Dubai

Prawns at Fish Souk (Market)

Worlds largest ring (15 -20 kg heavier than Kitty)

Dhow on Dubai Canal

Restored fort in Dubai - now Dubai Museum

Wold tallest building - the Burj Khalifa

Graeme swimming in Dubai Mall ??

Picture of Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and the artificial lake between them

Graeme with his new, Quiet, OBEDIENT, SUBSERVIENT wife

Exclusive Hotel ("The Address) next to Dubai Mall (worrlds largest enclosed Mall )

View of artificial lake, artificial souk and Dubai Mall from Burj Khalifa

Artificial lake and apartment blocks behind

First stop Dubai. A city of contrasts. What do you call a pedestrian in New Dubai ? A. Dead ! Either they were killed trying to cross the first road, or they died of hunger trying to work out how to cross it. This is the city of the car. After all oil is what transformed this unheard tiny, fishing village of the 1960s into the Vegas of big cities. In new Dubai I first went to Dubai Mall – one of the Worlds largest; Chadstone on steroids. You could spend days there Outside of this a large artifical lake (this is in a desert by the way) with the world's largest syncopated fountain. And the Worlds largest aquarium (perhaps) Just behind is the Burj Khalifa – the World's tallest building. At about 850m high it is over twice the height of the Empire State ! A city of excesses and records.

So going to the Observation Deck at about 600m (on 126^th floor) is a must – even at over A$100 (sorry Kitty). Two problems. You have to book about 1 week ahead. I did !! Then you have to get the date right. Ooops – bugger, bugger, bugger. And there are STRICTLY NO EXCHANGES and NO REFUNDS. Bugger.

Anyway by shacking up and marrying one of the locals who works at the Burj Khalifa (see photo) I performed 2 miracles (for my canonisation – Mark) and got an exchange time and date. Phew. But what to do with wife 1 now ? Wife 2 is SO peaceful and subservient.

Old Dubai is very different from new Dubai. To see a totally different way of life you go to the traditional Souks (markets). However the different way of life is Pakistani not Arab. ALL the vendors and shop attenddants seem to be Pakistani. At the fish market – a HUGE place, as you enter you are asked if you want a wheelbarrow to carry your fish in ! - I was told every fishmonger was Pakistani !

I did try to buy Kitty a gold ring at the Gold Souk – she is worth her weight in gold you know – but the ring (see photo) at about 65 kg was 15-20 kg over the limit. And about 440 kg over Emirates weight limit. Sorry Kitty.

So the souks were generally a littlle disappointing – more for tourists than locals. There are a few historic forts, schools, dhows, etc which are usually renovated (or rebuilt) to retain their original appearance. They are informative and low cost or free.

Travel around is not easy unless you use taxis at about $5-10 a ride. The metro is good (as good as Singapore – or better). Trains are every couple of minutes but appear driverless ! But from the train the bus system is slow and hard to work out. And walking is often not an option (see above).

People are friendly. An Arab in white* sheik-like robes is in the train. He asks people where there are from When you tell him he says “Ah, from China”. You tell him again he says )OH, from India. I told him “dont come the raw prawn with me, mate).

Internet cafes are rarely (never ?) seen. And the hotel internet is often totally unusable – hence this delayed and long post. Apologies to those who dropped out after sentence two.

* (In Dubai men wear white robes signalling strength, purity, nobleness, and honour. The women wear BLACK. Very wise these Arabs.