DC to Dubai

Our first goal on this trip was to spend Christmas in Washington, DC, with our son’s family.  The grandkids are a joy to be around; the parents are doing a good job.  However, DC wasn’t kind to us.  Dawn and I both caught a virus and spent much of our time in bed. Would wearing a mask have made a difference?  I doubt it.

We recovered just in time to board our flights taking us first to Newark, then 13 hours nonstop to Dubai.  The flight wasn’t as bad as we imagined; I give our Premium Plus seating much of the credit.  No more economy for us at our ages.  Arriving in Dubai, the city is impressive in many ways; but it is still just a big city.  We spent three nights at a very nice hotel in Sharjah, using taxis to see several area attractions.

This was the ocean view from our hotel room.  A walking path extended for miles along the shore and a canal leading into the city.

Shore fisherman in Dubai before the day heats up.

We went to the Dubai Frame, the Dubai aquarium, and the Dubai Mall (also to the Sharjah Mall).  The tallest building in the world was nearby.  We were told that a ride to the top was not only expensive, but the wait in line was hours long. Many other city attractions, but I enjoyed a morning walk along the waterfront from our hotel as much as anything.  The air is hazy, likely desert dust. Dubai airport was an attraction in itself, huge, modern, and very busy.

Tallest building on earth.  That hazy sky was present during this visit but was clearer when we returned.

The Dubai Mall is amazing, but not the only beautiful mall in the area.  Each mall had a section where Middle Eastern clothing was sold.  Dawn bought a lightweight but traditional full-length dress which will be nice for summer wear. We would encounter people dressed anywhere from shorts & T-shirt to full robes or burka, and hijab.

We returned to Dubai for a one-night stop in transit between Colombo, Sri Lanka and Cape Town South Africa.  Because it was only a sleep over, we stayed in a hotel nearer to the airport.  It was another good choice:  very efficient and comfortable room, onsite restaurant, adjacent park with a walking path-trees-grass, and a nearby large shopping mall.  I think that Dawn enjoyed Dubai more than I did.  There are many more attractions to visit, but for me, it is still just a big city.