Dubloggin' Diva

Valentine's Weekend in Oman

2009-02-18T17:43:00.019+04:00

We hopped in the car Thursday after school to head to the country of Oman for the weekend. It is about a 4 hour drive to the capital, Muscat. A client of Steve's offered us his yacht and staff for the day.

The kids ready to go....

and Drew (using monkey as a pillow) lasted about 30 minutes before he was out!

Getting to the border...

There are several checkpoints, one of which is getting your car searched by soldiers in purple camo.
We had to stop at the Customs building to get a visit visa and car insurance to drive in Oman. All of the extra stops added about 2 more hours to the trip.

Steve booked us in what was called a "quaint" hotel recommended on Trip Advisor. Now we have stayed in "quaint" in the south of France, "quaint" in Oman means something else entirely. We pulled in about 1130pm and our room was on the 4th floor (and no elevator). I cant even describe the room so just look at the picture. We had a wall unit air conditioner...
and a tv that had VHF/UHF knobs (not kidding).

It was too late to go look for another one so I slept in my clothes (took a xanax :), not a great way to start the weekend. After getting up and showering in the slow trickle (at least it was hot water), we checked out and went on the hunt for another one. All we could do was laugh about it at this point. Oman is a very expensive country and the hotels run one end of the spectrum to the other. It got really comical when we got to the 4th one and Steve came out to say it was fine, but as we were about to unload, a very loud airplane flew over...no kidding it was in the flight path of the airport-of all things!!!

We eventually checked in to the Crowne Plaza on the coastline. It was much nicer (not that it was going to be hard to beat the other ones).
Because of the previous day's sandstorm the water was too choppy on Friday so we spent the day shopping and hanging around the pool. We went to the famous Mutrah souq where silver is cheap, and you can do some serious bargaining.

Drew was insistent on having a local outfit-and boy was he proud of it...and here he is pictured with the goods we bought.
The Sultan of Oman's "small" water craft (yes, the white cruise ship)!!
Back at the hotel, we walked down to the beach area to hunt for shells and found several caves.

The kids enjoying the pool,

while Steve and I sipped on margaritas watching the sun set.
On Saturday (after the kids and Steve woke up to their Valentine chocolates and candy) we were picked up by a driver and taken to the Marina.

The captain, Ramces, showed us around "M\Y Sharifa" (this is just one of five of Mr. Mohammed's boats)....
Sleeps 20...
flat screen in every room with surround sound...
and served us tea on gold plated china!

The kids could not get enough of the jet ski and it was powerful enough to pull a tube (Drew turned that down, but we couldnt get him off the jet ski).
We enjoyed a picnic style lunch of turkey sandwiches, fries, fruit and arabic mezza.
The kids and the very nice crew.
And once again Drew did not last long at the end of the day as we headed back to shore!

Oman has several old forts still standing.

It also has one of largest mosques, Sultan Quaboos Grand Mosque, that can hold up to 20,000 worshippers, and it is one of very few open to non-muslims.
And like Dubai, large round-abouts, but beautifully landscaped.
We had a great time in Oman. The people there are extremely friendly. And on my 6mo anniversary of being in Dubai made me realize the special opportunities we have (but I still miss home)!!!

Sandstorm

2009-02-18T14:23:00.007+04:00

As we were leaving Dubai on our way to Oman for the weekend we had a sand storm. This wasn't our first but I happened to have my camera on me to take some pics.

The highway alert sign...i.e. "stand outside and get free microdermabrasion"

The sand builds up against the median walls of the highway.

The sand is very fine the further out to the desert you get so it just moves eerily across the road.

From the moment she arrived....

2009-02-18T08:25:00.023+04:00

...it was a whirlwind of activity. Mom arrived on January 22, the kids have been counting down for weeks. She got to land in the new terminal and we had someone meet her and get her through VIP service. Get the tissue ready when you watch the video...

Mom did great adjusting to the different time zone and after unloading her suitcases, one of which was full of gifts for all of us, we showed her around. This is a picture of the plaza level where we live. The kids ride their scooters, etc down here. There is no traffic so it is a great place.There is a lot going on at "The Walk" where we live because it is the Dubai Shopping Festival. Every night they have performances, carnivals, art, and shopping sales going on.

First on the kids to do list was to take Grammy to Ski Dubai...we had snow ball fights, and rode the various rides.
Grammy and kids in front of dragon ice sculpture.Jacob on the snow tubing ride.
SNOW BALL FIGHT!!!Grammy and Drew in the ice sled.Mom will probably kill me for posting this pic, but Jacob insisted she go down the tobaggan ride!Toasting Grammy's visit with hot chocolate.

We took mom to Madinat Jumeirah for a Dhow ride and to do some shopping.
I let the kids skip school to go to Wild Wadi, the weather was great!

We went to Global Village which was supposed to be a display of 15 countries and their goods as well as a carnival. As it turned out, each country pretty much had the same stuff and the carnival was very similar to our state fair. The kids forced mom (who does not like heights) to go on the "largest traveling ferris wheel"!!!

The kids rode bumper cars and flying elephants .
Mom picked up a few goodies here and the spices were beautifully displayed.

Mom experienced several different meals of Indian, Asian, Irish, Brazilian, Lebanese, Malaysian and German (I dont think I cooked once while she was here).
Der Keller is our favorite German restaurant and has the best meat and cheese fondue!!

Another restaurant is called the Fish Basket and you pick the fresh seafood out and tell them grilled or fried.
It is served with traditional Lebanese side dishes of humous, tabouleh, and fresh vegetables. We feasted on lobster tail, red snapper and shrimp.

The Chinese Circus was in town and was an excellent show, we chowed on fish and chips and then of course cotton candy!

Probably mom's favorite activity was the Lily Pond day spa and Caribou Coffee shop at the bottom of our building. We went every day if not twice a day to get massages, pedicures, manicures. It is criminally cheap and it is hard to pass up when it is so convenient.

Of course we went to the beach, where I explained to mom it is like any other...until the camels walk by!!!
On her last night, we took her to our favorite restaurant, Beachcombers, with the best view of the Burj al Arab and it's light show. We dined outside eating a Malaysian buffet.
It was hard to see her go, and we will miss her, but we had a great time and cant wait to see her in June!

