And what did you do at the weekend?
Just an average weekend in the Emirates
Thursday was the anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, Scotland’s most famous poet and the occasion of Suppers in his name being held around the world. Scots at home and abroad gather in significant numbers to observe a number of rituals, recitations of popular works, set piece performances, spontaneous ribaldry and the overconsumption of Scotland’s first national drink. All of which we duly did.
Friday was utterly different, and after a late, uncertain start developed into a rather grand day out. Went shopping, bought duka in Lebanon, played drums in Senegal, admired carpets in Afghanistan, tasted honey in Syria and purchased great lumps of Frankincense from Yemen. Of all the countries we visited, the least advantaged are the most fun, with genuine warmth and welcome, real humour and delight in sharing. Global village, despite its awful access and tawdry performance by some nations who should know better (hang your heads in shame, UK and Italy), remains an uplifting and enthralling experience, and I would heartily recommend it.
And so to Saturday, and another jolly if unexpected jaunt, to the Al Ain Airshow. And what a spectacle that turned out to be. We drove up at lunchtime (a surprisingly long way), found one tiny sign to the Airshow and followed the rest of the traffic. As with Global Village, early arrival is absolutely the key to enjoying the event. We parked easily and close the the entrance, bought inexpensive entrance tickets, were cleared through careful but courteous security and onto the Show itself. A collection of mostly worthy but dull displays by various educational establishments, various aircraft which one could climb all over (or not!) and a couple of other attractions. The Russia Space Museum was a huge disappointment – a few tatty space suits hung around the perimeter of a large tent, unexplained random photos, some bits and pieces of ‘50s and ‘60s paraphernalia with untranslated Russian captions. Never realized space could be so small and grubby.
However, the real action was in sky, and what action it was. When we arrived, it was individual aerobatic display pilots performing both mandatory and freestyle routines, most of which seemed to defy the laws of physics. Single wing, single prop stunt planes doing crazy things only feet above our heads. And it just kept getting better.
Jim Leroy in his Pitt Special biplane is definitely several sandwiches short of a picnic. Amazing skill. I have never seen a plane flying sideways a few feet from the ground, but he managed it. Repeatedly. A sort of controlled crash that didn’t end in disaster.
And then we got into the big stuff. Not one but four international air force formation flying teams – Jordan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and finally Russia, each more spectacular than the last, and all magnificently impressive. The sight (and sound) of six MiGs in close formation flying near enough to see the pilots is one I will long remember. And I’ll put the pictures up when I figure out how…
Figured!
Thursday was the anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, Scotland’s most famous poet and the occasion of Suppers in his name being held around the world. Scots at home and abroad gather in significant numbers to observe a number of rituals, recitations of popular works, set piece performances, spontaneous ribaldry and the overconsumption of Scotland’s first national drink. All of which we duly did.
Friday was utterly different, and after a late, uncertain start developed into a rather grand day out. Went shopping, bought duka in Lebanon, played drums in Senegal, admired carpets in Afghanistan, tasted honey in Syria and purchased great lumps of Frankincense from Yemen. Of all the countries we visited, the least advantaged are the most fun, with genuine warmth and welcome, real humour and delight in sharing. Global village, despite its awful access and tawdry performance by some nations who should know better (hang your heads in shame, UK and Italy), remains an uplifting and enthralling experience, and I would heartily recommend it.
And so to Saturday, and another jolly if unexpected jaunt, to the Al Ain Airshow. And what a spectacle that turned out to be. We drove up at lunchtime (a surprisingly long way), found one tiny sign to the Airshow and followed the rest of the traffic. As with Global Village, early arrival is absolutely the key to enjoying the event. We parked easily and close the the entrance, bought inexpensive entrance tickets, were cleared through careful but courteous security and onto the Show itself. A collection of mostly worthy but dull displays by various educational establishments, various aircraft which one could climb all over (or not!) and a couple of other attractions. The Russia Space Museum was a huge disappointment – a few tatty space suits hung around the perimeter of a large tent, unexplained random photos, some bits and pieces of ‘50s and ‘60s paraphernalia with untranslated Russian captions. Never realized space could be so small and grubby.
However, the real action was in sky, and what action it was. When we arrived, it was individual aerobatic display pilots performing both mandatory and freestyle routines, most of which seemed to defy the laws of physics. Single wing, single prop stunt planes doing crazy things only feet above our heads. And it just kept getting better.
Jim Leroy in his Pitt Special biplane is definitely several sandwiches short of a picnic. Amazing skill. I have never seen a plane flying sideways a few feet from the ground, but he managed it. Repeatedly. A sort of controlled crash that didn’t end in disaster.
And then we got into the big stuff. Not one but four international air force formation flying teams – Jordan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and finally Russia, each more spectacular than the last, and all magnificently impressive. The sight (and sound) of six MiGs in close formation flying near enough to see the pilots is one I will long remember. And I’ll put the pictures up when I figure out how…
Figured!
Labels: frankincense and migs, whisky
posted by EyeOnDubai at 10:58 pm
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