Muscat!

This past weekend Jimmy and I went to Muscat, Oman. It is a 5 hour drive from Dubai through mostly desert with not a whole lot to see but still different and interesting. Of course we had to go through the process of exiting UAE and entering Oman and return. I only have a few pics of that because photograhy is not allowed in the Visa and customs areas. And away we go-

Jimmy getting auto insurance. There is a building with a window you walk up to and provide papers for your car (rental, lease or ownership documents). You pay $100 AED and are given a certificate of insurance for Oman. You will be asked for this at the Visa office so you must have. It is easy to miss because it is a small building on the side of the road with one sign and is situated kind of beside but behind a gas station.

This is the "Visa Hut"! Here you must get your exit stamp from UAE in your passport. It is a trailor on the side of the road; you park in a gravel area nearby and stand outside in line. As you can see many people travel in and out of UAE to Oman; there are 8-10 people ahead of us and behind us and the line is constant. Fortunately the Immigration officers are very good at thier jobs and it moves pretty quickly.

Stamped and ready to go! After this there are several more security checkpoints and of course getting your passport stamped to enter Oman. The same procedure is required when you re-enter UAE. Again, the officials are quite proficient and it goes smoothly and quickly.

I'm not certain what this building is- it could be a palace, a mosque or a government building or something else.

There are many, many round-abouts along the way. A lot, but cetainly not all of them, have interesting statues, water features or gardens. I took as many pics as I could but I missed a few.

Round about pic. You can't tell from the angle but this is actually a four sided structure with the open gateway in the center.

Round about pic.

Round about pic.

Round about pic. This is made of ceramic tiles and is one of two at the same round about. The other one faces this one.

Round about pic. Very cool image of the world.

Round about pic.

This is a huge double gateway we passed through. We weren't at a border crossing so I'm not certain of its significance but isn't it beautiful!

Round about pic.

We finally arrive at the Al Bustan Palace Intercontinental Beach Club. It is an amazing hotel on the Gulf of Oman with a private beach, view of the mountains and luxury resort accommodations. There are 5 pools plus a childrens pool and lush tropical grounds to relax and enjoy.

Hotel lobby. The ceiling soars 8 stories to an intricately designed dome and spectacular chandlier. The camera just could not do it justice (although it may have had more to do with my photography skills!).

Another view of the lobby. The floor is granite and tile to include a very detailed mosaic.

Our room.

There is a sofa and desk area behind me and the door to the balcony. Beyond the bed is the bathroon which was gorgeous.

Opposite view of our room.

Our balcony overlooking one of the pools. All of the pools have infinity edges and are 4 feet deep. They also have shallow areas so you can sit or lay in the water and not be totally submerged.

Another view of the pool. The white area to the right is shallow and the two long block looking things to the left are perfectly contoured granite loungers. We laid on them and it was divine! As you can see the grounds are grassy and luxuriant and the mountain view is in the background.

Loungers to sunbathe are abundant and even an occasional hammock can be found to relax in!

Surely you didn't think I would let this opportunity get by. Fortunately Jimmy didn't have the camera ready when I nearly flipped out the thing in my zeal to climb aboard!

More of the grounds and lounging areas. In the background you can see the Gulf of Oman and the mountains. Unfortunately my camera lens fogged over because of the humidity and I didn't wait long enough for it dry before I took the beach pics so they didn't turn out so good.

The only decent pic of the beach. The dark area at the very back is black rock and the water

washes in. We were climbing around in the area and came upon several crabs! Not little sand crabs- I mean plate sized crabs.

On our way home we stopped for gas and saw some young girls going to school. They were laughing and giggling like school girls do.

The boys we came across were a different story! The young girls going to school were in the heart of downtown Muscat. These boys were in a very rural community far outside the city. The boys were also laughing and having a great time.

It is not unusual to see camels along the way. They are nearly as abundant as the cows in Alabama but they are there! We also saw goats along the side of the road  (not fenced in; just hanging out!) but I didn't have the camera ready.

Camels.

Camel gang! (I guess they call them herds, really!)

We relaxed and laughed and simply lived in the moment. You don't have to go to an exotic country or sail the high seas; next time you feel the warm sun on your face or catch the scent of sweet honeysuckle in the air- remember to simply live in the moment.

