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... Expat William

Reflecting on the experience of moving and living abroad.

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Showing posts from February, 2009

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Shopping Day

on February 28, 2009

abu dhabi Khalidiay Mall Marina Mall Raja Mall shopping

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A Full Day

on February 27, 2009

arabic barefoot hookah muhammad shisha

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Heading Out for the Day

on February 27, 2009

apartment dinner food honey juice morning

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Taxi Life

on February 26, 2009

arabic dry cleaning language muhammad ali taxi traffic

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Easy Day

on February 25, 2009

corniche eggs swimming pool walk

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3 Hour Tour of Abu Dhabi

on February 24, 2009

abu dhabi corniche driving mall

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Location Fix for Internet Access

on February 24, 2009

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Time Date Issue with Posts?

on February 24, 2009

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Another Beautiful Day

on February 24, 2009

arabic prayer school

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Adjusting to the Weather

on February 23, 2009

abu dhabi cornish mall taxi

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Just Arrived - Long Flight

on February 23, 2009

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International Driving Permit

on February 18, 2009

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Things To Do

on February 17, 2009

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Popular Posts

What's That Smell?

My Collection of Bahkoor/Bakhoor/Bukhoor In the above photo, you can see various boxes of bahkoor I purchased in Abu Dhabi, some charcoal and a couple of traditional incense burners, all resting on the rug we bought from the local rug merchant (Corniche Towers across from La Brioche cafe - recommended). Also Called Incense Bahkoor/bakhoor/bukhoor, also called incense, is widely used in the Arab world – with scorching desert temperatures and sweating bodies covered by layers of clothing, bahkoor/bakhoor/bukhoor is as much luxury as social necessity. Incense plays an important role in Arab life, one I've grown to appreciate. While living in Abu Dhabi, I found my sense of smell constantly stimulated by aromas of bahkoor, Arab perfumes and shisha. My head was often turned by a group of Emirati women, walking past wrapped in the exotic aroma of Bahkoor (always careful not to stare at them). Composition Typically composed of woodchips (Oudh the Arabic name for Agarwood/

Coming to My Senses

Outside the temperature has dropped below freezing. The frigid wind from the north is an unnecessary, unwanted, redundant reminder that we no longer live in the Middle East. While I don’t miss the sweltering oven called summer in United Arab Emirates, there are things I continue to miss. It has taken me months to post again to this blog. Of course I don’t have any new Abu Dhabi adventures to share with you. But, I do have some personal feelings and comments I feel I must address. My senses were stretched living in the United Arab Emirates; my common sense, my sense of smell, my sense of taste, my sense of style, my sense of standards, my religious sense, my sense of class and my sense of propriety. Of these senses, my inclination today is to reflect on my sense of smell. The sense of smell is a basic, primal sense, it’s key to survival, attraction and socialization. My broad generalization of today is, “every culture has its own distinct smell”. Aside from the call to prayer, natio

Awakened Ajmal Appreciation

“Classic fragrance with contemporary ingredients captures the heart of the wearer craving for the perfect balance in life. Natural materials like fragrant sandalwood, amber and cedar wood are creatively merged with spicy hints of ginger, cardamom and clove, creating a sophisticated perfume reflecting effortless elegance and modern versatility.” Richly Scented The above quote is the description of my new eau de parfum (EDP) I recently purchased. Ever since arriving in Abu Dhabi, I’ve noticed that men and women wear a lot of perfume – to my Western sensibilities, the smell is exotic. I find these 'new to me', aromas of perfume, oil and incense intoxicating and exhilarating. Once I finally ‘tuned’ into the heady aromas worn by the locals, I wanted to learn what they were wearing and where to buy some. Unfortunately, I’ve heard some unkind expressions implying Emirati use a lot of richly scented perfumes. Whether unkind or ignorant words come my way, you can add me to that richly s

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