Play Day

As if the Eid and Christmas weren't enough for us in the month of December, today was yet another national holiday here. This is the first day of the new year on the Muslim calendar, so everyone is off of work today for New Year's. Of course, they'll be off again on Thursday to ring in the other New Year, and then we'll have six whole days before the Coptic Christmas holiday on January 7. We just don't ever stop celebrating around here!

The weather was gorgeous today, so we invited a friend and her two daughters to go with us to the park. When I talked to her last night, she told me that she thought we should go soon after we wake up, so that it wouldn't get too cold while we were there (note: the low today was 52!). I told her to just call me when they were up, and we could make more definite plans. Well...at 1:00 p.m., our phone finally rang! In true local style, this family usually stays up until 4 or 5 in the morning and then sleeps until around noon. We agreed to meet at 2, and had a lovely afternoon at the park. Here are a few shots of the kids having fun.

Isn't she a cutie?

The sun was setting as we walked to our car, and it made for a breathtaking view as we walked over this hill that's higher than most of the city. It was a rare clear day today, and it felt like we could see forever. We all stopped to have a look.

We hope you're all having as much fun as we are in these last few days of 2008.