Our 2nd Christmas in Dubai

It might be my imagination, but there seemed to be much more Christmas spirit in Dubai this year. The malls were all decorated and Christmas decorations were available everywhere. Santa was even at one of the malls. Obviously he is very popular because the line up to visit was huge. Zoe and Chase opted to send an email to him instead.

It was "business as usual" around here on December 25th. However, since it fell on a Friday (the first day of our weekend and the day of prayer) I was able to be home all day with the family. Malls were open, but traffic was light.

Our Christmas morning began at 5:01 am when Zoe came sneaking into our room to let us know that Santa had been and to share a description of what the presents looked like. Morning coffee was not an option before gift opening!



After the excitement of gift opening, the kids settled in to play. We enjoyed the sights and sounds of the thunderstorm with our morning coffee. It looked like we were in for a day of rain, but it cleared and we had beautiful blue sky and a temperature in the mid 20's.

One of Chase's gifts was a remote control Ferrari. After the battery charged a bit, we headed to the top floor our our parking garage to let him try it out. Appparently it has too much power to be used in the apartment.

As usual, Rick prepared an amazing Christmas dinner complete with most of the fixings. We invited a friend to join us and we had a lovely festive day.

On December 27th, Rick went to our local grocery store where they were playing Christmas carols and finally had in their full stock of turkeys!!

Zoe and Chase are still on a break from school. At the college, it is end of semester so the students are busy with exams and so I have a chance to try and get caught up.

Terry Fox in Dubai

On Friday morning, we took part in the Terry Fox Run here in Dubai. We were so surprised to find out that the event takes place here. I know it is supposed to happen in September, but the weather is better in December.

According to the newspaper there were over 5000 people there and they raised more than 500,0000Dhs. In the many years that they have held the event in Dubai, more than 7 million Dhs has been raised.

UAE National Day

It's that time of year again. I have never witnessed national pride like they have here. Apparently the fireworks in Abu Dhabi were even bigger this year than last. But, after our experience last year, we decided to stick closer to home this year. We drove to Mamzar which is normally about a 5 minute drive from our house.


We left home at about 6:00 - long before the majority of the crowds - but there were still traffic jams. Our plan was to park somewhere and watch the activity from the sidelines. After moving inches every few minutes, Rick decided to take the sand route - over the sidewalk and into the field. We found an empty parking lot and settled in to watch. Chase was especially excited to spray the vehicles with the can of snow that he had. I think that he ended up getting sprayed more than he got anyone else.

It was no concern that he quickly emptied his can - passers by kept handing over cans of silly string and snow, not to mention balloons, feather boas, candy filled flags and even a gift box.


Things seemed a bit calmer than we experienced last year - not so many revving engines and burn outs - but it was still early. There were still the roving groups with cans of snow. They would mob a car, lift up the wipers and spray the entire front windshield with snow. Then they would check each door to see if they could spray inside! Others were literally stopping traffic and dancing in the streets. Cyclists, roller bladers and pedestrians wove through traffic in both directions.

When it was time to go, we headed back through the field and were able to avoid most of the mayhem.

The Real Dubai

The recent Oprah show featuring a doctor from Dubai has caused quite a commotion here in Dubai. So, let me tell you our experiences...

Electricity and water are not free. Maybe "special folks" get their utilities covered - but this would be to be the exception rather than the rule. In fact there is a bit of an uproar about the DEWA bills lately in that many people are complaining about a rise in costs. We live in an apartment, so our bills are very reasonable (less than $100 per month). We have heard of people in villas paying over $1500 a month - especially in the summer when cooling costs are so high.

Dr. Lamees was definitely correct when she said that some people are very wealthy and that others struggle to make ends meet. There are some pretty spectacular looking villas in some areas of town. The Emiratis often live in family compounds. And many have very large families - I know students that have 12 siblings. So, large houses and vehicles are a necessity. At the other end of the spectrum there is poverty here as well. We have seen some pretty run down homes in our travels around the UAE. Even though university is free for Emiratis, we have students who require financial aid for the transportation and school supplies. I won't even get into the standard of living for the labourers and other workers.

Most people here have maids/nannies. We have seen people out with one nanny for each child. I can imagine how many servants they have at home! As extravagent as that sounds, salaries for domestic help are less than $500 a month for a live in. (Notice that you can pay 3 times as much for electricity as you do for a maid!) We however do our own housecleaning and child minding - and we are definitely a very small minority.

Even with all the help in the home, the service industry is huge here. There are laundries on almost every block - not laundromats actual laundries where they wash and press the clothes - and then return them to your door. There is a grocery store in almost every apartment building too. We often see the clerks from our local grocery helping customers across the street,even hailing cabs. If you aren't up to getting your own groceries, just call down and they will deliver. Virtually every restaurant delivers - even McDonald's! You don't do anything for yourself here. They pump your gas, bag your groceries, wash your car...

There are security guards everywhere here - every store, every apartment, schools.... The ones in our apartment will do whatever you ask - change light bulbs, bring up the groceries, deliver water and you can pay them to wash your car and clean your apartment.

