johnsunter.com >> adventures - world >> middle east >> dubai 1
Visiting the city of dreams - Dubai (1/2).
I had heard many exciting things about Dubai.
Since our flight home passed there, we decided on a 2 day visit.
Sarah was reluctant at first. Her father Ray, works on an oil rig in the Arabian Sea and she had visited it 8 times before (for a month !).
We stayed as the guests of Sarah's dad's cousin, Larry, and his partner Adriana.
Larry was typical of the people I had read of, who lived in Dubai.
He collected us from the airport at 5:30 am. When I apologized for waking him so early, he said he normally woke at that time anyway !.
After a few hours rest, recovering from the flight, we were awakened by the house dog, Charlie. Sarah immediately befriended him.
We headed into the city to explore.
As we drive down the main highway into the city, the sun is in the sky and music is belting out of the stereo.
The Winter temperature of between 14 and 28 degrees was just right.
The famous Dubai creek, which separates both sides of the city.
Its here that the dhows, travel from across the Arabian sea, moor up, next to the creek, and trade goods.
The goods are then sold at the market next to the Creek (in times gone by, they were spices, but now, they are more likely to be colour televisions).
We charter a dhow, and travel across the creak.
Arabian Sailors have traveled vast oceans in boats like these since long before the birth of Christ.
As I take my seat on the boat, I am overtaken by the moment.
We pass some of the larger trading ships on the Creek.
Dubai's historic roots, make its present day status all the more interesting.
The country is only the size of Essex.
It had, No school until the 1950's, No electricity until the 1960's, and its first hotel was built in the 1970's.
The education system has certainly caught up.
Adriana's son went to school in Dubai, and had learned English there. He spoke English, the way a concert pianist plays the Piano, it was a delight to hear.
Today, 1.2% of Dubai residents are dollar millionaires and among its many accolades the most elaborate hotel in the world, and a ski-slope in the desert !.
Once we reach the other side of the Creek, we disembark, and wander around the old town, visiting some of remaining few traditional Souk's (Markets).
Here we wander around the spice Souk.
Everybody says Dubai is expensive (pints of lager in an ordinary pub are £5-£10) but a trip back across the Creek, on a public dhow, cost only 30p.
