The fourteen hour flight from New York to Germany to Dubai was tiring to say the least. After four meals of stale airplane meals and horrible films, landing was bliss, despite the fact that it was near 1 AM.Nonetheless, it was a smooth journey overall, with little challenges other than attempting to flush a German toilet.
My first day in Dubai began the same way as any other Arabday; it began with teas, fruits, and baked goods. The globe was presented to us in porcelain dishes, as the Green Tea was imported organically from China, crisp apples were imported over from Iran, and the baked goods had some French influence. The day progressed naturally with the same Arab tendency of gorging visitors with food; breakfast (or what I know as brunch) was served at around noon and included an assortment of domestic and international cheese selections, pastrami, omelets,and stuffed grape leaves. After drinking coffee in the veranda with the beautiful marina in view, we took a drive over to the Emirates Mall.
The Emirates Mall is among the largest and most lavish malls in the United Arab Emirates, and it is a place where cultures quite literally collide.UAE citizens are easy to spot in their white disdash (for men) and black abeya (for women), and foreignersare just as easy to identify with their casual shorts, T-shirts, and summerdresses. Colliding cultures was not just a happening among people either; a walk through Carfourre, a supermarket of French origin, yielded rows and rows of produce from all over the world. Spanish mandarins sat next to French chestnuts, which were housed near the Australian carrots, right alongside theEgyptian pomegranates and the South African avocados. It was amazing to see a piece of each country brought together in one place.
A walk along the second floor of the mall presented more traditional Arab and Eastern culture. A Persian carpet shop was adorned with elaborately printed rugs and ornate lamps and crystals hung from the ceilings. Right next door was the Jabber Gallery, where Arab and Oriental drawings and art were framed and proudly displayed. Meanwhile, people from all walks of life weaved in and out of each store. Arabs upon Asians upon Europeans flooded the halls of the mall. 
After a quick cappuccino and pastry break (delicious caramel cheesecake and apple crumble), we went off to the Marina Walk, located in the New Dubai area where wealth and luxury are clearly imminent. Yachts freckled the Marina which stretches beyond 10 km and empties into the Ocean. The fruity aroma of shisha (Hookah) clouded the air as youth, men and women alike sat atlittle cafes, taking in the scenery and the water pipes. Tall residentialskyscrapers towered over the Marina, and stood as proud emblems of the creativearchitecture that dominates the Emirates. Each tower, more commonly known as a “borg”was brightly lit with different colors and beautifully designed. Some towers sported a traditional Arab dome at the very top, while others had uniquely different structures all together. One such tower, still under construction, is designed to spiral upwards. The entire building curves and twists and also towers over the Marina.
All of these sites have been breathtaking to behold. The clash of people, the culinary experience, and the ornate architecture only scratch the surface of the country’s beauty. Its beauty also lies in the people’s endeavors towards safety and innovation and development. The country seems to constantly be growing and thousands upon millions of people are collectively working and striving to prosper the nation. The unity of the country, despite its many differences is beautiful in and of itself.
“If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mark 3:24-25). And to God be the Glory.
My first day in Dubai began the same way as any other Arabday; it began with teas, fruits, and baked goods. The globe was presented to us in porcelain dishes, as the Green Tea was imported organically from China, crisp apples were imported over from Iran, and the baked goods had some French influence. The day progressed naturally with the same Arab tendency of gorging visitors with food; breakfast (or what I know as brunch) was served at around noon and included an assortment of domestic and international cheese selections, pastrami, omelets,and stuffed grape leaves. After drinking coffee in the veranda with the beautiful marina in view, we took a drive over to the Emirates Mall.
The Emirates Mall is among the largest and most lavish malls in the United Arab Emirates, and it is a place where cultures quite literally collide.UAE citizens are easy to spot in their white disdash (for men) and black abeya (for women), and foreignersare just as easy to identify with their casual shorts, T-shirts, and summerdresses. Colliding cultures was not just a happening among people either; a walk through Carfourre, a supermarket of French origin, yielded rows and rows of produce from all over the world. Spanish mandarins sat next to French chestnuts, which were housed near the Australian carrots, right alongside theEgyptian pomegranates and the South African avocados. It was amazing to see a piece of each country brought together in one place.
A walk along the second floor of the mall presented more traditional Arab and Eastern culture. A Persian carpet shop was adorned with elaborately printed rugs and ornate lamps and crystals hung from the ceilings. Right next door was the Jabber Gallery, where Arab and Oriental drawings and art were framed and proudly displayed. Meanwhile, people from all walks of life weaved in and out of each store. Arabs upon Asians upon Europeans flooded the halls of the mall. 
After a quick cappuccino and pastry break (delicious caramel cheesecake and apple crumble), we went off to the Marina Walk, located in the New Dubai area where wealth and luxury are clearly imminent. Yachts freckled the Marina which stretches beyond 10 km and empties into the Ocean. The fruity aroma of shisha (Hookah) clouded the air as youth, men and women alike sat atlittle cafes, taking in the scenery and the water pipes. Tall residentialskyscrapers towered over the Marina, and stood as proud emblems of the creativearchitecture that dominates the Emirates. Each tower, more commonly known as a “borg”was brightly lit with different colors and beautifully designed. Some towers sported a traditional Arab dome at the very top, while others had uniquely different structures all together. One such tower, still under construction, is designed to spiral upwards. The entire building curves and twists and also towers over the Marina. 
All of these sites have been breathtaking to behold. The clash of people, the culinary experience, and the ornate architecture only scratch the surface of the country’s beauty. Its beauty also lies in the people’s endeavors towards safety and innovation and development. The country seems to constantly be growing and thousands upon millions of people are collectively working and striving to prosper the nation. The unity of the country, despite its many differences is beautiful in and of itself.
“If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mark 3:24-25). And to God be the Glory.
Martha--
ReplyDeleteThese pics are fantastic! The city is so beautiful and it looks like you're having a great time, I'm so glad. :)
Chanel