Furniture Shopping in Abu Dhabi!!!!!

Been doing some furniture shopping on a used furniture website called Dubizzle. People come and go so quickly here that really good bargains are easy to find. I found a few items that made my eyebrow go up a few inches. Sometimes I just wonder. Like this chair here. AND IT HAS A MATCHING SOFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!







Another great matching sofa and chair. Just makes you want to pinch yourself doesn't it?

To each his own......I guess.
What really did it for me and made me just want to scream were these curtains! I mean really now. Would you want to hang these babies in your house? OMG!!!!



The caption under this picture read "real classics." I just wanted to laugh. Funny thing is I actually thought about buying them and having them recovered. With my designer eye, I can see these in the right setting and they could really add some punch to a room just as they are. You would have to be very brave and know what you were doing though!

Camels in the Neighborhood

I was cruising down the street today on my way home and spotted this lone camel tied up in a makeshift fence next to one of my neighbors.

Just had to stop and get a picture! Too funny!

I GOT WHEELS!!!!

I finally have a car!!!!!!!!!!!!!! John recently rented me a Toyota Yaris for scooting around the city to house hunt and furniture hunt. I AM A FREE WOMAN!!!!!!!!!!

It feels so good to be driving around and not depending on taxis and others to take me around. Since we are staying here, (I know I have not really announced our retirement plans yet) I had two requests---a car and a trip home every three months to see my new grandbaby who is arriving in August.

I have been keeping the road HOT, HOT, HOT shopping for used furniture that I find on Dubizzle, a local advertising web site, and house hunting. We have to move from our house and furnish it. Our house and furniture have been provided the past two years. I have found some great bargains and am having so much fun with this.

We have some time before we move so I can be picky and choosy about what I buy.
Found these two funky orange chairs. They are so comfortable. Paid a big $163 for them!!!! John and Josh love these chairs. They put away the chairs we had in the TV room and living room and put these in their place. Already in use!This is a cool leather-look chair. I couldn't pass it up. $75

People live here very temporarily--often coming here for only a year or so and they buy all new furniture. Then, when they leave, they sell it all. I got a four poster king sized bed in Malaysian wood, dresser, mirror and two nightstands for $680. And a casual dining table with 5 chairs, a bench, and a full size buffet with glass doors and lights for $680. So, I have a bed to sleep on and a table to eat at....no sofa yet. Negotiating one now! Lots more stuff in the hopper.

Ferrari World

A friend of ours, Bobby Dahlquist, spent a few days with us in March. He is the son-in-law of one of John's closest friends H.P. White. Bobby married H. P. 's youngest daughter Kelly. John has watched Kelly grow up from just a little tike into a beautiful, solid young lady who chose to marry this wonderful young man. We spent the week roaming around Abu Dhabi and Dubai going to the Dubai Mall, the Grand Mosque, Emirates Palace, Ferrari World at Yas Island, and the Burj Khalifa.

Today's blog is about Ferrari World---what an interesting place. Ferrari World is home to the WORLD'S fastest roller coaster and the world's largest indoor theme park.


Home of the world's fastest roller coaster----Formula Rossa.

Acceleration: 0-240km/h in 4.9sec, 0 -100km/h in 2sec

• Maximum acceleration G-Force: 1.7Gs
• Lowest elevation: 1.5m
• Sharpest turn 70º
• 2.07 km track
• Roller coaster cars are designed to resemble the Ferrari Formula One car, down to the exact “Rosso Scuderia”

Bobby riding the Formula Rossa!

Wild ride on Formula Rossa. Click on the title and watch this video of two Formula One drivers riding the world's fastest roller coaster.

Ferrari's Alonso and Massa ride world's fastest rollercoaster at Ferrari World

The Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro drivers visited Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the theme park centred on the Maranello marque. It is located on Yas Island, the venue which hosts the nineteenth and final round of the Formula 1 World Championship. Felipe and Fernando arrived in the Emirates on Tuesday night to bring the curtain down on this closely contested season and today they were taken to the Scuderia Challenge, an attraction in the park which allows people to tackle a simulated lap of the Yas Marina Circuit at the wheel of a 430 Scuderia Challenge car. Four journalists were in attendance, Ottavio Daviddi of Tutto Sport, Stefano Mancini of La Stampa, Laurent Dupin of TF1 and Julien Febreau of Europe 1. These men were the top qualifiers of a competition held yesterday for the international media.


Ferrari World Abu Dhabi’s iconic sleek red roof, inspired by the classic double curve side profile of the Ferrari GT body, spans 200,000 SQM, carrying the largest Ferrari logo ever created.The enclosed indoor area accessible to the public is 86,000 SQM – large enough to fit seven football fields “ .

