http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Abu-Dhabi-art-guru/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Abu Dhabi art guru en-us Thu, 23 May 2013 17:08:53 +0000 Thu, 23 May 2013 17:08:53 +0000 With a 2 hour drive we can leave the glitz of Dubai and be transported through a changing desert landscape to arrive at the spectacular area of Al Aqah Beach on the East Coast of the UAE.We drove through the shifting and changing sand dunes from low dunes pale yellow to more dramatic deep orange higher dunes then just as suddenly we were surrounded by flat scrubby rocky desert . Suddenly aga http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Fujairah/blog-776370.html Winter in Dubai is undoubtedly the best time to be here.. This is when the town is full of touristswho most likely think this is what Dubai is like all the time....We have had mild temperatures of 2128 with lows of 1418 overnight and the locals expats donning their winter clothes if you have any here I myself still find this gorgeous 39summer39 weather and make the most of being out http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Dubai/blog-768112.html Fog Dubai style... 39Dubai Style39 is a phrase often used to describe the way of life in Dubai from the red tape for expats to the Ferrari39s designer handbags... For the last two days Dubai has shown itself in a more mysterious and moody light covered in a thick blanket of fog.Fog in Dubai I am talking extremely thick fog with visibility down to 50100metres.... Brilliant My dream http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Dubai/blog-767674.html Returning home for a summer holiday... aahhh a huge sigh of relief. Warrnambool surroundsthis is the wild South West Coast of Victoria the end of the Great Ocean Road... surrounded by lush dairy farms this is a magnificent stretch of coast with extensive long beautiful beaches rugged coast and cliffs with continuous swell and waves rolling in from the Southern Ocean... this is my home th http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Warrnambool/blog-765650.html Miramar Al Aqah... it just rolls off the tongue especially with an Arabic accentThis gorgeous beach resort is surrounded by the desert rocky landscape of the Hajar Mountains on the east coast of the UAE. It takes a 2 hour drive from Dubai across the scrubby desert landscape to be swept down off the rocky scraggly mountains on to the east coast road which hugs the edge of the Indian Ocean.Miram http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Fujairah/blog-730062.html Recently we had a trip driving across the UAE desert to the East Coast to the Fujairah region of Al Aqah. I always find it extremely interesting to see life outside of the metropolis of Dubai and to see the lay of the land and lifestyle in the more isolated regions of the inner desert across to the east coast.The contrast is extreme. Leaving the manicured palm lined streets of Downtown Dubai pas http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Fujairah/blog-730039.html 1987 The Triffids album Calenture with Jerdacuttup Man...I live under glass in the British Museum I am wrinkled and black I am ten thousand years I once lost in business I once lost in love I took a hard fall I couldnt get up.... old and lonely dirty and cold I39m the Jerdacuttup man.... A hauntingly beautiful song referencing Lindow Man in the British Museum.... this was always an i http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/London-City/blog-724045.html After 6 months in Dubai this was our first break back in to the west. The heat was rising in Dubai and it seemed a good time to schedule in a family visit to the UK.We were extremely happy to have an upgrade to business class..what a luxury it is with lounge massages thrown in at Abu Dhabi Heathrow... To ease us into the shock of the cold we retreated to The Waldorf for some comfort for the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/blog-723391.html Old Town Dubai A hideaway from the nearby skyscrapers and where we have retreated to.I think this is one of the nicest areas of Dubai to live in especially if you want to be close to things and not have to rely on a car. There is the convenience of being able to access The Dubai Mall cafes restaurants bars cinema all our shopping gym parksthe nightly fountain shows by just walking out http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Dubai/blog-718305.html Muscat Oman... what a beautiful city and country. Unfortunately we only had a brief flying visit in to Muscat to visit our friend Topsy however we hope to return soon to explore more. I snapped away for the brief time we were there not great quality photos... but I thought it would give you a tiny glimpse as it did for us.We have driven through the spectacular rocky mountains in the north on p http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Oman/Muscat/blog-717169.html Recently we had what is known as Art Week in Dubai... It was a week of art frenzy for us art lovers and artist....There was the international art fair Art Dubai held at Madinat Jumeirah more on that later Art Nights where all the commercial galleries in DIFC and Al Quoz had their opening nights on the one night...which meant art hopping from gallery to gallery in the industrial area of Al http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Dubai/blog-704829.html Adding on from my previous blog on Al Bastikiya here are some more photos of the beautiful Bastikiya in Bur Dubai... I love photographing this area and so I have many photos to share... the photos tell the story....We have been in Dubai about 5 months now and are feeling more settled in this city of contrasts the area we live in is based on the architecture you see in Al Bastikiya... our area http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Dubai/blog-704820.html Al Bastikiya...This is one of the oldest parts of Dubai a restored Heritage area which has now become home to art galleries cafes boutique hotels and cultural centres. Bastikiya is in Bur Dubai the original trading township of Dubai alongside the creek. The Bastikiya Quarter is full of restored wind tower houses mostly 2 stories with central courtyards decorative arches doorways. They http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Dubai/blog-704787.html Bur Dubai Deira are the oldest parts of Dubai along the creek.On the Deira side you will find rows of working Dhows large wooden flat vessels crossing the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea. I love that they are all so colorfully painted its like a carnival Possibly covering up the very worn rickety wooden structures. They have outdoorever practical wooden toilet thrones all ready to commune http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Dubai/blog-685039.html A world away from the glitz of Downtown Dubai I was very relieved to discover the 39real39 working class down to earth gritty and historical areas of Bur Dubai and Deira down by the Creek.For my first month or so in Dubai it seemed all I had seen were shiney towers and massive malls full of tourists and expats and it seemed that all that was on offer was shopping. When I finally ventu http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Dubai/blog-685015.html HiI am going to restart this blog with photos of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi where we visited on the weekend. It is so stunning majestic and peaceful I thought it would be a nice introduction back to the UAE. It was a long weekend in the UAE for Islamic New Year coinciding with the UAE National Day 40th yr celebrations so it was a great chance to visit Abu Dhabi for 3 days...more http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Abu-Dhabi/blog-669353.html From Abu Dhabi to Brisbane Well this has been along time coming It was mid summer in Abu Dhabi when we got the call to relocate to Brisbane back to Australia after 2 12 years in the UAE. From sweltering heat humidity we travelled across the globe to a much milder version of summer... the Queensland winter which is actually like a Victorian summer Beautiful days filled with sunshine and a http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Brisbane/Bulimba/blog-583630.html Recently we were in Melbourne for my solo exhibition Winter Landscapes at Flinders Lane Gallery. www.flg.com.au The last few years have seen a few travels through Europes winter contrasted with living in the Middle East in constant desert heat... however my artwork has always remained focused on the winter landscapes particularly those from the area where I grew up in Australia. However in m http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Melbourne/blog-633953.html Ok this is the last of my belated blogs from July in Abu Dhabi...only a bit behind in postingRas Al Khaimah is one of the northern Emirates of the UAE... about a 4 hr drive from Abu Dhabi and for us it holds the luxurious Hilton Spa Retreat It is a bit of an uncomfortable contrast to a small city that seems predominatly quiet old and slightly dilappidated. There is a mix of new developments a http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Ras-Al-Khaimah/blog-529183.html July in Abu Dhabi is overwhelmingly steamy and hot...approx 45degrees everyday Wearing the most breathable lightest of clothing..always carrying water with you..and planning your day so as not to be out in the heat too much. In fact you can barley cope with being outdoors at all..so it is a time to be staying inside with the airconditioning or finding a pool to lay by...Al Ain is about a 2 hr http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Al-Ain/blog-529174.html