Dubai: July 2013
We’re staying in this tower at Dubai Marina.
Skyscrapers outside our window
Aidan and Nathan are melting on our walk around Dubai Marina.
Dubai Marina
Beautiful yachts
We’re staying in the tower on the left.
We’ve nicknamed this skycraper at Dubai Marina – “Twizzler.`”
Aidan seeks out water wherever he goes, but he especially does when it’s 100-degrees!
Expending some energy at a nearby playground
Aidan and Shellie at playground
Aidan reverting to his early childhood.
Most signs are written in English and Arabic.
From the nearest Metro station to the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa, there’s a series of indoor, air-conditioned corridors with moving sidewalks. It’s probably about a quarter-mile long.
This sign is at the entrance of the Burj Khalifa.
Using an app called AutoStitch, I combined 58 photos shot from the Burj Khalifa observation deck to create this panoramic image.
Burj Khalifa, stitched together
One of the views from the Burj Khalifa
The man on the left of this building billboard is Sheik Mohammed, Dubai’s ruler and visionary.
They thought of everything. Here you see the opening on the observation deck for picture taking.
Aerial view of one of the Metro stations. They’re designed to resemble clam shells, harkening back to Dubai’s pearl harvesting past.
Nathan atop the Burj Khalifa
Hard to tell from the photo, but the man-made islands at the top are called The World. From an aerial vantage point, you’d see that they’ve been created in the shape of the continents.
These observation cameras were cool, showing Day – Live – Night – and Historical views.
Aidan, Nathan, and Shellie atop Burj Khalifa
Aidan and Shellie on observation deck of Burj Khalifa
Just kidding…
Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest structure, at 828 meters
Aidan, Shellie, and Nathan in front of Burj Khalifa
Love this! Select the store you want, and the interactive directory plots a course for you – shopping GPS.
Every mall should have two 3-story waterfalls.
No desert mall is complete without an ice rink.
Traditional dress
Iced coffee in Dubai… check.
One of several Starbucks inside Dubai Mall
Some people shop at Dubai Mall for Chanel. We… get our hair cut. The boys were due.
Happy to have less hair!
Aidan digs his new look.
Who needs a stroller when you’ve got one of these.
Seriously?! Baby Dior and Baby Gucci!
I can’t make this stuff up. There’s taxis in the mall!
Every mall needs a world-class aquarium specializing in sharks: Dubai Aquarium.
Why pay to go into the aquarium when you can see so much from the mall?
Huge sting ray at the Dubai Aquarium
Fish and rays in the mall aquarium
Shark… I’ll have to ask Aidan what kind.
So many sharks… and Aidan could identify every one.
Ski Dubai is difficult to photograph. You can see the ski run in the upper left.
Nathan gives Ski Dubai a thumbs down.
Dubai’s version of a mall food court.
Entrance to Wild Wadi
Exterior Wild Wadi Waterpark in Dubai
The world’s tallest hotel: Burj al Arab
Yep, that’s a helicopter pad.
There’s no public access to the Burj al Arab.
Difficult to tell from this angle, but the Burj al Arab is actually on it’s own man-made island.
The part of the hotel sticking out on the back is actually a restaurant.
Jumeirah Mosque and garden
Jumeirah Mosque is the only mosque in Dubai open to non-Muslims.
Entrance to Jumeirah Mosque
Jumeirah Mosque in Dubai
Minaret
Shellie, Aidan, and Nathan waiting for start of mosque tour.
Head scarves are mandatory for women inside the mosque.
Muslim man demonstrates prayer.
Board shows prayer times for the day, based on the lunar calendar.
This is how close people stand during prayer time in the mosque.
Of course, women and men stand separate. The guide says that this is so the different genders can “focus” on their prayers.
Guide discussing Muslims’ pilgrimage to Meeca.
Beautiful ceiling inside mosque
Window inside mosque
Lovely windows inside mosque
Lantern inside mosque.
Guide demonstrating the burka.
We took a boat like this called an abra across the Creek.
Wonder why I’m the only woman on this abra?
The Creek through Old Dubai
Aidan and Nathan take in the sights along the Creek.
Entrance to Spice Souk
Spice vendor
Fragrant cinnamon sticks
Don’t think that will make it home in our backpacks.
Slippers just like Aladdin
View into the souks
Flag of the United Arab Emirates
If you look closely, the pennants have the face of the Sheikh on them.
These are ancient air conditioners. Residents put wet towels on the bars. When the wind blew, cool air was forced down the chimney.
Nathan and Aidan have become pretty savvy regarding public transportation and reading train maps.
From Aquaventure, you see Atlantis The Palm Hotel in the distance.
View from the top of Leap of Faith. The Palm Jumeirah spreads out in the distance.
Wow, this is steep!
Aidan on Leap of Faith water slide
Aidan on his way down
Nathan on Leap of Faith water slide
Nathan on his way down
Nathan assessment of Leap of Faith – “thumbs up.”
Nathan really should have taken a video on this one so that you could hear Shellie’s bloodcurdling scream!
Yep, Shellie screamed all the way down!
Sharks at the base of Leap of Faith waterslide
Along with sharks and rays, there’s some beautifully-colored fish.
That’s Aidan in the tube, floating through the shark tank.
Kid play area
Swimwear for Muslim women
All the water slides start inside the Mayan-looking temple.
Man, it’s hot! At this moment, it was 102-degrees F on it’s way to 111!
Aidan and Nathan having a bit of lunch in the shade
Like everywhere else in Dubai, there’s construction. More slides are being built.
Atlantis The Palm Hotel
Chihuly glass sculpture inside the lobby of Atlantis The Palm Hotel
On the way out of Dubai, you can see that Burj Khalifa dwarfs all the other skyscrapers.
Becareful boys! You could burn yourself.
Boys baking in the desert
So this is what 114-degrees F feels like!
Ripples in the desert
Driver lets out some air in the tires before we start.
Riding on sand dune ridge
Aidan in the back seat, enjoying the air conditioning
Faster, faster…
We snag the all piece of shade within miles.
Dune bashing
We only stayed outside long enough to take these photos!
Camels are friendlier than they look.
Aidan, it’s probably not a good idea to put your hand in the camel’s mouth.
You gotta feel sorry for camels in this heat.
Nathan pets a camel.
Around the World in 72 Days 