May 7 - Abu Dhabi

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Today we spent the day visiting Abu Dhabi, the capital of the Emirate of the same name and the largest of the seven emirates. It’s also the location of the UAE government. This emirate has close to 80% of the land mass of the UAE. The ruling sheikh also is the president of the ruling council for the country. Abu Dhabi also owns the vast majority of the oil and natural gas reserves and wealth of the UAE. As a result it has one of the highest GDPs per capita in the world.

As we drove along from Dubai to Abu Dhabi there was a distinct difference along the highway when we crossed the “border” between the two emirates. Abu Dhabi’s rulers are very much into greenery.  Therefore all along the highway some kind of very hardy trees have been planted with the thought of eventually having forests of sorts.  The city itself is more sprawled out than Dubai.  While there are still skyscrapers, there are also avenues with trees, grass and flowers.  The city is also built on several islands connected by modern bridges and much of the land was reclaimed from the sea.

Our first stop was the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, named for the last president of the UAE.  It is a truly spectacular edifice covering more than 30 acres not counting the landscaping and parking.  We parked in an underground garage and walked through a shopping and eating complex below ground before using the escalator to reach the surface.  The mosque is large enough to accommodate 40,000 worshippers.

Main entrance of Sheikh Zayed Mosque

Inner courtyard

Main prayer room

Twelve ton chandelier

One of the colonnades with columns inlaid with semi-precious stones and capitols covered in gold leaf

It is said that the Sheikh was influenced by the Taj Mahal so the building is constructed entirely of white marble and the embellishments are of semi-precious stones as in the Taj.  Unlike the latter not every service is covered.  It is a magnificent structure nonetheless.  In the main prayer hall the floor is covered with what is considered to be the largest hand-knotted carpet in the world.  It covers 60,570 sq. ft. and took about 1500 knotters to make it.  There are seven large chandeliers in the mosque incorporating millions of Swarovski crystals.  The largest one in the main prayer hall weighs 12 tons!  Sheikh Zayed died before the mosque was completed and is buried next to one of the minarets.

After leaving the mosque we next stopped at the Heritage Village, a small park designed to let people see how life was in Abu Dhabi before 1960.  This is because there is only one structure left from before that date in the city.  The buildings in the village  are essentially huts which represent the fishing village which existed here pre-1960.  In some of the buildings there are craft shops to show the traditional way of making leather, copper, glass and textiles.  Also from the village there is a lovely view across the water of the modern city skyline.

Hut made of wood and palm fronds

Abu Dhabi skyline across from the village

After our brief stop we headed to the Emirates Palace Hotel.  This hotel is one of the most expensive hotels built in the world, costing more than $3.9 billion to construct. The central core structure of the hotel is reserved for visiting dignitaries.  The other guests stay in wings spreading out on each side.  In all the building is about 1 km long.  Since it’s Ramadan, this was the place to go for something for lunch.  One of the cafes is open for we non-Muslim tourists.  We had a light lunch and a little break before heading for The Louvre, Abu Dhabi.

The Louvre here is  the result of a 30 year leasing agreement between the French government and the UAE.  It is an art and civilization museum located on one of the city’s islands devoted to cultural things and was opened in 2017.  The structure is a floating dome  with a web-like pattern allowing the sun to filter through.  The design is supposed to represent the light filtering through date palms in an oasis. The permanent collection focuses mainly on how civilizations developed in similar ways in all parts of the globe despite there not being any communications in very ancient times.  There were displays of pottery and metal craft from civilizations from China to the New World  from thousands of years ago which were surprisingly similar.

Louvre Abu Dhabi

After our brief visit to the museum it was time to head back to Dubai. Tonight is our last night here.  Tomorrow we’ll board our ship and be on our way for the next phase of our vacation.  More later.

Dinner by the Burj Khalifa Lake

On Monday night we ate at an Italian seafood restaurant along the shore of the lake below the Burj.  We were seated on an outdoor terrace so we had a grand view of the light and water show there.  Every half hour the tower is lit up with changing patterns and fountains in the lake dance to music played.  It was really spectacular (and the food was good too)!

