Coming Home

I will be leaving Dubai and heading to Chicago on February 27th.  Travis and Kaden's surgeries are scheduled for March 9th.  A lot of turmoil in our lives wih being displaced.  It is very difficult to keep a positive outlook.  We are uncertain at this time what Dave is doing.   God is good and He will get us through.  Praying the company lets him come home for Kaden's and Travis' surgery.   Hope to see everyone in a little less than a week. 

I will be spending several weeks at Travis' after his and Kaden's surgery. 

Blessings  Debbie

Palm Jumeirah

We went to the Palm Jumeriah today.  The man made Palm in the Persian Gulf.   The island has been created using 94,000,000 cubic metres of sand and 7 million tons of rock. The Palm Jumeirah was created by pouring sand fill onto seabed using dredgers.  The island includes a curved breakwater using natural rock, intended to encourage the creation of a natural reef and provide habitats for sea life. In early October 2007, the Palm Jumeirah had already become the world's largest artificial island.  It is on the Persian Gulf.  I knew there was a Plam island, we can even see it out our window here at the hotel,  but did not realize all of the buildings and homes that were on the island.  The Atlantis hotel is absolutely beautiful.  We couldn't get near it.  I did take a picture.

The rock on the side of the island. 

One side of the Atlantis Hotel on Palm Jumeirah

Other side of Atlantis Hotel on Palm Jumeirah

Dubai Global Village

Each year Dubai hosts the Global Village that runs from November through February.    The most unique element of Global Village is the pavilions where you can buy merchandise of countries around the world without actually traveling there.  Each country has a pavilion with the front being designed to show each country's culture.  No European countries are represented or the US or Canada.  Mainly the middle east, India, and the Asian countries.  It was a lot of fun.  I had to laugh when we went into one pavilion and something they were selling said "made in China" and it was not the China pavilion. 

Main entrance

Across the water

India had their own little parade

This is the Africa pavilion, it was my favorite. 

It is all about attitude

Well here we are, our 17th day in Dubai.  This past Monday we moved from the Hilton hotel to the Marriott.  I do love the city but as each day goes on I wonder what does the future hold.  Dave leaves on Saturday to go to Abu Dhabi for the IDEX exhibition.  We had to go tonight and buy him some pants and shirts.  It was great, alterations were free, even if the clothes were a little pricey.  At 10 to 10 Dave had two pairs of pants that needed to be hemmed, as always is the case with Dave.   At 5 after 10 they were hemmed and we were out the door.   Speedy tailor, not sure of the quality but they are done.  The malls stay open until midnight.   We are always doing the math when pricing things.  UAE dirham to the US dollar.  I finally have a formula in my phone, I entered the exchange rate then all  I need each time is to put in the Dirham amount and it immediately shows me the US dollar amount.

I will be staying with Dave's bosses wife while Dave and his boss are in Abu Dhabi.  I am praying for that situation.  It was either that or go to Abu Dhabi where all the Oshkosh important people are without their spouses.  I opted for not going to Abu Dhabi, in fact I almost went home to the US.   I will probably return home next week after Dave is done with the exhibition. 

Dave has spent a lot of time getting vehicles ready, moved from Dubai to Abu Dhabi.  He even had to get a vehicle out of the airport, on Valentine's Day, and we did not get home until 12:30.  Seven hours at the airport.   The up side is we went to the 52nd floor here at the Marriott and had dinner on the 15th.  It has windows completely around and looks over the city and the marina.

I had lunch with Kristina my little friend from the Hilton Hotel.  She came to my hotel and we talked.  I had admired her french manicure, which she does herself.  She brought all of her things and surprised me and did my nails.  We had lunch, she went to work and I went and got my hair cut and colored.  Oh my that hurt.  It costs way too much.  One less thing to worry about for the next 3 or 4 weeks.  

