Day 2 in Dubai Begins

I had a good time watching planes coming into the Dubai airport from my window seat in my hotel’s restaurant while eating another great buffet breakfast. Planes were coming in about every minute or two.

People Watching

Another view from my window seat.

More People Watching

Hotel guests at a nearby table.

On Our Way to the Mall of the Emirates

There was nothing scheduled before 3:30 p.m., so a group of us went in two taxis to the Mall of the Emirates either to shop and/or to see Ski Dubai. The taxi ride was 80 dirhams (U.S.$21.78), which we split either four or three ways. We couldn’t take the metro there as this was a Friday morning and the metro doesn’t start running until 1:00 p.m. in respect for the Muslim day of prayer. It had rained the night before and some of the streets were flooded. It rains only for about 5 days total in Dubai so no money has been spent for an adequate drainage system. Water is pumped into tanker trucks to clear the roads.

Seen on the Way to the Mall

A very pretty mosque.

The Mall of the Emirates

Arriving at the Mall of the Emirates. One of my tourmates is in the photo. This mall is the second largest mall in Dubai, with the largest being the Dubai Mall, which is the largest mall in the world. You could practically everything here: groceries, American brands of makeup, designer clothes, electronics, etc.  The malls are one–stop shopping meccas.

Ski Dubai

A mall with a ski slope!

Ski Dubai

The ski slope.

The Snow Park

Ski Dubai also had a snow park, which I walked around. But just to take the walk, I had to put on ski pants, a parka, and boots. A close–by ski shop gave away free gloves and Ski Dubai also gave me warm socks that I could take home with me. You had to provide your own hats.

Dubai Metro

We took the metro back to our hotel. $21.78 for a taxi versus $2.31 for the metro. The Dubai metro has two lines. We needed to change lines at Union Station (the same name of the LA station where you change lines) but did get a bit confused as to where to get our train. It took us about an hour to get from the mall to our hotel, where a taxi would take less than 1/2 hour or even less. There are three classes of train cars: the gold class, which is twice the fee for a regular car but which you are more likely to get a seat on; the regular class, which we took; and a women and child only car. Most of our ride was above ground and then some of it underground.

Dubai Metro

The views from the metro on this trip were on the right side of the car, really great ones of the striking Dubai buildings. You are right up close to many of them.

I have put my photos of the Mall of the Emirates, Ski Dubai, and the Dubai metro on a slide show. Go directly to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/dubai–day–2a/

or to Slide Shows, Dubai, “Dubai, Day 2A.”

Desert Safari

Late afternoon, I went on an optional desert safari. Another group of men in dishdashas were also meeting at our hotel for the tour. This man caught my eye because of the baseball hat to cover his hair. He caught me taking his photo and I thought I was in trouble––you are supposed to ask a Muslim man permission to take his photo. I was sneaking taking them. But all he did was smile.

Desert Safari

The desert safari was given by Bedouins. This was our driver. The Bedouins are tribesmen of the desert. In Dubai, they drive land rovers and no longer live in tents. In other Arabic countries, many do still live in tents in the desert and go on camel caravans. Notice that their gutras (head scarves) are different from those of the Emirate and Saudi men. I think their disdashas are a different style as well. Bare feet in this photo.

Desert Safari-1: Movie

This was quite a bouncy, daredevil ride over the sand dunes in the Dubai desert. I think our driver made the ride more “exciting” for us than other drivers did for their passengers. I asked some people how they liked their rides and they said they thought they were fun. Ours was one in which part of your brain was telling you the Land Cruiser was going to tip over and the other part of your brain was trying to convince you that our driver knew what he was doing and we were safe from mishap. I was sitting in the back and took this movie from my side window.

Desert Safari-2: Movie

This movie I took mainly from the back window.

Desert Safari-3: Movie

I took this movie after we parked, which shows other Land Cruisers and SUVs going over the sand dunes.

Camel Rides: Movie

Free camel rides were included in the tour price. I didn’t go on one since I had been on two previously: in the Sahara in Morocco and at the pyramids in Egypt. Two were already two too many. The camel rides here were very short rides but the people taking them enjoyed their experience of riding on a camel. The movie shows people getting first off the camels, then on the camels, then riding on the camels.

Whirling Dervish

We were entertained on our desert safari by a whirling dervish, performing a dance that is usually associated with the Sufi branch of Islam and one that brings its performer into a state of religious ecstasy. I put a movie of the whirling dervish on this website. Go to Movies, “Dubai Movies.”

Belly Dancer

We were also entertained by a belly dancer. I put a movie of her performance on this website. Go to Movies, “Dubai Movies.”