Spirit of the Union

The UAE is about to celebrate 41 years as a country on December 2.  As I look at what this country as done in such a short time I can only imagine what the country will be like in another 41 years from now.  This country seems so young compared to the USA.  I can't believe the USA was founded  236 years ago.

This picture below is a silhouette of the iconic image between the founding fathers of the United Arab Emirates, lead by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Time to give Thanks

I can't believe it is November already a time to give thanks for what we have.  I am thankful for our family and friends, but most importantly I am thankful for a wonderful husband and two wonderful daughters.  God has blessed us with the chance to be parents and what a blessing it is.  I am thankful we have a home and we can provide for our family.  We have been blessed to experience living in another culture for 3 years now.  This adventure has opened my eyes to a culture that is different than our own.  I am grateful we have gotten to live here and to be able to show our children some amazing sites, but one thing for sure there is no place like home.  A place where some people only dream about.  After living abroad it gives you prospective to never take for grated our beliefs and our freedoms.  I hope everyone is grateful for what they have and always be thankful everyday of the year not just at Thanksgiving.

Al Ain Paradise Garden

This expansive park – the size of four football pitches – is home to approximately 10 million flowers, a 12 metre tall replica of the Eiffel Tower and it holds the Guinness World Record for the most hanging baskets, having 2,968 in total.


 http://forum.xcitefun.net/the-garden-city-al-ain-paradise-t63017.html
 http://visitabudhabi.ae/en/what.to.see/attractions/al.ain.paradise.garden.aspx

Murjan Splash Park

This entertaining children destination in Khalifa Park features no less than seven water-based attractions, all for children up to the age of 12. Its main feature - the ‘Water Play Structure’ - is a shallow pool with four small waterslides, a giant tipping bucket, a crawl tunnel, water guns, a water umbrella, small tipping buckets, a water wheel, and water showers.

Murjan also features a 257 metre long, 0.6 metre deep ‘lazy river’, ready for kids to float on. The more adventurous ones can try their hand at the ‘Water Balloon Wars’. The Lili Pad Hop features four trampolines with harnesses where children can jump and flip on. For kids off 11 years and under, the park offers the ‘Surf Wrangler’- an attraction inviting kids to try their balancing skills by riding a mechanical surfboard and the ‘Bumper Boat Lagoon’ - small steerable, battery-operated boats for kids to drive around and lightly bump into each other.  http://visitabudhabi.ae/en/what.to.see/attractions/more.attractions/murjan.splash.park.aspx

New Waterpark

Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi

Opening End of 2012
Spread over 15 hectares, the waterpark will feature a thrilling range of 43 rides, slides and attractions. Four rides will be one-of-a-kind rides that have never been seen in a waterpark.
Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi's theme is based on a legend that represents local Emirati culture and heritage. Visitors will be able to enjoy attractions that follow the adventures of the waterpark's main character Dana – a young Emirati girl in search of a legendary pearl that brought prosperity to her village.
Building on the legend, the park will have a unique pearl diving attraction that showcases the role pearl diving played in the UAE’s rich history.
Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi on Yas Island is developed by Aldar Properties and will be operated by Farah Leisure Parks Management LLC. 

Building on the legend, the park will have a unique pearl diving attraction that showcases the role pearl diving played in the UAE’s rich history.
Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi on Yas Island is developed by Aldar Properties and will be operated by Farah Leisure Parks Management LLC.  http://abudhabiliving.net/page/yas-waterworld-abu-dhabi

3 Years in the Sand

I am just writing about our 3 year Anniversary because it just came to me that I never wrote anything about it.  It is hard to believe that we have been here for 3 years this past July.  I still remember like it was yesterday getting on a plane and moving clear across the world to what I thought would be nothing more than sand boy was I wrong.

I asked Sydney one day about moving back to the US and she said she doesn't want to live in the US she wants to stay here.  I guess she sees the US as a place she visits and not her actual home and she said she would miss her friends.  Oh when we do move it will be hard on her.  I am glad she has found friends in our home away from home and I have to say we all have adjusted well here.  I never thought I would call the Middle East home, but we have made it our home here.

Fog

October weather some call it haze, but I call it fog.  It has been really been foggy for two days now and it always brings in the cooler weather.  I am looking forward to being able to enjoy being outside and taking the girls to the play ground.  I am however glad it burns off otherwise we would have crazy traffic all day long.


The UAE woke up to a foggy morning on Wednesday with reduced visibility causing traffic snarls, accidents and flight delays in various emirates. — KT photo by Juidin Bernarrd.

… The UAE woke up to a foggy morning on Wednesday with reduced visibility causing traffic snarls, accidents and flight delays in various emirates. — KT photo by JuidiBernarrd