by Deborah Quinn | Jan 19, 2014 | Abu Dhabi, environment, surat al-sabt saturday snapshot
True, it’s Sunday. But I took the photo on Saturday, which must count for something. When people visit Abu Dhabi, mostly they see big shiny buildings, and big shiny malls, and big shiny hotels. It’s the land of big shiny things, except when you’re in...
by Deborah Quinn | Nov 4, 2013 | Abu Dhabi, environment, expat, NaBloPoMo, ranting, surat al-sabt saturday snapshot, UAE
Fifty years ago, Abu Dhabi looked like this: The key feature of this landscape? Sand. And now? Green, green, green. If you look closely, every tree and flower has a little hose coiled at its root; hoses run under every lawn and green space. Forget the oil industry: if...
by Deborah Quinn | Sep 28, 2013 | Abu Dhabi, street notes, surat al-sabt saturday snapshot, UAE
Today I found the plant souk: a long row of seemingly indistinguishable shops selling–yep, plants. Caleb and I explored, walking past booths crowded with greenery and men saying “yasmeen, madam? frangipani very nice, madam, you want? inside and outside...
by Deborah Quinn | Sep 21, 2013 | Abu Dhabi, expat, family, growing up, Kids, surat al-sabt saturday snapshot, Travel
Okay, sure, things have been a little slow over here these days. There’s been nothing here but ostriches and while ostriches are always appropriate, sort of like champagne, I can understand that looking at the lady ostriches settling into the dust might be a...
by Deborah Quinn | Sep 7, 2013 | Abu Dhabi, environment, surat al-sabt saturday snapshot, Travel
The original fan dancers: Two lady ostriches, fluffing their feathers… And then settling down for a chat:
by Deborah Quinn | Jun 15, 2013 | Abu Dhabi, surat al-sabt saturday snapshot, UAE, What's It Like?
I think the world would be a happier place if all small trucks were decorated like the trucks in Abu Dhabi: flowers, butterflies, sometimes hearts. It makes being almost side-swiped a little easier.