Dubai

For some reason I couldn't access my blog in Ethiopia so I'm a few days behind...

Dubai

I arrived in Dubai last night after a long 15-hour transpolar flight from Los Angeles. I could tell the minute I got off the plane that I was “no longer in Kansas, Toto.” The heat combined with the piercing sunset call to prayer hit me straight away. Suddenly I felt I was on the set of a movie combining Lawrence of Arabia and Oceans 11; silver, marble, palm trees (some fake, some real), and glitzy shops as far as the eye could see. This is the first taste of a world that I’ve only encountered at the edges through my friendships, work colleagues, and books. Men in traditional Gulf Arab kanduras and women in beautiful Dubai-style abayas were a stark contrast to the bikini and tan crowd I had left on the other side of the planet. Next time I'm here I'll explore the souk, take a trip down Dubai Creek, and trek around the desert a bit. My chatty Iranian seatmate on my flight suggested that I explore some of the world-famous Dubai malls. As a people-watching exercise this appeals to me but as a shopping exercise it would be a waste; the equivalent of a diabetic in a candy shop since I couldn’t afford anything in the Louis Vuitton, Hermes or Chanel range. I'm more of a Target or Kmart range sort of gal!