Abu Dhabi

So after a 3 hour flight, I landed in Abu Dhabi. The airport was quite nice, and the terminal looked like a giant clamshell, very nice architecture to say the least. The first thing I noticed upon walking outside? HELLO HEAT! It was 102 degrees, 100% humidity, and a blowing breeze (which only created the effect of a furnace blowing in the winter). My interpreter and driver, Mohammed (which if I didn't mention, is as common as Chris in the States) said this was actually cool...you GOTTA be kidding me!

Drove a bit through Abu Dhabi, passed one of the palaces-it was like the Biltmore House in size, only all built in marble. Abu Dhabi sits in the middle of the Sahara desert, and was created in 1973 when all the arab leaders of the desert villages (called SHAKES, and are basically multi-billionnaire oil tycoons) got together and said "why dont we all pull our money together and start a country?" Thus was created the United Arab Emirates (or UAE), and the journey to create a country of plush greenery and the worlds nicest and largest buildings, all in the middle of the desert!

My hotel is actually in the Al Jazira Sports Club, a huge professional sports facility housing a soccer stadium, tennis courts, track, and a 50 meter pool. The club has its own pro soccer team, which has access to 2 restaurants, workout facility, lounge, rehab rooms, and TV studio. It also has a 44 room hotel for the player's and coach's guests, which is where I am staying. The room is VERY nice, much nicer obviously than that in Cairo. I am also quite happy I will be able to workout again, starting to feel kinda sluggish!

Off to watch the club team practice here, then get some dinner. I am quite tired from the flight, may turn in early tonight. The clinic here starts tomorrow...

Ron