The Men Who Built the City

These are the slums of Abu Dhabi - labor camps which thousands of immigrant workers who built the UAE's shiny skyscrapers call "home". Where the exploited laborers are bussed daily between their work sites and the camps, that sit far away from the tourists' eyes. Many of the filthy facilities have been abandoned by their sponsors, leaving the workers with months of back wages, no water and electricity and no money to return back home.


In an abandoned R.H. Camp a man holds his court decision which says that his salary must be paid to him.



The only source of water is this rusted water dispenser, filled with non-potable underground water that gives the workers upset stomach.





Pictures courtesy of Saher Shaikh, founder of AdoptaCamp programme, one of the few which works to improve the lives of UAE laborers.

al khaleej al arabi

While the torturous heat of Abu Dhabi summers makes it easy to spend these 4 months cooped up indoors, for certain nature lovers the summer can feel like solitary confinement. Next year we'll do what many other experienced expats do: plan a month-long getaway to some place cool, but for now, we're left with 6am treks to the beach in an attempt to beat the heat. Even at such early hour the water is already too warm to be refreshing, but it's still a nice break in the routine.

These pictures were taken at the hidden gem of a beach on the Yas Island.

Meena Fish Market

The Meena Fish Market is a very smelly place that harbors fishermen selling their catch of the day. If one can hold their nose, a trip to the market can prove to be a wonderful experience. As you walk through the stalls displaying the freshest frutti di mare, be prepared to haggle - haggling is an art learned through practice in these areas - then take your purchase around the corner to one of the many grilling stalls. Ask the chefs to add some vegetables and spices and in about 30 minutes you'll have dinner suitable for kings!

(not that either of us speaks English especially well, but I find these misspellings charming)

These Colors Don't Run

Most locals ( and by this I mean Khaleeji, or "gulf" people) are true to their "Arab hospitality" - they are generally courteous toward Westerners. On those occasions that I've been invited to a local family's house, usually for work-related reasons, I've always been greeted warmly, offered plenty of food and drinks, and even left their house with a gift once.

The Frenchie is more like the rest of Western expats in the city - he rarely gets to mingle with the locals. Of course he would love to, but when it comes to diversity, Abu Dhabi reminds me of Brooklyn, where every neighborhood has its color that doesn’t run.

Don't Kiss and Tell in Abu Dhabi

UAE is a relatively peaceful place, courtesy of the country's strict judicial system and a few misleading statistics. It is also a very rich place. Most expats strive to come here to earn some money and go back home, so any misconduct resulting in imprisonment and followed by immediate deportation, is likely to ruin any plans for early retirement.

Not surprisingly, the rules are obscure. While everyone knows that kissing in public is punishable by a month in jail and deportation, as we learned from the recent incident in Dubai, no one really knows if holding hands or hugging is considered a crime. When I came to Abu Dhabi the Frenchie had already been here for over a month and I missed him dearly. I dreamed of squeezing him tightly and planting a big smooch the minute I saw him, but we were pretty sure that would get us in jail. So instead, we just waved each other "hello" at the airport, he took my luggage and I followed him to the car.

I had to practice this type of self-restraint for many months after my arrival. Unsure of what behavior is acceptable and what would get me in trouble, I stayed away from initiating hand shaking with men, wore only pants in public and kept distance from my beloved as we strolled the mall. Then we visited Dubai. We're now back to being ourselves. Okay, not entirely as we still don't kiss in public, but I certainly no longer shy away from wearing skirts.