Flashback

Here's another flashback.

This time we are flashing back to our Middle East trip last summer.

Our first stop was Kuwait, if you recall, which I'm sure you don't, and that's fine, it just seemed like a nice way to start the sentence.

Sweet N all of a sudden started blowing bubbles (spitting?) constantly. It was really funny. You have to be a parent to understand that.

I took pictures of her blowing bubbles all over Kuwait, expecting to do the same in the next two countries and then put them in one long watch-my-silly-daughter-blow-bubbles-all-over-the-Middle-East post. But the thing is, is that when we left Kuwait... she stopped blowing-bubbles at all.

I can't explain it.

But I can tell you that she is STILL sleeping this morning (it's 10:34), H is still watching a movie, and my husband isn't back from playing football (soccer) yet... so I am continuing to blog like a maniac.

So now I will post these six pictures of my girlie blowing bubbles all over Kuwait (and nowhere else) that have been sitting in a folder on my computer desktop for half a year.

Then I'll feel much better.



Bubbles at the breakfast buffet. God bless that breakfast buffet. The breakfast buffet at this hotel was a spiritual experience for me. I'm not even kidding. God shows His love to me through breakfast buffets. Especially free ones.

\

Bubbles during portrait time.



Hard-to-see bubbles in the local market. (No need to be alarmed at the strange man in the picture... that guy pushing her is our friend! Ha!)



Bubbles on the floor of the children's museum. Ohmygoodness she was such a baby!



Bubbles in the car seat.



And bubbles in the hotel lobby. God bless that hotel. What a gift it was!

Good memories. So many good memories...

Cooking Pot

Flashback with me, if you will, to Qatar.

We visited the local market there, and saw these pans in one of the winding alleys.



It's a cooking pot.

For camels.

That would explain it's ENORMOUS size. They literally chop up the huge sucker and throw him in this pot too cook him up.

Oh my goodness.

Have you ever seen anything like it?

I would imagine they have these pots in this country too. There are camels around and people do eat them. They say it tastes like chicken.

he he

I just made that up. The part about it tasting like chicken. I didn't make up the part about having camels around. That part is true.

But they do say that if a pregnant woman eats camel meat that she'll be pregnant for a year.

Seriously.

Anyway. That's all. Just wanted to show you that heee-uuge pot.

Over and out.

Heading Home

Well folks, this traveling adventure is about to end. So the posting will slow down and you won't be subjected to countless photos of malls and seas and new foods anymore.

Wait, did I hear applause?

C'mon people!!

;)

We're soon boarding the plane back to the city we call home. I'm pretty excited to get settled back into our little apartment. To sleep in my bed, get my kids back in a routine, stock my freezer, hang up my new curtains, eat salad for a month (traveling is not good for your health!), and see my friends that I've missed.

We've seen a lot and one thing that really sticks with me are the thriving churches we have visited in all three places we've been. You might think these Gulf countries wouldn't have any churches, but in fact they all have many! Globalization has brought people from all corners of the world to live and work in this region and they're brought the truth of Jesus with them. I would never have guessed that there would be huge growing populations of Indian or Nepali believers in the Gulf... but it's true! I am reminded that our God is so big, and isn't held back by borders at all. His Kingdom can be found in every corner of the world and it's been so encouraging to see!

And, I am continually so humbled and so thankful that we are able to travel and see new places and meet new friends. It's such a privilege and I don't take it lightly. Glory to Jesus!

Alas, even though life in our country has countless challenges of it's own, there really is no place like home...

Traveling in the Middle East

We have seen some interesting things traveling on a discount airline in this region of the world.

The first (well, after the doggie purse and stapler incident at the airport), and most shocking, happened as we were flying from our home city to Dubai. There were quite a few guys on the plane who had OBVIOUSLY never flown before. They were clueless about things like how to open a door with a push-bar across the front, how to put on a seatbelt, and basic airplane etiquette.

Let me set the scene.

It's the middle of the night. I'm groggy, nauseated and delirious. Traveling through the night always makes me feel this way. I'm holding a sleeping child in my arms watching a young man in one row ahead of me and across the aisle. He had already needed help with his seatbelt and with obtaining a cup of tea. Which in the end a stranger bought for him cause he hadn't any money or any idea what was going on. I won't go into how confused he was by the large paper cup and the funny plastic lid with hole in it.

Aaanyway, he must have had some congestion cause he hocked a loogie and then SPIT IT ON THE FLOOR. On the carpet. Under the chair in front of him.

oh. my. goodness.

My jaw literally dropped for a few minutes at least. My eyes as wide as saucers. I was in disbelief. I mean, I don't blame the guy... he lives in a culture where men and women do spit anywhere. Probably he's never been anywhere where spitting is prohibited.

But seriously... that was just gross.

Moving on.

At the transfer terminal (Dubai Terminal 2... which is VASTLY different from Dubai Terminal 1 and not recommended), I needed the loo.



Can you read the sign? It says "Toilet for Ledis."

Um, I guess that's me?

So I'm taking care of business and I see this.



Maybe you can't see. The ambitious cleaner lady (which I would normally really appreciate) thinks it's a great time to clean the floor and tried to flood me out of the stall with soapy water! Which worked, actually. After I rolled up my trousers, that is.

Moving on.

Then in Qatar, I saw this.



Unattended baggage. Lots of it. This would never fly in the U.S. Seriously that stuff would have been surrounded by the bomb squad in 2.5 seconds.

Moving on.

Lastly, my favorite.



A sign in the airplane bathroom demonstrating proper toilet usage.

This is necessary signage and I appreciate it very much.

