Merging

“I set out alone … Swayed by an overmastering impulse within me and a desire long-cherished in my bosom to visit these sanctuaries. So I … quit all my dear ones, female and male … and forsook my home as birds forsake their nests.”  - Ibn Batuta

Ibn Batuta was a Moroccan explorer who traveled through countless corners of the Eastern world and documented his travels in a book called “Rihla,” (ain't got nothing on this blog though) which is translated to mean “journey.” It seemed appropriate to include an epigraph of his sayings considering the sights I've seen the past few days.  

One of the most evident qualities of the United Arab Emirates, particularly Dubai, is the collection of cultures and attractions from all over the world into one place. The Ibn Batuta Shopping Center in Dubai has woven this quality into the foundation of the building. Each court of the building is designed to resemble a different part of the world that was visited by Ibn Batuta, and therefore combines different elements of each culture, including art, food, and architecture. The Egyptian Court is embellished with hieroglyphics and leads into the Andalusia Court with tall palm trees and a ceiling that depicts a cloudy sky, making it seem as if one is standing outside. The Andalusia Court then opens up into the Persian Court with towering archways, lantern shaped chandeliers, and blue tiles. Passed the Persian Court is the Indian Court with a towering elephantine statue and lanterns dashed with gold and red patterns. The final court was the Chinese Court where red lanterns hung from every corner and a giant ship stood in the center mounted upon make-shift boulders and a large fountain. The center was designed so that walking through each court of the building was like walking through a passage into the Oriental past.

After just a short time of being in the country, it became clear that the Emirates pride itself in breaking records.  Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world and twinkles with bright silver lights that shimmer up and down the building. The tower faces a manmade waterfront supplied with natural water from the gulf wherein is placed the Dubai Fountain. As you can probably guess, the Dubai Fountain is the largest fountain in the world and shoots as high up as a 50 story building and dances to the sound of Arabian music. After waiting 30 minutes, we finally had the pleasure of watching the Fountain’s show and even caught a wave of mist despite the distance we were standing away from the platform facing the waterfront. And if the tallest building in the world and the largest fountain in the world aren't elaborate enough, a two story aquarium resides within the Dubai Mall which connects to the waterfront of the Dubai Fountain. An assortment of fish and sea life are housed within the Aquarium which domes and twists around so that a walkthrough allows one to feel as if they’re literally standing in the middle of the Ocean. The whole experience is incredible!

The last two sights explored during my time in Dubai were the Gold Souk and the Global Village. The Gold Souk was unlike any other place visited in Dubai. Tall skyscrapers were replaced with rusted shops and the paved streets lined with deliberate foliage merged into dirt roads and crammed sidewalks. The only thing that brought light to the dusty village was the shimmer of display cases featuring gold and diamonds of Indian, Palestinian, and traditional Arab design. Every corner of the market was filled with a sparkling item and a bargain. The Global Village was a completely different experience. Merchants from countries all over the world set up tents and displayed the hundreds of items they had imported to Dubai. The streets of the village were filled with trinkets from India, Kenya, Iran, Egypt, Brazil, Yemen, and countless other places. The pride of each nation was on display. Ivory elephant tusks were molded into household items and featured in the Kenyan market. Piles and piles of dates sat in baskets all around the Saudi carts and brightly patterned Belgium rugs covered the ground. And again it amazed me how people, food and goods from villages all over the world crammed into one village.

“Of all nations, of all tribes, of all people, of all tongues- before the throne stand myriads-of myriad coming from everywhere”

And to God be the Glory