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In the two weeks since we left Sydney we've seen and done a lot. In fact this is the first chance I've had to take breath and write about our journey so far.
Our first stopover was in Dubai for four nights. It was hot (but not as extreme as it can get in summer) there but well airconditioned -even the bus stops are cooled. Our accommodation was great. We had decided against one of the high rise tower hotels that abound in Dubai and booked into the Orient Guest House, a B&B in the Bastakiya area of Dubai. It was south of the creek that divides the city, in the oldest part of town, in an area settled originally by traders in the 1800's. The Dubai government had restored the original buildings across about a square k and then encouraged businesses to use the restored buildings as hotels, restaurants, art galleries etc.
It was wonderful - our room had walls at least a foot thick and opened onto a outdoor courtyard where we ate breakfast and relaxed. There was no traffic in the precinct so it was very quiet and we could walk around the area at night
Ski slope
View from the charirliftthrough to the Creek and watch the boats and people on the water. It was like living in a museum and the Dubai museum (situated in and under an old fort) was, in fact, adjacent to where we were. Our guest house was connected to a local hotel where we could use the facilities and swim after spending the day out in the sun.
Dubai is interesting but not somewhere I would break my neck to get back to. There are many grand building projects happening, or not happening at the moment, and the shopping malls are amazing. We went to one that has an indoor ski slope and rode the chairlift up and back watching skiers come down the run! We did the Big Bus tour of the city, took a ride on a Dhow, walked through the fabric, gold and spice souks (markets) which were a lot of fun. There is sand a centimetreunder everything and they make huge efforts to keep the city green. We metup with Bev, a friend from Ryde, who is working as an educationaal consultant in a city out from Ahba Dabbi near the border with Oma. It was interesting to hear
how she and her family have settled in and how much she loves working in a school there.
We had a bit of a panic when there was a muck-up with my flight out of Dubai due to a Qantas error. BA said I couldn't get on the plane as the ticket wasn't right. Luckily we discovered the problem late on the day before we were due out when Col went on to do the on line check in. Unfortunately that was late at night Sydney time and we had to ring Noel to get us a phone number to ring as the only one on the Qantas website was a 1300 number. Many costly phone calls later it was fixed and I made the flight. A big complaint has gone off to Qantas as we were not happy chappies!
It was great to catch up again with Lyn's brother Barry and his beautiful wife Sonia. They have moved back into his 5 story walkup in Harley St, just behind Oxford Circus. Previously we stayed with them in Chobham, near Woking and this time we were really central. Ross and Helen were also in London to celebrate their
Watching plants grow
or is he just hopeful? 45th Anniversary, having married in Earl's Court in their early teaching careers. Barry and Sonia joined us and them, their son Peter and daughter Merrin at High Tea at Fortnum and Mason's on the Saturday afternoon, followed by Champers and smelly cheese at Peter's in Notting Hill then Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Soho into the wee small hours. The previous night we went to see the current rage show in London “Waiting for Godot” at the Theatre Royal. One unkind critic said he waited for something to happen through the first act and then repeated the experience in the second.
London was more than just food, but did we have some great experiences:
...a small French steakhouse off Malborough High Street (opposite a great Indian restaurant) where we queued in the street at 9.30, were asked not what we wanted to eat ( they only serve steak - one type a night) but how did we wanted it cooked (after a salad, it came with a special sauce and fries and seconds when you least expected them). John this could be a goer in Sydney?
...a Jamacian feast that Sonia prepared and invited Ross, Helen and Peter
Water, water, water
It takes lots of irrigation pipes to make this garden look like the one across the road to, starting with rum punch and jerk pork (to encourage you to drink more punch), many mouthwatering dishes and too many great wines!
...and on the last night Barry and Sonia took us to Pierre Gagnaire's restauarant 'Sketch', reviewed in the Qantas magazine recently by Neil Perry who described it as on of London's greatest. The service was outstanding and the flavours divine. It is in a converted 18th-century building in Mayfair,.You can dine elegantly but also bar-hop, as Sketch is a number of venues that, to confuse matters, change their agendas as the day progresses. For example, one section is an art gallery by day and "gastro-brasserie" by night. We ate in the Lecture Room and Library, with each small dish providing different taste sensations. Amuse bouche included gazpachio with a beetroot chip slivre on top, martini jellies and a dozen other tiny tasters to whet our appetites. Check the restaurant out at..http://www.sketch.uk.com/
Our museum quota included the amazingly eclectic Wallace Collection with the Laughing Cavalier and Fragonard's 'Girl on a swing' plus a huge miltary armoury and weapon collection! The other highlight was a Le Corbusier retrspective at the Barbicon. We caught up with Matt, Adam and
Irrigation everywhere
They do a huge amount of desalination to achieve the greenery his growing family and then with Sonia and her mum we went to the Chelsea Flower Show on members day. WOW- the pictures tell the story!
That's all for now - next onto Europe and meeting up with Ross and Helen in Korcula, Croatia.
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