Abu Dhabi

A Louis Latour Chardonnay in the 2 weeks old Etihad Premium Lounge at the renovated Charles de Gaulle Terminal 2A was a perfect start for a trip to Abu Dhabi. Making the 6 hours journey in Etihad's Pearl Business class, courtesy of Jorrit, a truly good experience. Swift service of quality food and nice wines by an international crew and comfortable chairs with a flat bed position. I have traveled under worse conditions! Check Etihad's latest  commercial  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQVS0k-VIwg

Staying at The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Club, about 10 minutes from Jorrit's Rihan building. A nice high end place and totally in "Westin" world, a small universe which can be anywhere, food is fab with lavish breakfast and service is friendly mostly Philippines and they are know for being friendly!

View from the 18th!

The hotel is surrounded by the Abu Dhabi Golf Course, 3 weeks ago host of the HSBC Champions Tournament featuring no less than Tiger, Rory McIllroy, Justin Rose and other elite golfers. There is an 18 hole championship course, a 9 hole course and a great practice area. On hole 11 I made a par....for the rest, it was very difficult, fun and a meager score!

Indian meal at Ushna and outdoor restaurant in the Shangrila hotel and next to the Souk. Lebanese at the Libanon Flower Grill, drinks at Ray's Bar on top of the Jumeirah in the Etihad Building on the Corniche. Drinks at Genuine, a nice place in the Fairmont along the river, on luxury hotel and restaurant row! Frankie's at the Fairmont Bahr Al Bharb hotel. Good, not spectacular Italian food in the decor of Chinese restaurant, overpriced but the bill was reduced in half thanks to Jorrit's Etihad discount! Other memorable meals: Hakassan at the impressive Imperial Palace. Hakassan was simply extraordinaire with people anything but the "hoy polloy" from AD, the outside setting offered a great view on the skyline. This was a total experience with an exquisite ambiance, original Asian fusion food and very appropriate lounge music, incl NU with This land is my land/Dylan

The roads are wide with well and clearly indicated direction signs. The city Abu Dhabi is basically 3 parallel highways all ending at the Corniche. A wide boulevard with a beach promenade, a few marinas and well designed architecture office buildings and hotels. From Abu Dhabi's center to the main highway to Dubai, passing Satiyaat and Yas Island is a long 10 lane highway. This area is completely dedicated for new real estate and tourist projects. There is a cultural center in the making with the Louvre and Guggenheim museum, the Formula 1 race court, Ferrari World, Waterland and I am sure in the upcoming months or 2 years maximum there will be ore to be seen. On the road you see a mix of old and weary cars and the luxury range with Landrovers, ze Germans and Lexus, many of these high end boys are colored white! In my view one of the most ugliest colors for a car, not here! A full tank of gas for 14 Euro's that's quite a nice experience I must say, and it was not self-service!

Lobby Emirates Palace

Abu Dhabi is driven by the oil industry and its the goal to take a serious place in tourism. It certainly is an interesting place, the growth ambition is reflected everywhere, the planning sofar seems impeccable and to achieve all of this is a benefit that labor remains very cheap. The Emirati are in control of their destiny and the Pakistani's, Indians, Philippinos and others are doing the hard work in construction and hospitality.

After one week its obvious that there is a wide gap between the locals and their working guests! From ultra rich to making a bear minimum however that view really depends on varies perspectives.

We will be back!-++++