Things I See (Vol 2)

This is where I catalogue some of the interesting/funny things I see. 

Previous posts of Things I See:  Here's Your Sign,  Catching my Eye,  Vol 1,

In additions to chickens, our next door neighbor is now raising ducks and turkeys.  Here, the ducks are taking a stroll.  They are very brave because there are some crazy drivers in our neighborhood.

Zain phone company was offering something free to its customers, so people were pushing and shoving to get to the front and get whatever it was .  It drew quite a crowd.

The toys packaged overseas always make me laugh.

"I have a lovely doll, his name is "small cute."
"When my friends come, you will say, 'Let us play the baby home.'"


There was a nice tree outside a local mall, and then one day, I saw all the branches had been cut off.

I didn't take a picture until the next time I came, and it had been spray painted white gold and sprinkled with glitter.

Strange.

And the next time I saw it, they had added lights.  But I still can't get over the gold and glitter.

Across from this mall and tree is a mosque that I've shown you a picture of before; however, one evening, the moon was above it, matching the crescent moons on the tops of it's minarets.

Back across the street from the mosque, near the golden tree, tour buses from the southern part of this country are always parked in the parking lot.

This one made me smile.

"Ole Frederiksen Turistfart"

A month of Sundays...I mean Fridays

One Friday, I went to the roof to try to capture what the midday "sounds" like.

We live one block from a mosque, so we hear the call to prayer every day, five times a day, but on Fridays, we hear the sermon that is piped through the speakers for the whole neighborhood to hear.

I guess it's a chance for everyone to hear.

Each neighborhood here has a mosque.  In fact, you can tell a taxi driver where you live by naming the mosque closest to you.

So basically, they are everywhere.

That means, on Fridays, I can hear multiple sermons at once, and this is what it sounds like.

The Shopping Saga Continues

We finally found the perfect living room set! 

Don't you love our new chandelier?

Just kidding (the chandelier was $27,500)!

Keira told me she was the queen, and she wanted me to take her picture in this furniture store.  

Nice, huh?

Well, we went a little more classy for our bedrooms...particle board.

Yep, it's the standard here.  So when the delivery guys came to set up, this is how my bedroom started.

But it ended up looking like this.  Not bad.  We just can't ever move it or it will wobble apart.

On a side note, I know you can't tell, but let me tell you, those tiles are C.O.L.D!

Here are the other kids' wardrobes that were put together on Sunday.

Kylie's.

Caleb's.

And Karis'.  

Now they all have closets (except Keira).  She's going to share a room with Karis, but I'm a little nervous about her wondering around at night with no power (lights) down those marble stairs, so for now, her mattress is on the floor in our room, and we're still working on a solution for her clothes.

For now, they're in a suitcase on the floor.  *sigh*

Here's a look at my side of town.  I was crossing a foot bridge near our house and decided to snap a picture.  See that mosque in the back left?

It's really beautiful, but this is the only shot I've gotten of it so far.  Out a window, in a moving car last week.

Here's the road under the foot bridge facing the other direction.

Speaking of mosques...interesting cultural tidbit.  Everyone uses his mosque to tell others where he lives.  For example, a person would tell a taxi driver where he lived by naming his mosque, not his street address.

I know you are ready for more toilet stories, but I have to post about another shopping trip first.  If I haven't already said it, shopping in a new city, without knowing the language, is not for the faint of heart.