:)

Last Lunch

Yesterday we had our last lunch in Lebanon. And we found a pretty cool place to have it...



Yup, down there by the water!







And I finally found what I have been waiting for... a cocktail with fruits!! I thought Lebanon was famous for these, and so I've been expecting to see them all over. But this is the first time I saw one on the menu. Fresh fruit juice mixed with fruit pieces, topped with creme and pistachio crumbles.





Ma'salaama Liban! (Goodbye Lebanon!)

Soup de Jour

"Cone (can) I have an apron pa-weese Mommy? I want to bake!"



Baking is the same as frying, apparently.



And after some simmering (and drumming on the lid with two spoons)...



...it's ready! Looks delicious, don't you think?



And there is his little apprentice on the floor.

Flexible Sleepers

We have stayed in two different places in Lebanon. Both places my kids slept in very close proximity and did fine.



The yellow tent is a nursery tent we bought to travel with instead of lugging a pack n' play. It's been amazing! Weighs about two pounds, folds up super small and has popped up all around the world in hostels, airports, hotels, friend's homes, and even on an overnight train. I sewed the cover for it myself cause the other sides are mesh. When I cover it the babes always fall asleep much better cause they can't see out. Even now it works for either kiddo, making them super flexible sleepers.



Here we had a borrowed crib, and H slept half-way in the tent. Here is served to keep him from falling out of the bed.

Ahhhh... such peace and quiet when they sleep, huh?

The Sea

Before we left our lodging in Damoor (south of Beirut) we walked down to the sea.







We didn't intend to swim this evening but Mike and H couldn't resist!



H LOVED the waves!



"Here comes anoder one!"



"I wike da waves Mommy!"

Chopstix

He made a good go of it, wouldn't you say?

Costa

Before 7am this morning I exited our newest (and last) temporary lodging in Beirut. Don't be fooled by the somewhat decent looking facade of this small hotel of 'flats'. What they mean by 'flats' is a teensy room with a teensy bathroom and a teensy counter with a cooker and a sink on top. A teensy couch is facing a large television with a ba-jillion satellite stations. You can see where priorities are in this small business, huh?

he he



Anyway, there is a small A/C unit (never mind that it randomly seems to turn off). My bed (yes, two twin beds plus a teensy cot for H) was surprisingly comfortable and the dark curtains allowed me to get up, feed the baby, get dressed and sneak out early this morning before my kiddos stirred much!

I walked down Hamra Street which was quiet and where I got many strange looks (this is normal).



I arrived here. Costa Coffee! And to my dismay it was closed. Oh no! The sign said it should open in 5 minutes, but it was so dark and lifeless inside I doubted it entirely.

But I stood outside nonetheless (now getting even more strange looks) and sure enough at 7am three workers appeared out of NOWHERE and opened the doors.

I went inside and took a seat. Coffee wasn't ready, but internet was!

Amen and Halleluiah!!



The cafe was still filled with chairs and tables to be put outside.



I squeezed past all these things. I am a girl on a mission.

A mission called Email. Facebook. Blogging.

You know, the essentials of life.

he he

Just kidding.



And after much waiting, this arrived. It is a cappuccino so large that the cup requires two handles.

Oh my.

And I wonder if male customers get heart shaped cocoa sprinkles of their boat-sized cappuccinos? Cause that would just be weird.



So now it's been almost a hour and a half of laptop time!

Who cares if I'm a little jittery after a gallon of cappuccino..

Let's go see some more of the city, okay?!

Saaida

We thought: "Let's not spend all our time in the city... let's see what there is to see outside Doha Beirut!"

Road Bus trip!!

Sound familiar?

he he

We took the local bus south to a town in southern Lebanon. Saaida was called Sidon in Bible times and Jesus went there. According to Matthew 15, that's where He was when He delivered a Canaanite woman's daughter from demon-possession.

Aaanyway... that's the place. And today it's just a bustling little city with lots of shopping and LOTS of character! I loved it! I'll give you a few highlights, in case you care.



Oooh. These two are always highlights. They're buds and I love them so much my heart bursts.



This is the view of Saaida from the top of a Palace that I didn't get any interesting pictures of. It's a city on the Mediterranean Sea and the breeze off the water felt so good!





Here I am with my little sweetie. Only lately she's been more of a screecher than a sweetie. I don't know what's gotten into her.



As our Syrian friend led us around the labyrinth that is the old market, we passed this small shop making fresh fatiira. I don't actually know what they call these 'pastries' in Lebanon. Every Middle East country has them and every Middle East country calls them something different. Frankly I can't keep up.



It was a family run operation. Two sons standing around, one mother in charge of toppings and the father working in the fire.



Zataar! My favorite!!



Finger-licking-good. Or maybe baby-wipe-wiping-good. Same thing.



Don't know what this is. Besides gorgeous, that is.



Then we visited the soap museum. Which sounds terribly boring but wasn't!



Here H is 'stamping' the logo on the bars of soap.



Some local bread being made on a dome thingy. Have you ever seen someone cook with a pillow? He uses it to spread the dough thin and then flip it over and smack it on the dome thingy. Pretty cool!



And lunch. A HUUUGE falafel sandwich. Delicious! None of us could finish ours.



Here's my boy who thought his bites of falafel were chicken.

he he

And can you see the heat rash on his face and neck? My poor little puppy...



Sunique demonstrated how to drink from the never-seen-before water jug.



First H put his mouth on the thing and tried to suck on it like a straw. *Gasp!* Ewww! Get your mouth off that H!! But then H mastered it after spilling only about half a liter down his shirt.

;)

The end.