In Dubai

I am currently in Dubai, UAE in the middle east, at my friend Renee's Private International American school. I arrived at 2am this morning with no problems, flying from Skopje with a stopover in Istanbul. I'm at the school library and they are playing "The Nutcracker" music. This is such a strange and wonderful place, Dubai is a modern, multi-cultural, unique city with massive growth, commercialism, and attracts a lot of international business. It has amazing buildings, signs in Arabic and English as well as different ethnicities, with people in western dress intermingled with men wearing white robes with head coverings and sandals. It is "cold" at 60 degrees and winter time. I can't imagine how hot and humid it is in the summer!

I haven't seen much of the city yet, but I will in the next 3 days. Renee has been living and working here for the last 9 years and says there has been a lot of recent growth. More than 70% of the population is made up of foreigners and ex-pats (although the number of Americans is about 1% of that).

Renne's apartment is beautiful, right in the center of downtown and has a swimming pool. I have discovered that there is Starbucks here (as well as Seattle's Best!) and I can't wait to eat some Middle Eastern Food.

After school today Renne will take me around and give me a tour. I'm especially looking forward to seeing the world-renown "Burj Al Arab" luxury hotel that is shaped like a billowing sail and is an amazing architectural accomplishment. Also I'm hoping to take a desert tour which will include a 4 X 4 dune drive and a camel ride!

On Saturday the 23rd I fly to Tanzania and take a 1 day safari tour of Ngorongoro Crater and Wildlife Park (with views of Mt. Kilimanjaro. I'll be camping out on Christmas Eve and the next day fly to Dar es Salaam to meet my friend Maki with two of her Japanese friends. We will rent a car (safer than the bus) and go to a small village near Songea, passing thru Mikumi National Park to get there. We will also spend a few days visiting the touristy island of Zanzibar.

I arrive in Seattle on Jan 8th and will be in town until Jan 17th, with my sister's wedding on the 14th. It will be an exciting and busy time.

I don't expect to have internet access while I'm in Tanzania and don't know when I'll be back online.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Chreken Bozheek and Happy New Year!