One of the things which I won't easily forget about my recent trip to Abu Dhabi are the scents. The whole city was awash or Arabic scents. The scents that featured the most was sandalwood. Shops would burn sandalwood outside their establishment, even inside shopping malls which I must admit I thought was a little bit odd as I had believed sandalwood was a natural mosquito repellent. How many mosquitos have you seen in a shopping mall? By happy chance I had already booked myself into a 2hr Introduction to Perfume-Blending workshop at Homemade London. With shadows of scents fresh in my memory I was hoping to be able to make a blend which I had smelt in the desert only a few days before.
Perfume-Blending Workshop
Nicola and Tanya warmly welcomed me with a glass of rose bubbly and as other ladies entered the workshop everyone relaxed looking forward to being creative. Tanya took us through the history and the bio-chemistry of perfumes. We shared our own 'signature scents, with most women favouring something floral. These of you who know me know that I don't 'do' floral. Thankfully a woman after my own heart Ann-Marie was sitting next to me and we became each others second nose.
Tanya took us through the three notes, top, middle and base. The top note is the most striking scent when you first smell at first, something usually fresh and light. The top note lasts about 30 minutes. Pink Grapefruit, Sweet Orange or Neroli are great top notes. The middle notes are scents that last 2-3 hours and come through once the top note subsides. They provide fullness and warmth. Jasmine, Rose and Lavender are great examples of these. Base notes are the heavier scents which can stay on fabric for days. Sandalwood, Cedarwood and Frankincense can all be used as base notes. A balance between top, middle and base notes is required to make a successful blend. Generally, top notes are about 5-30% of a blend. A middle note can be anything from 50-80% of a blend and base notes usually constitute 5-25%. The base note should be used sparingly so as not to overpower the middle and top notes. Creative Chemistry Class
After 30 minutes of learning the basics were then let loose with a selection off essential oils allowing our noses to try and put together a blend which reflects our own aspirations. We sat happily sniffing different scents, ooh-ing, aaah-ing and screwing our noses up at some. I must say I have never been a fan of ylang ylang, also known as the poor man's jasmine, and when visiting a rose oil factory in El Kelaa des M’Goun in Morocco, which is famed for its roses, I couldn't bond with that scent either. This was the most fun chemistry class I have had. We added oils one drop at a time into a glass beaker and like a good little science students we noted down our own formula. Stirring, smelling, adding drops, stirring, sniffing coffee granules and smelling again. Finally I came to a combination of oils which reflected the passionate heat of the desert. Coconut oil was added to the essential oils and then poured into rollerball bottle and labelled. What should I call my lovingly made concoction? A name that befits the romance and heated spirit of the desert, and then it hit me. A single image of a beautiful woman in yellow wrapped in the arms of a young handsome man; The Desert Song film (1953) featuring Kathryn Grayson and Gordon MacRae. It was then I realised that my love of the desert had started in my informative years when I could have been no more than 7 years old. And so with pride and a reminiscent smile I named my scent "The Desert Song".
Thank you Nicola and Tanya, I had a brilliant evening and am already very much looking forward to the next one!
