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The Desert Experience


The giant red spaceship looking thing with the Ferrari logo is where I worked for two years. 
Ferrari World is a theme park in Abu Dhabi, an oil rich country that is about an hour drive from Dubai. 
These two Emirates are so filthy rich with their black gold from the ground, they truly know how to make it rain.
Futuristic, luxury, and cultured; they are the most beautiful countries I have been to. 

The best time to be in the United Arab Emirates is during October - March when it feels like spring in Los Angeles. Which is perfecto! Any months outside of that is hot as a devil butthole after three bowl of Thai chillies.  

Muslim religion is the predominate religion in that region and once a year, they have a holy month called Ramadan. During the holy month, part of the tradition is to not consume both liquid and food from sunrise to sunset. Which pretty much translate to no one is eating or drinking water when the sun is up. Everyone is expected to do their part and honor the tradition even if you are not a Muslim. It is frown upon to drink or eat in public during the holy month period. And btw, the start date for Ramadan changes every years. 

So can you guess when I arrived in the Abu Dhabi. (moment of silence)………………………………Mid fkin July!! When the heat is scorching and you literally fry an egg on the hood of your car, and cook a well done steak dinner. The heat over there isn’t like the dry heat in Los Angeles, but a humid heat that makes you sweat like you’re in a hot sauna without the therapeutic benefits. 

To make matter worst, I landed exactly a day after the start of the holy month. In public, during Ramadan, eating and drinking anything is frown upon. So I remember one weekend, I went to the city to explore and I was so thirsty from the crazy heat. I look everywhere and most of the cafes and restaurants were close during the day since no one is eating or drinking anyways. I looked everywhere like a vampire desperately seeking blood. I needed to drink something. My dehydration was getting real bad. I almost wanted to lick the sweat off of my arms. I was real desperate. 

Some how and somewhere, like a mirage in the desert, I spotted a Starbucks.  (Yes they have Starbucks, a lot too.) All the windows has been black out with curtains, so you can’t see inside. I was praying to Jesus, Allah, and Buddha that it is open. I ran to the door, pulled it open and a golden light smack my face as I smile with relief.  “One Venti Matcha green tea frappe pretty please!” 

Frappe in my hand, as I pull my mouth toward the straw, one of the staff nicely told me that I can’t drink it in public. I was like seriously!? WTF. 

So I went to the bathroom and enter one of the stall and drank my damn Matcha green tea frappe (before I pass out).
The experience of drinking Starbuck in a bathroom stall was checked off my bucket list. 

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