Today is National Day…one of the many public holidays that Dubai celebrates within its year. Flags drape around the outsides of large SUVs, fireworks go off throughout the day, and LOUD and FAST cars zoom past our normally quiet residential neighborhood. Despite the noise today…it’s still not loud enough to muffle the hourly calls of worship from the many mosques.
Dubai is one of the most bizarre cities I have ever been to in my life. I knew what to expect on this visit as I was here for 2 weeks the summer of 2005. Culturally not much has changed in this Western blended Middle Eastern country…however, architecturally and visually…the landscape has added hundreds of new buildings all shapes and sizes. Most notably the Burj Dubai, now known as the tallest building in the world. You cannot escape its looming presence wherever you are in the city. It is very haunting looking, like a large needle pointing its way up to heaven. On seeing it for the first time I was convinced it was a ‘Tower of Babel’…I can see it from my bedroom window and as the tip is covered in clouds, it feels me with an eeriness…What the heck is this structure doing in the desert?!
Due to the fact that I have been here before, my trip is entirely relational and not a beach or shopping holiday. I am here visiting Alan and Louie McCormick and their sweet 10 month old daughter Daisy. Alan is away on business this week so Louie and I are having fun doing errands, drinking coffee and catching up. She is a remarkable woman and an amazing mother who has fully embraced where the Lord has called her and her husband to be. I am cozy and settled into their guest room, in a house that I helped Louie hunt for over 3 years ago. I have been able to sleep-in in the mornings, watch movies in the evenings and catch up on reading and writing in the afternoons…what a blessing before jumping into a packed schedule in London and then on to the holidays in the US.
What I’ve been up to:
IKEA…yes that’s right…same layout, same products and same yummy food.
I love this store! It kind of sucks coming here though to just look and not have a cute house to decorate or organize…for no matter where you are in the world, the prices are still unbelievable. Louie was on a quest to find a couch so I had the pleasure of entertaining Daisy, who was in her pushchair (stroller) as I swerved in and out of the burqa clad women and their darling children. My favorite part of the trip was the restaurant of course at the end…many of you know that I am very partial to the meatballs. 
IKEA will always remind me of my mother and days when we lived in Ealing, London 15 min from IKEA…we frequented the restaurant there a little too often for dinner when my Dad was out of town. Well, I got my meatballs, fries and gravy….and Louie got her couch…success!
Dubai is one of the most bizarre cities I have ever been to in my life. I knew what to expect on this visit as I was here for 2 weeks the summer of 2005. Culturally not much has changed in this Western blended Middle Eastern country…however, architecturally and visually…the landscape has added hundreds of new buildings all shapes and sizes. Most notably the Burj Dubai, now known as the tallest building in the world. You cannot escape its looming presence wherever you are in the city. It is very haunting looking, like a large needle pointing its way up to heaven. On seeing it for the first time I was convinced it was a ‘Tower of Babel’…I can see it from my bedroom window and as the tip is covered in clouds, it feels me with an eeriness…What the heck is this structure doing in the desert?!
Due to the fact that I have been here before, my trip is entirely relational and not a beach or shopping holiday. I am here visiting Alan and Louie McCormick and their sweet 10 month old daughter Daisy. Alan is away on business this week so Louie and I are having fun doing errands, drinking coffee and catching up. She is a remarkable woman and an amazing mother who has fully embraced where the Lord has called her and her husband to be. I am cozy and settled into their guest room, in a house that I helped Louie hunt for over 3 years ago. I have been able to sleep-in in the mornings, watch movies in the evenings and catch up on reading and writing in the afternoons…what a blessing before jumping into a packed schedule in London and then on to the holidays in the US.What I’ve been up to:
IKEA…yes that’s right…same layout, same products and same yummy food.
I love this store! It kind of sucks coming here though to just look and not have a cute house to decorate or organize…for no matter where you are in the world, the prices are still unbelievable. Louie was on a quest to find a couch so I had the pleasure of entertaining Daisy, who was in her pushchair (stroller) as I swerved in and out of the burqa clad women and their darling children. My favorite part of the trip was the restaurant of course at the end…many of you know that I am very partial to the meatballs. 
