Small Things, Great Love:

Dubailand

D:

Dubai, everything I imagined: Hot, humid, sandy, rich, and buildings. All of those things were not only evident, they were prominent. There is more building going on here than anyplace I’ve ever seen, and the amount of money funding it all is astronomical. I think it’s the hottest place I’ve ever been too. Egypt was hot, but dry. Alabama is hot, but it never really gets above mid 90s. This place was hot. 106 with 99ish% humidity. In the “summer” it can get up to 140. I don’t see how they do it. The second you walk outside you have a film covering your entire body and your lungs are dripping wet. They say it gets better in the winter; we’ll have to go back. 

Our stay in Dubai was interesting to say the least. It was, and still is until October 1, Ramadan. It’s a nice time to visit unless you’re hungry of course. Not many food places were open, outside of the hotel and malls, until after 6 pm. If you get caught drinking or eating in public, expect to move and put your food away. Get caught kissing or holding too many hands…you don’t want to know.

Ramadan has its perks though. Everywhere you go, places have “Ramadan specials” where there is a supposed 5-15% discount on all goods. This discount is most likely in place to sucker tourists into buying their junk, but some places i.e. the snow skiing place, actually had deals for Ramadan. Either way everyone we came into contact with was extremely nice and accommodating…it might have been because they wanted us to slip them a granola…

Our hotel was plush to say the least. It was in the Jumeriah Beach area of the city, a bustling district with a new high rise being built on every square block of land. It’s absolutely unreal how many buildings are being built. I had such a field day just looking up. Riding in cabs and buses gave me a crick and a drool spot was usually on my shirt. The area around Jumeriah Beach boasts the only inhabited palm shaped island in the world, the only 7 star hotel in the world (which we had dinner atop of), and only a few miles away will have the tallest building in the world, the Burj Dubai. It was just the right place for a couple of un-employed, ex-student, homeless, newlyweds. 

One of the best things I’ve ever done was the indoor snow-skiing. The slope is a giant structure attached to one of the richest shopping malls in the Middle East. It’s kind of like the skating rink that is in that old mall in Montgomery, only different and exponentially better. You walk in from the desert and your sweat turns to icicles. It was so cold in there. 

MC and I grabbed some skis and hit the slopes…literally for MC. She had never been skiing, but to save a few Dirham on ski school we told them she was good. I gave her a few instructions on the “snow plow” position, and I pushed her down the bunny slope so she could get a feel for the snow. Bad idea. Instead of doing the snow plow to stop, she snow plowed into a group of little Dubaians who were barely 10. They were all scared, MC was in shock, and I was speechless atop the hill. I can only imagine the horror of the little desert children as they calmly stood at the bottom of the slight grade, learning the basics of this new found sport, as, all of a sudden, a white girl, sans-poles (as she dropped them as soon as she lost control), comes flying at them screaming. We ended up buying her a lesson. She learned very quickly, I’m so proud of her for trying…seems that there is more to teaching skiing than the snow plow

I had a fantastic time skiing. I forgot how much I love it. There was a literal ski lift that took you up to the top of the slope (just like in the days of the ball hooter and grab hammer).  The slope proved to be really fast, and pretty scary too. It was a true experience and one of the most fun things I’ve done.

We had an amazing time in Dubai. I was so thrilled to have visited the construction Mecca of the world. MC really liked it too, and it deserves a return in about 10 years. By that time they’ll have more islands, taller buildings and ANOTHER ski slope.

In the mean time click the link to get a good look at our ski trip and also a quick look into MC’s copy hand bag extravaganza.

 

Dubais.

 

http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=DanielandMC

 

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