For the average resident of Dubai, life is not the lap of luxury that was described on Oprah. On the other hand, it is very different from middle class life in Canada.

Oprah has apologized to the residents of Dubai for what she aired on her show.

Halloween 2009

Last year, Halloween was pretty much of a non-event for us here in Dubai. This year, we have seen costumes and decorations in the stores for several weeks. Since we weren't able to trick or treat last year,the kids were looking forward to our substitute activity - finding treats hidden in the apartment. A few days before Halloween, I was talking to some of my co-workers and they told me that in other areas of town, trick or treating is a big activity. We were invited to 2 different areas to join in the festivities.

We made a last minute trip to the mall and had our choice of great costumes. Both of the kids decided to be skeletons. They were so excited, they could hardly wait to get home and try them on. They came racing into our room Halloween morning and asked if they could put them on. They ran around the apartment in their costumes scaring us and the turtle most of the day. We had a big count down to when we could leave to go Trick or Treating.

Finally, 5:00 came around and we could head out - we didn't really know where we were going, so we wanted to travel before it got dark - and apparently the goblins started out at 6:00. We found the neighbourhood without too much trouble, got some quick directions from my co-worker and headed out.

It was a little unusual for the kids to be commenting about being too hot when out trick or treating and Rick and I were very comfortable in shorts and t-shirts. The neighbourhood was amazing - big beautiful homes, sidewalks and gorgeous landscaping. The neighbourhood had distributed signs for people who were interested in participating in welcoming Trick or Treaters. We just had to check their doors to know where to go. Many of the houses were decorated too. After about an hour, Chase commented that his bag was getting too heavy so we found our way back to our car. We are very thrilled to say that Halloween is alive and well in Dubai - you just have to know where to go!

Out and About Again

The weather has cooled enough for us to venture out for some day trips (finally). Yesterday we packed a picnic lunch and headed out with no destination in mind. We decided to have lunch at the Sharjah Monument which we have driven past many times but never stopped. At the same highway exit was the Siyouh (not sure about the spelling) Suburb, so we went in.

The suburb is actually a fenced in section of desert with one partially built buiding,one camel pen and some free roaming camels. We parked in the shade of a big tree and got out to explore the desert. It was very peaceful to walk around with almost no one else around - you are never alone in Dubai!


After a couple hours, we drove across the highway and went to the Wildlife Center which is actually a few attractions in one. We started in the Children's Farm (petting Zoo) and were able to feed the farm animals. Then we moved on to the Wildlife Center. That was absolutely amazing. It features only animals found in the Middle East. We learned about all the animals from the creepy crawlies to the large mammals. I was quite relieved to find out that all of the snakes in the area are nocturnal. Everytime we thought we were done, we turned the corner and found another exhibit. The ingenious thing about the Center is that we were able to walk around in air conditioned comfort and see the animals in large naturalized pens outside. Our last stop for the afternoon was the Natural History Museum. All the exhibits are out for kids to touch and manipulate. The setting of the museum was a huge treed and grassy field with picnic tables. Of course the kids had to run through the grass and climb the trees.

The latest from Dubai

It has been quite a while since our last post - and that is mostly because not much has been happening - and I am adjusting back to full days at work. I know you are feeling sorry for me to have to work full days after a month of shortened days and a week off.

The weather seems to be slowly turning to "winter". It is routinely dipping to the twenties overnight and many days not breaking into the 40's anymore (yes this is celcius). Still a bit too warm to be spending too much time outside in the day.

We have inherited a turtle from a neighbour. Surprisingly, a turtle is a pretty interesting pet. Right now he keeps us on our toes trying to keep him in his "playpen". Then, there is the game of hide and seek trying to locate him after his escape.

Here is an excerpt from a recent Gulf News about the UAE version of Vanity plate: (FYI 1 Dh = 3.67 US$)

Dubai number plate auction raises more than Dh15m
The 64th such auction at Jumeirah Beach Residences in Dubai saw more than 400 participants.

Staff Report Published: 00:00 October 10, 2009
Dubai: More than Dh15 million was raised at the latest Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) auction of distinguished vehicle licence plates, with highest bid of Dh2.3 million going for the number I 44, the RTA said yesterday.

The 64th such auction, which was held last Saturday at Al Mina Hall, Jumeirah Beach Residences in Dubai, saw more than 400 participants, according to Ahmad Hashim Bahrouzyan, chief executive officer of RTA Licensing Agency.

"The total attendance exceeded 400 and the hall was full of potential bidders," he said.

"The total proceeds of the auction reached Dh15.359 million led by the number plate [I 44] which was sold for Dh2.3 million, followed by (E 17) sold for Dh2.1 million, and (G 1111) which fetched Dh1.1 million."

Our Eid Break

We have time off for this entire week for the Eid holiday. We weren’t nearly as adventurous this Ramadan. We mostly stayed home rather than explore in the heat so it has been a treat to get out again. We ventured to Deira City Centre Mall on Monday. It is a basic mall and they have a pretty nice play area where the kids can go on rides all day long. The kids played in the amusement park and Rick and I wandered around. We were very excited to find yarn for Zoe’s knitting kit. We have been looking for almost a year – and we finally found it in a bookstore!!!



