Dubai, Day 1

It was hard waking up after getting to bed so late! Our room package came with breakfast at an assortment of restaurants. We were in the Imperial room, and we had our own spot to go for breakfast, snacks, and cocktail hour. They had delicious fruits and tried their version of bacon- which they called "rashers." Since we were in a Muslim country and they don't eat pork, we tried veal rashers- not as good as pork bacon, that's for sure! Loved the naan- it's like a flatbread. Chris ate a lot of it while in Iraq and I was glad to have the opportunity to have it cause it was good! We are all about trying new things and making sure that the kids at least try them too- doesn't matter if they like it or not. They had watermelon juice which Isabelle liked and I tried the mint lemonade- had a strange aftertaste, but it was interesting!

Atlantis had a free shuttle bus that went to a couple of malls and we decided to hit up the Mall of the Emirates. This mall was ridiculous. Every top name designer you can think of had a store- D&G, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Dior, Versace- and the list goes on and on! The first restaurant we see when we walked into the mall was PF Changs- a huge hit with our family! Went there all the time when we lived in Colorado Springs. It was pretty exciting! We walked around a bit, they had the call to prayer and there was a section of the mall that had rugs on the ground for prayer. They had a section that was all Arab fashion, textiles (custom made items), and gold souks. I spotted COLD STONE- and of course we had to stop! This was the coolest Cold Stone we had ever been to. There was an Asian guy working and was THROWING the ice cream around- reminded me of the chefs at Benihana- only using ice cream! We all got our favorite mixes and were happy campers!



While walking through the mall, we came across the indoor ski slopes- since we knew we were coming back to plenty of snow in Germany, we skipped it! Another one of those attractions to keep tourists coming- cause I would love to be in the snow when it's 130 degrees outside! :)



For lunch we had PF Changs- it was delicious! Had our favorite lettuce wraps and some honey chicken. Nice to have something familiar- cause we don't get a whole lot of that in Germany outside of post. After lunch we walked around for a little bit and decided to go to the gold souks in a different area of town. First we had the fun task of trying to find the metro. There were signs ALL over the place, but none of them were accurate. It had us going into a grocery store (that smelled a lot like fish). It was a bit frustrating! (But we did find Krispy Creme doughnuts along the way.) Went outside and Chris ended up asking a young couple were to find the metro- the only time he had to use Arabic and we finally got out of the mall and went to the metro station. The metro station was the nicest one we've ever seen- it was very new and very nice. Even the metro itself was very well maintained. Made our way to the Deira area of Dubai- where all of the gold, perfume, and spice souks are. The metro stop was several miles away from the souks so we got a taxi to take us closer. Ended up in a very busy area of town, which Chris says is just like Baghdad. We were the only foreigners in the area, all eyes were on us it felt like! (And they were!) It was very uncomfortable to me- I didn't feel like I was in any danger at all, but we were definitely getting a true Middle Eastern experience- I think one that many tourists will never get. Once we got to the gold souks it was back to tourist central, where busloads of people come.

This is what many of the store fronts looked like:


Before we hit the souks had to make a bathroom stop- one I will never forget! The women's bathroom had 3 stalls- one toilet one and the other two were just holes in the floor. I remember hearing stories of Chris' from Iraq (one about them not knowing how to use the port-a-john cause they were used to standing) but it was so weird seeing it. Isabelle and I come back out to meet the boys and tell them about it and he asks if I used the hole.....um....NO! LOL After the bathroom break we stopped at a little shop and Chris got a drink for us to try called Rani- it was a peach juice with huge chunks of peach in it. Not really expecting a chunk of something while drinking! Tristan LOVED it.

The prices at the gold souk were high. We knew to bargain, but even after bargaining, the prices were too high. We found a nice little butterfly necklace for Isabelle with little diamonds in it, Chris talked them down over 30% but it was still over $200. Just not worth it- we could have gotten the same thing in the States for about $100. There were tons of guys trying to sell knock off purses, watches and iphones.

After the gold souk we went to check out the spices. Everything smelled so wonderful! They had every spice you could think of. Would have loved to get something, but due to customs, didn't think I would be able to bring it back. Struck up a conversation with a Iranian guy who used to be a soldier- he pegged Chris as an American soldier, but Chris was able to convince him otherwise. That could have turned into a bad situation real quick with the wrong people!

We found a taxi and went back to Atlantis. Cab driver was from India, and was pointing out all kinds of things to us. Both Oprah and Micheal Jackson (when he was alive) had properties on the Palm, near our hotel. Many of the villas near our hotel (which we LOVED) started at $1.5 million. So once we win the lottery, we can have our winter home there!