May 6 - Sharjah

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This morning our guide Ute, a German expatriate who has lived in the UAE for 25 years, picked us up and off we drove to Sharjah, the emirate next door to Dubai. Sarjah is the third largest city in the UAE and the capital of the emirate of the same name.  The ruling Sheikh has been very interested in preserving the culture of the region and has ordered the establishment of a number of museums and institutes to further that goal.  As a result in 1998 Sharjah was awarded the title Cultural Capital of the Arab World by UNESCO. One of the things the Sheikh has undertaken is the Heart of Sharjah, a cultural heritage project to preserve and restore the old town of Sharjah as it was before the discovery of oil.

Our first stop was a very large roundabout with massive and impressive government buildings on all sides and a large sculpture of the Quran in the middle.  This ruling sheikh is very into Islamic heritage.  In his emirate there is no alcohol consumption allowed so not as many foreign tourists come here.

All around the roundabout there were buildings like this

After leaving the roundabout we drove to the Sharjah Creek.  As in Dubai the government dredged and widened a creek leading inland from the Persian Gulf.  Here once again we saw dhows, most of them being loaded with cars and vans and almost all of then headed to Iran.  We know now where the UAE’s used vehicles go because most of the cars we’ve seen here look new. Along the creek we stopped for a photo of a Shia mosque, recognizable because of the blue tile work which decorates it.  Most Emiratis are Sunni Muslims unlike the Iranians across the Gulf who are Shia.

A dhow loaded with vans bound for Iran

Shia Mosque distinguished by its blue tiles

Our next stop was the fish, meat and produce market also next to the creek.  This was probably one of the cleanest, brightest markets I’ve ever seen. It’s completely enclosed and air-conditioned. The food looked spectacularly fresh. There were prawns bigger than my hands and crabs that looked a whole lot like Chesapeake Bay blue crabs. In the fish hall after paying for your fresh catch you can take it to an area where it will be cleaned for you and after that another part will grill it for you.  In the meat section there was camel meat which Ute told us is not really available anywhere but in a market like this one.  What I was most surprised at in the produce hall was the variety of dates. Evidently there are more than 150 kinds.  I love markets so this was one of the highlights of the day.

Fishing dhow which probably brought in some of what we saw inside

Megaprawns!

 

Don't these look a lot like our crabs?

Dates, dates and more dates!

I mentioned in my early morning post that today is the first day of Ramadan.  I asked Ute about the impact of the fasting on the market.  She told me that this month is the time when lots of food preparation goes on.  She said that many women spend all day cooking in anticipation of breaking the fast after sunset.  Evidently a lot of entertaining goes on in the evenings.

From the food market we drove to the Blue Souk.  Once again this was an enclosed and air-conditioned building which housed a gold wing and a silver wing downstairs and upstairs textiles and carpets.  The variety of jewelry was breathtaking.  We missed the gold souk in Dubai yesterday but I got to see my share of jewelry today!

After just a little shopping we were off to the Heart of Sharjah, the original pearling and fishing village and the home of the Sharjah Heritage Museum.  The area has traditional buildings constructed of coral which has then been stuccoed.  There are high rise buildings around which are being vacated and will eventually be torn down so that further reconstruction of the traditional village can be done.  I asked Ute where the residents were relocating to and she said that they have been moved to the new apartment towers we had passed on our way into the city. The museum was small but gave lots of information about the pearl trade and the traditional way of life that existed here.

Building made of coral stone. They are stuccoed after because the coral is so soft

Our final stop was the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization.  This is a lovely building with galleries highlighting the religion and its practices and technology and science developed by Islamic people.  In the religious gallery there were several magnificent tapestries  which are hung on the outside of the Kaaba, the cube-shaped building in the center of the mosque in Mecca during the Hajj.  Each year a new set of these tapestries is prepared.  They are what looks like black velvet embroidered with intricate designs in gold thread.  The ones in the museum were from some previous year given to the Sheikh of Sarjah.  In the science and technology hall there were representations of inventions by Arabic scholars and scientists.  There were many including lots of navigational equipment, medical devices and scientific instruments.

