Shaken, not stirred

Most likely you will have heard about yesterday's 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Bushehr, Iran, which killed 37 people.  What you probably don't know is that the tremors could be felt across the Arabian Sea here in Abu Dhabi as well, a mere 600 km away.

At around 16:00 on Tuesday, sitting at my desk in the office, I suddenly felt a little dizzy.  I looked around but didn't notice anything really abnormal, only the office door opposite mine moved like someone had just touched it whilst walking past.  So, I just put this funny feeling down to me now having been well for a few days and not eating properly, therefore just being low on sugar-levels and light-headed, and carried on working.

However, a few minutes later our secretary came running over from the other "wing" of our office, rather flustered.  It then transpired that we all had felt the building's swaying and experienced this weird sensation of dizziness but no-one had thought much of it.  We looked out the windows, couldn't see any funny business that would've had us worried and went back to our desks after a quick chat about "earth-quake-experiences" a few of us have had, including me, 1 in Germany (tremors from a Belgian quake) and 1 in Mexico (tremors from the active volcano Popocatépetl).

About 30 minutes later via a very crackly tannoy announcement we were asked to leave the building.  Although, we could only really make out the words earth-quake and evacuate in the 3rd announcement.  Not good.  We still didn't take it too seriously, after all it had been half an hour since the actual shake-incident.  Luckily the lifts were still working (though probably not a place you'd want to be stuck during a real earth-quake) so we didn't have to walk down from the 27th floor like we did during the fire-drill just 2 weeks ago.

We were then held outside in between all the high-rises in Sowwah Square and were told that Civil Defence had ordered the evacuation and building management had to wait for their clearance to let us back into the building.  It is a tad awkward to be standing amongst those 30-level high-rises when Civil Defence seems to be concerned about aftershocks.  Is that really the safest place in an actual emergency?  Wouldn't it be better to move people towards the water, away from the buildings, where any potential debris or any building parts falling down wouldn't threaten to decapitate the "saved" mass waiting for further instructions?

I know this was really nothing and everyone made jokes about the situation or complained that there was soooo much work waiting on the desk.  But, Iran is hit with earthquakes on a relatively frequent basis and the devastation there was pretty severe, so I think we should just be very grateful that the tremors we felt were so insignificant, despite it being a 4.0 on the Richter-scale (classed as moderate).

Yet, this exercise highlighted the fact that the UAE still is kind of a developing country and there is still much to learn by the officials.  Let's hope that we never come to experience a real emergency here or anywhere else and share a thought for the poor people in Iran.

a Bunny on Wheels

News!  Big News!  Huge News in fact!

I have taken the big leap and am driving.  A Car.  On the road.
Yes, you read it here first (okay, I might have *accidentally* already told some friends and my family).

In actual fact, I had passed my driving test back in the last century, on 31.08.1992.  But, living in Hannover, Hamburg, Frankfurt and London I was generally blessed with brilliant and available public transport.  (We Europeans should really acknowledge how lucky we are in that respect.)  So, I never had the need to drive and therefore only gained a minuscule amount of driving practice, none at all after I moved away from Hannover in 1995.
All good and well until I moved to Abu Dhabi last year August, a mere 20 years after passing my driving test you might notice.  Here in Abu Dhabi public transport consists of buses, the use of which is discouraged for Western ExPats, and taxis.  Doesn't leave many options, does it?  Even my personally preferred mode of transportation -my legs- are of not much use as Abu Dhabi is a city made for cars not for walking.