Because we found a sand shovel for Chase, he was desperate to go to the beach yesterday. We packed up yesterday and spent a few hours there. The kids spotted a small jellyfish and Rick managed to catch it in their sand pail. I don’t know how they saw it because it was clear. Anyway, it was intriguing to watch it swim around. The temperature was only 39 degrees – but a couple of hours was enough sun and heat for us. Taking a dip in the gulf is not as refreshing as you would imagine because the water is as warm as a hot bath (plus we kept an eye out for jellyfish).

An Update

Chase is losing his teeth at a furious pace. He lost one the other day and it seemed that a second one would fall out within hours. However, it was stubborn - he twisted and tugged and it stayed in. It was even hanging in sideways for a while. One morning, I thought everyone else was still asleep as I went to the shower. Suddenly, I heard a yell of excitement and I figured it had finally come out. Chase recounted the details a bit later. He said that he was talking and he closed his mouth before saying something else and his tooth just came out! I asked who he was talking to, since I was pretty sure Zoe and Rick were still asleep. Chase put his head down and admitted that he was talking to himself.

We have decided that even though we live in an apartment, we should try and participate in one of our favourite hobbies - gardening. We have bought a few pots and have started a mini veggie and herb garden - tomatoes, basil, chives and cilantro. When the weather cools we'll be able to put them on the deck.

Speaking of weather, it is still very hot. The daily lows are about 33 with highs up to 43. Add to that the humidity and it feels like over 47. Depending on my Ramadan schedule, I am still walking to and from work. It is like exercising in a sauna! I don't remember from last year, but people keep telling us that it will cool in October. Apparently there have been some unseasonal rain storms in Fujeirah (an emirate to the north of Dubai) the last few days. We see the clouds, but no moisture comes our way.

Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary. It is hard to believe we have been married for 19 years!

Back into the routine

We spent most of the remainder of the summer at home and out of the Dubai summer heat. We did go to a water park one day.
Aquadventure is a new water park at the Atlantis Hotel out on the Palm Jumeirah. The landmark slide is the Leap of Faith where you slide down an almost vertical slide and into the shark infested lagoon at the bottom. Once you get near the bottom you are in a completely enclosed clear tunnel where the sharks and other fish live. When I went down I was too scared from the free fall to open my eyes, so I missed that part. Zoe did it twice, once with me and once with Rick. Unfortunately, Chase is about 2 cm too short so he couldn't try. Zoe and I went back on a much more serene slide where you end up slowly going through the aquarium. The water park also has some amazing "river rides" - one that goes through a series of rapids and a second that takes you along massive waves.

I had to be back at work on August 16th and the kids started school this past Sunday. Ramadan started on August 22nd so we are adjusting back to the routine with shortened Ramadan hours.

Thailand

As promised, let me tell you about our trip to Thailand. I have put some of our photos in a web album at http://picasaweb.google.com/rdzcadventure
Let me know if you can't access them and I'll send you a separate invitation.



Our first impression of Thailand was how green it is. We loved all of the beautiful tropical plants growing wild - ones we struggle to keep alive inside. We also saw tons of geckos and frogs everywhere we went in the evening. The kids got pretty good at spotting and catching them. It rained at some point everyday for the first part of our trip. That didn't matter to us since it has been several months since we have seen rain and it didn't last for long. Most people we encountered spoke pretty good English. We had the card from our hotel in English and Thai just in case, but we didn't run into any difficulties. Traffic was very polite, but there didn't seem to be any rules of the road. Because they drive on the other side of the road, crossing the street was very hard to get used to - we were always looking the wrong way. All through out Thailand there are tons of scooters. We found that most things were considerably cheaper in Thailand than either Canada or Dubai and the price for most everything was negotiable. Sometimes we didn't even bother to haggle because it seemed so cheap at the first asking price. Rick got a couple good quality tee shirts for about $5 each. Finding food that the kids would eat was pretty easy. There were lots of western restaurants (including McDonalds) and most of the other restaurants had fries and chicken for the kids. Again, the food was very cheap. Happily, there seemed to be a 7-Eleven on every street corner and we managed to get our fix of slurpees. Each block has several tour shops, massage parlours and tailors. They apparently will make you a suit, shirt.... in 24 hours and for very cheap too. We considered getting something made but in the end did not. Because we traveled in their low season and because tourism is reportedly down hotels were very cheap. We paid less than $75 a night and stayed in some amazing places (some weren't so great too). We booked ahead through a travel agent and probably could have gotten even better prices while we were there. None of the tours were crowded and the prices for those were also dropped.


We started out in Bangkok for 3 days. We took a couple tours (city and boat), hired a "tuk tuk" to show us around, walked around and took the sky train so we got to see quite a bit of the city.

We took the 13 hour night train to Chiang Mai. We had been advised to go first class and were glad that we spent the few dollars for the adjoining private berths. Chiang Mai is in the northern part of Thailand and is inland. We spent about 8 days here and this was a highlight for all of us.

