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,…
Without An Address
The Emirates Post Office doesn’t offer direct home or office mail delivery; mail goes to PO Boxes. Because this system isn’t set up, there’s no desire to formalize actual addresses. Businesses, apartment buildings, government agencies etc. are near landmarks or cross streets; restaurants and bars in or near hotels. It seems we have gotten used…
Taking the Train to Dubai
Sorry for the delay in postings – it’s been busy, busy, busy! One of the more memorable moments from February came with a trip to Dubai for Jazzfest – which, oddly, didn’t have a ton of jazz acts as the three-day festival continued on. It was still a great time with our favorite live band…
Racing for a Dream
What happens when you head 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi for a 20-minute zip around a Formula One race track? Living a dream, of course. Mike was one of the most recent students from the Yas Marina Circuit Driving School, spending some quality time in a real F1 race car…
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…
The Palace – No Comparisons
Abu Dhabi has two true landmarks – the Grand Mosque and Emirates Palace. With the week almost wrapped up, we still had to hit the Palace. It was just a short stay for dinner and drinks, but it was a pretty magical setting along the beach outside and surrounded by opulent decorations inside. The pictures…