World's Richest Running Event

2009-01-16T11:28:00.006+04:00

Only in Dubai....The world's richest running event took place today with a million dollars in prize money plus a one million dollar bonus if the world record is broken! The marathon started at 6:30 am and the famed Ethiopian running legend, Haile Gebrselassie, was primed to break his own world record of 2:03:59!!! This was a chance of a lifetime to watch him run in.

I woke everyone up at the crack of dawn so we could get good seats in the spectator stands (Drew was not pleased)! This is our view every morning out our bedroom window...

The Ethiopian flags and cheering fans were in abundance.

The winning video (well picture, because after 2 days of trying to upload video, I gave up)...he did not break the record but finished in 2:05:29! He was running so fast I could hardly keep the camera on him. Believe it or not, it was pouring down rain and 56 degrees...very unusual for Dubai! And due to the fact that it doesn't rain very often...there wasn't an umbrella to be seen!!

Afterwards, the drowned cold rats went to a cafe for hot chocolate and a warm breakfast!!! Both kids thought it was a neat experience to watch and asked, "Mom, why didn't you run?" ...maybe next year!

Jacob's Bowling Party

2009-01-16T10:57:00.007+04:00

I can't believe I have a 9 yr old!! Where does the time go...Jacob chose to have a bowling party and invite a couple of friends from school. They bowled and played arcade games. The Porter's also came along with Steve's boss, Saeed, and his son, Majid. Majid and Drew enjoy playing together even though he is only 3 yrs old but as big as Drew!

From L to R, Jean (from the Phillipines), Jacob, and Johann (from Sri Lanka)

Drew enjoying the arcade games!

Jacob chose a triple chocolate mousse birthday cake from Cho'coa. This is his new favorite dessert!

Singing Happy Birthday!

Jacob received a RC car, clothes, books and gift certificates to Virgin Megastore. He said it was an awesome day!

AC Milan

2009-01-07T09:11:00.002+04:00

We headed to the big game at The Sevens Stadium for Jacob's 9th birthday (Boy, do I feel old). The weather was a frigid 62 degrees and we were dressed in jeans, long-sleeved shirts with fleece pullovers (except for Steve who had on shorts!) Snacking on hot dogs and steak pies we watched a great game! Everytime Beckham had the ball the crowd went nuts. It was a great experience to see some very famous players. Jacob had a great time and is gearing up for a bowling birthday party this weekend with a few friends from school.

Tidbits...

2009-01-05T19:31:00.004+04:00

(Sunrise out our bedroom window)

OK, so I have finally caught up on blogging. I will try and do better, it is just that the internet service here is not great. I am maintaining sanity but still miss everyone and cant wait to come home. It is nice here but just not the same. We are back to perpetual sunny weather. And they have declared that winter has arrived with temps in the 70's during the day and 60's at night. I did get to see the movie Twilight in gold class seating at the cinema. The seating is over sized leather recliners, you have a full menu of food that is delivered by a waitstaff and they pass out blankets. I did not take pics because I would have looked like an idiot, but it was very nice. We have spent our holidays watching movies (Bedtime Stories was good!) and bowling with friends. Also, we watched the grand opening of the Atlantis on the palm islands. Since we live so high up we had a great view of the fireworks. The entire palm was lit up!! I have a video of this too but I didnt want to wait 2 hrs for it to post. The Dubai Marathon is this month and we are going to go watch the famous Kenyans win it! The Dubai Shopping Festival starts January 15 and there are supposed to be mega sales-woo-hoo!!! Mom arrives on the 22nd and we cant wait to see her and dhow her around. My dad actually got a passport so maybe there is hope yet that he and Paaty will make it out here, too. I hope all is well with everyone and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL THE JANUARY BABIES-Shea, Scott, Jacob, and Lacey!!!

Beckham is hot!!!!

2009-01-05T19:16:00.003+04:00

The soccer team AC Milan does their winter training here...and Beckham is on loan from Galaxy SO we went to an open practice to see all the stars. Our seats were very close to the field.

Too bad Beckham didn't take his shirt off...I took a ton of him but didnt want to bore you.

Ronaldinho is NOT attractive, but he is incredible to watch with the ball!

Little does Jacob know we are presenting him tickets for his birthday to the AC Milan vs Hamburg game which is on January 6th. Pictures to follow...

Holidays in Dubai

2009-01-05T17:41:00.007+04:00

I did not intentionally leave out Thanksgiving pictures, but since that is strictly a US holiday and the kids were in school and Steve was at work; it was pretty much a normal day here. We ended up eating Asian food for dinner. I was not going to attempt to cook a turkey in this kitchen.

Christmas Eve we went to a party at Ross and Rachel's house (not kidding with the "Friends" names). Afterwards we came home and opened presents. The kids said they got everything they wanted...this is due to the fact that family sent me money to get there gifts here. Christmas trees were not in abundance here and due to lack of storage buying a fake was out of the question. So we went to good ol' Ace Hardware and bought poinsettia's, mini trees and stockings.

Christmas morning seeing what Santa brought.... Drew got cars, a tribot, and a Monopoly game...and lots more hot wheels cars!

Jacob got a skateboard, a robo-boa, and a remote control helicopter.

We lounged around Christmas Day and that evening went to the Burj al Arab for Christmas dinner. Gethin, a friend of Steve's, came along too.
The family...behind the tree is a large aquarium.
The Burj was decorated very nicely.

All the gold you see in the hotel is real.

We had a five course meal ( the kids had to eat this too, since there wasnt a kids menu)
I forgot to write down the menu but it all was very good. We even had turkey with cranberry sauce.
Steve and Gethin at the table.

Drew and Jacob did have a different dessert than the adults because the adult version was loaded with brandy. I actually would have rather had theirs...it was a chocolate ball that was filled with chocolate mousse. When they brought it to the table they poured hot caramel sauce on top.

New Year's Eve was very tame. The Sheikh of Dubai ordered a toning down of activities due to the war between Israel and Palestine. We went to Ryan and Catherine's house to eat, play games and have champagne. The kids fell asleep in their sleeping bags and then Catherine and I fell asleep on the couch...she is 5mo pregnant. The guys woke us up around midnight and we headed home.

Water park in December????

2009-01-05T15:27:00.012+04:00

Going to Wild Wadi waterpark in December felt very strange....the temperature was in the low 80's and very comfortable. Everyone was off work and out of school for Eid al Ajha (sp?). We went with friends Catherine, Ryan and their 1 yr old, Calum. We spent the entire day there riding rides and getting a good tan! It is a lot like White Water with a wave pool, kids area, and multiple tubing rides.The kids area backs up to the wave pool.

