and after an hour of snow today
19 December 2008
30 November 2008
17 November 2008
04 November 2008
brooklyn
Most of you know by now that Liz and I have found our way to Brooklyn recently.
We've moved into a nice lil' place in Park Slope, and have found the neighboorhood quite welcoming thus far.
Caught Phil & Friends for Halloween. Pretty good stuff.
Also found a tiny little bluegrass joint in Red Hook.
17 September 2008
Goodbye Dubai!
I just signed a contract with the same company in the US, and will be back in the states before you can say October!
See you all soon!
See you all soon!
07 July 2008
riyadh, saudi arabia
I'm in Saudi Arabia for the first time for work this week. I'm in Riyadh, which is the capital, and quite a normal city considering the other middle-eastern cities I've been in.
The only difference I have seen was that more of the women are wearing abaya's, and that no women are driving. Oh, and I guess that there is a chop-chop square as well. I'm told that every Friday before prayer the Sharia police will behead a convicted man in front of an open forum. I guess that they give an opportunity to the victim's family to let the guy go free, but that often times that the family chooses to go through with the cut.
It has to be said that I am not scheduled to be here on Friday, so I will not have to make the choice to witness or not...
Here's a photo I found of Riyadh
The only difference I have seen was that more of the women are wearing abaya's, and that no women are driving. Oh, and I guess that there is a chop-chop square as well. I'm told that every Friday before prayer the Sharia police will behead a convicted man in front of an open forum. I guess that they give an opportunity to the victim's family to let the guy go free, but that often times that the family chooses to go through with the cut.
It has to be said that I am not scheduled to be here on Friday, so I will not have to make the choice to witness or not...
Here's a photo I found of Riyadh
19 June 2008
so lame
So no posts for the last couple months, as they have been the busiest of my professional life thus far. literally the first and only time I've logged 70/80 and even 90 hour weeks with this company on a regular basis. after the next few days my life will get much slower again and I'll have time to go out and have some fun.
But first I'm going to spend a couple days on my July schedule, as I've just been given the green-light to take some classes in Kansas City while I'm home. I'm looking forward to embellishing in all the fruits that the US of A has to offer!
On a local note, we're starting to have some going away parties here in Dubai as Liz has quit her photography-studio job, and is making her exit from the Middle East. Insha’allah I'll go through the same motions soon thereafter!
But first I'm going to spend a couple days on my July schedule, as I've just been given the green-light to take some classes in Kansas City while I'm home. I'm looking forward to embellishing in all the fruits that the US of A has to offer!
On a local note, we're starting to have some going away parties here in Dubai as Liz has quit her photography-studio job, and is making her exit from the Middle East. Insha’allah I'll go through the same motions soon thereafter!
28 April 2008
occupied and non occupied areas
Liz and I decided to spend our latest holiday here in the region. We've been wanting to visit the Holy Land while we're still here within the Middle East. It was no laid back journey as you cannot just fly to Jerusalem or anywhere in Israel from Dubai, so it left for some fun border crossings.
It went Amman -> Jerusalaem -> Bethlahem -> Jerusalem -> Tel Aviv -> Jerusalem -> Amman.
@ the Western Wall
The aftermath of an Israeli chopper, after it rose over the wall to blast this warehouse in Bethlehem.
A car in Tel Aviv - they all look like this.
A Banksy in Bethlehem
Another:
An IPA from Israel
Holding some bread in front of Jaffa Gate
More photos, click here.
It went Amman -> Jerusalaem -> Bethlahem -> Jerusalem -> Tel Aviv -> Jerusalem -> Amman.
@ the Western Wall
The aftermath of an Israeli chopper, after it rose over the wall to blast this warehouse in Bethlehem.
A car in Tel Aviv - they all look like this.
A Banksy in Bethlehem
Another:
An IPA from Israel
Holding some bread in front of Jaffa Gate
More photos, click here.
12 April 2008
abu dhabi air show
I've been pretty busy with the work lately, and haven't gotten out much... Fortunately, it did result in a promotion. So to celebrate a bit, Liz and I went to Abu Dhabi to see an Air race yesterday. We probably sat in traffic longer than we stood on the beach to watch... but we got to see some planes do some cool tricks.
04 April 2008
27 February 2008
no friends!!!
I made it out of Cairo yesterday, and my headache is almost gone already! This city is pretty intense! I'm not quite convinced about going back every month or so for work. It's a lot of hard work.
I got there a couple days before the work week to hang out and see the city. My buddie Hugeback moved there last week, so we checked out his new neighborhood (Maadi ), and started things off with a couple nights of pub hopping. I was quite impressed with the pub scene, as it's a huge upgrade from the Emirates. And a place where the locals know the words to Marley songs is always a plus.
Getting around the city is quite an experience on it's own. Out of everywhere I've been, it's most comparable to the Indian streets with Bangkok smog. I think I saw only a couple of street lights there, and they weren't being used. Most traffic is pretty slow going, as there are around 18 million people living in the city. But without traffic lights, things run a little hectic. Also, about 80% of the cars in the city are 30+ years old!! I managed to rip off a door handle off of one taxi. My buddie Umar wanted it for a souvenir.
