Moving to Dubai

Sammy and I are moving to Dubai in a few short days - Thursday the 20th! We're staying with his Dad until we find a place. Right now we think we'll live in the 'burbs b/c animals are not allowed in most of the high rises, which dashed our dream of living a block off the beach.

Over the past few months we've been taking trips to Abu Dhabi and Dubai for Sammy's project and to look at neighborhoods. Here is a photo in Abu Dhabi out of our hotel window.

View from hotel

To the left of the flag is a huge mall, to the right is some kind of government building. And even futher right (but not in the photo) are sand dunes and a HUGE picture of the Sheik. I have a photo of it somewhere I just need to find it to post.

When we were looking at places to live I was using the restroom and saw this sign. It took me a few minutes to realize that the traditional toilet is a hole in the floor which you stand over when you use the toilet (I learned this when I was in Turkey in May of 2006). And some people apparently still like to climb up on the toliets in order to stand over them. Very interesting...

NO GYMNASTICS!

While in Abu Dhabi we went to dinner at the Emirates Palace Hotel http://www.emiratespalace.com/en/main.htm.

Talk about a beautiful hotel, after we move over we want to spend a weekend there - they give discounts if you have a residence visa. The food was incredible - I actually ate at a buffet, and enjoyed it! All of the rooms are suites and they all come with a private butler and you don't have to stand in reception to check in...they take care of that mundane task in your room!

Self portrait of us in the foyer of the Emirates Palace Hotel

Before we left we spent the night with Sammy's dad, here is a photo of him in his prayer room at home.

Sammy's Dad