Unfortunately my Arabian Adventures have come to an end…..for now! The last few weeks have been truly amazing and profoundly affecting on me. I entered the UAE over a month ago with little more than a notion of what it was all about – and now feel as though I have had an amazing education as to the richness in experience this part of the world can offer. The most important thing I am taking back to the US with me are the new friendships & acquaintances I have been fortunate to receive while there. I can’t express how kind, generous, accepting and joyful these people were to me – it made my experience there truly memorable!

In the last couple of weeks there I was able to get in quite a bit of entertainment and exploring that were well worth the effort. From the fabulous Burj Al Arab to a desert safari to souk shopping and shisha culture – lots of new places and experiences; and I still haven’t done Ski Dubai! Next trip for sure.

The Burj Al Arab – astounding in scale and design. The view from the Skyview Bar is worth the price of admission (50 stories high) & they boast some of the most unusual and original drink recipes in the world, as well as the world’s most expensive drink at $7000 US!

Atrium view from the lobby of the Burj Al Arab

Coral aquariums by the escalators in the lobby – Mikel and Jay fit right in!

One of the amazing drinks I tried at the Burj – An English Rose, with cucumber and roses!

Two new friends, Fiona and Parizad, on the beach with a view of the Burj Al Arab in the background.

A Mosque in Dubai

The shopping in Dubai is incredible. Something for everyone, from top designers to traditional goods to tourist souvenirs. It’s all there and at a good price, if you can bargain well with the merchants!

Spice Souk – sage, roses, dried limes, cumin, indigo, frankincense and myrrh, plus lots more.

All that glitters is gold! Unbelievable gold workmanship found at the Gold Souk.

Decoration at the Ibn Battuta Mall

After all the shopping it’s time for a lunch or dinner by the Creek, topped off with shisha, fruit flavored tobacco smoked through a large water hookah (floor pipe). Intoxicating, and I’m not a smoker!

Dining alongside the Creek at night

A trip to Dubai would not be complete without the ‘Desert Safari’. You are picked up at your hotel and whisked in a 4 wheel drive vehicle to the desert for some serious dune surfing. After about an hour of this, with periodic stops to enjoy the majesty of the desert, you are dropped off at a dinner site where you can enjoy camel rides, shisha lounges, desert sand art, henna painting, music, an Arabic BBQ buffet and belly dancing. This is a must do for anyone visiting this area. Lots of fun and unexpected surprises.

Our work gang out on a desert safari – Kushal, Shashon, Tracy, Veejay and Ali

Jay with Ali, Kushal and Veejay – having a dune climbing contest!

A lifelong dream come true – on top of the world, rather on top of the dune!

Mikel and Ali reflecting

This camel must be tired by now!

Some of the friends I made (from India, Pakistan, Iran, South Africa and Dubai) while in Dubai:

Kushal, Mikel, Veejay, me, Parizad, Shashon

Parizad and Tracy

Annelie

Fiona and Tracy – thanks for your generosity in showing me the real Dubai!

Costa snack shop guys

So for now I say ‘Ma’ aa al salaama‘ to Dubai! It has been an incredible experience and one I will cherish forever. I hope to see you again very soon for more Arabian Adventures!

More photos to post from Dubai. Having spent my last few days off out in the desert, this past week I decided to explore old Dubai, the Dubai Creek area, with 2 friends, Mikel and Colin. We took a taxi to the Dubai Museum and explored the nearby Bastakiya. This is where you will see traditional Arabic building structures. It’s a great place to stop for lunch in their outdoor art cafe. Try the Basta Special drink – lime, lemon and mint all blended into one refreshing and scrumptuous sip of heaven!

Dubai freeway – Sheikh Zayed Road

Below are the Dubai Museum and Bastakiya, which is one of Dubai’s oldest heritage sites.

The tower in the photo below is called a barjeel, which is wind tower, and acts as an air conditioner by drawing cool air into the home.

Textile Souq before opening to the public. There are many outdoor souqs, or markets, in Dubai – the Spice Souq, the Gold Souq, the Textile Souq, the Fish Souq, the Perfume Souq, the Satwa Souq (for fabrics), the Karama Souq (for designer knock-offs) and the Bur Dubai Souq.

