Hi everyone! I am still working on loading pics from the cruise as we still don't have wi-fi unless we go to the top floor of the building we are in and then it takes 5 min. per picture to upload them to the website....
Anyway, we are doing well although not feeling very settled yet. When we arrived, we were told that the villa we planned on moving into wasn't going to be ready for 6-7 weeks! UGH!! Therefore, we decided to look for another one, but unfortunately, all the fully furnished ones were all rented already. DOUBLE UGH! We moved into a 3 bedroom apartment in a high rise near where we will eventually live. At least we were able to unpack out of the million suitcases that we have been toting everywhere with us! I have spent 3 straight days doing a trillion loads of laundry!!!
We received great news yesterday that someone backed out of another 4 bedroom villa in the same compound that we want to live in, so it will be ready within the next 1-2 weeks! YAY! Hopefully we can get moved in before school starts on Sept. 9th.
I am quite surprised how in general things aren't that much different here. Avery is fascinated with the fact that all the toilets in the hotels and apartments have bidets and even the public toilets have handheld sprayer to "hose yourself off" I guess. Needless to say, many a mess of water has been made playing with the sprayer. Also, everything is crazy expensive here. Avery convinced me to buy her this small panda stuffed animal today that was $20!!!! Would have been $5 in the US!
Bad news..... Avery had another bout of stomach cramping and diarrhea and after talking to our peds MD from Gainesville, she may have either the parasite still, or c-diff infection from all the antibiotics she has been on (for the parasite, then all the foot issues, then the parasite again.) We are heading to the local hospital on Saturday to try to meet with someone and give them a stool sample to see what is going on...... Apparently, until the stool samples come back negative 3 times in a row, the parasite can't be considered gone. Wish us luck!
We are ready for school to start, as the kids and I are going a little stir crazy here with no real plans each day. I am driving around and we have visited 2 of the 3 malls (one has an ice skating rink and bowling alley). The malls put the Oaks Mall to shame (as most malls do). We have been out to dinner most of the nights and have been to old favorites like Chili's, TGI Fridays, and an Italian restaurant. We see lots of Qatari's wearing the black (women) and white (men) robes and head garments especially in the malls but they are friendly for the most part and don't look at us funny or anything. There are plenty of people just like us everywhere as well.
Love you guys and miss you all!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Rome
We took the kids to Rome today to see the Colosseum and the Vatican. We were a little nervous when we arrived at the beginning of the excursion to see we were the only ones with kids in the whole group. Are we crazy to think the kids will survive a 10.5 hour day sightseeing in Rome?
After a 1.5 hour bus ride, we arrived at the Coloseum. It was really cool and we got to go inside for a full guided tour. Thankfully, we did this in the morning as it was already 100 degrees and super hot!!
Next, we ate lunch at a local restaurant (an authentic Italian lunch-- Lasagna and pasta with red sauce)
Avery REALLY liked the Gelato!
Sorry, no pictures allowed actually in the Sistine Chapel but this is in a hallway on the way to the chapel.
After a 1.5 hour bus ride, we arrived at the Coloseum. It was really cool and we got to go inside for a full guided tour. Thankfully, we did this in the morning as it was already 100 degrees and super hot!!
Next, we ate lunch at a local restaurant (an authentic Italian lunch-- Lasagna and pasta with red sauce)
Then we went on to the Vatican. We toured the hallways of beautiful tapestries, paintings, and the Sistine Chapel with Michaelangelo's masterpieces.
Avery was super tired and fell asleep in my arms just as we were walking into the Sistine Chapel and I carried her around like this for an hour with her dead weight in my arms. :) It was my arm workout for the day.
Next we went into St. Peter's Basilica which was very ornate and beautiful. There were areas dedicated to each deceased Pope there. Then on to St. Peter's Square where the Pope addresses the public on Wednesdays. We didn't see the pope since he was on summer holiday.
We got comments from everyone in our group about how well behaved our children were the entire day. We were so proud of them.
Unfortunately, Chase got lost in St. Peter's square. The group stopped to listen to the guide talk about the square and Chase kept walking down to the big Obelisk in the center. He was missing for about 5 minutes before some nice tourists found him crying. Together, they spotted our group as we were all searching for him farther up in the square. It was a scary moment but all turned out okay. Here is the obelisk where he was lost.
