Author: DomestiKatie

Part of the pre-move discussion my husband and I had, involved figuring out what I could do during our time spent here.  Having no idea what was available, and believing that the answer to the questions was very little, I turned to more unconventional options.  I have been interested in Ayurveda for quite some time, and in fact had planned to take classes at an Ayurvedic College in Albuquerque in the fall of 2015.  A family situation necessitated shelving those plans, but moving here made Ayurveda education an easily attainable goal!  You see, the practice of Ayurveda originated in India, a place that is very easy and inexpensive to get to from here.  So I did some research and found a school that teaches Ayurveda, including courses in Ayurvedic cooking – BINGO!  This particular school is in Northern India, at the base of the Himalayas, so BONUS! I get to be out of the heat for a period of time – ideally in the summer.   Unfortunately the timing did not work out for me to get there in August, so I scheduled for my first 5 weeks to begin in September.  I planned to spend an extra week after classes exploring, for a total of 6 weeks in India.

I thought I had done a good job of working out all of the details… school enrollment, transportation, housing, etc.  Knowing I needed a visa, I went to the web site for the local Embassy of India and researched the visa process.  The website indicated that Emiraties (or people with a valid UAE resident visa) can use an online e-visa process.  If you do not have your UAE visa, you need to go to the Indian Embassy, and allow 3-5 days for visa turnaround.  To make sure I am doing it all correctly, I call the embassy and am instructed to complete the online ‘regular’ visa application, print it out, and come in the next morning. The online instructions verified the 3-5 working day turnaround for visa processing.  Perfect.  I had 7 working days before my flight, I was in good shape!

So the next morning, I take my printed application, along with my passport, flight confirmation, and hotel reservation, and I call a cab for the 30-45 minute ride out to Embassy of India.  There I hand over my phone, clear through security, and am told to take a number and wait my turn.  So I did.  25 minutes later my number is called.  I go to the first window, hand over everything, and am immediately told to have a seat, I will be called to a different window.  10 minutes later I go to the second window, answer a few questions, and am invited back through a locked door to speak directly with the head of the visa processing department.  I did not know it at the time, but apparently I was asking for something outside the norm.  This head Visa guy tells me I do not have the correct information to accompany my application, and gives me a list of things I need to go print out and bring back.  So I exit, hail another cab, go to the nearest copy center, and print out verification of school acceptance, and a letter from the owners of the homestay because my third party confirmation was not acceptable.  The cabbie waits for me, and returns me to the Embassy with papers in hand.  I take another number and wait my turn.  Again.  The entire process repeats itself, and this time Mr. Visa Head informs me that I have applied for the wrong visa type.  The form is online.  So… I need to go home, get on the Embassy of India UAE website, complete the application a second time (this time checking a different box), and come back again.  Why he could not tell me this the first trip through I do not know.  Apparently he did not notice it.  Great.  3 hours wasted!  As I’m leaving this time, I check the operating hours and determine I can’t get back before closing hours, so I need to return the next day… Only the next day is an Indian holiday, and the embassy will be closed.  The day after that begins the weekend, when the Embassy is always closed.  So I make my plan to return on the next business day, which is the day after we move, and 5 business days before my flight.  I am cutting it a bit too close for comfort….

Sunday morning (a workday in UAE) I arrive at the Embassy, with freshly printed (new) application in hand, along with every damned thing I could think of that they could possibly want or need.  I take a number, sit down, and wait for my turn…  For the third time.  Only this time I skipped the second window, and was sent straight back to Mr. Visa Head.  The guy looks at my paperwork, and asks me why I am there bothering him again.  (I think, ‘Really?’ among other things.)  But I control myself and very politely reply that I am there to get a visa so that I can travel to his country.  He says, yes, he sees that, and proceeds to tell me I do not need to be at the Embassy, I need to take this paperwork and apply at the downtown visa processing office.  Which happens to be less than 10 minutes from where I live.  I am amazed at my calm.  I do not blow, I do not yell, I do not cry, and I do not kick the crap out of Mr poopy visa head.  I just smile and make an attempt to explain (again) that I do not have a UAE resident visa, so I was told to come directly to the Embassy.  He demands to know who told me this.  I of course, do NOT have the piece of paper with my phone notes on it in the giant stack of crap in my hand, so I cannot answer.  He tells me that not having the UAE visa is not a problem, it just delays the processing.  I smile again, and explain that my flight is on Friday.  He smiles and tells me to change my flight.  I almost… almost… lose it at this point.  But no.  I turn and leave his office still in control of my tongue, my temper, and my kicking foot.

SO….  I go to the BLS office.  This is a company that contracts with the Indian Embassy to process all of the visa applications.  They make sure that all of them are completed properly, all fees are paid, and all necessary documentation accompanies them, then they send them to – wait for it – the Embassy!  Where Mr Poophead Reviews and approves the special cases, like mine.  Hmmmm…..

There are literally hundreds of people in this small office.  I arrive at 10:30AM.  The only good thing is that there is a separate queue for women.  I get to bypass about 30 people waiting for the initial review of documentation.  I hand the woman my stack of paperwork.  She is going line by line down my application and tells me I have completed it incorrectly.  (Are you kidding me?)  Seems I have not included my middle name (there is not a line for it) and I have requested a 2 month stay.  (The question is how many months do you want a visa for?  The correct answer is 2, because at 6 weeks, 1 is not enough.)  She tells me they do not offer a 2 month visa.  I must choose 1, 3, or 6 months.  There is NOWHERE on the application OR in the instructions that indicates that.  I am actually grateful when she gives me a number, and tells me to have a seat and wait my turn for a representative to retype my application for me.  So I sit and wait.  And wait.

