Did you know in 2002 the ruler of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) forgave all loans for his citizens? That’s right – car loans, mortgages, credit card debit. It was all paid off.

Its just part of my new found knowledge after a tour to Al Ain with Arabian Adventures. It’s the best “value for your money” trip so far because our tour guide was a walking encyclopedia of Middle Eastern knowledge.

Al Ain is a one-hour bus ride from Dubai nestled in the Abu Dhabi Emirates. The name reminded me of Aladdin so I rubbed every lamp I saw. If I had three wishes…

Abu Dhabi is the richest emirate in the UAE because oil was discovered earlier and there’s a lot more of it. Our tour guide said Dubai has about 10 years left in oil supply while Abu Dhabi has over 100.

Al Ain is the second largest city in Abu Dhabi and lies on the border of Oman. It’s also called the “Garden City” because it is an oasis in the desert with natural springs and an intricate irrigation system.

First stop- the camel market. Apparently they bite so I gave the camels their personal space. No need to get feisty. Meanwhile the buyers and sellers tried to “take pictures” for us but getting your camera back meant a 10 dirham bribe. The camels are often referred to as the “ships of the desert.” Owning a camel is better than driving around in that sexy sports car.

The trip involved numerous stops complete with antidotes from our tour guide. We drove to the top of Jebel Hafeet, the largest mountain in the UAE at 1600 metres. Lunch was served at a hotel on the peak of the mountain.

Believe it or not. At the base of the mountain we discovered hot springs at Green Mubazzarah, a green landscaped park. It looked more like a golf course thanks to irrigation. I love hot springs but on a sweltering day give me a glacier fed lake.

Despite the sweat and the simmering sunburn, I hopped in the bubbling water. I’m not going to sugar coat it – the water was super hot. My dad and I jumped around and turned our toes bright red. How long can you handle the hot water? Hard-boiled or not, it was a sweet day.

Believe it or not – there are mountains in United Arab Emirates and I’ve got pictures to prove it.

Last weekend my Dad signed us up for a tour of the Hatta Mountains with Oasis Adventures. It was a five-hour tour complete with “Indian techno.” Our tour guide didn’t speak much English or didn’t want to. Instead he blasted the music and sang a long under his breath.

Hatta is a small town nestled at the foot of the Hajar Mountains, about 100 kilometres from Dubai. It’s home to the oldest fort in the emirate sort of like Fort Langley with less wood and more sand.

We drove past the village and after a brief detour for a flat tire; we arrived at the Hatta pools. Imagine deep strangely shaped canyons carved from floodwater. Along with a few Filipino families, we went for a swim. Dad didn’t like the little fish that swarmed and then nibbled on your toes. I kept the Chacos on…fish or no fish.

Although different, the mountains made me think of home.

We also stopped at the Hatta Heritage Village, which is 3,000 years old. The village included a fortress built by Sheikh Maktoum bin Hasher Al Maktoum in 1896. It’s full of old weapons. You know swords, armour, and stuff. I don’t even think I could lift half of it let along kill someone with it. I’ll stick with ivory handguns.

Steering a sailboat is sort of like driving with bald tires on ice – it’s a double edge sword that could go either way. Capture the wind.

In University I had big plans with a friend of mine to start a “boat business” in South America somewhere. We would take people out for dinner tours while other friends steered the ship. Granted I am from Alberta and the only ocean I had seen was Sylvan Lake. But why let reality cloud a great plan…

After a day on a sailboat courtesy of Lindy and Doug, two South Africans, the boat business dream has been rekindled. I also want to live in a van one day and drive around to the best rock climbing spots in North America but after sailing I could switch to a boat.

The waters of the Arabian Gulf are crystal blue and the ocean is warmer than you average “freeze my ass” Canadian Lake. While sipping on sprizters, we watched the sunset and talked about music. It was one of those times where you try and memorize every detail for future daydreams.

It seems that around every passion a tight community forms. The scene at the sailing club betrayed a love for the ocean. Friends slapping each other on back, teasing about the last race, and jumping onto each other’s boats for a drink. I met a lady who invited my Dad and I onto her boat for a tour. Despite nearing retirement, her long blond hair and tanned skin made her young and vibrant.

