I awoke this morning to find Abu Dhabi transformed. By the break of dawn, the city was beautiful beyond comprehension, the type of beauty that makes no sense, yet arrests all the senses: the type of beauty that makes you forget to breath.
The Corniche was redolent with the fragrance of flowers, with whole battalions of blossom that had appeared, as if from nowhere. Abu Dhabi had become the rallying point for the "million-plant march". The campaign cause? More beauty in the world. In full bloom, the flowers projected their intense nature-defying colours: violent pinks andunearthly purples vied for my attention. The colour contrast with the turquoise Gulf and the powder-blue sky was stark, but Abu Dhabi somehow managed to pull it off.
Even the number of tree species seemed more numerous. According to one source, the UAE is home to 37 species of date palm alone. This verdant heterogeneity was brilliantly balanced. The trees lined the streets in near-perfect symmetry, speaking of the care and attention that had been lavished on them. In keeping with the symmetry motif, many of the trees had been dextrously pruned, and now sported perfectly symmetrical foliage; squares, circles and rhomboids all casting beautiful shadows. Everywhere there was green, the colour of life, an ubiquitous celebration of the city's fecundity.
Elsewhere, a fountain played mother nature's primordial tune, Running Water in B Minor. The piece was accompanied by a virtuoso wind on the date palms. The sea too provided a gentle background track as waves beat a steady rhythm on the shore. Turquoise and gold melded as if in some eternal jewellery-making process. By now, the sun was rising above the horizon, taking a first peek in the Gulf's reflective surface. It liked what it saw, smiled, shone brightly, and warmed the waters.
By now, the sceptic in me had awoken and I was on the lookout for blemishes. I scanned the streets and beaches for litter, but found none. I recalled a day or so earlier I had seen an army of school kids on the beach competitively scouring the sands for anything even remotely resembling garbage. Combine their boisterous efforts with the regular army of cleaners, and that would explain the noticeable absence of litter. My inner sceptic was silenced.
Then, my inner psychologist piped up suggesting that perhaps the change was in me. Perhaps the city had been this beautiful all along, and I had just hitherto failed to truly notice and appreciate it. Maybe I was experiencing the positive, highly-functional equivalent of a psychological disorder. We have no word for this in English - one never hears of someone going sane, and for most of us, health is simply the absence of illness.
The key symptom of my hypothetical "psychological wellness" would have to be hyper-hedonia, a heightened ability to experience pleasurable stimuli. I have also developed what psychologists call a propensity for savouring. That is, dwelling on past and present pleasurable experiences, and pleasurably anticipating future ones.
But if I do have a "psychological wellness", what has caused it? Perhaps it's seasonal: in the same way seasonal affective disorder (SAD) often gives rise to wintertime depression, maybe my psychological wellness is associated with the springtime. I hope not, as it would be great to hold onto these newly discovered appreciative abilities all year round.
Since appreciation is the midwife of thankfulness, I would like to thank the gardeners of Abu Dhabi, the street cleaners, the school kid volunteers and their teachers, the decision-makers and their teams who deem the floral beautification of the city worthwhile, and all of those involved in the broader greenification and afforestation programmes.
This work I know goes back to the late Sheikh Zayed, the first head of state to receive the "Gold Panda Award" - the foremost international accolade for conservation. He is the man who the record-breaking horticulturist Bernard Lavery also described as "the man who tamed the desert".
For me, Abu Dhabi is presently the most beautiful city on the planet. But then again, I might just be benefiting from a serious case of psychological wellness.
Justin Thomas is an assistant professor of pyschology at Zayed University
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
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if you go
The flights
Emirates have direct flights from Dubai to Glasgow from Dh3,115. Alternatively, if you want to see a bit of Edinburgh first, then you can fly there direct with Etihad from Abu Dhabi.
The hotel
Located in the heart of Mackintosh's Glasgow, the Dakota Deluxe is perhaps the most refined hotel anywhere in the city. Doubles from Dh850
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Events and tours
There are various Mackintosh specific events throughout 2018 – for more details and to see a map of his surviving designs see glasgowmackintosh.com
For walking tours focussing on the Glasgow Style, see the website of the Glasgow School of Art.
More information
For ideas on planning a trip to Scotland, visit www.visitscotland.com
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The biog
Name: Sarah Al Senaani
Age: 35
Martial status: Married with three children - aged 8, 6 and 2
Education: Masters of arts in cultural communication and tourism
Favourite movie: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
Favourite hobbies: Art and horseback ridding
Occupation: Communication specialist at a government agency and the owner of Atelier
Favourite cuisine: Definitely Emirati - harees is my favourite dish
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
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APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Youth YouTuber Programme
The programme will be presented over two weeks and will cover the following topics:
- Learning, scripting, storytelling and basic shots
- Master on-camera presence and advanced script writing
- Beating the algorithm and reaching your core audience
Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
Napoleon
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THE 12 BREAKAWAY CLUBS
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
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'Brazen'
Director: Monika Mitchell
Starring: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Colleen Wheeler
Rating: 3/5