tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339471906210861572024-02-19T10:11:49.750-07:00Idaho Chicken RanchUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1036125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-73652681061093981772014-06-09T14:37:00.000-06:002014-06-09T14:43:17.674-06:00Abu Dhabi: Table for One, Please<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Yes, table for one.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>No, no one will be joining me. Thankfully.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>OK, except this guy.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCc8EqH_CsCipk-AcyzxDfJC7IjnOEYn5EoHX-QkNloGeerpgOJLmnMnG4ncOOHUKKIXJ3eZWyS-ON8W95June6QKx_bP9cr6ODha_hpmg81INOpLZjZiMMw6Hm-Bd3mLJ_nPLmEw_fdcF/s1600/DSCN0799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCc8EqH_CsCipk-AcyzxDfJC7IjnOEYn5EoHX-QkNloGeerpgOJLmnMnG4ncOOHUKKIXJ3eZWyS-ON8W95June6QKx_bP9cr6ODha_hpmg81INOpLZjZiMMw6Hm-Bd3mLJ_nPLmEw_fdcF/s1600/DSCN0799.JPG" height="400" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Esquire -- Middle East Edition. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>A glass of the 2011 Italian pinot gris, please. I'm nothing if not predictable.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For the lady:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Course 1:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cream of cauliflower soup with garlic croutons</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Course 2:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Caesar salad with the hugest anchovies I've ever had</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Roasted strips of zucchini</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">French bread with brie and fig jam</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fatoush (Arabic salad with mixed greens, cucumbers, and toasted pita strips)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cold calamari salad with baby potatoes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Uhmm -- sir? Unfortunately a bug has landed in my wine. A big one. Normally I would remove it. I ain't proud. But, no. Not here. Despite the relative lack of bugs here. Could I get a fresh one? Thanks so much.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibGiy-6viJbRrkZ0aivMea0dItJ_o_iKnfF07tINk3c1T3YXPlAK5ZsNl1CP0FECrRrt9g9GbJsNNwq0LAvnI1uiMxYPFfQWE_279NdN4fVUTd-vDHEnpmyyTYeNRgqxt3oUHYtE6x8FjM/s1600/DSCN0775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibGiy-6viJbRrkZ0aivMea0dItJ_o_iKnfF07tINk3c1T3YXPlAK5ZsNl1CP0FECrRrt9g9GbJsNNwq0LAvnI1uiMxYPFfQWE_279NdN4fVUTd-vDHEnpmyyTYeNRgqxt3oUHYtE6x8FjM/s1600/DSCN0775.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Course 3:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Veal piccata</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Beef medallion</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Jasmine rice</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sauteed mushrooms (what is it with the sauteed mushrooms here? To die for!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Scalloped cauliflower</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Roasted potatoes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Seasoned with an assorted salt buffet:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnm7LqfmhtOr1oc6_e7cO76OIC2rIoAT24UsLXcWm3X3dkw9oRiTWaHMfviSDAFIokrDw7JAqWfRbi_Z7iekRy56pgb60k8x1Gym7pECOEis1db8QrcD76v5K_M1a6VoKVTE49XKQsqvl/s1600/DSCN0777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnm7LqfmhtOr1oc6_e7cO76OIC2rIoAT24UsLXcWm3X3dkw9oRiTWaHMfviSDAFIokrDw7JAqWfRbi_Z7iekRy56pgb60k8x1Gym7pECOEis1db8QrcD76v5K_M1a6VoKVTE49XKQsqvl/s1600/DSCN0777.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Top row: smoke salt, lemon salt, Cyprus black sea salt, Himalayan salt, chipotle salt. Bottom row: rosemary salt, wild mushroom salt, wild garlic salt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(SISTER. SERIOUSLY.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMYnjZB4M0yNt4qhfalzJn11MXjG9h6utlzp09b3dlHpDp4BNCySanwfWrAlWRbLA1ussMcjessEppxg0Ho607i-4AWPvjzwUHY3aA5IyyoaJ_B0A2c18EW4Y8XzQrcgdoVB12Wlkpo_C/s1600/DSCN0776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMYnjZB4M0yNt4qhfalzJn11MXjG9h6utlzp09b3dlHpDp4BNCySanwfWrAlWRbLA1ussMcjessEppxg0Ho607i-4AWPvjzwUHY3aA5IyyoaJ_B0A2c18EW4Y8XzQrcgdoVB12Wlkpo_C/s1600/DSCN0776.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Course 4, clockwise:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Rice pudding with sliced pistachios and chopped dried cranberries</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">White cake with peach filling and icing</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Blueberries and cream something-or-other</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Cherry cheesecake with graham crust and a single halved blueberry atop</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Chocolate ganache/cream roll </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>Uhm -- sir? Hi. I'm a hillbilly from Oregon/Idaho. I dropped a peach/white cake number from the dessert cabinet, on the floor, but didn't know what to do with it, so there it sits. Even tho I've returned to my seat, could you pick it up for me, so no one gets it on their shoes? OK, I know there is a general exodus from this area in June, so there's only one other person in here, but I just wanted to make you aware of the sitch. Thanks so much!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Dessert cabinet? YES. This was a BUFFET.<i> </i></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-23518723894830433322014-06-09T12:59:00.002-06:002014-06-09T12:59:29.212-06:00Abu Dhabi: New Hotel!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh14Zi_D1rSMBRipTdnxL_kc_xz2iP_-4XxcTv0RYY6ZGa96qb6ZXSeFt2ZtdNY9xicw3NLemn0KRaTh4347R2jMI8T1rSe7EOg99cGEiNrpKEviaPT0DM-YOgFL9I_XUFvZbQkStIbRXBn/s1600/Hotel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh14Zi_D1rSMBRipTdnxL_kc_xz2iP_-4XxcTv0RYY6ZGa96qb6ZXSeFt2ZtdNY9xicw3NLemn0KRaTh4347R2jMI8T1rSe7EOg99cGEiNrpKEviaPT0DM-YOgFL9I_XUFvZbQkStIbRXBn/s1600/Hotel.jpg" height="193" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">O. M. G. SERIOUSLY. I've moved to a new hotel for the conference. This hotel, the Eastern Mangroves Hotel and Spa, is where we've brought a lot of high-profile business, so we got a sweet rate on rooms. This hotel costs us less than my business hotel in the city. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEbaL83xhFbqNCn_g7nnDjwaOtzAG8A7lRYbzkl9WZ_OpSWh9JqUio0h7lB6AjAO7SJgpK_Rs8eCdUA0kOKnVTCJmuCj8s9MLQ-S5Wt_nRA_YcvCdbND7tAmRwuGcKeSLQbbkbgGR-ahx/s1600/DSCN0758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEbaL83xhFbqNCn_g7nnDjwaOtzAG8A7lRYbzkl9WZ_OpSWh9JqUio0h7lB6AjAO7SJgpK_Rs8eCdUA0kOKnVTCJmuCj8s9MLQ-S5Wt_nRA_YcvCdbND7tAmRwuGcKeSLQbbkbgGR-ahx/s1600/DSCN0758.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And is like a million times swankier! And while I'm just a creative peon, I did warrant a 5th-floor room...of 7, I think. Facing the highway, not the water (featuring those mangroves) but I'll take it! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcGPDhvjNrkNNpGaElWj52lGCcgVDRYe7o7xIxLnbSCSdlVQWMSJeJHkPcS6IbsNchi0wLeDpOW7-_VS83P-e50VnxeLWgsPtrUBHZVbPAFdaoun8BLx-ULkHsZOPqUDBdiKyPjL2vDLr/s1600/DSCN0760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcGPDhvjNrkNNpGaElWj52lGCcgVDRYe7o7xIxLnbSCSdlVQWMSJeJHkPcS6IbsNchi0wLeDpOW7-_VS83P-e50VnxeLWgsPtrUBHZVbPAFdaoun8BLx-ULkHsZOPqUDBdiKyPjL2vDLr/s1600/DSCN0760.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My hotel room has a doorbell. My HOUSE doesn't even have a working doorbell.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi868Jc80Akz7DYOkjMUFU-gbck18-jr6zDCOP0iCyyB6WUJ0-Ow9yjuXhWEkzhOF9P8a0yRrf_nS2C-5vDjNH9ERFGFVC9_zvLHHO6zb-BTYi_D9stwpHl-lB0wfIlWVl72MlLx8alLpam/s1600/DSCN0789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi868Jc80Akz7DYOkjMUFU-gbck18-jr6zDCOP0iCyyB6WUJ0-Ow9yjuXhWEkzhOF9P8a0yRrf_nS2C-5vDjNH9ERFGFVC9_zvLHHO6zb-BTYi_D9stwpHl-lB0wfIlWVl72MlLx8alLpam/s1600/DSCN0789.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is exactly how my husband leaves the bath mat for me at the Chicken Ranch in the morning. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">OK, I joke, but I do so appreciate that that's not really outside the realm of reason. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNyiHn5CoHZj4B6eIetbYjnf8mvKYAaYJdmrZig2TtjeXI5zd9-6luHAoTo3SPkk4FM_hnAl6kp-pIocZzUz6ykfthVzWh2ySxO4v16QrePtdyHIIYWvm_lzSfZCjcfcgdTR_gbUJYA4ZA/s1600/DSCN0783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNyiHn5CoHZj4B6eIetbYjnf8mvKYAaYJdmrZig2TtjeXI5zd9-6luHAoTo3SPkk4FM_hnAl6kp-pIocZzUz6ykfthVzWh2ySxO4v16QrePtdyHIIYWvm_lzSfZCjcfcgdTR_gbUJYA4ZA/s1600/DSCN0783.