I'm going back – and am looking forward to it: friends, free speech & democracy, theatre & concerts & arts, green countryside.
I'm going back – but I don't regret coming here: arabia, insights & broader horizon, challenge, people, desert & sea, light.
I'll be back in Berlin September 16th. Thanks for tuning in. Wuestenprinz is logging off.
Saturday, 1 September 2007
Sunday, 19 August 2007
“It is nice to be rich.”
That’s the opening of an article on Abu Dhabi in the Economist. What follows is, unfortunately, the more or less usual description of the Emirate: While Dubai is the glitz, Abu Dhabi is the connoisseur’s choice.
When talking about Abu Dhabi, people inevitably contrast it to Dubai, since the latter attracts far more attention around the world. Dubai is known for the artificial islands (the two or three Palms, who’s counting?, The World), the Burj al Arab with it’s emblematic architecture (despite a hideous interior) and the soon-to-come worlds largest tower, the Burj Dubai*. Dubai also hosts one of the world’s top ten airlines, Emirates Airlines, quite an accomplishment since the airline was established only in May 1985. As a result, Dubai will soon also be home to the world largest airport. As Leo Hickman in the Guardian put it: “Dubai is unchallenged, it seems, in claiming the world record for the largest number of “world’s largest” building projects.” But, it needs to be noted, that Dubai is a lot about what it will become, not what it is: the different islands** are still under construction, as is Burj Arab, as are numerous other buildings and a widely overstretched infrastructure: traffic jams are an integral part of living in Dubai. Dubailand is still in the planning stages, as is Al Burj (which is set to be even taller than Burj Arab). The entire city is a huge construction site.
In short: with all this development and the existing and pending world records, it’s no surprise that Dubai gets all the attention.
Abu Dhabi, in contrast, seems to be the sea of tranquillity and confidence. When talking about Abu Dhabi, people are quick to note that Abu Dhabi, not Dubai, is the capital of the UAE. And that Abu Dhabi, not Dubai, is the largest of all the Emirates, occupying over 86% of the total area of the UAE. Abu Dhabi also is by far richer: With only 250,000 citizens it sits on a tenth of the worlds’ oil, easily lasting for another 100 years. (Dubais’ oil will run out soon.) Most importantly though, Abu Dhabi has already made its mark in history: It is not by chance that Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It was the late Sheikh Zayed who, with great diplomatic skills, managed to orchestrate the creation of the United Arab Emirates when the British left what then was known as the Trucial States. Without him, there would be no UAE, just seven separate Emirates, along with Bahrain and Qatar, which back then in 1971 chose not to join. (Part of the strategy to reinforce the unity of the emirates was to marry a daughter of each of the other Sheikh families and to father, among uncounted daughters, nineteen sons.)
With all the accomplishments, the political status and the enormous wealth, Abu Dhabi is sitting comfortably. And has been doing so for quite a while. So much, that when driving to the city of Abu Dhabi from Dubai, it’s like driving back into the 80ies. At least that when the vast majority of the buildings seem to have been built. Abu Dhabi has its share of glitz, no doubt about it, just go to the enormous Emirates Palace, but most buildings effuse the charm of an era slightly passé. This also comes along with hardly any heavy traffic and just overall less stress.
But Abu Dhabi has recently stepped up its pace and has its share of projects-to-be as well. In the news around the world you could read about the new cultural district with the Abu Dhabi Louvre by Jean Nouvel, the Guggenheim by the inevitable Frank Gehry and other edifices by Zaha Hadid and other renowned architects, due for completion by 2018. Or the massively funded Masdar Initiative to research, develop and implement sustainable energy sources – assuring Abu Dhabis’ future role in the global energy sector, even in a hundred years’ time. Other projects include the new airport terminal, new districts and a number signature towers and the development of entire new islands – natural islands, of which Abu Dhabi in contrast to Dubai has plenty.
The overall flair of this place was captured by Rem Koolhaas in the Gulf exhibition of Mostra di Architettura di Venizia by the words “Abu Dhabi has nothing to prove.”
If Abu Dhabi is the older, self-confident brother, Dubai is the younger brother showing off. When comparing to Dubai with its hunger for ever more world records, Abu Dhabis’ choice of projects seem to be a bit more substantiated, more “real”. Building the worlds’ largest tower (and the one after that) is all good and well. But isn’t investing in the future of global energy just a bit more noteworthy? And even though building entire new islands surely is a proof for both wealth as well as technical mastery – investing in an array of world-renowned museums surely seems the more lasting, sustainable investment.
Dubai may be more glitzy and hold more records to its name. But Abu Dhabi, the more balanced, sustainable and thought-through of the two emirates, is the real model for the future development of the Gulf.
All that is true. And this is where the narrative usually ends. But it paints a distorted picture.
Doing business in Arabia calls for some adaptations: the role of what westerners would describe as small talk in meetings as well as the importance of hospitality or how to the need to stand on the left when letting someone through the door. But the biggest challenge for me has been timing. Not only the habit of frequently rescheduling meetings, but also reply times: A proposal, which had absolutely to be prepared within a ridiculously short time, could be sitting on the desk of a potential client way past the deadline originally set for completion if the project. And it would still be perfectly normal for the client to ask for a meeting to go over the proposal again. This go-and-stop-and-go-timing has been likened to the style of driving so common in the Emirates: breaking and accelerating at about the same time.
