Emirati dance

From the department of lost posts... Months ago I went to the dedication of a new mall. Part of the opening ceremony was this dance by young men. They used the drum and tapping the sticks to create an interesting percussion sound. Like young rappers in America they seemed to really get into it.

Just a massage, thank you

We finally found a massage place and I had my first Thai massage. I can describe the massage in phases:

Massochistic: She giggled as she pulled my pinky toe and big toe farther apart than they've ever been. I'm not sure how scraping the insides of my toes is therapeutic. I kept thinking, "This will be over soon... this will be over soon..."

Erotic: While laying on my back she spread my legs wide and proceeded to massage from one side to the other, leaving nothing untouched.*

Happy Ending Offer: The masseuse indicated that for some extra money she would make it a memorable massage. She also made it clear that we had to be quiet since my wife (Ann) was next to us only separated by a hanging sheet. I said, "No, just a massage, thank you." She was clearly not happy.

Business-like and painful: There was nothing remarkably good about the next half hour of the massage.

The massage was over by 9:30 at which time she went to change her clothes in the bathroom. She emerged in a sleek leopard skin outfit and wearing tons of makeup.


Apparently she had another job to go to...

*I initially wrote that she "awoke a sleeping giant."

Ukraine's weather

We have been incredibly lucky. Normally highs are in the 50's this time of year. It's been in the 70's pretty much every day and sunny enough that both of us have been slightly burned. It is quite fall-like as many trees have changed color.

To experience fall is an amazing experience; the high in Al Ain tomorrow is 109. We're spending one more day in Lviv before heading back to Kiev. It's a pretty cool European city with picturesque architecture. The best part of the trip (for me) was visiting a 300 year old brewery.

Given that the trip is half over I have to say that you shouldn't expect any Ukrainian gifts from me. They just haven't built up the tourist industry and I've seen very little that would make a good gift... besides, of course, vodka or mugs from the 300 year old brewery (but I'm not sharing).

I find your lack of ice disturbing

I know I've had rants on this blog but if it were possible, this would be a mega-rant. From my first day in the Emirates I've been disturbed by the lack of ice. It's certainly not an issue of money. (This is the land of the indoor ski slope.) Many here like drinking room temperature water and room temperature Coke.

I do not.

At the Hilton I had a standing order for a bucket of ice to be delivered to room each night because heaven forbid the hotel have an ice machine for its customers. At restaurants I rarely get more than two tiny cubes when I ask for ice. If I ask for more I get a look of exasperation. I could live here for ten years and I think this will perpetually drive me nuts.

Ukraine update - Lviv edition

We took an overnight train from Kiev to Lviv. The train was remarkably nice and remarkably cheap: Less than $20 for a cross country trip with a private sleeper car. Considering our apartment stays are more expensive we could save money and ride the train every night!

Or not. While it was relatively quiet it wasn't a great night's sleep.

We've continued to walk and walk and walk. We did this in Nepal but at the end of each day we could get a 90 minute massage for $15. We've yet to find anything similar here.

This country is not tourism friendly. Simple things like a picture of an airplane to indicate "airport" are nowhere to be found. Unlike Nepal, we look like the locals so people are constantly saying things to us. Yesterday I said to one, "I'm sorry, I don't speak English." Ann corrected me, "No, Steven, that is the language you speak..."

Blog of the week

Here's a website sure to divert your attention from work: Cake Wrecks:

I personally don't consider Darth Vader cradling a newborn as a cake wreck. After all, Luke discovered his soft, paternal side.
I'm a bit disappointed that nobody got me a cake like this when I moved away.

Then again it could have been worse:

Paying off (to get off) murder

Two brothers and a friend burned their driver to death. The case is in the courts:

The next hearing in the case was postponed until October 5 in order for the families of the accused to attempt to resolve the case by offering blood money to the victim’s family.

If they offer enough blood money they'll only face a maximum of five years.

Hugh Laurie

I've never watched House with Hugh Laurie. There are pictures, t-shirts and buttons of Hugh Laurie and "House" everywhere.

I can't find the connection in the time I have in the internet cafe. Please let me know if any of you find anything.

And now a little parenting advice…

It’s such a rare chance that I get to do this…

Thought for the day

I'm over 40. I'm single with no kids. I have an obsessions with bacon and anything Coke. By any standard I've crossed the line to eccentric.

I wonder how many of my friends tell their kids, "See, that's what happens when you don't settle down and get married."

James Bromwell

A close friend's grandfather passed away last week. I met him many times and loved to hear him tell the stories of Cedar Rapids from yesteryear. He knew the political history of Cedar Rapids and Iowa like nobody else I had ever met.

He was also a congressman representing eastern Iowa. He was defeated, interestingly enough, by John Culver, father of our current governor.

The Gazette has a nice story about him. My biggest regret is the same as many who knew him: Why didn't I spend more time talking with him and taking notes. He was a phenomenal political historian.