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My old hotel is...over there... ;) SO LUCKY to have so many fun adventures!! </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-31717757813987393322014-06-04T13:26:00.001-06:002014-06-04T13:29:15.151-06:00Abu Dhabi: I Suspect There's No Translation for "Redneck." <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkCmNCB_nqLgP59NAqekgSQvIeQVQ7Uk-i-R1kckWNEDmWicTsEjR3S7hGfQGarW515ks46Bk2h3XWKYOzuyOievnUUDSCqZITRJn52bl4jb6E1-zc5wBbnc_-_r4WSYLOS1ZIphn6hFe/s1600/DSCF1176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkCmNCB_nqLgP59NAqekgSQvIeQVQ7Uk-i-R1kckWNEDmWicTsEjR3S7hGfQGarW515ks46Bk2h3XWKYOzuyOievnUUDSCqZITRJn52bl4jb6E1-zc5wBbnc_-_r4WSYLOS1ZIphn6hFe/s1600/DSCF1176.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I don't think this is helping our collective reputation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I can't believe resources are spent to translate this for a greater audience. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-25780408404276576362014-06-04T13:22:00.001-06:002014-06-04T13:28:48.781-06:00Abu Dhabi: Smuggling the Creme Puff Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRwPseMQio5s9R3JB06i5lw5DF7I7Xay2CHVZgf9C9YGqLNeVMFF6iS7YMdTMUzTMflwI7nzDsDYO69SaerjgV9XtzHYbQNQlfT67PZ3qx6vKE7Hf7VlDQOu5HIficBqWHvK0iKvEaM07/s1600/DSCN0473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRwPseMQio5s9R3JB06i5lw5DF7I7Xay2CHVZgf9C9YGqLNeVMFF6iS7YMdTMUzTMflwI7nzDsDYO69SaerjgV9XtzHYbQNQlfT67PZ3qx6vKE7Hf7VlDQOu5HIficBqWHvK0iKvEaM07/s1600/DSCN0473.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I must be acclimating, I stepped outside after work today and it was only about 97 and I thought to myself, "Ooh, that breeze is a little cool..." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As I have been going from extremes -- from 60 degrees in the office to 109 outside, my skin has been a mess, and more powder was needed. So I checked out the meager makeup offerings at the LuLu Market, and found something to get me by in the right color. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Upon return to my hotel room, I felt like something was a little off... I used to buy the occasional Max Factor product, because I liked the historical aspect of it...Max Factor INVENTED modern makeup. But why haven't I purchase any in a while...?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oh. That's right. Sales and promotion of it were ended in America in 2010, and can only be purchased overseas (or online at drugstore.com). Hmph. To focus on promoting Cover Girl? <i>Hmph.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lemme know if you need any 2000 Calorie Mascara.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-85381791282390121712014-06-04T12:55:00.000-06:002014-06-04T13:28:24.690-06:00Abu Dhabi: This is Major Tom to Ground Control...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSOfgjzeVoaBOqq1HAKGwKA6_B0uBWRHULcHLtQ1GmHyhF9fOnSGote5Bsanr6gcaJNDIh9V2tTzLrMaEp-hSWN7h6GtskMILtuM1ddeilnOOT7LTzMglhpVE17LdQLsk5MvsapOy9Axb/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSOfgjzeVoaBOqq1HAKGwKA6_B0uBWRHULcHLtQ1GmHyhF9fOnSGote5Bsanr6gcaJNDIh9V2tTzLrMaEp-hSWN7h6GtskMILtuM1ddeilnOOT7LTzMglhpVE17LdQLsk5MvsapOy9Axb/s1600/download.jpg" height="303" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Phew! Today is Day 24, having had 3 days off
since May 12. I’m generally running on fumes, but feel much better today than I
have in a past few days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It’s dead, Jim. <i>My phone.</i> It’s completely and utterly
dead. There was a corruption in the charging port, and it will no longer
charge. It’s not been a big deal here, other than it was how I was able to chat
with my husband briefly</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I didn’t have data turned on anyway here, so wasn’t really
able to do much on my phone except when I could catch the occasional wifi, but
connecting to it at the hotel on my phone was a tremendous pain. And anyway,
I’m sitting in front of a computer screen 12-14 hours a day…I’m kinda
connected. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9nff5emSBLMx1tTTnr9ZIXV7Ck5ZP8L6TtmsnoiJOxD-1cxogUj6sUFgAGUDSJ43gwfH9NTEKNTgDzvYtyDo5SYRmXOR4E4OvLMbdyPUea7cMJbKU-wQxagiDinRaxt9hrm2Vx_K4Umb/s1600/DSCF1178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9nff5emSBLMx1tTTnr9ZIXV7Ck5ZP8L6TtmsnoiJOxD-1cxogUj6sUFgAGUDSJ43gwfH9NTEKNTgDzvYtyDo5SYRmXOR4E4OvLMbdyPUea7cMJbKU-wQxagiDinRaxt9hrm2Vx_K4Umb/s1600/DSCF1178.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But I could always use my Kindle for Droid app and make minute progress on a book. But no more. It's been a challenge not having something with which to entertain myself in the boring in-betweens. In the taxi. Waiting for the plotter. Breakfasting alone. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I had to resort to extreme measures...I bought...a book. A paper book. With actual pages. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In so many ways, coming to the UAE has been like going back in time.</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">No cell phone</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Actual books laying around</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">VH-1 and MTV actually play only videos</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The newspaper is delivered to me every day...<i>what!?!</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">[Sorry for this one, Brandy] While there are lots of eco-features in my hotel, the shower head is like 8 gpm. I ADORE it. I can rinse my hair in like 30 seconds, not the standard 2 minutes. It's glorious. </span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's like 1991 here. I'll let ya'all know if I decide to replace my phone. ;)</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-55372008227675783622014-05-30T05:52:00.002-06:002014-06-04T13:28:09.909-06:00Abu Dhabi: Happy Friday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXL1NlXDPal_o1Kx7KdUeiasJtgrphdF09rgFU8aIHrWj-tpdAWq6pMNg5hRp1y-lVU4ltIvsFbPXWhtEIGpIXDi4wYdY2t9BQwUmjUICejwty3NIuTZC6GInDpxx4lhqAyXrB6qcLQkEX/s1600/fridayamy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXL1NlXDPal_o1Kx7KdUeiasJtgrphdF09rgFU8aIHrWj-tpdAWq6pMNg5hRp1y-lVU4ltIvsFbPXWhtEIGpIXDi4wYdY2t9BQwUmjUICejwty3NIuTZC6GInDpxx4lhqAyXrB6qcLQkEX/s1600/fridayamy.jpg" height="350" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hey ya'all! Happy Friday! Yesterday was Thursday, my Friday...so I was at...yep, you guessed it...work!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today is Friday (my Saturday) and likely my last day off for the duration of my visit -- Day Off No. 3 for those of you counting. I am off to adventure a bit after a visit to the spa this morning. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Happy Friday! </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-90471026283431341772014-05-27T05:15:00.000-06:002014-06-04T13:27:49.463-06:00Abu Dhabi: Feels Like 110<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhExoMyx4RBFHuafJ-tyzokpeo4V55K0l3DAdG432_gWhqFZBk5pmh5oazYjJp-o3JyYD1bmgvxE3nyeUliVXiOFlubhgTKkZUbe3hRrFfXrz57_q1bMN2pO8UMa2A_lK4DRXXNoUOlqIE/s1600/hot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhExoMyx4RBFHuafJ-tyzokpeo4V55K0l3DAdG432_gWhqFZBk5pmh5oazYjJp-o3JyYD1bmgvxE3nyeUliVXiOFlubhgTKkZUbe3hRrFfXrz57_q1bMN2pO8UMa2A_lK4DRXXNoUOlqIE/s1600/hot.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It’s hot here. Crazy hot. Melt your face off hot. Can-only-be-out-in-it-for-12-minutes-or-I’m-going-to-suffer-heat-exhaustion
hot. You basically have to either be acclimated to it – which I can do, with
some training – or you basically have to run from air conditioned
building/car/store to air conditioned building/car/store. My sweet husband
warned me, “It’s hot. Hot like you’ve never known.” <i>Come on honey, I like it warm! I like the humidity! It’ll be fun!!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">OMG. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As such, you’d think there would be ice and icy drinks
everywhere. Nope. I can’t find a cube to save my soul. Even at the mall I have
to strongly coerce them to give me more than 3 pathetic cubes, and then they
laugh like I’ve asked them to put ketchup in my soda. The hotel has no ice
machines. Is that legal? But hilariously, I have been provided both gin and
tonic in my minibar. WITH NO ICE? <i>Puh-leeze.
