Mother nature gets her revenge

It was a momentous weekend in the UAE with three huge events.

With the Dubai World Cup on the one hand, and Coldplay performing in Abu Dhabi on the other, all coinciding with Earth Hour, residents were spoiled for choice on Saturday night. But of course - no matter what your choice was - all of them were overshadowed by a rare late-March visitor, Mother Nature and her watering can.

The Emirates Palace Hotel was lit by a backdrop of lightning as Coldplay made their eagerly awaited debut in the Middle East.

But it was the concert that got bloggers' hearts fluttering, making them forget about the rain.

The wonderfully named Things are Shaping up to be Pretty Odd blog (rubbishexpress.wordpress.com) was suitably enthused. A post read: "'If Coldplay ever came to the UAE, I would be there without fail, but they'll never come,' I was utterly shocked to find out they were coming to Abu Dhabi.

"The concert was more than I expected, absolutely brilliant! I got to see my favourite band play live in the rain - which only added to the overall experience.

"One of the best nights of my life! I would re-live it over and over again in a second."

Peter Vegas (petervegas.blogspot.com) went into a great deal more detail about the concert, the rain and the not so eco-friendly performance of garbage bags as makeshift shelters.

He wrote: "Top performance by Coldplay in the grounds of the 7 star Emirates Palace last night."

Surreal lighting

The post on the blog Lost Vegas continues: "Dug the surreal lightning display that went on throughout the gig. Guess it was a way of saying, 'Stuff Earth Hour I don't turn my lights off for no one.' Unfortunately with the lightening came rain.

"I don't mind rain at an outdoor gig especially in the Middle East because it's warm rain. It's warm like the water the hairdresser uses to wash your hair. You know how they hold the little nozzle under their hand till the temperature is just perfect and then they start washing?

"In the Middle East, the rain god does the same thing before he dumps a deluge on you.

"The Coldplay concert was carbon neutral, apparently.

"I guess the thousands of rubbish bags on their way to the landfill today don't count. Great gig from a top band, but the sound seemed a bit crap for a while.

"There was this staticky hiss in the air. Then I realised it was the sound of hundreds of rubbish bag wearing plonkers rustling in time to the songs."

Another Blogosphere celebrity non-exclusive (coldplay.com/newsdetail.php?id=367) comes from the concert as the band (who Twitter and blog their little green hearts out) left their roadie to muse over the visit to Abu Dhabi.

"After a couple of hours in a van, we arrive at easily the most insane hotel I have ever stayed in. The Emirates Palace. I remark that my first touring days were spent staying in Travelodges, three to a room (and the guitarist drove the van...). How things have changed.

"We have a day off before our show here. I think at first that this is to allow us to recover from the travel and adjust to the time difference.

"It would appear though, that it's simply to allow us the time required to walk from our rooms to the breakfast table.

"In the envelope with the room key, is a map of the hotel, which rather than a gimmick is a complete necessity. This place is utterly bonkers. It's all impossibly long marble corridors, fountains, gold leaf detail and chandeliers the size of small villages."

Moving on to the Dubai World Cup. Or, maybe not.

Perhaps the nation's bloggers were still wringing out their designer frocks and shoes, but there was surprisingly little non-horse racing chatter dedicated to the event (which was also blessed with a little spring shower).

So that leaves just Earth Hour.

And while many lauded the attempts to switch off for an hour, most bloggers are a cynical lot.

The Real Nick (some-like-it-not.blogspot.com) is one of a chorus of people who wondered what effect it really had. "There is nothing wrong with the intention of saving energy, nor with actually doing it," he wrote.

"Turn out the lights when you leave a room (unless there is someone else still in it). Don't waste electricity, or water, or fuel - or anything, for that matter.

"But do not, please, pretend that your little futile gesture once a year at 8pm makes even an iota of a difference."

So that's us told them - until next year, my pointless green comrades.