Here is Miss Kittty alseep in the flower bed. This is what she looks like with hair. We’ll have to wait until August to get a picture of her summer hairless look. I discovered one night that Miss Kitty has it really made. She waits by the door in the evening when everyone is going home, then sneaks into the administration building while the door is open. She then wonders into the Director’s office and lets the Director’s assistant know that she is ready to be fed now. Then, they go out together, catfood bag in hand, and she gets fed outside. Quite a racket she’s got going. So, I don’t worry too much about her welfare. It’s nice to work on a cat friendly campus.
Archive for April, 2009
Miss Kitty
April 14, 2009Watch out!
April 12, 2009I’m a big girl now! I drove myself to work today (and yesterday). I needed to work on Saturday for a special event and Daddybird needed to stay home due to the fact that our ID cards were being delivered. So, circumstances forced me to brave the traffic. Actually, my biggest fear has been that I won’t be able to get out of our parking space. It is very tight and our parking space neighbor drives a large SUV, so we have to park very close to the cement pillar on the other side if we want to get the driver side door open. After getting out of the parking space is the equally difficult challenge of pulling out into traffic and negotiating the first few blocks which you understand if you have watched the videos I’ve posted previously.
Now, however, I have to figure out the way to Daddybird’s office to pick him up. This I was not prepared for. Could be interesting.
It’s official
April 11, 2009We are now up and running here on WordPress and will no longer be adding to the Blogspot version of our blog. You’ll need to change any bookmarks you use to keep track of us. You could always click on the “Entries RSS” link in the right hand column and subscribe so that you will be notified everytime something new is posted.
I’ve gone through and cleaned up the category tags, so that every post has at least one tag and you can use the drop down category menu or the category cloud to click on topics to see all the posts about that topic. There is also a free form search box to help you find something you’re dying to go back and read again and again.
So far, I’m liking WordPress alot. Test out the comments function and let us know what you think of our new platform.
Spinoff
April 10, 2009I started a new blog at http://missineedabook.wordpress.com to test out WordPress as a possible new home for this one.
Take a look, comment, hopefully laugh a little.
Medical Care
April 10, 2009We went to see a doctor last evening in hope of getting some of Daddybird’s prescriptions renewed. The particular drugs are not easily available here. The doctor actually got on the phone and called three or four pharmacies to ask if they had what Daddybird needs in stock. None of them did. It was fun to hear the doctor complain to them in Globish — “What to do for the patient? What kind of country is this?” So, we have the prescription orders and just have to find a pharmacy that can supply them. We will probably have to drive to the predominantly “Westerner” side of town to find these in stock. Maybe one of the big resort hotels will have a pharmacy with a supply. What fun.
Ibn Battuta Mall
April 10, 2009We finally went to Ibn Battuta Mall, which is a lengthy drive from our side of town, so that is why it has taken us so long. It is very beautiful and a revisit is certainly on our list of things to do. Perhaps on a day and time when there will be few other people there, so that we can take our time and look at everything and read the informational plaques. Ibn Battuta was a scholar and world traveler. This mall is designed to illustrate some of his travels and serves as an educational museum exhibit as well as a shopping opportunity.
So, here’s our first picture of Daddybird posing with a camel and it is an almost life sized stuffed toy camel. We didn’t find a price tag on it. If you have to ask, you can’t afford it. Notice there are two baby camels also. And that lens louse Bert is poking his head in just to get into the picture! This store was pretty amazing. They had life sized giraffes, a buffalo, a moose, etc. The koala bear, however, was gigantic and not at all life sized. Unfortunately, my pictures did not turn out, so will have to try again on our next visit.
The parts of the mall represent some of the countries that Ibn Battuta traveled to – China, India, Persia, Egypt, Tunisia and Andalusia. In each section is a large rotunda/courtyard area with some pretty amazing decorations. I think this is Andalusia with a beautiful fountain with water spitting lions.
In the China courtyard is a lifesize boat. Quite amazing.
Judging from the lifesize elephant, I’m going to guess this was India. Like I said, we need to go back when we have time to stop and read the information and learn a little something.
I’m sad that my pictures of the Eqypt section didn’t come out. I did take some video which I will upload in a few days that will give you a larger view of things.
