National day UAE style

My friend Susan getting into the spirit of things. She does it so well!

Today December 2nd is the 39th anniversay of the United Arab Emirates. I really admire how patriotic and proud of their nation the Emiratis are. I do think they have a lot to be proud of.

They celebrate by elaborately decorating the cities, and particularly their cars in national colours.


Atlantis on the Palm Jumeira putting on its best colourful display


And just because its so funny! I saw this in the shops last year but was still in my dazed and confused state so courtesy of Susan here is the manequin in the National flag...err abaya.

Eid, or let the slaughtering begin.

Last year I was totally unprepared for what went on over Eid. We were staying in a hotel in the middle of the city and there were goats and sheep tied up to lamp posts everywhere when we went out early in the morning. By mid morning when we returned to the hotel it was a blood bath. We drove to Dubai via then new Yas Island freeway which unfortunately takes you past the slaughter house. There were people pushing goats and sheep everywhere! We stopped at a set of traffic lights and Bert said oh look at that, as I looked a man picked the goats head up and slit its throat, right there beside me trapped in the car behind a red light. It was hideous.

This year I am determined to avoid the bloodshed. I have tried not to look at the sheep and goats being transported along the freeway in trucks. I'm pretending they are being moved from the sand to a nice green pasture somewhere.

I was relieved to see this sign at a round about near where we live. There were lots of other signs in Arabic but I found this one in English. I hope the sheep are as relieved as I am.

The local supermarket

A Mork moment

Today I had a Mork moment, well I do almost daily, but this afternoons trip to the supermarket was funnier than usual. Since we moved last month I go to a weird little Arabic supermarket where they all look at me like I'm Mork from Mork and Mindy. I needed celery and bay leaves, no luck, I do think my chicken and dumplings is going to taste pretty ordinary with out it but basically if I can't see it, I can''t buy it as no one speaks English. They know I tip well, mostly because Im just grateful to have got out of there alive so I always have a guy leap forward to take my trolley out to the car and unload the groceries for me.

So as he is unpacking my groceries into the car he says Mám are you from Germany? No Australia, why? He said oh I saw your name on your credit card and its German but ah you are from Australia. Do you know Ricky Ponting? Cricket is the common language between Indian, Pakistani's and Sri Lankans, and a lot of Australians, unfortunately I am not one of them. I always feel like I let them down when I know nothing at all about cricket

Finally, found the camera and SD card at the same time!

I seriously hate moving. I hate the chaos of not being able to find phone chargers, cameras matches. Nothing life threatening if you do not have it, but such a nuisance when you cannot.

Here is a photo of the new house in Al Reef on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi. We have moved from a two bedroom apartment to a five bedroom house, or villa as they are called here and we still have not got things in order. The house is actually three stories high. Top level has a bedroom, study and bathroom, a balcony that overlooks the backyard and a large roof terrace that overlooks the street. None of the rooms have built in wardrobes, which is just insane, so a trip to Ikea and we have fitted out the two smallest bedrooms with wall to wall wardrobes. We have one spare bedroom for guests and we have the bedroom on the second floor. If I had to climb the stairs to get to the third floor to go to bed I would have to start before I was actually tired each night, otherwise I am not sure I would make it.

Al Reef

We have been in our house, or villa as its called here a week now. So far, its lovely. Providing you just ignore the mouse nest in the back garden, or more accurately sand pit.

It has been a very hard week for Bert with work. He has had staff problems since the day we arrived. I was left to deal with the move alone.

Houses here are rented as empty shells. No cooker, no curtains, no light fittings so I feel like I have spent the week with half the population of the subcontinent traipsing through the house.

We finally got the pool filled and I spent the day waiting for the pool guy to come and do whatever pool guys do. We had to wait 24 hours after he did his bit before we could swim. Well if ever there was an anticlimax this was one. Its hot here, a pool is a fabulous luxury. But I don't want to have to break the ice on the surface before I get wet. I don't know what he had set the temperature for but it was cold. So another 24 hours, several phone calls and visits from more workers we finally had a pool that we can use.

Oh poor neglected blog, friends and family

I finally found the link to my blog, eventually found the enthusiasm to log in and beg for everyones forgiveness. Yes we are alive and well, yes we are still here but life just got very hectic.

I am so far behind I will just fill you in on some news and I shall try and catch up with more photos once we move again

Yes you read that right, we are moving again. We have decided to move back to Abu Dhabi, to a devolopment called Al Reef. It is behind the airport, across the freeway from Al Reef Palace, I'm sure you will be able to tell our house from the Palace easily.

It will be 15 minutes drive from home to Berts work, which is great. But there is nothing much out there, which is bad. Where we live now I have everything on our doorstep, I am a little nervous about the move into the desert.

We have had visitors, our lovely friend Nessie Millar visited us for a weekend on her way to Scotland, and a few months back Marian Watson stayed with us on her way to and home from her trip to Europe. Paul and Jacqui also spent ten days here with us on their way home from an around the world backpacking trip

We have just returned from a short trip to Germany to see the Passion Play at Oberammagau. It was just amazing. I've always loved history but Oberammagau and the Passion play takes history to a whole new level. We both loved it and had an amazing time. (more on this later

I will be back soon, I need to keep packing