The Grand Mosque Tour

Once again, I did not get these up in the correct order, but I'm trying!!

This is inside the mosque in the main praying area. This is the largest single piece carpet in the world!! You may wonder how muslims always seem to make perfectly straight lines across when they pray, well, the secret is that there are lines designed in the carpet to tell people where to kneel. You can't see them from this photo as they are raised lines made directly into the carpet design.

Our tour guide is standing, he is being taped for a local tv show. Yes, all women must wear an abaya, I had to leave early so I didn't get a picture of myself, it will have to wait until next time! Although UAE has a local traditional style, it is Muslims who believe a woman should only show her face and hands (the UAE's wear black). The front of the room, this gold layered wall faces mecca. Each name within the flowers are a name for Mohammed.

The largest chandalier on earth!
The outside corridor.
This is where you go to pray when the inside fills up. The landscape around the building is still under construction.

The entrance hall outside the main praying room.


Wow, this place is huge!

The Neighborhood

To give you an idea of our neighborhood, below are some photos of what I look at as I come home every day. The first shot is of Al Mashoor Foodstuff, this is at the end of our street and where my favorite delivery man Rakeem works (I now have his personal cell phone number). To the left is my dry cleaners. Both places know who I am based on my name..Jennifer, that is all I have to say when I call or walk in to pick up clothes, I guess there are no other Jennifer's around!!

Below is the closest Mosque to our home, it is right behind food stuff.
This is out my door to the right. There is a very large home for a local family, they have one of the nicest Ramadan tents I have seen. It boasts three A/C's, a door, three big screen tv's, and a servants trailer, crazy!! All of the local men show up around 7pm to eat, watch TV and read the paper together..ohh, and smoke "hubbly, bubbly" fruit flavored tobacco.
Our grass is starting to fill in!!

Al Ain Part III the final installment and funniest!

So how did Jett end up on this camel?
One of the main goals of this day trip to Al Ain was to see camels, the boys have been wondering where all of the camels are that we had told them about before we came. On our mission to find the camel souk our (not 4 wheel drive) rental got stuck in the sand. Luckily we found some locals (that spoke no English) to pull us out, they then took us to see their camels. Much to my surprize they grabbed Jett and stuck him on top of one (if you could see me at this point, you would see utter fear). Just as the camel started to walk our friends pulled Jett off (all in one piece). Jett, of course, didn't mind the ride and Jake stood back saying "there's no way you are getting me up there!!" Jett, what an adventurer...he is actually smiling...


Our heros..with no one around and a major language barrier they pulled us out of the sand, who knows what they are saying about me at this point..Mike and I guessed something like "this crazy American women!"
Ahhhhhh, the road home was nice and we stayed clear of sand and camels!!

Al Ain Part II

Our Al Ain Adventure Part I

I'm a little late on posting this day-trip to Al Ain, as we went a couple of weeks ago to check out this oasis about an hour and 1/2 from Abu Dhabi. Back in the early 1900's this was where the very simple people of the area spent their summers, as the natural landscape provided shade and pure water.
A natural well.
The old, old Abu Dhabi..before oil was discovered!


Poor Jetty was still in the splint for this trip!

How they used to live...
Photo taken by Jake!

Jett's First Day of Pre-School

The pictures speak for themselves...



His second day, when I was asking the teacher something, he literally pushed me out the door, saying"I'll be fine Mommy, I'm fine at school."

Could my kids be more different? The good news is Jake is totally adjusted and really enjoying school!

Whhoooo!!

When in Need Have it Delivered

This is not the most exciting story but one I have to write about. I tend to think of many things I want to write but run out of time to get my ideas on this blog!

Well, this evening Mike is meeting with a collegue that just arrived into town. Jett is in bed (finally walking with a limp) and I just got Jake down.

I realized one of the boys left a nice clogged surprise in my bathroom toilet. I think...we have no plunger...I remember...the corner store down the street delivers and has a vast array of products. I call, they figure out who I am, as we have had a couple deliveries before and stop by often. I try to describe what I need, I know he understands the word toilet, but not much else, I expect him to bring a cleaner or something of the sorts. Well, he arrives, with toilet paper in hand. Not to worry, we can now speak in person!

The way of communication depends on sign language around here, when I show and tell him what I need, he gets it, he says he'll be back in ten minutes. Why ten minutes? Because he is going to go down to the big grocery store to buy one and then deliver it to me!! What service!! I love being in a big city!! What will he expect for payment for his delivery services? Five dirhams...about $1.50 in US dollars (but I'll give him ten)!

Mike leaves on Saturday evening for California...meetings with Warner Bros. in Burbank, the boys and I will be going it alone, except for that is...our corner store with FREE delivery!!

I might have to run out of something every night..just for kicks!!