So, here's my journey from one of Abu Dhabi's best taxi-customers to becoming an independent free-wheeling driver.
In January my friend Manu visited me for a long weekend and I rented a car for us.  During her 4 days here she was the dedicated driver but I had intentionally rented the car for a whole month so that I felt obliged to try my luck behind the wheel after her departure.  Manu had the brilliant idea that I should start practising in my building's parking garage and I actually did my first few laps with her in the passenger seat there.  I admit, at first I was shaking like a leaf and was very grateful for Manu's faith in me and confidence that I will make progress quickly.  Nonetheless, I carried on doing one or two practice rounds in the parking garage for a few evenings, also conquering going up and down the ramps.
After I had gained a bit more driving confidence I ventured out of the parking garage onto the road around our building complex, and a few evenings later even drove up and down some slightly busier roads on Reem Island (the island I live on, off the main Abu Dhabi island) and even made my way into the parking garage of the towers where the Waitrose supermarket is located.
Next step was driving onto the main island of Abu Dhabi on a Friday and Saturday morning when there was little traffic.  Might not sound like a big step to you, but for me it was.
So, as of this week Monday, I have been driving to and from work with my little rental hopper.  I am so incredibly proud of myself and suddenly feel like a grown-up.  Yet, I am far from being a pro or even enjoying the driving.  The driving standard here in Abu Dhabi, or possibly the whole UAE, is so bad, absolutely chaotic and unpredictable.  I strongly believe that a lot of these drivers found their driving licences in a packet of cornflakes.
Today I decided I'd try refilling my tank.  I had already a few days ago made sure I'd know where the lever is to open the tank cap.  The nice thing here is the convenience of having a service man filling up the tank for you, you just tell him which of the 2 petrol options you want and how much and off he goes.  He even asked whether I wanted my windows cleaned which I happily agreed on for the windscreen.  Here comes the best bit:  I bought ca. 35 litres of petrol and it cost me AED 57.  At today's rate that converts to €12 or £10!  How amazingly cheap is that!  No wonder everyone drives these huge petrol-guzzling 4x4's.
Tank filled, windscreen cleaned, I happily left the petrol station, having mastered another step along the way to being totally at ease with driving a car in any situation.

my little rental hopper, a Nissan Tiida

Watch out Dubai, you're next on my list!

Buckle up and drive safely.

Weekend Fun x 2

Hello my friends, near and far.  Or should I actually rather say far and further?
My last 2 weekends have been sooo much fun.

2 weeks ago, my friend Manuela came for a 4-day-visit.  It was wonderful having so much time together to catch up.  We went to the most important sights like the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Souk at Central Market, the Corniche and Mina harbour.  We had an exquisite Afternoon Tea at Emirates Palace and delicious dinners at Tarbouce @ Central Market Souk, at Prego's @ Beach Rotana and at Al Dhafra @ Mina.  We went shopping at Souk @ Qarat Al Beri, Marina Mall and Abu Dhabi Mall.  We had drinks on the 18th Floor Terrace of Hyatt Capital Gate and at the beach club of the Beach Rotana hotel.  Good thing Abu Dhabi is so small and even the airport is usually only a 30 minute trip by car from central AD.  On the other hand, there isn't really much more to discover in Abu Dhabi now, so for Manuela's next visit we will venture further out to Al Ain or Dubai or somewhere else in the UAE.

Emirates Palace Afternoon Tea

Manu in abaya and sheila at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

sun-set seen from Hyatt Capital Gate

Wendy art installation on Corniche

     

After all, there was so much laughter that weekend, I am sure we have gained another 2 years in life expectancy, and I appreciated sharing some of my impressions and experiences with someone who knows me so well and has the same cultural background.  Manuela enjoyed her time here, promised to come back and she will spread the word for making the trip to AD.  Mission accomplished.  Here's to more visitors!