</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I went without for the first week, then while grousing to
Rahul, he said “Uh, there’s an ice machine on the 6<sup>th</sup> floor.”
YESSSS!! Then my coworkers all remarked that my drink (in swanky reusable glass
from Ikea) was more ice than drink! Hahahah! This is about as hilarious as “Uhm…do
you own any clothes that aren’t black?” #realoriginal #neverheardthatonebefore
#youwouldntaskverawangthat<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My beloved ice machine broke 3 days later. And 4 days later,
there it remains, sadly disconnected from any water source.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One room-temperature
water for me, please.</span><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Trust me, it doesn't feel like 110, it feels like 100 million.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-24074574078388059252014-05-24T13:01:00.002-06:002014-06-04T13:27:32.905-06:00Abu Dhabi: Enjoyed your Lobster? Here's Some Dental Floss! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy96k7Z3Iu8hoNDkhoYP9UIGvUbSK5zFhSgfHy2fpZM5W_0RbWPLec84pws0RB8Y1YxPYFBRkCSPGfHQNq3b3l4essNgDCc52fmEZaWA3Dhxza0HFwofk6qkZz5stPyXelo7XBqDopUvuz/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy96k7Z3Iu8hoNDkhoYP9UIGvUbSK5zFhSgfHy2fpZM5W_0RbWPLec84pws0RB8Y1YxPYFBRkCSPGfHQNq3b3l4essNgDCc52fmEZaWA3Dhxza0HFwofk6qkZz5stPyXelo7XBqDopUvuz/s1600/1.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So Andrew and I flew in the same flight from Frankfurt, and we both work at CH, and his birthday was Friday. We shared a driver from the hotel. So since we'd spent approximately 45 minutes together, and know almost no one else in the country, and my husband and his girlfriend are halfway around the world, I offered to help celebrate his birthday. Plus, a civilized meal out that isn't room service would be welcomed. To the Jumeirah Towers...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FDnq5jqDhR0DLZsEN2x7uXMDi5kggd5KwDjRlN5g23UaS6MRcNRvoLKdmgCY8mVZz3ed7Pe1bTPA89lLmB1bqU02ojG-2gb925XKyaBruTVT5Fw3zmV_R8uV9ErTHr8nu_h03XrTAeZJ/s1600/DSCF1111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FDnq5jqDhR0DLZsEN2x7uXMDi5kggd5KwDjRlN5g23UaS6MRcNRvoLKdmgCY8mVZz3ed7Pe1bTPA89lLmB1bqU02ojG-2gb925XKyaBruTVT5Fw3zmV_R8uV9ErTHr8nu_h03XrTAeZJ/s1600/DSCF1111.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For a drink at Ray's the top (62nd floor) and then dinner. Guess what -- in Abu Dhabi when you ask for French 75, the server says "coming right up, ma'am!" <i>Take that, Brickhouse</i>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVB6V_IWCf-gA9AWzivPKkIjzg6JTWOr82RvBd64YvxVOGMkqMd4kC0jbqpYCTC376NnV4YxZdUYMhUabwurzAcDVjwfuuJwfdPwkHNdrZxM_laF7F1l7NCBInJX1qTDmNGnIhdIxdZ13/s1600/DSCF1112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVB6V_IWCf-gA9AWzivPKkIjzg6JTWOr82RvBd64YvxVOGMkqMd4kC0jbqpYCTC376NnV4YxZdUYMhUabwurzAcDVjwfuuJwfdPwkHNdrZxM_laF7F1l7NCBInJX1qTDmNGnIhdIxdZ13/s1600/DSCF1112.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The view was spectacular, though I only had my little camera, so spotty photography.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLy8z20vU4a-TyttaEbiOWy81wYzI4WmvriTlp5O4i8oiGLq80yslWAck3xsxp7gwjXNe71bwzIdkGmXpn6Hv9FgKT4pt0tRMKNxoSJvBBLznWyT3LWEL116BJRHHXMmSe7zjIwDHV6_FB/s1600/DSCF1113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLy8z20vU4a-TyttaEbiOWy81wYzI4WmvriTlp5O4i8oiGLq80yslWAck3xsxp7gwjXNe71bwzIdkGmXpn6Hv9FgKT4pt0tRMKNxoSJvBBLznWyT3LWEL116BJRHHXMmSe7zjIwDHV6_FB/s1600/DSCF1113.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then to Li Beirut for dinner! We were seated outside by this pool and the waterfront, but think there was A/C blown on us or something, because it wasn't unbearable. The view to the left.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECqii1_7ULUD59riUxc-Tz41Il-QyrNvx4fM2dhFxJuWdIp8MLuXhdvyo4NriYLtKDI_lBpVGqp2BYUEwFNAIDqIc8X4l0zjn8nIXGHZFhdcVC74sLLxRbPJcvKK9EGvVryU1ZoucdCEf/s1600/DSCF1114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECqii1_7ULUD59riUxc-Tz41Il-QyrNvx4fM2dhFxJuWdIp8MLuXhdvyo4NriYLtKDI_lBpVGqp2BYUEwFNAIDqIc8X4l0zjn8nIXGHZFhdcVC74sLLxRbPJcvKK9EGvVryU1ZoucdCEf/s1600/DSCF1114.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The view to the right. Looks like something from the Jetsons.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWVVU9EyNHDGPR3pWY08AXcZ5afrRscm1y0hOyN4zXAOrHbsVldoFUCVmeOwnWeZl5oDRWA-efaeRRfvX2MEFmNbaaJ1KTnLhSpc70qIqx-I4Gtq9mCPTVyjnmYfyCMR_M7GLBFh2wTjvS/s1600/DSCF1115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWVVU9EyNHDGPR3pWY08AXcZ5afrRscm1y0hOyN4zXAOrHbsVldoFUCVmeOwnWeZl5oDRWA-efaeRRfvX2MEFmNbaaJ1KTnLhSpc70qIqx-I4Gtq9mCPTVyjnmYfyCMR_M7GLBFh2wTjvS/s1600/DSCF1115.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I got seafood, so got these implements</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. Andrew leaned over and said "I hope you don't go all Dexter on us." Bahahah. We talked TV a lot. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vwCbZEOQ58KWhRD4x1ZutlboLA3ntIEiGC4SDsA54UYicY465tqQ4zoNXf38da9eTr3mS_OE1fvl7IZVMwZ3cax5B48WtQAVH0XrZZ4c9wPijAMIMvipXUv5T7DEIasnirpfyt1uhMqH/s1600/DSCF1116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vwCbZEOQ58KWhRD4x1ZutlboLA3ntIEiGC4SDsA54UYicY465tqQ4zoNXf38da9eTr3mS_OE1fvl7IZVMwZ3cax5B48WtQAVH0XrZZ4c9wPijAMIMvipXUv5T7DEIasnirpfyt1uhMqH/s1600/DSCF1116.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He got lamb chops, so got this little silver rest for his steak knife. So fancified.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKjZl8SCnbAfzcrPDrl3QFcd3c7WfdeiLOKF2HrgRuRIVBLabEhbgDAy74iYxHVWqguwa2IqlBzNckL9gjlNkCVqhTjbLVp2s7bDYfO7Lp8qh4oWiwOVNA2uyHH3aNvpVhPIQMalpqgLV/s1600/DSCF1117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKjZl8SCnbAfzcrPDrl3QFcd3c7WfdeiLOKF2HrgRuRIVBLabEhbgDAy74iYxHVWqguwa2IqlBzNckL9gjlNkCVqhTjbLVp2s7bDYfO7Lp8qh4oWiwOVNA2uyHH3aNvpVhPIQMalpqgLV/s1600/DSCF1117.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">OMG, so delish. Lobster, mussels, salmon, whitefish, giant shrimp, and clams. I might have to go back before I leave.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZKixCWA25Xf4o7uj8QNowWPSCA8gLs0_s3pYP9u9c3IfEce3WZ0K6Vn1dZCManc0gBR70VNhbDr0T3JhpjkjWwirptSVSH7-wP83rsy5ryosq3OgpgjyOjiRc0DV6r7iGf70J2t-e8E-/s1600/DSCF1119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZKixCWA25Xf4o7uj8QNowWPSCA8gLs0_s3pYP9u9c3IfEce3WZ0K6Vn1dZCManc0gBR70VNhbDr0T3JhpjkjWwirptSVSH7-wP83rsy5ryosq3OgpgjyOjiRc0DV6r7iGf70J2t-e8E-/s1600/DSCF1119.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is Andrew. He's from the Spartanburg, South Carolina office, and turned 29. He mentioned that his all-time fave TV show was Arrested Development. And as I was about to say it he said, "And people usually tell me i bear a striking resemblance to Michael Cera." Yep. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After our swanky waitstaff cleared our knife rests and had zambonied the crumbs from our table, this was placed in the middle of the table. A candle? Sugar for post-dinner decaf? A lighter for a cigar?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Nope, tiny packets of dental floss. Wait. After this ridiculously formal and fancy meal, i'm gonna floss my teeth at the table? What now??? What am I, a heathen? Please. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Not up to my normal caliber of dinner date, by any stretch of the imagination, but nice to chat with another American for a bit! </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-33082599807571311182014-05-24T12:36:00.002-06:002014-06-04T13:27:14.904-06:00Abu Dhabi: More Mall-ery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> So as I've outlined, I'm not a big mall person. But a coworker explained that malls are restaurant-heavy here, and that you have to go to the mall, its too hot to do anything else. Oh right. Got it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> There are a lot of reflective surfaces in Abu Dhabi.