No 145: Arabic House Parties

I have been in Abu Dhabi this week. One of my meetings was with a very senior local who has recently been promoted into a position of significant power and influence. Whilst it would make the following anecdote substantially more newsworthy to include his name I have decided to keep him anonymous. This is partly to protect him from any embarrassment, but mostly it is to ensure that I can return without fear of an unpleasant search at customs.

Our meeting was billed a ‘get-to-know-you’ session and was somewhat akin to speed-dating. I babbled away furiously for 5 minutes hoping that something from the verbal diatribe spilling from my mouth might strike a chord with my new Arabic friend. For reasons that still are not clear to me, the British Royal Family became a key topic. My host recounted how he had once met Prince Philip with a local Head of State. The Prince, displaying an audacity that has become his trademark, enquired of the Head of State ‘So why do you wear that funny white thing on your head?’.

Makes one proud to be British.

Fortunately it was laughed off. The Middle East has a deep respect for elders and at 94 one is pretty much allowed to say whatever one likes. Or at least you are if you are a Prince.

Our conversation moved on from the social ineptitude of British royals (Whooosh - there goes my knighthood) to a story about a house party that the wife of my new Arabic chum had recently thrown. It was a Bedouin themed party and, to create a realistic desert-Nomad vibe they had moved all their carpets into the garden and set up a big tent with burning incense and elaborately coloured cushions. The food and music was designed to faithfully celebrate the ancient Bedouin traditions. I suspect there was even the odd camel and goat adding authenticity.

As the guests arrived my host welcomed them one by one. One lady, displaying a lack of social grace that beggar belief, turned to the host and said ‘Is this really how you still live?’. All credit to my new friend. He looked her squarely in the eyes and replied ‘Why yes. This is exactly how we live’.

Prince Philip would have been so proud.