Dubai - October - Confers

Largest single pane window

My October trip actually turned out better than expected. After planning the Burma/Myanmar trip since April and then having all plans crumble 3 weeks before leaving, my impromptu trip to see the Confers was wonderful.

I arrived just before miah and Dwain left for work on Thursday morning and spent the day with Harper, Flannery and Melanie the nanny. As Thursdays are their Fridays, we went out into the desert with some of their friends for some dinner, drinks and hookah.

Friday we went the Dubai Mall to go to the aquarium. It's right inside the mall and has the largest single piece of glass in the world.  I can see why they have a season pass for the kids love it.  We then had lunch overlooking the Burg Khalifa.  That night Harper, Miah and I went the American School Halloween "trick-or-treating" event.

Miah and Flannery

Saturday we met Phaedra, Erik, and Atticus at the beach. We didn't stay long as the sun sure does get hot in the desert.

Harper, Atticus, Erik

Confers

Sunday and Monday, while they worked I toured Dubai on the hop-on-and-off bus. I saw all the major highlights, downtown, different souks (markets), Dubai Museum, did a walking tour through the textile areas as well as the spice and gold souks; Jumeria Mosque, went out on The Palm to see the  Atlantis Hotel and area. I also did a boat tour down the _________

Burj ____  - 7 star hotel

 One night Miah and I went to this place called Global Village, it was similar to a mini Epcot - it had pavilions from countries all over the world. It had just opened so not all the stalls were set up but we enjoyed some cultural food and bought some gifts. I bought the most things there than I did in my visit to Dubai.

One day I met a colleague from CIS whom had lived in Dubai forn4 years and was also back visiting - Heidi Collyer.

Before meeting the Kuniks for dinner, I went up the Burj Khalifa to the 124th floor which took less than 30 seconds to get up the elevator. It was a perfect, clear night and I could see a long way.  Dinner was great- Argentinian; however it was the only day in the year Dubai does not serve alcohol as it was the eve before the holiday of Eid. Dwain was not pleased.

Burj Khalifa

view from Burj Khalifa

Fortunately, they unexpectedly got my last day off for the holiday. So Miah and I did a Desert Safari in the evening. We were picked up in a 4WD car. It was us and a family of 4 from holland. And we drove out to the red sand desert area where the dunes or hills of forever to see sand rolled up and down. And we sped up and down through the desert having a "gay ole time!!!"  This then led us to a Bedouin out in the desert, a traditional campsite of the desert people. While waiting for dinner, I had a ride on a camel, got a henna design on my hand and tried on a burka. We had dinner and first watched a twirler dancer similar to a whirling dervish and then watched a belly dancer and was then home by 10pm.

Gardens at the Bay

On my 2 week vacation here in October... I started here in Singapore - so though I relaxed a lot at home, worked on my online class, I did go out and explore Singapore.  I went to a new attraction called Gardens at the Bay - my friend Bernadette and her kids we explored the Flower Dome, the Cloud Forest and walked along the Skyway in the SuperTree Groves.

Bernadette, Brody, Delaney, Jill

Then had lunch at Keppel Marina at a restaurant called Prive Cafe!  It was a lovely day!