Once we got back to the hotel there was a mini traffic jam- there was a Bollywood Awards show and all of Bollywood's top actors were there, trying to get in the same time we were. All we had to do was flash our room card and we got right through. We dropped our stuff off in the room and headed up to the Imperial Club for a glass of wine and some food. Had some sushi, caviar, fruit, and some other finger foods and headed back to the room after a long day and had a box of chocolates and a bowl of fresh fruit waiting for us.

Our Middle Eastern Winter Dream

About 10 years ago, Chris told me about plans for this extravagant hotel being built in a far away place- one that I have never even heard of-in the UAE (United Arab Emirates). Supposed to be one of the most expensive buildings ever made, created on a man-made island. At the time, we were newlyweds with no money, and there was no way we'd ever make it to this place. It was placed on our bucket lists, wanting staying in the Burj al Arab.

Jump 10 years ahead and here we are, looking at over two weeks of vacation time, another deployment looming and needing a getaway. It's been a crazy, hectic, dramatic, and stressful time ever since we moved to Germany and we deserve a great vacation- so what the hell- let's go to DUBAI!!! We knew exactly were we wanted to stay- take the kids to Atlantis for a few days and spend our final night at the Burj!

In the past decade, Dubai has grown so much! They made "The Palm" a bunch of islands in the shape of a palm tree, now creating "the World" with a bunch of islands available for purchase (starting at $6 million), created the world's largest mall and the world's tallest building. From what I understand, they are trying to make the city attractive to visitors so they have revenue after their oil runs out. Trust me, they are doing an AMAZING job of making this city a tourist spot.

While Chris was in the field for two months, I planned and planned and was able to make all the arrangements by the time he came back- hotels booked, plane tickets purchased, and nothing to do until we made it there!

DAY 1:

Instead of driving to Frankfurt and leaving our car there, we decided to go to the local train station and take the train. They had free parking, so that wasn't an issue. Glad we got on the train when we did, because the next stop filled up the train! Unfortunately we were surrounded by little teeny-boppers who were loud and obnoxious. None of us slept very well the night before and we were hoping to sleep on the train, but that didn't happen!

Emirates Air is BY FAR the best airline we have ever flown on. Coming to Germany, we were loving Lufthansa, but this airline blew them out of the water! Since we were going to UAE, it's only logical to fly on Emirates Air! As soon as we got on the plane, we got refreshing wipes and the kids were each given coloring books and colored pencils and Tristan also got a little puppet to play with. The on-board entertainment was great! They had over 100 movies and TV shows to choose from- and we all found something to entertain us for the 6 hour flight. We even flew right over Baghdad- I thought that was pretty neat, considering Chris was there for over a year! After takeoff we all got menus- and although it was airline food, it was the best airline food we had ever had! There were cameras in front and below the plane, so we were able to see outside during the flight, once it got dark it was useless, but got to see a lot! This should be the standard for flying. We were taken care of and not crammed into the plane like a bunch of sardines. Now if only American airlines had the same standard!



We had a delay at the Frankfurt airport so we didn't get into Dubai until midnight (which was only 9 PM German time). Customs was super easy and got our luggage with no issues. Hoped into a pink "family" taxi with a woman driver and got checked into the hotel around 1 AM. After looking around the room we all racked out!

Five ?? Friday

After seeing a friend answer these questions every Friday for a while, I thought I'd join the bandwagon! :) Thanks Andrea!!

Questions from http://fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com/


1. Did you have a favorite blanket or toy as a kid? If so, do you still have it?

I honestly don't remember carrying around a favorite blanket, and I had lots of favorite toys depending on the age. I don't think I really have any of them either! LOL


2. Do you dream in color?

Yep- my dreams are lifelike! :)


3. How tall are you? Do you wish you were shorter or taller?

I'm like 5'7- I like my height, but I hate finding jeans that are long enough! Regulars don't work for me.


4. If you could have anyone's (celeb or other) voice as the guide on your GPS, who would it be?

Hmmm....I'd have to go with Sean Connery. I like his voice!


5. Do you return your shopping cart to the corral or leave it wherever in the parking lot?

Well, the places I go here, I have to return the carts, or else I don't get my euro back! But even in the States, I always returned them- I don't want my car being hit by a stupid cart!

PaRiS

What a few crazy, hectic weeks it has been! This month has just flown by!

Last weekend, we decided to take a trip to Paris for my birthday. We ended up taking off late afternoon on a Thursday and driving 4 hours to get there. The kids had no idea where we were going- but when we woke them up once we got into Paris, they were SOOOO excited! We caught a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower sparkling- it was great! We were only going to be there for a couple of days, so we maximized the time we had there. Got all settled into our room down the street from the Eiffel Tower- with a great view of the Seine River and the mini Statue of Liberty.

