Visiting a Shaikha

We had the good fortune to be invited to the home of one of the sheikhas. (A sheikha is the wife of a sheikh.) This woman is married to one of the (19!) sons of the country's ruler. We were told to protect her privacy by not mentioning her name and by not taking photos during our visit. Her home is, not surprisingly, gorgeous--pretty much a palace. Like all Emiratis we have met, she was a gracious and generous hostess. I was struck by how gentle, soft-spoken and even a little shy she seemed.
Overall, it was a lovely visit. However, the four matching Filipino maids were a bit over-the-top. We began our visit by waiting in the sitting room for the sheikha to arrive. Four Filipino maids, who were dressed in identical blue dresses, arrived. They each carried a tray of sweets and each one of them stopped in front of each one of us to take one of the sweets. (Except for one, who carried only linen napkins on her tray.) So that makes three sweeets apiece for us. They left the room, them came back, in a line, and offered each of us a coffee. After that, the sheikha arrived, and we went into a bigger, equally ornate sitting room. A few minutes later, the Filipinos arrived again, this time in identical white outfits. I started to wonder if they were a chorus line and would soon break into song and dance. They continued to bow in front of us with their trays, this time offering each of us three small sandwiches each. This routine continued throughout out visit, with sweets followed by sandwiches, followed by juices, followed by more sweets, followed by coffee and on and on. It was all a bit much. (Have I mentioned that all Emiratis have at least one maid--usually from India, Pakistan, or the Phillipines? )
(Although you are too polite to ask, I'm sure you are wondering about the restroom facilities. They were opulent. It wasn't just one room. It was a suite of private bathrooms clustered around a large room containing many faucets. Not only did she provide the usual soap and towels, but she also provided several varieties of expensive perfume for guests to spray themselves with.)