Our granddaughters are celebrating their 18th birthday in the Maldives and we have 4 weeks holiday in Dubai

We have received wonderful pictures from the Maldives, where the junior family Buchholz is on holiday and Alishia and Sienna’s 18th birthday party is taking place at 7******* level.They live directly above the sea in a comfortable lake house. Good food, swimming, diving and wonderful weather!

St. Nicholas Day 2024: And from today they are adults! Grandma and Grandpa are happy to congratulate them!A day like a fairytale with what feels like a thousand “Happy Birthday” from early in the morning until late at night, with a giant birthday cake and family photos together. They are all chic!

Good luck, success and love to you both in your adult life! We’ll celebrate you in Dubai!

With the help of Domas, my wheelchair taxi driver from Lithuania, we managed the trip to the airport with all the luggage! The announced traffic jam at the permanent construction site near Ingolstadt didn’t even happen.In Munich there were gates to the economy level and the floor above – to the business class! But here we were amazed – although we were next to each other, we were a good 2 m apart. Between us were cabinets with different types of water and a small display, in addition to the large screen in front of our noses.So we could only toast each other through a small opening. But it was comfortable with our legs stretched out, and the dinner was also excellent. So the time passed with nice films and, for me, four types of fine wine, and for Natalie, Veuve Clicquot champagne.We were able to land super punctually – with a detour around Syria!

Surprise in Dubai: There were only gateways to the lower level. The passengers on the upper deck had to get off via a steep staircase – and we had to wait forever for a lift bus. Then there was only one wheelchair, although there was a need for two!I t took a good 50 minutes to get to the baggage claim, where our suitcases were the last on the belt. Christian waited outside and filmed our arrival!Finally in warmth, sunshine and with the junior family! In our bedroom we soon found out the best ways to get to the bathroom and how to organize charging options for our devices. After a good night’s sleep, we admired Christian’s three giant aquariums in the house and went for our first walk!Today is the last day of school for the girls, so we’re going to pick them up. Hundreds of cars were waiting for the pupils. The parking lot in front of the International School was accordingly large. On the way back we bought a few more things.At the entrance to the supermarket we were greeted by lots of Christmas trees.Inside we were surprised that every product was indicated with its country of origin, visibly with a flag. The girls help us find our way around the well-stocked but huge supermarket. Here you can find a perfect selection of everything and from all over the world.

Apples, for example, from Iran (€1.70/kg), the USA (€2.50/kg), Ukraine (€2), New Zealand (€3) and France (€2). There are around 40 types of mortadella with pepper, olives, etc. at €7-8/kg – but only made from beef or chicken. For pork, some supermarkets have special areas for “non-Muslims”.Fruit and vegetables in the special offer brochure alone come from Egypt, China, Chile, France, Ecuador, India, Italy, Iran, Lebanon, Morocco, the Netherlands, Pakistan, UAE, Vietnam.

An incredible range of fish. Even turbot is on offer, but we buy fresh shrimp from Oman for €7/kg.A new discovery: at the entrance to the supermarket, you can use a scanner after scanning the card from your mobile phone, then scan each product as you put it in your cart. You can immediately see the overview and the total on the display. You don’t have to go through the cash register to pay – you just enter the contents of the scanner into a terminal and it is debited – without checking! There is still trust in the world.

On the first evening, Christian spoiled us again with his cooking skills!Grandpa Michael hands over the “birthday cash” and we take our first family photos!

Next morning, we visited the area around the nearby lake to change money in the mall. We had stayed here with Mascha and the Thuringians in the Lakeview Hotel for a while for Christian’s anniversary celebration. After the big flood, many shops and restaurants are still closed, including the supermarket and the hotel. Work is still being done and Christian shows us how high the water was. The beautiful hotel must have suffered a lot of damage.But cafes and small shops are open and it’s already Christmas everywhere!Christian’s hobby is his three giant aquariums – so we also visit the fish and coral shop, where our son is a regular customer! So  much color and beauty of the sea creatures can be seen here!Finally, there are two apartment viewings to do – a house where the family might want to move – it is built almost exactly like the current villa on Camelia way. So there is no motivation to move.But the 2 bedroom apartment opposite the Green Community on the lake is as good as bought, initially to rent. A spacious pool and a parking garage are included.A good investment in the investment park!

