Out with the Old, In with the New – Abu Dhabi’s Old Souk

“We do not give up on the places we love just because we are physically detached from them.”  – Elif Shafak I pull the throw over my legs, before I cradle a steaming… Continue reading →

Qasr al Hosn – The Symbolic Heart of Abu Dhabi

“To those who would knowWe are the Bani Yas.This is our island,Where we are born and raised.We are a people of noble origins,We inherited it from the ancestors.Our forefathers guarded it with their… Continue reading →

Wrapping Things Up

“One of the fascinating things about humans is that, in contrast to stones and to water and to earth and to fields, they seem to be privileged and burdened with the ability to… Continue reading →

Searching For Comfort in Discomfort

“To go in search of what once was is to postpone the difficulty of living with what is.” – Barry Lopez My movements are slow and rhythmic, as the paddle dips in and… Continue reading →

Frozen in Time: Abu Dhabi’s Fossil Dunes

“Arid lanscapes bring on big thoughts. A mental aerate of sorts. Life stripped out to reveal the world’s bones, the ancient geology of rock and sand highlighting the puny nature of our joy,… Continue reading →

Coffee Architecture: A Place That Feels Like Home

“Coffee has to go through a series of processes and changes to reveal its true identity. If we pay attention, we can taste decisions on species, variety, processing, milling, roasting and brewing. Every… Continue reading →

Paddling Through Time and Space

“We have come to forget that our minds are shaped by the bodily experiences of being in the world – its spaces, textures, sounds, smells and habits . . .”    – Robert Macfarlane… Continue reading →

Time Travel Korea

Stepping over the threshold of the Korean Cultural Centre in Abu Dhabi, is like stepping into the warm embrace of familiarity and memory. In an instant it is, once again, 26 December 1999.… Continue reading →

Etihad Modern Art Gallery and Art House Café

“What art offers is space – a certain breathing room for the spirit.” John Updike The bold, bright primary colours swirling into one another on the canvas shimmer with life. Musab Al Rais’… Continue reading →

Qasr al Hosn Festival – A Celebration of Culture, Heritage, History and Identity

Our ancestors left us a legacy of traditions which make us proud. Our mission is to preserve, develop and maintain it as an asset of this nation for generations to come. – The… Continue reading →

The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair

I am grateful for the opportunity to sit on a comfortable couch. My feet ache from walking through the massive exhibition space of the 24th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. The room is… Continue reading →

The Ultimate Desert Experience

In the north eastern corner of the Rub Al Khali, or Al Rimal as it is locally known, that covers an expanse of 650,000 square kilometres, mostly in Saudi Arabia, but also stretching into… Continue reading →

A Glimpse of the Volvo Ocean Race

My husband’s love of boats have urged me to pay closer attention to what is happening in the world of sailing. The Volvo Ocean Race, held every 3 years, long ago captured my imagination, as it… Continue reading →