Here's a photo I snapped of a passer-by:
While I had to work 6/8 days I was there, I still managed to make it too the pyramids and the main Egyptian Museum. A few pictures:
Exterior of the Egyptian Museum:
Here's a mummy King from something like 1300 b.c.
I stayed in Hugeback's corporate flat for a few days, and then once his visitor-lady-friend came I stayed at an old palace which is now the Nile Marriott.
There are a few tourist places that I didn't bother with on this trip, as it seems as if I'll have to go back to the hospital every month or two. The children's cancer hospital we work at is pretty righteous. They don't charge for their service, and it is offered to any kid from anywhere with cancer. The building is very modern, and the facility is top-notch. I think everyone working there is quite proud of what they are accomplishing.
I got there a couple days before the work week to hang out and see the city. My buddie Hugeback moved there last week, so we checked out his new neighborhood (Maadi ), and started things off with a couple nights of pub hopping. I was quite impressed with the pub scene, as it's a huge upgrade from the Emirates. And a place where the locals know the words to Marley songs is always a plus.
Getting around the city is quite an experience on it's own. Out of everywhere I've been, it's most comparable to the Indian streets with Bangkok smog. I think I saw only a couple of street lights there, and they weren't being used. Most traffic is pretty slow going, as there are around 18 million people living in the city. But without traffic lights, things run a little hectic. Also, about 80% of the cars in the city are 30+ years old!! I managed to rip off a door handle off of one taxi. My buddie Umar wanted it for a souvenir.
Here's a photo I snapped of a passer-by:
While I had to work 6/8 days I was there, I still managed to make it too the pyramids and the main Egyptian Museum. A few pictures:
Exterior of the Egyptian Museum:
Here's a mummy King from something like 1300 b.c.
I stayed in Hugeback's corporate flat for a few days, and then once his visitor-lady-friend came I stayed at an old palace which is now the Nile Marriott.
There are a few tourist places that I didn't bother with on this trip, as it seems as if I'll have to go back to the hospital every month or two. The children's cancer hospital we work at is pretty righteous. They don't charge for their service, and it is offered to any kid from anywhere with cancer. The building is very modern, and the facility is top-notch. I think everyone working there is quite proud of what they are accomplishing.
20 February 2008
santan-airo
I've taken a bit more responsibility at work lately and have been working about 20 more hours a week, which has kept me away from certain things like having fun, doing stuff, and blogging here.
I did manage to make it to a Santana concert last weekend with Liz and a mate that I met while working in London. Ben has been here for about 4 weeks, and hasn't even left his hotel room due to the workload that he signed up for. Liz and I sneaked him out for a couple days and took him around Dubai a bit and then to the show. Santana was pretty sick! It was nice hearing a real guitar player! It brought me back to the days when I had a Santana sticker on my '83 Caprice Classic!
I leave tomorrow for Cairo as we are having a project kickoff there at a brand new children's hospital. I'll get to go back every couple months too, which is pretty sweet!
I did manage to make it to a Santana concert last weekend with Liz and a mate that I met while working in London. Ben has been here for about 4 weeks, and hasn't even left his hotel room due to the workload that he signed up for. Liz and I sneaked him out for a couple days and took him around Dubai a bit and then to the show. Santana was pretty sick! It was nice hearing a real guitar player! It brought me back to the days when I had a Santana sticker on my '83 Caprice Classic!
I leave tomorrow for Cairo as we are having a project kickoff there at a brand new children's hospital. I'll get to go back every couple months too, which is pretty sweet!
07 February 2008
birthdays
It seems as if someone's trying to keep us down here. At first 2 underwater internet lines were cut near Alexandria, Egypt and that slowed our internets down quite substantially. Next we heard of a 3rd off of the Dubai coast getting severed, and then a 4th near Qatar! They are quick to say that these were not malicious attacks, but accidents. This doesn't make a lot of sense, as these have rarely been cut ever, and that it's taken things like earthquakes to do it.
Just sounds a bit suspicious to me.
5 out of 7 days this week were birthdays of friends/family, and I only had the chance to celebrate one here in Dubai. It was my roommate Carlos 27th birthday and he booked the VIP room of a karaoke place called the 'Habicki Lounge'. He invited photographers and models... Only Carlos could get away with a birthday like this!
The only legal narcotic in Dubai - Helium:
Tonie: The man behind the man, behind the camera
Happy Birthday to Carlos, Mom, Dad, Cory and Mikey!
Just sounds a bit suspicious to me.
5 out of 7 days this week were birthdays of friends/family, and I only had the chance to celebrate one here in Dubai. It was my roommate Carlos 27th birthday and he booked the VIP room of a karaoke place called the 'Habicki Lounge'. He invited photographers and models... Only Carlos could get away with a birthday like this!
The only legal narcotic in Dubai - Helium:
Tonie: The man behind the man, behind the camera
Happy Birthday to Carlos, Mom, Dad, Cory and Mikey!
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