After dusk we come out of the garden again for dinner together – there were wonderful flowers for the 24th wedding anniversary.

Of course we also visit our favorite mall again – “Ibn Battuda” with its country-specific, magnificent halls and hundreds of shops. Christmas trees and Christmas decorations are everywhere and one shop also sells Christmas paraphernalia from the Erzgebirge, such as candle arches and nutcrackers – although everything is “Made in China”.

With the nice weather, we feel particularly comfortable in the parks of the Green Community, on the terrace or by the pool.Again and again we come across properties where work is still being done to repair the damage caused by the flood. Lisa and Christian were so lucky that they were only a little higher up. But we are amazed that a tanker truck drives through the area to fill up the cars right in front of the customer’s house.On the terrace we have the same loungers as at home. It is easy to switch from a wheelchair to a lounger.A special experience was our visit to the Windmill Cellar on the border between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The parking lot is already greeted with symbolic whiskey barrels.We enter the large warehouse and are amazed. An incredible variety of beers, wines and spirits from all over the world lies before us!The prices are roughly the same as those we know from Kaufland. We buy everything our hearts desire for Christmas and New Year’s Eve there. There are also offers here – e.g. 1 l Jägermeister 76 AED, take two for 126 AED. Converted into euros and to 0.75 l, a bottle like we usually buy here costs 14 €.  Wines can be bought from 4.50 € up to a few hundred euros.We buy the famous Pinot Blanc from Maybach. We leave the alcohol oasis with a full car and are amazed at our extensive purchase when we get home!Our share of the purchase was 600 AED, and from 500 AED we get a box of beer (12 cans of 0.5 l each) for free. We get San Miguel!

At home, Alishia and Sienna help Grandma Natascha bake vanilla cookies. They turn out delicious and fine!

In the evening, Christian treats us to a “hot pot”. It’s interesting and varied!

There are many Christmas markets in Dubai. We visit the Christmas market in the Winter City at Expo2020!

A traditional group of musicians plays Christmas songs around the Christmas market.Long lines form so that the children can be photographed with Santa Claus. Children’s faces beam when they finally sit next to Santa Claus!In addition to the many stalls with all kinds of knick-knacks, there are also stalls selling all kinds of snacks: from crepes to burgers. No matter how small the stall is – everyone has a scanner for card payments. Christian doesn’t have any credit  cards with him anymore, he only pays with his cell phone.Christian enjoys showing us twice in the photo!And there was a lot going on otherwise too!If the battery is empty, the young girls just have to push!

At Christmas time, Tchaikovsky’s ballet “The Nutcracker” is usually a hit. In Dubai, a whole ballet ensemble with orchestra performs at the opera house. In keeping with tradition, we planned to visit the opera house on December 21st with our granddaughters. The ultra-modern opera house is located right on the lake next to Burj Khalifa. Wheelchair spaces are also available on request. The green-bordered seat is removable and you can maneuver your  wheelchair into the empty space.This time, our driver, inexperienced, made a few extra rounds, but we happily arrived on time.We were nicely shown to our seats, but first we had the drinks included in the tickets.We were able to enjoy this masterpiece comfortably with our legs stretched out and an unobstructed view. Alishia and Sienna sat very close to us! A new experience: visitors can take drinks from the buffet into the hall, whether beer, wine, cocktails or champagne.We had a very good view of the stage, and although it was “strictly forbidden”, we managed to take a few snapshots!! A perfectly beautiful performance with magnificent sets, excellent dancers and a sonorous orchestra.Thunderous applause with shouts of bravo thanked the artists for many minutes.

The very next evening there was another highlight. Lisa and Christian invited everyone to a pre-Christmas party. The day was filled with preparation – even Grandma Natascha was called upon – with the preparation of plow and eggplant delicacies. Manju, the maid, not only helped with preparing the rooms, the table and in the kitchen. The lawn was also cleaned of dog excrement, as is the case every day!Good friends came who we already met at the 2023 anniversary party: the nice couple from Bangladesh who now have three children, for example.A nice couple – he from the UK and she from Kurdistan was there, and Asmik from Armenia brought her mother and son. The Indian boss also liked to come.So the table was full – with guests and food from Christian and Natalie.Alishia and Sienna took great care of the little ones, and one of the little ones even got a birthday cake!And all the guests found someone to talk to!Of course there are also lots of family conversations outside of the party – and the Christmas package from Germany has finally arrived!The Christmas days are finally here. Lisa and the girls have planned a trip to the Christmas mass in one of the Catholic churches. I would love to join!The Catholic Church of St. Francis of Assisi is located together with six other churches in the “Church Circle” of the nearby Jebel Ali district.It is always astonishing how many Christian churches there are in the world, although other churches such as the Russian Orthodox, the Armenian Orthodox and others are not located in this complex but in other districts of Dubai.

