We
arrived at Port Rashid, one of the largest ports in the Middle East and the
world’s largest man-made port, to find ourselves docked close to the QE2.
The
city of Dubai has about nine million people, with only one million of them actually
citizens of Dubai. The remaining millions came from approximately 200 other
countries to work there.
Burj Khalifa - World's Tallest Building
Oil
experts from Dubai began in 1958. The royal family of Dubai recognized that the
oil reserves would not last forever and looked for other ways to bolster their
economy. They made Dubai a tax-free area to appeal to tourist. It worked. They
use the profits from the oil to provide services like schools and hospitals,
but only for residents. Anyone living and working in Dubai must pay for their
own services. Rents are very high in Dubai City, so workers live far out of the
city. They also don’t bring their families but share accommodations with other
workers.
Before
Dubai became the draw for tax-free shopping, it was reliant on its pearl
industry, and then oil exports. The shallow and warm waters around Dubai
provide perfect conditions for oysters. Pearl divers, who could hold their
breath for up to two minutes would dive for pearls, some making 50 to 100 dives
a day.
On
the day of our visit, we were blessed with comfortable temperatures and light
breezes, which I understand are quite unusual for Dubai. With temperatures
reaching 110F, even the bus waiting sheds are air-conditioned.
With
only a short day in Dubai, we opted to take the Golden City tour, which took us
to the historic section of Dubai. We passed through the modern section, which
is usually what is shown in photos of the city. Skyscrapers covered the
landscape, including the world’s tallest building. We traveled on modern
motorways that had blankets of flowers and greenery on both sides, which
surprised us since we expected Dubai to be very arid.
Dubai
City was carved from the desert and relies on distilled seawater. We heard that
there are no sewers in the city and that all sewage is pumped out and taken by
tanker trucks to treatment plants far outside the city. The treated water is
then used to irrigate the numerous plants and flowers seen throughout the city.
Dubai
is continually building new canals and artificial islands to provide additional
waterfront property. Many jut out into the sea in decorative patterns like the
famous Dubai Palm. We were disappointed that we didn’t get to see the Palm Island.
One day was just not enough time to see even just the major sights.
Palm
Island was built using imported volcanic rock. Other islands are being built
with old broken concrete from demolished buildings as a base and then covered
with layers and layers of sand. It could take up to 30 years for the earth to
compact enough for anything to be built on it, but vibrating machines are now being
used to speed up the process. These new areas sell for $50 million each and the
buyers must make whatever they build on it self-sustaining and ensure zero
contamination. The use of clean energy is encouraged, and even the taxis use
hybrid cars.
Our
tour took us to the Jumeirah section of Dubai, which is the location of the
Souk Madinat Hotel, the iconic building shaped like a sail. The hotel is quite
luxurious with each level of the hotel consisting of two-floor suites. The bus
parked along the beachfront, and we had a terrific view of the hotel and the
white sand beach and emerald green water surrounding it.
Souk
Madinat Hotel
We
also had a good view of the Burj Al Arab, a hotel built in the shape of a wave.
Fences shaped like waves ran along the road.
Our
next stop was at the Jumeirah Mosque, a short distance away, where we stopped
for a quick photo take. We noticed that some of the mosques we’ve seen in our
travels have one, two, or more minarets and wondered why. When I asked someone,
I got the impression that it depends on the wealth of the community the mosque
serves, which may or may not be the full story.
Jumeirah
Mosque
Our
next stop was at the Dubai Museum, located at the site of the Al Fahidi Fort. Entering
the 18th century fort with its crenelated towers was like walking
back into history or at the very least, a scene from the movie Beau Gest.
A
subterranean museum under the fort held a number of realistic displays that
depicted life as it once was in Dubai. The scenes looked so natural, I almost
felt as though I could step right into them. They showed various aspects of
everyday life. One depicted a tailor, who sat in front of an ancient Singer
sewing machine. The exhibits were outstanding, and I would highly recommend a
visit to the Dubai Museum to anyone visiting Dubai.
Dubai
Museum – Al Fahidi Fort
Exhibits
in Museum
Models
of Young Girls Wearing Gold Necklaces
After
leaving the museum, we loaded onto one of the Abra water taxis for a trip down
the canal to the Spice Souk. Our tour guide pointed out square structures on
the tops of buildings that were open from four sides, allowing cool air to drop
inside and the hot air to be pushed out—a natural form of air conditioning.
Abra Water Taxis
After
wandering about the souk with its various stalls selling spices, textiles, and
household goods, we walked the short distance to the Gold Souk on Sikkat al
Khail Road. The souk was filled with jewelry shops specializing in gold,
jewels, and precious stones. The shop windows were filled with large, intricately
crafted gold bracelets and necklaces, some with several wide strands and
ornaments and even gold breastplates that looked like something Cleopatra would
have worn. Men carrying trays with a variety of cold beverages for sale seemed
to be doing more business than the gold merchants.
Spice
Souk
Gold
Souk
After
we returned to the ship following our tour and had lunch, we took the shuttle
to the Dubai Mall. John was still on the lookout for a new camera now that our
current one was leaving black marks on our photos.
Dubai
is a tax free city and paradise for people who like to shop. I don’t have
enough words to describe the mall. To
say that it was impressive is an understatement, in size, décor, and content. Part of the mall was in the form of a souk and was beautifully decorated. It even
contained a model of a dinosaur skeleton.
Dubai
Mall Souk
It
addition to it being the largest shopping malls I’ve ever been in, which is an
understatement, it housed one of the largest aquarium tanks we’ve ever seen.
Unfortunately, we missed seeing the divers that entered the tank to feed the
fish.
Dubai
Mall Aquarium
The
mall also had a large ice rink with people skating. A hockey team sat nearby
having coffee waiting for when they could begin their game. Entering such a
mall, it is easy to forget where you are. However, seeing men and women in
their white and black robes quickly reminded us that we were in the Middle
East.
Men
wore white robes; women wore black, including scarves covering their heads and
wrapped around their necks. In the mall, we actually saw a couple, garbed in
their robes, walking hand in hand. Since
we had been warned that there are penalties for public displays of affection,
we wondered whether that couple was pushing the boundaries of what was allowed.
Returning
to the ship, we stood on the deck and looked out at the QE2, which looked
rather deserted and forlorn. She was strung with colorful lights, as she would
never have been when actively sailing. Her tenders and lifeboats had been
removed, which altered her distinctive appearance somewhat.
QE2
(taken on our arrival in the morning)
After
the QE2 went out of commission, it was bought by investors and docked in Dubai
with the intention of turning her into a luxury hotel. Unfortunately, a turn in
the world economy stopped that. We heard several rumors about what is going to
happen to her. Earlier we read that a group of investors was trying to take her
back to the Clyde. In Dubai, we heard from one source that she was being
modified to serve as a five-star restaurant. Our tour guide said that she was
going to be used as a floating conference center that would sail around the
Arabian Gulf.
Our
first sighting of the QE2 had been in Athens in 1976 when she was fairly new.
As a young, newly-married couple, we thought that sailing on her would never be
a possibility. However, we had the good fortune to sail on her during her final
world voyage in 2008.
It
was sad that our last sighting of her would be in Dubai. She deserves much
better.
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