Dubai

We slept through the night and woke about 8:20 a.m. We had seen a couple of people in the lobby carrying Marks* & Spe*ncer’s bags and we asked the concierge for the location of the local M&S. He ordered us a taxi which took us to the M&S. It was 10 a.m. and the shops had just opened and they were empty. Our sole purpose of going to M&S was for the food shops (Matt needed a British food fix) but it was small and disappointing. We left the store and walked across the street to the Reef Mall. We walked the mall and had coffee before we caught a taxi to the Gold Souq.

The Gold Souq was way busier than the shops. Matt and I surmised that the Emiratis must wake late since we had already been told that they dine late in the evening. We walked the Gold Souq and had a barrage of men try to sell us knock-off watches and handbags in the side alleys of the souq. Matt tried hard to get me to find something I liked but I couldn’t. I wanted a gold coin or figure but we couldn’t find anything that fit the bill. I did try on one gold and turquoise bracelet but I knew it wouldn’t be an item that I would wear often.

After the souq we took a taxi to the Emirates Mall. It is a large and impressive place. Maserati’s & Ferrari’s lined the front entrance. We visited the shops, saw the indoor ski resort and got a bite to eat for lunch. The mall started to get more crowded late in the afternoon so we left, taking a taxi back to the hotel.

Our hotel room was being cleaned when we arrived back so we headed to the pool side cabana for a drink and sat in one of the Bedouin tents. Emirates planes kept flying overhead and we could hear the call to prayer from a nearby mosque.

We went back to the room for a rest. Matt slept and I watched TV and read my book on Ethiopian culture and history.

For dinner we went to Shahrzad Restaurant in the hotel for Iranian food. The food was great. There was live entertainment which would have been entertaining if she didn’t keep interrupting the song to apologize for her sore throat!

After dinner we called Chloe in NJ and got to speak to her. It sounded like all was well. We kept thinking of her all day as we knew we would have to return to Dubai for a family vacation in the next couple of years. Dubai has all Chloe would want in a place---sunshine, beaches, swimming and skiing! They even have a Dun*kin Donuts. All she could ever want!

TOMORROW IS OLIVER DAY!!! WE ARE VERY EXCITED!