Off we go again- Dubai

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It’s 5.30 am and Tony has picked us up to go to Heathrow - we are off again this time for four and a half months starting in Dubai and ending in Singapore late March 2019.

Flying Emirates on an Airbus 380 it was a good flight eventually getting to our destination in Park Island Dubai Marina.

We were staying with our friends Katy and Steve Clements who have been out there living for a few years. A good start to our travels.

An easy evening was followed by an early morning getaway to Abu Dabhi with Katy kindly driving.
First stop the Grand Sheik Zayed Mosque - the largest mosque in the country. Words don’t really do it justice but it is a beautiful and serene space capable of holding over 40,000 worshippers. The main hall itself holding 7000.

Started in 1996 it was finished in 2007.

Next we were off to the Abu Dabhi Louvre. Interesting (well for us anyway) while we were on our Peru trip we met Gill from the National gallery in London who had consulted with the museum before it was opened.

Good museum, not too big to get round and managed around themes rather than large collections of specific artists.

Couple of hours drive back (we slept) then out that evening to dinner at The Scene, a Simon Rimmer restaurant - very nice food and a view overlooking the marina. Mind you Christmas had clearly come early in Dubai as Santa was in evidence. We then walked off the dinner around the marina and beach before bed (where I listened to Man Utd somehow beating Juventus in the Champions League).

Next day jet lag hit us and we struggled out of bed sometime after lunch! According to Katy not an uncommon occurrence with visitors.
Quick lunch then a taxi to the old town with Katy. Semi interesting fact is that Prince Charles persuaded the Sheik not to bulldoze all of the old buildings but to retain a bit of their history amongst the modern city of Dubai.

Walking along the docks we saw numerous boats loaded or being loaded with white goods and other. materials apparently heading for Iran.

Great little cafe on the water by the textile Market called Mazme cafe - worth a visit if you are there. Try the pistachio milkshake.

Next off to the Dubai mall in order to get a close up view of the Burj Khalifa - the tallest building in the world. You need to be there to get a sense of scale.
While there we watched a great fountain show and then a light show on the Butg Khalifa itself - great!

Then off to Anbar Nasseem hotel looking out on the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel for happy hour to meet with Steve and their daughter (Ella’s friend) Megan ahead of a really enjoyable meal at the Tortuga.

We got back in time to pack then a car to the airport 12.30 for a 3.30 am flight to Bangkok the onto Hanoi - thanks again Steve.

A great couple of days thanks to Steve and Katy for hosting and treating us in Dubai - couldn’t have had a better start to our travels.

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