November and December Highlights

 

Andrea and I finally made it down to La Dolce Vita Italian restaurant at the Souqs.

 

This city has some of the nicest bathrooms.

 

Bikes Over Baghdad paid us a visit.

 

The base sponsored a “Paint and Sip” event.  I decided to paint a lake scene with a dock and loons for Larson.

 

Thanksgiving was like any other day here, but this was in one of the Dining Facilities.

 

And here I am with my Thanksgiving dinner.

 

We had mandatory fun at a restaurant about an hour away from the base.  We waited forever for a table, got rained on and got back to base at 1158pm….2 minutes before curfew.

 

But there was some interesting artwork.

 

And the Red Velvet Bakery piqued my interest.

 

 

I decorated my room with garland my sis sent to me.

 

And my friend Dave sent me the tree he used while in Kwaj…it’s an inflatable, happy tree!

 

Check out my door!

 

Here I am amidst some mist.  It’s the only weather I’ve seen here other than a few rain drops weeks ago.

 

I ran the Super Hero 5K to raise awareness for preventing sexual assault.  Of course, I dressed up.

 

My squadron had it’s Holiday Party.  The theme was Hollywood Holiday, dress as your favorite character from a holiday movie or come Red Carpet Ready. 

 

 

The next day I enjoyed a beach day.   The Qatari equivalent of the SECDEF throws a party at his beach house for us and I got a chance to go.  Our buses had a police escort  to get through traffic.  Everything was provided for us.  It’s the most fun I’ve had since I’ve been here.  The best part was zipping around on a jet ski.

 

 

 

I rode a camel.

 

 

 

I drove an ATV.

 

The locker rooms were nice.

 

We thought we’d take a picture next to the giant lion.

 

Dinner was held in a fancy tent.  They served chicken, lamb and camel….which I actually tried.  It tasted like beef to me.

 

El Jaish, the local soccer club, invites us to their games.  I finally made it to one on Friday night.  I had a lot of fun.  They gave us free shirts, scarves (I’m wearing mine in the picture), food and drink.  Oh, and police escorts.  Seems to be a thing for us here.

 

This is actually a hand ball stadium behind me, or so I’ve been told.

 

That’s it for now!