Kaaba Tapestry

 

Interior of Islamic Civilization Museum

And so we ended our tour and returned back to Dubai.  Tomorrow Ute will take us to Abu Dhabi, our third emirate, for the day.  Back in the hotel we found that in order to get a coke we had to go into the enclosed lounge area.  No food and no drinking in public until after sunset!

May 5 - Dubai Day Two

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When I ended yesterday I said we were going to the italian restaurant in our hotel.  It was unlike any italian place we’ve been.  There was pounding techno music playing and not a word of Italian spoken.  Fortunately the food was actually very good and had sort of an Italian or Mediterranean flair.  We decided it was a winner despite the music.

This morning after breakfast we went back to Dubai Mall to use the second day of our HO-HO tickets.  The driver from the hotel left us off on the other side of the Burj Khalifa and we got a little lost.  There’s a lake next to the building and the mall and at night there is a light and fountain show.  We have reservations for a restaurant next to it tomorrow night so hopefully we’ll get to see the show and perhaps get some photos worth sharing.

The lake next to the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall

Burj Khalifa from the lake

To get to the bus stop we had to walk through the mall to the other side.  Believe me, it’s easy to get lost in a place with 12 million square feet.  Eventually we made it and took the bus down to Dubai Creek.  Our intention was to go to the gold and spice souks, but as we exited the bus they told us that the dhow cruise (included in our ticket) was about to leave.  We’ve never been on a dhow so why not?

We boarded right next to the dhows we saw yesterday being loaded with all sorts of stuff.  The commentary on our cruise told us these rickety, run-down vessels go to places like Iran, Yemen and Somalia with their various cargoes.   I love traveling but none of those are on my bucket list.  Seeing them from the water side and reasonably close convinced me that I wouldn’t set forth across Dubai Creek in one.

A lovely ship on her way to who knows where

Once again the contrast between old and new was stark.  On one side is an area built to look like buildings of old Dubai.  These have what is the earliest form of air-conditioning, a tower on the roof open on all four sides to catch any wind and allow it to funnel down to the building below.  We’ve seen the same kind of structures in Tuscany and the south of France  On the other side of the creek are towers of steel and glass.  Along the way we could see downtown new Dubai, but it’s very hazy so we got no good photos.  Crossing back and forth are little water taxis that carry about 20 people on benches.  These make a much faster way to get to the other side than contending with the bridges and tunnel one has to take in a vehicle.

Al was more interested in the yacht but you can get a glimpse of two of the towers for funneling air

One of the many water taxis

By the time we finished the cruise it was very hot and we decided to forego the souks.  I can only imagine the temperature in the narrow streets and alleyways.  There will be other souks to see in days to come. Tonight we’re eating in the Indian restaurant in our hotel.  It’s supposed to be the best one in the Middle East, the equivalent of three Michelin stars.  I have to say we’ve never  been fans of Indian food, probably because we don’t understand it or know how to eat the various dishes.  We had that problem several years ago when we were  in India.  However, we’re going to try again.  Maybe I’ll be smart enough this time to ask the server questions.

Tomorrow we have a car and driver/guide taking us to Sharjah, another of the emirates.  We’ll see some different sights since that emirate is the cultural center of the UAE.  Tomorrow is also the beginning of Ramadan.  I’m not sure how that will impact our visit.  I’ll report more later.

May 4 - Dubai finally

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We arrived in Dubai after a great flight at 11 PM May 3^rd.  By the time we got our bags went through immigration and were picked up by our car and driver it was nearly midnight when we got to the hotel.  We’re staying at the Oberoi Hotel in Business Bay, the financial center of new Dubai.  We stayed here last time and the place is just as nice as it was then.  Our room is huge (plenty of room to spread out our suitcases) and from one of our two balconies we have a great view of the Burj Khalifa, currently the world’s tallest building.

