Dates grow in the U.A.E. like wheat grows in Kansas...and I desperately want to like them. The bad news is that I don't really like them, not even a little bit. I continue to try dates everywhere I go...imagining that I am in fact trying them for the first time. Plain dates, nut-crusted dates, chocolate-covered dates...all varieties have simply not delivered what I was anticipating to be a new love for the fruit of a distant land. Darn. My colleagues assure me that the dates we have tried are in a word, exceptional. I promise to bring some back for you [View Full Entry]

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Well I haven't posted a blog entry in a few weeks because I have been working like a crazy person. The vacation is pretty much over and I have been put to work! I truly cannot express the shock and dismay I felt when reminded that I was shipped over here to actually put in some hours, not to lay on the beach, ride camels, and eat dates off of palm fronds. Truly, truly shocking information that was. Alas...the only waking hours I have now are at night - so these photos are all of the city that I once saw [View Full Entry]

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A two hour road trip to Oman was just what I needed to remind me that I am a world away from home. We crossed the border to Oman and found ourselves haggling for antiques in stores with no air conditioning, drinking cokes out of bottles that cost about 30 cents from the local coffee shop, and eating hummus and cherries for lunch on the top of the only mountain in the entire country. [View Full Entry]

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It is quite possible that I will never leave Abu Dhabi as a result of my experiences today. I spent the day on Lulu Island, just off the coast of Abu Dhabi, and it was exactly what I have always dreamed that the most perfect place in the whole world would look like. It was, in a word, paradise. My friend Barb and I took a taxi to the ferry dock where we caught a boat over to Lulu Island, which is a man-made island that sits about half a mile (if that) off the coast. We then got on a [View Full Entry]

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If you ever find yourself in Abu Dhabi, may I recommend to you a Dhow Dinner Cruise? It was lovely. A group of Cerner folks and our new friend Barb decided to take the trip down the Corniche last Tuesday night. Corniche literally means 'by the sea' and here in Abu Dhabi it refers to a large seafront boardwalk. It is a really picture-perfect view of Abu Dhabi, especially from the water at night. We boarded the boat around 8:30pm and set sail along the Corniche. We cruised for about fifteen minutes before a dinner of fresh seafood was served. Everything [View Full Entry]

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This past weekend we spent exploring Dubai. We visited the Old Souk and Souk Madinat Jumeirah where we (unsuccessfully) bargained for souvenirs. The shopkeepers were fierce about getting every dirham that they could out of us! Oh well, we still got some good stuff and enjoyed our time there. The gals and I splurged on lunch in the sky-view bar of the Burj Al-Arab, the seven star hotel in Dubai. We had a great time checking everything out and we could even see the Palm islands that are currently being constructed. The weather was extremely hot and the humidity and dust [View Full Entry]

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I have read in several books, magazines, tourist guides, etc that shopping is the national pastime of the UAE. I have found this to be true as we have asked around regarding what to see, what to do, and what not to miss out on while we are here. The resounding answer is "Shopping!" I like to shop just as much as the next person, but it's really kind of wild how much shopping is actually available. So far I have been to three major malls, countless gift stores, the grocery store, the dirham (dollar) store, and many others. Here are [View Full Entry]

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On Saturday we (my Cerner friends, Laura and Rebecca) ventured out on a desert safari - and what an experience that was! We went dune bashing - which basically involves driving like crazy people on the sand dunes in a Toyota Land Cruiser. The feeling is similar to a roller coaster, only slightly more terrifying because of the lack of safety regulations and such. After dune bashing, they took us to a camel farm to see the camels and their young…baby camels are too cute! Then we had a chance to put snowboards on and cruise down the sand. Let me [View Full Entry]

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On Friday I visited the Abu Dhabi Golf Club...which is the site of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship - last year it was won by the delicious Paul Casey. It is a championship course with 27 holes, currently split into the National Course (18) and the Garden Course (9) which are currently being merged. The clubhouse is built in the shape of a giant falcon - it is really impressive and can be seen from anywhere on the course. The course also has seven saltwater lakes! This place was really great to see and I can't wait to bring the family [View Full Entry]

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Hands down...the Grand Mosque is the most amazing building that I have ever seen. WOW. This mosque is still in the making - but when it is done will be able to hold 10,000 people at a time. The official name is the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque but it is known as the Grand Mosque -Sheikh Zayed is buried there. We were asked to remove our shoes, and women were asked to cover up with robes and head scarves (I am unsure of the official name of the attire). I was very impressed by how welcoming everyone was, [View Full Entry]

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