The concrete is brown to resemble rocks ( a wadi is a rock valley that when it floods fills with water).

Drew is about to get taken out by a wave!!!

You have a great view of the Burj al Arab from the wave pool. Just an FYI, if you are booked a room at the Burj, when you land in Dubai you are picked up at the airport via a helicopter and taken straight there...see the helipad up on top.

A giant waterfall that you can wade through.
Catherine and Calum enjoying the water!

There is a simulated surfing area that Jacob and Ryan braved ( I had a video of this but it wouldnt load)....Jacob also went on the ride that shoots you straight down (he said he would never do it again!)

The next day we headed to Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa. You can pay for a day pass which includes a buffet, access to 4 pools, and of course the beach. It is only 15 minutes from where we live, but it felt like another place. The guys played golf and Catherine and I went to the spa. While there, I decided to get my eyebrows "threaded". The technician uses a piece of thread to pull the hairs out. I am sure there is a video on youtube you could watch...but let me just say after 15 minutes of "threading" I could hardly open my eyes and the tears just kept coming. They say it lasts longer than waxing, but I would rather take the 5 minutes of quick pain!!!

Rain, rain, come our way!!!

2009-01-05T15:21:00.003+04:00

Ok, I know I sound ridiculous asking for rain, but I havent seen it in 3 months and I needed a good grey day! There is only a small "rainy season" here i.e. two weeks of occasional scattered showers. So when the first real rain drops hit I had to take a picture. We actually had a few nights of thundershowers with hail and thunder which is a little strange 38 floors up. The already bad drivers here get much worse due to flooding areas and having no idea how to drive in the rain!!!

Soccer=Football= Amoeba Ball !!!!

2009-01-05T14:30:00.009+04:00

Drew finished his first season at the International Football Academy. He, of course, is the smallest player out there but that doesn't stop him!! They have drills and a game once a week. His coach is actually a pro-baller from the Scotland Premier League. Drew has learned all kinds of new terms for the sport: soccer=football, field=pitch, zero points=nil. At first he had no idea what the new translations were...now he has the hang of it.

The look of determination!

Running in one big group around the field=amoeba ball!!!

GOOOOOAAALLLL!!!!!

On the last session, Drew was the star player and received a cap, then they handed out medals!

October Recap!

2008-11-06T07:50:00.006+04:00

Sorry for not blogging much lately...we have quite living as tourists and finally are settling in to a normal routine. Also, I hate to bore everyone with more sun and sand pictures :). Fall has arrived with mild temps in the 90's! We have yet to see any rain and palm tree leaves really don't change color. Our week is filled with soccer and homework just like home. We had parent-teacher conferences and the kids are doing great...they both just need to work on neatness (BOYS!). Halloween was celebrated with trick or treating and a BBQ, which was lots of fun. We all now have resident visas so we are not illegal aliens anymore (although alien is still debatable). I had an interesting experience at the Iranian Hospital getting my visa medical work. Not that I stood out being a blond but thank goodness Steve was with me because on the TV they were playing an anti-American propaganda video in the waiting room...needless to say a little odd. But the one thing about being a woman over here is you have your own lines for everything, so I got to go ahead of about 35 men. There are even women only lines in the grocery stores!!! Now that visas are done, I can get a drivers license and legally drive my new Murano. I love the beige interior, sand blends nicely! We spend our weekends going to brunch with friends and going to birthday parties. We have another dune bashing trip planned for this weekend and we are less than a month away from heading to India for a wedding (a friend of Steve's from Acxiom).

We attended the newbie course on dune bashing. They learned how to drive in the sand, go down large slip faces and recover each other when stuck!

Standing at the top of a large dune ready to learn to drive down!

The Hummer got stuck only once!!! and Steve gave me whiplash when we hit this dune!!

There were wild camels everywhere!

Jacob is attending the Manchester United Soccer Academy. The coaches have all played nationally and it is an intense 45 minutes of skill drills and then they have scrimmages.

Drew has soccer too and I will post pics soon!

For Halloween we went to a coworkers of Steve's villa. Lars and Andrea hosted a BBQ and really did up Halloween. The kids trick-or-treated around their neighborhood.

Batman and spider ninja!This was one of the other dads dressed up...Drew was a little frightened to get his treat off the table!

The ninja bobbing for apples!

Andrea decorated her garden and the kids racked up the candy!

And here is a beautiful fall sunrise seen from our bedroom window...

Steve's New Ride

2008-10-06T20:39:00.003+04:00

Steve finally got a vehicle!! As is everything else, the process is long and arduous...had to wait for visa, etc but he is thrilled not to be driving a Mitsubishi Lancer ( go ahead and laugh-he and the kids hated it). So he went with a navy H3...he is thrilled. When he got home, he took us on a drive and even let me give it a try (felt like driving a semi). Drew was so excited he fell asleep in about 2 minutes!! They have several 4x4 clubs to learn dunebashing and wadi-ing (dry creek bed off roading). So of course Steve has signed us up for one this Saturday. I'll keep you posted!

The kids enjoyed searching out crooks and crannies!!!

Makin' a run to Barracuda!!

2008-10-05T09:41:00.005+04:00

So we were told of a legal place to purchase adult beverages in the UAE (without a licence). It is a resort (really more of a motel) on the beach about an hour from where we live. They have a restaurant that served pretty good food. But the reason you "make the run to Barracuda" is for the warehouse of alcohol!

Steve of course enjoyed the foreign beers! And they had a large selection of wines sorted by country. I bought several (i.e 3 cases :) bottles of wine! A good assortment of reds and whites.

Russell and Patrick, this one is for you. ABSINTHE!! For the rest of you, who have ever had the pleasure of watching the really good/bad movie "Eurotrip" you know what this is. Absinthe is illegal in the states if sold in the proper form. It is 150 proof , 75% alcohol. It takes like black licorice and is neon green, red or black. YOU DO NOT DRINK IT STRAIGHT!!! You mix with ice cold water and it forms a cloud of smoke...sounds safe, huh? Steve drank about 3/4 cup and said it felt like he had 4 well-made 7 &7's. By the way the price you see is in dirhams not dollars!
Gethin, a friend and coworker, showed us the way and came back with plenty of wine and irish whiskey!

