Only in the Middle East...

WELL, we have had a very bizarre week here in Dubai. We dragged ourselves into work like normal on Sunday morning expecting/dreading the first 5 day teaching week in quite a while due to various school and public holidays. Early in the afternoon there was a stir as emails started filtering through about road closures due to the arrival of George Bush. As the afternoon wore on some people wondered if they would get to school at all. Now rumours started doing the rounds that some schools would not open, and low and behold, at 4pm the goverment declared a public holiday for all of Dubai as most major roads and bridges would be shut, supposedly to ensure the safety of Mr. Bush on his first ever UAE visit. You can imagine the uproar that followed with those on the actual route being asked to stay in their houses and people not having the warmest feelings for afore mentioned politition. I however, am one to see the bright side, I got to stay in bed and read an entire Marian Keyes book (Watermelon, very entertaining...) and walk around my area as I often do but without the mountains of traffic that usually gets in my way!

Pic is of Sheikh Zayed Road (car park?) 12 lanes wide and usually choc-a-block with traffic... Just a few police cars zooming up and down and supposedly at some stage Mr. Bush himself.