In Dubai and Muscat there are brunches.  Brunches are held at nice hotels and start about 1 pm on weekends.  Most brunches are all you can eat, all you can drink and last all afternoon.  Our Christmas gift from Joseph and Carrie was a brunch with them at Chedi, a very upscale hotel and spa about 20 minutes drive from their house. Joseph had made a reservation for a terrace table and we were seated under a patio roof looking toward the ocean.  Joseph and Carrie had been to a brunch at Chedi before and suggested that John and I go and scope out the various buffet offerings before making any selections because there were three kitchens creating food for four or five buffet lines.  There was a Thai row, which was Carrie’s favourite, a traditional Baron of Beef and mini-roasted potatoes section that was Joseph’s, and everything from soup to salad to seafood. The idea is to try small amounts of different things and pace yourself to relax and enjoy the afternoon.  The setting was beautiful, the temperature was pleasant and there was just enough of a breeze to keep us all comfortable. I took a stroll around the grounds between courses two and three. The hotel complex is very large and very beautiful.  It fronts on a lovely stretch of sandy beach, has a large pool surrounded by outdoor beds for relaxing and reading, several private villa buildings and lots and lots of very attentive staff.

We left Joseph’s car at the hotel and took a cab home.  We arrived at 6 pm, finished our game of Empire Builder and watched a movie before bed.  It was a lovely Christmas gift and we had a wonderful day.  Thank you Joseph and Carrie.