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This one has an ice rink AND a bowling alley! It looks reasonably sized, but is pretty small. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Paris has her own store here. Well sure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The escalators are pretty cool -- they use motion-sensing technology and start running when you approach them, and stop when no one is riding. Such a smart escalator!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yes, no, and maybe hangars in the dressing room!?! These should be regulation in America.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That's Emirates Palace in back there. More on that at a later time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And then, another taxi ride back to my hotel for a nap.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So much construction everywhere.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-12521476232680232702014-05-24T12:01:00.002-06:002014-06-04T13:26:56.113-06:00Abu Dhabi: Marina Mall and Tower!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So with my big day off, I cabbed it down to the Marina Mall and Observation Tower.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On the waterfront. Well, I mean obviously a marina is on the waterfront.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And has all the trappings of a tourism destination. Lovely fountains...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Rows of trimmed palm trees. You know the deal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then up in the elevator to the 100 meter-high observation tower. That's 328 to<i> you Americans.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> The top floor is a swanky restaurant, the second to the top floor is a coffee shop. I have coffee shop written all over me, don't I? Iced coffee with milk. Cow's milk please, no camel milk. Goat's milk would also be accepted, incidentally. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I asked the English-speaking folks at the table next to me to take my picture, only to discover they were from Whitefish, Montana! She had been asked to come speak on bullying in the schools at some conference. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The marina and water was just lovely.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> The view back at the city. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There's always this socked-in fuzziness in the air. Like the Oregon Coast except about 80 million degrees. And July is their hottest month! Yikes! </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-56485005704007568152014-05-24T11:47:00.003-06:002014-06-04T13:26:36.900-06:00Abu Dhabi: The National Art<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-40767508566300374902014-05-24T11:10:00.002-06:002014-06-04T13:26:22.218-06:00Abu Dhabi: War Room<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Work continues in the war room. Mostly 11-12 hour days six days a week. Doesn't leave time for much else outside of working, sleeping, trying to hail a taxi, dining, and managing my laundry. Folks in the office have been asking me if its weird or different or what.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've been telling them it's very strange. Outside the front door, its another country. Inside the doors, I might as well be in Seattle or Tampa. It's standard protocol that most offices in the firm are designed to all feel the same. Same layouts, same furniture, same colors. Partially so that when you travel to other offices, you feel comfortable and are thus more efficient. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I learned today from the Brits that nearly everything in the office here was shipped over, presumably at considerable cost, for just this reason. This makes much more sense. I couldn't imagine that giving it this feel over here would be easy.</span><br />
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I'm in the "Howland" Conference room. Howland was one of the 2 H's in our name, and the last survivor of the Corvallis foursome. It makes me giggle when I see the nameplate on the glass.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-22943705821671763722014-05-20T12:53:00.003-06:002014-05-21T11:34:46.243-06:00Abu Dhabi: What's for Eats?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mostly I'm a cheap date, stopping by the buffet or just having a couple of things from the snackbar. But a couple times i've gotten room service. This is the caprese salad. I neglected to shoot the individual pizza in the warmer below. It was olive, mushroom, artichoke heart, and tomato. But oddly, each piece had only one item on it. Two slices of olive pie. Two slices of mushroom pie. It was delish, but odd.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Room service always seems to be GOBS of food. I don't know how they made this sandwich so big, but it was huge, I barely ate half of it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> For lunch I usually walk through the pedestrian underpass to the shopping center across the street. Here's what happens to my camera when i leave 50 degrees and enter 97 degrees and try to shoot. Yeah. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My kingdom for a cup of ice. There's no ice anywhere. Not even in the hotel. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've had more Indian food here than i've had my entire life. It's fine, its just not really my thing. I got this pizza at Pizza Amor, which of course came with ketchup. I get ketchup with everything. I'm not sure if only because i look American, or if everyone wants ketchup with their pizza. I went simple here. "The tre fromaggio please, thank you." Mozzarella, gorgonzola, and parmesan. Perfect.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Wait...gorgonzola? WHAT? </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKphStcyhN9c1PZkI2wCjyASUNAIaXoR9OdicWWbvVxjsYjxnY-wGIBDJQEUi4frKlRSzJTSBiq0snC2UJYkr-b6Ys4s9-mLpzkeAbjtF93OEYoLby8jrWUgtutwHGmSuLWYtLoiUnoatd/s1600/DSCF1095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKphStcyhN9c1PZkI2wCjyASUNAIaXoR9OdicWWbvVxjsYjxnY-wGIBDJQEUi4frKlRSzJTSBiq0snC2UJYkr-b6Ys4s9-mLpzkeAbjtF93OEYoLby8jrWUgtutwHGmSuLWYtLoiUnoatd/s1600/DSCF1095.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today I tried Subway. (Foot-long -- half for lunch, half for dinner!) The bread was spot-on, but there was something off about the mayo. A little hard to see, but these are "Tomato Ketchup" flavored Lay's potato chips. They were weird. They also have something called "picked barbecue," that aren't bad! ;)</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-29572369819808901852014-05-20T12:39:00.001-06:002014-05-20T12:39:04.725-06:00Abu Dhabi: Compare and Contrast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYdQsmpOhJFjeshgnbNf4uvTV2atbqL0g9v3Z6IZcCoGz7-g47wIBmvYETN2i77soJwdAsLUGVcJBnc5EYgY7Ly0QU1RpEoNfhD_V5pI5WumV_PXYgAjd7i1f4_Dswo-Q1QY36hbCyfxZ/s1600/DSCF1077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYdQsmpOhJFjeshgnbNf4uvTV2atbqL0g9v3Z6IZcCoGz7-g47wIBmvYETN2i77soJwdAsLUGVcJBnc5EYgY7Ly0QU1RpEoNfhD_V5pI5WumV_PXYgAjd7i1f4_Dswo-Q1QY36hbCyfxZ/s1600/DSCF1077.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There are so many things that are exactly the same as they are at home. Like being frozen to death at the office, which I just love. Instead of project number (PN), which we use to bill our time, they say charge code (CC). But you still need one to get paid. ;) </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKOUmcF3x4gLV7arUkGm8J1fbwaKnHLuw0pEmjFVTtQiUdDlL1ce4E4U6orA4BF13RE8_9coaTrh65Ni__5udQyZ8iDiEqPkmAYKG8gYD9h1vqnntoYwjwlPgEYkKVsNqGg3W8oqWd3_b/s1600/DSCN0368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKOUmcF3x4gLV7arUkGm8J1fbwaKnHLuw0pEmjFVTtQiUdDlL1ce4E4U6orA4BF13RE8_9coaTrh65Ni__5udQyZ8iDiEqPkmAYKG8gYD9h1vqnntoYwjwlPgEYkKVsNqGg3W8oqWd3_b/s1600/DSCN0368.