Abu Dhabi city lies on a T-shaped island that juts into the Persian Gulf from the western coast. So there you see, about an hours drive to the West from Dubai. That journey in a taxi would cost about 200Dhs. Abu Dhabi is the capital as well as the second largest city of United Arab Emirates (UAE). Now the city is currently counted as one of the most progressive ones in the entire world, it was not always this way. Until mid C20th, the economy of Abu Dhabi was maintained by camel herding and the production of dates and vegetables. Fishing and pearl diving were other occupations taken up during summer months. However, things changed when in 1958 when oil was struck. After Emirates gained independence in 1971, oil wealth changed the whole scene, escalating the city's economy considerably. Anyone who goes there looking for an adventure will be rather disappointed. Generally speaking, Abu Dhabi is no doubt conservative -- don't plan to let your hair down, literally or metaphorically. Language
The official language of the UAE is Arabic, but English is widely spoken and is commonly used in conjunction with Arabic. Religion & Culture Islam is the official religion in the UAE. There is no separation of the sacred from the secular, as Islam is a way of life for Muslims and it is something that you will have to get used to. Probably the first thing you will notice is the call of the prayer. This is a short verse sung by the 'Imam' from the mosque, which begins with "Allah Akbar", or "God is the greatest". You will hear it 5 times a day (once at dawn). All Muslims will then stop work, wash themselves ritually, and face Mecca to pray. The loudspeakers of most mosques will call the faithful to each prayer time. Dress Code
Abu Dhabi is generally conservative, but tolerant when it comes to dress code. Visitors are advised to respect local culture and customs by not wearing revealing clothing in public places. It is respectful for men and women to cover shoulders and knees when in public. As far as I experienced, the dress code for western women is not a problem. If you are female then men will stare regardless of what you are wearing. I tended to wear sandals, a maxi dress, leggings and then wrapped myself in a pashmina. Even though everything apart from my toes and my head were covered I still got looks. You can wear open toed shoes in Abu Dhabi.Lightweight summer clothing is suitable for most of the year, but make sure you pack something slightly warmer for the winter months. Some sort of jacket or cardi / pashmina will come in handy when visiting hotels or the cinemas, as the air conditioning can be pretty fierce. Although throughout the emirates the attitude is fairly liberal, in Abu Dhabi it is rather more conservative than in neighbouring Dubai. As in all countries, a healthy amount of respect for the local customs doesn't go amiss, especially when shopping and/or generally sightseeing. Short or tight clothing can be worn, but it will attract more attention than if you didn’t wear it - most of this attraction will be unwelcome. For ladies it is advisable to wear short sleeved rather than sleeveless tops and dresses, especially if travelling by local taxi on your own (shawls and wraps are often worn over evening dresses etc). I felt it to be a safe place to walk about as a single female.
As in any place with plenty of sun, good quality sunglasses, hats and sunscreen are essential and so is drinking plenty of fluids (at least 1 1/2 litres of water/day), don't rely on feeling thirsty!
Sex and the City 2 Movie Did you know that the movie was actually filmed 4,000 miles away in Morocco. Can you tell that in the movie trailer?
Well, if you knew there are no traditional souks in Abu Dhabi you would. Was there anything about Abu Dhabi in the Sex and the City 2 movie true? Well that super elaborate hotel Carrie and her friends stayed at is actually true. The Emirates Hotel is the only 7 star, yes I did say 7 star, hotel in Abu Dhabi. It's not in a very accessible part of town but not too far from the marina so you will have a short journey from your luxury Sunseeker, ahem. What is there to do in Abu Dhabi? I can really only comment on what I did over there but if there's anything that you experienced over there then please add them in the comments box below. Corniche Road at sunset Undoubtedly Abu Dhabi’s favorite strolling/jogging grown is along this water-side road — go in the morning or, best, at sunset, to avoid the steamy mid-day temperatures. I tried to take a few pics of the buildings in the distance but the sand was in the air and the pics came out all fuzzy. Don't forget your burkini. Shopping Abu Dhabi doesn't have a traditional souq. Visitors may be confused when they read about the Souk at Central Market in Abu Dhabi and think this is the one on the Sex and the City 2 movie. The Souk is located in downtown Abu Dhabi in the new Central Market development area. There did used to be an old souq in the same area, but it burned down in a fire and was later demolished and replaced with the new Central Market project. The new souq is quite impressive. Beautiful stained glass windows let in light from the streets into the building. It's hard to imagine such a serene place of beauty in the midst of this city. Not all the units in the building have been filled yet, in fact, most of the first and second floors are still empty, but the ground floor seems to be fairly well occupied.
Souk, Central Market, Abu Dhabi
Ferrari World
Ferrari World is a Ferrari themed amusement park on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The park is situated under a 200,000 square metres (2,200,000 sq ft) roof making it the largest indoor amusement park in the world and is truly outstanding. It opens at 12 noon. It got busier later on in the afternoon. The theme park is home to Formula Rossa the world's fastest roller coaster which was absolutely worth the 45 minute wait. I have been to Alton Towers, Thorpe park, Disney World Florida Universal studios and no other ride has come close to this one!!
G-force is a spaceshot tower which launches riders over 62 m (203 ft) up and out of the building and above the roof. If you're wearing a skirt/dress make sure you wear leggings! And don't forget that if you need to take your sandals off don't point your bare feet at anyone in public when you are putting your shoes back on as showing the bottom of your feet is considered to be rude.