Our first morning we stopped to eat at a little Cafe right by the Eiffel Tower- RIBE. (We asked for the pronunciation, but still can't say it!) OMG- the breads, croissants, and jams were to die for! And both kids loved the omelets they served- they were so light and airy. Since we were in Paris, I had to have crepes, and they didn't disappoint. Drizzled with Nutella too! We had to go back the next day to have some more! The kids were able to order in French- by the time we are out of here, maybe they'll pick up some more of the language!



Got to the Eiffel Tower to stand in line to go to the top. Hassled by the guys peddling their mini statues and women begging for money. So annoying! I don't know if it's us getting old or what, but once we got to the top, we got vertigo so bad, we couldn't wait to get down! The kids had no problem at all- they loved the view from the top, even though it was cloudy.




We also checked out the Catacombs- underground tunnel lined with bones.




After an afternoon of shopping on Champs Elysses Blvd, we made our way to see the Arc de Triumph.



It was an exciting time and we all had a blast! We went looking for a dress for me, with no luck. I did find a beautiful gown, but once I saw the price tag (5,800 EURO) I had to put it back! :) It was in this department store with clothes from every well known top-of-the line designer. I was in the fashion capital of the world and couldn't find a thing! Oh well, the kids made out like bandits in their new wardrobes! LOL Isabelle's dream has been to go shopping in Paris, so she had the time of her life! Shirts, dresses, and pants for her and some new shirts and shorts for the little man!

Our last day there we decided to head to the Eiffel Tower again to try and find some good vendor food- had another crepe, ice cream, cotton candy, and some fries. I have to admit that the German fries are much better than the French ones!







After stuffing ourselves with goodies, we decided to hit the road and head back home. Got our car from the parking garage and of course the GPS didn't work right away- so Chris tells me to tell him what direction to go (knowing full well the right way!) and of course, I tell him to turn the other way! So we drove around Paris for a while waiting for the GPS to start working. I think we almost got into 5 or 6 accidents in about 10 minutes due to the crazies on mopeds! They come from everywhere! Once we finally got to the Autobahn (or whatever the French call it) we got stuck in traffic, due to a moped/motorcycle accident. After seeing what happens, I have absolutely no desire to ever ride a motorcycle or moped in/around Paris!




We finally got out of town, the kids and I fell asleep while Chris drove us through France, Belgium, and Luxembourg, and back into Germany. Now we are preparing for the next visit in a few short weeks when my parents come! Chris has 2 weeks of block leave and we will be traveling ALL over Europe! On the agenda: Some sights in Germany, head to Italy and visit Venice, Bologna, and Rome then head to Monaco and then to Paris for a few days and go visit Normandy. After that is Belgium and Luxembourg and back to Germany! It is going to be a whirlwind trip, but can't wait!!! We are trying to maximize our time in Europe and see everything we've always wanted to see and do! Future trips include London, Moscow, and Poland. I just wish we had a little bit more time before this next deployment! There is so much time Chris will be in the field and doing training.

Tomorrow is Chris' Change of Command! He will be taking over a company (up to 120 soldiers). It is a very exciting time and added responsibilities too! I will be in charge of the FRG (Family Readiness Group) and am excited about this new opportunity for me! More posted about this soon! :)

A Day for the Spouses!

TODAY IS MILITARY SPOUSES APPRECIATION DAY!

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan (great man!) proclaimed that the Friday before Mother's Day should be a day set to honor the spouses of our country's service members. In a time where we are facing multiple deployments and two different wars, I think it is important for spouses to be recognized and appreciated.

In my speech class last semester, my last speech had to be a "toast" and what better to toast to? ARMY WIVES! :) So here is the condensed version:

We all know the motto: There is STRONG, and then there's ARMY STRONG. Maybe our motto should be, there is STRONG and then there is ARMY WIVES STRONG. We have a bond like no other. We've become like family, spending holidays and special occasions with each other while our families and husbands are away. We are always there to lend a helping hand.

So here's to you, the care package queens and for the women who tuck their kids in at night without their Daddy.

For the ones who stay up late or get up early, just to catch a glimpse of him on the webcam.

For the women who put a smile on their face, even though they are lonely and miserable on the inside.

Here's to the women who have their cell phones within an arm's reach 24 hours a day, just in case he calls.

Here's to love that stretches across an ocean.

Here's to knowing that one day down being one day closer to seeing him again.

Here's to the women who sit by and listen to their civilian friends whine and complain about their husbands, when you wish your husband was around to sit and complain about as well.