In fact, the automotive parallel goes further than just stop and go: business in Abu Dhabi is like flooring the gas paddle in neutral: lots of smoke and noise, but little progress.
A client once cried out in frustration: “Where are the cranes?” And it’s true: the biggest perceivable difference between the two cities is the lack of cranes in Abu Dhabi. This might be partly because Abu Dhabis’ building projects are younger than the ones in Dubai. But that story is running a little old by now. Abu Dhabi has “just begun to catch up with Dubai” for quite some time now. It seems like Abu Dhabi is stepping on the gas paddle, but forgot to put the car into gear. A maze of bureaucracy, endless consultations and indefinite postponement creates a lot of work, but gets very little work done. In its quest to prove the difference to Dubai and not to copy the mistakes of the neighbouring emirate, it seems to stop doing much of anything. Dubai might be looking to be speeding at some times. But Abu Dhabi today inherently is lacking the sense of urgency to actually get to decisions – and to put them into action.
But then again: it’s so nice to be rich. So why bother?
*Burj, by the way, is Arabic for tower and stems from the German “Burg”, a result of the German crusades in the Middle Ages to the Holy Land.
**It is also worth noting that the islands along with the desalination plants and the underwater infrastructure have created an environmental disaster: the coral reefs are gone, so are most of the turtles, that often, along with other wildlife, get sucked into the desalination plant ducts. But Dubai is not alone: even green Abu Dhabi is conserving mangroves on one side, and wiping them out on the other.
When talking about Abu Dhabi, people inevitably contrast it to Dubai, since the latter attracts far more attention around the world. Dubai is known for the artificial islands (the two or three Palms, who’s counting?, The World), the Burj al Arab with it’s emblematic architecture (despite a hideous interior) and the soon-to-come worlds largest tower, the Burj Dubai*. Dubai also hosts one of the world’s top ten airlines, Emirates Airlines, quite an accomplishment since the airline was established only in May 1985. As a result, Dubai will soon also be home to the world largest airport. As Leo Hickman in the Guardian put it: “Dubai is unchallenged, it seems, in claiming the world record for the largest number of “world’s largest” building projects.” But, it needs to be noted, that Dubai is a lot about what it will become, not what it is: the different islands** are still under construction, as is Burj Arab, as are numerous other buildings and a widely overstretched infrastructure: traffic jams are an integral part of living in Dubai. Dubailand is still in the planning stages, as is Al Burj (which is set to be even taller than Burj Arab). The entire city is a huge construction site.
In short: with all this development and the existing and pending world records, it’s no surprise that Dubai gets all the attention.
Abu Dhabi, in contrast, seems to be the sea of tranquillity and confidence. When talking about Abu Dhabi, people are quick to note that Abu Dhabi, not Dubai, is the capital of the UAE. And that Abu Dhabi, not Dubai, is the largest of all the Emirates, occupying over 86% of the total area of the UAE. Abu Dhabi also is by far richer: With only 250,000 citizens it sits on a tenth of the worlds’ oil, easily lasting for another 100 years. (Dubais’ oil will run out soon.) Most importantly though, Abu Dhabi has already made its mark in history: It is not by chance that Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It was the late Sheikh Zayed who, with great diplomatic skills, managed to orchestrate the creation of the United Arab Emirates when the British left what then was known as the Trucial States. Without him, there would be no UAE, just seven separate Emirates, along with Bahrain and Qatar, which back then in 1971 chose not to join. (Part of the strategy to reinforce the unity of the emirates was to marry a daughter of each of the other Sheikh families and to father, among uncounted daughters, nineteen sons.)
With all the accomplishments, the political status and the enormous wealth, Abu Dhabi is sitting comfortably. And has been doing so for quite a while. So much, that when driving to the city of Abu Dhabi from Dubai, it’s like driving back into the 80ies. At least that when the vast majority of the buildings seem to have been built. Abu Dhabi has its share of glitz, no doubt about it, just go to the enormous Emirates Palace, but most buildings effuse the charm of an era slightly passé. This also comes along with hardly any heavy traffic and just overall less stress.
But Abu Dhabi has recently stepped up its pace and has its share of projects-to-be as well. In the news around the world you could read about the new cultural district with the Abu Dhabi Louvre by Jean Nouvel, the Guggenheim by the inevitable Frank Gehry and other edifices by Zaha Hadid and other renowned architects, due for completion by 2018. Or the massively funded Masdar Initiative to research, develop and implement sustainable energy sources – assuring Abu Dhabis’ future role in the global energy sector, even in a hundred years’ time. Other projects include the new airport terminal, new districts and a number signature towers and the development of entire new islands – natural islands, of which Abu Dhabi in contrast to Dubai has plenty.
The overall flair of this place was captured by Rem Koolhaas in the Gulf exhibition of Mostra di Architettura di Venizia by the words “Abu Dhabi has nothing to prove.”
If Abu Dhabi is the older, self-confident brother, Dubai is the younger brother showing off. When comparing to Dubai with its hunger for ever more world records, Abu Dhabis’ choice of projects seem to be a bit more substantiated, more “real”. Building the worlds’ largest tower (and the one after that) is all good and well. But isn’t investing in the future of global energy just a bit more noteworthy? And even though building entire new islands surely is a proof for both wealth as well as technical mastery – investing in an array of world-renowned museums surely seems the more lasting, sustainable investment.
