Two families come to visit!

It's been a gradual process of getting some visitors to hike 1/2 way around the world, but a few friends and family members have managed to make it here.  But the Fangs and the Shields get double gold stars - they met us in Turkey last summer and now agreed to battle serious jet lag (we are 11 hours ahead of the Bay Area where they live in Northern California) for an 11 day trip to the UAE this year for their spring break.  Our kids all know each other and enjoy each others' company so what a treat to get more time with them!

First stop - they hit Dubai for a couple of days and we drove up to meet them on the evening of their second night here - what a fun reunion over Middle Eastern food while enjoying the sights of the Dubai Fountain.  They explored on their own there for a couple of days and then hit the desert at our favorite desert resort Qasr al Sarab.  Heavenly!

Then the fun really began for us when they came to Abu Dhabi for the rest of that week.  Our kids made it to school but just barely!  It's hard to get to bed at a decent hour or to head out the door for school when there is so much good company to be had at home.  We packed the visiting kids off to school with them for part of one day which was a fun adventure for the host kids and classes.  It didn't *seem* like the visitors minded getting sent off to school on their vacation!  While the kids were at school, the grown-ups hit the Grand Mosque and then I took them on a quick driving tour of the city and a nice lunch out at Saadiyat Island - future home of the Louvre and Guggenheim museums.

The next day the visitors went to Yas Waterworld and to ride the fastest roller coaster in the world at Ferrari World (also the largest indoor amusement park in the world (the UAE clearly likes its 'ests (biggest, fastest, tallest, etc.)!  It was probably a good idea that we sent the kids to school *before* the fun stuff as Yas and Ferrari World were a hard act to follow for the kids.

For their last weekend in the UAE, we took all the kids we could fit in our car (only six of them) to a Good Friday service at church (those lucky kids got Easter candy there).  Then we all loaded up and hit a new part of the region for us.  We stayed at Ras Al Khaimah (one of the 7 emirates) but spent a full day up in the mountains of Mussandam, Oman, in a part of the country know as the "Norway of the Middle East" due to its tall mountains and soaring fjords).  We spent the morning on a dhow boat taking in the view of the fjords, dolphin watching, swimming and snorkeling.  The afternoon was spent hiking and checking out the mountain scenery.

It was also Easter weekend and we celebrated a bit of an unusual way - I don't think many people have had an Easter egg hunt in Ras al Khaimah.  The Shields (ahem... the Easter Bunny) brought all kinds of Easter goodies all the way from San Francisco.  I love how Tom wondered how he was going to explain to the customs guys why he was bringing in a lot of bunnies and eggs and how that related to Jesus' resurrection!  Luckily no problems bringing it all in (although we could probably *all* use a lesson on how bunnies and eggs came to be associated with Easter!).

Sadly it became time to say good-bye to our friends.  Safe travels and maybe we should come to you next time!  xoxo

Kids enjoying the Dubai fountain show with the Burj Khalifa in the background

NINE kids at our house - it was a lot of fun and they sure can eat a lot (40 waffles for breakfast one day!)

Poor visitors - shipped off to the American Community School of Abu Dhabi while on their vacation!

Beach front dining one night at our beach club.  Love that the kids are big enough for their own kids' table

Took Louisa and Robbie to my book club where they met a friend of a mutual friend (small world!)

At the pool in Ras al Khaimah (one of the northern emirates)

At the beach in Ras al Khaimah

Poolside

On our dhow boat getting ready for a morning cruise in Oman.  It felt like a reunion of our six days in Turkey on a boat together!

Our dolphin spotter

It's cold!

Ok, once you are in, it feels good.  Bobbing around the waters of the Arabian Sea in Oman

Amazing terrain - tall, craggy, dry mountains

Meredith, Jane and Sophia

Fun place up high in the Omani mountains where the locals are able to store what little rainwater they get and irrigate some crops

Fossils!

Easter egg hunt - UAE style - in swimsuits straight from the swimming pool

Playground time!

Decorating Easter cookies at the kids' club in the hotel

 

Eliza and Regan

Guess who came to the Waldorf in Ras al Khaimah???  The Easter bunny made it all the way here!  There was a chocolate river in the Easter display behind them.

All 15 of us!

Until our next travels!  Thanks for a wonderful time, Fangs and Shields!