A Study in Contrasts

It's been an interesting day today here in Abu Dhabi!

First off, I saw my first woman in full berka! At least I think it was a woman. It could have been Michael Jackson. *laugh*

Anyway, it was weird - so I'm trying not to stare at this woman, and see her covered from head to toe in this black garment. There's not even a slit for her eyes - only thing I can see is her hands. And what's she doing? She's talking on a cellphone! That was the first oddity. As she walked past me, I thought she was a little tall, but didn't question it. As she was getting into a car (to drive, no less!) I saw that she was wearing bright red two in heels! Now if that ain't a kick in the rubber parts, I don't know what is. Here she is, joining the society that makes women cover up from head to toe, as to not tempt a man. But she's on the phone, wearing BMOFMPs, and getting into a huge Toyota Landcruiser to drive. Just odd.

One of the things that I could have SWORN I kept hearing during the training class I taught was a rooster. But surely, in this most modern city, there can't be roosters, can there be? Well there is. Damn little thing almost tripped me as I was walking into the office this morning. My chickens at home do that. Makes me wonder if they've been messing with my insurance policy...

Lunch was a treat. I went to a local place, an Arabian deli that was across from the office, and ordered hummus and a falafel. Well the hummus was so fresh, you could taste the lemons they put in it. It came with pita. Now in the US, I've eaten pita for years. It always has that slightly hard outside to it, like it's just slightly stale. This pita I had tasted like it just came from the oven and had just wafted into the air. It was soft and warm, and oh so tastey. I could have just done with a lunch of pita!

But the funny thing was the falafel. I ordered a falafel and it came in a bag. When I got to the office, I looked in the bag - and it didn't contain a falafel sandwich. It contained 10 individual falafel balls. They were hot and fresh, and wonderful. It was another Western mistake - Bassam (a coworker) said I should have asked for a falafel sandwich and I'd have gotten a REAL treat, what I was expecting in my head. I just piled some hummus and falafel into the pita and chowed down. And the total for 10 falafel balls, 2 fresh from the oven pitas, and about 2 pints of hummus? US$2.10!!!! Man, it's cheap to eat here!

It's bedtime for me! My belly's full from kafta, basmati rice, and butter naan. What a day!