Burj Gazing

The Burj Khalifa

I have been neglectful long enough. It has been a nice blogcation but I question, if it wasn't blogged, did it really happen? I say yes, but my parents say no.

My two weeks in Dubai whipped me out. It was a lot of chatting. I was so out of practice. I do plenty of chatting at home, but it is usually with little people, not big ones. The school wanted me to stay, and I must admit, I was tempted to set up camp in Dubai. Dubai is like the Land of Oz. It is big, bright and colorful and one would much rather spend time in the glossy city of Oz than the dismal land nearby. However--in Doha's defense--our family has a great social life here. There isn't much to do outside of our compound, but the relationships here are hard to beat.

Being away from the family wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be. Not to say that I don't LOVE my children, the silence of my room every evening was a welcomed moment. I wouldn't want to do it forever, but for two weeks, it was just right. Axel coped, and Sarita did an outstanding job of keeping my kids clean, well-rested, and properly behaved. Nannies are marvelous!

I had some time to play a bit while I was in Dubai. I got to see some old friends and view the city through different eyes. As I mentioned before, Dubai has changed a lot. I got to visit the Burj Khalifa. I didn't go up. It cost 120 bucks if you don't book online (and there is a long wait). Not only that, the Burj has experienced some electrical problems and people have been stuck on the elevator for hours 1/2 a mile up. I think I will wait out all the hiccups that are bound to happen and then give it a try. I am positive Axel and I will be there again soon.

One thing I couldn't help but think about were all the people who died to make this building. I recall a story of a Nepali man who was working on the construction and fell to his death on the 151st floor and found on the 129th. Could you imagine? Nepalis don't do well working in the Middle East construction. They are used to high altitudes and cooler temperatures. Plus, they don't make their superiors aware of their condition and many dehydrate without saying a word. The claim is sent to the insurance as a 'heart attack'. I think if I was hanging off this building doing construction, I would have had a heart attack as well.

Dubai never ceases to amaze me with all the shops and retail they are able to attract. They had a massive store devoted to candy. The picture above is about 1/4th of the total store. How many Hot Lips or Gummy Bears does one need?
The Dubai Mall is quite the sight. I spent 5 hours there and barely saw half of the mall. The place is massive. I also found Aeropostale there. I know I am too old, but I love the fit of Aero's jeans. As long as I can name a few current pop singers, I feel I am qualified to wear the clothing. I also know who Lady Gaga is and I can sing a few of her songs, which means I can wear my hair in pigtails periodically. When my kids can start singing along with me, that might be the point I must stop.

I got to ride the Metro home and it was awesome! There is something about riding a Metro in a city. You feel a kinship for some reason to the city. There is a sense of belonging. The Metro is efficient and the stops are appropriate. I thought that if the metro system was designed anything like the roads in Dubai, it would be a mess. Surprisingly, not so.

I was one of the only white people on the Metro. I didn't pay for the 'First Class' ticket, which was a whopping 2.50 dollars. Instead, I paid my one dollar and rode with the common folk. Mainly because I am not snobby like that. I am so humble too.

It is good to be back. I will now return to my other job, blogging. Ah, if it only paid as much...