The system they use is one that flashes the next number on the screen, along with the associated counter for the person with that number to go to.  The flash is accompanied by a ding to let people waiting know to look up.  Once the person goes to the assigned counter, the representative at the counter acknowledges their arrival by turning off the flash and ding.  That is, every representative except the one at counter 4.  I know this because the number flashing on the screen and dinging incessantly, is asking the person to go to counter 4.  There very clearly is a person being helped at counter 4.  That person has been there since I came in, and sits there still 30 minutes of dinging and flashing later.  I would love to pass the time reading, except this jerk at counter 4 has not turned off his dingdong.  Another 45 minutes go by.  Still flashing the same number and still dinging.  My number comes up, and I step to counter 1, where a guy takes a typing fee from me for somebody to reenter my entire application.  Then he gives me another number and I sit back down.  The dinging for counter 4 is still going on.  Another 30 minutes goes dinging along and finally the customer at counter 4 is finished.  The dingdong ends, and the representative enters the next number.  Yep.  Mine.  Of course.  I smile and take my paperwork to him, and very politely remind him to turn off the bell.  He looks startled, but complies.  It is blissfully quiet for at least 4 whole minutes.

Representative 4 gets through the retype and asks me what type of visa I want.  I tell him I will be there for 5-6 weeks, and only need a single entry.  He tells me the price is the same for a 6 month multiple entry visa.  He recommends it in case I decide I love India and want to return.  He points out I would not have to return to this office were that the case.   Hmmm.  OK – I will take a 6 month multiple entry visa.  He prints out my new (hopefully properly completed) paperwork, gives me a new number, and tells me to have a seat until my number is called.  Great.  I think they are trying to break my will to live.  I look up at the clock. And see it is 10 minutes after 1.  There is a large sign on the entry door that announces they close for lunch hour between 1:30 and 2:30.  (Oh please God, no.  Please!)  At 1:23 my number pops up, and I am directed to counter 12, where a woman reviews my paperwork, tells me it will be a fee of 600 dirhams and my visa will be ready in 10 days.  WHAT!!!  10 days???  NOW I lose it.  I ask if there is any way to pay more for it to be expedited.  She says no.  It may be done sooner, but 10 days is what the standard indicates.  I explain I have a flight Friday, and class beginning on Monday.  She tells me I will need to change my flight and I will be late for class.  I pay, leave the building and scream obscenities in my head for the next 15 minutes.  (Among other things, it is against the law to curse in the UAE – and I was going to be thrown in jail if I outwardly expressed my thoughts.)  I spend the next 2 days wondering how to go about changing a flight if you do not know what day to change it to.  Thursday rolls around, and my husband suggest we go to the Embassy, just to see.  Maybe they have completed it and we can save them the courier fee.  I point out that I received the text message saying it was in progress, and I would be notified.  He says it can’t hurt.  I think it can’t hurt me, but I might hurt somebody there.  Instead of saying that, I agree to take the ride with him.  Of course, they are closed.  It is 2 in the afternoon, the hours indicate they are open until 5, but the sign on the door says they are closed.  He tries the door anyway.  It is locked BUT, the girl inside opens a little window and asks if she can help him.  He calmly explains the situation and she invites us in.  He then explains again to a man inside the office, who offers to go and personally check on my visa.  We thank him and have a seat.  15 minutes later this man comes back and announces it will be ready Sunday morning at 10.  He apologizes for not being able to get it right away, and he and my husband have a lovely little chat and a few laughs.  At least I know when to reschedule the flight!

Fast forward to this morning.  My husband and I arrive at the Embassy of India, surrender our phones, clear security and head into the visa office.  I take a number and we have a seat.  It is 10:03.  Our flight is scheduled for 2:05.   My number is called at 10:25.  I go to the window, smile and say hello to my old friend at window 1, and let him know I am supposed to pick up my visa today.  He steps out for a few minutes and returns to tell me to have a seat, and poopyhead will be with me in a few minutes.  At 10:52 the master of poo himself opens the side door and beckons me in.  He sees my husband stand up with me and he smiles.  WHAT?  Yes… he smiles.  They shake hands, trade stories, laugh and oh, by the way here is your visa to the lady standing next to my husband.  Wow.

I am writing this from our hotel room in Delhi.  We easily made the plane.  My husband’s seat was double booked so they upgraded him.  Oh and because he has a valid resident visa, he was able to get his India Tourist visa in less than 24 hours using their online process.  It cost him 60 dirhams.  What a life this guy leads!

More on India soon…

(Note from DomestiKatie – my apologies for missing a few posts.  It has been a super busy week between the move, getting packed up, and then set up and also trying to get a visa for my India trip.  As a result there will be a couple of posts in a row before I get back to 2 posts per week.  That is my goal and my pledge.  Thanks again for reading!)

Our building from the water side

So, about our Move…..

As you may know (or would have read in a previous post if you are keeping up) our plan was not to be in an apartment at all.  Our plan was (and still is) to be on a live aboard boat in one of the marinas.  However, first I need to have a resident visa (that ‘housewife’ visa).  In order to get that visa we had a few hoops to jump through.  The frustrating part is that the target is a moving one, and the rules appear to change with each question asked.  What started out as something that by all appearances would be an easy process (and frankly should be an easy process) really was not for us.  However, we learned from the experience and will do things a bit differently should we have to do it again.  Here is what we learned: 1) Rules are at the whim of the rule makers, and can change by the day.  2) What applies to us may or may not apply to others and vice versa. 3) Nobody seems to agree on the process.  And 4) The chicken or the egg debate rages on.

Through it all – and there was a lot – we persevered and we made it.  My husband and I now live in a 50-story building on the waterfront, that is less than a year old.  Our apartment came fully furnished (including dishes, linens, etc) and the rent includes once per week housekeeping.  Because it is new, mostly empty, and has a lot of building going on around it, they are struggling to get people in.  We were able to get a pretty decent deal on it.  The actual move made for some pretty great entertainment, and was by far the most interesting move either of us has made to date.

