Well, after 6 weeks in Abu Dhabi, we had the good fortune of hosting my sister, Johanna for a weekend visit! And what a weekend! It was truly amazing…non stop…full, fun action! Johanna was here for a total of 4 days, quite an ordeal to come to the other side of the world for such a short stay! But being a flight attendant allows magical trips as such to be possible…she loves the job! As Johanna arrived in Dubai, which is a bit more than an hour from where we are in Abu Dhabi, we decided to tour a bit of Dubai prior to our return “home” . The stop of the night was the “One and Only Royal Mirage” Resort….it is the gem of Dubai… everything in Dubai is grand, yet the subtle elegance of this resort, exceeds all expectations. It exudes a sense of calmness, impeccable beauty, attention to detail, beautiful finishes, yet warm, inviting and simple, it is Mediterranean with an Asian feel…. an oasis in the desert, an exotic and romantic experience. Highly, highly recommend it. Can you tell it is my favorite? Yes, it is! We enjoyed a delicious Thai culinary experience, in the midst of a tropical setting, by a sparkling water feature, that evening. It was lovely.
We headed home and in Abu Dhabi we took Johanna to the Emirates Palace, a magnificent hotel where the film festival was held all week. The atmosphere was buzzing and the views from every angle indoors and outdoors, breathtaking! If you are interested in learning more, you can google all these resorts and take a peak…;-)
We travelled again to Dubai the next day to marvel in its design, architecture and culture. The Burj Dubai is almost ready to open and it is the largest building in the world! The water feature that surrounds it has a number of fountains that light up as the music begins every 20 minutes. The music changes every time, allowing Arabic, African, Italian, European…different world rythms ….to be featured while your eyes delight in the rythm of the water that “dances” to the rythm of the tunes. Can you visualize that? The colored lights emerging from the water illuminate the building and the sky at the same time…. it is a sight to be seen…what the human mind is capable of envisioning and creating is finely sampled in the United Arab Emirates.
We had the pleasure of spending time in the old souks, walking the streets, visiting vendors and enjoying so much each other’s company. We reminisced, we laughed, we shared, we spent lots of quality time.
We enjoyed the tents, the shisha and even the company of a Miami friend, Alex, who is living here!
On our last day together we attempted to visit a historical place in Abu Dhabi where you can see camels and learn how Abu Dhabi used to be years ago. The Heritage Village ended up being closed yet we were able to see and say hello to a beautiful camel that was there. Since the visit was short, we had just enough time to take a dip in the refreshing waters of the gulf. So, we reminisced, we laughed and we shared some more…what a treat!
I spend most of my time alone in joyful comtemplation so to have a friend and sister to laugh and share joy with was such a blessing! Our host was an angel, our trip was delightful and being able to share together, a true blessing!
So that is the latest! Coming up…. the final race for Formula 1 is here in Abu Dhabi on November 1st, and the track that has been built for it … well, there is nothing like it. My team?….it has to be Ferrari.
Blessings!
Ariel