APR. 8th -- ABU DHABI, UAE (United Arab Emirates)

FYI -- Temperature is: 88°F/31°C 😎🌤

We arrive in Abu Dhabi, UAE at 2:00 PM today.
Abu Dhabi has a population of about 2.7 million people and is the world's richest city.

We do not have an excursion until 6:30 tonight...it is an excursion exclusively for the World Cruisers and it is called "Essence of Arabia".
Here is the layout of the evening...

We are picked up in a luxury stretch limousine and driven to Yas Hotel Abu Dhabi.  There were a few issues with some of the elderly people with mobility problems...they had trouble getting in and out of the limos.  One gentleman complained "We're 70, not 17!!"

The lineup of limos

Our arrival at Yas Hotel

This is an ultra-modern hotel situated adjacent to the prestigious Formula 1 racetrack.

We sat outside and everything was lit up

Yas Hotel Abu Dhabi (postcard picture)

There is entertainment tonight and we are served a cup of traditional Al-Qahwa, delicious Arabic coffee.  This is a tradition here...when guests arrive in their home, the guests are offered coffee and dates...they are terrific together.  We carry on towards the dining area, walking down a red carpet being strewn with red rose petals as we go by ... and off to either side of the red carpet are Ayala performers doing a "stick dance".  We are then offered wine or beer to drink.

We are dining outside in the Palm Garden and are being served a 3-course dinner.

Our buddies, Carol & Rich

Very excited...can't wait!!

Gavin from Blue Mountain, Collingwood, Ont...in traditional garb

There is entertainment throughout the dinner.
First of all, there is a guy playing a guitar called an "oud".  It is one of the oldest instruments known to man.  It sounded a lot like a Spanish guitar...it was wonderful.  I could have listened to him all night.

The "Oud" player

Next we watched a "Whirling Dervish"...man, could this guy spin.  He whirled around to the music for 15 to 10 minutes non-stop.  Fabulous.

Whirling Dervish

Then, of course, we saw the belly dancer...a wonderful performance.  She interacted with the audience and got some of the women up to dance with her.  She grabbed Carol and Carol, like a good sport, got up and "hoochie-koochied" with her.  Fun.

Eve, the Belly Dancer

I apologize for the quality of these pictures...my camera was not happy with the lighting (my way of saying I couldn't find the right setting).

We are then returned to the ship by limousine.
Great evening!
Tomorrow we are in Dubai.