To understand how it all happened, you need to know that when we were first discussing moving to Abu Dhabi, my husband and I made a conscious decision not to purchase a car while living here.  We asked around and found that about half of the expats we knew had made the same decision.  Driving here is crazy!  In fact, at one point I read that the number one cause of death here is by car accident.  If that is correct (and I have not been able to confirm) I would not be surprised at all.  It is nuts on the roads, which makes some sort of sense when you combine a very solid caste system with large vehicles.  It can appear like bumper cars.  Those who feel they should go first just do so, with no regard to surrounding vehicles.  When you take all of that into consideration, and add in how close everything is, the shortage of parking spaces, and the super cheap cab fares, having a car really becomes a waste of time and money.  Besides, should we decide to take a car trip, rentals are easy and inexpensive.  That said, when it came for us to move (albeit less than ½ mile away) we started asking around to see if anybody owned a truck, because hey, that’s how you move, right?  Uh, no.  Not here.  “Just call a cab” they said. Okay… Wait, what?  Move in a cab?  That just doesn’t sound right.

Now, both of us have moved multiple times in our lives.  Between us we have moved great distances, and just around the corner.  Usually the move involved multiple trips and multiple really large vehicle(s).  By comparison, this move involved a LOT less stuff but still, more than a basic cab would hold.  After speaking with a driver we learned that a cab move is common practice here.  The cabbies do not even blink an eye.  We gave it a lot of thought and consideration for the cab driver.  We did not want to monopolize anybody’s morning with multiple back and forth trips, so we opted to request a “family” taxi.  A family taxi is a van.  I’m not talking about the full-sized Chevy or Ford that scared the parents of every teen girl in the 70s.  I’m referring to a minivan.  The kind where the seats fold up or down depending on how many people need to be accommodated OR, in this case, the number of large boxes and enormous suitcases need to fit in.  We loaded up the boxes and bags, piled ourselves in to keep them from falling over en route, annnnddd… We almost made it in one trip.  Which was really OK.  The plan was to return to our hotel to make a sweep, grab the small things we had forgotten, and the laundry that was not yet dry, so it worked fine.  Here’s the kicker… the cab driver was embarrassed that his back had been injured recently and he could not help us unload.  He repeatedly apologized, and would not accept a tip.  That made the total cost of the move 8 Dirhams – just over 2 bucks.  Ok really, if we add the tip to the bellhop at the hotel we moved out of AND the additional cab, the grand total came to about 10 bucks.  We got it all done in under an hour, and since we did not need to request help from anybody, the only beer and pizza we had to buy was for ourselves, at The Club, and very
shortly after arriving.  All in all the actual move was a screaming deal, and a story we can tell forever, even though in our neck of the woods it would be hard to find anyone who would believe us.  Now that we’re here and settling in, we can sit back and enjoy a glass of wine, or invite some friends over to enjoy one with us!  That’s what we’re talkin about!

 

 

If you started at the beginning, you will recall me saying how much I love the architecture here.  I really do!  There are so many creative, beautiful, graceful, and um… interesting buildings here, that I have been compelled to ask how Abu Dhabi architecture got to be so eclectic.  What I have found in my research is that the initial plan and design of the city in the late 60’s, (it was then estimated that Abu Dhabi would grow to about 40,000 people) was created by Dr. Takahashi of Japan, under the guidance of Sheikh Zayed.  The city’s population quickly outgrew that estimate, though the basic premise remains, with the high density mixed use areas still downtown, which is along the waterfront.  The lower density more residential areas are in the desert on the outskirts.  About 40 years ago, the Sheikh realized they needed help to cope with the incredible growth of Abu Dhabi.  Though I have not been able to find any documentation supporting the story, I have heard it from several unrelated sources, and it does make sense… The Sheikh put the word out to architects around the world, if you have a design, and you want to build it – come here.  We will finance you.  And so they did.  The result is really appealing, and in this first installment, I am going to begin with what you see on the drive from the airport to the eastern edge of downtown.

If you read my posting on the Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque, you know that it was one of the first things I saw when leaving the airport.  It was on the left as we made the curve.  To the right was Sheik Zayed Bridge. 

Known by expats as Reclining Lady bridge (a term I have learned the cab drivers either don’t acknowledge, or dislike).  This is the newest of the bridges off of Abu Dhabi Island and back onto the mainland.

Continuing down the road I see 2 of the most iconic buildings in Abu Dhabi.  As I look to right I see the Aldar Building, but surprisingly few people know it as such.  When you get in a cab you ask to be taken to the giant Oreo Cookie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next, the Pineapples come into my view on the left (real name: Al-Bahr Towers).  These are still among my favorites, I really love them.

 

The ‘exoskeleton’ sits about 2 meters away from the exterior of the building.  In the architect’s propaganda it is referred to as an “intelligent façade.”  Each shade is created to mimic the movement of a flower opening and closing.  The ‘petals’ open and close once per day and are programmed to do so with the movement of the sun.  They operate independently, and at any given time during daylight hours, some will be completely open, some partially open, and some completely closed.  At night all of them are completely open, giving residents full view of the city.  The builders estimate that this technology reduces energy loss by over 50% simply by shielding the glass from the sun’s heat.  If you are interested, you can read the tech specs here:

http://www.slideshare.net/sajidashah14/al-bahr-an-intelligent-building-of-abu-dhabi

A bit in the distance I catch my first glimpse of what I will learn is the Capital gate building.  It is adjacent to the Abu Dhabi Exhibitions Center, and houses a Hyatt Regency hotel.   This building holds a Guiness Record as the World’s furthest leaning man made tower.  Which basically means that in a previous life, I lied to all those kids I sent to Pisa.  This building has an 18 degree lean to the west, more than 4 times that old thing in Italy.  On a side note – I understand that the view from the rooftop bar is spectacular.  This is on the ever growing list of things I need to see and do in Abu Dhabi.

As my cab draws close to my new (temporary) home, I think we have made a mistake.  The cab is pulling into the entrance of the Sheraton.  One of the older buildings here in Abu Dhabi, it is very different in style and I feel like it would go well in Arizona.  Because of the street design of the city, I go by it every day – walking or in a cab.

