Lovers in Dubai

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Banneux

Banneux is the sight of well known miracle in Belgium, where Marriette Beco saw the Virgin Mary appear to her three times giving the same message every night. At the sight there is a water source, it is said that the water from that source is holy and has healing properties. You can see people there who have travelled long distances to take some water and pray to the Virgin Mary. Mamy often goes to Banneux to take some water for herself. Here we are collecting some water at the source; Doro and I.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Belgium in Spring

After we got back from Venice we still had a couple of days of holidays so we hopped over to Belgium for four days. They'll be getting sick of us soon! But we had a very nice time. These are some photos I took one night at Kilani's appartment.

Wajdi, Sami, Mehdi, Cyrinne and Kilani (from left).

Cyrinne, Wajdi, Sami and Mehdi (from left).

We were there over the weekend, and as Dorothee had the weekend off, we decided to go with Sami and Dorothee to an Amusement Park in the country side. It was a beautiful sunny day and the scenery was just as lovely. We were even able to wear short sleeves (a real treat in Belgium!).

Here we are at the lookout (I really like my new glasses).

Sami and Dorothee on the octopus ride. We made sure we did this one before lunch!

Mia Anniversare alla Venizia!

My Birthday in Venice!

Mehdi and I were at a bit of a loss as to what to do with our holiday this month, as the Carribean Islands were off our list due to Swine Flue and flights to Aus were overbooked. So we ended up in the City of Lovers- Venice. Since we were on a bit of a budget we decided to make it short and sugary, instead of long and, well... average. So we booked in at the Palace Bonvecchiatti for two nights. And sweet it was!

Mehdi on the Vaparetto (water bus), on our way to the hotel.

Me in the St Marcs Square (pigeon mecca!).

The Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge). Legend has it that if two lovers kiss while passing under the brigde at sunset they will share life long happiness.

Gondolas on the Grand Canal.

A side 'street'.

Me at the Ponte di Rialto showing off two lovely birthday presents, sunglasses (from Mehdi) and pearl bracelet (from Mum and Dad).

Saturday, May 02, 2009

Abu Dhabi

Today we went for a drive to the capital, Abu Dhabi.

We went to see a Big Boys Toys exhibition, but on the way to stopped off to see HH Sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan's private car collection that is open to the public as 'Emirates National Auto Museum'. It's very impressive, you can check out the official website at http://www.enam.ae/ver4 for a few quick facts about His Highness see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamad_bin_Hamdan_Al_Nahyan he is a very interesting guy!

Mehdi with the mother of all Landies! Take that Big Pineapple! (it's a cafe!!)

'What do you mean you can't make it a monster truck!?'

'Daddy, I want the BIG one.' The world smallest *!@?, I mean the worlds largest truck! It's custom built by dodge, inside the tray is an appartment and it tows HH's scale built globe shaped carravan into the desert, duh? You can see a ute parked under it and the original and toy size in front.

Belgiqia encore

Mehdi and I had a few days off at the end of April so we took the chance to go to Belgium.

Here is Mehdi at a tiny friterie in a little town that we stopped at AS SOON AS we crossed the belgian border.

Fritte-mayo, tre belge! As it was ANZAC day, I had to have a beer! -Bitburger, not excactly a Tooheys, but it was cold and fizzy.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Capetown

We also got to go to Capetown, which was so beautiful!

Much like myself (see above) lol, only kidding. This is me on the bus on the way to the hotel thinking about what I'm having for dinner!

The weather was perfect for sightseeing. We got to the hotel late in the afternoon and hurried to change and catch a taxi to the cable car at Table Mountain. We got there just in time to catch the last car, 6:30pm. The view from the mountain was breathtaking, you really get a sense of being at the end of the world.

The view of The Cape of Good Hope (the most southern tip of Africa, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet) from the top of Table Mountain. The Great Ocean Road has nothing on this!

A view over Capetown.

The view down to Camps Bay (where we went for dinner).

The next day at the waterfront, where we had GREAT fish and chips.

We will definately be going back to Capetown!

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Beijing 2009

Mehdi and I went to Beijing this month, which was a little cold but all sunny skies!
We hired a car (with driver) for the day went to the Forbidden City and Tianamen Square and the Great Wall.... Here are some pics of Lovers in Beijing xxx

Me in the car on the way to the Forbidden City

The outer walls and moat, we walked most of the perimiter.

Inside the forbidden city there were heaps of tourist groups but they seemed to be mostly regional. You can see them here wearing matching hats or jackets.

Me at the wal

Mehdi on Mongol Patrol

One last look at the wall.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Deutchland- Belgie

We just had five days off so we thought we head over to Europe. We flew into Dussledorf and drove down to Liege via Nurburg and Malmedi. Here is Mehdi at the Nurburg-ring race track (we went on a mission to get some stickers for Mehdi's car).

Here I am on some tiny country road close the the German-Belgian boundary, we almost got a little bit lost but due to my superior navigation skills we stayed mostly on the right track.

Mamy and I in a pizzeria in Mastricht just across the Dutch border.

Pizza Dough!!!

It was really great to catch up with everyone! It had been a while, hope to be back soon, as always the food was great but still no match for the company!!! xxx

Doro, Ingrid and I.

Cyrinne, Sam, Wajdi and Mehdi.

Rania and Us

Rania is here in Dubai doing some work experience for her degree. Last weekend we went to the beach together. Here we are!

Atlantis Aqaurium

Here I am in the Atlantis Aqaurium.
It's in the Atlantis hotel on the palm Jumeira.
They have a whale shark there that was found swimming around the Dubai Port. It's captivity has all been a bit controvercial coz it was sick, but as ALL the staff at the aquarium will tell you "It's doing great!". Anyway we were there for the feeding time and it was amazing how much krill it was vacuming up!! Really like a hoover...
The aqaurium is really impressive and it has a lost city of atlantis theme that is really well done!

Monday, March 02, 2009

Josie EM Hogan 1 mth old!

I had a BNE trip at the end of Feb. I went to stay at Jessie and Ayden's for a couple of days (in between Aukland) Here's Josie asleep in the washing basket on Grandma's blanket. I can't believe how much she's grown already! She's got big blue eyes just like Mum and Dad!

Here she is in a singlet that Ellie (Mum) embroidered with little bees and three little porcelaine elephants that Aunty Gail gave to Ellie when Jess was born.

Holding hands with Mum! Aww.....

Fast asleep in a little outfit that Ellie sent down with Mum's teddy.

Me in Moscow

Here I am in the Red Square (photo taken w/ phone bit dodgy :/ ) It was freezing! The ground is shinny coz it's frozen not wet! I was happy to go in winter though and get the real Russian deal.
Saw the Kremlin and all that, bought some Matrushka Dolls, ate the worst Maccas yet (even worse than thailand!!!), skipped the borsht eiww! A great trip!

Welcome to the World

29th Jan Josie was born weighing 7lb 11oz.

Here she is in her first moments of life.

I landed from DXB at 6:30am, Dad and Grandfather picked me up from the airport and drove me straight to Pindara where Jess and Ayden were already in labour. Josie arrived at about 1:30pm completely naturally and perfectly healthy.