This was the first week of the girls' vacation. They played a lot at home, several times with friends who came for play dates. It is very nice in the morning to listen to Louise and Nora talk and play by themselves. They seem good company to each other. One day Mary Jo and I took them to the Science Museum, which is a very hands on place that amused them much. One of the photos show Nora's disembodied head sticking out of a magician's hat. Another excursion took Mary Jo and I on a walk near the waterfront, where there are remarkable new buildings amidst some of the old. And a third walk took us to the Arab district and a good mezze platter for lunch at the Cafe Le Caire.

This afternoon everyone went to a gathering at the apartment of the Chinese teacher of Louise and Nora. The teacher has worked with Louise more or less every Saturday since she was 2 years old and has become fond of the family. The girls were flower girls at her wedding, not long ago. Now she must move, with her husband, to inner Mongolia where his company will work for several years erecting windmills for electric power generation. Their apartment is a little smaller than Greg and Lisa's but very nice and with nice facilities and shrubbery in the grounds.  

Nora's head, seemingly detached from her body.

Gambling casino, as a large ship atop 3 buildings

Old Fullerton Hotel (former post office) in front of buildings in the financial center

Interior of the Blue Mosque

Exterior of the Blue Mosque, built in the 1960s by the small Muslim community from the Malabar coast, near Goa, India.

Sign in front of an Arab school for girls. Note that iPads are supplied to the students.