Dubai is the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, one of seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates.  It’s also the largest city in the UAE with a population of around 3.5 million.  Because of its proximity to Iran (just across the Persian Gulf), Dubai has long been an important trading port.  At one time it had a thriving pearl industry but that ended with the advent of cultured pearls followed by the Great Depression in the last century.    The current growth was spurred by oil, but Dubai’s oil reserves are low and today the vast majority of its revenue comes from tourism, trade, real estate, and financial services.  Only 7% of the economy is from oil It’s now a financial hub in the Middle East.

We were last here 5 years ago and the growth has been tremendous.  Next year Dubai will host the World Expo  (the first time it has been in the Middle East)and I think a lot of the construction has  been spurred by that.  The number of skyscrapers is in the hundreds and it sort of boggles my mind to think that just 45 years ago this was mainly just desert.

I think a little something about the population is in order.  Emiratis, that is actual natives of the Dubai, constitute only 20 % of the population.  The other 80 % are expatriates who have come here to work, the vast majority from Pakistan, India, the Philippines, and other parts of Asia.  Of course there are westerners here to work in the various financial institutions and business ventures.  Emiratis get free health care, free education, free water and electricity and guaranteed housing.  Remember they are only 20% of the people here.  The other 80% foot the cost of the water and power supply and are guaranteed nothing except to be deported if they don’t work.  Rent is extremely high so a small on bedroom with a bath may cost around the equivalent of $450 per month.  The rank and file workers from all these Asian countries don’t make that much so they double, triple and quadruple up in tiny apartments.  While it sounds pretty bad, I’m guessing that the places some of them come from the living conditions may be even worse.

So, enough about the economy.  We slept in a little and after lunch we took a shuttle to Dubai Mall and got on a HO-HO bus to see the sights.  The contrast between the new, modern Dubai and the old city is startling.  Instead of towering skyscrapers in the old city there are stuccoed buildings and souks. Tomorrow we’re going back to one of the souks;  today we just rode around since we’re still jet-lagged.  One of the most interesting things along the way was Dubai Creek.  This waterway is where fishing boats and the traditional dhows tie up.  Dhows used to be sailing vessels and they were he principal vessel used for trading.  Today of course they are motorized, but let me tell you, some of them looked like they were old enough to be under sail.  What we found particularly interesting was the cargo waiting to be loaded on them.  Along the waterfront were boxes and boxes of appliances.  Mountains of  refrigerators and washing machines and other such household appliances were there waiting to be loaded.  I wondered where they would be going; perhaps they were headed across the Persian Gulf to Iran since I think there are embargos for such stuff.  Who knows?  Alongside one dhow was something we found even more curious, a Bazooka Bubble Gum van.  I can’t remember the last time I saw Bazooka Bubble Gum anything.

A dhow waiting to be loaded

Where are all these appliances going?

The Bazooka Bubble Gum van, just because I thought it was funny

I did want to say a little about the Burj Khalifa.  It’s the tallest building in the world at 2717 feet.  The building houses a hotel, offices and apartments.  Evidently there is some rivalry between Dubai and Saudia Arabia and the Saudi king commissioned a building to be constructed in his Kingdom that would be taller.  A few years ago the height of the building under construction was announced by the Saudis.  Not to be outdone, the Emiratis decided to build another skyscraper which will reclaim the title and they won’t say how tall it will be.

That's it!  I'd like to go to the observation platform but I don't think my heart could take it.

Anyway, after taking in the sights we were tired and headed back to the hotel.. Tonight we’re eating at the Oberoi’s Italian restaurant.  It sounds strange to going to an Italian restaurant in an Indian hotel in an Arabic country, but it looked good and it’s easy.

I don’t have a lot of photos; taking them from the HO-HO doesn’t give the best results.  I’ll try to do better  as we go along.

