Settling in

Well we have started getting used to our hotel and the area around it.  We know how to get to my school, to ben's work, to the metro, to the mall, and to the grocery store.

Our hotel apartment is working out pretty well, aside from a few unfortunate set back.  Plus side: has some kitchen equipment, fairly spacious, has a pool and a gym, and its right next to the grocery store and the metro.  Down sides: were are super far away from my school and ben's work, the internet has been really unreliable, the room keys repeatedly deactivate for no reason, the parking garage attendant cannot seem to remember us and will never let us in the parking garage.  So really the main downside is that its too far from where we need to be.  So we will be looking for some places that are in a better location.

Here are some pictures of our apartment:

The living room
  We have two small comfy couches and a TV.  Behind the window is a balcony that we off limits.  The balcony on the second floor of a hotel is too dangerous! Why did they build it?  We also have a breakfast table to the left (not in the picture).

Pretty nice bathroom

Kitchen/half of a laundry room
We have a sink, stove top, coffee pot, microwave, small fridge, some pots and pans (2 saute pans and two pots), minimal utensils (1 knife, 1 spatula, 1 large spoon); 1 clothes washer (but no dryer)

We were very happy to leave the cold weather!  The weather here is perfect.  That is, unless there is a sandstorm.   The first two days were 75-80 degrees and partly sunny to sunny.  Day 3 has been extremely windy.  A little wind on a 90-degree day would sound nice.   Until you realize all land that does not have a building on it has sand.  And that sand is very light and gets lifted into the air with the smallest effort from Mother Nature.  So the scenery today: not so great.  The skyscrapers are completely blocked from view unless you are up close to it.  Even the sun looked like it was hiding behind a cloud.  Walking to and from the metro I got sand in my eyes, my ears, my hair, my clothes, everywhere! It was not very pleasant.  Hopefully the sand storm will pass soon.  See the difference:

Burj Khalifa on a mostly clear day

Burj Khalifa on a sandstorm day
(and this was taken closer to the building than the other picture)