Friday Market and FINALLY...the beach!

2008-10-04T07:25:00.013+04:00

On Friday, we went down to the walk and enjoyed a great breakfast outside at a french cafe. Then we were off on our usual drive and headed to what is known as "Friday Market". It reminded me of border towns, with bartering and harassing sellers.

There are men slicing the tops off of fresh cold coconuts and sticking a straw in them. Jacob really enjoyed it. They also have roasted corn that they pile with salt and spices...delicious!

Beautiful plants, cacti, and trees are also sold and really good prices especially if you act like you are not interested in their first price.

The fresh fruit and vegetables were awesome, too. The different exotic fruits were very colorful!!

We picked up some mangos, fresh sliced coconut, watermelon, and pomegranates! All for less than $5.

Because the weather has finally cooled down to a comfortable 100 degrees we finally took the kids down to the beach. You see the occasional speedo and women in some very skimpy bikinis (some of which should have looked in a mirror before going in public). We went late in the afternoon and the waves were very similar to Gulf Shores, but in the mornings there are usually much bigger waves and people surfing. There are no jelly fish or seaweed but there are a ton of shells and the water is much saltier. It was busier than usual because of the holiday, Eid.

The boys body surfed and played in the sand. I couldnt move after morning bootcamp so I laid out and read a book :).

NOW, what you don't normally see in the States are camels walking down the beach! They offer rides for a price and have nice little dropping bags on so as not to poop on the beach!

This is a picture looking back at the JBR walk where we live.

We ended the evening with another beautiful sunset!

Children's City

2008-10-03T18:54:00.009+04:00

This weekend we took the kids to Children's City during their holiday break. It is a large park with a children's museum and dolphinarium. They had a blast and the dolphin show was great!!!

How do they keep the grass so green..

Drew using his muscles to learn about pulleys!
Jacob propelling a jetmotor of an airplane!

Look mom...I'm magic!!!

The museum had an entire area about the human body (not my BIG mouth, I swear!)
This is the dolphinarium. They do daily shows with dolphins and seals. They have science summer camps and there is also a restaurant.
There were 3 dolphins...jumping thru hoops, playing basketball and dancing.

Here are the dolphins in action. Jacob said his Aunt Kristin would love this show!!

One dolphin painted a picture that was auctioned off and sold for about $125.

The seals performed very well, too. They danced, twirled hoops, and even sang into a microphone (not the most pleasant noise-sounded like a long burp!)
The kids played volleyball with the dolphins and Jacob got soaked! We finished the day with an excellent spicy Thai dinner. Thanks Grammy!!!

IT'S OVER!!!

2008-09-30T09:36:00.003+04:00

Hallelujah...As-Salāmu `Alaykum...Eid Mubarek!!! Or whatever term of rejoice you choose, the holy month of RAMADAN HAS ENDED!!!! We can eat and drink in public, restaurants will be open! No more hiding in the car to eat or drink! WOO-HOO!!! Can you tell I am a little excited!!!

Pampering...

2008-09-27T13:47:00.005+04:00

I finally treated myself to a little pampering here. I went to a nail spa just down the promenade. I thought I would get a manicure/pedicure. Now I didn't take any pics...would have really looked like a tourist but let me describe. I sat in an over-sized leather chair with a girl at my feet and a girl at my hands, scrubbing, masking, heat packs etc. But they do not have massaging chairs... ANOTHER girl came behind me and held up a towel and asked me to remove my shirt. Now most of you know I am the least modest person but wasnt quite sure what I had gotten myself into. HEAVEN...the girl wrapped a warm towel around my chest and proceeded to massage my neck, shoulders, arms, head, etc for an HOUR while they were doing my nails. No rushing to get me out of here! This has made the hard last few months very worth it...and the fact that it cost about $40 made it even nicer!!! Another must-do when visitors come ;)

Suvaroff

2008-09-27T13:30:00.007+04:00

We went to a new Russian restaurant in our building for dinner, Suvaroff. It serves very traditional food. Steve chose a veal meat pie with potatoes and onions. His drink was called kvas, a bread crumb and raisin pressed drink (sounds appetizing, huh?). The owner said it was meant to taste like beer. Steve liked it enough to have 2 glasses. The boys split a chicken kiev...Drew licked the bone clean! I had a local fish smoked with alder wood, it was delicious. Jacob realized he liked blinis with ice cream (it is like a crepe). Steve and I split a baked apple with floral honey and cedar seeds...very interesting.

Planet Hollywood

2008-09-27T12:50:00.001+04:00

This weekend we took the kids to Planet Hollywood, they have a great americanized Friday brunch. The restaurant provides great activities for children and a great children's buffet! They are sitting in front of Titanic movie memorabilia. Planet Hollywood is next to another huge Dubai mall named Wafi City. It is shaped like a pyramid with an egyptian theme and has scenes of Aladdin throughout.

Dunebashing!!!

2008-09-20T18:12:00.024+04:00

This weekend we played tourists and went on an excursion...dunebashing!!! It was a half day event by Orient Travel called "Desert Wonder". Anybody who decides to come visit, this will be a must to do again. We were picked up at 3pm and returned about 830. Our driver was awesome!! We met up with a fleet of other drivers; mostly land cruisers and one hummer. Each car was filled with 5-6 people. We met a couple from New Jersey and Michigan. In our car, we had a newlywed Asian couple who spoke no English.

Our driver's name was Noufa. When we got to the desert he stopped to take the tire pressure from 42psi to 16psi so it is easier to drive in the sand.
It was a hazy, dusty day...108 degrees.
When we would make turns or slide down a hill, we were sandblasted!!
He drove us up and over big dunes...it felt like roller coaster!

Drew said, "I feel like a bobble-head!"

One car completely lost a tire off the rim and had to put a new one on. It was probably a good thing we stopped because the lady in the turquoise shirt was getting extremely car sick.

While we were waiting, the kids wore themselves out climbing the big sand dunes.
We went to a base camp where there was camel riding, henna painting, sand boarding, sheesha smoking, and a desert BBQ.
Jacob had a celtic design put on his arm with henna. It will last about a week.
Drew had a cobra, and I had an Arabic design put on my ankle.
I tried a double grape sheesha...it was ok, not something I would do often. Steve loves it!
Jacob did a great job sand boarding. Drew just tumbled down the hill for fun.
Jacob and I did the camel ride.
We posed in local attire...Amber, this one is for you!! (Thinking about making this our Christmas card:)
Falconry is a big hobby here also.
For the BBQ, there were hamburgers, chicken and lamb chops along with salad, rice and potatoes. The drivers are also the chefs. After sunset they served Arabic sweets, wine, beer and coffee.
We had some very worn out kids on the way home.

