Salsa festival was a bit of a bust. Typically I really enjoy salsa dancing and I want to get better and learn more, because it's a totally non-sleasy way of dancing. But, this particular time, We arrived in Dubai and parked the car and were at the right place at 10 (which is when it was supposed to begin). We know that things here don't typically start on real time, but more on Arabic time, so I was not that surprised when it hadn't begun yet. We went for some appies. At quarter to 11 we return ready to dance, and unfortunatley for us, No music is playing yet. Still. So, we go outside and wait for another half hour, good thing my dancing buddy was a good chatter. She and I have a lot of fun war stories to share that are similar. Anyway, we went back again at about quarter past 11 and it STILL hadn't started, so, we left. And then we laughed about the fact that we had dressed up in pretty dresses with pretty make-up and costumes (it was a costume party), and then we came all the way to Dubai, just for appies. lol, but we were both so tired, because 9 is pretty much my bed time...so, after the drive home, and dropping her off again, I still wasn't home until nearly 2, so I'm glad we left when we did... silly Dubai, they don't start their nightlife until about 11, which means that you really need to be able to stay up late, even to enjoy it in small doses...and truth be told, I don't enjoy parties that start at 11...I'm tired! And, it doesn't sound like fun to force yourself awake with loud noise and jumping up and down until the sun comes up...but maybe that's just me.

Wild Wadi, is a totally different story. We got there and took some pictures, and did a scope around. In true Arab fashion, they went all out with decorations. The place looked very much like a tropical oasis with lazy rivers floating by and tall rocks in various places that make walls.. and sun chair and eateries all over (which we didn't partake in). When you pay to get in you get a watch. The watch is charged with money for your locker and food depending on how much you paid. Of course, we paid only for ONE locker and so we basically didn't have a lot of money on our watches, BUT, the concept was cool. Not only can you just swipe your watch to buy food, your watch can lock and unlock your locker through a magnetic code...it is very modern, and really sweet. The water slide is hard to explain...and I say slide literally. It is one continuous loop around the park. You begin at a set of jets..and a slide facing up, and literally, the jets push you up the hill, and then you slow down and meander, and a lifeguard will push you to the next up hill jets. It's really fun, until you get around the top area, in the opposite corner or the park, and then the slides start going back down. They twist and turn as all slides should. All platform zones (where one slide ends) there are several different options for slides to begin again. You choose your own adventure basically. All slides end off in one final place, and you meander down a "lazy river" for quite some time before getting back to the start. The neat thing is that along the river are all the eateries, so you can just hop off, eat, and hope back on...or simply walk through the park to the beginning again. I think that West Ed needs to take a note from these guys...but in fairness, They need to take a note regarding their wave pool from West Ed....it was pretty lame. There is a huge place for families, a huge and warm swimming pool. There is a surfing area and a knee boarding area where the water flows in such a way, that you can surf on it. I have been told to avoid it because my swimsuit would be pushed off....gross. NO one wants to see that! lol. Then, there is also a "Jemeirah Scairah" which essentially is a sky screamer. I avoided it to try and protect myself from wedgies. It was awesome. Awesome awesome awesome.

The ice cafe was the really run part of the day. http://www.chilloutatdubai.com/ Basically it is a cafe/bar totally made of ice. We had metal cups, but there are glasses and bowls made of ice if you're going to get ice cream or cold drinks. The tables are ice, with a glass plate on top, and the chairs are carved of ice, but they have some sheepskin covering on them. You have to pay a cover, but with it, you get one free hot chocolate (or tea), and you get a free snowsuit,,,kind of. It's a coat (which is made for -10 maybe) and a thin pair of those cheap tiny gloves, and a sweet russian type hat which is really the creme de la creme of warmth. But too big for my head so it often sliped down into my eyes. Anyway, there are beautiful ice carvings all over, and the lighting is colourful and deep. It was fabulous. The hot chocolate was VERY Hot though. WE were also going to stay for food, but no one came to take our order, and eventually we just got too cold to consider eating, and we left. I just want to finish by saying that the temp in the cafe is about -6...and we almost died!!! I must have adjusted to -47? Ha ha. Too much fun!

And that's about it. Great weekend. This week we have been packing up bags and boxes and sorting which things are going to HK and which things are coming back to Canada, and which things are ours and which are the schools, and what needs to be left anyway... so it's busy. I tool a personal day to get things done. I am going to be excited when the shipping is over...but then I'll have to work really hard at the final week of school, including parent recognition, getting DVD"s up and running, and all sorts of other things. It's a huge ordeal. BUT, When the ordeal is over, it means I would have completed my first year of teaching with success! My parents have all picthed in to get my hair done, which is really nice, so look out for a hottie when I come home :).

This coming weekend, We have Harold the shipper coming to ship all of our belongings to HK, the good part is that He's packing it up...but the bad part is that he's packing it up too...because without boxes, stuff is all over our house in disaray. On Saturday we have Burj day, which includes a trip up the world's tallest tower, Burj Khalifa, and also dinner at the world's only 7 star hotel. Burj Al Arab. I figure, there will be plenty of pictures, so heads up.

so, until then... (oh and 13 day countdown)