September 26, 2013

"Fried Chicken, People-Watching, and Professional Clappers"

Dear Reader,

Earlier this evening, my dad and I decided to go to KFC for dinner. So, we grabbed some dirhams (money) and left the hotel. The weather outside was wonderful and consequently, our walk to Colonel Sanders' joint was really pleasant. We strolled inside and waited in line with a bunch of people from all over the world who had one thing in common.......a love for fried pollo.

Pops and I ordered our finger-lickin' chicken and sat down on bar stools that faced towards the street. As we ate our food, we stared out the window at all of the folks that were enjoying the cool night-time breeze. You've never people-watched until you've people-watched in Abu Dhabi. We saw pretty much every ethnicity that exists on the planet. In like....15 minutes.

We finished up our artery-cloggers and headed out the door. While taking the long way back to the hotel, we saw a Baskin-Robbins.....and two ice cream cones later, we hit the streets again. Eventually, we reached the front of the hotel. But something was different. I heard a bagpipe.

My dad and I walked through the front doors and encountered a cr-......well...........

This.


........Apparently, there was a wedding going on at our hotel tonight. At any rate, the people they hired to clap really loud for them were hardcore. We skirted the crowd and got into the elevator. After dropping off some stuff in the hotel room, I decided to go back downstairs to check out the party, but this time, I went to the mezzanine just above the lobby. While I waited for the elevator, I could hear the party, nine stories below me. Eventually, one freed up and I made it to the mezzanine. I walked around to get a good view of the happy couple and I shot this video. 



As you can see at the end of the clip, the professional chanters finished their party-tune and all of the wedding guests headed for the elevators........and so did I. Even though I power-walked, I almost missed the only open elevator on the floor. Luckily, two women in burqas held the elevator for me. I pressed "9", but the elevator lurched downwards and I quickly found myself on the ground floor........

A minute later, I was riding in an elevator  FULL of the wedding guests. (...and somebody was wearing too much cologne.) All of them got off on the banquet level and I was left alone to ride up to "9".  I grinned like an idiot all the way up. 

Just another Thursday evening in Abu Dhabi. :) NM



2 comments:

  1. Don't mind the comment about the camera, mate. The post is interesting, and your writing engaging. I'm looking forward to reading more, Nick.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Interesting life. Keep writing, man!

    ReplyDelete