Dubai may be more glitzy and hold more records to its name. But Abu Dhabi, the more balanced, sustainable and thought-through of the two emirates, is the real model for the future development of the Gulf.
All that is true. And this is where the narrative usually ends. But it paints a distorted picture.
Doing business in Arabia calls for some adaptations: the role of what westerners would describe as small talk in meetings as well as the importance of hospitality or how to the need to stand on the left when letting someone through the door. But the biggest challenge for me has been timing. Not only the habit of frequently rescheduling meetings, but also reply times: A proposal, which had absolutely to be prepared within a ridiculously short time, could be sitting on the desk of a potential client way past the deadline originally set for completion if the project. And it would still be perfectly normal for the client to ask for a meeting to go over the proposal again. This go-and-stop-and-go-timing has been likened to the style of driving so common in the Emirates: breaking and accelerating at about the same time.
In fact, the automotive parallel goes further than just stop and go: business in Abu Dhabi is like flooring the gas paddle in neutral: lots of smoke and noise, but little progress.
A client once cried out in frustration: “Where are the cranes?” And it’s true: the biggest perceivable difference between the two cities is the lack of cranes in Abu Dhabi. This might be partly because Abu Dhabis’ building projects are younger than the ones in Dubai. But that story is running a little old by now. Abu Dhabi has “just begun to catch up with Dubai” for quite some time now. It seems like Abu Dhabi is stepping on the gas paddle, but forgot to put the car into gear. A maze of bureaucracy, endless consultations and indefinite postponement creates a lot of work, but gets very little work done. In its quest to prove the difference to Dubai and not to copy the mistakes of the neighbouring emirate, it seems to stop doing much of anything. Dubai might be looking to be speeding at some times. But Abu Dhabi today inherently is lacking the sense of urgency to actually get to decisions – and to put them into action.
But then again: it’s so nice to be rich. So why bother?
*Burj, by the way, is Arabic for tower and stems from the German “Burg”, a result of the German crusades in the Middle Ages to the Holy Land.
**It is also worth noting that the islands along with the desalination plants and the underwater infrastructure have created an environmental disaster: the coral reefs are gone, so are most of the turtles, that often, along with other wildlife, get sucked into the desalination plant ducts. But Dubai is not alone: even green Abu Dhabi is conserving mangroves on one side, and wiping them out on the other.
Monday, 13 August 2007
when you're stuck in the desert and have nothing to do
this is what you might end up doing. apart from the sex change: me in a time w/o internet? pas croyable.
You Belong in 1959 |
 You're fun loving, romantic, and more than a little innocent. See you at the drive in! |
Thursday, 9 August 2007
Monday, 16 July 2007
My days are numbered
The days in the UAE are numbered
After a few days in Berlin, the return to Abu Dhabi is a allegory for both countries: Due to some bureaucratic technicalities in my booking, both Lufthansa as well as the travel agent have to reflect and mull over and discuss my ticket, resulting in debates without action. I almost expect to be grounded for the day when I finally do hold my boarding pass in my hands. It’s all about process, not about results. Operation gelungen, Patient tot.
Then, on the plane to Abu Dhabi, I find an Muslim in jeans and T-shirt in my seat, arguing that he would hope to find me another place since his wife in black hijab may not sit next to an unrelated (and obvioulsy non-muslim) man. Could I muster the wit as well as the language skills, I would have liked to share some more un-muslim information about me with him – in Hebrew. (Especially about him sitting in first while his wife had to do in the back of the bus.)
I only allow myself to feel like this since I know that my days in the UAE are numbered: my employer will not continue his local endeavour, mostly due to domestic reasons back at headquarters, but also because the business plan has proven too ambitious (as many including myself had pointed out before). So, after closing shop and handing over clients to other agencies, I will return to Germany. The company has asked me to stay on board, but frankly the positions offered are not worth staying for. But I appreciate the gesture.
Independently of those latest developments, two job opportunities have presented themselves. Both are in Germany. And both of them I would have probably pursued regardless of the current developments. So until I have to leave Arabia and before I close shop and return to a new job in Germany, I’ll try to make use of the weekends and travel in the region: Beirut is supposed to be hot these days…
After a few days in Berlin, the return to Abu Dhabi is a allegory for both countries: Due to some bureaucratic technicalities in my booking, both Lufthansa as well as the travel agent have to reflect and mull over and discuss my ticket, resulting in debates without action. I almost expect to be grounded for the day when I finally do hold my boarding pass in my hands. It’s all about process, not about results. Operation gelungen, Patient tot.
Then, on the plane to Abu Dhabi, I find an Muslim in jeans and T-shirt in my seat, arguing that he would hope to find me another place since his wife in black hijab may not sit next to an unrelated (and obvioulsy non-muslim) man. Could I muster the wit as well as the language skills, I would have liked to share some more un-muslim information about me with him – in Hebrew. (Especially about him sitting in first while his wife had to do in the back of the bus.)
I only allow myself to feel like this since I know that my days in the UAE are numbered: my employer will not continue his local endeavour, mostly due to domestic reasons back at headquarters, but also because the business plan has proven too ambitious (as many including myself had pointed out before). So, after closing shop and handing over clients to other agencies, I will return to Germany. The company has asked me to stay on board, but frankly the positions offered are not worth staying for. But I appreciate the gesture.