All in all, it was a great day and the kids actually enjoyed it! Bobby and I thought all was very interesting and we were so glad we decided to go.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
We Made It!!!
Hi guys! Sorry we haven't been able to update in the past few days. The cruise ship wanted a fortune per day for internet access so we just waited until we were back in a hotel.
We had a fantastic time on the cruise! I will do a page with pictures from each day later today when Bobby comes back with his phone (and hence, the pictures).
We flew all day yesterday from Barcelona to Doha and arrived last night. Immediately, the kids were looking around at the airport at all the men working there wearing the white dresses and headpieces :). Then a huge group of Qatari women and children came in while we were waiting in the immigration line and we were all a little surprised that they all even had their noses and mouths covered with just their eyes peeking through. The kids called the ninjas (quietly of course) :)
We were so thrilled that Bobby's partner here, Nasser, and his wife and children picked us up at the airport and had already rented a car for us. They are from the US (Michigan) but are Lebonese. The whole family are super nice! Avery loved Hosana (the mother) and Chase and their son, Abraham, had a great time chatting at dinner. (he is 12). Their daughter is 14 or 15 and is interested in doing some babysitting! Sweet!!
We are staying at the Hilton in Doha for today and tomorrow while we decide the long term plan. We will check out the place that Bobby was thinking we should live today. It won't be ready until 3-4 weeks to move into though. If we choose that one, we will move to an apartment in the meantime that eventually will be for another Crom employee coming over in a few weeks. I am going to look at some other villas to see if we see something else that we like as much that is ready now.
Pictures will be posted of the cruise and Doha this afternoon!
I am already really missing all you guys and hope to try to Skype or Facetime with you in the next day or two. We ended up having to disable my USA phone because of the crazy charges and I am getting a local phone today that will international capabilities. So sorry if you have tried to text me as I am not getting it at this time. Will update as soon as I know my phone number!
We had a fantastic time on the cruise! I will do a page with pictures from each day later today when Bobby comes back with his phone (and hence, the pictures).
We flew all day yesterday from Barcelona to Doha and arrived last night. Immediately, the kids were looking around at the airport at all the men working there wearing the white dresses and headpieces :). Then a huge group of Qatari women and children came in while we were waiting in the immigration line and we were all a little surprised that they all even had their noses and mouths covered with just their eyes peeking through. The kids called the ninjas (quietly of course) :)
We were so thrilled that Bobby's partner here, Nasser, and his wife and children picked us up at the airport and had already rented a car for us. They are from the US (Michigan) but are Lebonese. The whole family are super nice! Avery loved Hosana (the mother) and Chase and their son, Abraham, had a great time chatting at dinner. (he is 12). Their daughter is 14 or 15 and is interested in doing some babysitting! Sweet!!
We are staying at the Hilton in Doha for today and tomorrow while we decide the long term plan. We will check out the place that Bobby was thinking we should live today. It won't be ready until 3-4 weeks to move into though. If we choose that one, we will move to an apartment in the meantime that eventually will be for another Crom employee coming over in a few weeks. I am going to look at some other villas to see if we see something else that we like as much that is ready now.
Pictures will be posted of the cruise and Doha this afternoon!
I am already really missing all you guys and hope to try to Skype or Facetime with you in the next day or two. We ended up having to disable my USA phone because of the crazy charges and I am getting a local phone today that will international capabilities. So sorry if you have tried to text me as I am not getting it at this time. Will update as soon as I know my phone number!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Nice and Eze
We disembarked off the boat and took a ferry over to Nice, France. It was super hot but we had a great time. The beach in Nice has river rocks instead of sand. We had some yummy Ice cream to cool off.
In Eze, the medieval town, the views were gorgeous and we saw a hotel where the rich and famous must stay. It is an old town cut right into the side of a cliff overlooking the sea.
Huge yachts all lined up in the harbor were impressive and we speculated how much it would cost to own one.
In Eze, the medieval town, the views were gorgeous and we saw a hotel where the rich and famous must stay. It is an old town cut right into the side of a cliff overlooking the sea.
Huge yachts all lined up in the harbor were impressive and we speculated how much it would cost to own one.
Cruise ship fun
We stayed on the boat for the first day of the cruise and checked out all the fun activities. We played in a family mini-golf tournament but didn't win. It was a great day!! Bobby did the flow rider wave! Chase really wanted to but missed the height by less than an inch. Stay tuned for pics of mom and Avery doing it!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
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