Nerdy engineer picture. Nice cantilever.

So I had my first weekend in Abu Dhabi. Thursday night, I stayed in and watched a movie...lame....wait, I make up for this! Friday, I walked along the Corniche for an hour, went to the largest mall I've ever seen, had a drink at a hotel, toured a couple gyms, and watched a movie in my room. Saturday, I treated myself to a fancy breakfast, read some engineering paper on tall buildings, went to the beach and swam in the Persian gulf, met Gorka and went to the mall again to buy furnishings for a second office apartment, bought liquor at a special non-Muslim store, went and worked out at a gym, and then partied till two in the morning (on a work night no less) at the La meridian Hotel (http://www.abudhabi.lemeridien.com/.)

So that's all. What do you want to hear about?

I forgot to charge my camera on Friday, so no pictures....sorry.

The mall was big, but similar to home. Many levels, three I think, but it went on and on. Oh, and it had a basement with an entire Super-WalMart like store called Carrefour. They seem to be putting on the finishing touches on an indoor snow ski world. Prices at the mall are comparable to the US, and perhaps a bit more. I bought a couple of DVD's, but that is all.

The Corniche is a long 6 km (3.7 miles....gotta love the metric system) blue tiled walkway/bike path which travels along the length of Abu Dhabi bordering the Persian Gulf. The length directly next to my building has a public beach. The beach is interesting as it is split into two sides. There is a family and ladies only side, and a single side. As a single man you are not allowed on the family side, but non-Muslim women do come to the single side. It costs 10 dirhams ($2.72) to enter the beach. There is an island directly across from the beach then the Persian Gulf on the other side of the island. I had a great time just floating and swimming in the beautiful blue waters. I took a lunch and a book and just hung out for about three hours. I did get sunburn, and it is hot (lows 90's), but it was nice.

The Corniche

You can buy liquor here but you need to be a resident and you can only buy about $300 worth per month. So Gorka and I went to a special store and bought some supplies for the office.

I went to the Sheraton hotel about a block away and tried out their gym. I can join for three months for 1200 dirhams ($326). It really isn't more than a couple of treadmills and some free weights, so I'm going to try out a few other places before joining somewhere.

Speaking of the office, I worked today (Easter Sunday) because the work week starts Sunday and Christian holidays are obviously not celebrated. I have still not meet my boss, Mark, as he has been on vacation. But he's scheduled to return tomorrow so I'm excited to speak with him and better understand what I'll be doing here. Gorka has been great. We are about the same age and we have similar interests. He has been here about 2.5 months and knows a lot about the City.

I'll drop a few pictures in now, but that is all for today. I'm hungry and I think I'm going to make dinner.

My building



View of the moon over the Emirates Palace Hotel, one of a very few 7-star hotels in the world.