This will change your life... a phrase we often repeated over the past few weeks. Specifically on a food excursion we took just 15 minutes from our hotel - more about that a bit later.
As we enter the 6th week of our stay, we have begun to step outside your typical tourist spots and attempt to walk in the shoes of the locals. Most notably was our visit to Bur Dubai (Old Dubai). Filled with gold, spice, and textile souks (markets), we found this area a great escape from the glitz of the downtown area. Bur Dubai - where a water taxi will run you $0.25 and a knock-off Michael Kors handbag sets you back $40.83. Luke will be making a return visit to finish his Christmas shopping.
Our second trip to Bur Dubai was to induldge in a 5-hour food marathon. We were fortunate to snag a reservation with the highly sought after Arva Ahmed who runs Frying Pan Adventures (www.fryingpanadventrures.com). Arva facilitated a dinner party featuring 6 establishments which represented cuisines throughout the Middle East. The food was out of this world, and this experience will change your life. No really, it will - learning about the Falafel War between Lebanon and Isreal (is real, by the way), eating a full meal with your hands for the first time since a toddler, and the effect eating for 5 hours can have on your digestive system. Anyway, our thanks to Arva for opening our eyes to "old" Dubai and filling our stomachs with the best the region has to offer.
We see the UAE as a melting pot of sorts. A place that has it all, let us explain... during our visit to Abu Dhabi we took a $1.50 metro about 10 miles out of town to a bus which we took 80 miles for $6. When fuel runs about...we don't know what fuel cost here. A simple google search didn't reveal the answer and we have not visited a gas station, but we are guessing about $0.30-$0.50 a liter. This makes transportation inexpensive. This also makes Luke not miss the Dallas Tolls. All that to say this: you can travel 90 miles for $7.50 to visit an ATM which dispenses gold (picture evidence below) - the least expensive piece ran $650... the best of both worlds. Also in Abu Dhabi is a magnificent structure - the Grand Mosque. More details on this below - just an unreal site that symbolizes the commitment of the Muslims.
Speaking of "unreal," a little R&R in the Maldives will change your life. We would tell you more about it, but we heard it is snowing back home. Never kick a man while he is down.
 |
| Abra (traditional wooden boat) ride in the Dubai Creek |
 |
| Textile Souk |
 |
| Spice on Spice on Spice |
 |
| Gold in the front, knock-off handbags in the back |
 |
| Guiness Book of World Records - Largest Gold Ring |
 |
| The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque - Abu Dhabi 8th Largest Mosque in the World, large enough to accomodate 40,000 worshipers. |
 |
| The largest hand woven carpet in the World, located in the main prayer hall; woven by 1,200 Iranian women. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque - Abu Dhabi |
 |
| Rachel was required to wear the abaya covering in the mosque. This picture came right after Luke got scolded by security that he could not put his arm around his wife for a picture. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque - Abu Dhabi |
 |
| Gold Gold Gold... buildings here. |
 |
| ATM machines here... the World's first Gold ATM machine. ...That's right, you get pieces of Gold when you insert your debit card.. no cash here. Emirates Palace - Abu Dhabi |
 |
| Frying Pan Food Tour Kunafa (Arabic cheese pie with kataifi noodle pastry on top) with the chef. |
 |
| Syrian Booza Icre Cream: Pistachio-covered, pounded ice cream made with mastic, creating an elastic texture.. you eat it with a fork!! |
 |
| Traditional Emirate Meal Chicken Machboos, Lentil Soup, Lamb Curry Per the Emirate custom, as they did not have silveware in the desert, we ate rice and lamb with our fingers... we are in no hurry to do it again!  |
 |
| Taj Exotica Resort - Maldives |
 |
| One of Rachel's top bucket list activities was to stay in an over the water villa and jump into the ocean from the deck. Done! |
 |
| A picture of a picture... that's how we roll. |