Much love to all my family and friends. I miss you all so very, very much. M&J

Air Conditioning Bill

So I paid the air conditioning bill today. Surprise- It's done a little differently here! You pay a fee quarterly plus you get billed monthly for your actual consumption. The quarterly fee is $500 AED = $136 USD. Our May consumption was $45 AED = $12 USD. So assuming increased consumption in the hotter months I can expect to pay between $15 - $30 USD monthly (a very safe assumption!) plus the quarterly fee.  This is for air conditioning only- the electricity and water bill is charged seperately and I don't have that yet. I'll let y'all know how that works out!

I'll post more mindless, inane stuff later. Y'all have a great day! Love you, M&J

Randomness

Hello all! Today is just a random day with no specific goals or plans. I noticed that I haven't posted any pics recently so today you get random thoughts with visual aids! So here is exactly that- totally random thoughts-

This is pic of the new balcony furniture. The original set we had was too large for the area and left very little room. This set is much better suited for our balcony.

This is the original balcony furniture. It is made of teak wood and is very nice (and not so cheap!). We added a few cushions and moved it in front of the triple windows in the living area and made it our computer table; you can see our "dueling laptops". Now instead of being at the kitchen table staring at the walls we can look out at the Arabian Gulf beaches and The Walk. Much better! And we have reclaimed the dining table for its intended purpose. 

We have two clocks. The left clock is the time in Hsv., Ala. and the right is Dubai time. Saves me from having to do math every time I want to know what time it is at either location! (My camera settings are fine- the dining walls really are lime green.)

Speaking of doing math- we finally bought a scale. It took a while because we looked everywhere for a scale that weighs in pounds. Nope- not in Dubai; its kilo's. We found plenty that weigh in stones (english weight) but we didn't need to know our stoned weight! So we finally bought one in kilo's and I have to do math to figure out my weight in pounds. No big deal really because everything here is in metric and it helps with my learning process. Metric really is much better- I wish the American schools would emphasize it more.

More math! We have digital alarm clocks in the bedroom. All the digital clocks reflect militay time. That is the norm here. Not having a military background it is not automatic for me to see 13:10 and know it is 1:10 pm. So after 1 pm I have to mentally subtract 12 hours to know the time I am familiar with. Again, not a bad thing- it actually makes more sense- it's just another small adjustment I have had to make.

My "piddle place". The bathroom has one power outlet and it is for shavors only. For most guys this is probably no big deal but for most girls it nothing short of barbaric! So my wonderful Jimmy bought me this table, a comfy desk chair on casters so it rolls on the tile floor, hung a mirror and provided a power strip with more power outlets than I've ever had before. Now I don't have to hang over the bathroom sink with all of my girl stuff crowded around the counter. I have plenty of space and I can sit while I apply my cosmetics and fix my hair and piddle to my hearts content! Thanks, sweetie!

I know this is blurry but it is a pic from the computer screen of the weather today. It is about 10 am and it is 88 degrees (fahrenheit- this is one time I don't have to calculate from metric!). The high today is only going to be 104- yesterday was 110. It's starting to get a little warm out there! We have a saying in Bama that it's not the heat- its the humidity. You wouldn't expect it to be humid in the desert, but living on the gulf, I assure you -it is humid! It still doesn't seem as oppressive as the 100 degree weather we get in Bama sometimes - but it is hot. The temp by June will hover around 120 and July/August around 130.

Ok, so I'm a little bitchy sometimes. This person just irks the crap out of me! This car is always parked illegally in the garage right next to the elevators. While it isn't blocking the cars that are parked legally they still have to go back and forth at least twice to avoid hitting it. As if that isn't bad enough that big red box you see on the left- it's fire equipment. If, God forbid, a fire were to occur this jerk would be blocking the hoses and water supply. I have noticed at least 3-4 parking violation notices have been put on the windshield but Mr. Special just throws them on the ground and drives off and returns to the exact same spot when he gets back. Every resident gets an assigned parking spot and can rent an additional spot if desired. So either this bozo doesn't belong here, the designated spot is not to his liking or he doesn't want to pay for an extra spot. Either way I don't care- he is just an inconsiderate ass. It doesn't affect me, he's not in our way, but the fire hazard effects all the residents. Like I said-I'm a little bitchy sometimes.

