Weekend Adventure!

Larry's "pretend" yacht :)

Sammie's "backyard"

Yoosef and us at the Antique Museum

 God continues to bless us in this amazing adventure! Every day I am in awe at all of the neat things we are able to experience, and how much fun we are having!

This weekend, we went to the Antique Museum! It was not antiques, and it was not a museum, but it was WONDERFUL! We thought that I had taken us on a "wild goose chase" when we finally called, the taxi driver got directions and we arrived! It was an old warehouse, with a very small "antique museum" sign. When we went through the walkway, it was crammed with all sorts of dusty, dirty "junk"! I remember seeing a huge wood-carved door with many layers of dirt! The dirt blows here, and it was covered! As we went inside, it was a lovely room, and we were led into the depths of the warehouse! I remember first of all seeing massive amounts of fabric...table cloths, bedding, scarves, and dresses. I explained to Yoosef who was our "guide", and is in the pictures with us, that we did not need any fabric items, but would like to see urns and pottery. We went further and further. Things were crammed on the shelf, covered in dirt, but wonderful!  I am not a shopper, and I was enthralled! There was so much to look at...all from different parts of the world. It was definitely sensory overload! He took us to a section of crafts from Bali. Everything was made from wood, and Larry found an elephant he wanted. I found a wood-carved bowl. Both were covered with a thick layer of dirt. Yoosef left with the items, and said that they would clean them up. Then, we found urns, and more urns! We found ones made of copper, wood, clay...painted, molded, EVERYTHING! All of these items came from Morocco! We chose a large copper urn with tiny red flowers on it, and golden around the top. It had several dents in it, but Yoosef assured us it would be perfect, as he took it and another one that was painted cooper away to be cleaned. Finally, Larry found a beautiful silver and blue pottery urn. We decided our kids can put our ashes in that one! We bought all three! We continued to wander from room-to-room. There were figurines, chess sets, large statues, wood-carved animals, EVERYTHING you can imagine! Yoosef then showed us pottery from Turkey. I fell in love! The plates were beautiful. Some are painted to have an "evil eye" which means there are places with a circle and a center. These "evil eyes" have thick paint that make the plate have a bumpy surface. We bought two plates, and a teacup. When we were all done shopping, and I could have stayed much longer...we went back to the front room. While they were cleaning and packing our purchases, we snacked on delicious coffee, cookies, and dates. We loaded everything in the taxi...one urn was the front-seat passenger because it would not fit in the trunk...shook hands with Yoosef, and promised to return one day soon! What a fun adventure! I have included pictures of these purchases...I love the picture of Katie with the elephant...it looks like she is saying, "Really? Another animal around here?"

We also went to the beach this weekend! There are twenty-eight tall "beige" buildings, that to me...look exactly the same! One of those is our apartment, and you can look back and see it from the beach. Our building is one of the shorter buildings, so it is easy to spot. If you look closely, you will see our beach chairs in one picture of the beach, and Larry coming off of his "pretend" yacht! Ha! The other pictures are of our little pool on our patio. Those are for Nicole M., who wanted to see the pool! There are three-or-four pools in our plaza...I think of these just like our neighborhood pools at home. They are for hotel guests and residents, but are never very busy at all.

Another adventure happens each day right outside our apartment! I was talking to "Kasy" who cut my hair today. He is from Lebanon, and has lived in Dubai for seventeen years. He was telling me that five years ago, there were none of these tall buildings here AT ALL. Maybe "ten villas", he said...or houses. Five years ago, "they" said they were going to begin developing this area, and now there are buildings everywhere! The pictures of construction are taken out of our window. We are twenty stories up, so details are difficult to see. We are wondering when these four buildings will be finished. They are on the "marina" side of our apartment,  and will obstruct our view a little bit! It is a little boys construction paradise though. I stand and watch them work, and am amazed at all I can see. The little green "dots" are construction workers!!!

Life continues to be an adventure...one step at a time!

Getting "Comfortable" and Unpacking "Crates"!

I have gotten comfortable with the "neighborhood" somewhat. I have walked everyday down the street of shops to the "end", and back. The gulf is always on my right going, so that keeps me from getting lost! Each set of buildings has shops on the street, and then you go up to a plaza level. There are shops up there as well. They are not shops we would normally shop in...dress shops, fur shops, wig shops, fancy furniture, jewelry. There are small grocery shops in each one though, and that's where we buy most of our groceries so that we don't have bring back a bunch without a car. We have not eaten out as much as you would imagine. It is so hot, and I guess just being in a new place, we have made lots of smoothies and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The bread here is really good, so we have bought "fresh" bread. 

 We took a taxi the other day to eat, and on the way back stopped at a "souk." It was basically just a small fancy mall with handmade items. I bought a bowl and vase from Pakistan. (It is the bowl in the pictures.) Next weekend, I want to go to the "Antique Museum" which is not a museum at all, nor is it antiques, but is supposed to be a warehouse where there are many different handmade items. I think I have figured out that there are not "products" made here by hand so much...but they are brought in from Turkey, Pakistan, Iraq, other middle eastern places, so I'm looking forward to that. There is also a "gold" souk and an "old spice" souk in that area, that is supposed to be neat. This is just my assessment, so may be TOTALLY incorrect...I'll let you know more after we go there!

We have gone to church the last two Sundays at The Fellowship of the Emirates, which I believe is a "branch" of The Fellowship of the Woodlands. It is in a hotel, and is good. We like the pastor's preaching...and it is just awesome to be in church! There are all nationalities there. 

I told Dad I wish everyone here would just have a bubble above their head that said what nationality they were, so that I could get some idea of what people looked like from different countries, and the language they spoke. When you walk down the street, it so neat to hear all of the different languages spoken. When I think someone is from "America" usually they open their mouth, and they are at the least European, or speaking an language I have no idea what it is! :)

Monday, all of our "crates" arrived! "Crates" turned out to be boxes...and there were 18 of them! About 10 were clothes...way to many! There were 3 "kitchen" and "decorating" boxes. The rest were golf clubs, a hamper, litter box, potty patch, and folding beach chairs. The pictures included are unpacking and "decorating." The furniture is our one "big" purchase! It is a woven couch, two chairs, and a table. 

Well, that's all for now! Life continues to be an adventure, and we continue to go "One Step at a Time!"

Our Neighborhood And Apartment

Soon after I arrived, we walked and walked and walked, in my opinion! Larry has become accustomed to walking, I however, have not! We took pictures of the beach from our apartment, from a walk-over bridge that goes to the street, and from the street below our apartment. We live on the 20th floor of the Suha Hotel, which is the top floor. I love the apartment because there are huge windows! The only "side" that does not have windows is the hallway and elevator wall. So, you can see different views of the tall buildings, beach, and marina! So far, my favorite part of Dubai...my windows and the view!!!

Introduction

Larry and I are on a new adventure! I want to tell you how it all started. Larry works for ExxonMobil, and was given the opportunity to come to Dubai to work on a project in Iraq. We have been married for almost 34 years, and have found the best way for us to make decisions...we pray about it! We began taking ONE STEP AT A TIME, and ask God to close doors if he did not want us to make this journey! So...here we are! Everything fell into place so smoothly! Larry came over permanently in April...I finished the school year...we sold the house, 2 cars, and brought Sammie (our lab) and Katie (our cat). We miss our family and friends, of course, THE MOST!