WHAT WAS I THINKING!!!!

2008-09-16T07:33:00.003+04:00

Instead of joining a conventional gym here, I decided I would do something "convenient"...a military style bootcamp on the beach. It is put on by a company www.physicaladvantage.ae .
Now I have done the bootcamps at Conway Fitness and they were good, but nothing prepared me for last night! The weather was a mere 100 degrees with 80% humidity (so feels like 108)! I had taken my towel and water and was a little nervous of what I would find. Luckily the mix of people was just right, 30 individuals from Texas to Iceland; boys and girls; old and young. Some had done it before and others were as shell shocked as I. We started with a warm-up (now mind you I was already pouring with sweat and we hadnt even begun), then moved on to "fitness testing". Now sweat and sand just do not mix! After seeing how many situps, push-ups, squats, etc we could do in a minute, I had sand in places where sand shouldn't be!!! Then we moved to the hot black pavement to run a mile (very embarrassed by time, so won't mention it). When the tunnel vision and waves of nausea set in, I had to sit for a minute...for those of you who have ever seen me exercise, my face gets extremely red. Well we moved past red to purple!!! One girl said, "I have met my weightloss goal in sweat alone!"-I knew what she meant. Needless to say I made it home and took an ice cold shower and vowed to return...

Camels, donkeys, goats...oh my!

2008-09-12T20:32:00.005+04:00

Today after lunch, we took our "Sunday Drive" on our Friday. The forecast called for mostly dust and a high of 103. Steve decided to take the scenic route through the Hajar mountains to Fujairah which is on the east coast and borders the Gulf of Oman.
The mountains are not the usual, think moon terrain or above the tree line; barren, desolate and brown.
We saw wild camels eating, mountain goats walking along the road, and almost took out a free roaming donkey!
We passed through an archeological site, Hayl, located in Wadi al-Hayl. It is an area that has ruins that carbon date to 1470a.d. We didnt see actual ruins but we saw the fort that is located on the outcroppings. There are 100's of petroglyphs (engraved pictures) that are thought to date back 1st or 2nd millinneum B.C. Wish we could have seen this, we are going to research more to see about visiting!
The beach has very dark brown sand and small waves.
After returning home, we walked along the plaza where we live, watched a beautiful sunset and ate at Coco's, a metro-cultural restaurant (in other words had every type of food you can imagine)!!

So Happy It's Thursday!!

2008-09-11T09:51:00.004+04:00

Instead of TGIF, S.H.I.T is more appropriate here since it is our version of Friday! We all have colds right now, probably from the adjustment and the neverending dust that is in the air. Tonight we are headed back to the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. When we ate there for Malaysian night, we entered a drawing and won two free dinners! AND THANK GOODNESS STEVE GOT HIS VISA TODAY!!!!!

We have now been here a month....

So here is my list of what I have learned:

Deoderant is still my friend (and needs to be shared with others).
Driving is still scary, but I have quickly learned to honk & ignore signs (like everyone else)
Handwashing dishes sucks!
102 degrees is considered cooler.
How to convert fahrenheit to celsius (almost burned cinnamon rolls).
Mcdonald's fries taste exactly the same:)
Poptarts do not exist in the UAE (dont worry, 16 boxes getting shipped).
38th floor-great for views, scary for earthquakes!
George Forman grill is my new best friend!
And last but not least, I have come to realize that I have done something right in raising the boys...they have yet to comment on the dress differences of various cultures!!

You shook me aaallll night loonngg!!!

2008-09-10T17:27:00.002+04:00

Ok, just a brief note...while I was blogging, felt something a little strange. Thought someone was moving something because the floor was vibrating. It lasted about 30 seconds...apparently a 6.1 earthquake in Iran, and Dubai felt the tremors. Kids didnt notice a thing. Steve was driving and said he felt like he had a flat tire. Now let me remind you that we live on the 38th floor...something to remember!!! Feel free to read about it: http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Environment/10243956.html
FYI...a definite first for all of us!

First Day of School

2008-09-10T17:07:00.005+04:00

Let me preface this post by saying first, get your depends ready to wet your pants, and second, the kids have no idea how bad it really is since everyone else has on the same uniform!!! I pray my children won't hate me when they are older!

...come to find out ties are for special occasions-Thank Goodness!!!!

They are attending the Dubai American Scientific School. It is K-12. Both kids will learn the usual plus arabic and french. The principal is from California. During Ramadan, the kids only go to school from 7:50-12:30. They will usually go until 2:30.

Drew's teacher is from South Africa, Ms. Hendrix. He has 12 kids in his class, two are from the states.

Jacob's teacher is from Russia, Ms. Imai. He has 13 kids, and one is from Ohio.
They have enjoyed their first week!!

Bowling, Camels, and Chuck E. Cheese???

2008-09-07T19:30:00.016+04:00

We finally have internet in our flat...woo-hoo!!!!

Last Thursday night we took the kids to the bowling alley. It was very nice, non-smoking, 24 lanes and had a big arcade area. We ate at the Mugg&Bean Cafe. Steve and I have now considered shipping our bowling balls and shoes (what nerds)!

I had to take a picture of the fresh popcorn machine...you put in about $2 and get a fresh popped box!

We also went to the desert to look for camels-I know, its stereotypical but the kids were dying to see one (although they have seen plenty in a zoo)! After driving east just about to the country of Oman, we saw several. Many are kept in gated areas so they dont run in front of cars. I have hit a deer and caused 3k in damages, cant imagine what a camel would do!

Driving back we saw the Dubai outlet mall...THEY HAD A CHUCK E. CHEESE! The kids were very excited. This one is quite a bit bigger than in the states and has an ice skating rink, bowling,
plus a huge arcade area.

Moving Day #2

2008-09-02T20:44:00.004+04:00

We received some more furniture and the "cooker" today. Now just waiting for fridge and washer/dryer combo...yes, I chose this over dishwasher...just means more manicures for my dishwater hands ;). Still have plenty more to get, but will do in time. The boys got there first haircuts here today. I was a little nervous because Susie was the only person to have cut there hair. Didn't turn out bad at all. They even used gel afterwards!

