Abu Dhabi

It is kind of fun to say. It sounds like a drink or a sandwich.
I went to Abu Dhabi today and it was a good thing. The town is much more compact. It is out on a few islands and has a real downtown feel. It reminded me of another city but I don’t know which one. There is a large part of the town that has building of around all the same height. Totally 80’s buildings. And then on the water and in other select places where the builds are much more modern, not just modern materials.

I went to the Emirates Palace, which is a hotel, not a palace. There was a Picasso exhibit, and as usual, once I actually take the time to expose myself to art, I find it to be a rather rich learning experience. I have a much deeper appreciation again for the madness that is a European painter. Once I read on the wall his props to Van Gosh, then I knew I was going to be OK with him. Painters back then are like musicians of today, they are really really trying hard to break new ground, and Dation Pablo Picasso shook the whole thing up. It was important for me to see that he could actually paint what he saw, not just drop a tab and paint like a psycho. There was a real vision behind his work.

The Palace is a big nice hotel. When I pulled in I was given a sheet of paper which in a nut shell said, thanks for coming to see Pablo, so don’t get crazy and thing you have free reign to the hotel, because you don’t . Thank you. Actually I really did not have a problem with that, I just wish I did have free reign, the place is cool. It is the Bellagio. But way more conservative. Guys in suits all over making sure only the uber rich Japanese and well dressed Westerners get access to the goods. Versace exclusive shop in the lobby just to put it into perspective.

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the bomb. We are the PM team running the project. I have no idea about the inside, (except for what I have read [largest carpet in the world, handmade in Iran, etc.]) I showed up on a Friday, no visits on that day, but the outside is a dust bowl still. There are trees and other details, but in six months that thing will be grown in a little and look good. The gold on top of the spires looks just like Joseph Smith in SLC. If you have not seen that temple, then you have also missed out. That things is impressive, and unlike the Grand Mosque, no steel in that one. I won’t go off on the LDS in the post, but they really do know how to build. Trust me when I say they have a few Masons’ in their flock.

The drive is not too bad. Very straight. And once again there is no concept of a fast line to the left. People over here come up behind you and will pass on either side, who knows. There is a massive disconnect with locals here about the reads. They don’t respect their own safety. Let alone mine. I saw the baby on mom’s lap in the front seat again just the other day.

I made a video of driving up to the Mosque and after I watched it, it is kind of lame. I think I might post it anyway; Google has the memory for it. It needs to be shorter and better filmed but it is what it is.

I am near 2/3rds through a long weekend, one more night out. I heard there was an earth quake. No one wrote. My brother and his wife had a son and I have one photo from a video text from Mom, which in itself is bad ass. I NEED MORE.

Oh yea, if you want to see what a blog looks like with hot chicks in bikinis and photos of God’s country all over the world, check that link from Katie Blue. Wow, nice site and nice photos. Aunt Susan was right, let’s all be born again as Katie Blue.

Thanks for reading.
Brother Bill