Let's go to the mall...

After the long wait, we were pretty happy to see that our flight was less than half full, so the flight attendants immediately told us we were free to spread out and get more comfortable. One thing we have learned through all of our long flights is that having a seat where you can stretch your legs makes a HUGE difference!

We were really excited to finally arrive in Dubai and be off the airplane and started following the growing crowd to the immigration area. We walked...and walked...and walked...and walked a little bit more. Each step found us surrounded by more and more Russians. Finally we came down a 5th set of stairs through a room and found ourselves in the immigration area and got a place in line. Line is a bit of a grand term for the mob we found ourselves waiting in! We stood in this barely moving mob surrounded by pushy Russians (who didn't understand the concept of personal space and wanted to stand on top of us breathing down our necks) for an hour or so...Dubai certainly took their time checking passports and papers. Luckily the hour in immigration gave our luggage time to come through and be waiting for us through the doors. Apparently there is no such thing as customs in the UAE...we didn't fill in cards about what we were bringing into the country or have to be inspected by a customs officer. Interesting...

After we finally made it out, we could see Robert and Jan (Bryn's father and step mother) waiting for us, however we couldn't get to them! We first had to walk outside into a mob of Indians before going back inside...crazy and not the sort of welcome you want in a country. To tell the truth had Robert and Jan not been there waiting to drive us off, I might have turned right back around and gotten on a plane back home!

After a shower and change of clothes the warm desert became MUCH more welcoming! I was finally getting the chance to wear some of the summer things I had bought in Yokohama in February, and didn't need lots of layers and thick socks to go outside...LOVE IT!

We went to Festival City, a shopping and dining area right on one of the canals in Dubai. First impression of the first mall we saw...AMAZING! The choice of restaurants...OUTSTANDING! The evening air temperature in March...FANTASTIC! If you can't tell, I am a fan. We walked around a bit, saw a ball room dancing exhibition, got our first glimpses of the Burj Khalifa (currently the tallest building in the world) and then sat outside for some dinner.

The Burj Khalifa...really tall! I would say about 75% of our pictures were taken through the window of a moving car, so bear with us!

Arabic Coke

After dinner we went to the Intercontinental Hotel for a drink. Since the UAE is a primarily Islamic country, they don't serve alcohol in restaurants - only hotels and in special liquor shops (which you need a special license to buy). After that I could barely keep my eyes open so the hotel bed was very welcome!!

After breakfast the next morning, we set out for a whirlwind tour of Dubai. We started at the Dubai Mall (you will soon learn that the only thing to do if you are not a multi-millionaire is window shop in the numerous malls...I think if you are filthy rich there are loads of exciting things to do). No complaints about the malls being the places to see though...they have literally every store you can possibly imagine and all the ones you've never heard of! The Dubai Mall also featured lots of pretty cool water features, an aquarium, and an ice skating rink (I'm sure there was more we missed on our quick trip). Just outside is the base of the Burj Khalifa (remember, the tallest building in the world?) And one of the biggest fountains in the world...go figure they were doing maintenance on it the day we were there though.

Bryn checking out the aquarium in the Dubai Mall

One of the many crazy fountains...

Looking up at the tallest building in the world

Up close we had to take the picture at an angle to get it all in!

We drove through Sky Scraper Alley...I tell you what - the UAE must be an architects dream...it's like anything goes. We stopped briefly at a beach to take a picture of the Burj Al Arab...the sail-like building which is the only 7 star hotel in the world. Apparently you can now only go inside if you have a reservation at one of the restaurants. I'm sure it costs at least $100 for a glass of water so I will probably never see the inside of that building!

The Burj Al Arab...7 star hotel

The infinity Tower...it twists...crazy! They are still building it.

Then we drove out on Palm Island. The Atlantis Resort is out on the very end, and from there you can also see a bit of white sand out in the water - the edge of The World. Pretty cool.

Out at the end of The Palm. The world is out in the water past my head.

In front of Atlantis Resort

We had a quick lunch at the Mall of the Emirates which is also home to an indoor ski slope. Crazy. Afterwards it was off to Al Ain.

There were pictures of the Sheiks all over (pronounced like "shakes"...yeah, I didn't know that...)

My first, very brief glimpse of Dubai was good. It's amazing what money can do, and really surreal to see women wearing their black robes and veils shopping for Gucci and other fairytale brand names...I mean they can't show their hair or wrists but they can use iPhones...It almost seemed like a confused time machine or something with people stuck in the wrong century. A very interesting place indeed.