'Snovember

Well we got the snow that they predicted this weekend. The photos here show a nice light dusting on Saturday and then on Sunday we got several inches as it snowed most of the afternoon and evening. We had some friends for lunch and spent a nice warm afternoon inside watching it snow outside, by 3ish they decided to leave as the snow started to settle on the car, for fears of not getting home.

It has warmed up over night - to about 3 degrees so most of the snow melted overnight. Nice to have the prettiness on the weekend but no hassle for Mik to have to hit the road to work this morning.

Sue's Home

Back again from another tour in Oman. It has gotten a lot cooler there now. When I left the office round 6pm on my last day, the sun had gone down and it was noticeably cooler, funny how 25 degrees all of a sudden feels cool.

But then I got back to Brussel the next morning and it was about 8 degrees - brrrr - now that is cold! Luckily my beloved brought me a jacket, as I decided to leave it in the car when I left - to avoid havng to haul it to Oman and back again. But I like the cold, especially when you ahve a nice warm house or boots and a nice warm jacket. I have had a really nice week just pottering around and cooking and cleaning until my heart is content - now I need to get back into some work again.

Mispronouncers Anonymous

It's pretty grand here at The Grand Hyatt...

Had an interesting couple of days. For the last couple of days I had to go through security to get into the hotel, as apparently the Prime Minister of India is staying here also for a few days. Haven't got an invite to the ball though - they are obviously not aware that I am in country, other wise I am sure I would have recieved an invitation. No staying here in December though as the Sultan has booked it, and two other hotels up for a GCC Conference. So it is back to the Radisson. But the good news is I found a really good restaraunt that is walking distance from the Radisson - it is Turkish and I went there tonight with a bunch a peole from work. Beautiful food and cheap! It only cost about 5 Rials = 10 Euros for starters and a main. I had grilled Hamour fish - it was the whole fish and it was yummy.

7 more sleeps and I get to knuffle my three boys again...

A slice of Dubai

Back in Muscat today. For those of you whom I did not tell I was going to Dubai, I was there for work. Lot's of work and a little sightseeing, but there is so much to see, so I am sure I will have to go back again - definitely with my beloved one, when I have some time to see some more sights. I really only had one afternoon, so I did the bus tour round the city. It was worthwhile when you have little time, but it made me realise that there is so much to see and do. I made it to the the Palm Island Jumeira, which you can get a pretty good view of here...

Or if you in the real estate market you can click on this... that was seriously impressive.

What seriously impressed me was the lobby of the Grand Hyatt Muscat, when I first walked in. They do not do things by halves in the Arab world - that is for sure.

Another new city - Dubai

Well , here I am sitting in a hotel in Dubai now. What on earth? - well yes I am getting round a bit for sure. I tell you what Dubai - as Jo and Steve know - is amazing. It is like the 29th century has been plonked down in the middle of 19th century Middle East.

The city is fantasical at night - a bit like The Emerald City - I think - not that I have seen it, but as I had imagined it. I found out this morning, after drawing back the curtains that I have a great view of the skysrcaper -cityscape from my hotel window, with a dwarfed Mosque in front.

The photo speaks more words than I can!

I have to tell you of my latest cultural experience last week in Oman. A collegue of mine, who is Indian invited me and my other collegues to an Indian bar, where there was Indian dancing girls. Looking around, I said, "Are you sure we are allowed to be here?" - "Oh yes, no problem. I was here last week and I saw some white people here." - "No", says I, "I mean is this a male club?". "Oh yeah, but that is OK."... "OK", I said, "they are not going to take their clothes off are they?" No ... thank goodness they didn't, and I had a really wonderful evening admiring the beautiful silk dresses and way in which they moved. It was very respectfull, more than I can say about my cultural experience in China, several years ago. But then I can not tell that story - certainly not in the blogg - even though I do not work for that company anymore, and come to think of it - neither does anyone else that was there....interesting...