This building is my currently my next door neighbor.  In fact, the building with the green glass at the far left of this photo is where we live (hopefully for only another 4 days as of this writing.)  The drive from the airport takes only about 40 minutes, because the traffic was light.  I will share more of the fantastic architecture in another installment soon.

I want to take a minute and say thanks for following along on our adventure.  I have truly appreciated the notes I have gotten from a surprising number of people who are reading.  It’s really great to know you are out there, and enjoying the ride with us.

P.S.  Only 3 of the photos above are mine.  The rest can be found online.

I was speaking with a friend back home a couple of days ago, and she laughed when I said I was headed to the mall.  I can’t say I blame her really.  Anybody who knows me knows I am NOT a mall shopper.  In fact, the most time I ever recall spending in a mall was during a couple of winters in Flagstaff, when the morning exercise group I sometimes attended, met early in the morning to work out in the mall before it opened.  God forbid I actually had to enter a store for some reason.  So the fact that I spend a reasonable amount of my time here in a mall during the day, could be in many ways well, just weird.  Except that here it really isn’t.

The heat and humidity at this time of year prevents any sane person from participating in any outdoor activity midday other than boating (and even then only in an air conditioned vessel).  So, those who have free time during the day (like yours truly) head to the malls.  There are 53 malls here.  I’m not kidding, I checked.  There are 10 more currently under construction.  Still not kidding.  Some are huge, some are tiny, some have mostly Middle Eastern based stores and some have exclusively international designer boutiques.   

If you are actually going to shop, you will need to know what you want in order to know where you are going.  Stores and brands aside, most of the malls have a few things in common.  They mostly have a minimum of 3 stories above ground.  All of them have many food outlets ranging from very nice (and pricey) to fast food.  All of them have multiple nail and hair salons, as well as at least one day spa offering massage, facials, and/or reflexology.  There will usually be at least one fitness center.  There will almost always be a large grocery store in the basement, and in many of them, the sub-basement has activities for everybody.

The activities they offer are as diverse as the malls themselves.  The options range from outrageous (one mall in Dubai has an indoor ski slope, complete with ski and/or snowboard rental) to odd (a mall here has an indoor water park) to activities that normally take place outside.  Here in Abu Dhabi you would go to a mall to go bowling, or play badminton, mini golf (even ‘night’ golf with glow in the dark balls), basketball, squash, or tennis to name just a few.  My favorite indoor mall activity so far is the bounce house.  Yes you read that right.  It’s actually a bunch of trampolines set end  to end and side to side that cover roughly the size of 3 football fields.  There are also a few giant airbag things you can dive onto.  They have separate areas with different sized trampolines and air bags for different age groups.  Including adults.  The ends and sides of the trampolines are well padded, the walls are padded or angled.  I haven’t been yet, though it has been planned by one of the local meetup groups.  Sadly they changed the date and I am going to miss the group trip this time.  However, I’m considering going on my own just because it looks like a blast!

Other things you find in malls here that you don’t find in the US?  Car dealerships, and that makes perfect sense.  You can’t leave a new car out in this kind of constant heat, and constant sun, and expect it to look good for very long.  You also can’t expect it to feel too good inside should somebody want to get inside.  So far I have seen Mercedes, Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Audi dealerships inside malls.  The Porsche dealership is in the hotel next door to ours.  None of them have cars outside. I have not seen any other car dealerships anywhere, but then I’ve only been to 6 of the 53 malls.  Not really working too hard on finding the rest at this point.

Photos top to bottom:  Exterior of Marina Mall, escalators and elevators at World Trade Center Mall, rear of Abu Dhabi Mall, front of Abu Dhabi Mall, Exterior Al Wahda Mall, Interior shot of a small part of Marina Mall, Exterior Khalidiya Mall, Bounce!, and above is an interior shot of a small part of the interior of Abu Dhabi Mall.  Each of these is a bit different looking to me.  What do you think?

As mentioned in an earlier post, my husband and I have been jumping through hoops en route to approval of my anxiously awaited ‘housewife’ visa.  Upon arrival at Abu Dhabi airport, like most everybody else, my passport was stamped with a 30-day tourist visa.  I was given 30 days (+ a 10-day grace period) to either leave, get that housewife visa, or simply step out of the country for a minute and get it renewed on the way back in.  This latter is so common, that at the UAE/Oman border crossing, the first question asked is “are you here for Visa renewal or for holiday?”  Rather than drive 5-6 hours roundtrip through the desert, we opted to catch a flight over to Muscat on the gulf of Oman.  The flight takes roughly an hour, about like a flight from Phoenix to Los Angeles, and with multiple hotels and resorts available and affordable during the off season (aka right now) the choice was made simple for us.

We arrive very late at night, with 2 goals for this weekend; Visa renewal and absolutely nothing else.  When we open the blackout curtains (after taking a swing at actually sleeping in which neither of us are good at) we see the most spectacular view…

mountains to the left, a stretch of beach directly in front, and ocean over the low hills to the right.  The morning sun is casting shadows away from us, meaning we will have a perfect sunset view.  We’re off to a great start!

We are staying at the Club level of the hotel I selected, and a complimentary breakfast is available in a private lounge at the opposite end of a very short hallway.  OMG!  If there had been any doubt remaining about the decision to come here, it was completely erased with one glance at the breakfast spread.  It was beautiful!  Plus there was actual brewed coffee, something our small hotel home in Abu Dhabi does not offer.  Not only that, but the coffee is made from African beans precisely ground per individual cup, and it is delicious.  The spread is a tasty combination of both Middle Eastern and Western breakfast selections.  Nuts, fresh and dried fruits, sautéed veggies, and beans for the Middle Eastern crowd.  Eggs, cheeses, sausage, smoked fish, and a selection of breads, cereals, and pastries for the Westerners.  Oh, and fresh Orange Juice squeezed to order from local oranges.  The assortment is artfully and impeccably displayed and thankfully tastes as good as it looks.    