Here's to the goodbyes we say and the hellos we look forward to.

Here's to friendship and staying strong and to the women so great they made a TV show about our lives. We make the most out of each and everyday and stay positive and strong for our kids and husbands.

We get no awards, but are so proud of the ones our husbands receive. We are supportive, no matter what. We are what keeps them going. We know what sacrifice is, because we live it each and everyday.

So here's to standing tall and proud, not letting a deployment or separation get the best of us. We know that freedom is not free.


I am so lucky to have a group of friends that are so supportive and understanding- why? Because they go through the same things. Many do not understand what it is like to have their husband gone all the time and our worries when they are gone. I know I have someone to talk to that knows what it feels like. The Army, Air Force, and Marine wives I know are the strongest women I know. They are incredible.

So if you are reading this and know any military spouses, please celebrate and appreciate them on this day- well everyday actually, but this day in particular. We are the rocks in our husband's lives. We are the ones standing behind our heroes each and every step of the way.

So to my fellow Military Spouses- THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO!

Getting settled

What a long two weeks it has been! After moving out of the hotel, which we called home for about 5 weeks, we had 1 night without any furniture. Luckily Chris' parents let us borrow 2 cots and a blow up mattress so we had something to sleep on without having to borrow beds and things from the Army's Loan closet.

The movers didn't lose anything, but I don't know if it was crappy packers or the trip across the ocean, but they managed to break 2 legs off our German Shrank (like a china cabinet), break glass on a photo, destroy our TV stand and a bookcase, and minor damage to a lot more things. This is the one thing I hate about moving around- I have to oversee the packing and unpacking, just waiting for damages. Oh, I did forget the WATER BOTTLE one of the packers left in a tub that leaked. Not good. I don't think there was anything too terribly important that was water-damaged. Our apartment has no closets- it sucks. Next week we are getting our "wardrobes" so we can hang up our things.

Chris has been in the field for the past month, only coming home for 4 days (which coincidently fell in the time we moved in and the movers came, maybe it was my good planning ;) so he hasn't seen the house without all the boxes and piles. Well, there are plenty of things that don't have a "place"- we have gone from a 3 bedroom, 3 bath, 2+ garage, 1700 sq foot house to a 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bath 1400 sq foot apartment (with no basement and a 1 stall garage). Add on top of that all the patio furniture that was on our HUGE patio- loveseat, several chairs, table, grill, etc...That is actually what is taking up most of our garage storage space. Damn you Target for having such great outdoor furniture last year! LOL I'm glad our gazebo flew away into the neighbor's house last year, cause we'd have NO place for that! :P

It is interesting living in a different country, especially when they do not speak the same language. I have started taking German language classes- learning a whole lot! I can now say my A,B,C's in German and count to 100! I have met one of my neighbors- he is in (I think) his 60's and likes speaking English. I told him I was learning so he quizzed me on my A, B, Cs at the bus stop! (He was very hard on me, but told me it will come with learning the language. I was glad he was honest with the pronunciations!) I can say several phrases and know my greetings and how to be polite. The kids even have German class once a week. I almost wish they would do a lot more, but I understand they have a lot to teach.

We've got all the amenities within walking distance from the house. We've got a pizza/kabob place right across the street, which is DELICIOUS!! A butcher shop and bakery right around the corner- the butcher shop is owned by our landlord's family. Right across the street from the bakery/butcher shop is the kids' bus stop. It takes about a minute to get from our door to the bus stop, which is quite convenient! Right near the bus stop is a grocery store. Only been there once, but plan on going quite often! There plenty of restaurants around us too. If only we had a train stop too! The closest one is only 5 miles, so hopefully we can take full advantage of the closeness!

We are looking forward to when Chris comes home next week! I hope to get some pictures after our place once we find a place for everything! :)

It's the little things...

We've now been in Germany for over three weeks! Time sure has been flying by-seems like just yesterday we were stepping off the plane in Germany! There are several busses that come throughout the week dropping off the fresh meat- we constantly have new neighbors in the hotel- I can tell by the dogs bark, or lately the newborn's cries from 2:30 to 4:30 AM. Luckily, that has stopped, so we figured they have moved on to their home. Apparently not a lot of people are here this long- trust me, it's not by choice!!! They are renovating ALL of the officer's quarters on post, so even if we wanted to live on post we'd have to wait til next year.

