Last week, I had a chance to walk down City Center in Abu Dhabi. I met the husband near his office after work then we had dinner at a biryani restaurant nearby. I had to get my laptop checked because it stopped charging and instead of driving to the next block where the computer shops were, I asked the husband if we could just walk going there.
It has been a while since we last had a walk like this. Easy, it would have been eight years already. Or nine. My daughter will turn nine in a few months, and we got our car a few months before she was born.
The streets were so familiar yet different. The buildings were the same, but the establishments had changed. The building where I worked for twelve years was where the Abu Dhabi Securities Market was. Now, it's a big thrift shop.
This one below used to be the British brand Next building, then for a while it was H&M. Now, it's also a thrift shop.
Across the street where a university used to be, was also another thrift shop!
Since we were already there, we decided to enter one of the shops to buy house slippers for the kids. :D
The computer shop where we would go was behind these buildings.
This one below is the building where I lived with my friends when we first came to the UAE. Yes, even the establishment at the ground floor has changed, but it still felt very familiar.
At the first floor, at the right side of the building was our flat. I would spend lots of time just staring at the traffic of the busy Electra and Najda Streets from the window.
Indeed, I enjoyed the time walking around Hamdan, Electra, and Najda Streets that time. These are now street names that you would not hear when using Google Maps or Waze, for they have their formal names written on street signs and as recognized by sattelite maps. However, ask anyone who has been living in the city for a while now, and these would be how they would call these streets.
There are now lots of changes that happened around the vicinity that I was able to pay a bit more attention to, unlike when I have to drive around in a car.
See now, I also finally had the chance to take a photo of this small portion of a community Square at the corner of Electra and Najda Streets.
These sitting areas were recently built. I have long wanted to take pictures of this area, but didn't have the chance until now.
Actually, these last two photos were taken from the husband's phone since my phone's battery died on me already.
It was indeed nostalgic walking around. I wish I could have more of these walks. If only my kids could tolerate long walks. LOL.
The following day, I had the chance to come back with the kids albeit in a car already. I had the chance to point to them the buildings that became part of mine and their dad's younger days way before they were born.
"Mommy, how many times have you moved homes here in the UAE?", my eldest asked.
"Oh dear, more than we can count in both my hands!" I replied.