One day we became "elephant trainers". We started by feeding the elephants to make friends. They taught us the commands and we practiced moving the elephants around. After lunch, we went on a couple hour trek through the jungle riding bareback. We went in pairs so I rode with Zoe and Rick rode with Chase. Because of Chase's size, a "mahout" rode with them. We let the kids do the commanding so they got the more comfortable spot on the front of the elephant. Zoe did a really good job with remembering the commands and getting the elephant to listen to her. There were mahouts (elephant trainers)walking along beside to help out when the elephants were stubborn. After the ride, we took the elephants to a pond and gave them a bath.


On another day, we went ziplining through the jungle canopy. We harnessed up and hung from a cable from tree to tree. The first time was pretty nerve wracking, but after that it was tons of fun. Chase was the barely big enough, but he managed to go alone most of the time. Crossing the bridge was the only time that he was scared. Of course, Zoe was fearless.
We also toured around temples, visited the markets, went on a boat tour and a carriage ride through the ancient city. We made good use of the salons and had very frequent treatments including various types of massages and pedicures. It cost between $6 and $12 for a one hour massage!
We spent our last evening at the Night Safari where we saw animals that we have never seen before and some that we had never heard of. Part of the safari is a walk through a zoo like area with a private guide. Then we went on 2 separate trams where we got up close with the animals. A zebra stood right beside the tram. Chase could have reached over and pet it. A buffalo was not impressed when a gentleman smacked him on the backside and he turned and looked as though he was going to charge. The evening ended with a fantastic laser and water show.


We flew to the island of Koh Samui next and spent about a week here. The weather was cloudy, so we only got one day at the beach. We rented scooters and drove around the island seeing the sights. If I thought crossing the street was difficult, maneuvering a scooter required even more concentration - especially right turns. The island is pretty small and the one major road goes all the way around the coast. I think we made it all the way around on our various travels. One of the most amazing places there is the airport. It is pretty much all outdoors with beautifully landscaped walkways and sitting areas, even a playground.

Our next stop was Patong Beach on the island of Phuket where we spent about another week. We didn't any exploring or sightseeing here. We spent pretty much everyday at the beach. We rented chairs from the same guy everyday and he took good care of us. He even let the kids leave the beach toys with him overnight. The water was rough and jumping in the waves was a lot of fun. The peddlers were rather insistent and got a bit annoying. The kids got into the act and made jewelry from shells, coral and palm fronds. The wandered back and forth along the beach and set up a tree shop in front of our chairs - but they were only allowed to try and sell to the vendors. Walking the streets was also an adventure where we were constantly hounded to take a tuk tuk, get a massage, or buy something. It felt so rude to ignore them, but that was the best way to handle it.

Our last stop was Phi Phi Island. It is a tiny island accessible only by boat. The roads are really only paths and there are very few motorized vehicles - and those are only scooters. It was easy to walk around the island although a lot of the locals used bicycles. Phi Phi was refreshing because the vendors don't approach you to enter their shops like they do in Phuket. We spent a lot of time at our resort pool. One day we went out on a boat excursion where we tried snorkeling for the first time. That was absolutely amazing! Zoe complained of an earache, so we took her to the hospital on the island. She was diagnosed with an ear infection and given antibiotics, 2 types of pain medications and another antihistamine. The visit to the hospital and all the medication cost about $45. Rick ate some bad fish and ended up being sick for a couple days too. Both recovered nicely in time for our journey home.

Both of the hotels we stayed in in Phuket and Phi Phi were hit very hard by the tsunami in 2004. We heard stories and saw videos of the water being up to the second floor in both hotels. It was sombering to think about the devastation that the islands experienced. For the most part, things are rebuilt and the memorials are the only reminders of the tragedy.

We're home

Just a quick note to say that we are back from our trip to Thailand. I'll post the details and some photos soon. We arrived in at 4:00 am yesterday,so we are still jet lagged and unpacking.

Vacation!!!!!

Tomorrow evening we leave for our 28 day trip to Thailand. We start off in Bangkok for a couple days. We take the train north to Chiang Mai for just over a week and then head down to the central islands of Phuket, Koh Samui and Phi Phi for around a week each. I don't think I'll be blogging while we are away but I'm sure we'll have lots of adventures to share when we get back.

Have a great summer!

Lizzie and the Lost Tooth

Yesterday was quite an exciting day. Zoe found a tiny lizard (about an inch long) at school and managed to bring it home alive. She has been wanting a lizard for a couple of years now so she is thrilled.

Chase lost his first tooth yesterday. And yes, the tooth fairy DOES come to Dubai and she leaves dirhams.

On a sadder note, Chase's best friend left today. The two have been inseparable at school all year.

Today is the last day of school! It is wacky hair and casual clothes day. Both Zoe and Chase were quick to dress in regular clothes.

Happy Canada Day! Surprisingly, there is a Canada Day party this weekend at one of the hotels.

And not a cloud in the sky

One Year in Dubai

Okay, so technically it hasn't been quite a year yet, but since we leave for vacation in 4 days - it's close enough!

