Dubai

 The excitement from the trip is still fresh in my mind … and I want to bottle down that excitement in words before I get caught up it in the trivialities of everyday life..

The first thing anyone going from India would notice is how spic n span n organized everything is .. the apartments looked like a scene from “ Legoland” or a page out of “ Noddy”– they just fit so precisely and were so extremely color coordinated ,..no chipped paint anywhere, no rough edges , and heaven forbid – no stains .. it took some time for the eyes and senses to get adjusted to such exquisite surroundings .. teehee

The pavements were smooth ..the footpaths broad .. cars stopped for you respectfully as u stood at the zebra crossing ..the air was fresh and crisp- no smoke emanating from any of the car engines – numerous as they were.. people zipped past on e-scooters that looked so effortless  and were incredibly used as regular means of transport owing to the uber smooth roads and pavements ..

The population one encountered was mixed – mainly Asians and White folk, interspersed with coloured folk and a few Sheikhs here and there ,, moving around purposefully in their flowing white robes ,, with their lovely ladies who were oh so graceful and divine looking with sharp features and a very enticing accent !  

And we were here in wonderful weather .. windy and just the right amount of sun .. it gets oppressively hot after a while .. we were told ..

Overall gave a feeling of being in New York , except when you encountered the Urdu script everywhere ,.. or the posters of Sheikh Rashid .. that were strategically placed to create an air of foreboding I suppose .. reminding the citizens and expats who was boss  :P

The highlights of the trip had to be the desert safari where we tried our hands at quad biking .. that makes u feel so good to have a roaring mean machine in ur control .. also made for a great pose for the cameras ..hehe  ..

And then the real deal .. the red dune dashing .. we were driven to Sharjah where we encountered the shimmering orange sand… the EV swerving in and out of the dunes.. Arabic songs playing in the background .. and we hung on for dear life .. all the while enjoying the twists and turns and the sights and sounds .. when we got down in the middle of the desert .. the sand was of so soft and velvety in my hands .. I wanted to lie there in the cool inviting sand looking up at the wide open skies … that would have been ideal … bt alas we got very few minutes there …

And then off to see the fire show n belly dancing ..

Going to the beach and Dubai marina was great as well .. cz id been missing the sea so much .. loved watching the surfers .. what freedom !  even the sea was calm n clean n blue green .. just right.. its as if the elements of nature behave themselves just as humans do in Dubai .. hehe

 Went to see the View at the palm and took the monorail up to the Palm island .. going right up to Atlantis .. a man made marvel .. luxury at its maximum .. the Palm islands are truly an unparalleled engineering feet .. and reflect the vision of the rulers of UAE … truly inspiring to see what man is capable of  !

One can shrug it off saying they have lots of money, but clearly its not just about having money, its their way of how to spend that money. the creativity, the aesthetic sense and the audacity - clearly its impressive !

Oh and the yacht ride!  there under the open sky and feeling the waves rocking underneath….. the good life right !!.. with the Dubai eye looming in the background and Atlantis right up ahead

Also had my first authentic veg Lebanese meal , thanks to my friends.. seated at the time out market .. right next to the Burj Khalifa .. never thought I would call a building beautiful but I have to call this building truly beautiful ,, a treat for the senses .. oh and finished it off with the original cheesecake at the cheesecake factory .. heaven !

Visited Al Seef a charming local market place.. picked up trinkets and kaftans .. right by the Dubai creek where we took an “Abra” to the other end .. headed to the Gold and the Spice Souk .. I love places like these … throbbing with culture and vibrance…

 

When I say  this visit is something to have done once in a lifetime, I mean not that it is so unique, but that it is worth visiting the place to first hand understand what it is about. That is one thing I have found about travel. No matter how much you read about a place, see photos or videos or talk to people, you dont "get" a place until you spend a couple of days there. And it seems like the soul of Dubai is something worth "getting".