Monday, March 30, 2009
Last Monday I went to the Emirates Palace again. This time I saw the Bolshoi Ballet perform. It was wonderful. The music was fantastic, the costumes were beautiful and the dancing was spectacular. Here's a YouTube of a Bolshoi Ballet performance:
Labels: Bolshoi
Sunday, March 22, 2009
After attending 2 conferences last week, I was really tired this week, so I wanted a relaxing weekend. I spent Thursday night reading magazines,. surfing the internet and watching TV. On Friday and Saturday I studied all day because I am behind with my new MA course. Some of what I studied was really boring and repetitive - all about management and marketing.
On Saturday evening I went to the Emirates Palace Hotel to see the Opera Gala performed by the Bolshoi Orchestra. It was absolutely wonderful. I enjoyed the opera singing and the music so much. It was fantastic.
Here's one of the opera singers (Jonas Kaufmann) in action in Berlin earlier this year:
Here's the website if you want to read about the music festival: http://www.admafestival.com/index.php
On Saturday evening I went to the Emirates Palace Hotel to see the Opera Gala performed by the Bolshoi Orchestra. It was absolutely wonderful. I enjoyed the opera singing and the music so much. It was fantastic.
Here's one of the opera singers (Jonas Kaufmann) in action in Berlin earlier this year:
Here's the website if you want to read about the music festival: http://www.admafestival.com/index.php
Labels: weekend
Saturday, March 14, 2009
On Thursday morning I drove from Sharjah to Dubai to go to a teaching conference. This is an annual international conference for teachers from the Gulf region. It lasts for 3 days. I always enjoy the conference because I can meet all my friends from different Emirates and also people I know from other Gulf countries. There are always speakers from around the world and lots of presentations about teaching, so I can learn about what teachers are doing in other places and get some new ideas. I gave a presentation on museum websites.
On Thursday evening I went to a big buffet for dinner and ate far too much food! On Friday evening I took a friend of mine from Bahrain on a tour of Dubai. We went to Jumeirah, Atlantis and the Dubai Marina.
I left Dubai late on Saturday afternoon and drove back to Abu Dhabi. I am really exhausted, but I have had a wonderful week!
On Thursday evening I went to a big buffet for dinner and ate far too much food! On Friday evening I took a friend of mine from Bahrain on a tour of Dubai. We went to Jumeirah, Atlantis and the Dubai Marina.
I left Dubai late on Saturday afternoon and drove back to Abu Dhabi. I am really exhausted, but I have had a wonderful week!
Labels: TESOL Arabia Conference
I've had a very exciting week!
I went back to work on Monday after the long weekend and when I was in my last class my supervisor came to find me to tell me that the college wanted me to go to some workshops about museums on Tuesday and Wednesday. I was really surprised! Anyway, before I left the college I got busy and prepared my classes and left notes and worksheets and information for the teachers who had to cover my classes. Then I went home and packed.
The next morning I got up at 5 am and drove to Sharjah. This time I didn't get lost and I got to the Museum of Islamic Civilisation on time. I attended some presentations and then we had a tour of the museum. It has some fantastic exhibits. I must go back there when I have more time. Then we went to the Archaeology Museum. I don't usually find archaeology very interesting, but the museum displays were great - really interesting and easy to understand - and our guide was very well-informed.
The next morning I went to some more workshops and in the afternoon the group went to the Sharjah Art Gallery, so I had the chance to visit the 'Lure of the East' exhibition again. In the evening we went to the new aquarium and that was wonderful. It was much better than Atlantis and we learnt a lot. Soon they are going to open a Maritime Museum next to the Aquarium, so I shall definitely go back and see that. All in all, I had a really amazing time!
I went back to work on Monday after the long weekend and when I was in my last class my supervisor came to find me to tell me that the college wanted me to go to some workshops about museums on Tuesday and Wednesday. I was really surprised! Anyway, before I left the college I got busy and prepared my classes and left notes and worksheets and information for the teachers who had to cover my classes. Then I went home and packed.
The next morning I got up at 5 am and drove to Sharjah. This time I didn't get lost and I got to the Museum of Islamic Civilisation on time. I attended some presentations and then we had a tour of the museum. It has some fantastic exhibits. I must go back there when I have more time. Then we went to the Archaeology Museum. I don't usually find archaeology very interesting, but the museum displays were great - really interesting and easy to understand - and our guide was very well-informed.
The next morning I went to some more workshops and in the afternoon the group went to the Sharjah Art Gallery, so I had the chance to visit the 'Lure of the East' exhibition again. In the evening we went to the new aquarium and that was wonderful. It was much better than Atlantis and we learnt a lot. Soon they are going to open a Maritime Museum next to the Aquarium, so I shall definitely go back and see that. All in all, I had a really amazing time!
Labels: museum conference
I was so happy because last weekend was a 3-day weekend!
On Saturday I decided to go to Sharjah to find some museums. It took me about 2 hours to drive to Sharjah, but when I arrived I got lost and it was nearly 2 MORE hours before I found the heritage area! I wandered around the heritage area which has lots of interesting buildings in the traditional style. I went in the Heritage Museum which had displays about traditional medicine, clothes, stamps and coins. It was very interesting. I also visited a couple of 'baits' which are traditional houses and they contained information, artifacts and old furniture.
Then I found the Sharjah Art Gallery and I went inside to see a famous travelling exhibition called 'Lure of the East'. This is a collection of old paintings of life in the Arab World taken from many famous museums like the Tate Gallery in the UK. It had some beautiful pictures in it. I was really impressed. This is my favourite painting. I really liked this because the detail on the robes in the bottom left corner looked so real. The effects and techniques that the artist used to create the texture of the robes is amazing.Then I drove to Ras Al Khaimah to stay the night with some friends because I was too tired to drive back to Abu Dhabi! We talked for a long time and ordered lots of Indian food to eat for dinner.
The next day, we went to the RAK Museum. This museum also had some interesting displays of traditional life. It also had collections of shells and lots of finds from archaeological sites. They are doing some renovations at the museum so I will go back again next year to see what has changed. After that, we went to the new Rotana Hotel for a snack. It is a beautiful hotel with a fantastic beach. The views from the terrace are breathtaking. Then I had to say goodbye and drive back to Abu Dhabi.Labels: weekend
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
There's a possibility we might get a long weekend this weekend... I really hope we do because 20 weeks without a break is tough.
If we get a long weekend, I'm going to go and visit some museums in Sharjah. I'll perhaps stay with some friends in RAK so then I I won't have to drive to Sharjah and back in a day! I'm also going to study for my course. I also need to prepare my presentation for the TESOL Arabia Conference in Dubai the following weekend. I'm really hoping to find time to do some art and handicrafts, too. Of course, like always, I'm going to go shopping as well! I think it will be a busy weekend.
If we get a long weekend, I'm going to go and visit some museums in Sharjah. I'll perhaps stay with some friends in RAK so then I I won't have to drive to Sharjah and back in a day! I'm also going to study for my course. I also need to prepare my presentation for the TESOL Arabia Conference in Dubai the following weekend. I'm really hoping to find time to do some art and handicrafts, too. Of course, like always, I'm going to go shopping as well! I think it will be a busy weekend.