This is a product line of body washes, shampoos, etc. sold in the pharmacy down the street. I know it is juvenile but I can't help but giggle everytime I see it!

So that is my random day and pointless thoughts and rants. Otherwise its just laundry and chores (I love clean sheet day!). Some things never change no matter where you live. A special shout out to my Pennsylvania friends, Dave (my fave LeadHead!), Crystal, Kandis and Wayne. I hope ya'll are doing well- I think of you often. Dave- you would be proud-my biscuits are pretty damn good and my gravy is now better than wallpaper paste.  A girl from Alabama had to move to Dubai to learn to make biscuits and gravy- go figure! I haven't heard from ya'll in awhile so step it up and keep in touch. My family and friends in Bamaland-I miss you very, very much. Peace, love and happiness to all- J&M

The Downside of Paradise/ Ashley's Bday!

I moved to Dubai not knowing a soul who lives here. As we were going through the process of finding a place to live and getting settled in, Jimmy and I had no one to rely on but each other. Jimmy goes to work every day but I won't be working for about another month. I get up with him every morning and make his breakfast and send him off on his day with a kiss. As a side note I have learned to make biscuits! You can't buy canned biscuits here and Jimmy loves biscuits so I made a concerted effort to master the skill of biscuit making. There is nothing you can't learn on YouTube! I make some damn fine buscuits if I don't say so myself! Next- gravy!! But I digress; after Jimmy leaves I have the whole day in front of me to occupy. I have a very clean apartment and the dishes and laundry stay clean and caught up. I go for a walk every morning first thing for exercise- I've lost several pounds so far. And, of course, I blog.

But because we live in a resort area we are mostly surrounded by tourists. Great for people watching while having dinner and seeing so many cultures represented but not so good for making friends. While I am certain there are other full time residents on The Walk, ferreting them out has been a challenge. I haven't seen the same faces on a regular basis anywhere- the beach, the pool or just out and about. That makes for some pretty lonely days. All the people I see are on vacation making it nearly impossible to get to know anyone much less have time to develop any friendships. The people who work on The Walk, while all very friendly, live elsewhere.

So I do the best I can to stay busy and I go out every day hoping that one day I will meet someone, maybe a couple like us, and I won't be so lonely anymore. So everyone out there in the blogasphere reading this- take time to appreciate your friends and the good times you share.

A very special shout out to my first born, my Baby, Ashley. Today is her birthday. I know she will celebrate with  her many friends. I wish so much I could be there, Baby. I miss you terribly and love you so very much. B careful, b safe!  I love you, mom.

Mothers Day

Good morning all! Today is Mothers Day in the US and I want to wish all mothers everywhere, especially my own, a very Happy Mothers Day. This is the first time I have not spent Mothers Day with my girls so I celebrate the day with a heavy heart. I have been flooded with memories the past couple of days; far too many to go into but here are a few I would like to share today.

My mom was born in Germany, married a soldier (my beloved father) and had 3 children before moving to the US. I can only imagine her fear and trepidation moving to a new country with not only herself to think of but a family including 2 toddlers and an infant. She devoted herself to being a stay at home mom until we all were in grade school. Then she embarked on her own life long dream of becoming a nurse. She worked very hard at her studies; the dining room table was always covered with her books and notepads. She graduated with honors and began her nursing career. She worked the night shift in order to ensure one parent would always be on duty to keep 3 young teenagers in line. Mom is strong minded, very opinionated and never wavers from her beliefs. She has always been true to herself and a loyal to her friends. When her own parents in Germany became unable to care for themselves she moved them in with us and cared for them for several years until thier deaths. It was not easy living with 3 generations under one roof but mom maintained balance and discipline in the home at all times. She cares for her pets as much as her own children; her friends often joke that they would like to come back as one of her pets in thier next life! So I guess I don't have just one memory of my mom to share but an accumulation of all the lessons I learned from her and the examples she has set that have contributed to making me the person I am today.