We have been reflecting back over the year and have decided...

Best things we have done so far (in no particular order)
1. Dreamland Aqua Park - waterslides
2. Horse riding lessons - yes, that's Zoe, but we all enjoyed being at the stable club and watching her
3. Green Mubazzarah in Al Ain
4. Brunch, camel riding... at Al Sahra
5. Full moon desert drumming

Things that have been the hardest to get used to
1. The heat of the summer - but the warmth of the winter was great
2. The traffic and the roads - that's an entire blog in itself
3. Seeing people driving down the street holding their babies on their laps in the front seat
4. The lack of colour
5. Weekends starting on Friday

Things we miss most from Canada
1. Green lawns and trees
2. Friends and family
3. Slurpees,green Aero chocolate bars, pork, Kraft Dinner
4. Barbecuing
5. Our back yard

Great things about living in Dubai
1. Making friends from all over the world
2. Victoria International School of Sharjah
3. We can go to the beach any time of the year
4. Bargaining at the Souks
5. Playgrounds and amusement parks in all the malls

School in Dubai

Since the end of the school year is fast approaching, I thought I would write about our experiences with the education here.

Private school is a must - there are no options for public school, other than the Arabic schools. We have Zoe and Chase in one of the few Australian curriculum schools. Most of the schools are British, American or Indian curriculum. There is only one Canadian school that I have found and that is in Abu Dhabi so not an option for us. We had not planned on an Australian school and found this one out of desperation and chance. When we arrived the school of our choice was not an option so we scrambled to find something. The schools enroll students in the spring and there were long waiting lists for Chase's age at every one we looked at. A co-worker suggested VISS and because this is only their 2nd year of operation, they had openings. In fact, both kids started the year with around 12 in their classes. Generally, children must pass a "placement test" to be accepted to any school here. I sat with the principal and showed her some of the kids' art work, writing samples and Zoe's work from grade 2. They wanted to put Chase in year 1 which was a concern for me since he would be in kindergarten in Canada. The principal explained that in Australia, they consider kindergarten to be year 1. We decided to give it a try with the understanding that we could move him to KG2 if it wasn't the correct placement. The principal then discussed Zoe being placed in year 3. I said that at home she would be 3 grades above Chase, so the principal said we'll put her in year 4.
The school goes to grade 13, but has 3 separate buildings so there is little interaction between the primary students and the older ones - except on the bus. The school has a completely open floor plan and the desks in the classrooms are organized in clusters rather than rows. All of the classes have large areas where the students work in groups on the floor - usually on bean bags or big floor pillows. The school is across from the Corniche (lagoon beach) and has a beautiful grassy field. There are also a couple playgrounds - one which is covered to help beat the heat. In the fall and in June, they have the option to play indoors for recess because it is too hot outside. The school uniform includes a wide brim hat. If they don't have their hat, they have to play in the covered playground.

Both of the kids take Cultural Arabic. They have learned the alphabet, numbers, some animals and basic phrases. Zoe has also learned some conversation scripts. The Muslim students are in a different Arabic class. The Muslim students also take Islamic studies and the rest of the students take "Health" at that time. Basically, they get extra time with their teacher in small groups - in Chase's class there are only 3 or 4 kids that are not Muslim. We were very excited to see that both kids would be taking "technology" thinking it would be computer related. Actually, it is cooking! For other arts related classes they have performing arts, music and art. They still have time to fit in the standard English, Math, Social Studies, PE and Zoe has Science. The pool is not finished yet, but swimming is supposed to be part of their curriculum. They do a lot of work in groups and seem to do a lot of hands on activities. Apparently Zoe does have spelling, but she never brings anything home. They are separated into groups according to their abilities and move from group to group as they progress. They seem to work at their own pace and be encouraged to move ahead as they are able to.

Even though they say year 1 is kindergarten, Chase attends full days and his days are completely academic. He has weekly spelling tests. The school uses a program called Magic Words which divides common words in to groups of 10 - 20. I am not sure what they do with them at school, but Chase brought home the sheets and practiced them with us. He would read out the words to the teacher and then progress to the next level. He actually got through all of the 200 words for grade 1 and 2(that might mean kindergarten and grade 1)! He is even bringing home (and reading) level 11 books. He writes sentences and types them on the computer. In math he counts to 100, skip counts, and does addition and subtraction.

Zoe brings home homework every Sunday which is due on Thursday. It involves Math, Language, physical activity, a creative project and an interactive activity. Usually most items involve the theme that they are currently studying and apply the knowledge. One week she had to make a boat and keep in mind whatever they did in school. The class then floated the boats and discussed which were successful and why.

The only drawback we have to the school is that it is in Sharjah. Without traffic, it is about a 10 minute drive from our house, but with traffic it is impossible to get to. Plus most of their friends live in Sharjah and it is too difficult to get them together outside of school.

Our Weekend

Chase was invited to a birthday party this past weekend. This one was at the Mall of the Emirates - lunch and a movie. Zoe joined in, so we had the opportunity to peacefully walk around the mall. I have to say that is the busiest I have ever seen a mall here - almost like Christmas shopping in Canada. I can only guess it is because of the mall, the June sales and the fact that it is too hot to do anything outside.

