Yesterday I had to make a visa run. For those of you who are counting, I have been here for a month. Yes that is right, a month. And until I have a work visa I have to leave every 4 weeks. So I said to myself…self why don't you go to Dubai and visit some workers there and why don't you go in the morning and return that night. Ok, so I see that look on your face. And I want to stop here and let you know that I have not gone crazy. I did however underestimate how hard it would be to travel to a different country and back in less than 16 hours. Needless to say I returned last night exhausted, but I had a wonderful trip and made some really good friends. I wanted to share with you some things I learned and saw on my trip.
The emirate of Dubai is viewed by many as being the pearl of the Middle East. Every year tourists from around the globe flock to the destination, eager to experience its magic. A fascinating oasis of high rise luxury hotels, souks, golf courses & mosques surrounded by harsh sandy desert and the Persian Gulf. A stop here is well worth the effort and if you're limited for time, here's how I did it in a day.When I arrived in Dubai I was picked up by a wonderful Journeyman, Elizabeth, who took me to the one place I really wanted to go….IKEA. I spent several hours doing a little retail therapy and found the perfect bookcase to take back with me. Elizabeth, her friend Alessandria and I then went on a little sightseeing tour of the city. I saw the tallest building in the world. I is so tall that the top of the building sways a little.
We drove past the world famous Burj Al Arab hotel. Designed to mimic the sail of a traditional Arabian boat the Burj Al Arab is the most renowned landmark in Dubai. It is the tallest building in the world used exclusively as a hotel and is located on an artificial island 280 metres off-shore connected by a private causeway. I thought that it might be nice to stay there some time until I found out that a room for the night cost close to $3,000.
We made our way through the city to the most interesting mall I have ever been to. Mall of the Emirates breaks records on a number of levels; it is the largest mall in the world outside of North America, it includes the largest indoor family entertainment centre in the country and the largest indoor ski dome in the world. The highlight of the mall is the indoor ski dome, the largest of its kind, featuring real snow and chair lifts to the top. All you have to do is tip up and the entire ski, snowboarding and sledging gear is provided for (including the winter clothing). Just so there are no excuses. There are also two hotels, the Dubai Community Arts and Theatre with a 500 seat theatre and art gallery, two mosques and over 70 restaurants.
As we were leaving the mall Elizabeth noticed something going on near the exit. We walked closer and there it was something I had never seen before. I was mesmerized as I stood there and watched. It was Cirque Le Masque. What is Cirque Le Masque you ask…. An unusual mix of technical artistry and comic audience interactions. Using quick reflexes, impeccable timing, and human art, these unique performers presented us with the best of circus performances, like never seen before. In other words they are a lesser version of Cirque De Sole. More than just entertaining, I found myself totally baffled at how they did what they did. One guy twirled a pyramid and a then he twirled a cube and then he spun the cube on his forehead. There were these guys who were like human statues and they held each other off the ground in interesting, if not leg breaking ways. I mean their thigh muscles must be like rocks. But my favorite part was… well let's just call her the human slinky. And to think that Dubai brought them all the way from America just to entertain me. I feel special.
As I returned home to Bahrain I couldn't help but feel so blessed by God. I was able to see a city that many only hear about, I got to watch people contort themselves into positions that man was never meant to do, I made two really great friendship, and I did it all in one day.
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