This wasn’t Mecca, but it seems like it to me. A Borders bookstore…ahhhh.
Sometimes I hate the news
April 7, 2009When the news tells me something that already happened that I would have liked to have know before hand, it can be annoying. Like *** Dr. Who episode filmed in Dubai! *** How can I stalk David Tennant if I don’t even know he’s in town until after he’s gone? Sigh. On top of that, I won’t even get to see the episode until it’s on DVD. So, watch it for me and think of me. http://www.7days.ae/storydetails.php?id=76243&title=Planet%20of%20the%20dead Notice that they had to dig up the plant life to make it look desert enough to suit them. Ha!
Another gripe I have *** I’m not very happy with the Blogger website lately. May be shopping around for another place to put my blog. Will keep you posted and make the transition as smooth as possible. Grumble, grumble, grumble, grrrr.
This will always annoy me.
April 3, 2009Many of the waitstaff here have very low levels of proficiency in the English language. They speak Globish (see my Jan 26th post for first mention of Globish). They clearly have also been instructed to address customers as Ma’am and Sir. Two things about this annoy me. They run the words together “ma’amsir” or the even worse “momsir” and use this term for either of us. Also, some use it with every sentence. In their eagerness to please and do the right thing, they may ask you if they can remove each empty dish from the table individually. “Excuse momsir may I take” or something to that effect. Some use it as a space filler much like “um” or “ah.” I’ve considered asking to speak with the manager and explain how annoying and even disrespectful this all sounds to us, but I’m afraid his/her English would be just as problematic.
Luckily, the waiters at our favorite restaurant manage to separate the words and use them judiciously. They usually see Paul coming and greet us very warmly. They have, occasionally, called Paul “boss.” He recently asked one of them what his name was and offered his own name in return, so we hope that “boss” may disappear and be replaced by Mr. Paul. Of course, I can’t hope for anything more than Mr. Paul’s wife or ma’am. I suspect that it would be considered culturally inappropriate for them to address me directly by name.
Maybe this is the logical place and time to talk about names. Muslim names are structured differently than Western names. A person has a single name that refers to them specifically, what we would call a “first name.” This is followed by “son of” or “daughter of” and the father’s name. It may also be followed by another “son of” with the grandfather’s name. In some cases, you eventually get to a “family” name which is usually proceeded by “al” meaning “the.” Some have shortened their name which results in it being more Western, although I don’t know if that is the motivation. Daddybird’s boss, for example, goes by just his first name and family name. When a woman marries, she does not change her name. She is still Mariam daughter of Abdullah son of Achmed. However, when she gives birth to a son, she may become “mother of” followed by the son’s name, Um Ibrahim, for example. There is a popular animated show here called “Freej” that has four older women as main characters and all the characters names are “mother of ____.”
So, there’s today’s lesson in Muslim name structures. Class dismissed.
Flowers
April 3, 2009
I’ve gone back through all my pictures to send you a bouquet of various flowers. The purple one above is from a large succulent plant that grows near Safestway (not misspelled) grocery store where you can get familiar American products (for a price).
This pink one is a bloom on a tree on Muraqqabat Street “in our neighborhood.”
This white one is from a bush on campus. Deceivingly like a gardenia, but not a gardenia.
This one you may remember from the trip to Hatta. I don’t know what type of plant these are, but they are used a lot in landscaping here. Very beautiful.
And, lastly, a bougainvillea from campus.
There you go, the oddest Easter bouquet you will ever get.
Full service restaurant
April 2, 2009
We made a new friend at our favorite restaurant last night. There were actually two stray cats hanging around. This is the “baby” and the mother was mostly white with a little bit of tabby stripes on her head. Paul offered them some food, but they were not interested. Just wanted to be petted.
I never cease to be amazed at how long legged the cats here are. Their tails are long and narrow, too. These pictures don’t really show the lankiness of these cats. This one has beautiful dark amber eyes. Very pretty. I was sorely tempted to take him/her home, but we haven’t come up with a viable summer plan for pets. Can’t really take them with us and can’t leave them alone for two months.
Here’s another stray, but he travels well, so I take him home.
P.S. The comments on the last post just prove that the name of this blog should be “For Gerry, Kristen and Linda.”
Living the Travel Channel 