Another Day in Pictures and Video

I don't have a ton to report since last time. I have to say that here at the hotel and out and about in the malls, I really don't feel like I am in a foreign country. In fact, yesterday at the mall I wanted to have someone take a picture of me, but realized that barely anything at the mall was picture worthy. The picture would look like I was standing at a mall in Georgia.We have stayed basically in the mainstream areas, but tomorrow I plan to venture out to some local areas and maybe find a souk or something so I can get a better feel for the local culture.

I will say the weather here is interesting. Fairly hot, but not as bad as I expected. HUMIDITY is like being slapped in the face with a hot, wet towel. When you walk out of a building you are soon soaked in condensation. Often to the point even your ipad or iphone is hardly usable because the screen is wet and foggy. When riding in the cab to the Marina Mall, I looked out on the Corniche (a long strip of beach) and thought it kinda of resembled Miami or somewhere like that. Pretty sand, big umbrellas, even beach volleyball courts. The only difference is there is NOT ONE single person out there during the day. This is definitely a night area, especially during Ramadan because most shops and restaurants don't open until after sundown (7:30 or later). The mall stays open until about 1:00am here and there are still tons of people shopping and eating at that time, and children are everywhere! This has been a big change for me since I am usually up at the crack of dawn but in bed by 10:30 or 11:00. I was lucky to not experience any jetlag.. The only change is my sleep schedule due to this new lifestyle. Anyway, in the coming days I hope to hit some local spots and have more interesting pics, but please enjoy the pictures from my last two days:

A sneak peak of my apartment complex. The complex and the building are not finished yet. I decided to wait to post interior pictures until I work my decorating magic.

Didn't do too much today, but here are some pictures and video:

Here are some parts of the Ramadan Festivities at the Abu Dhabi Mall, which is connected to the hotel. 

Stuffed Camels:

Video of bread making:

 

Video of chair making:

 

Natasha and I also went to the co-op which is similar to Walmart. 

 

We found great deals on rugs.

 Huge rug is 670DHS = $182USD

I just thought this picture of Natasha was funny. Should I help her? No. I will take a picture of her struggling.

Many types of electronics are very cheap here. This is a 51" Samsung HD and 3D TV. 

3099DHS = $843USD

Last but not least, the public restroom. Instead of a bidet, it has a spray tube. As stated before, I think I will stick to the American way on this one.