I knew this would happen. I predicted it 8 short months ago.
Dubai, the United Arab Emirates is becoming common place to me, familiar. I am so sad that I cannot smell the salt water and spices in the air anymore. I am used to it now.
The strange and bizarre are now normal, everyday things. Once in awhile I see something that still surprises me, but not as much as I used to.
There are things about the middle east that I like, absolutely love......here is my top ten.
And unlike David Lettermen, they are in no particular order. I love them all equally.
one that is different and never thought I would ever hear my
self say that. My life has been enriched from meeting so many people from all walks of life.
Everyone keeps saying ...it is easy living in Dubai and nothing could be more true than that statement.
Dubai, the United Arab Emirates is becoming common place to me, familiar. I am so sad that I cannot smell the salt water and spices in the air anymore. I am used to it now.
The strange and bizarre are now normal, everyday things. Once in awhile I see something that still surprises me, but not as much as I used to.
And unlike David Lettermen, they are in no particular order. I love them all equally.
- I love that I do not have mail delivery in Dubai, the Middle East - Yeah ! I have finally gotten rid of junk mail. Don't you all wish you could say that ? There is no home to home or should I say, Villa to Villa mail delivery in the middle east. You can pay monthly for a post box, which very few people do, but even then the chances of getting your letters or mail are very slim. I do not miss mail, not even a little. Not having mail delivery has forced me to go paperless. I can officially say I am mean and green.
- I love camels ! How could you not - They are large, stinky, crabby animals that thrive in the desert. They are every where and I still go crazy when I see them strolling along the side of the highway, on the beach or riding in the back of a truck. But watch for a special edition blog in November ....The Annual Camel Beauty Contest will be held in Dubai. That is right, a camel beauty contest. Just imagine camels all glammed up .I can hardly wait!!
- I love driving in Dubai. It is not for the faint of heart and yes it is quite scary. Many people that live in Dubai never even attempt to drive, but not me , I knew that if I wanted freedom and to have a normal life here I would have to drive. I can honk, maneuver the round a bouts, swerve and speed with the best of them. You are always watching...one eye is on the road in front of you, while the other eye is watching for motorcycles weaving in and out of traffic at a high rate of speed, people crossing whenever they want, cars and trucks entering the roads and highways from empty sandy lots and camels, if they are on the road and get hit it is never their fault.....goodness, gracious - the driving is fun.
- I love that the people of the UAE are night owls. I am a night owl and fit in perfectly here. I have found my people ! This place does not come alive until dusk or even late into the evening. Many businesses do not even open until late afternoon and then stay open into the wee early hours of the morning. And the malls....they are packed and alive with adults, children and families at midnight . They are a peculiar people, but I fit right in. And I just heard....starting the 18th of October the malls will be open 24 hours for two weeks! Heaven.
- I love that gasoline is so cheap. What does gas cost in Dubai ? I have no idea....but it is cheap !I have never seen one advertisement of gas and the prices are never posted. I don't think anyone even cares. We filled up our SUV last Saturday and paid 92 cents a gallon. Besides the gas being cheap, the gas stations also have gas attendants - you never have to leave your car. You pull up, tell the attendant, "fill up with special",sit back and relax while they wash your windows and shine your tires. If you would like a drink from inside, they will even get a person to run inside and buy you whatever your heart desires. Oh, life is good !
- I love the white sandy beaches. Magnificent ! Enough said.
- I love the diversity of the people in Dubai and my new international friends. I don't know if you can find anywhere else in the world the diversity of people and cultures that you can find in the middle east, especially Dubai. Never in my life have I met people from so many different countries. I have learned so much about traditional dress, languages, the customs and the best part food. But no matter what....I will never eat the duck egg . The egg is an almost completely formed duck, with feathers and all. Everyone keeps saying, close your eyes and don't look at what you are eating. What ...even with my eyes closed I know what I am eating...never !
one that is different and never thought I would ever hear my
self say that. My life has been enriched from meeting so many people from all walks of life.
- I love both the glitz and the grit . Dubai is a city of contrast, the most glitzy to the most gritty and I like them both, but I especially love the old sections of town, the small dirty shops and sun bleached run down Arabic looking homes with elaborate metal doors. That is where all the best treasures and food can be found. The high tech and sparkly glitz amaze me also. Gold, diamonds and expensive cars are abundant in Dubai. And if it is not all gold , many objects are gold plated, like cars, phones, statues and flagpoles. When we saw a a TV commercial for drapes encrusted with "diamond's" yesterday, we knew that the people here have a little too much money.
- I love the architecture . No two buildings are the same, expect the two towering "Chrysler " buildings. You will never see buildings like this in the United States. The few requirements are ...Glass, steel and colored lights, with the final requirement ...how unusual or abstract can we build it. I have stood in awe at some of the buildings and think, " how did they do that ? It was announced last week that Saudi Arabia was going to build a skyscraper taller than the tallest building in world , the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Oh no, I can sense the competition to go even higher is on.
- I love string cats ! Cats, cats and more cats roam the city. They are everywhere and can be seen in the strangest places. One of Dubai's string cats even made it all the way to France last week on an Emirates Airlines flight. The stray cats are called string cats because of their long sleek skinny bodies .They have Arabic looking eyes and the pointy ears. The string cats behave as if they own the place and we, the humans are in their way. Cats with attitudes...gotta love it.
Everyone keeps saying ...it is easy living in Dubai and nothing could be more true than that statement.
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