Cooling weather and the absence of haze have helped me remember some of the things I love about Dubai...
Even as I sat in a surprise traffic jam today, I was able to appreciate the sunset reflecting off building glass, the soft shade of the sky... as many of you know, these past few months have had their hard moments, moments made harder by the distance I"m forced to maintain. School has brought challenges as well - conversations that challenge and question, with that strange mix of elation and exhaustion that comes from insights and the changes they demand....
luckily, we had a reprieve.
what was going to be a long weekend (not long enough to go anywhere) was lengthened by a series of announcements, and suddenly we had a whole week off.
thursday morning, a carpool planning session, a frantic scramble of online bookings and hotel searches, and suddenly, we're going to Thailand!
it was just what i needed - to escape for awhile.
6 days of...
poolside relaxing.
unbelievable shopping at Chatachuck's weekend sprawl and Khao San road's nightly gauntlet.
massages.
temples visits, feet on cool marble.
cold beers and people-watching as the dread-locked backpackers stroll by amidst the food carts and tourists, glossy photos of tailors' work, village women selling traditional hats and jewelry.
tuk-tuk rides and taxi fare negotiations .
pad thai and spring rolls.
visits with steve's friends and a tour of the International School.
a tour of a tourist trap of a floating market.
long-boat trips through canals, glimpses of life along the water.
rain.
I realized, as I wondered if I could drive on the left side of the road, that with every place I visit I not only soak up the sights and the culture, but I analyze, ask myself "could I live here?"
Just in case it's ever a possibility......
these days, i have a lot to mourn, and a lot to celebrate.
and the bluer the sky gets, the more I have to hope for.