Independently of those latest developments, two job opportunities have presented themselves. Both are in Germany. And both of them I would have probably pursued regardless of the current developments. So until I have to leave Arabia and before I close shop and return to a new job in Germany, I’ll try to make use of the weekends and travel in the region: Beirut is supposed to be hot these days…
Monday, 25 June 2007
one of the many, many accidents in the UAE
right below my apartment. please observe the general direction of traffic as opposed to the direction of the passenger car…
Monday, 18 June 2007
also ich würde mich momentan ja wahnsinnig über ein wenig deutsche prozess- und briefingtreue freuen... diese araber werden nur noch von den anderen expats hier übertroffen, die noch erratischer durch die gegend springen. jetzt mal schnell ein schnellfeuergewehr zur hand und nachher ganz unschuldig back to my loving place...
Thursday, 14 June 2007
here it comes: the inevitable gonu entry
to say it up front: the only effect of the cyclone here in abu dhabi has been a little more wind and a slightly cooling to below 40C for a day or two. so actually quite pleasant. (now it's back up to the usual 44C.) but as you might know, we're sharing an office with a consultancy. and they in return have an office in oman. and that's what it looked like over there…
Tuesday, 29 May 2007
well, i got to tell you
working like a sizilianische hafennutte is really tough. but it pays off: we just won our second client and are creating a tiny, tiny exhibition for them. and if we behave nicely we might even get a bigger piece of the cake later on: if i wouldn't be at the desk 24/7 i might even contemplate having a glass of champagne.
But, my dear digital friends, the real reason to celebrate is: my brother passed the bar exam! Please join me toasting to a great guy, that now is allowed to put a Esq. next to his name! I'm looking forward to addressing a real bottle of champagne next time we see each other, bro! (And maybe you might find the time to explain what Esq. actually stands for – I could google it, but I'drather hear it from you.)
But, my dear digital friends, the real reason to celebrate is: my brother passed the bar exam! Please join me toasting to a great guy, that now is allowed to put a Esq. next to his name! I'm looking forward to addressing a real bottle of champagne next time we see each other, bro! (And maybe you might find the time to explain what Esq. actually stands for – I could google it, but I'drather hear it from you.)
Thursday, 24 May 2007
may i kotz out myself for a little, please?
after having been aufgefordert by the vorstand to "to put all personal investments in sales activities" (and wondering what my personal dividend might be if i do so), i have schrubbed away in night shift after night shift for another exhibition design. (the client already has another one on his desk plus a proposal for a VVIP brochure (and that's no vertipping, they really talking very, VERY important person catalogue, also sowas mit goldkante) and isn't doing anything with them.)
to get the adrenaline going i was presented with a new deadline first yesterday noon (please deliver by thursday midday) and then this morning with the message that they'd need it even an hour before that. UND DANN HAT DIESES ARSCHGESICHT GEANTWORTET, DASS ER NUR 150.000 DHIRAMS FREIGEBEN WOLLE, DAVON SIND ABER SCHON ÜBER 80.000 FÜR IRGENDEINEN TEUREN DRECK ALLOKIERT. ZUR INFO: 70T€ SIND SO CA 14T€! Und zwar inklusive Produktion! Ja, Herrschaften, dafür steht doch so eine Luxusdesignbutze wie ich sie hier präsentiere erst gar nicht auf!
Anyhow. Da habe ich erstmal das Telefon ausgestellt. Sonst hätte ich bei einem eventuellen Kundenanruf nicht lächeln können. Und wir wissen ja: immer lächeln am Fernsprecher. Das hört man am anderen Ende.
So, fertig mit Kotz.
to get the adrenaline going i was presented with a new deadline first yesterday noon (please deliver by thursday midday) and then this morning with the message that they'd need it even an hour before that. UND DANN HAT DIESES ARSCHGESICHT GEANTWORTET, DASS ER NUR 150.000 DHIRAMS FREIGEBEN WOLLE, DAVON SIND ABER SCHON ÜBER 80.000 FÜR IRGENDEINEN TEUREN DRECK ALLOKIERT. ZUR INFO: 70T€ SIND SO CA 14T€! Und zwar inklusive Produktion! Ja, Herrschaften, dafür steht doch so eine Luxusdesignbutze wie ich sie hier präsentiere erst gar nicht auf!
Anyhow. Da habe ich erstmal das Telefon ausgestellt. Sonst hätte ich bei einem eventuellen Kundenanruf nicht lächeln können. Und wir wissen ja: immer lächeln am Fernsprecher. Das hört man am anderen Ende.
So, fertig mit Kotz.
Tuesday, 22 May 2007
bear with me
the current silence is due to the fact of a sh*tload of work at the moment - which is a good indicator for the wüstenprinz staying a wüstenprinz for a while. but keep your fingers crossed!
