BURGESS BOULEVARD: Camels, Falcons, Burkas, and Basketball

Ken riding a camel at Heritage Village

The Falcon Hospital

How do I describe thirty-three (33) days in Abu Dhabi and Dubai? Amazing! People ask me all of the time to tell them about the first time I went to Dubai to visit Chris and his family. I say something like this, "take New York City, Maui, Monte Carlo, LA and put it into one location. That's Dubai." But it's so much more. It's where the biggest and best of everything has blown up over night with the oil money, but the traditions of old are attempting to hang on. It's also a melting pot of every culture brought to work, play and enjoy what is the city offers. And Abu Dhabi is attempting to surpass what has been so rapidly done in Dubai. Luckily youtube has so many videos that tell the story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FeNmJiSNDQ

The Grand Mosque

This trip was more focussed on watching Chris play basketball games and helping take care of 18 month old Beckham. And although Chris had to put up with team members not showing up, moving to the states or taking a quick trip to Oman vs coming to play the game, it was amazing watching him and keeping the stats. I would message him after every quarter with his points, rebounds, and blocks. His last game showed him with 39 points and 22 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks. And my little operatic cheer from the bleachers, along with "quit turning over the ball #5," would usually be the only noise that came from the stands - and that's OK with me.

The Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi

Burj Al Arab Hotel

Beckham was pure joy to take care of, sing to, and play with. He loves puzzles, throwing trucks (and anything not tied down), his bath before bed, and grandma's "Up, Up in the Sky" and "Popcorn Popping." I will miss him most with leaving and coming home. We bonded and became great buddies.

Stunning Grand Mosque

Beckham Loved the Falcons with Grandpa

When Ken arrived we had ten days to cram in everything I had done in two trips of 2 weeks and then 30+ days. He didn't want to miss a thing, and Chris was awesome about accommodating his wishes (although he grumbled about needing to rest up for practices and games.) So we rented a larger vehicle to fit all of us plus the car seat, and off we would go to venture out camels, sites, shopping and the beach along the Corniche. The highlight for all of us was the camels found with their keepers and trainers near the race track in Abu Dhabi, the famous Falcon Hospital, the Grand Mosque, the Dubai Mall (largest in the world), The Mall Emirates indoor ski resort, the Burj Khalifa tallest building in the world, and watching Ken non-stop taking pictures of women in their burkas. And, yes, everything on our lists that we wanted to see (after research online) were all checked off our lists because we saw it all - even twice in some cases.