She had pictures on the wall of her life. It included a huge map, which traced her journey around the world. She gave birth to her first son on that boat. Now her kids are grown and she’s leaving for another spin around the globe with her husband. They set sail soon.

Give me adventures in this life.

The desert is the environment of revelation, genetically and physiologically alien, sensorily austere, esthetically abstract, historically inimical…It’s forms are bold and suggestive. The mind is beset by light and space, the kinesthetic novelty of aridity, high temperature, and wind. The desert sky is encircling, majestic, terrible. In other habitats, the rim of sky above the horizontal is broken or obscured; here, together with the overhead portion, it is infinitely vaster than that of rolling countryside and forest lands…In an unobstructed sky the clouds seem more massive, sometimes grandly reflecting the earth’s curvature on their conclave undersides. The angularity of desert landforms imparts a monumental architecture to the clouds as well as to the land.

To the desert go the prophets and hermits; through deserts go pilgrims and exiles. Here the leaders of the great religions have sought the therapeutic and spiritual values of retreat, not to escape but to find reality.

Paul Shepard
Man in the Landscape” A Historic View of the Esthetics of Nature

Prada Bag? Rolex watch? Gucci Sunglasses? Madame? Prada Bag? Rolex watch?

If I don’t give them eye contact maybe they won’t pursue. Crap, they follow me for a few steps. Repeating their motto. I shake my head, quicken the pace, and brace myself for the next round. If you’re looking for Gucci knock offs, the Dubai souks are the ticket.

I’ll admit I was a bit nervous after a friend told me to bring an escort to the gold souk. How bad could it be? I skipped the escort in favour of walking shoes. It’s not that bad…I didn’t get mugged but paid too much for a purse that broke the next day.

In the United Arab Emirates, souks are the traditional trading areas. In keeping with tradition, bargaining is expected and cash is the best bargaining tool. The meandering lanes of the gold souk sell everything from silver, pearls, and precious stones. I thought about adding a little “bling" to my look but decided it would clash with my ski boots once I got home.

The textile souk was my favourite spot because you can find fabric of every colour and style imaginable. If you buy fabric, you can stop at a tailoring shop to get a dress made. As much as I needed another sparkling, floor length ball gown, I skipped the tailors and bought a scarf.

The souks are prime territory for “people watching.” The sights and sounds are amazing as Europeans mix with veiled ladies, haggling shopkeepers, and old men hauling merchandise. Eager salesmen pick you from the crowds, ask where you’re from, chuckle, and guarantee you’ll get the “special price.”

I emerged from the souks sweaty and smiling because they don’t have anything like this at home. It’s chaotic and a little strung out kinda like Wall Mart on crack.

Shisha

Bab Al Shams Desert Resort and Spa, which translates as “The Gateway to the Sun,” is an elegant resort in a traditional Arabic Fort setting. It’s where I smoked my first Shisha Pipe.

The Bab Al Shams is the best deal in town because you board a bus at the Jumeriah Beach Hotel and drive 35 minutes into the desert. It’s a free ride. Lively music greets you the moment you step off the bus. We found the rooftop bar and some comfy lounge seats. The Arabs know how to lounge!

Puffing on a shisha pipe is a common sight in the Middle East. A Shisha consists of tobacco mixed with molasses and a variety of fruity flavours, which is smoked from a water pipe.

Smoking a shisha was on my “to do” list. With my inhaler ready (I’m a geeky asthma kid) I ordered a grape shisha pipe. It’s actually not that bad because it smells a heck of a lot better than cigarettes. It’s sort of like a smoky version of a grape lollipop. I hacked and coughed but now I can tell about the Shisha episode of ’06.

The Bab Al Shams is one of my favourite spots so far because you’re out of the city. The stars shine brighter and I could pick out my usual constellations – the big dipper, Cassiopeia and the little dipper.

Once again. The night seemed like a reverie, a dream…

The earliest Dubai settlement was near the mouth of the creek, which was eventually dredged to create a larger body of water. Then a city sprang up and the world started coming to Dubai. An oasis in the desert.

I think most towns spring up around rivers and creeks – serving as a life source for the pioneers. I decided to walk the creek and it didn’t take long to become totally soaked with sweat. It’s hot here. When you can’t drink in public, you become obsessive about water. I watched the Muslim construction workers and wondered how they work all day without eating or drinking during Ramadan.