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, 

I will not be shaken.  My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge.  Trust in Him at all times, 

O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge."  Psalm 62: 5-8

Mubarak and Egypt

It was a total surprise to us last night, as we watched the news, and saw the Mubarak had resigned.  Many think that this will be what is best for Egypt.  We will see.  Mubarak was good for America so we will see how relations change there.  Our friends Jeff and Cathy are headed to Detroit now.  We will probably stay in Dubai/Abu Dhabi for about ten more days.  Dave is helping with the IDEX  show here.  That is the International Defense Exhibition.  Dave is off loading military equipment that Oshkosh designs and manufactures to display at the show.

Please continue to pray for Egypt.  I worry that the Muslim Brotherhood will be more involved than should be in what happens with the future infrastructure and government. 

I am trying to be patient.  Everything that has happened since we left January 4th from the United States has made me think, what is God trying to tell us.   Sometimes your mind just goes ok....just give me normal.  Then I think, what is normal?

Travis still is working diligently with insurance companies and medicare, trying for the March 9th transplant with him and Kaden. 

I am thinking,  Please give Kaden and Travis safe surgeries and a very successful transplant for Kaden and a complete recovery for Travis.  It would be so wonderful for all of them to move on with their lives.   Also Lord I sure would like to be out of this overseas life......show Dave what his options are.  A lot to think about and I know God is in control.   Dave's boss says....."What else could Debbie want, she is getting an all expense paid trip to Dubai on the beach."  

Blessings.......

Blessings  

Dubai Hilton Hotel

The Hilton Hotel is on the Persian Gulf

Across the street from the hotel

Another view outside

Lobby

Water fall in lobby

Outside Restaurant

Grassy area outside hotel 

Covered Seating areas outside hotel

The pool

Outside Restaurant next to Beach

 

Beach

Ok, Ok a guy in a speedo playing volley ball with his daughter

Europeans, young and old wear those. 

                               

Beach at night

How the Arab men dress here in Dubai

Another pic of their dress

                              

Chilis........they are everywhere

                                                                   

Looking at the menus



Camels on the Beach!

Pictures from Dubai

http://koebcke.blogspot.com/

Have enjoyed being in Dubai.  Great place to visit but not sure permanent residence would be ok.  So expensive. 

My friend Kristina, who works in the Executive Lounge in the Hilton Hotel here in Dubai, so graciously took me on her day off to see the sights.   She is from Serbia, Yugoslavia.   We had a great day.  She told me that I reminded her of her Mom.    This trip made me forget our reason for being here.  Seeing the pics made me realize I needed to lose weight!!!!!  LOL

We visited the Dubai Marina while on our way to the Metro.  Just beautiful. 

Here we are at the entrance to the Metro.

On the metro looking out. 

The twisted tower.  It is not completed yet, such interesting architecture.  The building next to the twitsted tower is the Marriott suites our second hotel. 

Dubai Mall  Supposed to be the largest mall in the world.

Skating Rink in Dubai Mall.  See the Egyptian girl in all of her dress skating?

This is a candy store in the Dubai Mall.  These suckers were hanging from a fake tree structure.  So cute!!

Two foot Pez Dispensers.  I wanted to buy Kaden and Karina one, they were $40.00 each. 

Fountain in Dubai Mall

Bug Al Arab.....a hotel.  Looks like a sail ship.

This is the Buj Al Arab again with the wavy building, The Jumeirah Beach Hotel.  

Buj Khalifa Tower.  Tallest building in the world.  It was Buj Dubai originally, but they ran out of money, Sheik Khalifa gave them the money to finish it so thus the name change. 

Inside Emmerates Mall

Ski/Snow area in Emmerates Mall See the snowman in the bottom middle part of the picture?  A boy is going down the snow slide. 

Another pic of ski area. 

Souk Al Bahar

Lamp in the Souk Bahar

These were the people who greet guests at one of the hotels.  Such cute outfits. 

Inside the hotel 

I think this may have been going to the Souk Al Bahar

Water fountain that looks like big wooden door.

Fish and chips at Trader Vics

Couldn't resist posting this cute high chair in the Executive lounge here at the Hilton.

