a week in the life of...

i want to apologize, i am not a very loyal writer...
so we've spent quite a busy week...
to start off, Valentine's day here is quite the celebration...it's worse than in america...hearts everywhere, mega-productions by restaurants...we usually don't celebrate but we had a good excuse this year. For 2 weeks, star chefs from around the world were doing their things in different restaurants throughout the city and we reserved at a very upscale Abu Dhabi restaurant (Pearls & Caviar none the less) with a chef called Claude Bosi, that i had heard of. A set 6 course meal with champagne...yum yummmmmmmmmmm the restaurant was picture perfect, a mix of luxury and snobiness and jetsetness...the furniture was a designer's dream and the food was a gourmet's wish come true. Not only did i get a rose from the hostess but at the end of the meal, all the women received a necklace with 2 pink pearls on it...that's what i'm talking about!

the next night after work we went to see Valentine's Day the movie, and i got Fadi to go only because there was a bunch of known actors in it...and we were both surprised in a good way...it was hilarious!
the cinema is in the big marina mall, and you have assigned seats and the movie started late...never seen before...assigned seats! at the end it was passed 10pm, and the stores were still opened...what?????? you can shop until midnight here....!!!for all you shopaholics out there!

friday we went to Al Ain, a city at the border of Oman (we're going there next week, i need to renew my visa) and the drive (1h30) is quite beautiful, from seeing palm trees of Abu Dhabi, to seeing the desert (the real one with the bug dunes) we did some camel spotting (alot!) even saw these little trucks transporting them to somewhere...so funny!
so we get to this small city, and visited an oasis that has been around for thousands of years (supposedly) visited a palm tree farm (miles and miles of date producing palm trees) and ended our day at the Wildlife centre (a pretty name for a zoo) but they have only animals on their way to extinction...we saw beautiful animals up close that you only see on the discovery channel...i was like a child pointing and ooing and ahhing (especially at the monkeys )
we ended the day by seeing a falconry show. It's big here, and only the rich people do that sport as a bird (falcons) can cost up too 100 000 dirhams. So basically we had these vultures and falcons zipping over our heads (really low) it was impressive!

saturday we went back to Dubai and...we found our apartment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yayayayay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
we have partial marina view, partial sea view and of course partial construction view... we have a balcony and 2 bathrooms...it seems quite common here to have 2 bathrooms for a 1 bedroom apartment...(just more cleaning to do...) anyways, as of next week, whoever wants to come visit, we have a place for you! oh and don't worry the AC will work! :)
we are situated in the Dubai Marina right near the walk by the beach, with little boutiques and cafes...i'm so excited!

well, gotta go sign that contract!