Fun times around Doha

Persian carpet anyone?  A 3 foot rug ran about $2000....yeah, I thought "What a bargain!" too.
Getting a pedicure with Linda...the camels aren't the only ones that walk through the desert.
This was an 80's themed murder mystery dinner at my friend Emily's house.  I was Natalie Nebraska - the head cheerleader and this was my nemesis, Pamela Abdul - the head pom-pom squad captain.
This is in the Ritz Carlton where we had an amazing brunch for my friend, Tacha.  I made a friend along the way :)
Dave gave Blake this Ghutra knife and I think he's regretting it in this picture :)
This is my favorite server in Doha.  His name is Atef (middle) and he works at one of my favorite restaurants in the souks called Al-Tawash.  He tells riddles and does tricks.  I'm a sucker for a good riddle!

Kristen (in the blue) and her friends about to go to the 8th grade dance.  Memories! 
At Kristen's 8th grade graduation.

N-D-Uh (India!)

I had the privilege to travel to Chennai, India for about 4 days and meet up with some friends who had been traveling there for about 2 weeks.  We attended a wedding, rode go-carts, swam in the Indian ocean, ate like there's no tomorrow, drank the best mango juice, nearly died everyday in traffic and had a blast!

Chennai (south east India) 
Horns honking...families of four sitting on one motorbike together...cows and dogs roaming freely in the streets...cars centimeters from each other...driving on the the left side of the road...markets and vendors...streets of India!  Gotta love em'.
Lil' warm, lil' warm...it was pretty hot and humid everyday, but still cooler than Doha.

Allow me to introduce you to my friend, Jagannath.  He is originally from Chennai and is finishing up his masters at A&M in Doha.  He planned this amazing trip for us.  Cannot thank him enough for all he did for us and the length he went to allow us such a great taste of India!  It was amazing.  
This was at a 5-star resort where we went to go on a real wooden boat that took us out to the Indian ocean where we swam...pretty cool!
Mel, I wore this shirt in honor of your graduation! xoxoxo
Green grass!  The many green trees and clouds were something I noticed everyday and was refreshed by.
Typical traffic...glad we had Jag to navigate us through the streets...lil' scary at times with faith buckled right next to you :)
gods...
Don't worry...got ya'll lots of goodies :)

Wedding - Indian Style

I LOVE Indian clothes!  New sarees for the girls...
And new clothes for the guys too.
The groom.
This is outside the wedding hall...the groom slowly goes and meets the bride outside the door where they put a ring of flowers around the other's neck and then walk inside together.  As he is doing this, there is a loud band and lots of dancing.  Woo!

The westerners at the wedding
Bride and groom on stage in front of everyone.  Our friend, Jag, is good friends with the groom.  This was an arranged marriage and the bride and groom do not really even look at each other (supposedly out of the respect for the elders)...different, but such a pleasure to be there! 
People stand in line (7-12am) to give gifts and take pictures with the bride and groom.

Wedding Reception Following Day

"Eat, eat!"..."Why would you drink water?  It will fill your stomach and you cannot eat as much."...."Did you eat??"..."Just try...it is so nice!"  We were well fed :)  This is this dining room of the reception.
Got some new threads for this one too :)  Tellin' you what...Indian women get to to wear some good stuff!  So many bold colors with buh-ling (shiney stuff for all you 40+)!
New friends....these girls were hilarious!  They came to us about 4 different times this night and each time they would wide-eyedly say, "Funny meeting you AGAIN!"  When we were eating, they would run and get us whatever we wanted.  They were each about 11 and had the greatest personalities...laughed a lot with them and took lots of pictures and met all their moms, grandmas, aunts, friends, and their friends' moms, grandmas, aunts, you get the idea....
This picture does not do that dress justice!  It was gorgeous!  
View from the balcony of the reception hall.  There was a live Indian band to my left.  So imagine lots of talking and loud Indian music and the smell of curry :)
More friends....
Family of bride and groom....notice where they put grandma? :)

Looks in the Souks Part II

Mom, you would have loved these birds!  I guess the people fluff the feathers out around their necks and feathers around their little feet!  Poor guys...
Spices...

This woman gave me permission to take her photo....she's making a flat bread she later filled with cheese and honey...mMmm!

Scroll down for the first post for further details about the souks.

Looks in the Souks

My hair still smells like the incense burned in the souks tonight.  Spices, rugs, restaurants, people from all over the world, cars honking, hookah pots smoking, caged birds, bunnies, and cats, candies, t-shirts...anything you could think of.  Nothin' like arab markets :)

What do you think ladies??  Pure and white these ones, eh? :)  I was walking tonight in the souks ('market' in Arabic) and a local, fully abbayah-wearing woman starts talking to a friend I was with who speaks Arabic.  This local woman said to my friend,"Is she married? (talking about me)...I know someone to marry her."  This woman kept insisting to my friend to the point my friend made me turn and we walk away!  I should have turned and said,"Only for 10 camels for my family!  Or rather cows as my grandparents could use those on their ranch."  Just a funny story....don't worry mom.

This picture does not do this restaurant justice!!  This was an Iranian place and the walls glittered like gold!  SO many colors...stained glass...mirrored pictures...candlelight glow...felt like a palace!
"Glad ya'll could join me for dinner!"
Dunkin' Donuts...Baskin Robbins....

I'm leaving for Chennai, India on Friday to attend a traditional, southern Indian wedding.  I'm having clothes made for it and everything!  

In honor of you, Mel, who scouted out the place.  If my big sis says it's ok, I'm right behind her :)  I'm so proud of you for graduating medical school this week and being the outstanding woman you are!  Hate that I cannot be there, but will be thinking of you and doing a traditional Indian dance just for you...yeah baby!

Until next time...

117, 118, 119, 120....

No, I'm not counting how many times a day I see camels and flying carpets, but rather those have been the temperatures here this past week....degrees, my friends.  Most of you know Byrdie here breaks a sweat at 82 degrees with a slight breeze...can you imagine? :)  Actually, I must confess, most buildings here can store meat with how well the ACs work, so I haven't melted yet...pray for the cars though...

Been doing great!  I've attended many school programs this week for Kristen as schools here get out in the next few weeks.  Their choir concert finale was fantastic!  I've loved the high school/middle school going-ons...takes me back.  Good memories :)  Mom and dad - I get it now why ya'll loved coming to our stuff so much...because it's FUN!  Spent time with so many great families that I feel like I've known for years.  Went to a youth girl's over-nighter and watched about 5 movies, painted endless fingers and toes, 'slept' on a tile floor, and loved every minute.  "Hey 1998, Amy's coming back at ya!"....listened to great country music on the car radio (what the??)...ate home-made chicken fried steak...I mean it's summertime in Doha too!  Just wish I could wear shorts :/

Hope everyone is doing well :)  Summer seems to be here and what that means for you, I hope is good.  

Sending my love...