And last weekend I was back in London, Baby!  The city where my heart still lives (only really my body, and possibly my mind, moved to Abu Dhabi).
After a delayed departure due to thick fog in Abu Dhabi I arrived at London's Heathrow at 7am Thursday morning and went straight to my friend Karen's house in Wimbledon.  I hadn't seen her since the Royal Ballet School's Year End performance on the main stage last July and she was eager to quiz me about my Arabian life.  Later for lunch I met with my former boss Ann and colleagues Terrie and Matt in the City and spent about 5 hours in the London office saying hello to old work-friends and colleagues.  It was really funny being back and colleagues greeting me, then doing a double-take and greeting me again properly after realising that actually I am not a regular in the London office any more.
Then I made my way over to Covent Garden, my usual walk from the City past St. Paul's and Chancery Lane, enjoying the London buzz.  At the Royal Opera House I met up with Karen again and some more Royal Ballet friends and tweeps.  At the Royal Ballet in Rehearsal in the Clore studio we were treated to Christopher Carr rehearsing La Valse with Nathalie Harrison, Tara-Brigitte Bhavnani, Olivia Cowley, Kenta Kura and Nicol Edmonds, with Kate Shipway on the piano.  Such a pleasure, Mr. Carr is quite a character, his rehearsals are intercepted with little anecdotes and although he seems to be a tough coach, I have the distinct feeling it's actually tough love and he in fact adores the dancers and simply wants them to excel themselves.
Friday noon I met my friends Carol and Roxana at the Hospital Club for the Now Is All There Is exhibition with photos of Royal Ballet dancers and we had lunch at the delectable Machiavelli restaurant.  Go there for breakfast, lunch, coffee and cake or dinner, I have not been disappointed yet, by either food or service.  Friday afternoon was spent with Carol chatting, falling in and out of shops (I may have made two or three purchases along the way... maybe including some shoes...).  After a quick stop at the Delaunay Counter for some mouthwatering Sacher-Torte we went back to the Royal Opera House for the Royal Ballet's Onegin (Federico Bonelli, Laura Morera, Gary Avis, Yuhui Choe, Nehemiah Kish).  Onegin is such a nice ballet, the costumes, music, choreo, it all works, Mr. Cranko created a true gem of a ballet back in 1965/67 and Londoners are very lucky with this ballet being in the Royal Ballet's repertoire (my impression is that the John Cranko Gesellschaft doesn't grant permission easily).  It was a very enjoyable performance, though the highlight of my trip was yet to come.
Saturday started early with breakfast with Roxana at Machiavelli's at 9am (!!!), after that I was meeting David to catch up properly before the Onegin Matinée.  So, here we go:  the original reason for this London-trip, Marianela Nuñez's debut as Tatiana in Onegin, dancing with her husband Thiago Soares in the title-role.  I might have mentioned in previous blog-posts how much I adore them, especially when they dance together.  There is that special connection of complete trust and great love and dedication (at least that's what I perceive it as).  Marianela portrayed Tatiana's journey from shy book-worm to love-struck teenager to sophisticated strong married woman as if she's danced this role many a times before, and Thiago's Onegin is also convincingly aloof and self-absorbed, realising all too late his mistake of rejecting Tatiana earlier in life.  In the final, tragic and heartbreaking Pas de Deux, where Tatiana sends Onegin away despite her obviously still having feelings for him, Marianela and Thiago had me in tears.  What an afternoon!
Again, a huge Thank You to my friends Virna and Liliana who generously gave me a ticket in the Orchestra Stalls, row F, with fantastic view of the stage close enough to see facial expressions without my binoculars yet far enough to see the whole stage (including feet) and no other patron's head blocking my view.  Due to this superb upgrade my original Stalls Circle Standing ticket could be used by my friend Max.  A bit like musical chairs.  I am over the moon that I made the trip to witness this fabulous début and I will always cherish the memories of this special performance.  Thank you Marianela and Thiago for your passion and awesome artistry!

 

After the show I had coffee with some friends at my beloved Pret a Manger, met with another group of friends at the Delaunay Counter (yet again some scrummy Sacher-Torte), managed to squeeze in dinner at Byron Burgers with Gilles before heading back out to Wimbledon to spend some time with Karen before getting up really early Sunday morning for my 9am flight back to Abu Dhabi.
But, my, how much fun did I have in these jam-packed 3 days in London.  I love and miss my friends there.  You know who you are!  I'll be back in April!  See you all there.
Until then, keep in touch via facebook, twitter, email and the odd Skype call.  What would I do without all these social networking sites?  Imagine still having to write snail-mail letters?  With the incredibly slow and unreliable Emirates Post I'd be there in person before the letters get delivered.

