Eid Mubarak! This is the weekend of Eid, a religious holiday for Muslims around the world. Qatar Canadian School graciously makes this into an opportunity to have a midterm break. With the added bonus of the Emir announcing an extra holiday on Thursday, we have a full ten days off. It is a much-needed break. While my job at QCS is so wonderful, I (and everyone I talk to) am exhausted and badly in need of this time away. I think it is because everything we do in Doha seems to require way more effort and energy, even basic things like grocery shopping. The effort is what makes this experience an adventure, but it just takes way more energy to find what you need, get it, and then find a way to transport it, and you. Simply getting a cab can be a major ordeal.
So here I am, in London. Thursday I was in the desert in 40 degree heat, dune bashing in a 4x4, riding a camel for the first time, eating lunch and smoking shisha in a bedouin tent with my friends, and skedding down sand dunes. 24 hours later I was in London where it is around 5 degrees this week and raining, enjoying the sights and sounds of my first European adventure. I love it here. It is now in serious competition with New York for the space in my heart occupied by favourite city. Paul and I had a great first day. We enjoyed a small bus tour, got grossed out at the fun "London Dungeon", by far the best "haunted house" experience I have ever had, and saw the crown jewels at the Tower of London. Paul was jetlagged, so while he napped in the afternoon I spent a delightful few hours wandering up and down Charing Cross Road and Tottenham Court, visiting Trafalgar Square, where there is a huge NFL protest going on, and shopping. I bought Christmas cards, as I am not certain of the selection that will be available in Doha!! lol
The time is racing by. When I get back from London it will just be six weeks until it is time to fly to Calgary for Christmas, the wedding, and to see loved ones. Amber has worked so hard on the wedding, I am just so grateful to have such a wonderful sister who loves me and takes such good care of me. Better be off for now.
My dad has a big theory that the jewels are not real - that they have fake ones on display. It's actually fairly plausible when he explains it. Either way, everytime I see the jewels, it makes me sad thinking about how much the collection use to have before the overthrow of Charles and the squander of the historical pieces. They lost so much of their history - so much that had been passed down. The collection now is just a penny compared to what it must have been for Elizabeth I. Anyway... so glad you got to see it :)
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