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Different from any hotel room I've ever stayed in is the Qibla on the ceiling just above my bed, pointing the direction towards Mecca. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSp-YSaYH5k4ND9166chWfFwu2LsJUZVUplxxFbVZadVaUwowjbDusMO1J0EpEoYWxaIP4feouOTM0vj075P_lfNW4qag2DkO4Gnpx8sqbZmLN7kcqCcZI5NsBVzNdmhyfrh4ABqX7dJ50/s1600/DSCN0373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSp-YSaYH5k4ND9166chWfFwu2LsJUZVUplxxFbVZadVaUwowjbDusMO1J0EpEoYWxaIP4feouOTM0vj075P_lfNW4qag2DkO4Gnpx8sqbZmLN7kcqCcZI5NsBVzNdmhyfrh4ABqX7dJ50/s1600/DSCN0373.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Different from any non-residential building in America, the WINDOW OPENS! Imagine! I love it. I'm on the 11th floor. I leave it open to escape the non-stop AC an listen to the beeps and honks of traffic. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5R3vewE4niiwgudSO5WUXjjYjb3aZTTQr6OSzGxcWDT0UwfFBDtWXFrjZtXmibzxUSLO5tYcQXye03PkinMLerBdlsLRiZlPy-1YmDFxDvdKBNtW_qM1ImQ4qwUhAb0LHn6XA_HTCBkki/s1600/DSCN0374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5R3vewE4niiwgudSO5WUXjjYjb3aZTTQr6OSzGxcWDT0UwfFBDtWXFrjZtXmibzxUSLO5tYcQXye03PkinMLerBdlsLRiZlPy-1YmDFxDvdKBNtW_qM1ImQ4qwUhAb0LHn6XA_HTCBkki/s1600/DSCN0374.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've gotten into a taxi near this bright fountain 12 times and never noticed it featured colored lights! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0I35W7-EJsvkb5T1Fso7HSTVL2baP0OVHPRHepDbmYx0j81tTA40MPutGAst0QlW5gLaYKmjBz1LRMHB48dTfwXl37qytMM9bgOqUrZ3jZpgDAnOuLyFmvGDSnx_NP9qRoODNsAWS-F4M/s1600/goog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0I35W7-EJsvkb5T1Fso7HSTVL2baP0OVHPRHepDbmYx0j81tTA40MPutGAst0QlW5gLaYKmjBz1LRMHB48dTfwXl37qytMM9bgOqUrZ3jZpgDAnOuLyFmvGDSnx_NP9qRoODNsAWS-F4M/s1600/goog.jpg" height="226" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Google finally figured out that I'm an English user in the UAE. For a long time it said Google, and then under it something like: دعوة لحضور معرض سيتي. What now?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyrwTfN-uPE39TeuxK9kUekE9VpHHC3BS2f7T1wXzT2SNArrOB8QYqMYBbFmwCugeKUlw8aI5PqVQUewcmB366ZHCBZI8E1IEiX-FEWlNxZvPpcgz-7E1cvsErIIDBpaf-8ZzFBxA5rEL7/s1600/mail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyrwTfN-uPE39TeuxK9kUekE9VpHHC3BS2f7T1wXzT2SNArrOB8QYqMYBbFmwCugeKUlw8aI5PqVQUewcmB366ZHCBZI8E1IEiX-FEWlNxZvPpcgz-7E1cvsErIIDBpaf-8ZzFBxA5rEL7/s1600/mail.jpg" height="275" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yahoo! Now gives me all UAE news. Maktoob must mean mail?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnDYCh1gUJIjmYCq-FVFDDESjochB6hcrtWP6uBKMAhhhwkfCLhUyCpq3ZlAZu0muWO9Ypz3qaNCsh9YS70pTaa8BXVG4hS5SAUujvB4BJYKZNIbCxrT2Apa-97icenI85AUsJAE9CQjG8/s1600/z.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnDYCh1gUJIjmYCq-FVFDDESjochB6hcrtWP6uBKMAhhhwkfCLhUyCpq3ZlAZu0muWO9Ypz3qaNCsh9YS70pTaa8BXVG4hS5SAUujvB4BJYKZNIbCxrT2Apa-97icenI85AUsJAE9CQjG8/s1600/z.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And exactly the same is working with technical staff who make messy, incomprehensible chicken-scratch markups and expect you can read their minds. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-6127614785210862252014-05-20T12:21:00.003-06:002014-05-20T22:25:21.243-06:00Abu Dhabi: and my Money on my Mind<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiw-vSp4scKzaYZKEbktUUKujM5AnCjOFi-Fv7XLQnc_7i2fBnrsxW0YXKVTN_1cBhIrnC8UXyb9nwJ9k3LGgGHKmBhgV8cE7iucMZC7qerIRoL_O5CzkPXOXRdfzJBYpRNq7yBiIy5ajP/s1600/DSCF1103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiw-vSp4scKzaYZKEbktUUKujM5AnCjOFi-Fv7XLQnc_7i2fBnrsxW0YXKVTN_1cBhIrnC8UXyb9nwJ9k3LGgGHKmBhgV8cE7iucMZC7qerIRoL_O5CzkPXOXRdfzJBYpRNq7yBiIy5ajP/s1600/DSCF1103.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I find the money here really easy to negotiate. A dirham is about a third of a dollar. That's easy enough! And the bills have Arabic numbers on them, so I don't have to memorize their colors. Easy peasy! The coins are a bit harder, though I got my first 50-cent piece today, and it has a 50 on it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For some reason I find this money far, far easier to deal with than pesos.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is about $28 american. I got $500 dirham out when i got here, and have about 200 left, so about $300 AED expenses per week ($100 American), mostly just taxi, lunch, taxi, dinner, and minor expenses. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-25509330112460798482014-05-20T12:11:00.003-06:002014-05-20T12:24:29.219-06:00Abu Dhabi: What to Wear...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwBy3GyorntMxQLiYHs2DitTxHP8l8qVHVy7rKk53F0y6ZPrzG_wrOE9ZHNRoPnOY6NbJyH_r0yW1JR_X00lZ22eEueloj3m3ITV4jCU3QZxgxaqdHHAcP6kVIIZA5k3-oukPLJOSOmTd/s1600/DSCF1072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwBy3GyorntMxQLiYHs2DitTxHP8l8qVHVy7rKk53F0y6ZPrzG_wrOE9ZHNRoPnOY6NbJyH_r0yW1JR_X00lZ22eEueloj3m3ITV4jCU3QZxgxaqdHHAcP6kVIIZA5k3-oukPLJOSOmTd/s1600/DSCF1072.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've been asked what I would/wear here. The firm's guidance is to generally be covered, particularly you should have your shoulders or your knees covered, never both exposed at the same time. Mostly I've been just fine wearing a long-sleeve black T-shirt and a long dark skirt or pants with a scarf (black, white, or pink). Soooo...exactly what I've been wearing for the past 18 years. I fit in in Abu Dhabi better than i did in Hawaii. ;)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh50ipIXUm0wHeVxzzJsZUL1kHu8MwgDiyN6H-M6KTfWHWZMNMvWBn4_nuue9247Y7qcLmO0vtIGTEc3DvzWHwErk6djJfKfjyIk2CYNoIUMOlt2qJLEn9GWeUoz4iLuVBcMdHiyjDJuXtX/s1600/DSCF1076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh50ipIXUm0wHeVxzzJsZUL1kHu8MwgDiyN6H-M6KTfWHWZMNMvWBn4_nuue9247Y7qcLmO0vtIGTEc3DvzWHwErk6djJfKfjyIk2CYNoIUMOlt2qJLEn9GWeUoz4iLuVBcMdHiyjDJuXtX/s1600/DSCF1076.JPG" height="296" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The biggest divergence for me in packing was not bringing 6 pounds of jewelry...like I usually do. In addition to my watch (incidentally, an anniversary gift from my husband), I have a pair of stud pearl earrings I found in the pocket of a thrift store suit jacket a million years ago, and the ring my husband had made for me a couple of years ago featuring a rock from the Nehalem River flanked by two sapphires. That's it! I'm in jewelry withdrawal! I should go shopping... ;)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35Qm_XgoSTPd_e7cMK28uh0LpO9Wyt_h0OqHRjz0te1ZgpYuZT0XlM4xkxVRmYHCWm_1fWOmg0SUlqm-3fersJX79CKhIMOGvbYsD1C335ZHIq6jZF67XklTCziO97WzCInE_Xh3NLScy/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35Qm_XgoSTPd_e7cMK28uh0LpO9Wyt_h0OqHRjz0te1ZgpYuZT0XlM4xkxVRmYHCWm_1fWOmg0SUlqm-3fersJX79CKhIMOGvbYsD1C335ZHIq6jZF67XklTCziO97WzCInE_Xh3NLScy/s1600/images.jpg" height="151" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've seen everything here on women from full head-to-toe abaya and veil, to head covered but with jeans and a neon T-shirt, to traditional Indian garb, to obvious ex-pats in revealing things I wouldn't wear to a nightclub.(I've seen and don't understand: a woman in a full abaya and headscarf [no face veil] and sky-high stiletto hooker heels that I couldn't even stand up in! This I don't understand AT ALL.) But I find I've seen nothing more striking than the flight attendant uniforms for the airline of the UAE -- Etidah Airlines. I like the classic lines and the tip of the hat to tradition in the scarf. Perhaps they remind me of the scarves I requested of my sweet bridesmaids. :) </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnwZggpSRUh5Y5SBFrANImDTpQ4mS57mT73bU5CgOOBvotaVV3ajHqeiNIs4gG0eSmrbFd52nks2s9SZ1dFLRhZCgJmDDxQndhyphenhyphenWRA8msS2CZc_ha6IqiXydN6VneJi7aTK_VcKng4hs2/s1600/PersilAbaya.