The Mall of the Emirates is the home of Ski Dubai:


We haven't gone into the snow zone yet. Maybe on one of the hot summer days we'll cool down in there.

The Mall of the Emirates has a posted dress and behaviour code at every entrance. The items include shoulders and knees must be covered, no kissing or shows of affection...

Saturday we went to Emergency to get our vaccination boosters for our vacation. Yes I did say Emergency. I phoned the hospital to make an appointment to see a doctor, and that was their instructions. All people are not treated fairly and equally here, so when we walked in the door (even though there was a room full of people), we immediately were taken to speak to the doctor. I explained to him what we wanted. A little concerning was the fact that he listened to me and did not even glance at the documents I brought in. He wrote our prescription and we went to the pharmacy to buy the medication. We carried it back to Emergency and the nurses prepared the injections. Rick and I went first without incident. Then it was the kids' turn. Rick, Chase and I only needed Hep A, but Zoe needed Hep A & B - a fact that was not noticed by the pharmacist or the nurse. Before she injected Zoe, I clarified which one Zoe needed and the nurse was clearly completely stunned. She went back out to speak to the doctor who reinforced what I said. Then, she took Rick back to the pharmacy to get the correct medication. It was eye-opening for us in the lack of a double check system. In this case it wasn't a big deal, but can you imagine the problems that could occur? Vaccinations are not covered by our health insurance, so we had to pay out of pocket. The medications cost about $31 for each dose and the injections cost less that $8 each - a far cry from the almost $1000 we paid (for a few more vaccinations) before we came.

An Update

It has been a while since I last posted. Things are going well and not too much has been happening. We are winding down for summer and looking forward to some time off. I have 7 more weeks of vacation to take, so I will be off from the end of June until the middle of August. The kids are in school until July 2nd.

The weather has gotten very hot. It has been in the mid 40's for several days. Yesterday was only in the high 30's, but we were still melting at the beach. The kids now have indoor recess. They have even shortened the recess breaks and the school day ends earlier because it is just too hot to have them outside, even under the shade cloths.

We took advantage to a perk of the job a couple weekends ago. Most of the College staff have to invigilate the high school exams. We had the option to do it at the college where I work, or to travel to Umm al Quwain - one of the northern Emirates about 45 minutes away. Because we needed to be there for 8 AM, we were given accommodations in Umm Al Quwain. We were encouraged to bring our families, so we had a night away - first one since we have been here. The Resort was right on the beach. We shared our time between the beach and the hotel pool. The water was very rough, so the kids had a fabulous time riding the huge waves on their boogie boards. They hunted for crabs and Zoe found a cat with small kittens that fascinated her for hours. Because my co-workers also brought their families, they had lots of kids to play with.

Mom's Brag Post

I just have to share how well the children are doing at school...

Zoe has been voted by her classmates to be on the Student Representative Council. Apparently they discuss issues about how to improve the environment of the school. For example, yesterday they discussed the fact that some of the students are burying their litter and they came up with some suggestions on how to stop the problem. Zoe also was "Star of the Week" for her class last week. She was recognized for her integrity and for her actions in making the new students feel welcome and included (3 new students in the last couple of weeks).

The improvements in Chase's reading are exponential. He started this year (kindergarten) barely able to recite the alphabet and being inconsistent in his ability to recognize letters. They have a "home reading program" and Chase is very diligent about reading every night. At school they are using the "Magic Words" program - an Australian based program for reading. They work through levels of words which are divided by how common they are. Each level has 12 - 20 words. I am not sure what they do at school to learn these, but Chase brings home sheets with the words. It took him several weeks to learn the 12 Golden words (first level). Now, he flies through the levels. Last week he completed 2 levels! He now knows well over 100 words.

The Other Side of Dubai

From all the media hype about Dubai one imagines an ultra modern city with every imaginable amenity. That is true. Dubai has an abundance of skyscrapers with amazing architecture. They have built (well almost) the tallest building in the world and the a 7 star (??) hotel. They have dredged up the Gulf and built entire communities on the reclaimed land. One doesn't have to wait long to see fancy sports cars and other ultra expensive vehicles driving around. The many malls sell every luxury item that you could ever imagine or want. There are many luxury apartments and villas that sell for several million dollars.
That is why it is so startling when you take notice of some of the other sites in Dubai. We have seen cows standing in the back of pick up trucks. It is not uncommon to see trucks full of sheep and goats driving around. One day we saw a man walking his goat down the sidewalk! We have also seen a man walking his monkey by the beach. The sight that always makes me smile is the camel in the back of a pick up!

