Day 3 – Saturday 16 December

After a slow start to the morning we head off to visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and it truly is grand.  This is a very large & imposing white marble & tile mosque.  At the entrance we must go through security & the ladies have to wear shawls & cover their arms.  We all remove our shoes before entering the mosque, I can understand as the white marble floors are inlaid with intricate flower designs.  The main prayer room has the largest single carpet in the world covering the floor & lit by massive coloured chandeliers, truly impressive.  The roofs & walls are covered in amazing designs. Even the toilets are marble everywhere & beautiful.

We drive to Masdar City Mall (a futuristic city) past the Canadian International School where the boys go & past the concrete data centre where Charles works. We have a great lunch at Joe’s Kitchen, so much to eat & great coffee to boot.

We drive back home.  A short change of shoes etc. & we rush off to Yas Mall where Charles, Jackson & Ron go to the movies to see the new Star wars Movie, The Last Jedi.  Monica, Austin & I go Christmas shopping – I am so amazed the amount of BEAUTIFUL displays of Christmas decorations in most shops & I cannot stop saying that “Those do good doers in Australia should see this Arabian country put on such a wonderful show.”  In all the years in Australia (58) put together I haven’t seen so many beautiful Christmas decorations in the shops.  We wander around from shop to shop & I think we got all the presents we need (Austin & I are very tired).  In the centre court they have a wonderful Christmas village with Santa & even Emerati people are lining up with their children to get them photographed.  As part of the celebration they had .traditional male dancers & musicians – how wonderful is that.  We went to a huge grocery store, where Monica shopped.

The 3 movie watchers came out with huge smiles – they enjoyed the movie.

Back home & a well deserved rest after so much walking.

We cannot eat dinner but the grandsons even manage desert.