United Arab Emirates March 2009

Click here for photos


In March, I (Candi) had a fantastic opportunity to visit a friend in the United Arab Emirates. I spent time in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Dubai is a steel and concrete jungle in the desert that continues to expand through many, many massive construction projects. Spectacular architecture, amazing engineering, and influences from all over the world are evident at every turn. Dubai exists primarily as a business destination, but the tourism industry is growing. Abu Dhabi is not as big and glittery as Dubai, but there are still many high end hotels and very large shopping malls.

In Dubai, my adventures included window shopping at the Dubai Mall and an afternoon browsing the open air souks (markets). The Dubai Mall claims to be the largest shopping mall in the world. I only saw a small part of it, but in that small part was a full size ice rink, domed ceilings, an aquarium, a beautiful sculpture of divers in a waterfall that is several stories high, and countless jewelry and rug shops. The souks were very touristy – as in kitschy and crowded with large organized tour groups. But, I adored the spice souk where I bought yummy cardamom coffee and saffron threads. The aromas and colors were wonderful. Near the souks is the Dhow Wharf. Old wooden boats (dhows) still dock there. The boats are essentially shipping containers, bringing in goods from other countries. They are unloaded by hand. In contrast to the open air markets and the Dhow Wharf, are the modern, massive, air conditioned shopping centers with all the chain stores and restaurants you can imagine. I snapped a couple of pictures of a Starbucks and an Ikea sign written in Arabic.

The Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi is a “7 star hotel.” I’m not even sure what that means…but the foyer was definitely palatial and the food and cappuccino at the lobby café were divine. A schedule of events posted in the lobby advertised a concert by Coldplay, so I assume there is a venue big enough to have a rock concert within the hotel. We went one afternoon to see a photography exhibit; ironically the exhibit was of Europeans and scenes from Europe.

One of the most memorable cultural experiences I had in the UAE was seeing the many mosques and hearing the daily calls to prayer; the calls just before dawn were especially unforgettable. The shopping malls have ablution (cleansing) rooms and prayer rooms so people can observe the call to prayer and not have to leave the mall. Most mosques are closed for tours and non-Muslims are not permitted inside. However, The Grand Mosque, located in Abu Dhabi, is open to the public for tours. It is a project initiated by the former president of the UAE to educate people about Islam. The Grand Mosque is a beautiful structure, and stunning to see from any distance. To go inside, female visitors must wear an abaya (a full length dress) and a head scarf. These are provided at a kiosk before entering. In my experience, wearing these did not increase the amount of respect people gave to their surroundings. Many women were giggling and posing for pictures or struggling to try to keep the head scarf on or not trip over the hem of the abaya. It definitely takes a practiced hand to correctly put them on and wear them with ease.

The food was incredible. Food from anywhere in the world is available. For example, we had Indian, Japanese, Thai, Korean, and lots and lots of Lebanese food. The hotel buffets were fresh, elegant, and diverse and visually stunning. I had the absolute best falafel and tabouli at a little neighborhood restaurant in Abu Dhabi. I got addicted to zataar croissants at Starbucks and I think they should feature them in all their cafes everywhere in the world. I saw, but did not try camel's milk. Perhaps I will give it a try on the next visit.