New Blog Setup/ Weird Abaya Pics

Blogger just sent me an email about switching my blog over to a dynamic post so I think that I am going to try it.  Let me know if it is totally annoying.  I kind of like it though.  It lets you switch things around so you can view the blog any way you want.  My preference is "Magazine." I think I set if for that but I also think that anyone can switch it around to see it any way that you want.  The gadgets are missing but I think that they are going to work those in next week.  We will see.  I always have the option to switch back.

Anyway, I am super excited because tomorrow I am going to go to Jordan!! The weather there is about 10 degrees cooler than Saudi at night but about 20 degrees cooler during the day.  I have the feeling that I may be freezing.  I didn't exactly bring my winter stuff.  I know that 60 degrees isn't exactly freezing... but I am telling you, I think I have gotten a little warped by the weather here.  80 degrees is seeming quite cool these days.  Also they are predicting rain for two of the days that we are there.  Nevertheless, I am determined to go swimming in the Dead Sea!! 

I am going to bring a real camera with me but the only trouble is that I don't have the thingie that connects the camera to the computer so I have no way of getting the pictures onto my computer.  This is like the third one of those things that I have lost.  Hopefully we will find another one somewhere.  We will see! In the meantime, I will continue to take pictures with the iPod as well but they are never as good and I think that I would be a little embarrassed to be taking pictures of Petra with an iPod.  

As long as I am talking about being embarrassed, I never did post the pictures of my newest abaya.  In fact, it has been so long that it isn't even my newest abaya anymore. There's been an even newer abaya in the interim.  But this one is definitely funnier. 

Now to explain, I am not so good with the head scarf (although I do actually know how to put it on now.) Anyway, someone wised up and started making hooded abayas for the westerners here.  Instead of struggling with a scarf, you need only pull up your hood.  Much easier. I actually like this abaya when the hood is down.  It adds some decoration to it.  However, when the hood is up, I look a little funny.  Ok, a lot funny.

Here I am wearing it with the hood down.  Hi!  Looks pretty normal.  But, with the hood up it is a whole different story!

Ok, so this isn't so bad.  But wait! The thing about this abaya is that the hood tends to slip off if you have to wear if for any length of time. But, the woman who made this abaya thought of that and so she included a little snap under the chin! (This is where it gets good.)

I look ridiculous!  Babushka! And also from the side it just has this weird drape to it.  I saw myself in a window while I was wearing it and I swear I laughed so hard I thought I would wet my pants!  So that is my embarrassment for the day.

Just a note: The first picture was taken at a high tea.  It was kind of funny because I had no idea that there would be any possibility that I would be able to take my abaya off and so I was wearing my usual shorts underneath.  I also had on a cute ruffled top from the Ann Taylor but it had spaghetti straps.  So when I saw women without abayas I was completely baffled.  I saw a woman in a sleeveless top and a short skirt and still, I did not feel I could take off my abaya given what I was wearing underneath.  Perhaps if I had worn a skirt and not shorts I might have felt OK.  But I did wear the exact same outfit to the restaurant at the compound that night and did not feel at all weird about it.  Anyway, I think I was the only one in my abaya.  What's happening to me??

But here are a few more pics from the tea.

 I look completely washed out in this picture but I love it because the Toilet sign is right over the chocolate fountain.  I think that is so funny.  May need to make that a profile picture somewhere...

 The savory sandwiches were very good.  (The desserts not so much.)

And here I am in my abaya.  What a view!  That's all for now!  Will be gone for a few days but will blog all about it when I come back!!