as twilight fell upon the desert. But, despite the pandemic, Dubai is buzzing with tourist influx (thanks to the Expo) and it was actually difficult to get the time slot he wanted. Still, we had the rest of the day to while away at the Mall (although shopping was the last thing on our minds). 

 

Exploring Dubai Mall and Lunch at Carluccio’s:

            With our ticket in hand, we were able to make contact with Rukaiyah who arrived as planned. We spent the next hour desultorily walking through the Mall after our reunion with Rukaiyah. She had visited us in Connecticut, at least 20 years ago—so it was a personal meeting after ages. I was keen for Llew to see the various features of the mall: its ice rink (if you can believe it) at which there were scores of people enjoying themselves; the indoor waterfall that gushes down the sides of the building; the interesting sculptures—not to mention the first views one gets of the Burj-al-Khalifa, currently the tallest building in the world that soars like a spindly spike into the sky and is beautifully lit at night. It is surrounded by the famed Fountains that play a sound and light spectacle at night. 

            Hunger pangs called urgently and I was keen to eat in some of the British food chains that I do not find in the US (or India)—Carluccio’s, for instance, which is my Number One Italian chain in the UK. It was started by an Italian named Antonio Carluccio who made Britain his adopted home. I have been watching one of his TV shows on You Tube called Two Greedy Italians. Together with Gennaro Contraldo, his closest friend, he has toured Italy in search of the cooking of the nonnas! There used to be a Carluccio’s in Farringdon, not far from where I lived in London, and I had grown very fond of the chain that serves really good Italian food. Fortunately, my companions, Llew and Ruquaiya fell in line with my suggestion and we sat ourselves down in the restaurant to enjoy wonderful overflowing platters of pasta. Mine was the rigatoni with prawns and pistachio which contained semi-dried tomatoes. It was very good indeed to sink my teeth into the comforts of pasta, but it was much too large a portion and I had to leave a little bit behind—not the prawns, naturally!

            After lunch, we continued our exploration of Dubai Mall. What I find fascinating about this place (even though I was not into the shopping part of it) was its design and its contents. There are literally hundreds of shops here. There are the big designer names like Hermes and Ferragamo and the small boutique shops. There are also stores that represent retailing in every part of the world. If you are in the US, you will find US chains, of course, such as Victoria’s Secret and Ann Taylor. If you are in Europe, you will find names such as Petit Bateau and Furla. If you are in Asia, you will find Asian chains such as Mumuso and Kenzo. But here, in Dubai, you will find them ALL. It is truly stunning! Should you have pockets deep enough, you can buy anything you choose to have at Dubai Mall—a one-stop shop for every item under the sun. Yes, there are also the UK departmental stores such as Marks and Spencer and UK supermarkets such as Waitrose—places where I renew my retail energy! But there are also unique, one-of-a-kind shops such as the Turkish sweets and desserts shop that sells nothing but Turkish delight, bakhlava and other sticky treats in a store called Hakkizad Hazzif Mustafa which was established in 1864 in Istabul. Its Dubai Mall branch is manned by Turks who wear the clothing of the year of its founding: long impeccable white coats with red fez hats that have a tassel dangling from them. They go about their work with starched precision and I found the entire place amazing. Plus, they were the only store to give out freebies and we enjoyed a tasting of flavored nuts, caramel-coated pecans and bits of hazelnut-studded, rose-flavored Turkish delight or what is known as halva in the Middle East. It is the common end to a meal in this part of the world. 

            

Llew Rides Up the Burj-Al-Khalifa:

            It was almost 6.00 pm by then and time for Llew to get into the line for his ride up the Burj. I was tired and conscious of tight feet by this time and decided to stay in the Food Court with a cold Coke to re-charge my batteries as he went ahead with his excursion. With my Coke in hand, I found a seat, sipped it slowly and then, if you can believe it, I put my head down on the table and actually had a good 20-minute nap! By the time I awoke, utterly refreshed, I was being asked by a young man if he could join me at my table as he had a plate of food in his hand and was looking for somewhere to sit. I told him he was welcome and we started a conversation, He happened to be from Myanmar and had been in Dubai for three months as he had been laid off when the pandemic began and Dubai closed down.   

            Llew joined us back about fifteen minutes later saying that he was not too impressed by his ride up. Yes, it was high and yes, the lights from up there were good…but he was not swept off his feet, let’s say. He was glad, however, that he had undertaken the journey and could say, ‘Been There, Done That’. 

 

Dinner at New Shanghai Restaurant at Dubai Mall:

            By this time, it was almost 7.30 pm and we had plans to meet a bunch of Llew’s former colleagues with whom he had worked in Dubai, many years ago. The venue decided upon was New Shanghai Restaurant which is also in the Mall. It was nice to taste another cuisine after Arabic (Lebanese) and Italian. That’s another one of the great advantages of being in Dubai—it is the crossroads of the world as East and West seem to coalesce here quite effortlessly. You can get almost every cuisine that your heart would desire in the very tiny square footage of this emirate. 

            We found New Shanghai and, upon entering, discovered that two of Llew’s friends, Zafar and Majid, were already seated inside. After a lovely hearty reunion with him—they had not seen each other for almost 30 years or maybe more—we settled down to nibble on salted edamame. Zafar knew the restaurant and its menu well and did most of the ordering. We were joined just a little later by Shahab and Naazli who then became part of the reminiscing that went on around our table.  Llew was definitely in his element as he walked down Memory Lane with old friends who were with him in the infancy of his banking career. All of them have gone on to meet with enormous success in various parts of the world, although, somehow, coincidentally, they all returned to Dubai where they are now heavily involved in financial investments of all kinds. 

            Dinner was a great variety of Chinese dishes with chicken, seafood, noodles, fried rice, etc. brought in generous platters to the table to be eaten family style. We ate our fill and finally left to go and see the famous fountains.

 

The Fountain Show at Dubai Mall:

            After we made our way out of the Mall and on to the open area outside, we realized just how crowded Dubai is at this time. The place was filled with a sea of people waiting to see the show begin. The fountains play every 15 minutes in a sound and light spectacle that brings music and color to the scene. Llew and the others went ahead while I waited at the Five Guys Burgers place as I had an appointment to meet a young man name Ashwin, brother of my friend Karina, who would be handing over some items for me to take back to her in Bombay. After we connected on time, we too made our way to the fountains. The show was brief with a very modern song playing on the system as the fountains gushed up ever higher. Before we knew it, it was over. 

            The group then reconnected with me at Five Guys where we actually took pictures of the five guys in our group just under the sign! A few minutes later, after they were introduced to Ashwin, we all parted and went our different ways. Zafar hoped to meet us again and told us that he would try to see us at the Expo tomorrow. As it turns out, in 2002, I had taught Zafar’s daughter, Ridda, who was a student at NYU’s Stern School of Business. She was keen to meet me and hoped to make plans with me tomorrow. I was delighted to be able to meet her again, although I could not quite recognize her name. I hoped that meeting her would jog my memory a bit.

            Dinner done, we said goodbye to our friends and piled back in Shahab’s car for our return to his home. It was late at night, after 11.00 pm by the time we arrived home and so we went straight up to bed.

            Until tomorrow, kuda hafiz…  

                    

Flight and Arrival in the UAE