Ferrari World, June 2011
There were two types of simulator. The 'basic' one which you can see in the video below and the advanced which was too super hich-tech for me. As you can see though, the basic simulator is more than you get in the Trocodero centre and I even surprised myself by coming 2nd out of 6 players. I must admit I was the only female getting my hands dirty as it were.
Ferrari World is a place is great for families and couples alike. I have no interest in cars but had a thoroughly enjoyable day. We were there for nearly 6 hours in total and the time just flew by. There were plenty of things to do to keep the kids entertained and to give the parents a bit of a rest. Read my TripAdvisor review of Ferarri world.
After Ferrari world we took the free shuttle bus to Yas Island Hotel bar for cocktails overlooking the marina and the F1 Grand Prix Circuit. This came as a recommendation from a friend, thanks Lisa! The cocktails here were as good as anywhere and it was surprisingly quiet.
Yas Island Hotel, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
As much as I would have loved to we didn't stay at the Yas Island Hotel. We stayed 3 nights at this hotel The breakfast buffet was extensive, serving the general cereals, an impressive selection of fruit and vegetable juices, fresh fruit (including bananas dipped in chocolate covered with grated hard cheese (don't ask - just try it). The lunch buffet had a generous selection of mains and desserts.The location was well suited to venture in the main town even though you get a taxi everywhere!
Madinat Zayed Gold Souk
Go to the Madinat Zayed Gold Souk to bag reasonably priced pieces of jewellery. Price haggling is an art you must learn before setting off for this trip. Usually you can bargain for as much as half of the originally quoted price especially if you are purchasing more than one piece of gold jewelry from the same store. Once a price has been verbally agreed on, however, the buyer is expected to make a purchase. The Madinat Zayed Gold Souk is a stone’s throw away from the Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre (mentioned above) and the Abu Dhabi Central Post Office. There were also some very nice pearl jewellery in the gold souk though surprisingly not as prized as the gold.
Where to stay in Abu Dhabi There is plenty of choices to stay in Abu Dhabi. We stayed at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in the centre (as there is also another Crowne Plaza hotel on Yas Island). Read my and other people reviews on Trip Advisor. The boring stuff:
Foreign currency: I purchased my online currency and picked it up at a local store.
Travelling abroad has become so much more accessible to people nowadays that sometimes enjoying the beauty within our own shores is often forgotten or overlooked. Forget the Hotel Inspector and FaultyTowers, the UK has some really lovely Bed & Breakfasts where one can find their own quiet little place in the country even if it’s just for a weekend.
One really useful tool to find a decent Bed & Breakfast is the aptly named Bed & Breakfast Map. Being a part time geek, I must admit that I smiled with glee when testing the map out, trying to find somewhere in Sudbury for a quiet getaway. The Mill Hotel looks pleasantly attractive n’est pas? There is also an iPhone App with a slideshow as to how it works – very nifty. No mention of an Android app as yet…
Reminiscing whilst playing with the Bed & Breakfast Map I find the B&B where I spent my first ever Valentines Break; Brook Crabwall Manor Hotel and Spa in Chester. Now, that was a great weekend…
Pass holders benefit from being able to skip long lines with fast track entry plus they receive an informative guide and full UK map with their purchase. Passes are available for 4, 7, 15 and 30 day durations as individual or family passes. Please note that the pass can only be bought by non-UK residents with an address outside of Great Britain.
Pass holders benefit from being able to skip long lines with fast track entry plus they receive an informative guide and full UK map with their purchase. Passes are available for 4, 7, 15 and 30 day durations as individual or family passes. Please note that the pass can only be bought by non-UK residents with an address outside of Great Britain.
If you are not a UK resident then I have a great bit of news for you:The Great British Heritage Pass - 1 ticket - 580 attractions The pass enables FREE entry to nearly 600 attractions around England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland including Stonehenge, Edinburgh Castle, the Roman Baths, Shakespeare's Birthplace and much, much more.
For those of us who are not too keen on flying (and I can think a number of friends who fall into this category) then the Eurostar is one option of travelling to Europe but it is also great for those who want to see the scenery along the way.
