Settling back in

The Spinneys supermarket branch in Khalidiya is where I often shopped during my earlier Abu Dhabi years. Not only is it well stocked with a wide range of grocery items but it also houses a discreet outlet for beer, wine and spirits. On the first floor there's a bookshop corner where I bought my paperbacks and a Mugg and Bean coffee outlet.  Since I am now housed in one of the villas directly across the street, Spinneys is where I can enjoy my first cappuccino of the day.

 

But the realization that I have in truth been away for three years comes as soon as I walk down to the Corniche. The building on the left in the photo below was still under construction when I left and the towers in the distance were still just ideas on the drawing board.

From the office... where my desk is the one I previously occupied... the view is of a lively Formula One Fan Zone. Last night it was crowded as hundreds watched the Grand Prix in Sao Paolo, the outcome of which means that the championship will be decided next weekend.... here in the Sandlands. A more dramatic climax of the season is hard to imagine!