At 4:15 p.m. hundreds of people stream out of the church from the 3 p.m. mass, and there are already many people queuing at the security checks for the 5 p.m. mass. We reach a huge vestibule and of course there is a photo at the nativity scene. The interior of the church can be reached via stairs – or, like us, via a lift! Two huge halls extend rectangularly down to the altar – each with 40 rows of 30 seats. All the seats are soon taken. The first row at the altar is reserved for us!So there are about 1200 believers in the church, and still not everyone could find a place – chairs have been set up for them in the large entrance hall and from here they follow the mass on a monitor. Out of respect we did not take any photos of the holy acts. It was impressive. The texts of the prayers, psalms and lectures could be followed on three screens that faced in all directions. After 1 ¼ hours, choir singing accompanies us through the spacious, illuminated exit.After a bit of a traffic jam we arrive in Camelia way time for dinner.Christian has prepared a hearty roast pork and everyone has their own lucky crackers to tear open – with Party Head. Finally the gift giving begins! There was a lot of joy. It was a contemplative Christmas Eve at Camelia way 324!

On the first day of Christmas, Natalie was still recovering from her fall on the wet marble at the entrance. Lisa Christian and I went for a walk to the “Lulu” supermarket, which was 2 km away – for me too, it was an experience of how far the wheelchair’s battery charge lasts, because unfortunately the displays are completely meaningless! We pass the Royal Hospital, where I wanted to change the bladder catheter on December 23rd after 3 weeks.A quick call on December 22nd and the appointment for December 23rd was already arranged. The clinic is only 5 minutes away from Christian’s villa. Christian took me there and waited until I was finished. The doctor with the Arabic name had studied in Germany and made it to senior physician in North Rhine-Westphalia. The admission took about 10 minutes and then, after measuring my blood pressure, oxygen and temperature, I was seen by Dr. Naziha without having to wait. A nice doctor who, despite being a German citizen, has been in Dubai for a year. “The conditions in German clinics became more and more unbearable for him. So he just left and is now here!” After 40 minutes I was back outside, everything was done professionally, but for €260.

The trip was reassuring for me – because the wheelchair managed the 4 km easily, despite other indications. The problem is that it cannot manage edges or inclines, the battery immediately runs out – but it comes back. On the way back from Lulu, it was also good to be able to transport the heavy shopping on the wheelchair – our pack mule, so to speak! Good thing, because Christian still needs strength for our mini Christmas goose – a duck.Before the “Christmas goose”, a family photo is taken and we are all sitting at the table!

For the second day of Christmas, the juniors suggest a trip to the Souk Madinat Jumeirah. With its unique architecture and its stalls, carts and booths, the Souk Madinat recreates the traditional market place of the Middle East.The market currently houses over 20 restaurants and cafes serving dishes from all over the world. Most of the restaurants offer a picturesque view of the Arabian architecture and the winding waterways.

Und hier befindet sich auch ein sehr interessanter Weihnachtsmarkt im Angesicht des Burj al Arab!

There are not only stalls for Christmas items or snacks here – a small Ferris wheel, a larger carousel, a children’s train, a huge trampoline, boat trips with Santa Claus or a square full of “snow” will delight the children!Of course, the adults had their fun too: In addition to all the Christmas baked goods like gingerbread and chocolate biscuits, there was also beer, wine and delicious sausages. And they were half a meter long! Dubai always shows superlatives. A sausage and some chips was enough to fill the whole family!

The actual market was less interesting.or an Aladdin lamp like that, they asked for 1,000 AED – we got one for 100 AED!