My condolences to his family. He was a great man.

Ukraine - so far so good

We arrived in the Ukraine yesterday and have navigated the city fairly successfully. It's clear English is not the first, second, or third language... yet, American music (mostly from the 80's) plays in most public places.

Kiev is pretty cool. From the interesting architecture to the masses of women wearing high heels on cobblestone streets to the beautiful fall-like weather it's safe to say we've had a good start.

Ann's sister's sister-in-law is from Ukraine and lined us up with a very centrally located apartment for $65/night. Splitting that cost makes this trip quite reasonably priced. Also, a Big Mac value meal is $3. (And it tastes just like a Big Mac in the US... unlike in the UAE.)

Anyhow, we made it safe and all is well. In Nepal internet cafes were everywhere because they catered to tourists and most locals couldn't afford internet on their own. Here, this is the first internet cafe we've found. I will post updates when possible and I find more internet cafes.

A blast from the past

My car insurance was set to expire while in Kiev. I went to buy it just before leaving. I was stunned that the policy was typed up on a manual typewriter. Wow. Also, the rate for the insurance was $180 for liability only for one year.

Blog update

The blog will continue while I am in the Ukraine. I have pre-written posts for every day because I know many of you use the blog as a way to kill time during work. I'd hate to disrupt that routine!

I may also post occasionally from Kiev and points beyond. I'll be back in the UAE on Saturday, September 26th.

I'm headed to a city with a forecast high of 80 today and 60 on Saturday. Hmm, sounds like Iowa.

Because it's there?

This morning Ann and I flying to Ukraine. Why? Well, that's a question I've been asking myself for the past week. Here's the answer: We wanted to go to...

...Moscow but didn't have time to get the permits.

...somewhere cheap.

...somewhere non-muslim because the country would be on holiday.

Ukraine pretty much won by default. The monsoons haven't left Nepal so that was ruled out.

Hence we are heading to Kiev. I'm trying to remember a time when I was less excited about taking a trip. Then again, I felt the same before heading to Nepal last year.

Grassley is the new Lucy holding the football

Sen. Max Baucus worked hard to find a "bipartisan compromise" with Grassley and two other Republicans. In the end he gave them everything and got nothing in return. I'll join the chorus of others who say, "Fine, if Republicans won't play ball let's go back and make this a Democrat sponsored bill with full public option, cost controls and tax the rich to pay for it."

This insightful blog sums up our Chuck Grassley: "what this really means is that in order to meet Grassley’s definition of bipartisanship, Dems must effectively hand over to Republicans total veto power over health care reform. It’s that simple."

Baucus came close by giving Chuck 95% of what he wanted.

This is reminiscent of the stimulus where Obama gave and gave Republicans what they wanted in the bill... and sacrificing the real "stimulus" liberal economists were fighting for. In the end the Republicans voted against it. I asked at the time why Dems just didn't revert back to the real stimulus bill. Too late.

Sometimes I wonder why my party acts like a bunch of pussies. George Bush never concerned himself with compromise. He just rammed what he wanted through with much smaller Republican majorities than the Democrats currently have.

Iowa's dry spell

After the torrential rains at the end of last month, it's been very dry across the Hawkeye State. The National Weather Service has an interesting compilation of dry spells. The surprise for me is that the fifth longest dry spell in Cedar Rapids ocurred this year. It was 25 days ending on February 8th.

I was home during that period and I wanted it to snow. Nah, of course not. It was just cold. Bone chilling cold.

Happy Birthday, Ann!

Ann dropped off an old table that I can use as a computer table. That was my birthday present. I gave her a lady bug flag (not pictured), a lady bug blanket and matching slippers. Then we went out to dinner where she conveniently forgot her purse.

Hmm...

A great birthday gift

I told my class it was my birthday and that my birthday gift for them was getting out of class early. (Ok, that was really a birthday gift for me...) Two of the girls ran out and bought me two flowers before I left the building.

Nice, but that's not the great birthday gift.

Today should be the last day I ever have to teach during ramadan. Why is teaching during ramadan something less than fun? I consume a lot of liquids while I teach because I, you know, talk a lot. During ramadan the most I can do is sneak sips in the bathroom before class.

Also, the students are just dead. They stay up almost all night and eat and drink their last food at 4:30 in the morning and they are walking zombies during the day. I would be too if I tried to fast in this heat.

So, with ramadan moving up ten days next year it will start on August 11th and end on September 9th. That's followed by a week holiday. There's no way they'll have us start school for one week and then take a week off.

There's no way. There's no way. There's no way. I'm going to keep saying that... knowing full well nothing is a given in this region.

Quote of the day - Obama's America

From Rush Limbaugh:

"In Obama's America the white kids get beat up with the black kids cheering, 'Yay, right on, right on, right on."

And the truly tragic fact is that there are millions of Americans who believe Rush is right.