IKEA will always remind me of my mother and days when we lived in Ealing, London 15 min from IKEA…we frequented the restaurant there a little too often for dinner when my Dad was out of town. Well, I got my meatballs, fries and gravy….and Louie got her couch…success!Starbucks…after nap time today, our big outing was to head to the nearest mall The Mercato, and buy a Starbucks. This is a luxury that Africa did not provide, and being that its Christmas time I was salivating at the thought of a Gingerbread or Egg Nog Latte. Well, when we arrived I scanned the big red menu sign and no luck…the only holiday drink they make is Toffee Nut…in my head I’m thinking…That’s not American…I want my Egg Nog! But before I made a scene, I realized the man behind me in his traditional Muslim head covering was patiently waiting his turn. Remembering where I was, I decided to not act like a selfish tourist who wanted her coffee a so-called ‘right’ way…Oh brother, I have been living and travelling on a continent the past 6 months where I have been very content without a single Christmas Latte…but now when I’m face to face with Starbucks my entitlements drastically jump upon me. Lord please save me from these stupid entitlements (…and please may London have a yummy Egg Nog latte waiting for me when I get off the plane:)
Fun City: After grabbing our grande drinks (I settled with a Caramel Macchiato) we headed up to a children’s play area called Fun City! I was used to the play areas in the malls at home, with a few soft climbable mounds…but this place was like Las Vegas for kiddos! (a very extreme Odyssey for those of you that are moms in Tacoma). On entering we headed into an area for younger children, which included a ball pit, slide, see-saw and other fun toys. Daisy’s face illuminated as she crawled around in delight…totally safe from harm on the cushioned floor. Louie and I sat down with our coffees and began to chat while keeping an eye on Daisy. I was silent for a while and Louie asked if I was ok…I was overwhelmed…I was in culture shock and I hadn’t even arrived in Europe yet! I quickly reminded myself that I had just come from South Africa, where I had been residing the last 6 months and it was ok to feel slightly dizzy. Young children between the ages of 2 to 4 zoomed past with their Philipino nannies. As I looked around Louie was actually one of only mums in this place and she said that she normally is. Many of the nannies in Dubai are from the Philippines and most of them have left their own families…their own young children to move here and work…it breaks my heart. I was reminded me that the money paid to these women is more then they get back home and they are able to provide schooling for their children because of this work…but, the bigger cycle of injustice and abandonment is heart breaking. Grandmothers are raising their grandchildren so that their daughters can support the family…but clear across the world! Oh Lord have mercy…on these precious nannies, on their children back home, and on the young ones they are entrusted to care for in this oxymoron of a place…called Dubai! After an hour, we headed out… past the candy floss (cotton candy) machine, the prize booth, the art center, the reading nook and the over crowded pushchair corner…to then find ourselves….back in the crowded mall!
Christmas Music: Before leaving Cape Town, people kept asking me, “Are you excited to get home and to see your family?”…the answer was always YES!…but I had to explain that I wasn’t going home immediately, but that I had a ‘journey’ home…a special journey of seeing friends along the way in three different countries (Dubai, England and Italy). Its December back home, a month filled with Christmas music, gift giving, special gatherings, decorations, yummy food, communication and deep generosity & compassion. No wonder the classic homesick song, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, takes such a special place at this time of year. I was struck with a growing desire to return ‘home’ today while driving in the car with Louie and Daisy…and listening to a Nat King Cole Christmas Album. To be honest it just wasn’t the same to hear the nostalgic songs of my youth, (“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack frost nipping at your nose…”, “Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful…”) while looking out at a vast desert filled with the most skyscrapers I have ever seen in my life! Although I am leaving the summer sun of South Africa, and the humidity of Dubai for a cold and most likely wet Northwest Christmas…I must say that sitting in front of a fire, in my pajamas, while drinking a cup of coco…by a lighted tree of course, will always warm my heart…in a way that a beach never will!
Atlantis: Lastly, here are a few photos from our trip out to the newly built Atlantis Hotel, which resides at the end of The Palm Jumeriah...a man made residential island...as you can see its like a city itself. The Atlantis houses the largest (always the best and biggest here in Dubai), aquarium tank...fish, man ray and even sharks swim together for all to see from many looking windows around the hotel!
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