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... Expat William

Reflecting on the experience of moving and living abroad.

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Thursday Heat and Restaurant Review

on May 21, 2009

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Wrapping Up April

on April 30, 2009

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WOMAD + More to Share Tomorrow

on April 11, 2009

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Emirati Greeting

on April 02, 2009

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Catching Up - Wind, Dust, Shisha and Arab Culture

on March 26, 2009

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Foggy Morning

on March 19, 2009

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Changed the Blog Theme - Again

on March 18, 2009

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Two Cafes and a Walk

on March 17, 2009

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Carpet Shopping Saturday

on March 15, 2009

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No Furniture Today

on March 13, 2009

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Quiet Thursday

on March 12, 2009

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It's Wednesday so it Must be Thursday

on March 11, 2009

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Easy Day

on March 10, 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 ...

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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Blog List

UAE Community Blog

"UN Delegation" (Microfiction)
4 months ago
Wild 4 Washington Wine

My Favorite Ice Cream Recipes
1 year ago
Fake Plastic Souks

In Plain Sight - Five Places You Probably Didn't Know Were Even There
6 years ago
Abu-Dhabian-American-Pakistani Larki

Goodbye Karachi
9 years ago
grapeshisha

Oman Travel Guide
11 years ago
Abu Dhabi Daily Photograph - Get the BIGGER picture

5 Today
12 years ago
Abu Dhabi Dispatches

Sex and the City
14 years ago
From My Eye To Yours

Aldar HQ Building
14 years ago
The Atomic Headhunter

10 Things That Will Update Your Mid-Career Image
14 years ago
UAE Kitten

The boy who cried wolf!
14 years ago
Muller Abu Dhabi Adventure

Ngorongoro Crater
15 years ago
Leyla
Ya Salam Cooking

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