I was driving by the entrance to the Emergency Room for the hospital that shares a parking lot with our building, Sama Tower. Parked at the entrance was a Rolls Royce. That's something I've never seen before. A Rolls at an emergency room? I bet no one reading this blog has ever seen that. And this isn't even one of the nicer hospitals in Abu Dhabi.
I figured people with Rolls Royces have their own doctors or have their driver drop them off at the ER, but to leave the Rolls parked out front hmm? That's another interesting aspect of life here. There is valet parking almost anywhere you go. Hotels, hospitals, malls, just pull up and give them your car. It's usually free too and you just tip the guys. This is a society that prides itself on customer service and they do it by importing a bunch of very low paid workers from the Phillipines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and other places in the far east.
Speaking of cars, you should see all the nice cars here. It's like the BMW's, Mercedes, Lexus and Porsche dealers have a sale going on year round. About the only time my head turns now is if I see a Maserati or a Rolls, which I still do on occasion. I walk by 4 Porsches on my way from my parking space in the garage to the elevator, which would be 20% of the cars I walk by.
It's crazy, especially given the way drivers are here.
QOB - "If we all threw our problems into a pile and saw everyone else's we'd grab ours back."
Regina Brett
Stay cool,
Wayne
Excellent QOB... I plan to share it with a few friends. It's all about perspective!
ReplyDeleteHas the cultural adjustment been getting a bit easier? I can't imagine how many things you must be adapting to every day - big and small. What a wonderful experience.
The adjustment is getting easier and better. It's just been about giving it time and understanding things around you. I can't force me beliefs or way of doing things on anyone so you learn to adapt. It is still an Arab culture, but also has a large western flavor to it.
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