My stroll along the creek reminded me that I was actually in another country. I couldn’t see any signs for Starbucks or McDonalds. Instead, the creek is lined with souks (markets). You can cross from one side of the creek to the other in a traditional water taxi (“abra”).

I wasn’t sure what the price of a boat ride was but wandered onboard and hoped for the best. The ride lasts about five minutes and 500 snapshots on the digital camera. Turns out the ride was only about 10 cents.

The bridges across the creek are super congested so it’s estimated that 15,000 people use water taxis everyday. Join the masses!

Check out these guys! It’s so nice that the locals willingly pose for photos. Ha ha. Actually they are part of the Dubai Museum. Forever frozen in time – weaving, bartering, or whatever.

I went on a safari of sorts – in search of the Dubai Museum. I had a vague idea of where to go but sort of stumbled on it. It’s how I find everything from Shannon’s Farm to places in Vancouver. It’s all a feeling.

Generally museums require patience. You stand respectively at each exhibit, politely reading the information and trying to look engaged. By the end you silently curse the endless exhibits and search for a place to buy coffee. In a different country and culture – even the most mundane activities become fascinating. It somehow feels exotic//

Fascinating fact #1: The Dubai Museum is the oldest building in the city, dating back to 1787

Fascinating fact #2: Dubai used to rely on pearl diving and fishing before oil was discovered.

I walked through the museum spying different blades from warriors of the past. A spiral staircase brought me to the exhibits – designed to showcase life in the United Arab Emirates. Side by side with other pasty white westerners – I snapped photo with a tourist’s vigor. For three duhrams (one dollar) I left oozing enlightenment or sweat – it’s hard to tell.

The Night of the Iftar

Iftar: during Ramadan, Muslims fast and abstain from all food, drinks, and cigarettes between dawn and dusk. In the evening, the fast is broken with the Iftar feast.

After scanning the paper we found the feast of choice on the 24th floor of the Dusit Dubai hotel. It was about $40 per person for entrance into the feast. Typically an iftar feast starts with the eating of dates, a common desert fruit.

We stepped out of the elevator into a massive banquet area. Tables of food surrounded us. I scanned the area for a bottle of ketchup and none could be found. I knew it was one swanky shindig.

The restaurant was opulent, complete with a mandolin player who peered up at you through his hair. I think he was trying to be mysterious and sexy. I avoided eye contact.

Banquets are moments where you wish for a bigger stomach so you could sample every type of food and come back for seconds. I tried to eat new dishes and had varying amounts of success. They had everything from lasagna to shwarmas ( a popular middle eastern sandwich)

To be honest my favourite part of the Iftar feast was the many tables of desserts.

At one point I walked up to a platter of fresh fruit and wondered where the forks where until I realized the point. Skewer a piece of fruit and dip it in the large chocolate fountain in front of me. I giggled and piled a massive amount of fruit on my plate. It was straight from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Has anyone seen the Umpa Lumpas?

I wanted to take more photos of the feast but felt bringing a camera into the banquet would be bad taste. “You in the veil? Could you pose with the meatballs. Nice. The camera really likes you.”

After rolling out of the Iftar we took a cab to Jumeriah Beach Hotel. I used to think the Red Deer Lodge was swanky until I walked into this joint. It was crazy opulent. I straightened my skirt and seriously thought about the need for designer clothes.

The Jumeriah Beach Hotel is built in the shape of an ocean wave with a variety of restaurants and pools surrounding it. If you go for the day, waiters serve you on the beach with your choice of food and drinks. Crazy.

Our destination was the 360-degree bar, perched on an ocean peninsula. We were whisked away in a golf cart. I tried to take photos from the cart but almost dropped the camera. Bad idea. The bar is a 360 patio with a view of the ocean and the Burj Al Arab- the world’s tallest hotel, which resembles a billowing sail. It costs $50 to get a tour.

The bar had these huge couches so we lounged under the stars and watched the lights of the Burj Al Arab. The bar was non-alcoholic but we settled on virgin pina colodas while other patrons smoked Shisha pipes. Asthma or not – I am smoking a pipe before I leave.

I felt a bit like royalty on the Night of the Iftar – a princess of sorts, minus the good manners and swanky clothes.

