Friday is Saturday in Abu Dhabi

Well it’s the weekend here in AD.

In the short time I have been here I have noticed that I have tried, subconsciously I think, to adopt the same routine that I have at home in Edinburgh. Work during the day followed by a run and gym in the evening, dinner, a bit of TV and then bed. And it’s been the same on the first day of my weekend, I've tried to adopt the same routine.

Today is Friday, the first day of the weekend, so basically a Saturday for me and again I’ve done pretty much what I normally do on a Saturday only is a lot hotter!! I got up went for a run, had some breakfast, chilled out and read a bit (albeit on a beach by the sea), went to the shops, now I am watching TV (although no X Factor for me) after having some tea. I’ve quite enjoyed it really, and after a busy week I was quite tired and didn’t have the energy to do too much else, nor the inclination. Mind you, in the midday heat, unless aided by the air con, you really don’t want to do too much.

It’s made me realise, although I knew it already, that I am a creature of habit and really like routine. Dull, perhaps, but I do not care.

In other news, I visited the Abu Dhabi Mall today – a massive super shopping centre, three or four times the size of the Buchannan Galleries in Glasgow. It is spread over three levels and is mainly full of western brands from Virgin, Next, BHS, Starbucks, to Claire's as well as a mixture of smaller Arabic-style stores. I was struck by just how western it was with the Backstreet Boys (or at least I guessed it was them…) playing out of the speakers and advertisements for Pepsi, Coke, Subway and MacDonalds everywhere. I think the only modern-day Western icon that was missing was David Beckham. I am sure there will be a poster of him somewhere!

To paraphrase from John Travalota in Pulp Fiction “they got the same shit over there as they have here. Just here it’s a little different.”

The mall is very much like any major shopping centre back at home. There were groups of young kids messing about, zipping by on heelies (the trainers with the wheels) hanging out by the cinema and flicking through the comics in the Virgin shop. However, they were more respectful and well behaved than many of the kids that hang around our shopping centres. There were families, tourists, and locals all mixed together. The people there reflected the international mix of the city and they were all out and about either to shop, eat or be entertained. I was really tickled to see some of things that people from Asia the Middle East, and the Gulf were buying, including a guy from the Gulf purchasing a copy of Paul McKenna’s Imagine myself thin and another picking up a complete DVD set of Yes Minister. I would never have imagined.

The experience was slightly disappointing as I was hoping for a little more culture and tradition rather than quarter-pounders and Britney. However, I guess that’s the nature of this city. Maybe I just found the wrong shopping centre. I’d quite like to go out a bit and see if I can find that culture, but I am not sure I will have the time, but maybe tomorrow, we’ll see.