Shamal, the Night Visitor

There are days when Abu Dhabi doesn't seem that far away from anything. You can choose between Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks, you can hop on the internet, and even follow the US presidential race from CNN. The sun is shining and you can hear "Sweet Home Alabama" over at the Irish bar.

Then there are days like today when you wake up to a sandstorm or shamal, with only the call to prayer to pierce the desert winds. Shamals are winds that blow from the mountains of Kurdistan and northern Iran through the Gulf region. The internet has been spotty the last couple days because of damaged cables coming to the Middle East and India, and it appears that the Superbowl isn't being shown on live TV. On days like this Abu Dhabi feels every bit of its 6,976 miles from Washington.