I was away from my computer and Abu Dhabi this weekend, so I could not really post. It was a nice 24-hr break away from the crazy realities of life these days.
When we were in Bali everyone was keen to organize a monthly get-together when we were all back in the UAE to keep our connections strong. Although their saying this may have been similar to the passing phrases of “we should get together soon” that people often make knowing that it will likely not happen, I attempted to make it happen for this month.
There was a Yoga Tune-Up workshop advertised a couple of months ago that I really wanted to attend. So, I used that as a reason to make a trip to Dubai. I accepted the offer of one of my yogini friends and stayed at hers on Friday night. I arrived around lunch time and we had a slow start, but eventually got to Dubai Mall where one of our yogamates was in a food festival as an executive chef of a rebranding vegan restaurant. It was nice to show support and to see her and her husband briefly. π While my friend and her son did some ice skating I walked around the mall, which is just really an insane place to be. If I had had more time and money, I probably would have shopped or at the very least eaten much more! π
(Vegan restaurant where my friend is the chef)
(Her delicious vegan chocolate orange cake)
(Dinner mostly made by my host but with some help from me π )
In the evening, we got back and made dinner together (or tried) while another yogamate came over for drinks and dinner with her two sons. It was nice to catch up with them and to see people in their own environment.
The next morning (Saturday), we were up bright and early to get to the Surf House to rent Stand Up Paddleboards (SUP) for some paddling and attempts at SUP yoga with the Burj Al Arab as our background. It was a real shame that no one had a camera to take photos. While I have tried SUPing a few times, this was the first time that I actually enjoyed it. Maybe it was the scenery or just knowing what to expect. So, M and I will likely give it a try by the mangroves when the weather is a bit cooler and we are feeling a bit more relaxed in our activities.
Once back from that, I had a little bit of time to relax before heading off to the workshop. I got to see another yogamate there and the workshop was absolutely fantastic. I am a HUGE fan of Yoga Tune-Up balls as they really help to relieve muscle strain and in my less luxurious days, it saves on the lack of spa visits. π
All-in-all, it was a really nice weekend despite being rather busy and not getting to ‘chill’ that much. Who needs to chill every weekend, anyway?! π It is a busy week ahead, but should be good!
-T π