When we finish we take our second cups of coffee out onto the patio and take in the view, and enjoy the lack of humidity.  The Sultanate of Oman is located west of the UAE, and is the oldest independent state in the Arab world.  The current Sultan came into power at about the same time as the UAE came into existence, in the early 70s.  Under his rule, Oman has become one of the most stable and welcoming countries in the region.  The economy is diverse and the workforce is mostly local, and by all we saw, happy to be there.  Muscat is a nice balance of the old and the new.

 Muscat at first blush is the opposite of Abu Dhabi.  There are no high rises.  In fact, there is not a single ocean front mega development to be seen.  The city from this angle looks like what I had envisioned a Middle Eastern city would look like – low slung white buildings with lots of arches and other graceful embellishments.  The desert terrain is eerily similar to what we grew up with in Phoenix, only without the cacti.  The mountains reminded us very much of South Mountain.  It is a long east-west row with several layers of mountain at differing but relatively similar heights.  There is a river just south of the hotel that flows into the gulf.  The vegetation grows vigorously along the fresh water, but not really anywhere else.  As I look up one of the trails I see a couple of 4WD vehicles making their way up to the top, past the water storage tanks, and it makes me smile.  Overall the view here is more comforting and familiar than the endless flat we experience in Abu Dhabi.

Our hotel has a small private beach wedged between a pair of large rocks, and we make our way down to check it out.  The sand is very fine, and super soft.  There is not a point where it firms up at all!  Whether along the water’s edge, further up the beach, or in the water, our feet sink 4-5 inches down at each step.  Once we get used to that and look around, we notice spots of pink all around us.  The color is what they used to call ‘dusty rose’ back in the 70s.  There are literally hundreds of small button shells of this color all around us.  I reach down to pick up a couple and they disappear in the soft sand.  It is not until we stand perfectly still and let the sand sift through our fingers that we are able to pick them up.  I have not seen shells in quite this color anywhere else, the picture really does not get it right.  Together we collect a handful of them each, along with some surprisingly intact cowrie type shells.  The water is crystal clear, and a bit cooler than in the Arabian Gulf.  It does not appear to be quite as salty.

We basically waste a full 2 days in this beautiful and friendly city, meaning we have achieved at least half of our goal.  After our late checkout, the hotel invites us to stay and enjoy the club lounge until it’s time to catch our cab to the airport.  We enjoy a cocktail on the patio and watch the sun sink lazily into the Gulf of Oman.  The front desk calls to tell us our taxi is here, and we reluctantly head back home to accomplish the second of our goals.  Our cab driver shares pictures of himself and his son at a Wadi (Oasis) a few hours into the desert from here.  It is amazingly beautiful!  He tells us also of deep sea fishing and scuba trips available.  As if we needed that prompting, we vow to return to Muscat and stay a bit longer next time.

Side note:  If you are considering a trip to Muscat – for a visa run or just for fun – I highly recommend the Crowne Plaza.  I have not in recent memory enjoyed such fantastic service, friendly staff, and fantastic food as we were treated to this weekend.  When we come back we will definitely stay here again.

The crime rate here in the UAE is very low.  I’m pretty certain that a combination of extremely strong and unforgiving penalties, and the plethora of cameras (they are literally everywhere) works to deter even the smallest inkling to commit a crime.  As a result, by and far people follow the rules, almost to the letter here.  I know, I know… You are thinking this must be very tough for me, but I have not really been inclined to lead a life of crime.  Yes, in my younger days I may have been responsible for a few lawns being papered, and a few others being relieved of tacky plastic lawn ornaments…  But that was a long time ago, and I am certain I was never alone in those endeavors.  Here we are discussing grownups, acting on their own, with no Volkswagens involved.

Even with the incredible lack of crime, I have seen people do things that I would never ever think of doing, simply because they feel (and apparently are) safe.  The best example I can give of an absolutely jaw dropping incident I witnessed took place a couple of weekends ago, after my husband and I had finished lunch at one of the malls.  We each had a list of things to grab, and is our habit, he went his way, I went mine, and we set a time and place to meet back up.  Not being what you would classify an avid shopper, and having exactly 1 thing on my list, I was at the meetup point well before him.  I sat down and pulled out my Kindle for the wait.  I glanced around as it was powering up and saw a pretty red stroller at the opposite end of the row of benches I was sitting on.  Looking around I saw one other woman sitting about halfway down, on the opposite bench reading a paper.  There was nobody else around, and that stroller appeared to be unattended.  Out of curiosity, I went over and looked inside.  Yep… snoozing baby.  Huh.

The set of benches I was on happens to be located between 2 busy escalators and very near the exit of one of the larger malls in town.  This was the weekend, and the mall was busy.  As far as I could tell, nobody besides me was the least bit concerned about the situation.  I did not see a single person give the baby a second glance.  So, okay, there must be nothing unusual about this.  Nevertheless I feel uneasy.  I cannot concentrate on my book, and keep looking around for somebody who might be missing a baby.  I imagine a very harried looking (possibly young) mother running frantically around in search of her stroller and precious cargo.  A little over 15 minutes after I sit back down, the baby begins to fuss and cries out.  A woman walking by stops and looks over, making cooing noises, she rocks the stroller back and forth.  The baby quiets.  The woman walks on.  I guess she was just a random baby whisperer.  I am completely flabbergasted.

Another 10 minutes pass and a completely different woman, pushing another red stroller (this one with a toddler in it) walks out of a nearby store.  She is with what I assume is her mother, and they head toward the ‘abandoned’ red stroller.  They stop alongside it and adjust their bags.  Then the older woman takes hold of it, unlocks the wheels, and they calmly walk off with both red strollers and lots of shopping bags.  It looks as though they have been shopping for a while.  I wonder at what point they left the baby there, maybe just while inside this one store?  No way to have seen the child from inside it but at least it is close.  Was the baby there the whole time?  Why do I care?  I still feel somewhat disconcerted while at the same time feeling somewhat impressed.  There is no way this would ever have happened in the US.  I don’t care what small town you live in.

