we made it to dubai with me driving a 1981 mitsubishi lancer with a controlled speed alarm and no radio. i used to like mitsubishi's (well, my two fabulous eclipse's anyway). but this car was a beater (and a beating). i felt like jeff and i had to pedal. we seriously had to lean forward in the car to get it to go faster. and thrifty rent-a-car in the rotana hotel has nothing on hertz gold. since when does it take 30 minutes to rent a car and 30 minutes to turn one in?
but less whining, huh? dubai is awesome (i kind of; well REALLY like it better than abu dhabi). there's way better shopping (although i didn't get to do any, but i could just tell. plus there's a sephora there, but not here :-( ). we stayed in the very plush grovesnor hotel and went to the buddha bar for the festivities (muchas, muchas gracias charles and christine for this very lovely gift). apparently there are only 7 buddha bars in the world. it was eclectic and trendy (not sure why jeff and i were there). they played thumping house music all night, offered all the alcohol you can drink and a 7 course meal with steak and lobster. there were many, many older men with what looked like their daughters, a few 'working gals' in the bunch, models and drunk girls dancing on the bar (not me this time).
on new year's day, we moved into our abode for the next year. the apartments here are called 'hotel apartments' and this certainly feels like a hotel. i need my favorite blanket and my own pillow.
i found the liquor store yesterday too (yea!). its the only one that doesn't require a license. so, score!!! had to go 3 times before it was open though. the sign on the door (and actually on most places of business) which lists their "timings" (that means 'hours of operation') is only really a suggestion. the 1st time jeff and i drove out to it - its called 'high spirits' - the sign said they were open, but a couple of guys playing cricket in the parking lot said, "no; not open. come back tomorrow". cause why? habeeb is in there and is partaking of the goods? so i went back the next day when they were supposed to open at 9. nope; no go. 3rd time is a charm as they say.
so back to the bitchy part - when we got to the apt. on the 1st, the tv didn't work; the wireless didn't work; my phone still doesn't work and my blow dryer doesn't work. so i turned into a toddler and had a tantrum directed at jeff (really, just ask him). the toddler is in time out now, so the coast is clear for now.
off to the shops today to see if i can find a blanket.
ma'a salama
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2 comments:
Ironic that The Buddha was a proponent of the Middle Path...you know balance, serenity, peace...and yet the Buddha Bar was blasting music and promoting over indulgence. Maybe even Siddhartha Gautama partied down on New Year Eve. Rock it B*tch! :o)
Do you finally have your own pillow on which to lie down your pretty toddler head? Bed setup is crucial! Jude, dandy that he is, got a new sleepmask from Santa and couldn't be happier. He is also a fiend for lobster, we discovered this week, so can he go to the Buddha bar with you next time??
Miss you!!!
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