It has been a frustrating few weeks. I am hoping to create a "Dummies guide" to PCSing overseas, because no amount of researching and talking with people who have already been here really gives you a great idea on what to expect- sure you get some great information, but there is so much crap that isn't true either like this one: "Your kids can't start school until you have a place to live" F-A-L-S-E!!! :( Had to find that one out the hard way. After two weeks of living in the hotel, I call the school to figure out what my kids are expected to do until we find a house (which is a whole nother problem right there!!!). After speaking with the school's registrar, the kids were in school in two days. The school is quite lacking, especially when we are used to Isabelle being in a class with all gifted and talented children- she was pushed and challenged where here, well....I don't think it is much of a challenge at all. Tristan is excelling as well- knowing much of what is already being taught. We will likely be doing the "after-schooling" which will probably be more beneficial to them anyway.

On to more exciting news....WE HAVE FOUND A PLACE TO LIVE!!!!!!! After looking at several 3-4 bedroom homes, we decided to look at apartments, as these homes were in major disrepair. One of my favorites (on the outside) was a 4 bedroom, 4 bath home on the historical society list- over 200 years old. We were told by the housing office that people

were really put off by the outside of the home- I'll let you decide for yourself -------->

We thought it was quite charming on the outside, but the inside was horrible! Needed new everything. I don't think the owner realized what a gem he had there! It would make for a great makeover show!

The others had been smoked in, or were too far away from post. Another issue we had was finding a place that was on the school bus route. I think that eliminated a good 75% of the homes available. We finally found an apartment available that had 3 bedrooms in the town we really wanted to live in. It's about 10 miles from post and right off the Autobahn! Hardwood floors and it is the 2nd floor, but it has two floors the living room, dining room and kitchen and 1/2 bath on the first floor and then 3 bedrooms and a bathroom on the top floor. Plus we even have a little patio to grill out! :) After looking through it, we determined it was in the best condition of everything we've seen and the best looking kitchen! :) I could overlook the bright orange master bedroom and the lime green, purple, blue and white striped, red, and pink walls, the flowers that were glued to the wall and the holes in the wall....and I could look over the playboy bunnies painted on a couple of the walls! (Cause it's just paint and holes can be filled in!!! LOL) Here are some of the pics:

Dining Room- love the hardwood floors!

Kitchen (purple wall to be painted)

Living room- to be painted! :)

Apparently you can paint whatever you want on your walls- some weird decorating going on there! Oh well, not my problem! They were in the process of repainting the house for us and if all goes as planned, we should be moving in on the 15th! I hope to be able to survive the next 2 weeks in the hotel as Chris just left for the field for the month. Luckily, they don't want to pay him any type of family separation pay (for being away for more than 30 days) so he should be home the week we are to move in for a couple of days. It remains to be seen whether or not we'll have any furniture by then, but by golly, we'll have a place! :)

So now I am alone with two kids in a foreign country....I should probably change the title of my blog to CONFESSIONS OF A LONELY ARMY WIFE (perhaps I will!)

Chris gave me this small leather bound book that I have been carrying everywhere with me. I use it to jot down notes here and there and have come up with quite a list of things that I have learned since being here, so here are a few things I have learned so far:

* Always carry 50 cent euro coin for each person traveling with you as you have to pay to use the restrooms at rest stops! (But if you buy something at the rest stop, you get that money applied to your total)

* If you have a motorcycle, please reconsider driving it on the Autobahn- some people are driving at over 120 MPH (I only know that because we were going about that fast and still being passed- by STATION WAGONS no less ha ha!!!) It's hard to see cars when they are going that fast, and I can't imagine how motorcyclists drive on it!!

* GPS is mandatory! I accidentally left mine in Chris' truck in SD, so we bought a new one with European maps- it is a GODSEND!!! We would be so lost without it!

* Gas is SUPER DUPER expensive!!! We have a fuel ration that can be used on post and at certain gas stations in Germany. Right now I think it's at about $3.30/gallon. It's at 1.15 euro per LITER for Germans. It costs over $50 to fill up my Honda Accord! Without the fuel ration, it was nearly 80 euros ($106)!!! EEK- It makes you wonder how Germans can afford to drive!

*Be willing to try new things! We preach it to the kids all the time, so we have been trying all kinds of new foods! We may not like all of it, but at least we know we don't like it now! :) My favorite is all of the baked goods- brochen, berliners, pretzels, and my favorite- croissants at the gas station! LOL (This reminds me that someone is trying to take me skydiving for my birthday---we'll see about that!)

* Be prepared to wait. It seems as if Germans are in no rush (except when it comes to driving on the Autobahn). You sit down to eat and after ordering, it takes a while to get your food. After you do get your food, your server doesn't come around a million times and interrupt conversation or rush you to get out of the place. It is so easy going around here, which is really refreshing!

That is about it for now~ both kids are in bed sleeping and I should be headed that way myself!