UAE | Embassy Receptions: Qatar's National Day 2011

President of UAE (L) and Emir of Qatar

The 18th December is Qatar's National Day and I attended a reception held by the Qatari Embassy in Abu Dhabi. This year the country celebrates its 40th anniversary just as the UAE.

There were at least several VIP guests (members of the Royal Families, Ministers etc) present.

Arabic Cold Appetisers

When I came to this station, the fish was all gone! Hammour is very popular in the Gulf and often served fried or grilled. It's a white fish, very light and tasty.

A Type of Groper Locally Known As 'Hammour'

I had no idea what hammour looked like and was a bit surprised by the size of it, really.

'Ouzi' is an Arabic Dish of Spiced Rice and Roasted Meats (lamb)

UAE | Embassy Receptions: Bahrain's National Day

Got a Sweet Tooth??

Bahrain celebrates its 40th National Day!

Bahrain is an island nation, only slightly bigger than Singapore.

Dolma, Locally Known As Maḥshi

In Turkey or Greece it is called "dolma". It's a cold appetiser of stuffed or rolled veggies with a touch of sourness.

Not Surprisingly, the Majority of the Guests Were Male...

Compared to the Saudi or Omani receptions, I must say there were relatively more female guests attending.

Emiratis represent less than 20% of the entire population of the UAE, so it's quite unusual to be surrounded by so many Arab men!

Head of a Roasted Lamb... Look at the Teeth and the Gums... Ow!

President of UAE (L) and Bahrain's King Hamad Al-Khalifa