Using more than 21,000 pictures and countless hours of editing, filmmaker Beno Saradzic created this beautiful time-lapsed video of Abu Dhabi over the past two months. It is made even more powerful by the video’s introduction which shows Abu Dhabi as a small village as little as 40 years ago…very cool stuff.
Author: Brian
Relaxing Weekend
Between work and scuba, we have been really busy and apologize for not updating the blog more frequently. Although to be honest, we haven’t done anything recently that really merits a blog post – at least from the perspective of doing something new or something we haven’t blogged about previously. But just to keep our…
Taking America for granted
Those who know me know that I’m a fan of video games. And as Megan can attest, some of the games I play tend to be not for the young or faint of heart – games with over-the-top violence, language and, quite frankly, no redeeming moral or social value whatsoever. But let’s be honest –…
Government Slant
Because of their incredible growth, diverse population and friendly, pro-West attitudes, it’s easy to forget that the UAE is not a democracy. The government – more specifically, the ruling Al Nahyan family – has final say in all matters, and is a highly respected authority. This is evidenced from time to time, like in “Gulf…
Bowling for Dirhams!
As part of a diver social, we headed to the Abu Dhabi Country Club to do a little bowling. It was pretty much exactly like bowling in America, with one minor exception – the shoes. The alley allowed you to wear any shoes you wanted….sneakers, dress shoes and even heels (which at least two fellow…
Musandam Good Time
Our diving trip to Musandam, Oman didn’t start well. As we pulled up to the Oman-UAE border, I realized I forgot my passport…during the 4 hour boat ride from the port of Diba, Oman to the diving site in Musandam, the rough water wreaked havoc on Megan’s stomach contents…the lens on the camera we brought…
A Friendly Face
Lured by stories of a playground in the desert and the need for some R & R, friend and former Washington Post colleague, Tayo, found himself in the city of Dubai. During a tour of Abu Dhabi, we were able to catch up over coffee. While our time together was brief, it is always great…
License to Kill….a pint, that is!
While you are free to drink at a hotel bar in the U.A.E. (provided you aren’t a Muslim), purchasing liquor at a package store is illegal without a liquor license. In theory, if you were caught with alcohol in your car or home without a license, you could be heavily fined or even arrested. However,…
Just call me Aquaman!
Following in Megan’s footsteps, I completed my PADI scuba certification over the weekend. The certification itself was broken into three parts that took a few weeks to complete….6 hours of online courses/exams….about 8 hours of hands-on learning in a pool…followed by 4 dives in the open water, which is like the final exam where all…