Ashley, my first born daughter, my Baby. Ashley taught me what true love really is and what it means to love someone more than yourself. She was the most beautiful baby and always happy. It has been an inspiration to watch her grow up and become her own person.  I've often wished I had her passion and spirit. I swear that girl fears no evil and would spit in the eye of the devil himself; heaven help the poor bastard that crosses her! She is creative artistically and musically and so damn smart, too! Ashley has the gift of discernment and is an excellent judge of charactor. She has a sharp wit and wicked sense of humor and entertains every one with her unique insights. Ashley has a host of friends that flock to be around her; she is a "local celebrity" known for her music acumen and distinct humor. I hope she finds her path in life because when she does I know she will excel beyond all hopes and expectations. My memory to share of her is braiding her long hair at bedtime and singing "Tick, Tock Ashley Clock" to put her to sleep. Those tender moments will live in my heart forever.

Dara, my chosen one, my Angel. While Dara is not my birth child she is no less my daughter. I have often told her my heart doesn't have eyeballs and doesn't know any difference in my love for any of my girls. Dara has always been very strong and self reliant. She has seen grief and lived heartache no child her age should have to experience but instead of succumbing to despair she used those experiences to make her stronger. She doesn't want to be given a fish; she wants to catch it herself. She is so lovely to behold and twice as beautiful on the inside.  She is also very smart, works hard at her job and just bought her own house. What a proud day that was! My memory to share is when she was about 10 years old and as skinny as a bean pole. She had her roller skates on and put a leash on her big dog, Jackson, and he ran down the road, Dara in tow. I remember the sunny shining down on her and her laughter ringing through the air like music and that amazing smile; she was just being a kid.

Tara, my littlest one, my Princess. Tara was born with a broken heart but always had plenty of spunk. She was still an infant when the heart surgery was succesful and she has run full speed into life ever since. Tara has the face of a cherub and the most gentle and kind spirit of any one I have ever known. There is not one mean bone in her body and she is incapable of spite. She always exceled as a student as well as taking on extra curricular activities. Tara has an open mind as well as an open heart and accepts people for who they are. She can sing, dance and is fearless in the face of any challenge. She is currently going to college studying biology and chemistry. It is her goal to improve water supplies around the world and to that end she has been accepted to study overseas this summer. She will be in Panama as part of a team working in the field to improve a local water system. That's Tara; a world class recycler who just wants to make the world a better place. My memory to share is her high school graduation day. She was so beautiful and confident. She strode across the stage and accepted her diploma; eager to begin the next phase of her life. We had a party after the ceremony and I remember her being so grown up; such a lovely young lady. Immediately after the guests left Tara packed a few things in a bag and was heading to Texas with a couple of friends. I was not thrilled my little Princess was about to embark on a journey half way across the country; what if something happened? She's too young! But there was no holding Tara back. Just like when she was just a little baby- she has always run full speed into life.

So here I sit with tears in my eyes brimming with pride. Much love to my mom, my daughters and a special shout out to my sister Pam. She is by far the most devoted mother to her son, Jacob, I have ever seen and he is becoming a fine young man as a result. You are all an inspiration to me. Have a great Mothers Day! J&M

What I Miss / What I Love

There are many things I miss from home and many aspects of living in Dubai that I love. Now it should go without saying that what I miss the very most are my family and friends; however this post is about the other things I miss.

I miss my garden. I always had a beautiful flower garden with lots of hanging baskets, potted plants and many, many yard toys. It always gave me great joy to piddle about with my plants and watch thier growth and delight in new blossoms. My yard toys included spinning items and water features. Here I have just the one plant on the table on the balcony. I was never good at indoor plants and the balcony is too small for any more plants so this will have to do. The Walk has many plants and flowers, grass and trees of all differents types, colors and sizes so I am grateful I get to enjoy the beauty while I do my morning walk or leisurely stroll. Not my own garden, but still very lovely.

I miss recycling. It's a part of our lifestyle and is a positive practice. I feel guilty everytime I throw away a soda can. This would be an ideal place to recycle. I found the Dubai recycling website and submitted a request for service in my area. Unfortunately recycling is only done in large quantities  which means hotels, etc. My next option is to approach the hotels nearby and ask if they participate in the program and ask if I could drop my recycleables off. I should really follow up on that.

I miss Dale's Sauce. Dale's Sauce is a liquid seasoning that is applied to meats before grilling. I love it because it is not a heavy sauce and is good on beef, pork and chicken. Jimmy grills all of our meat and while it is still very good it's not the same as with Dale's. Next time we go stateside, or bring the girls here (whichever comes first) Dale's will definately be packed!