Anyway, as much fun as the last 2 busy weekends were, I today enjoyed a very nice and quiet Friday with a pampering session of massage and mani/pedi and just pottering around the flat.  Although, I do admit to being envious of all my friends back in London who had another chance of seeing the Royal Ballet with Onegin tonight, again with the marvellous Marianela Nuñez and Thiago Soares.

I don't think I could get away with more gushing and praising and positive comments about my past two brilliant weekend experiences without sounding like a demented lunatic, so I'll shut up now and simply enjoy my memories with a huge grin on my face.  Thank you for listening.

2013: new game, new luck

So, 2012 is done, 2013 has just started.
I have done my little recap of 2012 and this is the result:

- 42 Royal Ballet performances
- 4 Royal Ballet Final Dress Rehearsals
- 7 Royal Ballet In Rehearsal
- 2 Royal Ballet in Class
- 4 Ballet Association Talks
- 1 Draft Work in the Linbury
- 3 Royal Ballet Insights
- 3 In Conversation with...
- 1 Royal Ballet Cinecast
- 2 Royal Ballet School (Ursula Moreton Choreo Award & Year End Matinee)
- 2 LAMDA Performances
- 1 Birmingham Royal Ballet
- 1 New York City Ballet (in New York)
- 2 Kylie Concerts (1 London, 1 Abu Dhabi)
- 1 crappy Moscow City Ballet (in Abu Dhabi)

I think, this is a pretty good outcome, considering that the Royal Ballet season finished half way through July and I was rather busy covering 2 jobs from May to August.
And I then moved to Abu Dhabi.

Yes, it's been 5 months today since my arrival in the UAE.  5 months and counting.  Counting down the months to re-home back to the West.  My recent mood was one of resignation.  

But, I do like my job and the firm and am totally committed to both.  However, I don't think this little German Anglophile girl is really the right fit for an Arab country.

I miss my friends (in UK and Germany), miss being close to my family, miss London and its varied offerings (I love that city as much as it can drive me nuts).  Yes, I am homesick and not ashamed to say so.

Being with my friends and family for Christmas did not make it any easier to come back to Abu Dhabi.  Do you see that I'm not saying back home, but back to Abu Dhabi?  And that's coming from the girl claiming she's got several homes:  birth-home (and parents' home) Hannover, best-friends-always-feeling-welcome-home Frankfurt and of course my "spiritual" home London.
Anyway, I am happy to report (mostly for my own benefit) that my spirits are slowly moving up again.

Next week Manu comes visiting for a long weekend.  Whoop whoop!
I miss her!  She's my best friend, travel buddy, honest critic and great motivator.  Oh, how much have we already laughed together, if laughter really prolongs one's life we'll live up to 164.  I wish everyone to have a person in their life who understands you without words, finish each other's sentences, have the same values although not always the same opinion and deeply appreciate one-another.  I'd marry her in an instant (if we were inclined in that direction in any way).


And then...  The week after...         

               
I'll be flying to London for a long weekend.  3 days in London, 3 Royal Ballet events.  Is that efficient or what?  The original reason for this trip was Marianela Nuñez making her début as Tatiana in Onegin, dancing with her husband Thiago Soares (my favourite Royal Ballet couple) at the Saturday Matinée.  Then I saw that on Friday night Laura Morera and Federico Bonelli are cast for Onegin, with the added bonus of the wonderful Gary Avis, so I got a ticket for that performance too.  And last but definitely not least I managed to snatch a ticket for Thursday night's Royal Ballet in Rehearsal in the Clore Studio.  It is always such a privilege to be sitting so closely to watch dancers being coached/rehearsed.  Oh, and not to forget "Bodies in Motion", the Royal Ballet Dancer's photo exhibition which happens to be on exactly the weekend I am visiting London.
I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to this trip: Catching up with my lovely UK friends, seeing the Royal Ballet and possibly even squeezing some shopping in  ;-)

2 splendid weekends to look forward to!
I'll report back!