Watch this video on Ferrari World. It's a little long but interesting. Click on the title.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi ( Yas Island )

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, you only need to say the name and the possibilities start racing through your head. This is a world first from a brand that thrives on being first.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is set to be the worlds largest indoor theme park, sitting under a roof designed in the style of a classic double-curve body shell of a Ferrari GT car. There is energy, excitement and passion for the entire family at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. With over 20 rides and attractions, including the worlds fastest rollercoaster, Ferrari World is more than a theme park it is where Ferraris legendary story is unveiled.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will captivate the whole family with its array of engaging activities. Couple this with its extremely innovative architecture, a dash of Italian spirit, and you will surely live an experience like nothing else you have before.

Bobby pulling out on the Formula Rossa!

Bobby and I got a kick out of this! Not sure what is happening here! ? The Emirati women put on these red robes over their abayas. Maybe to keep the Abaya from blowing around?

This one was even more interesting. She put some kind of hood over her shayla.

Morning Walk

Reflections of the palm tree in the water on the walkway.

New houses going up near the water.

Our landlord recently painted our building.

Sunrise over the Sheikh Zayed Mosque.

Drivers wash the cars of their owners early in the mornings.

Maintaining the water sprinklers.

These are such odd little things. They are markers for the cable lines, phone lines, etc. They always look like a mini-cemetery or something.

Early morning sunshine.

Sprinklers on the walkway.

The Little Blue Jumpsuit Men

This morning I woke up around 5:00 and took Graziella out for a walk. I arrived at the walking path near our house around 5:45 or so. This path follows the main road into Abu Dhabi Town so it is a heavily traveled roadway lined with palm trees, parks, and newly built walking paths. Being so early in the morning, the work traffic was zooming by. I noticed, as I always do, the many buses full of construction workers. Something always tugs at my heart when I see these buses so full of the bone weary men in their little blue jumpsuits.




(In Abu Dhabi, blue jumpsuits mean construction workers, orange jumpsuits mean street sweepers and janitorial workers, green suits mean lawn care or ground maintenance, etc.)













A sea of faces peer from the windows looking forlorn and tired. Few are smiling. Some ride with their heads down or resting against the window.
















This morning, just out of curiousity, I began to count the buses as they passed while I walked. I walked for about 30 minutes, up one way, then turning around and retracing my steps to go back down the walking path. I counted 156 buses.

Let that sink in for a minute.

156 buses in a span of about 30 minutes.

All of them full of men in blue jumpsuits heading to construction sites in Abu Dhabi.

The construction companies provide living quarters for the workers in dormitory style settings outside the city in an area called Mussafah. Usually these people have no cars or anything else and the companies provide bus transportation to work and back every day.

Maintenance workers hang their lunch on the palm trees while they work.

Back in Abu Dhabi

Today is the first day since May 15th that I have felt human and like myself. I have suffered jet lag as never before on this trip home. I usually get back on schedule within a few days. Not this time!!!! I slept through the night last night for the first time since we got home. Hallelujah! And so did John.

We spent a great month back in the USA at our little house in Georgia visiting with family and friends and contemplating our life's next adventure---RETIREMENT! Yes, John has officially retired from the Air Force and we begin yet again another phase of our life.

Boy has it been an emotional rollercoaster---beginning with the agonizing wait for our next assignment. The announcement for the Colonel assignments was postponed twice. We really were not worried so much about it as we found out that John had been by-named by a Four Star General in the USAFE Command (United States Europe). We felt certain John would get the assignment we so longed to get---another position in Europe. He was the no. 1 select for a job at Kalkar Germany, which is located right at the German, Netherlands, French border. We couldn't have asked for anything better. However, things were not to be! Another Four Star General at the Pacific Command decided he wanted John more and pulled him to Osan, Korea!!!!! To say we were in shock at the assignment is an understatement. It was truly an honor to be asked to serve as a Vice-Commander in Osan and a prestigious job. However, we just didn't feel the time was right in our life to make such a sacrifice on the heels of spending two years in the Middle East. So, the choice was made----retire after 26 years!

So far, the job hunt has been a bit of a bumpy ride. Not bad but a little bumpy. First is the realization that you are going to be unemployed in a few months. PANIC!!!! Then, after that adjustment, you start to think about what you want to do with your life. John and I are not ones who had the "golden plan." We truly thought we were at least four years away from this decision and fully expecting it to end with the assignment of our dreams. So, unprepared is exactly what we have been.

Fortunately, John has already been made a solid job offer right here in the UAE. Yesterday, he turned down this job due to the compensation package. In order for us to make the commitment to stay in the Middle East, the total package has to be just right. We just couldn't get there on this offer. No worries---we have other possibilities in the hopper. He has one more good offer in the UAE that is now under consideration. Still in the proposal stage and seeing if John is the right fit. Other things have come our way as well. He has applied for three different positions at the Pacific Command in Hawaii. I KNOW---back to Hawaii AGAIN!!!! What a thought but not a terrible one. The only drawback for me is that it is so far from my beloved Europe and visits would be few and far between. Easier to get back home to Georgia though! He has also applied for a position with the National Defense University in Norfolk, Virginia.