I miss having a cocktail with dinner. I know in my "Evening Cocktail" post I said I was just as happy to have a cocktail before or after going out to dinner and that I have the option to go to one of several nearby hotels if I wanted to have dinner and drinks. Jimmy and I go downstairs for dinner at least twice a week; it would be lovely to sit at our table outside and enjoy a cocktail while watching the people stroll by and whileing away the evening. I guess I am just being a spoiled little princess and should be grateful for what I have. 

I love how clean it is on The Walk. I go for a 2 mile walk from end to end and back early every morning. By 6:30 am there are already several groundskeepers picking up trash left behind from the day before. They also have a schedule to ensure every step of The Walk is pressure washed regularly. Considering the substantial number of people on The Walk daily this is an impressive operation.

I love how safe I feel here. There are numerous CCTV's and security personnel stationed along The Walk. They are always friendly and offer a smile and a nod as you pass; not at all intimidating. They are there to ensure the vacationers and residents feel safe and offer directions and assistance when asked. In many tourist areas stateside and other countries I have visited, i.e. big cities and other attractions, you may feel more compelled to be "on alert" minding your belongings and such. Here, I feel no sense of risk and am not wary that someone is going to steal my purse or bags if I sit for a while on a bench. I have never felt uncomfortable or ogled. It is a very relaxed atmosphere.

I love that I can walk to the local market do my shopping and walk right outside my building to enjoy a meal out. I have two markets close by that are not major grocery stores but carry far more than a convenience store. I get fresh fruits, veggies and meats every couple of days. I don't have to worry about spoilage because I can get just what we will use and go for a quick walk and get more when I need more. We waste almost no food at all because of this and always have the freshest goods on hand. When we choose to eat out we have a vast variety of restaurants to select from. We don't have to get in the car and drive, no traffic except other foot traffic, and the people watching as we dine is very cool.

So I guess if I weigh what I miss against the benefits of living in Dubai the benefits win. While there is no place like home-living in Dubai makes it a lot easier.

B careful and b safe and remember to take of each other. We love you all and miss YOU most of all! J&M

Mail in Dubai

When you buy a home or rent an apartment in the US that is your mailing address. Mail is delivered and picked  up daily (except Sunday) at your home. Not so in Dubai! Here everyone has a Post Office Box. In our case we had to go to the management office; well first we had to find it. Fortunately it is located on The Walk. We found the office located within one of the MANY towers and asked to get a PO Box. As with everything numerous forms of identification (passport, residency visa) and other documentation (lease contract) had to be presented and copies made. We also had to complete an application form. The management office approved us and after paying a $100 AED fee we were given a letter to present to the post office authorities. It is a twenty minute drive to that facility where we were asked to complete another application form. As usual ever ready Jimmy had aleady down loaded and completed the form. The language barrier was the worst we had experienced yet but thier English was still better than our Arabic so I can't complain.  Jimmy was being very friendly with the gentleman helping us; making jokes about himself and cutting up. That helped ease the situation a lot. They accepted our prepared application and after another $275 AED fee were given keys to our very own PO Box. We are fortunate that our building has PO Boxes; of the 6 Rimal towers only four  have them. The mail is delivered and picked up twice weekly here but I'm certain of the schedule. We were also told it takes approximately 2 weeks for mail to be delivered to the US. So my beautiful Ashley, my first born child, not only will I not be there for for your birthday for the first time but your card will be late. I'm so sorry- we really are getting everything established as quickly and as best we can.

Also, in the US most bills are sent via the mail to your home. Even if you pay on line you still get a statement in the mail. Again, not in Dubai! Most all correspondance is done by SMS text or Internet. I was astounded that the bank sent our ATM card PIN by SMS! In the US SMS is what your kids use to communicate- not for business purposes. The upside of how things are done here is that once the account (bank, cable, electricity, etc. ) is established the communication begins almost instantly and the system seems to work pretty well.

So it's anothe picture perfect sun filled day in Dubai. It's beginning to get really hot out there and the worst is ye to come. i think I'll go for a stroll on The Walk while its still tolerable. Have a great day, all! peace, love and happiness- J&M