Welcome to Abu Dhabi

July 4, 2010 at 11:45PM (UAE time), I arrived at the Abu Dhabi Airport after hours aboard the Etihad airplane. The flight was okay. There were no air pockets or anything. In fact, I dozed on and off dreamland. I even got to watch Sherlock Holmes which I never got the chance to watch while I was in the Philippines. My first glance of Abu Dhabi was while I was at the airplane (I was in a window seat) and I found it beautiful from above. The streets were wide, lined beautifully with lamp posts. There are vegetations! Who said there are no plants in UAE? There are tall buildings as well. Kuya Nestor and my husband fetched me at the airport. As we were driving going to the flat I learned some things a newcomer should probably know... 1) Many establishmets are either named after Zayed or Khalifa. Both are rulers of Abu Dhabi. Zayed was the father and the first president of UAE and Khalifa is the son-the present ruler. 2) Finding a parking area in Abu Dhabi is quite a challenge. Old buildings don't have parking spaces or a basement.There are only parking provisions around the buildings. The city was planned in the 1970s for an estimated maximum population of 600,000, therefore way back parking space was not a concern. However, according to the Abu Dhabi Department of Planning and Economy, in 2006 the population of the emirate was 1,463,491.And almosteveryone has a car! 3) There are many rotundas in Abu Dhabi. 4) Since it was summer when I arrived, it was soooooooooooooo hot that just by walking outside will probably cost you a pail of sweat! hehehe. Got me excited for winter. There are still a lot of things to know and learn about Abu Dhabi... I can't wait to do so and explore everything there is in Abu Dhabi... besides, I will be here for a long time.