Historical Arabian Dhow – traditional sailing vessel of the Emirates.

We splurged for the 1 hour tour of the Dubai Creek with a private water taxi. This is a must when down in this part of town. The river is jammed with boats of all sizes and styles – taxi’s, tour dhows, cargo dhows, yachts, you name and it’s probably there – all jockeying for position on this liquid highway! It’s a great way to see traditional and modern architecture together.

Dubai Creek – traditional…..

…. or contemporary! The building on the left with the curved facade is the National Bank of Dubai, by architect Carlos Ott.

Because the weather is so great at this time of year, the best place to be at night is outside – up high if possible. Here’s a view of the Palm Jumeirah at night from the rooftop of the Royal Mirage Hotel.

Burj Al Arab at night – the world’s only 7 star hotel. You must make reservations to enter the building. We will be heading over there later this week to see this iconic structure for ourselves.

To be continued….

What a place! I’ve been in the UAE for just about 2 weeks and I’m really enjoying the sheer spectacle of this place. Dubai reminds me of Shanghai, Las Vegas, Paris and Death Valley all rolled into one! Since Dubai has so much development going on right now it feels like I am living on a construction site. There are new skyscrapers going up all over the city, more cranes building these futuristic towers than you can imagine and the white sandy dust from the desert covering everything. In 10 years this city should be quite spectacular – it already is in many ways. An example is the Burj al Arab, which is not far from where I am living – it’s the spectacular ‘blade of the desert’ 7 star hotel that commands your attention on the horizon. And that’s just the beginning – the scale of what is happening here is astounding. There are constructions like an underwater hotel, more man made coastal palm islands, and another new Burj tower to out do the one that is nearing completion. Bigger, taller, and more mind blowing – that’s what the theme seems to be here.

The malls here are the places to see and be seen – shopping goes on at all hours and the busiest times seem to be later in the evening. I am staying right near the Mall of the Emirates which boasts Ski Dubai, an indoor ski attraction. It seemed really odd at first but I suppose getting into some cool air and snow when it’s 90 F outside is not such a bad idea. I haven’t done it yet but may try it before I leave. My favorite mall so far has got to be the Madinat Jumeirah, which is styled on a traditional souk or market. It’s got an amazing terrace with a man made lake and great outdoor dining and lounging. Locals hang out there smoking sheeshah – the fruit scented/flavored tobacco smoked out of big hooka pipes, which is actually very pleasant. One of the most unusual things I have seen here at the malls is the abeyya/burka fashion scene. (Abeyyas are the traditional black robes worn by Muslim women.) The plain black robe is not the ‘mode de rigueur’ anymore – these women do it with style, by wearing rhinestone, sequin, beaded and embroidered abeyyas that are absolutely exquisite! Bling, bling and more bling – definitely exotic and unexpected.

During my last 2 days off, my associates and I have taken some day trips across the UAE/Oman peninsula. We traveled to Hatta, which is a smaller rural town in the Dubai Emirate, about 1 & 1/2 hours from Dubai; there is an interesting cultural center there with local history and village life. Worth the trip.

We have also traveled to Fujairah and Khor Kalba, which are on the eastern coast of the peninsula. Khor Kalba has a wonderful beach and mangrove lagoon. The ocean there is bath tub warm and beautiful; the beaches are littered with gorgeous seashells – it’s a fisherman’s town and charming that way. I recommend the Al Meshwar restaurant in Fujairah for delicious Lebanese food and observing sheeshah smoking locals. Keep your eyes open for roaming camels and goats along the highway on your drive there.

The people here are friendly, courteous and hospitable. I feel fairly safe and welcome here; that’s a big difference from some perceived viewpoints I encountered in the US before I traveled here. And you really start to question your own awareness of your place in the world when you meet people who have never heard of New York City or Washington D.C, like some who I have met here! It’s been one delightful surprise after another. Old meets new, East meets West – it’s a world of extremes meeting and merging – no other place in the world quite like it.