Dinner at the Ritzy Palm

We recently went out to dinner with our friends. The restaurant we chose was the Ritzy Palm. It is across the street from our apartment, but we only recently tried it on the recommendation of some friends. The name and the fact that we never see any cars outside were the reasons for our hesitation. Here is a time when looks can be deceiving because it is a fabulous restaurant with delicious food and great service.
When we walked in the door at 7:00 on Thursday, the waiter remembered us – even though we have only been there 2 times before (I guess we do stand out from their other clientele). Once again, we were the only ones in the restaurant. They start serving food from the menu at 6:30 and the buffet starts at 7:00. As soon as we were seated, the waiter brought us all our fresh squeezed fruit juice with apple bits floating in it. The kids loved it and boldly asked for more and of course were not denied. We decided to go with the buffet and we got the kids a couple orders of spaghetti to share between the 3 of them. While we were waiting, the kids asked if they could have a tour of the kitchen and off they went.
The waiter came by with the most amazingly delicious soup – I can’t remember what it was – for all 7 of us even though it was a buffet item and the kids didn’t have buffet. The waiter took care of the kids by dishing up their spaghetti and refilling their plates. We helped ourselves to the buffet of salads and Indian food and then of course there was the dessert buffet and of course the kids were allowed to have some too.
This evening of special treatment and abundant delicious food (for 7 people) came to a grand total of 204 AED – that converts to $56.00 US!

Beach Time

Summer is definitely here. The temperature hit almost 40 degrees both days this weekend - so we hit the beach!

Friday, we packed up our gear and headed to Mamzar Park. The kids took their boogie boards, but unfortunately, their were no waves (unlike last weekend). After we had been there for about 4 hours, they cleared the water because the red tide came in to the beach we were at. Surprisingly, it was not at the beach which is literally 50 feet from where we were. We decided that we had enough of the beach, but not the sun, so we went up to the pool in our building and swam for another hour.

Saturday, we went to the Mamzar beach in Sharjah and rented a jet ski. The kids started out in the tube, and then moved onto the jetski.

An update

Not too much has been happening since our last post. I spent 3 days last week in Abu Dhabi at a conference. It wasn't nearly as crazy as the last time we were in the city! I had to work on Saturday, so we weren't able to get away on the weekend.

The kids are off school again this week. They were very surprised when the Easter Bunny made his visit on Sunday morning because they had no idea it was Easter. Not to mention, we didn't know if he would come to Dubai or not.

Summer is really heating up - it is supposed to be 37 degrees on the weekend.

I thought you might find it interesting to read the "Code of Conduct" for Dubai that I recently came across.

http://www.dubaiinformer.com/2009/03/dubai-code-of-conduct-full-version

One of the reasons tourists travel to Dubai is for the shopping. The malls here are spectacular – and there are lots of them. In January Dubai celebrates the “Festive Season” – the shopping festival! For one month the stores advertise huge sales – up to 90% off and offer amazing raffles for shopping. Even though the festive season is long over, I thought it might be interesting to share the shopping experiences…
Dubai’s newest mall is the Dubai Mall – it opened in November. It is located at the base of the Burj (the still unfinished tallest building in the world). The highlight of the Mall is the aquarium. Apparently it is in the Guinness book of records because it is made with the largest piece of plexiglass in the world. From the corridor you can view the amazing array of tropical fish, sharks and stingray. For a small fee, you can walk through the tunnel and be surrounded by the aquarium. Another fee will gain you entry into the discovery center. I think that showing you photos is better than trying to explain the exhibits.







Another unique feature of the Mall is the 3 story fountain.
Malls here are different than in Canada. There are no anchor stores. The stores are layed out so that all the electronic stores are in one area, jewelry in another …It certainly makes it easy for comparison shopping and that is a good thing because the malls are so large.
My favourite thing about the Dubai Mall - it has a machine that gives you a ticket identifying the area where you parked!

Our latest news and adventures

The weather has been really crazy here lately. Last weekend, we took a friend to Al Ain to see the Jebel Hafeet and the Green Mubazzarah. We were only there about 2 months ago and it was beautiful. Last weekend it was so hot, both the air temperature and the water temperature. We could barely dip our feet! We had a picnic and let the kids climb the mountain for a while and then headed off to the zoo. We were very grateful for the air conditioned cabana!

On the way out of Dubai that morning, we discovered the camel racing track. There were several groups of camel jockeys working out their camels. Since the track is several kilometers long, rather than sit in stands or around the track, the spectators drive along side the racing camels. There is a paved road that parallels the race track.


Since then, it has been hot and muggy and we have had thunderstorms for the last 4 nights. Rick goes walking at the beach every evening and said that it was quite a lightning show. The rain was warm, so I don't think he minded getting soaked.

Zoe did very well at the school's track meet several weeks ago. She was invited to participate in the inter-school track meet on Thursday. We were worried that the rain was going to spoil the day, but the weather held out for the afternoon. One good thing about living in the desert - when it rains, the water soaks into the ground almost immediately. Zoe raced in 3 races and came in 3rd, 4th and 5th.

Another day at the Souks

We went back to the Gold Souk again yesterday. Chase was in need of a haircut, so we stopped at the “Gents Hairdressing Saloon ” (not a typo, that is what they call them here, although most of the ladies ones are salons). I am not allowed in, so I waited out on the street. In the 20 minutes it took to get his hair cut, I saw only 8 other women, and none of them was “Western.” In that time, hundreds of men were walking around.

