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Owl Ornament
I liked that these ornaments looked handmade, with their bright details, and the owl reminds me of the time we saw real owls at the falconry exhibit.
Tulip Progress
Current status: 7 out of the 10 bulbs that we planted in October have green shoots. Some are tall, others have just emerged. Go tulips go!
Big Crane Outside
We had a notice in the elevator that the driveway would be partially blocked over the weekend. And outside, an enormous piece of equipment appeared. How do you assemble a big crane? With a big crane.
The SZR
Always such a rush to drive this part of the Sheikh Zayed Road, where it feels like you're in a corridor of towering skyscrapers, the metro sliding alongside, lanes and lanes of traffic cruising along at 120kph. I love that this is often one of the first "wow" moments for visitors, picking them up from the airport, heading over some highways and then merging into traffic here. Welcome to the City of the Future!
Celestial
Reading the paper yesterday afternoon, I saw a brief mention of the lunar eclipse that would be happening that evening, visible in the UAE and other parts of the world.
"There's going to be a lunar eclipse, I've never seen one," I said to James, who then asked me what a lunar eclipse actually means. I found myself trying to explain, but then rather flummoxed by my own ramblings, such that I had to sit down at the computer to figure it out.
That is where this lover of science, this advanced degree holder from a technical institution, had her mind BLOWN.
Turns out, I was wrong about the moon the whole time. Somehow, as a kid, I had it embedded in my mind that the reason the moon goes through its phases is because of the Earth's shadow falling upon it.
But no! As this website showed me so perfectly, it's not that at all. And so the reason for the lunar eclipse's particular rare nature is that this is when the Earth's shadow hits the moon, not those other times when it's simply the angle at which we're seeing the dark side and light side of the moon.
Like I said, my mind was blown. NOW I get it.
And then we got into the car to drive to Umm Suqeim to see a movie at the Dubai Film Fest, and as we made our way along the usual route past the Dubai Mall, I looked into the sky, and there it was.
I didn't take this photo, it's by Sin Syue Lee on Flickr, but this is what we saw in the distance.
"I know you're driving, but if you get a chance, just over there, you can see the lunar eclipse," I said to James.
"Wow!"
We got to the parking lot in Umm Suqeim, and the pale red orb continued to hover in the air. Like magic. I'm sure I've lived through lunar eclipses before, I've probably seen them without even realizing, but on this evening, now knowing the significance, now understanding what it all means for the first time, it was magic.
By the time we returned to the car park after an excellent movie, the moon was restored to its full, radiant white light, high in the sky.
UPDATE: Cool photos of the lunar eclipse here.
Over, Under and Around The Creek
Here is the mystery of running. In a given event, there are so many variables that can affect things - the start time, the air temperature, the wind, the course, the hills, the lack of hills, the number of people. Even the runner herself: the meal the night before, the amount of sleep, the amount of training, the general emotional state, the general physical state.
Sometimes, I can show up for a run like this weekend's half-marathon, and be mentally prepared to do my usual plod-along pace. I enjoy a glass of wine the night before. Podcasts are ready so that I can distract myself with some stories. I tell the President of my Fan Club that I'm targeting a two-and-a-half hour time.
And then I arrive at the creek, check my bag, and spend the next 45 minutes strolling around, shaking out my legs to loosen up, and as the sun rises and the race begins, I'm suddenly feeling it.
All photos taken by James, as I decided not to carry a camera along the race course (though there would have been a million things to photograph along the way).
The race takes us south down the east side of the creek and then up and over the Garhoud Bridge. As I approach the ramp to the bridge, the first of many gorgeous scenes: a trail of runners, tracing the path below, the ramp and then crossing the bridge. In the distance, the sunrise illuminates the skyscrapers along Sheikh Zayed Road, golden glint from the Burj Khalifa. Blue sky gloriousness. Down below the bridge, in a parking lot next to an overgrown, abandoned amusement park, men have already embarked on their weekend of cricket play. It's 6:40am, and the city is beautiful. The creek to my right, though signaling the long distance that I will run, is a smooth surface of water, reflecting the buildings alongside. The floating bridge, open at this time of the morning to let boats through.
Running up the creek parks, and then alongside the water, we pass men standing on the water with their fishing rods angled out over the creek. Cigarettes dangle from their mouths.
Crossing the Maktoum Bridge, back to the east side of the creek, we then run along one of my favourite parts of Dubai. The loading docks where the dhows sit, piled high with anything from car tires to bags of popcorn kernels to appliances.
Earlier in the morning, while it was still dark outside, I had caught a taxi to take me to the race start. As we drove the quiet streets, I could hear the call to prayer for sunrise, and then as we wove closer to the start area, we passed these loading docks. On a concrete plaza, something that I have never before seen in Dubai, about 60 men (the dhow crews, I'm sure), engaged in their synchronized morning prayers, out in the open air, the sun just beginning to illuminate the sky with the palest orange light.
Back on the run, we pass the abra station where the tourists have yet to appear, but the boat pilots stand in a group, watching us with the same look of either bewilderment or bemusement, I couldn't tell which, like "what are these crazies doing, running on a Friday morning?"
Continuing along the creek, more fishermen, more abra drivers. And then the Shindagha pedestrian tunnel. On the other side, I can see runners who have emerged from the tunnel, and I can hear the cheers of the water station volunteers. I enter the tunnel and descend, spiral, spiral, spiral, and then long downhill stretch underneath the waters of the creek, followed by a long uphill stretch to resurface.
These long uphills to the several bridge crossings and this one tunnel crossing, these were the moments when I realized that this was a different run for me. I was passing people. I was bursting with energy. I was determined to get the hills over with so that I could proceed with the flat parts, so better get it over with quickly.
The course continued right along the water of the creek, along the narrow lane that goes right past the restaurant where we've eaten a few times, and then past the abra station, and then through the corridor of the souk. At this time of the morning, it's all people walking on their way to work; no crowds. Emerging onto the path that follows the water, we continue back southward. More people playing cricket on the lawns. The Maktoum Bridge comes into view, 2km left. I continue to grab two of those foil-sealed water cups at each station, cracking the foil with my thumb as I run and drinking without breaking a stride. At this point, I know that I am doing better than I had hoped.
I round the corner into the park, one last slight uphill to the finish, and then there's my Running Fan Club President, waving like crazy, and I cheer in response. A final sprint to the finish, and it's DONE. My heart rate will remain elevated for the next few hours. I'll enjoy a nap in the afternoon. My legs will take a few days to loosen out of their stiffness.
But the best part is that I'll know it was a great effort, my 2nd fastest halfer ever. AWESOME.
Dubai Skyline In Distance
You can see the miniaturized Burj Khalifa, etc, in the distance from the grandstands at the Rugby.