Saturday, 12 May 2007
Tuesday, 24 April 2007
supersize me
eine der eigentümlichkeiten der hiesigen gastronomie ist, dass es gehobene, internationale, teure küche in ebenso teuren hotels gibt, kleine, nichtvertrauenswürdige kaschemmen im dritten hinterhof rechts und ca eine millionen fast food restaurants. wir erinnern uns: wüstenprinz wohnt im "pizza hut-building".
was es nicht gibt, ist das einfache aber gute restaurant, die suppenküche, den leckeren sandwichstore, der ökoimbiss oder meinetwegen auch pret-a-manger. eine ganze gastro-kategorie ist hier schlicht unvorhanden. ergebnis: ich habe eindeutig, positively, unzweifelhaft in den letzten drei monaten mehr junkfood in mich reingestopft als in meinem gesamten leben vorher.
in meiner studentenzeit ernährte ich mich regelmäßig zum monatsende von döner – schließlich schloss die monatliche apanage nicht das zigarettengeld ein, welches aber zum damaligen zeitpunkt auf der prinzlichen must-liste stand. monate- ja jahrelang also regelmäßig döner. bis ich einmal wieder einen döner erstand, hineinbiss, würgte, alles auskotzte und seit dem nie wieder einen dönerladen auch nur betreten habe.
es ist nur noch eine frage von wochen, bis mir das gleiche mit kfcburgerkingdunkindonutsmcdonaldspizzahut widerfährt. ich führe schon mal wohlweislich spucktüten im handgepäck mit.
(dear english-speaking readers, sorry to have to write this in german. but i hope you understand: writing about fast food i felt so, well, german.)
was es nicht gibt, ist das einfache aber gute restaurant, die suppenküche, den leckeren sandwichstore, der ökoimbiss oder meinetwegen auch pret-a-manger. eine ganze gastro-kategorie ist hier schlicht unvorhanden. ergebnis: ich habe eindeutig, positively, unzweifelhaft in den letzten drei monaten mehr junkfood in mich reingestopft als in meinem gesamten leben vorher.
in meiner studentenzeit ernährte ich mich regelmäßig zum monatsende von döner – schließlich schloss die monatliche apanage nicht das zigarettengeld ein, welches aber zum damaligen zeitpunkt auf der prinzlichen must-liste stand. monate- ja jahrelang also regelmäßig döner. bis ich einmal wieder einen döner erstand, hineinbiss, würgte, alles auskotzte und seit dem nie wieder einen dönerladen auch nur betreten habe.
es ist nur noch eine frage von wochen, bis mir das gleiche mit kfcburgerkingdunkindonutsmcdonaldspizzahut widerfährt. ich führe schon mal wohlweislich spucktüten im handgepäck mit.
(dear english-speaking readers, sorry to have to write this in german. but i hope you understand: writing about fast food i felt so, well, german.)
Monday, 23 April 2007
running idle
still waiting, which is just a tad depressing. six are already out there, two more to go. and no clear feedback so far. is this just the arab way? i've been warned before that you'll repeatedly experience phases where nothing seems to move. or are we, with our very sophisticated offer of strategy-based branding, offering something that simply isn't needed in this market?
and while i'm idly waiting, i'm singing in a reversion of a frank sinatra song: "if i can't make it here, i can't make it anywhere..."
and while i'm idly waiting, i'm singing in a reversion of a frank sinatra song: "if i can't make it here, i can't make it anywhere..."
Monday, 16 April 2007
i'm waiting, waiting, waiting...
my sole colleague here in the desert has fallen of the face of the planet for the last days. all the requests for proposal have been answered to. my colleagues in berlin are busy attending to their clients. and i am waiting, waiting, waiting. waiting for prospects to become clients. nothing left to do except waiting. and hoping.
Thursday, 12 April 2007
Fata Morgana
Wikipedia describes a Fata Morgana as " a mirage, an optical phenomenon which results from a temperature inversion. Objects on the horizon, such as islands, cliffs, ships or icebergs, appear elongated and elevated, like "fairy tale castles"."
Well, I found a Fata Morgana. It was blazing hot outside (38°C, and it's only April), and we were traveling through the desert: picture sand dunes, gravel, the occasional burst tire next to the deserted street, all the way straight to the horizon. The A/C running at full blast, all but drowning out the music from the radio. And blue sky. Then a turn off, and suddenly: a fairy tale castle.
That castle was special: unlike a mirage, the castle didn't disappear when approaching. It was tangible, provided shelter from the sun, offered cooling pools, fresh and delectable foods and exquisite wines. And it also had a name: Bab Al Shams.
Well, I found a Fata Morgana. It was blazing hot outside (38°C, and it's only April), and we were traveling through the desert: picture sand dunes, gravel, the occasional burst tire next to the deserted street, all the way straight to the horizon. The A/C running at full blast, all but drowning out the music from the radio. And blue sky. Then a turn off, and suddenly: a fairy tale castle.
That castle was special: unlike a mirage, the castle didn't disappear when approaching. It was tangible, provided shelter from the sun, offered cooling pools, fresh and delectable foods and exquisite wines. And it also had a name: Bab Al Shams.
Friday, 30 March 2007
UAEs niceties
Of course there’s a lot more sunshine than in Germany. Unfortunately often accompanied by varying degrees of humidity or dust. Or both. Or just very hot, like two days ago, when the Quecksilber climbed up to 36.5C. At 8:30 pm, wohlgemerkt. All that in a suit.
But sometimes the weather is just beautiful. As it has been today: 28C, light breeze, sunshine. And a watteroter sunset.
But sometimes the weather is just beautiful. As it has been today: 28C, light breeze, sunshine. And a watteroter sunset.
Saturday, 24 March 2007
Traffic in the UAE
in case you wondered why the NCAP rating is the most important feature for me when renting a car...
that's where i'm staying, btw...
Oriental Hotel Apartments in what is generally called the "Pizza Hut" building.
What you can't see: besides Pizza Hut, there's a TGI Friday's, a Hardee's (Carls Jr. for those on the west coast) and a KFC. Everything you need for a healthy diet...
