Funeral songs

We all have them, sometimes we get to choose them, sometimes others do. This talk of funeral songs led to trawling through YouTube and itunes to revisit and remember. We've discussed them all from Amazing Grace to Pink Floyd, the most common one in my family.

Dad's chosen Wish You Were Here along with Ride of the Valkyries, a stirring Wagner piece made famous in Apocalypse Now. There's been lots of searching for the right Queen tune from Di's mums funeral, Bohemian Rhapsody and another.

We're staying up for the funeral, 3am Antwerpen time drinking a nice red and eating Belgium chocolate, well that's the plan along with the three of us on our laptops searching for and sharing our favorite music. I'm pleased to say that we've moved on to drinking songs. This is a favorite of mine and Di's:

Wandering in Antwerpen

Di and I caught the tram into town after my feet hit the ground. We wandered as we do looking for places not quite found, finding places and people unexpectedly wonderful. More of the journey later. For now here are some images from my first wander in these parts.

The busker was a highlight, juggling fire up so high on his uni cycle. The buildings never fail to impress me.

End of an era

Who could have imagined that tonight I would be sitting in Antwerp at Di's table writing, sitting after eating some good old kiwi comfort food after a long flight. A lamb roast is such a kiwi icon. Of course I just enjoyed the veges but yum. It's all been a bit of a blur but I knew I needed whanau (family) and I knew the closest in all ways was Di.

My father passed away on Thursday September 11 at 10.30am NZ time. I had been waiting for the call, it came at 4am UAE time. I was relieved that his turn had come, as I knew he would be from all our recent conversations. It was so difficult to see the strong man, the rock of the family, in such a sorry state. Cancer had ravaged his body and left him a shell of his former self, an upsetting sight to say goodbye to when I left in mid August. The doctor said 4-6 weeks then, he was right.

Di captured how he was to her, for me that's still requiring reflection. All I knew was that the whanau had gathered and I was alone and in need of whanau who knew and understood. Di was the one. Sue, Rau and Mary-Anne swung into action and here I am. How important good friends are at times like this, good friends and family.

Driving

One of our male colleagues told Hana and I something he shouldn't have earlier in the week. Another confirmed that this was true and gave an example. Hana and I believed them, mostly because we wanted it to be true. The truth is, apparently and until it's proven not to be, that the speed cameras on the Al Ain - Abu Dhabi road in the 120kph zones are set at 160kph. In the 100 zone they are set at 120, there's actually a sign that says this.

Our two colleagues have obeyed these limits for some time with only one ticket for 161kph. Certainly on the trip home where we learnt this important information, we traveled at around 150 most of the way, safely in a flash 4wd with no flashing cameras. Hana and I checked. Hana and I both are bad at mornings, we both have small cars and have been both commuting to AD for the past fortnight. The lads laughed when we told them we got our small cars up to 160 on one of the trips, running late of course and between the cameras.

Today as I traveled confidently along at 140 I was passed by a police car who was tailgating a Merc who was racing a Prado. All good really as they sped past and ignored the small Yaris flying inside them. The police seem to ignore the speeding cars but I did see some busy with a BMW that had kissed the armco and didn't survive the contact. I just hope the driver did.

The travel is over for the week. A few of us stayed at the Al Raha Hotel last night, a girls gathering. It's a flash place, 5 star luxury set in a building site. At least it was quiet inside. I'm feeling a little jaded now after a late and social night. Think I might need an early one tonight. The photo is of the pool as the sun set. There are others, might need permission to use them.

The weekend

Weekends here can be quiet. This weekend was, in a nice way. After traveling most of last week, it was good to get a few nights sleep in my own bed to catch up on the missed nights. The pool was the best place to spend Friday afternoon, followed by fish'n'chips and a few quiets at one of the hotels.

It's quiet around here because of Ramadan. The shops and services keep different hours, eating and drinking is not allowed in public so the cafes are shut until after 7.30pm. We have to be careful eating and drinking in the car, not something done while in a queue waiting for the lights to change. That's a hard habit to break and means I'm feeling a little dry at times.

Fasting is something I don't think I could manage. Talking to friends who are observing the fasting, they are not only handling it but also still managing to work effectively. I'm impressed. To go without food is one thing but no water as well must mean severe discomfort in this climate.

Nina and I managed a trip to the tailor this weekend and then we hit the material shops. What fun it was choosing the material for our new clothes, a more professional set for me to wear in my new job. Nina's got excellent taste, lucky it wasn't left to me on my own. The tailor smiled at us two showing him exactly what we wanted. Nina's is a designer number from the House of Nina, mine copies off other clothes that fit and a jacket also from the House of Nina. I can't wait to see the results.

This weekend camping is in the plan, a trip out to the desert to stay the night and socialise with good friends and new friends. I must get on to buying a tent and the trimmings. Camping is a popular pastime here, especially as it gets towards the cooler months, so it should get good use.

The images

Construction TV

I suspect there are reasons for pouring concrete from a great height down a metal tube in the early hours of the morning, reasons other than to keep me awake. Maybe it's too hot during the day, maybe it's because of the trucks on the road. Who knows, all I know is that last night there was no sleep to be had in Sue's Abu Dhabi flat where I was staying.

We have a laugh about construction TV at Sue's place. Her large living room window looks out onto five building sites, yes five, so we get to see the cranes criss crossing each other with their heavy loads, amazing that they don't get tangles up like kite strings might. Construction TV has a continuous show, a show of young men mostly from the Asian subcontinent busy on scaffolding, busy climbing up the crane structure and along the beam, busy dropping things that clang and crash in the middle of the night. A show of crane ballet and hard hats.

Sue thinks that the construction company have hired someone to come in at 6am on a Friday just to bang metal on metal, not so good with a hangover. And tonight sounds to be no different given the level of the noise outside. I wonder what time they'll start pouring concrete.

Staying in Abu Dhabi is preferable to the other option, driving daily from Al Ain. The road surprises are even more surprising in Ramadan as people speed home for their rest and then their Iftar meal. Driving in a small Yaris is not that safe so I can't wait until I can organise my 4wd.

Iftar, or the end of the fasting day, is a special time. People gather together to share a meal, a social time. We were in a taxi when Iftar was called and the driver shared his pack of dates with us, he smiled and was really happy that he could drop us off and join others to feast the night away. We gave him a lot extra, he deserved it. He was taking us to the Iftar meal at the Sheraton with some of our colleagues, a great night out in a festive atmosphere.

Another upside to staying in AD is the ability to get down to the sea, something I miss in Al Ain. I wandered along the corniche in the steaming heat, soaking in the golden sunset and the smell of the sea. One of the photos captures the golden air, the other is of crane ballet.

I'm sure the Qatar crew can relate to this post. Sleeping with the iPod on to drown out the noise of concrete pouring in the night was a regular occurrence there too. I missed you all when I was walking along the corniche, not nearly as much fun by myself.

Sorry, having trouble uploading the images. Will try again a bit later.