Since coming here, I’ve noticed many such displays, though none as blatant as that.  For example, I have been walking 4-5 miles several nights per week (an occasionally very early in the morning.)  The walking path I take that parallels the beach is well designed.

At multiple points along the way there are tunnels that take you from the beach side to the city side of the 8-lane road that is called The Corniche.  There are lots of people out at these times because they know what I know – it is coolest and the breeze is best after dark, and before sunrise.  Sometimes I leave around 4:30 in the morning, and other times I’m not back until almost 10 at night.  There are pros and cons to everything, and likewise to every place.  Here a big pro is how safe you feel.  I know of no other place where I can walk alone predawn or late at night, and never feel even the slightest bit uneasy.  I know of no other place where a mother would feel it safe to leave a baby unattended in a crowded mall while she shopped.  This feeling of personal safety is top among the positive things about living in the UAE.

The night I arrived in Abu Dhabi, after clearing the airport and grabbing a cab to my new temporary home, the first thing I remember seeing was this huge, beautiful mosque, lit up with blue and purple lights.  It was a spectacular view from the cab as we drove over a bridge very near to it.  I asked the cab driver if tours were given, and he told me they were, and went on to explain that it is the 3^rd largest mosque in the world, and the largest outside of Saudi Arabia.  He then reminded me to make sure I dressed appropriately.

Fast forward almost a month, and we decide to take a Big Bus Tour of our new city to learn the sights and some history… and to tour the Mosque.  Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque or (Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque for short) is simply beautiful, and very impressive.  Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque stands at the confluence of several freeways at the Eastern edge and the entrance to the island that is Abu Dhabi.  The mosque itself, not counting gardens and parking lots, covers 30 square acres.  The entire complex is much larger than that and still being worked on.

When we arrived, we were dropped in front of the Visitors, on the south side of the building.  We entered through airport-like security and proceeded back out along the walkway toward the mosque.  All visitors are directed by signage to the right and onto an escalator down about 2 stories and into a huge underground parking facility.  At the right side of where we entered, was a door marked “changing room.”  I had thought I was covered enough, but I was wrong.  I had on a pair of jeans and a long sleeved white cotton blouse, buttoned to the top.  While it was technically enough covering, it was not the correct type of covering.  My jeans were considered tight, and therefore too revealing.  I later found on the website an explanation of clothing allowed, and wished I had looked at it earlier.

mosque manners

It would have been much easier to wear a pair of palazzo style pants and a scarf!  Instead I was directed to put an Abaya on over my clothing.  An Abaya is essentially a hooded black robe, and is the traditional style of dress for women out here.  As I was thinking it was silly to wear this over my clothing, it occurred to me that this is exactly how women here dress.  They wear the Abaya over basic street clothing, just as I was doing.  Let me state right here and now that these are no wimpy women.  It is HOT in there!  I have no idea how they do it and remain so calm and cool looking, and apparently comfortable, without runny makeup and nary a single drop of sweat.  I am impressed.  I was the polar opposite of all of those things.

  Once I was appropriately dressed, I stepped out of the changing area to find that my husband, in pants and a loose fitting short sleeved shirt, did not need to put on a Keffiyeh, the white robe that is the men’s traditional dress, nor did he need to cover his head.  My only thought was to quote the great Opus the Penguin “PPHHHTTTT!”   lol.  So off we went for our tour.  We had arrived at a time between guided tours, so we checked out some head phones and opted for the audio tour, and I am going to share with you as much of it as I can remember.

The first thing of note is that there are 4 minarets, and 82 domes of different sizes, the largest of these is centered over the cavernous main prayer hall.  I think they said it was 33 meters in diameter, which translates to over 108 feet.  It’s huge!  Starting on the outside of the mosque, you can see it has a main square in the center, lined on each side with a covered walkway.  The floor is white marble, with inlays of multiple other colors of marble that form flowers and vines that trail up the columns as well as through the square.  The exterior of the mosque is clad in SIVEC marble from Macedonia, which is purported to be the purest white marble on the planet.  Interior white marble was sourced from Italy and Greece, and the colored marbles inlaid all around were sourced from Italy, Greece, and India.  The green marble that is the predominant second color is Ming green marble from China.

I must say that the exterior is impressive, but the interior blows by simply impressive and well into incredible.  To be fair, this is a new building.  After 12 years of construction, it opened for worship in 2007.  It does not have the patina of age like the churches and cathedrals of Europe, and the temples of Asia.  It is shiny and sparkly and polished, and splendid in its perfection.  Thankfully it is air conditioned and very cool.  There is a lot to look at, a lot going on everywhere.  It is the height of opulence, but it is decidedly NOT busy.  The overall effect is surprisingly restful.  The first thing you see are the chandeliers.  There are 7 of them, in 2 different designs.  They are made of thousands of LED lights shining through thousands of Swarovski crystals, and Murano glass.

They are lowered to the ground weekly, and the person assigned to clean them can actually go inside.  The larger ones have an interior ladder to climb so to reach the upper parts of the chandelier as well as the lower.  The 3 primary chandeliers in the prayer hall are designed to appear as though the colors in them dripped or spilled onto the carpet below, which is done in the same hues.  The carpet!  Just wow.  It took 1200 Iranian carpet makers 2 years to hand knot it.  It was shipped to the UAE in 3 pieces which were hand stitched together in place.  It is the world’s largest carpet at almost 5700 square meters (over 60,000 square feet).   In order to enter the Prayer Hall, you are required to remove your shoes in order to help preserve this stunning carpet.

Within the carpet are slightly raised lines made by a special type of stitching.  These lines are not visible as you look at the entire carpet, they are only visible as you come up on them.  They are not so high that you trip over them either.  The lines are very subtle, and do not miss a stitch in terms of continuing the pattern.  Inside the mosque, there are no pews to sit in and no pillows to kneel upon.  Worshippers here stand, and these lines in the carpet direct them where to stand during prayer.  I had a tough time picturing it, but the next day I witnessed worshippers outside one of the local city mosques standing in line with their heads bowed during Holy Day (Friday) prayers.  It then made sense to me.