The sun was beating as brightly as ever so I dragged my Dad to a new beach, Al Mamzar Beach Park. It was huge with four separate beaches – four inlets. A beautiful spot and seems more popular with the locals rather than the tourists. We explored the beaches and dipped into the water when we got too hot…

The water is sloshing in my ears. I just saw a translucent little swordfish and for a moment a “JAWS” type panic gripped me. I wanted to run out of the water for the safety of the burning sand but decided it was too much effort.

Every once in awhile a lazy wave splashes my face and my eyes sting from the salt water. I stop floating and rub my eyes. The beach is full of Westerners. Judging from the Speedos and thongs – most of them are European. They are languishing on towels and rented beach chairs mostly in the shade of the palm trees because the heat is oppressive.

Two Muslim men dressed in kanduras (white full length shirt dresses) are wandering around the beach. I am not in Hawaii after all. They are carrying a digital camera and stop to take photos of the women in bikinis. I decide to watch from the water while they pass. A security guard approaches and after an argument, the men are escorted off the beach.

These men are the exception in the United Arab Emirates. I continue floating. The Arabian Gulf seems to a have high salt content because I am practically hovering over the water. The ocean is turquoise and lukewarm. Apparently the water is home to tropical fish, jellyfish, coral, sea cows, sharks, turtles, and whales. Don’t eat me.

Jumeira Beach Park is a public spot with a cheap admission fee. It’s a one-kilometre stretch of golden sand complete with palm trees. It’s beautiful.

I can hear the call to prayer in the distance. It’s transmitted through loudspeakers on the minarets of each mosque – ensuring that everyone knows it’s time to pray. In Dubai, the plan is to build enough mosques so people don’t have to walk more than 500 metres to pray.

I drip my way back to my beach towel, hopping from one shady spot to the next - a futile attempt to keep the sand from burning my feet. Should’ve bought flip flops…

Ski Dubai…

I went skiing yesterday, which seems a bit strange since I’m in the Middle East. It’s like visiting the world’s largest Ukrainian Egg in Vegreville Alberta. You have to stand next to the “man-made over statement” and smile for the camera. You check it off the list and go to the next “worlds biggest.” When others marvel about it, you can smile smugly and talk about the day you went skiing in Dubai…

Ski Dubai is a huge tube that extends behind and above the Mall of the Emirates. It claims to have the world’s first indoor “black” run but the creators have never seen Whistler. It also has a 90-metre indoor quarter pipe and a few rails. The slope has indoor chairlifts and a t-bar.

My Dad and I eagerly laid down some cash for a chance to ski in the Middle East. We were given boots, skis, a jacket, and snow pants. I forgot a toque so I jumped at the chance for a helmet to keep my noggin warm.

It was shocking to step into a frozen world with real snow and sub-zero temperatures. I yearned for an extra layer of fat and vowed to eat more pie when given a chance. Bring on the apple pie and don’t spare the whip cream!

The slope was similar to your average Whistler “bunny” hill. It was groomed and I managed to snag a bit of corduroy. I could’ve hit up the rail but decided against it. Instead I made tracks on the slope – averaging five short turns before reaching the bottom. Each run with the chairlift ride included took about five minutes.

There were a few Africans flying down the hill with no idea what they were doing. They just stood up and crashed a few metres later. It was hilarious – I had tears in my eyes watching them. The rest seemed to be from Austria and skied with the precision of Olympic stars. Maybe Ski Dubai reminded everyone of home.

In two hours my Dad and I accumulated well over 20 runs. Mostly we posed for the camera and took turns filming each other. By the end, I had a runny nose, my fingers were frozen, and I wanted hot chocolate… We found a restaurant, ordered hot apple pie, and steaming drinks.

Ski Dubai is checked off the list…anyone know where I can find the world’s largest fork?

The geographic low down…

The United Arab Emirates is situated at the eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula bordering Saudi Arabia and Oman with coastlines on both the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. The country is made up of seven different emirates – Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm Al Quwain.

Dubai is the second largest Emirate and the coast is littered with coral reefs and over 200 islands, most of which are uninhabited. Dubai is a trading hub and a strange cosmopolitan Shangri-Lai smack dab in the Middle East. It’s not unusual to walk through a crowd and hear 12 different languages. Everyone seems to be here for the same reason – the promise of money. It’s the second richest Arab country after Qatar.

