Broke and on a budget I find myself sitting in the Emirates Palace Hotel Auditorium awaiting the beginning of the ballet.
Arriving at the sumptuous palace grounds in my new car I just had to try out the valet parking. After all, I now have a car worthy of sitting up there with all those others (or in my mind anyway!). I probably won’t be able to afford to retrieve the car after the show but who cares?
So no ‘self-park’ for me. The only downside was that I was alone and there was no-one there to witness my arrival at the front doors. Oh well! That’s life.
Suitably attired - what does one wear to the ballet? - I stroll through the palace with my valet ticket in hand. One could get used to being acknowledged by all these men in uniform or smart suits.
But back to the reason for my visit. Why am I here? To fulfill another bucket list item - see Swan Lake performed by the Moscow Ballet. I bought tickets on Groupon, my best friend for deals.
Our cheap seats are in the balcony and first come, first served, so I arrive early. Doors open at 6pm for a 7pm start. I should have taxied then I could of had a glass of wine but opted for a 20 dirham lemonade instead, wishing I hadn’t when I found out I couldn’t take the drink in so had to drink it quickly.
Not being much of a socialite, I wasn’t sure what to wear. Furs (as in Russia) were out so I opted for a smart long dress worn with a short black jacket with a black Dolce & Cabana (or is it Dior) scarf. I’m still not brand name savvy, a crime in this country. The dress code in the cheaper seats alongside me is more casual but lots are dressed up to the nines downstairs. The majority of women are wearing short dresses - mainly LBD’s (little black dresses).
While choosing my seat on the balcony a fight nearly erupts behind me. It might be first come, first served, but two ladies are arguing about who ‘saved’ the seat between them first. As it’s first come, first served, neither should have!
So now I’m in the front row of the balcony - reminds me of when we had our sisters weekend in Auckland and went to Mama Mia. After being in my seat waiting for half an hour I realise the seat isn’t the most comfortable as it’s really just a well upholstered kitchen chair. Should have opted for the row behind with the large armchair type seating. Another issue is that there is no space to get out so I had to inelegantly stand on my chair and step over the back of it onto the walkway. On either side I’m flanked by young girls all dressed up in with I consider to be very old-fashioned clothes. The family on my left all have big bows in their hair and very dowdy dresses. They look like they’ve stepped out of the ‘80s or some other era.
MAGICAL! The only word I can use to describe the ballet. When 22 dancers took the floor in their snowy white tutus, sparkling under the lights, I could only stare in spellbound wonder. Now I understand what the attraction is towards learning ballet. Thoughts of my younger sister kept entering my head and I wished she could be here with me tonight experiencing this visually spectacular performance. Not knowing much about ballet etiquette I clapped vigorously whenever a solo performance finished. However, it was the group of swans that took my breath away with their synchronized movements and what must have been painful positions that they maintained for some time.
I am always overawed by the interior of the Palace Hotel. I don’t think I will ever tire of visiting there and my first visit to the auditorium was no exception with it's lavish decoration.
3 hours and 4 acts later the performance ended and I phoned the number on my valet ticket to order my car, thinking that way it would be ready by the time I arrived back at the front doors.
As we were down two flights of stairs the escalator was crowded with people all trying to leave. I opted for the four sets of stairs, which I’d just walked down on the other side to get down from the balcony to this floor to go back up. So it was slow going as even the stairs were crowded.
On arriving back up on the ground floor I am amazed at how many people, including local Emirate men, are out having a coffee or drink. The place is crowded and only gets worse as I make my way to the front doors.
Eagerly I scan the vehicles to see if mine has arrived. The crowd surges each time a car arrives. The locals get their 4WDs first - all white! The valet boss man seems to be driving them so I’m sure there is some system here. I’m about last to get mine - and I’m still unsure of how much to tip. I scan the crowd to see what notes others are holding in their hands and see a variety. Never sure if there is a set fee I have 20 dirhams in 5's (which looks cheap) and a 50 dirham note in the other hand.
Finally my car arrives and is parked over the other side so I am able to discretely ask the driver if there is a set charge - no it’s free madam! So I give him the fist full of fives and he politely says no need madam but takes it anyway. Reminder to self - always have a 10 or 20 for valet parking. I usually pay 10 dirhams at our training hotel but see many others only giving 5 dirhams ($1.70). Hardly worth standing out all day in the heat to park my car. Then you get the locals who probably tip 100 dirhams so no wonder their cars are parked outside on display and come up so quickly.
All in all a great night out at the ballet. Tops off a great week which started with a fabulous massage downstairs and a facial - another Groupon special.
Then tonight I’m off to visit my friends who have just had a baby boy this week, 3 weeks early. I’ve made a plate of pikelets to take up.
And did I mention the weather? It’s fabulous here at the moment and I’ve been out walking most days or nights. We even had a bit of a storm yesterday (lucky I was still down in the playground talking to my friend & hadn’t started my walk) which started as a sand storm but I wonder if it was the tail end of the typhoon as once it cleared even the big barriers around the road outside had collapsed. It’s incredible watching the power of the wind from 28 floors up.
