All I Need Is This: My Island

I live on Reem Island. When I told my best friend back home I lived on an island, her response was, "Is it a real island, like with water around it?" :) She's cute. Yes, fool, it is a real island, with proper water on all sides. Reem is a relatively new property development in Abu Dhabi. It's a natural island. (We have lots of man-made ones in the Emirates because we're cool like that). Reem is located near the center of the city just off of the main Salaam Street. The location is close to the heart of the city, with really easy access to the highways. It's a great area and I'm really fortunate to live here. To think it was a lucky accident to that got me to this place.

See? Surrounded by water, as promised. Can you see towards the bottom the tall buildings that are connected with the slab on top of them? Then behind those are two cylindrical buildings, one is tall and one is short. These are Sun and Sky Towers. Mine is the shorter one, the Sun Tower.

Reem is off to the side of Abu Dhabi. That reddish area next to it, is like a downtown-ish area. In there is the Tourist Club area, where the remarkable Beach Rotana Hotel is located. Fabulousness.

I like living on this island for a few reasons. Firstly, it's quite quiet here and there's not a ridiculous amount of traffic. We have our fair share of construction, but you honestly wouldn't be able to escape that no matter where you lived in the city...or emirate for that matter. Also, my building is attached to a mall that has everything I need in it, including a Waitrose grocery store. There's nothing like needing one clove of garlic and just going down the elevator to the store, as opposed to having to get in your car and drive to the store to get it. It's brilliant. There's also a pharmacy in the mall, hair salons, restaurants, an espresso bar, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, (my banking institution), and a nail salon.

It's really convenient, and I hope I never have to move again. Unless something else fabulous comes up. :)

My apartment is really nice. Everything in it is new and modern, right down to the key card access door entry. You use a card to open your door like you're in a hotel. Fanciness, I'm telling you. I'm up for it. I've done some decorating around the place. I get bored easily, and I like to change things, so don't be surprised at all, if you visit me and it looks different in here.

This is my tea and breakfast nook. It's perfect for me! And maybe one friend.

A persian rug. Of course.

Turkish lighting.

This is my bookshelf.. I know that it has a minimal amount books, yet it does have a fully functioning shisha pipe on the middle shelf. Haha! What? Don't do that, don't judge me. I have books in other places.... Seriously!

This is my living room and then the view from my living room window.

Below is the podium and the pool area. I love the podium. There's also an amazing gym, whirpool, hottubs, and sauna. And there's a ladies only gym for when you wanna get your modesty on!!! Or for when you just don't have the patience to watch dummies flex their muscles in their tiny shirts in front of the mirror. Because let's be honest. Ain't nobody got time for that.

So, I mentioned there's always construction going on around the island as well as the city. The pictures below are the scene from outside of my bedroom window. They are building something that looks like a hotel with a little beach behind it. (Can't wait for that new beach!!! A beach behind my apartment? Yes, please.) Here in these pictures, you can see how quickly the construction happens. In the first photo, this is how it looked when I first moved in the flat, which was 9 months ago. The second is how it looks now. Amazing.

This is laying of the foundation. Nothing there....

And then, nine months later... what's this I see? A hotel? A new apartment building? I don't know... We'll see. Also notice the carving of the beach going to the right. They've carved out so much space for the water to go into.