So the next morning, December 27, Christian drove us to the Gold Souq – where the Textile Souq nearby is apparently also selling fabrics, Natalie’s big wish!There was plenty of gold, but unfortunately no fabrics like we wanted – only shiny or brightly colored bales and fake cashmere scarves. But this market visit was also an experience with the diverse oriental impressions!After strolling through narrow alleys and beautiful squares with mosques, we found ourselves back in front of the parking garage without any purchases, where we were able to park after a long search.But we have to take something with us from here! We saw the solution right across the street: a shop full of nuts!Well, we’ll take them at €9/kg for the pistachios like Natalie knows and likes from Uzbekistan. This time they’re from Iran!

Before we go back to the Green Community, Christian wanted to show us the Waterfront Market. No luck – today is Friday, and the market is closed during prayer time between 12 and 2 p.m. It doesn’t matter, we drive along the harbor, see an MSC cruise ship and “get to know” the Emir family.At home we all have a nutty evening!

December 28th is the day we make pelmeni. Grandma Natascha, Christian, Lishka, Sienna and Manju are very busy!But in the evening we are invited to Indian friends’ house – from 8 p.m. – quite late, but that’s how it is in India! I was skeptical at first because we don’t know the hosts. But it turned out to be a fantastically nice evening with very cheerful hosts and guests! The Indians are very communicative and warm!The alcohol cabinet is excellently stocked – but it is not the only one – there is also a bar in the next room! The hosts also had the parents from Deli visiting with a paralysed brother in a wheelchair. After a warm welcome, contact and conversation began immediately.From the beginning of the evening, we were constantly spoiled with all kinds of drinks and tasty little finger food. But around 11 p.m. there was still a fully laid table with dessert afterwards. This made us hungry again, especially as the Indian food was very tasty!At the end at midnight there was a photo with the ladies anda very warm farewell.We would like to say a big thank you to Sapna and Sanjay for this wonderful evening, and maybe we’ll see each other in Germany!

AYA does not exist in our known universe. It is a hidden refuge beyond our world and invites visitors to explore other, living worlds. Visitors can wander through light-flooded gardens and discover secrets while experiencing wonderful things. It was an incredible experience for us too – a spectacular spectacle of light and sound.We are always amazed at the ideas that people can come up with. But Wafi City has other highlights too – nice boutiques, monumental statues and exquisite restaurants.We have a wide choice of restaurants – we go to the Irish pub.That was a really good choice because the food was excellent and way too much, but we could have it packed up and taken with us as lunch for the girls the next day!

Friday, however, was planned for Dubai Mall. Again, we had a nice, helpful Pakistani taxi driver. 36 km with pick-up from the house for the equivalent of €20 – you don’t need your own car here!In addition to boutiques, restaurants, dinosaurs, an ice rink, an aquarium, etc., the mall also has a fabric shop – we finally found one that suits Nataly.The main reason for our trip was to visit the ARTE Museum. The museum offers the ultimate art experience in the Dubai Mall and was designed by a Korean digital design company. Covering an area of ​​almost 2,800 square meters, the venue houses works in 14 zones. They contain impressions of ocean surf, waterfalls, flowers, water, forest worlds, etc.The highlight, however, is a huge hall where, over the course of an hour, works of art by famous masters such as Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Monet and other impressionists, including Chinese, change every few minutes and with appropriate music.The show on the development of Dubai from a desert land to a green, prosperous oasis is also very impressive.A visit to the museum’s tea bar is also something special.We ordered an ice cream and as soon as the cup was on the table, a virtual wreath of flowers formed around it. Once again, we had a fantastic experience. We ended our visit to the mall with lunch at an Asian restaurant with sushi and Pad Thai.

Nevertheless, we still had an appetite for a Buchholz sandwich in the evening, made by “Opa-Alishia-Sienna-Cooking-Team” (OASCT)!

Last weekend, it was “We walk the dogs!” – through the park, of course!In the evening, however, the “Global Village” is the place to be with spectacular lighting of famous international sites. It is considered the largest tourism, leisure and entertainment destination in the world. Year after year, Global Village offers its millions of visitors first-class entertainment and a unique shopping experience in 32 pavilions that represent over 75 culturally different countries. Visitors experience breathtaking stunts and fantastic performances from all over the world. Numerous stage and cultural shows take place on the Global Village’s main cultural stage, which are presented with state-of-the-art light and sound systems as well as special effects and definitely awaken all the senses. So let’s go there!There are several entrances and they change color every now and then. We take a VIP parking space so that we can park right at the entrance. We don’t even have to wait in the long line at the ticket counter – as a “man of determination.”