Summer smorgasbord

Stay in the UAE and take advantage of this season, because summer has never been so full of promise.

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'Too much of a good thing is wonderful," the Hollywood actress Mae West once said. But not sunshine: an overdose of it can have an opposite effect, which is why most of us don't enjoy the summer in the UAE. It forces us to either remain trapped indoors or to escape to cooler climes elsewhere in the world.

But anyone planning a “staycation” this summer need not despair because this season has never been so full of promise. As The National’s Arts & Life section reports today, the capital is hosting more than 50 international concerts and performances – from Cinderella by the Royal Moscow Ballet to magic shows by the world-renowned illusionist and endurance artist David Blaine – between June 5 and August 1.

The range goes much wider than that, with other events catering to the wishes of everyone from sports enthusiasts to history buffs. It’s no surprise then that an increasing number of residents and visitors are opting to spend time here even in the midst of the hottest part of the year.

All this makes it worth the effort of venturing outside the air conditioning of our homes. Take advantage of the carnival and you might just realise that summer doesn’t seem as dreadful as it used to be only a few years ago.