'tis the season

Today marks the beginning of Eid ul-Adha, which means we have 3 days off this week (5 including the weekend)! Since Christmas is not considered a public holiday here, we'll take whatever time we can get. It's been a little tough getting into the holiday season with the warm weather and lack of loud Christmas decorations everywhere, but we've managed. A few of us came well-equipped with Christmas music, and Sarah's mom managed to send a pin-up Christmas tree and festive decorations for the house. I think I'll be heading to Spinney's, our favorite grocery store, for some more festive trinkets this afternoon.

We recently found ourselves hankering for some hot chocolate and snow, but such a combination in the desert seemed a little far-fetched. In Dubai, however, the possibilities are endless, and we soon found ourselves coasting around the chilly ice rink of the Grand Hyatt. The set-up is pretty cool since you've got a 3 story galleria within the hotel where guests can go shopping and walk around. Each level looks down into a modest rink, complete with skate rentals and disco dance music, just like they used to play at the roller-skating rink back in the day. I was a complete disgrace compared to the skills that Will and Christine brought with them from years of hockey and figure skating between the two of them. My roller-blading skills from before didn't quite translate to the ice as well as I wished they would. Nevertheless, we had a blast and I definitely felt a bit more in the Christmas spirit when we were done.

The time off this week will likely lead to a road trip to Oman and possibly Yemen. There are apparently a few hurdles we have to figure out before entering Yemen with visa requirements, but Muscat is no more than 4 hours away and I've only heard wonderful things about it. This past weekend we went exploring up the coast and stumbled upon a marshy beach near Umm al Quwain. We caught some fresh camel footprints in the sand and the timing ended up being perfect since the sun was setting just before we left. The pictures of the horizon were breathtaking

For the holiday next week we're expecting visits from old friends, home-cooked food, and a big meal at Devon and Andrew's place, complete with a Christmas tree and crackling fire. Actually, the crackling fire is a dvd that plays crackling sounds and Christmas music, but we'll take what we can get.

Al Tanoura

This song is one of my favorites. They used to play it at Kan Zaman in Cleveland where Iwould dabke all night long with Nadia in tow. I heard it today on my way into work and it put me in the best mood. Thought I'd share.

the grass is not greener on this side since we don't have any

I'm not sure when it's normal to start missing home. I already knew I was going to miss things before I'd even left, which probably contributed to my fabulous life in the months preceding my departure since I embraced things I knew I'd have to let go of forever, or at least for a very long time. I started appreciating things like transvestites holding doors open for me at my old apartment, rain clouds, and copper pennies. I'm a bit humored by the things that have been pulling at my heart strings in recent weeks since most of them would not have made my list a year ago:

friends and family of course...
seeing my breath when it's cold
npr
college football season
YES network
Steelers fans
really tasty latin food
people on crack (i.e. W 25th st - Ohio City)
the projects (i.e. W 25th st - Ohio City)
the OC (i.e. W 25th st - Ohio City)
Great Lakes
lebron
corned beef hash and sweet potato fries
pine tree branches weighed down with heavy snow
gray storm clouds and napping on rainy/snowy days
CVS
pumping my own gas
Johnny Mango
The Garage Bar
India Pale Ales
grassy lawns
Christmas decorations and seasons greetings
the race for the white house
light yellow egg yolks (they are orange here)
scarves
heinens and wegmans
new movies
american accents
starburst fruit chews
mom's fruit cake
good, cheap wine and cheese
sidewalks
eastern standard time
Bounce, the gay nightclub I used to live next door to
frosted mini wheats
8th continent soy milk
Zen salon pedicures
The one and only.. Velvet Tango Room
Tremont
clearly marked street signs
zip codes
karaoke
live bar bands
the McMaster Christmas party
I'm sure this list will change and grow with time. I'm only 5 weeks into this gig, so I've got quite a while to go. Please never take any of the above for granted if it applies to you since these are the little things we rarely think about until we no longer have them around. Mind you, I have so much to be thankful for from the short time I've been in Dubai. I realize how apparent that is just from looking back at previous blog postings and reflecting on each day...

We actually celebrated UAE National Day this past weekend. Wouldn't you know that His Highness Shiekh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Princess Raya had their first baby together on UAE National day! It was a proud day for them both. The best part about UAE National Day for us was the long weekend! I had a chance to meet up with Faisal straight from work on Thursday and we enjoyed dinner at The Noodle House in the Emirates Towers where he works. After that, we headed over to one of my favorite spots in Dubai Media City (Barasti bar) for some drinks on the beach and good music. Saturday night I finally got a chance to check out 360, one of Dubai's most fantastic clubs. It has a breathtaking view overlooking the Gulf, the Burj Al Arab, the stars, and the cityscape. All this is accompanied by live DJs and your choice of a bed to lay on and enjoy shisha or a 360 degree, two-story roof top dance floor positioned deep into the salty shores.

This weekend I missed out on the Dubai Rugby 7s, but got a chance to catch some of the action from Waxy O'Connors in Bur Dubai via the Ascot Hotel. It was only 65 Dirhams for an all you can eat Irish breakfast AND an early dinner plus 5 drink stubs. We spent Sunday relaxing by the pool at Fitness First where we work out, and then a nice dinner to polish off the weekend.

I've found some great new music to compliment my commute and workouts in the morning. It also serves as good music to bring along to the pool and the beach... quite a change from what I was listening to back home, but it's new and I love new music. I'll be posting more pictures and potential sounds soon, so stay tuned.