After the grandeur of the chandeliers and the carpet, you start to take in the finer details of the design.  There are 96 marble clad columns inlaid with mother of pearl.

At the north and south ends of the prayer hall are foyers with carved marble flowers below plaster with more inlaid marble.  The windows are triple paned, with the outer panes of standard glass encasing single pane of Murano glass with floral design.  The flooring in each of the halls is once again colored marble flowers inlaid into white marble, but in this case, the southern foyer depicts flowers indigenous to the southern hemisphere, and the northern foyer likewise with flowers indigenous to the northern hemisphere.

The mosque as I saw it on that first night, was lit by blue and purple
lights, created to mimic the night sky (including clouds and the lunar cycle).  Therefore it will may look different from night to night.  I have inserted a few photos depicting that as well as a link I found explaining the detail of the lighting and how they did it for those of you with theater and lighting background.  The process itself is no less impressive than the rest of the mosque.

http://www.martinpro-me.com/mosque.htm

  

 

There is just so much to see here.  By the time we had made our way back to the basement and I removed my Abaya, we had been here over 2 hours.  I still feel like we missed something!

Note:  As of this writing, the cost to build the mosque as it sits right now was 2.5 Billion AED, or around $680 million.  Since there are no taxes here (no sales tax, no income tax) I assume that the royal family paid for it themselves, as a tribute to the father of the United Arab Emirates, Sheik Zayed.  It is indeed a beautiful tribute.  There is still construction going on at the outer edge of the grounds, so perhaps more to come?

It is amazing to me the things that we take for granted in the US that just simply aren’t the same, or aren’t at all in other parts of the world.  Take a simple concept like paper towels for example;  A roll of lightweight, perforated paper used to soak up spills or wipe down surfaces.  In the US they are commonplace, and functional (if not a bit wasteful, but that’s for another post.)  We purchased some for the kitchen here.  The roll is much smaller and the paper much thinner – all of which is fine – but I’ll be darned if I can EVER get it to tear at a perforated spot.  Never.  Ever.  Nope.   And while we are on the subject of paper towels… the ones in the public restrooms here are tissue thin.  Where one will work in the US (maybe 2 if you’re hands are particularly grimy) here you need one or two dozen.  They are like Kleenex, and disintegrate as you try to dry your hands, leaving you with dingleball-esque white dots all over your hands.  Really.  Just use the blow dryer thingies instead, which are weeeaaaak.  That said the public restrooms here are absolutely spotless!  Truth be told I could do an entire post on bathrooms here in general.  The design and function (with the exception of tissue for hand towels) is spot on and impressive as heck.

Another huge difference?  Technology.  Anybody who travels, knows how easy it is to communicate in the rest of the world.  You stop at the store located IN THE AIRPORT and pick up a SIM card for your unlocked phone.  You are assigned a number and can immediately begin communicating before you leave the airport.  Easy Peezy.  Unlike in the US, where you better hope that whoever is picking you up knows the flight info, because you will not be reaching out by phone until after you get to your nearest Verizon, AT&T or Sprint store, or your local Walmart, Best Buy, etc. to purchase a piece of crap temporary phone for use while you are in the US.  Your number will change every time you are back in the states, and you will have to follow this procedure each and every time as well.  If you arrive late in the evening on a Saturday, or anytime on Sunday in some parts of the country, you will not have a functional communication device for a day or so.  It’s silly really.  The technology is obviously available and has been for a while!  It’s not just that, but also the quality of the technology.  I was amazed at how clear and crisp cell phone communications are here.  No cutting out, no ‘bad’ connections.  Really clear and easy.

Energy saving measures are in a whole different class as well.  Every hotel room or apartment, regardless of age, is fitted with a digital lock.  The locks use key cards or keypads.  The key cards must be put into a slot to turn on the power in your hotel room or apartment.  You remove the key card when you leave, thus turning off the power.  You put it back in when you return, and your power comes back on.  The keypads require the number to be entered to be home, and entered to leave.  Being home means the power is on.  I have seen this before at exactly 1 hotel in the US.  I have never seen it in anybody’s home.  It’s is literally everywhere here.  There are key components that do not get turned off, such as laundry and kitchen appliances, and an additional designated outlet in the kitchen in case you have a crockpot or rice cooker going.  The escalators and moving sidewalks in the malls, hotels, and other public buildings automatically stop when not in use.  They start up again when somebody approaches.  I’ve seen these multiple places around Europe and Asia.  Never have seen them in the US, though I feel certain somebody must have put them in someplace by now.

Light switches are up for off and down for on.  That takes a while to get used to!  Something so simple, yet so ingrained.  Taxicabs are all silver Toyota Camrys – unless you get a ‘family’ cab – those are silver Toyota vans of a name I do not recognize.  Washing machines are also considered to be the dryer.  I have yet to see an actual separate clothes dryer.  The washers “dry” the clothes by spinning the heck out of them… for whatever period of time you designate.  (I have found 25 minutes to be optimal.)  Still one must hang stuff up overnight to get it completely and truly dry.  Refrigerators are half sized or less, which really is common outside the US.  For some reason the standard fridge in the US is huge in comparison to just about everywhere else.

(photo copied off of DuBizzle)

The day to day differences here are many, but nothing is overwhelming or scary.  Most of it makes great sense, and at least the technology part appears to be well thought out.  The cultural differences I will save for another post.  Spoiler alert – they too, are not overwhelming or scary.