Our bedroom- we chose a superking size and I went with blue and brown. The dresser is where I will be doing my hair since no plug ins in the bathroom...ugh!Our patio...for those cool comfortable nights.

Our living room...still need rug, lamps, curtains etc....

Dinner table...seats are leather covered and there is a bench on the other side.

The "cooker" and microwave. The oven has a rotisserie in it, too.

Steve wanted to take this picture from our balcony of a "storm/dust" cloud moving in. The weather is supposed to get cooler in the evenings (low 90's) and with a chance of rain (1-2%)...

Since we are moving, internet will be sketchy but I can still receive emails on my phone...

Ramadan Day #1

2008-09-02T08:54:00.004+04:00

Yesterday, was our first day of Ramadan. I waited with the kids in our flat for several deliveries while Steve was at work. Ramadan is the holiday where you fast during sunup hours and break the fast at sundown with Iftar. Most restaurants have buffets to celebrate this. Now during the day you cannot drink, eat, chew gum or smoke in public. This does not apply to children, pregnant women etc. Malls are dead and if the restaurant is open, they have curtains or shades so no one can see you eat. When the workmen were setting up and I was dying of thirst (obviously not really but u get the point). I didnt want to offend anybody so thank goodness they asked for some drinking water so I figured if they were going to it was ok. That night we ate at Finz, meditteranean cuisine, Steve and the boys ate the Iftar buffet and I had grilled fish. We should be completely moved in the next couple of days...
BTW if you have tried to text my phone the last couple of days it is not working, Steve is calling about it! TRACI, Good Luck with your delivery tomorrow and I will be thinking of you!!!!

Boys enjoying their Iftar buffet...Drew had his mouth full, of course!!
Now I ordered what was called the "Petite Trio" of desserts....these were all full size!!!! AND NO I didnt eat it all :)!

For those of you requesting gold, we made the attempt this weekend to go to the famous Gold Souk, after a total of 3 hours driving there and trying to find parking we gave up. We will try again, just not on the weekend!!!

Moving day #1

2008-08-30T09:32:00.005+04:00

Let me start off by saying this process has been quite comical. One tip is to never believe your real estate agent. Let me explain why, when we signed the lease we got one key. There was a locked closet in the kitchen area that he said was laundry. So Steve and I went out and bought the w/d combo, dishwasher, cooktop, and fridge. Now once we got all the keys, and I mean all because every door has a lock, we opened the door....In my state of shock and panic there was a water heater in there. So I frantically start looking around for a place to put a washer and dryer. Now I really liked Laura Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie, but I am not into handwashing clothes. Well apparently, the slot in the kitchen can be for a dishwasher OR w/d combo. Thank goodness!!!! This is our living room.

Here are the views of
the kitchen and eating area. The slot
next to the sink is where the w/d combo will go.

This is the master bedroom, we have a large picture window and that is the only closet space. Quirk #2: I went into the masterbath and find absolutly NO outlets!!! I run to the boys bathroom and half bath...NONE! Ok, I can deal, will just have to do hair in front of dresser mirror.

We had Ikea bring the boys' bunkbeds and dresser along with a few other pieces. One man came to assemble it all and it took about 5 hours...

We were flattening out the rug with light covers. That is sliding doors to the balcony that will stay locked. We have another door from the living area.

This is a view out our balcony, out in the distance are The palm Islands.

This is the marina view from our bedroom. It is really pretty at night with all the lights.
This is a night view looking towards The Palms. It was a little humid so my camera was fogging up.

We are having more stuff delivered Sunday and Monday...will keep you posted and let you know of any more quirks I might find!!!

Ibn Bututta

2008-08-30T09:03:00.005+04:00

The other day while Steve was at work, the boys and I got adventurous and took a cab to the Ibn Bututta Mall. It is much tamer than Mall of the Emirates. This is very close to our flat also.

It is themed around the travels of renowned 14th century Arabian explorer, Ibn Battuta. ... Above is the China Court. The boat in the background was huge.

This is the India court, the elephant is carrying a large clock.

Here is the central food area in the Persia Court. This was beautiful!

This was the egyptian court with a large astrological scope.

They have a ton of stores and a hypermarket (this is what they call grocery stores here). I will probably be going here more often because they also have several nail places :)

Getting ready to move!

2008-08-28T07:24:00.003+04:00

The last few days we have been picking out furniture and appliances for the new apartment! We should be in by the first of next week. Buying furniture was fun, appliances not! The appliances here are extremely small. The washer and dryer are one machine, and the oven is about the size of a lunchbox. Oh well... We did most of our shopping at Ikea and Home Centre. Ikea is a massive place where you walk through looking at furniture and then you go pick it up in the warehouse next door. It is one-stop shopping, everything from live plants and pictures to kitchen cabinets and furniture. It has a supervised playroom for kids and a swedish restaurant. We are having it delivered and assembled today or friday.

The warehouse...Jacob is pushing a cart with our take now buys. The furniture is sorted by aisle and then section.

We had three flat trolleys and our cart...we looked like the bad news bears trying to get all of it to customer service for delivery.

We have just about survived the hottest month of the year. Yesterday it was a mere 115 degrees with 80% humidity...at 9pm!!! Now we start the Muslim holiday, Ramadan, on Sept 2. This will be interesting...no eating and drinking in public (kids dont do this) but when fasting is broken in the evening, there are celebrations. A lot of stores have sales and stay open later.
I will post progress of the move as soon as deliveries start!
Thanks for all the comments and if you want our mailing address, just email me.