The wealth seems to seep from the pores of this place. The buildings are constructed with opulence and painstaking detail. My Dad’s apartment is almost completely marble. The construction continues at a rapid pace and I feel like I am watching the building of an empire. Perhaps it’s similar to the creation of New York except with a distinct Middle East flavour.

It’s a strange harmony here. After a trip to IKEA, I had to remind myself that I took a 16-hour plane ride to get here. You almost forget until the call to prayer reminds you where you are.
Ramadan..

Islam is the official religion of Dubai and Ramadan is the holy month in which Muslims commemorate the revelation of the Quran. Muslims abstain from all food, drinks, and cigarettes between dawn and dusk. In the evenings the fast is broken with the Iftar feast.

I arrived in Dubai- in the middle of Ramadan. As a sign of respect, non-Muslims are also required to refrain from eating in public places. You can still find a few open restaurants but the curtains are drawn tight and you have to enter from the back,

In the evening - all over the city, Ramadan tents are filled to the brim with people feasting and enjoying a few puffs of the shisha. It ends later this month with a three-day celebration similar to a westerner’s Christmas…

Religion…

Religion is woven into the fabric of life in the Middle East. It is seems much less compartmentalized than the North American version of Christianity. They sit on opposite ends of the spectrum.

Cofi..

I met man yesterday named Cofi (pronounced Coffee). He’s my Dad’s housekeeper and a seemingly genuine human being. Before I arrived, he told my Dad that God spoke to him. God told him to give me his resume as a way of getting into Canada.

Coffi is a Hindu from Sri Lanka. He works as a cleaner in the hospital and does housework on the side. He sends his money back to Sri Lanka where he has a wife and two kids. We bumped into Cofi at the grocery store…

Cofi had been carrying around his resume for a few days in hopes of meeting me – his hopes bound to a few sheets of paper. He was overjoyed to see us in the bulk food section.

Sitting at a table Cofi showed me his employee of the month certificate. He looked at me with great hope that I could change his situation. Cofi visits Sri Lanka every 22 months and his wife works in the tea fields. He said they didn’t have enough to eat until he went to Dubai. Cofi said his dream is to live in Canada with his family.

So now I have a resume from a man named Cofi. I told him to check the Canadian embassy, to follow the proper channels… Cofi said he prayed to Jesus who told him to give me his resume. I could see the faith in his eyes. I wondered if it was strong enough to handle disappointment. If I could get him a job- I would.

Made it to Dubai..finally after a 10 hour or so delay in London. I just realized it is already Wednesday, I seemed to have lost a few days in the travels. Today was my first offical day in Dubai because yesterday was kind of a write off- just a lot of time sleeping.

My Dd left this morning and armed me with a cell phone and the keys to the apartment. I guess he just feels better if I am totting a cell phone around.

It's a pretty interesting place so far. My Dad's roommate is a an American/Phillipino dude that might be the friendliest person I have ever met. He played tour guide today along with this other English dude. They showed me a few things in the city. I don't think the guys stopped talking the entire time and I was just happy to listen.

It's extremely hot and humind here and I basically want to run around naked most of the time. I resist because I think it would scanadalize the Muslim folks- although things are pretty Liberal.

My Dad's roommate took me to this incredible beach today! It was full of palm trees, white sand and green grass. It was off the Arabian Gulf ocean. The water is like bright blue, warm, and I think you would float. The salt content is super high so you're super bouyant. I was practically hovering over the water. The beach was full of Europeans so I might get a good bikini tan after all.

Sorry Jodes, I got a bit crispy today. But I put on 45 sunscreen!

After the beach, My Dad's roommate made this amazing fish meal with lots of tasty stuff. His passion for cooking reminds me of Ficus's - it's funny.

The taxis are funny here because none of the drivers know how to get around the city so it's a bit sketchy. I'm a bit sacred to do it myself because I don't have a clue where I am going half the time. I guess they'll just drive around in circles until your fare is huge. Awesome...

I promise to take more pictures haven't gotten around to it. I think we'll be at this internet cafe often because my Dad chats with Ria, his girlfriend online most nights.

There's more to be said about this place but l8tr!