Sunday, 4 March 2007
nachtrag
Abu Dhabi System
Your neighbour (Dubai) has two cows. You observe what they are doing, make a vow to create a more substantiated approach and, after one or two years, create a ministry. That ministry creates two secondary authorities, one in charge of milk, the other in charge of cows. Just when the two authorities have come up with an extensive (but in no way coherent or efficient) bureaucratic process that allows the production and sale of milk, the ministry of labour request for an emiratisation. Since cows aren't native to the Emirates, cows subsequently aren't allowed after all. The ministry and its two athorities alter their operations to fit this new situation.
Your neighbour (Dubai) has two cows. You observe what they are doing, make a vow to create a more substantiated approach and, after one or two years, create a ministry. That ministry creates two secondary authorities, one in charge of milk, the other in charge of cows. Just when the two authorities have come up with an extensive (but in no way coherent or efficient) bureaucratic process that allows the production and sale of milk, the ministry of labour request for an emiratisation. Since cows aren't native to the Emirates, cows subsequently aren't allowed after all. The ministry and its two athorities alter their operations to fit this new situation.
Thursday, 1 March 2007
understanding the region
DUBAI SYSTEM:
You have two cows. You create a website for them and advertise them
in all magazines. You create a Cow City or Milk Town for them. You
sell off their milk before the cows have even been milked to both
legitimate and shady investors who hope to sell the non-existent milk
for a 100% profit in two years time. You bring Tiger Woods to milk the
cows first to attract attention.
QATARI SYSTEM:
You have two cows. They've been sitting there for decades and no one
realizes that cows can produce milk. You see what Dubai is doing; you
go crazy and start milking the heck out of the cows in the shortest
time possible. Then you realize no one wanted the milk in the first
place.
BAHRAINI SYSTEM:
You have two cows. Some high government official steals one, milks
it, sells the milk and pockets the profit. The government tells you
there is just one cow and not enough milk for the people. The people
riot and scream death to the government and carry Iranian flags. The
Parliament, after thinking for 11 months, decides to employ ten
Bahrainis to milk the cow at the same time to cut back on
unemployment.
KUWAIT ISYSTEM:
They do not have cows. Milk is imported since no locals can or would
milk a cow.
SAUDI SYSTEM:
Since milking the cow involves nipples the government decides to ban
all cows in public. The only method to milk a cow is to have a cow on
one side of the curtain and the guy milking the cow on the other.
OMANI SYSTEM:
You have two cows. After a huge public speech in which you declare
cow milking as a landmark initiative and appointing a new government
body in charge of cow milking. You first spend a year doing nothing,
then you spend 1 year on planning to milk them properly and safely,
another one year to get the proper ministry approvals to milk them. By
the time you actually get around to milking the cows, the cows are
dead.
You have two cows. You create a website for them and advertise them
in all magazines. You create a Cow City or Milk Town for them. You
sell off their milk before the cows have even been milked to both
legitimate and shady investors who hope to sell the non-existent milk
for a 100% profit in two years time. You bring Tiger Woods to milk the
cows first to attract attention.
QATARI SYSTEM:
You have two cows. They've been sitting there for decades and no one
realizes that cows can produce milk. You see what Dubai is doing; you
go crazy and start milking the heck out of the cows in the shortest
time possible. Then you realize no one wanted the milk in the first
place.
BAHRAINI SYSTEM:
You have two cows. Some high government official steals one, milks
it, sells the milk and pockets the profit. The government tells you
there is just one cow and not enough milk for the people. The people
riot and scream death to the government and carry Iranian flags. The
Parliament, after thinking for 11 months, decides to employ ten
Bahrainis to milk the cow at the same time to cut back on
unemployment.
KUWAIT ISYSTEM:
They do not have cows. Milk is imported since no locals can or would
milk a cow.
SAUDI SYSTEM:
Since milking the cow involves nipples the government decides to ban
all cows in public. The only method to milk a cow is to have a cow on
one side of the curtain and the guy milking the cow on the other.
OMANI SYSTEM:
You have two cows. After a huge public speech in which you declare
cow milking as a landmark initiative and appointing a new government
body in charge of cow milking. You first spend a year doing nothing,
then you spend 1 year on planning to milk them properly and safely,
another one year to get the proper ministry approvals to milk them. By
the time you actually get around to milking the cows, the cows are
dead.
Monday, 12 February 2007
ah, the adrenaline...
today has been - and actually still is - a day like the old days: tight deadlines, rushing from meeting to the desk, briefing people, junk food and caffeine to stay alert. and a presentation due in ten hours and still being worked on. so why do i like it? 'cause i'm an adrenaline junkie. that's why...