May 3 - Heathrow

Here we sit in another lounge, this time in London.  We had a good flight without any bumps along the way.  Al caught a few zzz's but as usual, sleep evaded me.  I really envy people who can sleep on a plane!  We're trying to figure out why wherever we fly our plane always seems to be at the most remote gate of the airport.  After a hike and a train ride we had to go through security again.  We were in the "Fast Track" lane but I think they had assigned a trainee to check the things going through the machine.  She would ponder a bag for endless minutes before letting the belt bring the next one in.  But, we made it and we're in the lounge.  They have a restaurant which is quite nice and we had breakfast there instead of on the plane.

Now here's a little information about the United Arab Emirates.  I knew virtually nothing about them before I started looking at what we could do in our days in Dubai.  While they have a couple of the biggest malls I've ever seen, we're not going to wander around them for four days.

The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven  emirates, including three we’re visiting.  It is  a  sovereign constitutional monarchy with Abu Dhabi serving as the capital..  Each emirate is governed by a ruler and these seven serve as a Federal Supreme Council.  The country lies along the western shore of the Persian Gulf and to the east of Saudi Arabia.

The British were particularly interested in what is now the area of the UAE because they wanted to protect trade routes to India.  Hence, after a series of campaigns early in the 19^th century,  in 1820 the British signed a maritime truce with the local rulers and the area became known as the Trucial States.  As a result of the various agreements signed over the years  the region became a British Protectorate and remained that way until 1971.  In that year the British government ended its protectorate status  because it felt its military was stretched too thin to maintain its obligations.  The emirates formed the United Arab Emirates in the same year to prevent being overtaken by Saudi Arabia to the west and Iran across the Persian Gulf.  Qatar and Bahrain were part of the former protectorate, but they chose to go their separate ways.

The impetus for growth in this area was finding oil and natural gas, but as the reserves have been depleted,  several of the rulers have managed to position their states as financial and trade centers. They also serve as a big transportation hub for travelers from southeast Asia and Australia on their way to Europe.

So in a couple of hours we'll be boarding for our roughly seven hour flight to Dubai.  That flight will be on one of the Airbus 380's, those doubledecker planes that carry a gazillion people.  A few years ago we flew on one and wondered how it could get off the ground.

There's not much more to talk about today so I'll sign off.  I'm having a hard time figuring out how to get my photos taken with my iPhone to my new laptop which doesn't have a USB port.  I know I'm supposed to be able to get them from my iCloud but somehow they don't seem to be there.  I will figure this out though.

More later.  

Al in the lounge at Dulles

Off to Dubai

May 2 -

This year's adventure begins.  We're sitting in the British Airways lounge at Dulles waiting to board our first flight to Heathrow and from there on to Dubai. We won't get there until 11:05 PM on May 3rd (Dubai time which is about 8 hours ahead of us at home).  We won't know what planet we're on by then.  Thankfully we'll be able to head straight to bed after we check in to our hotel.

This year we're sailing on the Seabourn Encore from Dubai to Athens.  We'll first spend four full days in Dubai.  We have a car and driver booked for a couple of days to go to two of the other Emirates.  Monday we're heading to Sharjah and Tuesday to Abu Dhabi.  I'll tell you more about them after our visit.

On Wednesday we'll board the Encore, one of Seabourn's two larger and newer ships.  She carries 600 passengers (as opposed to the 450 pax on our previous voyages).  I'm curious to see how the bigger ship suits us.

Our voyage will take us to a few new places - Doha, Qatar and Muscat, Oman - and to several we've visited a few years ago - Aqaba  (Petra), Jordan, Israel and Crete.  We've booked a few interesting tours including an overnight stay in Jerusalem.  Hopefully everyone in that part of the world will stay calm. I've put a thumbnail map showing our path on the blog.

Tomorrow we have a little time between flights so I'll write something about the United Arab Emirates. 

Waiting to check in. The mountain of luggage is actually less than usual.