I wonder what this week will bring?
Arriving at the sumptuous palace grounds in my new car I just had to try out the valet parking. After all, I now have a car worthy of sitting up there with all those others (or in my mind anyway!). I probably won’t be able to afford to retrieve the car after the show but who cares?
So no ‘self-park’ for me. The only downside was that I was alone and there was no-one there to witness my arrival at the front doors. Oh well! That’s life.
Suitably attired - what does one wear to the ballet? - I stroll through the palace with my valet ticket in hand. One could get used to being acknowledged by all these men in uniform or smart suits.
But back to the reason for my visit. Why am I here? To fulfill another bucket list item - see Swan Lake performed by the Moscow Ballet. I bought tickets on Groupon, my best friend for deals.
Our cheap seats are in the balcony and first come, first served, so I arrive early. Doors open at 6pm for a 7pm start. I should have taxied then I could of had a glass of wine but opted for a 20 dirham lemonade instead, wishing I hadn’t when I found out I couldn’t take the drink in so had to drink it quickly.
Not being much of a socialite, I wasn’t sure what to wear. Furs (as in Russia) were out so I opted for a smart long dress worn with a short black jacket with a black Dolce & Cabana (or is it Dior) scarf. I’m still not brand name savvy, a crime in this country. The dress code in the cheaper seats alongside me is more casual but lots are dressed up to the nines downstairs. The majority of women are wearing short dresses - mainly LBD’s (little black dresses).
While choosing my seat on the balcony a fight nearly erupts behind me. It might be first come, first served, but two ladies are arguing about who ‘saved’ the seat between them first. As it’s first come, first served, neither should have!
So now I’m in the front row of the balcony - reminds me of when we had our sisters weekend in Auckland and went to Mama Mia. After being in my seat waiting for half an hour I realise the seat isn’t the most comfortable as it’s really just a well upholstered kitchen chair. Should have opted for the row behind with the large armchair type seating. Another issue is that there is no space to get out so I had to inelegantly stand on my chair and step over the back of it onto the walkway. On either side I’m flanked by young girls all dressed up in with I consider to be very old-fashioned clothes. The family on my left all have big bows in their hair and very dowdy dresses. They look like they’ve stepped out of the ‘80s or some other era.
MAGICAL! The only word I can use to describe the ballet. When 22 dancers took the floor in their snowy white tutus, sparkling under the lights, I could only stare in spellbound wonder. Now I understand what the attraction is towards learning ballet. Thoughts of my younger sister kept entering my head and I wished she could be here with me tonight experiencing this visually spectacular performance. Not knowing much about ballet etiquette I clapped vigorously whenever a solo performance finished. However, it was the group of swans that took my breath away with their synchronized movements and what must have been painful positions that they maintained for some time.
3 hours and 4 acts later the performance ended and I phoned the number on my valet ticket to order my car, thinking that way it would be ready by the time I arrived back at the front doors.
As we were down two flights of stairs the escalator was crowded with people all trying to leave. I opted for the four sets of stairs, which I’d just walked down on the other side to get down from the balcony to this floor to go back up. So it was slow going as even the stairs were crowded.
On arriving back up on the ground floor I am amazed at how many people, including local Emirate men, are out having a coffee or drink. The place is crowded and only gets worse as I make my way to the front doors.
Eagerly I scan the vehicles to see if mine has arrived. The crowd surges each time a car arrives. The locals get their 4WDs first - all white! The valet boss man seems to be driving them so I’m sure there is some system here. I’m about last to get mine - and I’m still unsure of how much to tip. I scan the crowd to see what notes others are holding in their hands and see a variety. Never sure if there is a set fee I have 20 dirhams in 5's (which looks cheap) and a 50 dirham note in the other hand.
Finally my car arrives and is parked over the other side so I am able to discretely ask the driver if there is a set charge - no it’s free madam! So I give him the fist full of fives and he politely says no need madam but takes it anyway. Reminder to self - always have a 10 or 20 for valet parking. I usually pay 10 dirhams at our training hotel but see many others only giving 5 dirhams ($1.70). Hardly worth standing out all day in the heat to park my car. Then you get the locals who probably tip 100 dirhams so no wonder their cars are parked outside on display and come up so quickly.
All in all a great night out at the ballet. Tops off a great week which started with a fabulous massage downstairs and a facial - another Groupon special.
Then tonight I’m off to visit my friends who have just had a baby boy this week, 3 weeks early. I’ve made a plate of pikelets to take up.
And did I mention the weather? It’s fabulous here at the moment and I’ve been out walking most days or nights. We even had a bit of a storm yesterday (lucky I was still down in the playground talking to my friend & hadn’t started my walk) which started as a sand storm but I wonder if it was the tail end of the typhoon as once it cleared even the big barriers around the road outside had collapsed. It’s incredible watching the power of the wind from 28 floors up.
I wonder what this week will bring?
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