Suite life

2008-08-25T09:59:00.004+04:00

Not much going on really...still waiting for Steve's visa. This will allow us to get our UAE driver's license and cars. The boys are mimicking "Suite Life of Zach and Cody" (disney show). We swim on the rooftop, play board games, puzzles and wii. Just an fyi, if anybody wants a "wii fit" they are in abundance over here and it is a fun workout. Steve has been going to the office to learn the ropes. He is treated very well there. In the afternoons, we have been looking at furniture and appliances for the new place.
If the US had near the need for real estate, the economy would have a serious boost. The real estate business here is downright cut throat. We almost lost our JBR apartment because the landlord put a few illegal clauses in it. He has since taken them out and we pick up the key today. Since we thought this had fallen through we were looking at several others. At one villa, we were there with the landord and agent. Another lady walked in and announced she had rented it already. I looked at the landlord and he said, " I havent received a deposit yet so its still up for rent!" We have been in apartments long and they have rented within the hour. Thank goodness the property manager at Steve's work knows what to do.
I hope all is well with everyone and school is going great! We miss everybody! If you have a mic and speakers on your computers sign up for "windows live messenger" or "google talk" and we can talk for free! tasted great too! Nancy mailed us some kettle corn and it took about 9 days, not too bad! The kc still tasted great too! I am ready to live normally and get in a routine; especially cook! Although it has been nice to have someone washing dishes, clothes, and cleaning! Reality will set in soon enough...;)

Jumeirah

2008-08-23T21:13:00.012+04:00

Today we lounged in and then drove around looking at cars, etc. We attempted to attend the Hop Fest at The Irish Village, but the kids werent allowed (too bad, 150 ales left untasted). So we went to Madinat Jumeirah, a souk mall, with 75 stores. Jumeirah is a neighborhood in Dubai.

A souk is a small shop and it is literally a maze of them. Even with Steve's excellent sense of direction we still got turned around.

Drew at a camel trinket booth.

Ther are places to relax like this all over the outside of the "maze".
Jacob and Drew posing in front of an antiques booth.

This is one of the great views from the promenade, with the Burj al Arab in the backdrop.

For fun and to do the touristy thing, we took an "abra" cruise. This is a small boat that they use as transport in venecian style.

Winding down the canals, it is surrounded by a hotel, villas, spa, and restaurants.

This is a great view of the famous Burj al Arab. It is patterned to look like the sail of an abra.

After this we went to the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. This is not far from where we will live. It is a great resort with many restaurants and also connects to Wild Wadi (Dubai's version of Wild River Country).
Here is a champagne cocktail toast to the Conway girls :)!

We were early for dinner, so while we were waiting we introduced the boys to "High Tea". Besides the great tea, we had scones with clotted cream and jam; tea sandwiches of cheese, cucumber, beef, and salmon; as well as, fruit tarts and dessert breads. The boys tasted it all. Drew decided he liked the salmon sandwiches because they "tasted like tuna."
The view from our tea room at sunset.

We ate at the Beachcomber. It was Malaysian night. A huge buffet containing every thing Malaysian, some of which was extremely spicy!

The boys awaiting water. They were very family friendly.

They even had a child size buffet.

This was my plate...Steve and I were unsure of a lot of food, but overall very tasty. The banana leaf roll on the left was my favorite. It was stuffed with a roasted fish in coconut milk.

Here is Steve's...he who likes spicy food drank alot of water during this!
For dessert, we tried a small cup of assorted fruit in coconut milk. This was excellent until at the bottom of the cup there was red kidney beans...not sure what that was about. The boys had dragonfruit with a passionfruit sorbet!

The restaurant had a kids area where they could play video games, color, or watch a movie. This allowed Steve and I to leisurely enjoy our wine :)
Jacob and Drew at the rickshaw outside the restaurant with the Burj in the backdrop.

This is the light show that goes on every night at the Burj. It is really hard to portray how awesome the views were and how huge this thing is.

Fillin' up...and the tallest building in the world!

2008-08-22T21:39:00.005+04:00

To get gas here, first, you wait in a long "queue". And dont be surprised if you get honked at or cut off! There is an attendant for each pump!

Once you get up there, they fill you up with "special" and clean your windows. DONT even think about getting out of your car here to run in to get something. You have to pull up to a parking spot!!

I had to include at least one picture of the Burj Dubai. As Drew will tell you EVERY time we see it, "It's the tallest building in the world!" To date it is over 160 storeys high, but the finishing number has yet to be revealed!

DAD....see they even have an ACE Hardware :)!

Top ten things I have learned the first week.....

2008-08-22T21:25:00.003+04:00

Going to seriously have to learn the metric system.
Rolls Royce, Lamborghinis, and Bentleys really do exist ( I have seen so many, I lost count).
108 degrees is comfortable (with 18% humidity)
Blondes do exist in the UAE.
A "queue" is a waiting line.
Mocktails are your friend.
Customer service in the States have a lot to learn from Dubai-a waiter for every part of your meal: one to pour water, one to serve bread, one to bring food etc...with so many people working I have to think there unemployment rate is way down!
Deoderant is my friend!
Speed limits, lane markers, and turn signals are optional.
AND THE FINAL ONE is DONT DRIVE IN THE LEFT LANE....you might get taken out by someone driving 100mph in cars from #2.

Abu Dhabi

2008-08-22T20:43:00.006+04:00

Today we ventured to Abu Dhabi. This is the capitol of UAE. It is about an hour and twenty minute drive. There is much less construction, but the buildings aren't as tall either. There is alot more green space, too. We drove around and went to the mall. Let me just say the malls here are ridiculously huge and they are open until midnight or one am on the weekends. They all have stores like Gap, H&M, Limited Too as well as local shops. BUT then you have everything from Dior, Tiffany, Calvin Klein, etc. So all you serious shoppers (Traci?) feel free to come visit.

Abu Dhabi's skyline, the water is very blue.

This is a hotel called Emirate's Palace. It is where Prez Bush stays as well as the extremely wealthy.

The boys on the walk with the palace behind them. Notice the green grass...

This is a waterfall at the marina mall In Abu Dhabi. It had different timings set to music.

Some local fashion :)

AND of course, I have to show you the food we had for lunch there. It was at a cafe called La Brioche...french cuisine.

If anybody knows me, I have to start with the desserts....so many I couldnt get them all in the pic!!

Drew enjoyed the french version of a club sandwich...egg, ham, cucumbers, tomatoes, and something we couldnt identify like maybe chicken salad. Whatever it was both kids loved it!

I had the tradional quiche lorraine and salad.

I had the raspberry crumble for dessert ( I have limited us to one dessert a day...and I am doing the treadmill :)

Steve had grilled fish served over "ratatooty" as Drew calls it. He said it was delicious and both kids liked it too.

We found a place to live! and other tidbits....