Our next adventure was riding across the creek in one of the abras. They are small wooden boats that taxi across the creek. At any given time, there are dozens of them cruising around. It costs 1 dirham each for the ride, although on the ride back, the kids were free! One dirham converts to about 30 cents.



When we first arrived at the Gold Souk, nothing was open, so we walked around the labyrinth of lanes. At around 11:30, the call for prayers began. There are at least a dozen mosques in the area and each one announces the beginning of the prayer time on a loudspeaker. We haven’t learned what they are saying, but it usually sounds like a song or a chant. There are 5 prayer times each day – 1 or 1 ½ hours before sunrise (now that is about 5:30), morning (11:30ish), mid afternoon (2:30ish), after sundown (7:30ish) and 10:00ish. The exact times change with the lengths of the days. We live relatively close to 2 mosques, so the early morning on tends to be a wake-up call.

About 2:00 we decided to have lunch. We actually found the café we enjoyed last time, but they weren’t open until 2:30 and they sent us down the street to another place. We ended up in a place that advertised an Indian buffet for 15dirham ($5.00). We are trying to get the kids to be more adventurous in their eating and this place offered a variety that they would eat and could get full on. The restaurant had the buffet on the main floor, but they wanted us to sit upstairs in the family room because the main floor was for men only. The food upstairs was different, including fish heads with the teeth and eyes still in! They brought us platters of the downstairs buffet meal to our seats upstairs.

Finally at around 4:00, most of the little shops were open. We were on a mission to find a specific item that Zoe wanted. She finally managed to find the item at the price she would pay. The vendors assume we are tourists so they attempt to overcharge us. Their next assumption is that since we are expats, we must have lots of money. Zoe really had to work hard yesterday. Chase also managed to complete his National attire by haggling for a dishdash.

Sorry to hear it is so cold back in Canada. It cooled off here a bit too - back down to the 20s for a few days. It has also gotten windy again. Wind here means sandstorms. It is funny to see drifting sand rather than drifting snow!

It was warm enough last weekend to go the the beach again. Zoe discovered how to find starfish and they collected around 40 of them which were still alive. We put most of them back in the water but we do have quite a collection at home now.


As we were packing up to leave, a motorcycle cruising down the street caught our attention. He was doing a wheelie, standing up, with one leg in the air behind him! And this was on the busy street in pretty heavy traffic.

Winter is over!!!

Today's high temp 39 degrees!

Winter ended almost over night here. Okay, it wasn't much of a winter, but we wore sweaters in the morning for a couple weeks. The overnight lows were in the low teens. Then, in about 2 or 3 days, it changed. Now the lows are in the 20's and it is getting up to the high 30's every day.

Yesterday we packed the kids' bikes into the car and went over to the College to let them ride. The College is closed on Friday and only staff are allowed in. The perimeter of the grounds is fenced and there are security guards everywhere. We knew the kids would be able to ride around and be completely safe - even though we couldn't see them. The grounds of the College are beautiful, tropical plants everywhere and many of the flowers are in bloom.

We spent the afternoon at the beach. The water is warm enough to swim in comfortably. On the way home, we drove along the beach strip and looked at all the expensive, fancy cars. We saw a man walking along with his pet monkey on a leash!

Jebel Hafeet

We went back to the city of Al Ain, in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. This time we went to Jebel Hafeet and the Green Mubazzarah. Jebel Hafeet is the mountain. The road up is paved with lots of twists and turns and switchbacks. There is a beautiful hotel at the top as well as a few restaurants, a couple massive villas and a huge parking lot. The view from up there is pretty spectacular. Unfortunately, it was a bit hazy the day we went so the visibility wasn’t great. It was a beautiful place for a picnic.
At the base of the mountain is Green Mubazarrah – an oasis with a hot spring which they have falajed into some hot pools. They have built a huge park with several playgrounds, a chalet village and lots of picnicking areas. The kids had a great time climbing up the green mountain (it is actually sedum). Rick and I put our chairs in the falaj and enjoyed the warm water. We all agreed that this is one of our favourite places in the UAE.

Camels in Ras Al Khaimah

RAK trip January 16, 2009

It has been quite a while since I have posted. Things are going well and we have gotten back into our routine of day trips out of town on Fridays and soccer and Dubai stuff on Saturday.

Several weekends ago, we took a drive up to Ras Al Khaimah – the only emirate that we had not yet been to. It is the northern most emirate, and borders on Oman. It was less than a 2 hour drive and the sandy desert gradually transformed to mountains on one side and the gulf on the other. RAK is completely different from Dubai – no skyscrapers and very few apartments. The villas are small and somewhat run down. The thing that really struck us was the garbage – it was piled up everywhere and the litter on the beach was appalling.
We spent the day in RAK City – apparently the biggest city in the emirate. Amazingly, there were farm animals roaming free throughout the city – chickens, herds of goats and even cattle (the first cattle we have seen since we got here).
Of course, we found our way to the beach and spent some time searching for shells. I am always surprised at how different the shells are on each of the beaches we visit. And of course, we had to spend some time 4 wheeling on the way home.