Report #88 Dubai, United Arab Emirates March 28, 2016 Monday Part #1 of 2 84 Pictures

Sent: Friday, April 1, 2016 12:24:07 AM
Subject:  Report #88   Dubai, United Arab Emirates   March 28, 2016   Monday   Part #1 of 2     84  Pictures

It was so good not to have to get up at 4am this morning.  Breakfast in the dining room at 8:30am was good as always.  Had lots of head waiters inquire about our safari, while some other waiters assumed we had gone to India to see the Taj Mahal, as many folks had done.  No, our adventure was unique, so there was much interest.

The bad news was that the kitchen had run out of all bananas and fresh berries.  The new delivery would be tomorrow, and we would look forward to it. 

We promised to tell you all about the security letter we had gotten.  In a nutshell, it read:

1.       We will be in a high risk area from the Straits of Hormuz between Iran and Oman, and later while we round the Arabian Peninsula into the Red Sea towards Jordan, then finally, the Suez Canal.

2.       The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization (UKMTO) will coordinate warships in this area, assigned to anti-piracy operations.  The Amsterdam will be tracked by them.  (Good to know.)

3.       A close radar watch will be kept on the bridge.

4.       Extra ship security guards will be rotating on a 24 hour anti-piracy watch from the lower promenade deck.

5.       We have four LRADS, rigged, manned, and ready for immediate use (Long Range Acoustical Devices).

6.       Charged water hoses will be stretched out on the lower promenade deck, as well as razor wire rigged around the perimeter of this walking deck.  If a boarding were attempted, it would be from deck three.

7.       In case of any emergency involving piracy, a special announcement would be made with one long blast of the ship's alarm.  Followed by "testing-testing-testing".  We would move out of our staterooms, and stay in the hallways, sitting down on the floor.  If the Captain had to suddenly turned the ship, we would fall over if we were standing.  Yes, this clarified the subject perfectly.  Thank you…………..

   

So, today we found out that 70 folks left the ship, and 60 will join tomorrow, when a new segment begins.

Also, we are not alone in Port Rashid as the Splendour of the Seas is also docked next to us.  She is slightly larger at 69,130 gross tons.  A three-star ship, the Splendour was built in 1996 and holds from 1804 to 2064 passengers.  This ship attracts families for shorter cruises.

A complimentary shuttle for us was taking guests to the fabulous Mall of Dubai, the world's largest mall, about a 25 minute ride in downtown.  The shuttle ran from 8am to 8pm.  We also had this excellent transfer last year.

We left the ship around 11am.  It was warm outside, but much more tolerable compared to the temps in Sri Lanka.  We have traveled far enough north to have escaped the worst of the humidity.  Thank goodness.  There was a hovering shroud of powdery sand in the air, indicating that the desert winds were active in the area.  Quite common this time of year, and we know it could be much worse.

In the massive terminal, we had to pass through xray, where the officials get you coming and going just like in Singapore.  Once on the coach, we noticed friends Bill & Leta heading our way.  We visited all the way to the mall.  The Dubai Mall is beyond description.  Opulent, showy, so large you need a map not to get lost.  Most impressive.

We entered the main lobby or Grand Atrium on level G, having ridden up an outdoor escalator to get here. An old car show had taken place over the weekend, and there were a few cars remaining inside the atrium.  The name of th show was Emirates Classic Car Festival.  Really a big hit with the guys.

Among the hundreds of high-end stores (highest end in the world), are several main attractions.  "Luxury" is the name of the 90 flagship stores on Fashion Avenue.  There's even a real full size dinosaur skeleton display appropriately named Dubai Dino.  It was found in Wyoming and shipped here for a massive fee for sure.  Money here is no problem….there is lots of it.

Nearby is an Olympic-sized ice skating rink large enough for figure skating events, as well as hockey matches and ice shows, concerts, and special events.

In the center of the mall is the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo.  It spans all 4 levels of the complex.  This aquarium holds 33,000 aquatic animals, among them sand tiger sharks and stingrays.  A glass-bottom boat ride and a shark dive are options for a price.

Saved the best for last….the gorgeous Dubai Fountain, located outside the back end of the mall.  Named the most spectacular fountain in the world, it is located in a sprawling shallow lake between the Dubai Mall and the Souk Al Bahar.  The fountain sprays over 150 meters in the air, as 6000 lights create an extravagant water and sound show set to dramatic music.  It is most impressive at night, but daytime is good too. 

What a perfect place to run into Barb, Ellen and Aart, where we all listened to the song, "Time to Say Goodbye", a song we remember well as the Seabourn Sun used to play it when leaving every port on their 2001 world cruise.  The three of them had just come from the Souk Al Bahar, where they were able to enjoy beers and a mango juice, which cost them $35.  The entire Dubai Mall is "dry"…..no alcohol is allowed to be sold according to Muslim law.  However, across the bridge at the other souk, they have the rights to serve liquor.  Want a beer?  You pay.

Watching the boats in the lake under the fountain, as well as the brave people riding the zipline through the water blasts was thrilling.  A moment to remember for all.  The show lasted for at least 6 minutes, and would be repeated in another hour or so.

Since time was flying by, we said our goodbyes, and continued on to explore the smaller mall.  On level three of the Souk Al Bahar, there are many cafes and restaurants where you can dine and drink while watching the view of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building at 2716 feet.  It has 163 stories, and is a tour in itself just to make your way to the top.  Tickets are sold for every level inside the Dubai Mall, and an underground tunnel connects the two.  We understand it is quite pricey to get to the top, and probably takes a half day to do it if there are crowds.