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnwZggpSRUh5Y5SBFrANImDTpQ4mS57mT73bU5CgOOBvotaVV3ajHqeiNIs4gG0eSmrbFd52nks2s9SZ1dFLRhZCgJmDDxQndhyphenhyphenWRA8msS2CZc_ha6IqiXydN6VneJi7aTK_VcKng4hs2/s1600/PersilAbaya.JPG" height="257" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I know there's a Woolite equivalent in the states, but it never occurred to me to buy it. But I saw this in the store...and the black abayas I've seen here are RIDICULOUSLY BLACK! I am covetous. I'm gonna try this sort of product upon my return. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-60745167612242440662014-05-20T11:52:00.000-06:002014-05-20T11:52:11.121-06:00Abu Dhabi: My Taxi Ride<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXOo817POEmRE61QQvRUwpIUcEKj4HVOfkDZQOUtYW8mLoxe36yXoHfcnkZgcq8cuO55p6GufPmBoxclgt3wZNpU_nRfPOuvo-3eZjsZKdVnY6_fdJ634Z2uz9HgULZ4RarA-95Kd3IVx/s1600/DSCF1082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXOo817POEmRE61QQvRUwpIUcEKj4HVOfkDZQOUtYW8mLoxe36yXoHfcnkZgcq8cuO55p6GufPmBoxclgt3wZNpU_nRfPOuvo-3eZjsZKdVnY6_fdJ634Z2uz9HgULZ4RarA-95Kd3IVx/s1600/DSCF1082.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mostly I have been working about 12 hour days, which doesn't leave much time for photojournalism. ;) But here are shots from my morning taxi ride to the office. This is the Yoplait yoghurt lady. Apparently the yoghurt makes her hair thicker and fuller. I might try that. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Random shots of small businesses.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQ4gi3jRsRAX7nM7PKjBEJZvZkCuVwVoJQc8dZZh4ab0Q6FY3OStXuNoINwv1WlpwYfhsH-EHafbxztqRnr7v8FnCd3q7ya9YtcsHSNZyggpvpcLltjjOF4xEdA84ihSGiwL3RSgebVRb/s1600/DSCF1084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQ4gi3jRsRAX7nM7PKjBEJZvZkCuVwVoJQc8dZZh4ab0Q6FY3OStXuNoINwv1WlpwYfhsH-EHafbxztqRnr7v8FnCd3q7ya9YtcsHSNZyggpvpcLltjjOF4xEdA84ihSGiwL3RSgebVRb/s1600/DSCF1084.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> The population of the Abu Dhabi region is about 1.5 million, and about 20 percent are actually Emiratis. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Stacey -- you asked about grocery shopping -- here's a small grocery. I'll post pix of one of the larger stores. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The business school...for the WORLD.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There seems to be construction everywhere. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I originally thought I didn't see many women on the street for cultural or religious reasons, but In doing research on the population I learned that the current population is about 70 percent male because of the influx of emigrant workers. Which makes sense because there seems to be construction everywhere. Says the girl from Boise, here working for an international engineering firm. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> A Mitsubishi dealership. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Traffic is crazytown. :)</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-1071491290413223152014-05-17T11:06:00.001-06:002014-05-17T19:25:36.655-06:00Abu Dhabi: The Mall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today (Saturday) was mostly shot after early morning blogging, my 5k, ;), leisurely reading the Gulf News over breakfast, and negotiating with a coworker as to whether we were going to go to Dubai or not. We decided it would be too much. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> So after a bit, I finally wandered next door to check out the Al Wahda Mall. These are apartment buildings across from the mall. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm not a huge shopper or mall person back home, so I don't plan on hanging here too much, but its jam-packed with Western stores and restaurants -- pretty much everything you might find in a mall at home, including a couple higher-end stores like Armani Exchange and Bobbi Brown. There are a million coffee shops, and a bakery called "Oh My Buns!" Hahaha!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Wrangler...Claire's...Body Shop...Gap...Nike...Sephora... Naturalizer...you get the idea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Red Lobster, two McDonalds, Popeye's, Starbucks, and of course, "America's Number 1 Italian Restaurant"...Olive Garden. Meh. They do feature in the basement of the mall the largest "hypermarket" in Abu Dhabi. "Hypermarket" is a term to describe a store that sells everything, like a Walmart or a Target. I consider Fred G. Meyer the king of the hypermarket, and I'm totally adopting this term -- let's all use it! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After getting myself absolutely and hopelessly lost in the six? Seven? Eight story mall? (On purpose), I wandered over to a hilarious "British pub" for some British pub fare. Mostly I was the only woman in the place, and the atmosphere was weird, but they had a lot of cool photography, including this Stevie Ray that I'd never seen before. So young! </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-32376639470339406162014-05-17T10:39:00.001-06:002014-05-17T10:39:22.114-06:00Abu Dhabi: My Room<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's a pretty standard business hotel room.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> With pretty swanky facilities.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Including a lit magnifying mirror, and the button below it that adjusts the volume of the TV speaker in the bathroom, but check the makeup smudge on the wall.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> But mostly its pretty high-techy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Including this nightstand tablet that lets me adjust all the lights and the temperature in the room, set the Do Not Disturb digitally, or request laundry service, which i'm going to have to do one of these days. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6aWiyTC5MJdb4aZOKGwMS4JT_8hRamaKhyphenhyphen__BOekXgivQPIOGsuR_uTLtFQN83KNDfVoWXqKPvrqeqgVlH7u29pZeq5zUbFuOw-8CFlnrorJkr73nZvhBT0Ej2v3NaKs60XK-ykipTgrN/s1600/DSCF1029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6aWiyTC5MJdb4aZOKGwMS4JT_8hRamaKhyphenhyphen__BOekXgivQPIOGsuR_uTLtFQN83KNDfVoWXqKPvrqeqgVlH7u29pZeq5zUbFuOw-8CFlnrorJkr73nZvhBT0Ej2v3NaKs60XK-ykipTgrN/s1600/DSCF1029.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thankfully I can still get my One Direction fix on Vh-1. Plus Travel Channel, History Channel, BBC, CNN, Bloomsberg, and a bunch of movie channels. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUA9JhQlbBIby-EpkDn4R-3Ld_8gnpUnI0rs3X_HcvGhamdtm9j9RDAIo7mEyz4cWF3yock0w6lbxJm9uvdQ12bMeKhe7Fu3JOU0ju_01cHsgVM4FCQHm2HTf0fKDEhn-uiKDH9JhGRir/s1600/DSCF1040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUA9JhQlbBIby-EpkDn4R-3Ld_8gnpUnI0rs3X_HcvGhamdtm9j9RDAIo7mEyz4cWF3yock0w6lbxJm9uvdQ12bMeKhe7Fu3JOU0ju_01cHsgVM4FCQHm2HTf0fKDEhn-uiKDH9JhGRir/s1600/DSCF1040.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> The Gulf News is delivered each morning, and features middle east news with a smidge of western enterainment. Thank heavens Beyonce, Jay-Z, and Solange made up. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqjsAbHYJcz_rZvUzw549GYGKqnEC5wwuC6IPvbLe3Z-kUCn8CHCXYFy8gdU_egRneJcVyK6jESSNz4oof4BlBuqWdhOlbDIEZ8jO31Bzdgg4984KNugyaHyIhO3HE7q8_ecmqRGQ5B2S/s1600/DSCF1069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqjsAbHYJcz_rZvUzw549GYGKqnEC5wwuC6IPvbLe3Z-kUCn8CHCXYFy8gdU_egRneJcVyK6jESSNz4oof4BlBuqWdhOlbDIEZ8jO31Bzdgg4984KNugyaHyIhO3HE7q8_ecmqRGQ5B2S/s1600/DSCF1069.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Pretty standard hotel toiletries.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> A little minibar that's appropriately overrpriced. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oh, and yay! Everyone smokes everywhere! Yay! So gross.