Reflections of Leaving Cairo

There is so much truth in "No one understands something unless they have gone through it."  Dave and I spent Friday January 28th through Sunday January 31st wondering if we should stay in Cairo or leave.  The actual protesting started on the previous Tuesday, on an Egyptian holiday.  The college students have protests often, usually one day and then it is over.  Then Friday everything changed.  That is the Muslim Holy Day and the protesting got serious after their noon prayer.  We sat glued to the TV and watching the protestors, looting, and feeling some what nervous.   Thursday eve. was the last time we had internet and Friday morning we did not have cell phones.

We found that the Egyptian people passed on most of the protesting information via Facebook and Twitter.  That is how they increased their numbers by notifying as many Egyptians to join in as possible.  Newscasters were calling it the Facebook revolution.  I am really not sure about Facebook!

What bothered me most through the isolation with no internet or cell phones is the fact that we had our friends cell phone numbers, but when our cell phones quit working, we couldn't contact them, that left me with a feeling I never experienced before.  It was something I am sure no Americans had ever experienced.   Saturday morning we felt we needed to go see our friends Jeff and Cathy.  We had a land line and so did Jeff and Cathy, but we had never exchanged numbers because we only had those lines for internet.   They lived about 15 miles away.  We were apprehensive, but felt we needed to make the trip.  Jeff's company, General Dynamics, had a presence of 35 or more employees in Cairo, they had the support, we had none.   We just wanted to be able to talk to other Americans and know what their company was suggesting they do.   They actually had people from their companay in charge of security.

We started out on our trip to Maadi, where Jeff and Cathy live.  We felt if we had trouble with the car we wouldn't know what to do as we had no cell phones.  We were driving along, Dave usually took the back way to Maadi by taking the exit by the department store Carrefour.  As we got closer we looked over and saw cars lined up with people out of their cars looking over the side where Carrefour is.  We decided there was problem and Dave went a different route to Jeff and Cathy's.  We found out later there definitely was a problem.  Looters had broken into the store and four people were killed.  As we entered Maadi, where Jeff and Cathy live, we noticed there were no police officers.  That is very unusual for Maadi. 

We made it to Jeff and Cathy's and we were so glad we finally had some one to talk to.  Their company was having a security meeting that day around one.  We did exchange land line phone numbers. We stopped and got a few groceries and then headed back to our flat.  We knew the police officers had been pulled off duty.  The military was put in charge.  The military arrived down town with tanks and we also heard them pulling into our area.  That makes for a very unsettling feeling.  We sat and watched.  We knew if the military did nothing to control the looters, the demonstrators, or were not keeping the country in order we needed to leave and quickly. 

I spent the days, cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry.  I just stayed busy.  I tried to keep my mind busy.  The last day I went outside and drew pictures with Hattie, the little Egyptian girl who lived next door, and colored them.  As the time wore on and the neighborhoods were putting groups together to guard the homes at night and putting up makeshift barriers I just kept feeling more and more uneasy. 

Dave had been in contact with Oshkosh but we were waiting until we felt that we needed to leave.  When they started the looting in our area we knew it was time.  Soon there would be no food......and our flat may eventually be broken into for food or anything they could take for money.  Of course that is still a concern, especially with us not there. 

To make a long story short, we had a little trouble obtaining a flight after we started searching.  Dave's boss was the one who contacted people in Dubai and was able to get us out on a charter flight.  If it wasn't for Dave's boss and his knowledge of these situations I am not sure what would have happened. 

I have met three other families here in the Hilton in Dubai, from Exxon/Mobil. They were evacuated also.  I talked to one of the wives today and she said that her son, who is 13, had a melt down today.  Just a lot of unknown in his world.  They said they heard gun shots where they were, we never did.  Their son had been scared,  they left in a hurry leaving all of their possesions behind, now he is here, no school, and not knowing what the future holds.  No doubt shaking a young boy's core. 

Just had to add this to the blog...... all of this still weighs heavy in our hearts.  

Next posting will be pictures of Dubai.  It is beautiful here, but there is no place like home!!!!!!