Masdar City: PRT

We took a trip to Masdar City - Abu Dhabi's (some day) carbon neutral "cleantech cluster" in the desert.

Our goal was to ride the PRT - Personal Rapid Transport. Phase 1 of Masdar City is built on a podium. The ground floor is devoted to these little robotic cars. The development was supposed to be a car-free zone so that you'd park in one lot and then get around on the PRT's. The cost of building an entire urban development this way, raised off the ground, proved inefficient. So this first phase will be the only one with the PRT's.

They are pretty fun to ride. Even if they only take you from point A to point B and back again.

Masdar City: Celebrities

It turned out that today was a festival at Masdar City. We got to dress up for a celebrity photo shoot.

Crown? check 
Sword? check

"Don't forget to photograph Solar Panel Man."
And yes, he knows he's wearing two different shoes. That's Pau's latest fashion statement.

Masdar City: Architecture+UrbanDesign

Giant Jenga

Chase

Face Painting

Love

Over the past few days Andrés and Pau have been playing together more and more, really enjoying each other's company and wanting to spend time together. Here's a conversation I had with Andrés on Friday afternoon.

Andrés: I wish Pau was a girl.
Leah: Really, why?
Andrés: Because then we could get married. I love Pau but two boys can't get married. If he was a girl we could get married.
Leah: Well, two boys CAN get married in some places. And, the great thing about Pau is that he is already your family. Usually people get married so that they can become a family - but Pau already IS your family. So you'll always have him.
Andrés: Oh, yeah! You're right!

Andrés Writes His First Sentence

"ALL OBSTACLES AND THiNGS HAVE SHADOWS. WRiTTEN BY ANDRES"

Goodbye Mitsubishi

Dear Mitsubishi Pajero,
You have served us well these two years in the desert. We will miss you!
Pau, Andrés, Miquel and Leah

Race

O O

Y U M M Y

Photo Shoot with Jelena

Khalifa Park Maze

Good Friends

Tamara lets Andrés turn her into a human salad bowl. Siena keeps watch. 

Peter is glad to see that at least one of our kids wears pants : )

Back Yard Antics

This is a Box

on Andrés

This Is A Box

This is a box.

This is a box with a Hand.

This is a box with Feet (and the dog Sophie).

This is a box with a Head.

This is a box with Brothers.