Saturday, March 05, 2011

On project in Abu Dhabi...part 4...

As I had promised myself, I worked from the hotel today, even though I couldn't smell any garlic on my breath.

I sent an email to both PM's just to keep them in the picture, to let them know where I was, in case they anyone worried or asked.

About 30mins later, I got an email back from the doos client PM saying "For today I let it slide, but while he is here he must be on site". WTF??? I'm sitting in a sun-baked corner, reading crappily-prepared document and generally being ignored by all and sundry and that fucker wants me on site? Wanker...

We have the weekly meeting on Wednesday so maybe I'll say something then, depending on whether he does or how pissed off I get during the meeting. I'm starting to understand why my colleague says they are a "difficult client". Understatement...

Anyway...I work until just after 6pm and decide on another swim. As soon as I open the door to the pool deck, loud music hits me in the head. Latino music.

There, under the arches by the bar, is an aerobics class in full swing. About 9 or 10 women (I see later one of them is a guy...his tights fooled me) in rough time with the class leader, some of the "bigger" ladies sweating profusely. The main thing is that they are enjoying themselves and calling out in time with phrases of the songs.

I'm in the pool for about 30mins and, when I leave, they are still at it. Good for them.

After changing into jeans, I head upstairs for dinner, to discover that what I thought was "Vincent's" is, in fact, "The Garden". It's confusing, thanks to the sign on the wall in the restaurant. Vincent's is through a small door, nothing more than a smoke-smelling room with a grand piano in the centre. I don't think I'll be visiting it if it's just a smoking room.

I get told that it's Seafood Buffet evening and I think "Ok, that's for me." The food is, as usual, awesome. Sushi for starters, saldads next, all sorts of fish-based main meals including cook-your-own whole fish, curries, grilled sea bass, vegetables, roast potatoes and rice.

I'm writing this waiting for my first two courses to go down, so that I can have a go at the curries and savoury dishes. They're too good looking to pass up, and all the food has been amazing so far. SWMBO would love it here, even just for the food.

there's even crayfish tails on offer, but as I'm not a lover of that kind of tail, I give it a miss. If SWMBO were here, that's all she would be eating.

The curries are, unfortunately, a bit of a disappointment as they are more like savoury stews. Otherwise, I could not fault the food.

I think I'll pass on the cheese and biscuits tonight and see what's on the dessert trolley instead. Just for a change.

Again, the dessert trolley offerings are just "wow". I settled on a little raspberry jelly, honey-nougat tart, butterscotch cheesecake, and a scoop of creme caramel. More than enough. I even pass up on the offer of a cup of coffee, thinking I'll give it a couple of minutes and I'll go down to the lobby and see if I can scare up a Turkish coffee to round off my meal.

As it happens, the Turkish coffee wasn't as good as the Dubai hotel, but it still went down well and helped with digestion.



Part 5 of Abu Dhabi coming soon...

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