Worth's first impressions Dubai

I am posting this for Worth as he could not access Blogger.

I landed in Dubai. There aren’t really words to describe Dubai. Everything to say would have to be done in superlatives. The airport is magnificent. The Skyline is unlike that of any other major city in the world. To be sure they have their share of world class buildings, but by in large, they have all been built with some degree of architectural interest. They have the tallest building in the world here and it is incredibly impressive.

I met my friend Nora Kruk who took me to a mall so large that there are at least 5 information booths to give directions and help- per FLOOR. There were dozens of restaurant choices but we went to an Italian place run by a friend of hers that she knew from high school. The food was delicious and conversation interesting. I believe that mall was perhaps the greatest congregation of ethnicities and nationalities of any building in the world excluding the United Nations. Guess what this store was selling?

Nora had difficulty finding me, apparently the Hotel that Chris has us booked in is in the hood. Or more accurately the old part of town. This area is where the locals stay and expats are in the other, newer part of town. The hotel I am in is quite comfortable and I had an excellent night of sleep. The room is small but well apportioned. Never before have I slept in a bed so tightly made. I actually had to work to get to the bottom of the bed. This is necessary because the temperature in my room is about 62 degrees. I can’t find the thermostat to turn it up but don’t think they ever turn it up because the A/C has to work overtime in this heat. Now being from La. I get heat. I understand heat. I’ve been to Las Vegas in July, hot but not overwhelming. I have to admit that the moment I got out of the airport, the heat hit me like a ton of bricks. You might think you understand what I mean, but you don’t (excluding Matthew). This will take some getting used to.

I need to get this posted and check out of the hotel and get to the airport. I don’t really have the time or energy to go exploring. With all of the issues I’ve had so far in getting this far I just don’t want to chance anything. So if I survive the taxi ride, I should be in the Kingdom tonight. (*)

(*) Taxi rides here scared me. I am not really sure I can drive in this part of the world. If we define driving skill by attempting to avoid accidents then they do the opposite. Apparently the closer you get to killing your passenger without doing so is the true measure of driving skill here. On my ride home the driver asked if I was tired because my eyes were closed. Nope…just couldn’t watch .