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<\/a>Burj Khalifa in the background<\/p>\nDecember 2, Sunday, is the National Day of the UAE.\u00a0 The country is 47 years old, gaining their independence from England in 1969, and signing the unification agreement between the seven different emirates in 1971.\u00a0As a part of the agreement, the Sheik of Abu Dhabi is the president of the country, and the Sheik of Dubai is the Vice-President and Prime Minister.\u00a0 The face of Sheik Zayed, the founder of the UAE is everywhere.\u00a0 This year is also the celebration of 100 years since the birth of Sheik Zayed.\u00a0 His grandson is the Crown Prince, and the de-facto ruler.\u00a0 Everyone here seems very proud and satisfied with the rulers and government.\u00a0 UAE has a population of 9.4 million, with the majority of living in Abu Dhabi or Dubai.\u00a085% of the population are expats\/foreign workers.<\/p>\n
As we drove Monday evening from Abu Dhabi, we passed the de-salination plants along the coast, pulling water out of the Arabian Sea.\u00a0 Outside of a few small wells, this country and these cities would be nothing.\u00a0 All their water comes from these plants.\u00a0 When you look at pictures of Dubai from the 60\u2019s and early 70\u2019s, how did they get to this?\u00a0 Unbelievable!!!<\/p>\n Our first stop is the original mosque built in Dubai.\u00a0 It\u2019s small, compared to what we\u2019ve seen lately, but important in the history of Dubai.\u00a0Our second stop is the 225-year old Fort of Al Fahidi.\u00a0 It houses the Dubai Museum.\u00a0 Inside the small fort are several homes and rooms built in the traditional style, demonstrating how desert families lived.\u00a0 Then we\u2019re led down a ramp and there is a huge museum area underneath this small complex.\u00a0It contains many life-size dioramas of life in the desert and how they survived and thrived.<\/p>\n After the museum, we make a short walk to the Dubai Creek, the original inland waterway into Dubai.\u00a0We pass through a souk (market) area.\u00a0I\u2019ve been through lots of markets during our travels, but these guys were really \u201cgood\u201d.\u00a0 As I tried to turn down one sale, another guy wrapped a turban around my head and had me in his shop in front of a mirror, all while I was saying \u201cNo, No, No\u201d.\u00a0 His price dropped from 10 dirham, to 1 dirham as I walked away.\u00a0 ($1.00 = 3.66 dirham)\u00a0 I almost turned around.<\/p>\n We walked to a small dock area with small boats, called \u201copera\u201d.\u00a0 We climbed aboard one and it took us across Dubai Creek to the older traditional areas and lots of souks to explore.<\/p>\n Our first stop was the Spice Souk.\u00a0 Rows and rows of shops selling spices and incense.\u00a0 There are lots of strong smells, very different from what we\u2019re used to.\u00a0 The next stop was the Gold Souk, with rows of shops selling gold, silver, diamonds, and other precious stones.\u00a0 Mohammad tells us most of these shops are legit.\u00a0 Of course, if needed, I could buy a Rolex or Omega watch cheap down one of the alleys, according to all the guys approaching us.<\/p>\n After the souks, we opted to be dropped off at the Mall of the Emirates.\u00a0 It\u2019s much smaller, with only 500 stores.\u00a0 Attached to the mall is Ski Dubai.\u00a0 Yep!\u00a0 It\u2019s a huge indoor (obviously) complex with ski hills complete with chairlifts.\u00a0There are some small ice chutes for toboggans.\u00a0 This is crazy!\u00a0 If you can imagine it, around here, they\u2019ll build it.\u00a0 Another ski area opened in May in another area of Dubai.\u00a0 There are also plans to build another skyscraper that is 1000 meters tall.\u00a0 Apparently, somewhere else in the world, a building is about to open that\u2019s slightly taller than the Burj Khalifa.\u00a0 The emiratis are not about to let themselves be topped.<\/p>\n Back at the hotel later, we relax, and then taxi over to the JW Marriott Harbour Hotel in the Marina area for dinner.\u00a0 I wanted to try and get some pictures of the \u201cPalm of Jumeirah\u201d island complex from the highest point.\u00a0 Dinner tonight is on the 52nd<\/sup>floor in the Observatory Bar & Grill.\u00a0We have a great view as the sun disappears.\u00a0 While we\u2019re watching boats and jet skis scurrying around below us, some skydivers drift in, landing on a small runway area nearby.<\/p>\n We have our guide from yesterday, Mohammad, back again today.\u00a0 Rezya, the Pakistani woman is also with us.\u00a0 We\u2019re picked up first, then go by to get Rezya at her son\u2019s apartment.\u00a0 She has a son working in Dubai. Burj … Continue reading <\/a>Sheik Zayed Celebration poster.<\/p>\n<\/a>Old photo of Dubai from the 50’s<\/p>\n<\/a>First mosque built in Dubai<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Replica of boats used by pearl divers, the first main industry\/business of Dubai, long before oil.<\/p>\n<\/a>The rectangular structure on the roof of the small building is a “wind wall”. \u00a0Inside is a triangular wall. \u00a0When the wind blows across it, the cool air is forced into the building and the hotter (lighter) air is forced out. \u00a0“Desert Air-Conditioner”.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0Window shopping in the Gold Souk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Ski Dubai<\/p>\n<\/a>Ski Dubai from the outside<\/p>\n<\/a>Google version of the Palm Jumeriah<\/p>\n<\/a>Actual view of Palm Jumeriah. \u00a0The Atlantis Hotel is way out at the end. \u00a0To it’s right is the new Atlantis they’re building.<\/p>\n<\/a>The “Big Eye” of Dubai (ferris wheel) in the setting sun. \u00a0It’s still under construction.<\/p>\n<\/a>The Marina area from our dinner perch on the 52nd floor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"