2008-08-21T17:04:00.013+04:00

So we are going to be living on the 38th floor of Al Murjan tower in Jumeirah Beach Residences! Notice beach as the key word...woo-hoo! I will take pics of the inside when we go back to it. It is a 2bdrm, 21/2 bath (every place has a half bath including our hotel room to keep yours private and get this it has a bidet!!!) with a great view of the gulf and marina. Each tower has their own pool and gym. All the towers have access to green space, kids play area, and private beach. Not to mention the great boutiques and cafes that are on "The Walk".

One of the place on the JBR Walk to eat is called The Noodle Room. It is asian fusion cuisine and is awesome!!!

I had the golden garlic soup-a creamy soup with roasted garlic and soy.

The boys shared Yaki Soba-wok fried noodles with chicken.

Our appetizer was Wasabi Grouper-grilled grouper filets served with wasabi sauce and salad.

After every meal here in Dubai, most places give you hot towels to clean with and toothpicks.

In the hotel, the gentlemen that clean our room have started entertaining the kids by placing their stuffed animals in various places. The kids race in after cleaning to see where the animals are everyday! Also I am known as Mrs. Steve here in the hotel!

TRAFFIC-UUUGGHHHH!!!!!!

2008-08-20T16:43:00.000+04:00

If any of you recall the scene in the movie "European Vacation" with Chevy Chase where he gets stuck in a round-about....I have lived it !! Roundabouts are not something Conway invented but those are very small in scale to the 7 lane ones here! Not to mention the horrendous traffic, construction and poor signage. Steve was supposed to meet with his boss at 6...so after an hour of driving literally in pretty much the same circle and seeing the Burj al Arab at least six times we finally made it!!! Steve was not very happy, but the kids and I could not stop laughing.

This is the famous Burj al Arab!

We passed by it so many times we did get to see the great color show!

A little Mexico in Dubai

2008-08-20T16:31:00.001+04:00

So as some of you might know, Steve was a little addicted to La Huerta's taco de carne asada in Conway. Well it just so happens that in our handy Guide to Dubai book it listed a place! It says 100% mexican cuisine on the sign. Now we never saw a mexican, they were all lebanese....but they made a great guacomole at your table! And the tacos weren't to bad either.

Steve said we would for sure be returning!

Snow skiing in the desert!

2008-08-19T08:03:00.000+04:00

So we went snow skiing at Ski Dubai in the mall! It is a chilly 29 degrees in there. Jacob took a snowboard lesson and Drew took a skiing lesson. Afterwards, we had hot chocolate and dessert fondue. Needless to say the 110 degrees outside felt pretty good after being in here!

Jacob and Drew geared up to go!!!

I joined in on the fun, but just to take pics!

Drew is getting a little help!

Jacob learning to put boots in snowboard.

Here is a video of Drew trying it out for the first time!!!

Jacob trying it out, too!

They also have a snow park where you throw snowballs, ride innertubes, and drink hot chocolate.

Jacob doing a little snow rope climbing!

Drew enjoying his innertube ride!

Jacob's ride was a little faster. We will definitely go back! The boys were asking for more lessons before we even left!

Sundays are the new "Mondays"

2008-08-18T10:35:00.001+04:00

Ok, so I vow to get better at taking pics...

Sundays are the start of the work week here. We started the day with looking at several high rise apartments. Needless to say the one I liked was sold before the end of the day so we will keep looking.

We took the kids to Hard Rock cafe for lunch...and finally I got some iced tea! Woo-hoo!

That afternoon we went to the kids school- Dubai American Scientific School. They start September 7, but will only go from 8-12 during the month of September for Ramadan.

Tasting lamb....

2008-08-18T10:24:00.000+04:00

On saturday we headed down to a restaurant listed as a "must try" in our dubai guide. It is an outdoor dining (did I mention it is hot here) lebanese restaurant. We have been encouraging the kids to try new things, because unless it is fast food or american based there are no kids menus.

Drew was getting a little tired of waiting, but he was smiling after he had the lamb kebabs and hummus dip!

DAY ONE-FRIDAY AUGUST 15

2008-08-18T09:01:00.000+04:00

As you will notice day one did not start until friday. After getting to the hotel and eating a very quick dinner, we crashed. Check out where we are staying at //www.goldentulipsuitesdubai.com/

The boys thought the tv was awesome!!!

The kitchen was really nice too!

Needless to say Steve woke us up at 1100am the next day ( he was just a tad excited to show us around). We are one block over from the Mall of the Emirates. This is like the Smithsonian of malls-425 stores, indoor ski resort, grocery store (which I will describe later) and Magic Planet.

First we went straight to one of the three food courts....most signs are in english and arabic:

Mcdonalds (of course)

They also have Dunkin' Donuts!

Anybody take a guess???.......Hardees!

These are everywhere.....I am going to have some seriouse exercising to do!

The boys ended up eating Subway, and Steve and I ate an assortment of Lebanese food.

Next we went to Magic Planet. This has games, rock climbing walls, full size carnival rides...

This is where I lost my camera :(....

After spending 2 hours seeing may be one-third of the mall, we went to the "grocery store" Carrefour's. Now this is a cross between a Kroger, Wal-mart and a Best Buy. Huge and overwhelming. There are over 40 checkout lines in use at all times. We walked up and down every aisle. They have most of what we have but their spice, fruit, and vegetables are gorgeous. I will take more pics nex time we go, but here are a few things we purchased.

The camel's milk was bought on a whim, Steve likes it. I thought it tasted like sour whole milk...ugh!!

2008-08-18T08:46:00.000+04:00

Saying our goodbyes to friends and family was the hardest and worst days of my life. BUT I am going to look at this as an adventure and make the best of it.

Shannon took us to the airport Wedenesday, August 13. Needless to say many tears were shed. The kids and I had six suitcases between us!! Now let me pause and tell you I had great pics of this and our adventure on the planes but lost my camera our first day in Dubai. SO let me tell you a few tidbits....
In the usual Drew fashion, as we were landing in Houston, he yells, "Mom, I think I see Africa!"-have serious egeography issues to work out! After my OCD packing of each childs backpack with activities....waste of time. The emirates airline had so many activities for them to do. They passed out puppets, overnight bags with toothbrushes and kid size eyemasks, then another bag with a dressup stuffed animal, and overnight socks. Then came the individual tv screens that each had access to over 50 kid movies, games, cartoons. No boredom here!!
I also had pics of the food on the lost camera.
Kids slept well after their wonderful nurse of a mother drugged them with a little atarax :)!

And after 16 hours, we landed in DUBAI!!!!!!!