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRU0S5PQiLbPKTRr4dedttuSclHEZEY5jJY_vaZBmBP6Q8RvVXRrlP_wwBrOlFQ-x6YMHuHQFuUoHMR1HIlcE3XduQaTLYs_q-_dwTZ7EjoeK7HOP0Qu2Ni7FNDNNIHSQcNtrY1kss4ko6/s1600/MENA_GMAW_SP_GYM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="clear: left; display: inline !important; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRU0S5PQiLbPKTRr4dedttuSclHEZEY5jJY_vaZBmBP6Q8RvVXRrlP_wwBrOlFQ-x6YMHuHQFuUoHMR1HIlcE3XduQaTLYs_q-_dwTZ7EjoeK7HOP0Qu2Ni7FNDNNIHSQcNtrY1kss4ko6/s1600/MENA_GMAW_SP_GYM.jpg" height="156" width="400" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The gym is really nice, tho this is technically the "mixed gym." The ladies-only gym has one of each piece of equipment and men are not allowed. But interestingly, I had to have a special watchband badge to get into the mixed gym, while any random joe can access the ladies' gym, no problem! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Between the oppressive heat (90s this week, 100s next week), absence of women on the street, and the lack of infrastructure, the miles on my FitBit have been REALLY low this week, so this morning I participated in the Grand Millennium Invitational 5k and I won! Hahah! The treadmills keep track in kilometers, and 3 miles seems pretty run-of-the-mill, but 5k? Dang, that's impressive!!! </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-41137621804682628872014-05-17T10:11:00.001-06:002014-05-17T10:11:37.258-06:00Abu Dhabi: My Hotel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWg6nq5os9ut3UE_hqxYcBAz3S8KTjfl8D1v1IukloIXRcBkeiZWICZS4nimn8Tea1Mdr9zSVi-5hxwQ1meETJ7ysgqysFl_cA1yAjTJVebgaD-w8UpDtKo72rAkFXICYkFhiuJqoEXsZ/s1600/1+MENA_GMAW_Exterior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWg6nq5os9ut3UE_hqxYcBAz3S8KTjfl8D1v1IukloIXRcBkeiZWICZS4nimn8Tea1Mdr9zSVi-5hxwQ1meETJ7ysgqysFl_cA1yAjTJVebgaD-w8UpDtKo72rAkFXICYkFhiuJqoEXsZ/s1600/1+MENA_GMAW_Exterior.jpg" height="156" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So I'm staying here, at the Grand Millennium al Wahda. Kudos the person who did the Photoshop work in this bad boy. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8m4PPw8kzrOQhsCA1HkoCQESdnkeNDAuYGbLnEALOqdmZ7lMUkWk4qeLdaWxwCMBMBC6IU5DIphbVQpOQsTHFz4eGiM7_k9Na5w71XdWg8y8dE-N3fRyNLuzGiRQuS2lKN7-9bDfswrpW/s1600/DSCF1017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8m4PPw8kzrOQhsCA1HkoCQESdnkeNDAuYGbLnEALOqdmZ7lMUkWk4qeLdaWxwCMBMBC6IU5DIphbVQpOQsTHFz4eGiM7_k9Na5w71XdWg8y8dE-N3fRyNLuzGiRQuS2lKN7-9bDfswrpW/s1600/DSCF1017.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These are the views from my room/floor. Mostly they are terrible and make it look like a war zone, because the windows are quite dirty. But having just returned from Hawaii, where my nephew asked, "why is everything sticky?" I know that a bit of sea air and a little pollution goes a long way. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzoX7PLnhpGqjkyBzbEszTRq6yv5Yu-Iu4yroWar-3kgfKzI2icnYrI97_Tr_0Py-GJevg81NrecHHd7Rj6DDaMfnIJ7qZHflO1UixQVu9Th8OV8Y3opDjENKmKhHnjFtxEZtj3vSkyyro/s1600/DSCF1030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzoX7PLnhpGqjkyBzbEszTRq6yv5Yu-Iu4yroWar-3kgfKzI2icnYrI97_Tr_0Py-GJevg81NrecHHd7Rj6DDaMfnIJ7qZHflO1UixQVu9Th8OV8Y3opDjENKmKhHnjFtxEZtj3vSkyyro/s1600/DSCF1030.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The hotel is fine, its nice enough, but the housekeeping is rather spotty. If the garbage is emptied, my washcloths aren't replaced. My room service dishes get removed but no replacement bathrobe was provided. Minor complaints, but something's always a little off. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFQ2CioNeqSTGk1LudUr4uaZ1zKuJ8WdP6rydoAeKw511kfalHFjmgzXS3BioqJ3yNIQ1q6Xd8KhB9EyfRGwrbMhpeULHbMnGeCDkLx4XbQGwbbKfUUeD718LgBfnXj1CnYyiSmaCPb7R/s1600/DSCF1042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFQ2CioNeqSTGk1LudUr4uaZ1zKuJ8WdP6rydoAeKw511kfalHFjmgzXS3BioqJ3yNIQ1q6Xd8KhB9EyfRGwrbMhpeULHbMnGeCDkLx4XbQGwbbKfUUeD718LgBfnXj1CnYyiSmaCPb7R/s1600/DSCF1042.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There are four restaurants in the hotel, a diner place, a faux British pub, a Japanese sushi place, and a swanky Italian joint. I've only tried the first two. All are fine, but nothing beats the amazing, over the top breakfast buffet that offers a salad bar, a hot breakfast bar, wads of fresh fruit, cereal, stir-fried noodles, and lots of other weird things like buttered peas and something that's supposed to be "ful medames," an Egyptian bean dish, but the name tag says "Foul Madames," which makes me giggle. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANKRSubh1X_oQ7K-7IwzE4q7tnGZESqhkd68LukHFE6wXqKSzJx9uYJO75oxM5ftgCvLIrE9lu1M1NwIBu8bOjfy2ckAiMbZGh65N0rZ9QVP9uGBfcp5rQQcjdaAl6p5BZYZdRyxtkfVu/s1600/DSCF1044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANKRSubh1X_oQ7K-7IwzE4q7tnGZESqhkd68LukHFE6wXqKSzJx9uYJO75oxM5ftgCvLIrE9lu1M1NwIBu8bOjfy2ckAiMbZGh65N0rZ9QVP9uGBfcp5rQQcjdaAl6p5BZYZdRyxtkfVu/s1600/DSCF1044.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Between work and sleep and minor sightseeing, i have yet to make it to the rooftop pool and bar...so unlike me!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7OblzQpelfWSGNPj0If4hO9-TnX1RKSQ0WdTzo88Dac6DOlwUrlx2Ehz6LTOVSzuzgzTgePIjV1B46Zp9_hH5yEvNk59a2lXANheLZfmf8wMD-ercPchWFf0iQ_T_gi9ePtZqJIhv8IAi/s1600/DSCF1064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7OblzQpelfWSGNPj0If4hO9-TnX1RKSQ0WdTzo88Dac6DOlwUrlx2Ehz6LTOVSzuzgzTgePIjV1B46Zp9_hH5yEvNk59a2lXANheLZfmf8wMD-ercPchWFf0iQ_T_gi9ePtZqJIhv8IAi/s1600/DSCF1064.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the elevators, the bottom floor is "G," and the next one up is "1," then "2," etc. So that's not confusing.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JL3TtRHtTDQ38LgcfCmd-wDf5b5aejNr1wK4LE6_bwx_z1vOaCpqst53mL5sD_QtezE5A-hm9HuLWguh-EieFHMnraP5wnFuT7fICLdW4UxFJ8ZjD1EsNu-INgaQsvCOaGrg5gGXRn1z/s1600/Untitled_Panorama1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JL3TtRHtTDQ38LgcfCmd-wDf5b5aejNr1wK4LE6_bwx_z1vOaCpqst53mL5sD_QtezE5A-hm9HuLWguh-EieFHMnraP5wnFuT7fICLdW4UxFJ8ZjD1EsNu-INgaQsvCOaGrg5gGXRn1z/s1600/Untitled_Panorama1.jpg" height="268" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I take a 10-minute t</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">axi ride to and from the office, which costs about 10 dirham, or about 3 bucks American. The taxis are municipally regulated -- they are all the same kind of car, the drivers are uniformed, and they don't expect tips, but do take them when offered. And its backwards from the U.S. -- the light on the top means they have a fare, no light means they are available. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-32794827192281054142014-05-17T09:28:00.001-06:002014-05-17T09:28:44.543-06:00Abu Dhabi: In Transit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4CHZuxOPoov_d3f_DNh0tXGW-pA6fzg3Ohrx8BU2dSfm_mYepfS_OtsCSPJBhIxghwYNiaxdrf0NFo-EjGYMdFcOIdnJY_OQGjcqPvzgbzkvKTp9pw6QeWSqyrkcGyGq-SaGImVRMvEz/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4CHZuxOPoov_d3f_DNh0tXGW-pA6fzg3Ohrx8BU2dSfm_mYepfS_OtsCSPJBhIxghwYNiaxdrf0NFo-EjGYMdFcOIdnJY_OQGjcqPvzgbzkvKTp9pw6QeWSqyrkcGyGq-SaGImVRMvEz/s1600/2.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lufthansa from Denver to Frankfurt, and Frankfurt to Abu Dhabi. <i>Oh you!</i> Plying me with champagne and heart shaped crackers. So civilized.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I had made it to the Boise airport with no problems, but when I said "Abu Dhabi" to the grandfatherly ticket agent, he raised one eyebrow and asked, "Uh..does your Dad know you're going there?" Uhh. Yeah...so does my HUSBAND. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Boise to Denver flight was delayed because of...well...snow that made our incoming plane late. Snow, in Denver, in May. <i>Huh</i>. So there was a risk I might miss my connection to Frankfurt in Denver. The gate attendants in Boise moved me up from row 29 to row 15 in the hopes that it would give me a little more time to get to Denver Concourse A. There were 10 of us trying to get to that Frankfurt plane, so they waited for us. But I can cross "get paged in an airport" off my bucket list. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So we left around 5 p.m. and made it to Frankfurt, at what i thought was going to be around 10 p.m. including the time change. I was QUITE shocked when someone opened a window and it was daylight! OH! 10 a.m.! Damned 24 hour clocks. Who can keep them straight. With the time change, a 10 hour flight. Yeesh.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I pride myself on blending in when I travel, and think I succeed, as I often get asked for directions. Which is hilarious, since i can barely find my way to the Boise mall, 7 years in. As I approached customs the agent took one look at me and said "Canadian?" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Well, actually, my maternal grandfather was a Canadian citizen prior to the war...! Oh. Uh. No. American. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So long Frankfurt! I was there for all of an hour, maybe. Another 8 hour flight in, and we were in Abu Dhabi. And my driver was a little late, but I can also cross "have a dude with a white board with my name on it waiting for me in an airport" off my bucket list. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-75944084935149828742014-05-17T09:01:00.001-06:002014-05-17T09:01:01.785-06:00Abu Dhabi: Shut Up, Google<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Please prove YOU'RE not a robot. There's <u>nothing wrong</u> with being debillitatingly linear.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-14142713968429134162014-05-17T08:30:00.000-06:002014-05-17T20:51:49.015-06:00Abu Dhabi: A Month in Abu Dhabi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So. Yeah. A week in Hawaii. A long weekend in Vegas. And a month in Abu Dhabi. No risk of culture shock </span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">there</i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">An email was sent to my team asking if anyone wanted to go to Abu Dhabi for 3 weeks. Usually when temporary duty (TDY) assignments pop up I have plans (as with just before the Hawaii trip) or they aren't my cup of tea (3 MONTHS in Abu Dhabi) (6 weeks in London -- 16 hour days, 7 days a week). No thanks. But this was a reasonable timeframe, and I'd only miss a couple of social events we had planned. I sent off a cell phone pic of the front page of my passport and received back an airline itinerary and a hotel reservation!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So I'm in Abu Dhabi, working on graphic maps for the 2030 maritime plan for the waterfront.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The office is lovely, and feels exactly like every other office I've visited (11 years in -- Boise, Portland, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Tampa, and of course, the Taj MaHill -- Denver). I was told it would be more a more formal workplace dress code, so have been wearing sk</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">irts and jackets, but on our "Friday," was the most overdressed person in the place. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The people in the office are ridiculously nice and seem happy to have me. On Thursday I went to two birthday parties, where there was cake, a card, birthday hugs, and general camaraderie. I couldn't put my finger on what was so lovely about it all...OH! People actually come to the office here. Team members are actually onsite to review and discuss project work. Versus an entire team of people who telework or work remotely. Don't get me wrong, I like to telework occasionally too, but being in an onsite office is like working in 2004. It's so fun! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Anyway, it was funny to travel halfway around the planet to arrive and see internal safety posters that I designed with my Portland coworker Marie (Hi Marie!) posted on workstations. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Welcome to the Abu Dhabi office!</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-63164055956924723942014-05-17T05:13:00.000-06:002014-05-17T05:13:23.289-06:00Las Vegas: High Roller!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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And the last thing on our Vegas list? Ride the High Roller!<br />
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Which you can ride during the day or night. We chose day, cause we wanted to see the sights, not the lights.<br />
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GIANT spokes.<br />
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Excellent view of Caesar's Palace.<br />
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Safety first, please. The ride takes about 35 minutes to make a revolution, so i wonder if they could speed it up if the person in Cabin 25 was having a heart attack.<br />
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Top of the wheel!<br />
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Yeah yeah, I'm sure that kickstand is gonna hold. Yeah. Sure.<br />
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I bet the Bellagio fountains (that green patch) are awesome from the night ride.<br />
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I was interested in elevation from ground and also from sea level. Luckily my handy altimeter app kept me informed. the top isn't as high as Boise!<br />
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Other than the cute boys from Holland, we had our pod to ourselves!<br />
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It went by so fast, but was really cool, i'm so glad we did it!<br />
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Totally safe -- check out the size of those screws.<br />
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Yay for Sister Party!<br />
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Click for 360 degree panorama I made of our pod!! Farewell, Las Vegas.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533947190621086157.post-57481830786294406992014-05-17T05:07:00.001-06:002014-05-17T05:07:17.062-06:00Las Vegas: Sister Party!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I wanted just a little more bang from my buck, and as I didn't have any kids to get off to school, I booked another night in Vegas, then coerced my Sister to stay with me!<br />
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At Bally's! Chosen for its close proximity to the new High Roller viewing ride. That's it, from our room!<br />
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We wandered, shopped, lunched, and took in the sights. The Eiffel Tower!<br />
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The street where my awesome white rhinestone golf visor blew down the strip and is now FILTHY. :{<br />
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We ended up dining at Margaritaville, which wouldn't have been my first choice, but we had an amazing view of the strip, delicious food, and a really fun time!<br />
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Randomly, Boy London is back, a brand I dug when my husband and I were dating. I haven't seen it in years!<br />
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LOVE this shot!<br />
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Hard to see, but her shirt says "In our family, I'm the fashionable one." Based on the photo above, I don't know about that.<br />
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We ended up lounging at the pool in the sun a bit to warm ourselves after being at the chilly breakfast buffet in Paris.<br />
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It was nice to just kick it in the sun a bit.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0