The saying goes “best laid plans… etc.”  After doing quite a bit of research, my husband and I decided to purchase a boat (very much like the one above) to live aboard during our time here.  We plan to eventually use it as part of our overall retirement strategy once we are ready.  Our idea was to stay in a hotel/apartment until such time as we found the right boat, 2 maybe 3 months max.  Well, apparently that plan just will not work for the Emirati government.  In order for me to obtain my resident visa, (which I not only need in order to be legal, but I also need in order to get insurance and my dependent allowance) we have to find a “permanent” mailing address, and the aforementioned hotel is not considered permanent enough.  “Permanent” addresses will provide us with 2 things – a ‘Tawtheeq’ (pronounced taw TEEK) which is basically a letter telling the government you live in an approved residence, and an ADDC clearance, another letter to the government stating that we have utilities in our name alone.  (We are not allowed to sublet or share with others.)  There are no exceptions made, to be legal and get my visa, we simply have to do this.  So, off we go apartment shopping.

First consideration – it must be a short term lease.  Like anywhere else, leases here are standardly based on 1 year minimum.  Unlike anywhere else I know of, most of the time, payment is made in 1 lump sum payable at the beginning of the lease term.  (A few places will accept two 6-month payments.)  In addition, like anywhere else we must pay damage and utility deposits, etc.  That is a chunk of change to cough up!  We really do not want to throw away money on any lease, much less one that is a year-long.

Second consideration – If at all possible, we want a furnished place.  The want ads are filled with people who have just come off of work contracts, are moving back home, and are selling off (to trying to sell off) their stuff.  Not many buyers out there, and not even many takers of free stuff.  It makes buying furniture and dishes etc. a truly losing proposition.

Lucky for us we were referred to an American agent who knows the market.  She has been showing us places that will lease for 6 months and are fully furnished.  YAY!  So looking at what is available out there has been my job the past couple of days. We will still buy the boat, but the bad news is not soon.  The good news is that we DO have more time to look for the exact one we want.  In this case I think the good outweighs the bad, regardless of the disappointment of not being able to do it all right now.

The silver lining?  Meeting our agent – what a stroke of luck!  Originally from Colorado, she has been here the UAE for 5 years and in the Middle East in general for 25.  She’s shared tons of great information about what to do and where to go, customs, etc. including great restaurants and where we can find a good bottle of wine.  It may seem like a bit of a setback that it will be a few months before we are really where we want to be, but hey, I just made my first friend in the UAE.  That is a big bonus!

PS… the photos above are of the style and size of boat (powercat) at the top of our list, and of the building and apartment that are currently at the top of our list, though we will likely go with city view instead of sea view – Same apartment, Less $.

I have had quite a few questions about the UAE in general, and I am going to try to tackle some of the most basic questions in this post.

The United Arab Emirates is a smallish country situated on the Arabian Peninsula, along the Arabian Gulf or what we Americans refer to as the Persian Gulf.  (In the map above we are the little blue one.)  The UAE is comprised of 7 sheikdoms that were formerly known as the Trucial States, which then held close ties to, and enjoyed trade and support from, Great Britain.  During much of that time, the UAE was a center for the pearl trade.  In the late 60s, the Brits opted to withdraw involvement with the Trucial states.  Though I do not find anything to indicate this, my sense is that when the pearl trade in the area died, Great Britain decided they could no longer afford ties with the Trucial States.  This was of course, pre-oil. Britain’s decision paved the way for the formation of what is now the UAE, on December 2, 1971.  This is a very young country!

Since my arrival here, I have been semi-jokingly asked by a number of friends what it is like being a minority.  Every time it has made me laugh.  Here in the UAE I am a quadruple minority – western, female, over 50 and non-Muslim.  So yes, statistically I am very clearly in the minority, but I have not felt uncomfortable at all.  The mix of ethnicities and cultures here is amazing, and the UAE works hard to nurture a thought process that seeks out all of our similarities rather than differences.  That strategy is a good one since the Emiraties themselves are in the minority.  Though I have not found any numbers that match exactly, the most recent estimate I have found puts the population of the entire UAE at around 9.3 million people.  (The population has doubled twice in the last 20 years, and it’s one of the fastest growing countries in the world.)  Of this 9+ million, depending on the stat you look at, between 1 and 1.4 million are actually Emiraties (roughly 13%).  So finding common ground amongst this very broad population is just good common sense.

Other things about the UAE… There are twice the number of men than women, and the average age of the population is around 35.  It is a young, fast moving and vibrant country.  Most of the population lives in urban areas with Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively being the largest 2 cities in the country, and home to almost 2/3 of the population.  Dubai is currently estimated to have reached 4 million inhabitants, and Abu Dhabi city just over half that.  Abu Dhabi city (where I now live) is the capital and has the highest percentage of native Emiraties at around 20%.

Not surprisingly, about 75% of the population is Muslim. For that reason, there are 5 calls to prayer daily.  These are sounded from every mosque and can be heard coming over speakers inside the malls and other public buildings.  The sound is not the least bit intrusive.  In fact, I find it to be a somewhat soothing tone, even though I have no clue what is actually being said.  I don’t really know what I expected, but I was somehow surprised when the daily calls to prayer did not result in everybody closing up shop, leaving their table, parking their car – whatever – to go to the closest prayer room or mosque.  While some people certainly do that, others choose to worship quietly on their own, wherever they are.

The UAE has the second largest economy in the Arab world (behind Saudi Arabia.) However, while the UAE is 8^th on the world’s list of oil producing countries, it does not depend solely on oil and has a much more diversified economy than its counterparts.  Tourism, Retail, Finance, and growing Manufacturing and Services sectors are helping the economy to be less dependent on the fluctuations of the petroleum markets.

The currency is the UAE Dirham, and there are 3.67 Dirhams to the Dollar.  This has not changed since I started watching it a few years ago.  I have been asked for a cost of living comparison multiple times but that is difficult for me to give at this moment.  We are living in a hotel/apartment building, so do not get a utility bill.  I cannot get a complete picture until I have that piece of the puzzle.  Groceries are cheaper, eating out is a bit more expensive to me, but would likely not be to people who live in larger U.S. metropolitan areas.  Rent is high, but again, no more so than in any US metro area.  The kicker is the cost of the energy.  I am told is it substantially less expensive here.  Certainly a gallon of gas is…