Saturday, 10 February 2007
perfect day.
friday is sunday and saturday is saturday. at least here in the gulf. but this week, my friday was my saturday and my saturday was my sunday. which gave me half a day off yesterday (making it a saturday) and a complete day off work today (= sunday).
and boy did i have a swell time. after breakfast i went to my first golf lesson, which was made possible by a co-sponsorship unbeknownst to the donors: my meltern and veltern (or marents and farents). while i have to thank my veltern for those beautiful clubs, i have to thank my meltern for the funding of the lessons. thanks to both! and after that, i went to the fitness club and had a day in the gym and at the pool, in the sun, listening to my ipod. after a quick shopping spree at the marina mall (books, polo shirt, fragrance-free body lotion), i'm now at what i call my temporary home. and with cheese and crackers and a bottle of water, i'll finish this day. so, regardless whether saturdays are the new sundays (or fridays): it's been a perfect day.
and boy did i have a swell time. after breakfast i went to my first golf lesson, which was made possible by a co-sponsorship unbeknownst to the donors: my meltern and veltern (or marents and farents). while i have to thank my veltern for those beautiful clubs, i have to thank my meltern for the funding of the lessons. thanks to both! and after that, i went to the fitness club and had a day in the gym and at the pool, in the sun, listening to my ipod. after a quick shopping spree at the marina mall (books, polo shirt, fragrance-free body lotion), i'm now at what i call my temporary home. and with cheese and crackers and a bottle of water, i'll finish this day. so, regardless whether saturdays are the new sundays (or fridays): it's been a perfect day.
Wednesday, 7 February 2007
if you're grounded, start digging.
of all places in the world i have been to, i never came as close to being without gas than over here. i almost happened TWICE while commuting between abu dhabi and dubai in the last week. why i couldn't seem to find a gas station, or somehow could't get to it, is beyond me. esp. here, where 8% of the global oil reserves are right under your wheels.
Sunday, 4 February 2007
deserted and desertified
i hübsch angerüscht myself this morning for a new biz meeting - even had a tie with me, just in case - only to learn on my way to the car that the meeting had been postponed. that's not uncommon in this area, but at least it distracted me enough not to notice the haze outside. so i deserted my apartment with, being bündnisgrün after all, the a/c off and the windows open.
upon return, i found my apartment desertified: sand dust en la cama, lo mismo en el living, everything was covered in beige. actually quite fitting with the predominant colour scheme here, but still...
nota bene: a/c not only keeps the heat out, but also sand storms.
upon return, i found my apartment desertified: sand dust en la cama, lo mismo en el living, everything was covered in beige. actually quite fitting with the predominant colour scheme here, but still...
nota bene: a/c not only keeps the heat out, but also sand storms.
Saturday, 3 February 2007
happiness is rising.
sonne, funktionierende waschmaschine, frisches obst, freundliche menschen, eine gute, feste matratze: it doesn't take that much to make me happy.
Thursday, 1 February 2007
ubiquitous hanky queens.
this country has a kleenex fetish. you'll find those boxes not only in the bathroom or at the bedside – where you'd expect them –, but also on desks, restaurant and boardroom tables. and we're not talking occasionally: always. everywhere. If there's a table, there's a box. and the fun thing about it: the favourite brand is called queenex.
Tuesday, 30 January 2007
Déjà vu
Cars with their emegency lights on. Flags everywhere. Men in dishdashs waiving flags on top of cars speeding through the city. Constant honking. Cheerful crowds on the streets. Very forgiving policemen in the presence of clear traffic violiations. Where was it that I had seen that before? Right, the World Cup last year in Berlin.
Well: U.A.E. just won the Gulf Cup. For the first time ever. Football unites.
Well: U.A.E. just won the Gulf Cup. For the first time ever. Football unites.
Monday, 29 January 2007
bonjour, harte landung and upwards again.
my first week. arrived late at night after a horrible flight (call me a snob, but i'm just too tall, too stylish and too misanthrope to handle economy class on long-haul flights: too many people. of the wrong kind of people).
i had booked a hotel at an outrageous rate (abu dhabi is quite short of accommodations), what supposed to be a junior suite, non-smoking, with kitchenette. i opened the door to a small, worn, 80ies room. sans kitchenette. but avec ashtrays and that certain scent of room deodorant to prove that they weren't just for deco. i'll spare you the ugly details of the entailing debates, but crowne plaza (and any brand of the intercontinental group of hotels) will be painfully avoided in the future. bloody bastards.
next morning at 8 a.m. my first meeting. bear in mind that, given the time zone, this was really 5 a.m. for me, after getting to bed at 2 a.m. local time i was not quite up to par, but i tried my best (i passed enough mirrors that day not to fool myself about the zombie-look i was sporting.)
so, i pulled through the first two days, with my temper cooling off despite all the preparations i had initiated (only to be disappointed) and getting into the flow of things here. so my local partner hadn't finalized any details re the office. or my accommodation. or anything else. what ever. after all, if he were such a whiz in project management and finalizing deals, i probably wouldn’t have gotten the job in the first place.
so, i attended some functions and receptions (tonight the reception at the indian embassy, commemorating the 57th anniversary of the indian republic), giving away my business cards like warme semmeln (and receiving the equal amount).
communication with the hq in berlin has proven a bit difficult, because our dedicated spoc is often on some outside mission out of communication reach. and hq also is a betriebsrat-run entity, so even the management is simply off duty during weekends or the evening. VERY different, VERY, VERY different to what i have been used to. (and to share another difference to my former company, aka workaholic heaven, where lean spelled efficiency, not ausbeutung: lots of assistants. tons of them. you might not be too surprised to find assistants to assistants. "ich werde dir die unterlagen faxen lassen lassen" used to mock a friend of mine of that culture.) so my new employer is charming and good and absurd and nerve wrecking and drollig and so very, very perfect in his field and great all at the same time. all the ingredients to a great and long lasting love affair.
