The moshing Abaya

Recently, Abu Dhabi hosted the 2009 Formula 1 Grand Prix. Until a few months ago I would have had no idea what that meant. But thanks to the money of the host, Abu Dhabi, they made this event a marketing machine. So, it's car racing. A huge deal in the car racing world. AD did what it does best and inflated the event even more by making the FanZone on the Corniche. This was two weeks of activities and events at this site building up to the Grand Prix itself on November 1, all free of charge. Some of the events included a series of car-related films, and lots of live music, with acts such as Myriam Fares, Soul II Soul and Timbaland. We were invited to crash with our awesome friends who live in AD (thanks Kera and McSean!), and check it out.

First our generous friends treated us to amazing authentic Italian food at a restaurant in the Intercontinental Hotel. Richard and I split a pizza and it tasted just like Italy. These floral arrangements were everywhere in the lobby of the Hotel. Yes, check out the tires.

I stayed up way past my bedtime and we walked over to the Corniche at 11:30 pm to see Timbaland. There were thousands of people out and of every nationality and age. We saw so many babies and kids and an elderly woman sitting on a blanket in the middle of a standing/dancing crowd. We saw teens in their concert (slutty) outfits, and Emirati's singing along to every word. My favorite though is captured in the photo below. My gift to you dear reader. This is a shot of a jumping, screaming, hands-in-the-air mosh crowd - and the hand on the far right is attached to a woman in a traditional abaya and head covering. (the bottom photo is with a flash to bring more clarity to what you are seeing.) Wow. Leave it to Hip Hop I guess.

Priceless.