And the search goes on........searching through job web sites.....making contacts with pilot buddies...and people in the know......talking to contractors at Central Command and ACC.....talking to SIM instructors friends in Europe.....(wouldn't that be a great one!) Trying not to make money the issue but having two kids in college next year is weighing in heavily. However, turning down the job in the UAE is certainly a statement that it's not about money!!!!! So here we go!!!!

John said to me yesterday...."you're just along for the ride, aren't you? You'll go anywhere I go and be happy." I retorted, "just not to Osan, Korea."

Well, IT IS AN ADVENTURE! And I do have a SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE!

LA DOLCE VITA

Once again I have lapsed from my duties of blog writing. I have a good excuse this time. It is not just pure laziness. I have been traveling again. I am back in my beloved Italia and loving every minute of it. I've been drinking cappacino, riding the train to Venice, wine bar hopping in Venice, and eating great Italian food (today it was Ravioli de Zucca con burro---a pumpkin filled ravioli noodle covered in butter sauce). Of course, the wine is divine! I had the pleasure of dining with my good friends last night, Jill Butterfield and Terry Meadors, and "Doc" Scott Green at the Meadors household where bottles of Puzzilin Sciapettini wine were opened and enjoyed immensely. Jill and Terry also provided a non-Italian food fare of a Mexican flavor, which was a lovely change of pace as I cannot get good Mexican in Abu Dhabi.

Tonight's dinner will consist of a gingerly visit to our favorite Budoia ristorante, Ca Del Bosco. I believe I will dine on Tagliatelle San Daniele, a favorite of mine and Katie's. Alberto, owner of Ca Del Bosco, does a wonderful job of coating the noodles in panna, Budoia funghi (mushrooms), and chunks of San Daniele prosciutto and parmesano cheese.

I made a short side trip up to Esslingen, Germany (near Stuttgart) to visit some good friends and attend a housewarming party. I went to a Besen and attended a Fasching Parade, which are both traditional events in Germany. More to follow on those two events.

Having a great time and loving every single second!

Bollywood's FilmFare Awards

Bollywood, India's Hollywood, has its own version of the Oscars called FilmFare Awards. The 56th Annual Filmfare Awards Show was held Saturday. The show boasts much of the same as the Oscars by presenting awards for Best Actor and Actress, Best Picture, Best Director, etc. in various film categories. They even have the Red Carpet. Filmfare is an industry in itself complete with a website for all the Bollywood Gossip, photos, events, movie news, etc. associated with the entertainment world. The Filmfare Awards are presented annually to honor both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi Language film industry of India. The ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films. Many Bollywood films are screened in the UAE in both Hindi and English or with subtitles. Slumdog Millionaire, which became famous in the US and won Oscars, was a Bollywood production and is typical of the Bollywood productions.






Dancers performing at the awards ceremony.









Bollywood Female Stars Walking the Red Carpet







I was amused to read about the "Style Gone Wrong" that is featured on the Filmfare website, which is much the same as Joan Rivers' Style Watch at the Oscars. The photo on the right was on the web site highlighting three different movie stars that had shown up on the Red Carpet wearing "not quite right" clothing. The critiques were much the same as what we see in the US.





The night's Best Actor award went to Shah Rhuk Khan, more commonly called SRK in the Tabloids in India, or his portrayal in My Name is Khan, a film which premiered in the US as well. He is a very famous actor in Bollywood and his films are always advertised in the UAE at the cinemas. Not sure how his film was received in the US but it was deemed an excellent movie in the news media here.



Filmfare Magazine is an English-language tabloid-sized magazine about Indian cinema. Published by The Times Group, India's largest media services conglomerate, in Mumbai (Bombay), it highlights the doings of the Bollywood film scene. The most popular entertainment magazine in India, it is read by the overseas Indian community worldwide.





Below is a YouTube video promotion from last year's Filmfare Awards.

Fashion Week in Middle East

Over the last few days Pakistan has been celebrating Fashion Week in Islamabad, the first ever held in Pakistan. The four day event showcased fashion designers from all over the region. Although the styles are still more Middle Eastern, the fact that colors and beautiful fabrics with beaded decoration is surprising.

Kamran Sani, one of the directors of Excellent Events Entertainment, the company behind the four-day extravaganza, is quoted in Gulf News as saying he believes this event will change how the world views Pakistan.

Sani says, "There is a bright side to Pakistan, which is modern, secular and upwardly progressive. No one bothers to see that side — they see the Taliban, bomb blasts, floods, poverty. But Pakistan is alive and kicking and the time has come for our fashion industry to go global. The west needn't be so surprised global culture has fully crept in to Pakistan and our fashion designers are brilliant."

Pakistan fights religious sect governing, in particular in regards to the way women dress. Some regions are forbidden to wear colors and decorative abayas so this is quite a change. From what I have seen in the pictures in the paper, there is nothing immoral about the clothing that is on display. The clothes are quite beautiful. I see this event as an advancement in the right direction and, hopefully, change will take place.

Photo and content quoted provided by Gulf News.com