Winter Wonderland

Dec. 5-6

Alright, I have decorated our home, I finally found some Holiday scented candles, I have a Xmas play list on the ipod, Mark was home this past weekend, we cranked down the a/c and broke out our first holiday movie, "National Lampoons Christmas Vacation"... the next day we were ready to hit the town and take in the sites!

We first headed to Souk Madinat because the Dubia International Film Festival (DIFF) was due to kick off and George Clooney was suppose to arrive today! (We think we saw his helicopter landing on the Burj Al Arab!)

Plus the mall was hosting a Winter Wonderland that I wanted to check out. They did a really nice job tastefully decorating the inside mall...






...and going over the top (as much as Arabs can) decorating their Winter Wonderland, that they charged 20aed each to enter (~$5-6).


(I've finally figured out how to 'stich' photos! Now I can offer panoramics!)


And again, they did a good job trying to please the masses but they can't get everything right I suppose.
There was this little stage that had a variety of characters performing; the Grinch (not the best), a xmas girl who sang quite nicely, little elves that were done fairly well, a acrobatic /break dancing Santa (w/ a twin to the left in a sleigh charging for pics). And then there were these 3 absolutely frighting Snowmen!! We both love snowmen and give much leeway to the country and culture for reaching out and really trying in an area they know nothing about; I mean, the Grinch who stole 'Christ'mas & 'Snow'men. I guess you find a few references and go but they really should have looked further than 'Jack Frost'








EEK!!

Watch out Grinch! They are coming to get you!! ooohh - that's spooky!

After That we went up to Mall of the Emirates and roamed around. They were surprisingly lacking in decor considering their size. Some of the stores were decorated but that was all. I guess you can't blame them, its really not their holiday.









That snow is made from little styrofoam packing balls! Do you realize how much of that was needed? Now that is commitment! I bought our tree from them.

Happy Holidays! Enjoy your week!