Wednesday, 13 November 2019
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

It is hard to believe that today is my last full day in Dubai, and that I will be home in Tucson tomorrow evening, Thursday, at 5:30pm.  In fact, the whole 28-day trip seems to have floated by quickly, like a dream out of the 1001 Nights.

My plan today is to visit the highlights of the Jumeirah and Jumeirah Beach sections of the city, a large and very popular area that I have so far neglected. The primary attractions of this very upscale area are beaches, shopping, and lavish hotels and resorts.  Palm Jumeirah, a series of man-made islands spread out in the Arabian Sea like a huge palm tree, and the Burj Al Arab Hotel are two of the most iconic sights of the entire peninsula.  

But before heading to the Burj Al Arab, I use a hotel car and driver to take me to the Etihad Museum, the official home of the history and development of the UAE since its founding in December 1971.  The exhibits inside this beautifully designed building purportedly present the story of the people of the seven founding emirates.  In reality, the museum is a monument to the glorified egos of the seven founding emirs, with little room for anyone else's story.         

Inside the Museum, more-than-appropriate homage is paid to the seven Emirs:

Looking Out from the Lobby to the Garden and Union House
(Where December 1971 UAE Constitution Was Written)

Lobby Windows Look Out Over Jumeirah Hotels and Offices

A Local School Group Navigates the Ramp from the Lobby to the Lower Level Exhibits

If You Don't Like the Ramp--or the Elevators--
You Might Ask to Try the Massive Spiral Staircase

Hall of the Emirs Contains Portraits, Biographies, and Personal
Artifacts Belonging to the Seven Founding Emirs

From the museum it is a short walk to Jumeirah Mosque.  The mosque itself is open to non-Muslims only a few hours each day, so I must be content with viewing the outside of the mosque and the inside of the welcome center

From the mosque I hail a taxi for the ride to the Burj Al Arab and the nearby Madinat Jumeirah development, where I enjoy an Italian lunch.  The Burj Al Arab is located on an artificial island connected to the mainland by a private, gated bridge (open to guests only).  The hotel was designed by a team led by architect Tom Wright and is very similar to the Vasco da Gama Tower in Lisbon (my photo taken in April 2009). 

Burj al Arab Hotel, Dubai (left) and Vasco da Gama Tower, Lisbon (right)

Construction of the hotel began in 1994 and involved up to 2,000 workers during peak construction. It was built to resemble the billowing spinnaker sail of a J-class yacht.  Two "wings" spread in a V to form a vast "mast," while the space between them is enclosed in a massive atrium.  The building opened in December 1999 and was immediately recognized as a symbol of the developing city.  In spite of the continuous building of even more spectacular structures in Dubai, the Burj Al Arab remains its most iconic and symbolic structure.  Only registered guests or folks with reservations at one of its restaurants can enter the hotel grounds.

The nearby Madinat Jumeirah is a multi-purpose, multi-building, low-rise development, built to resemble a traditional Arab village.  There are several massive hotels, an indoor souk, beachfront access, and a large number of restaurants.  

The Mall of the Emirates, second largest after the Dubai Mall, is right across the street.  Besides its stupendous shopping, locals and tourists alike flock to this mall to enjoy indoor skiing at the "Ski Dubai" Center, and the largest supermarket I have ever seen.

By now it is mid-afternoon and I should head back the Dusit Thani to finish packing and get some rest before checking out at 11pm tonight for my ride to the airport.  But I have one more thing to see before I leave Dubai, so I take the Metro two stops beyond my hotel and enjoy a late-afternoon walk through a city park, to the Dubai Frame, another self-reflective architectural icon.  Indeed, its only purpose, besides awing its spectators, is to "frame" more views of various parts of the city.

Views from the Dubai Frame:

Since I paid for the whole night's stay at the hotel, I didn't have to check out this morning and spend the afternoon and evening waiting at the airport with my suitcases until my 2:45am flight to Zurich.  I relax in my hotel room until its time to call for help with my luggage and meet my car and driver in the lobby.  Since I will arrive at the airport at midnight, I will save my coming-home adventures for the next and last blog from Dubai and this trip, coming to wifi soon.

Tuesday, 19 November 2019
Tucson, AZ

I am at home in Tucson as "Cruising with LFL" goes back to my third day in Dubai.

Monday, 11 November 2019
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

After yesterday's rainy afternoon and evening I am happy to wake to bright blue skies.  As I leave the hotel after breakfast I am even happier to note that both the temperature and the humidity have fallen to a much more comfortable level.

I plan to spend the morning in Deira, the section of Dubai that has the oldest reminders of the city's origins.  Deira is east of the Dubai Creek, which separates it from Bur Dubai, the section I explored yesterday before thunderstorms interrupted my plans.  I ride the Metro Red Line above ground until it burrows below the city streets and change to the Green Line at Union Station.  Although street signs are not very helpful, I am able to use the GPSMyCity app on my iPad to find my way to the Deira Museum.

Special Note:  GPSMyCity is a free app that has maps and guided walks for over a thousand cities around the world.  Even better, for a modest fee, the upgraded app can be used without wifi or telephone connections.  I downloaded the Dubai section earlier, and now it identifies on the map exactly where I am and plots the route to wherever I wish to go.  I would have been totally lost without it, not only here in Dubai, but in Tel Aviv and Muscat as well.  I recommend the app very highly to anyone who likes to wander on their own.

My walk from the metro station takes me across pedestrian bridges to cross busy streets, although the up and down elevators are out of order.  

GPSMyCity on my iPad (it can also be used on an iPhone, if you like to look at tiny screens), allows me to wander through busy back streets to reach one of the most popular areas in the city--the Souks.  

A souk is a covered market lined with a multitude of small shops and booths selling everything imaginable—from the highest quality gold and diamonds to ordinary pots and pans—usually at much lower prices than at the malls.  Shopping in the souks requires major bargaining skills, but visitors are welcome to window shop even if they have no intention to buy.  

Each souk is dedicated to a particular kind of item--the Gold Souk, the Spice Souk, the Herb Souk, and the Grand Souk, which contains domestic goods, souvenirs, and clothing.  The entrance to each souk is clearly labeled so one can easily find whatever one is seeking.  The Gold Souk, in particular, is popular with tourists, displaying acres of gold jewelry and even wearables.

Inside the Souks of Deira

  

A walk through the souks eventually leads to the Dubai Creek, if you can find a place to cross the street safely.  The Creek is lined with abras, small boats that ferry locals and tourists back and forth, and larger boats that offer scenic rides along the Creek.

It’s a fairly long walk to the nearest underground Metro station where I catch a train for the 20-minute ride to an entirely different side of Dubai, the Marina District, an ultra-contemporary planned community built around a man-made Marina.  This is one of the most pleasant areas for walking in the city, and if I ever return to Dubai I would stay at one of the deluxe hotels here.  My first stop after leaving the Metro is lunch at one of the many waterside restaurants, serving large portions of Greek salad and Italian pasta.

Although the water, yachts, restaurants, and shops provide pleasant entertainment, the primary draw of this area is the cluster of remarkable skyscrapers that have arisen during the past several years, including the amazing twisting residential tower.

The Marina District is also home to the second of Dubai’s major malls, the aptly-named Marina Mall.  While not nearly as large as the Dubai Mall, it is home to an array of top-level shops.  My major purchase here is some wonderful chocolate and coconut gelato.

After this very busy day coveting two very diverse areas of the city and enjoying a very filling lunch, I am ready for the Metro ride back to the Dusit Thani and a restful evening in front of the television.