speaking of love affair, or simply sex for that matter: since virtually everybody brought up that subject when i told him or her where i was going: yes, it's forbidden. and we're talking sharia-verboten. but a) i don't have to start what i haven't hardly have been doing in berlin and b) about the worst that could happen to an expat if it ever were to happen and to be discovered would probably be to be expelled from the country. but it is definitely different to the near-normality i had become accustomed to in berlin. in a way, it feels like going back in time, when everything was dirty, sinful, shameful, secret.
speaking of secrets: the internet is controlled via a proxy, so you get a lot of these screens (and i wasn't looking for porn):
for the same reason, and this is a real bummer, you can't use VoIP. even IM doesn't work. So no skype, no ichat. nada. the proxy prohibits it, conveniently rendering one to use the phone instead, at a much higher cost (which is run by the same company monopoly).
at the brighter side of things: it is an absolutely fascinating and dynamic country, the people a quite hospitable (if they don't happen to work at Crowne Plaza), the weather is fantastic, driving is fun once you go with the 90-km/h-inner-city-flow and i already checked out the golf course to take some lessons. and there is a lesson to be learned every day, starting from reading the local newspapers (and getting their perspective re Middle East) to revising one's prejudices: at the meeting with the australian delegation of brisbane in the abu dhabi chamber of commerce the delegations sat across from each other at the table, about twenty at each side (it was a long table). and if you had to pick which side was all male, you'd probably pick the wrong one. far from being equal, there were three women on the arab side, including the head of the abu dhabi businesswomen council. australia: zero.
so, the week started a bit rough. but it got way better. and i'm quite delighted to be here. next time i'll tell you about the grotesque uglyness of a shopping mall i have seen, the great food here and, hopefully, about my first swing with my new golf clubs!
layla sa*îda
i had booked a hotel at an outrageous rate (abu dhabi is quite short of accommodations), what supposed to be a junior suite, non-smoking, with kitchenette. i opened the door to a small, worn, 80ies room. sans kitchenette. but avec ashtrays and that certain scent of room deodorant to prove that they weren't just for deco. i'll spare you the ugly details of the entailing debates, but crowne plaza (and any brand of the intercontinental group of hotels) will be painfully avoided in the future. bloody bastards.
next morning at 8 a.m. my first meeting. bear in mind that, given the time zone, this was really 5 a.m. for me, after getting to bed at 2 a.m. local time i was not quite up to par, but i tried my best (i passed enough mirrors that day not to fool myself about the zombie-look i was sporting.)
so, i pulled through the first two days, with my temper cooling off despite all the preparations i had initiated (only to be disappointed) and getting into the flow of things here. so my local partner hadn't finalized any details re the office. or my accommodation. or anything else. what ever. after all, if he were such a whiz in project management and finalizing deals, i probably wouldn’t have gotten the job in the first place.
so, i attended some functions and receptions (tonight the reception at the indian embassy, commemorating the 57th anniversary of the indian republic), giving away my business cards like warme semmeln (and receiving the equal amount).
communication with the hq in berlin has proven a bit difficult, because our dedicated spoc is often on some outside mission out of communication reach. and hq also is a betriebsrat-run entity, so even the management is simply off duty during weekends or the evening. VERY different, VERY, VERY different to what i have been used to. (and to share another difference to my former company, aka workaholic heaven, where lean spelled efficiency, not ausbeutung: lots of assistants. tons of them. you might not be too surprised to find assistants to assistants. "ich werde dir die unterlagen faxen lassen lassen" used to mock a friend of mine of that culture.) so my new employer is charming and good and absurd and nerve wrecking and drollig and so very, very perfect in his field and great all at the same time. all the ingredients to a great and long lasting love affair.
speaking of love affair, or simply sex for that matter: since virtually everybody brought up that subject when i told him or her where i was going: yes, it's forbidden. and we're talking sharia-verboten. but a) i don't have to start what i haven't hardly have been doing in berlin and b) about the worst that could happen to an expat if it ever were to happen and to be discovered would probably be to be expelled from the country. but it is definitely different to the near-normality i had become accustomed to in berlin. in a way, it feels like going back in time, when everything was dirty, sinful, shameful, secret.
speaking of secrets: the internet is controlled via a proxy, so you get a lot of these screens (and i wasn't looking for porn):
for the same reason, and this is a real bummer, you can't use VoIP. even IM doesn't work. So no skype, no ichat. nada. the proxy prohibits it, conveniently rendering one to use the phone instead, at a much higher cost (which is run by the same company monopoly).
at the brighter side of things: it is an absolutely fascinating and dynamic country, the people a quite hospitable (if they don't happen to work at Crowne Plaza), the weather is fantastic, driving is fun once you go with the 90-km/h-inner-city-flow and i already checked out the golf course to take some lessons. and there is a lesson to be learned every day, starting from reading the local newspapers (and getting their perspective re Middle East) to revising one's prejudices: at the meeting with the australian delegation of brisbane in the abu dhabi chamber of commerce the delegations sat across from each other at the table, about twenty at each side (it was a long table). and if you had to pick which side was all male, you'd probably pick the wrong one. far from being equal, there were three women on the arab side, including the head of the abu dhabi businesswomen council. australia: zero.
so, the week started a bit rough. but it got way better. and i'm quite delighted to be here. next time i'll tell you about the grotesque uglyness of a shopping mall i have seen, the great food here and, hopefully, about my first swing with my new golf clubs!
layla sa*îda
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