Making our way back into the mall, we decided that chicken tostada salads and a margherita pizza would be tasty at one of our favorite restaurants…..The Cheesecake Factory.  Perfect place to relax, although we were lucky to be seated right away.  It was crowded even at 2:30pm.  Lunch was every bit as good as what we get at home, and the sodas were re-fillable.  Expensive?  Yes, but not all that bad.  It was worth it.

After lunch, one of us had a mission to find some cosmetics, which should have been simple.  In hindsight, this should have been purchased before the trip since it was only eye shadow with brushes.  With all the traveling, the old ones had begun to fall apart. And the little brushes were also disintegrating.  The only place we could find cosmetics was in Bloomingdales.  There must a premium price on these items, like a luxury tax, because even the smallest kits were the equivalent of $90 US dollars.  Really?  Even a small brush was $50.  What?  Must have been made with mink hair.  Guess this purchase will have to be made elsewhere.  Not that desperate, we said thanks, but no thanks.

Time to leave, as it was nearing 5pm.  On the way out, we saw Sandra and Allan enjoying a nice cup of coffee in the center of the main hall.  We chatted for a while, having trouble hearing by now, since the area had filled up with locals and their children.  The noise level was rising by the minute.  We had spotted many tour groups from both ships, as well as other foreign groups probably from the local hotels.  This area was a perfect meeting place for these groups, adding to the noise.

Moving on, we found the shuttle outside where we had been dropped off.   As the coach pulled away from the parking spot, we saw Konnie and Dell walking towards the entrance.  Wonder if they had been geo-cashing?  They sure have fun, that's for sure.

It was close to 6pm when we got back to the terminal, due to some traffic jams on the way back.  But we still had time to check on the few souvenir shops before re-boarding.  Our only purchase was two keyrings, a camel and a teapot, as reminders of our stay here.  Since the vendor was coming up with $7.50 and we had no change, we gave him $8 and got a postcard as well.

The sun was down by 6:33pm, and we went up to deck nine to get some photos.  When the elevator door opened, our former tablemate, Ruud, was standing there.  Hugs and handshakes, we were happy to see him, as he will be joining our merry group until Rome.  With the addition of Sharon, a friend of Greg and Heo's, we will need two tables for dinner. 

We chatted all evening with everyone, especially Paul and Bonnie, who missed dinner last night.  We enjoyed the 24 ounce porterhouse steak that was on the menu for Easter dinner.  We certainly got our "beef" fix all in one night.  It was jello and sliced fruit for one of us after that ample meal. 

The show for this evening was "Spotlight", the recent picture of the year.  Way too tired to attend, we hope it will eventually show up on TV.

Looking forward to a much needed day at sea tomorrow.

Bill & Mary Ann

The Amsterdam docked in Port Rashid

Terminal at Port Rashid

The gangway on deck A

Inside the spacious terminal

Pretty cool for a terminal

Only the best and the biggest here in Dubai

Long walk to go through security

Required to pass through xray on the way out as well as coming back in

The shuttle to town was waiting

The terminal from the outside

So many new cars to be shipped, we could not count them

The start of the buildings

Each one taller

Modern

A concrete jungle

Surrounded by skyscrapers

Grounds kept green from desalinated water

Many businesses in Dubai

Architecture is unique

Older property

Gets more exotic the newer the building

The highest building in the world…….Burj Khalifa – 2716 feet

The name Emaar was on many buildings

The Dubai Mall…also the largest in the world

Here we are

The walkway into the Grand Atrium

Surrounding fountains

Mary Ann coming in with Bill & Leta (and a stranger who tagged along)

Planters full of white petunias

Burj Khalifa in the backround

Crossing over the Grand Drive

The Grand Atrium entrance

Stunning entrance

Atrium ceiling (memorize this spot...it's the way out later)

Emirates Classic Car Festival

What beauties we saw

Wonder what this one goes for?

Classic vehicles

Got a map before we ventured further

Bet this one is pricey

The Souk Atrium

We like this part of the mall…very appropriate for the area

Now that's what we call a vase

So many choices

Small, but pricey kiosks in the Souk

Silk scarves for everyone

Hot pink and blue

Looks Egyptian

Dubai Dino display

Yes, she is a real skeleton, from the family of diplodocidae dinosaurs

She is 155 million years old

Older than dirt

The Jurassic Era

Hard to imagine she was a herbivore

Yep, she was found in Wyoming

Took two years to uncover her

She died young

Local traditional gowns

The Waterfall in the mall

Fountain below the Waterfall

Looking down several levels

There are over 1200 stores here

The Star Atrium

Very appropriate….The Star Atrium

Four levels of high-end shopping

Escalator to upper level (TGI Fridays here)

The Souk Al Bahar Bridge

The Burj Khalifa – 163 stories

The Dubai Fountain

World's largest choreographed fountain

Barbie and Mary Ann

Fountain dancing in front of the Burj Khalifa

Spectacular fountain show

Dancing to the music

Cranes and new construction in the backround

The lake

Burj Khalifa

Sand art at the Souk Al Bahar

At this mall, you can get alcoholic beverages

Some typical Dubai treasures for sale

Everyone needs a camel (we already have one)

Fresh produce at a small market