Can this really be the desert?

The skyline of Dubai takes your breath away!  

It's not only the Burj Khalifa, the world's 

tallest building/free standing structure, 

reaching 163 floors into the dusty sky, 

it's so much more.

The world's tallest tower, biggest shopping mall, 

largest dancing fountain.........downtown 

Dubai will knock your socks off!

Our arrival at Port Rashid where we disembarked 

the QE before she continued on her World Cruise. 

Two days to explore Dubai was ahead and we were excited. 

Farewell Queen Elizabeth.......it was great seeing the world with you!

Eric, Babs, me...............gathering energy to 

brave the heat, leave our hotel, and start 

in earnest on all that sightseeing. Those famous 

visual attractions were waiting.

Before Dubai became this modern city it 
was a simple fishing port surrounded by 
date palms and sand dunes.

We took a local wooden tour boat along Dubai Creek, 

a natural seawater inlet, 

where where pearl divers, fishermen, traders 

and merchants were once centered. 

In the late 1950's the creek was dredged 

and widened and now runs 14km dividing the 

city into two districts.

The charming Bastakiya district, a National Heritage 

site which was the center of of the affluent textile 

and pearl trade in the 19th century.

Local abra (water taxi) crossing the creek.

 Amazing architecture everywhere.....my 
favorite was the curved 
building reflecting the creek water. 
Note the exquisite wooden yacht above.

 The widened creek now a true waterway through the city.

The brass mermaid figurehead on our wooden tour boat.

 Time for shopping - me, Paula and Babs - heading 

to the largest mall in the world covering

an area of 50 football pitches....

Part of the mall showing the lake, and on the far left, 

a glimpse of the Burj Kalifa towering into the sky.

Inside the mall..............

.....Paula and me in front of the huge waterfall 
with divers.....

........the aquarium showing part of the largest 

single acrylic pane in the world......

.......ice rink........

....famous Paul the French baker.....

 ...shops selling pretty French-style macarons...

.....and even that old British institution, 
Marks & Spencer, is an anchor store, we never 
miss checking out their latest offerings 
no matter the country......

........Jimmy Choo, and what seemed like a trillion 

shoe shops.......

.......with more opening any day now!
As I said, Dubai is an amazing place and it seems
like the largest of everything is being constructed
here!

Next time - teatime in the sky!