A Picture is worth a thousand words: The UAE through our eyes

Here are just a few shots of the UAE through our eyes...

The airport was decadent

The UAE version of X Factor

Sheikh Mohammed

They say violence is low here...good thing 'cause it looks like the guard is sleeping on the job :-)

Beautiful Arabian sand

Our tour guide/driver for our dune buggy ride

Mansion of a government official

A rose is still a rose in the UAE...I was just checking

posing for my honey :-)

My honey posing for me ;-)

Not exactly Starbucks

Yes it is very hot, but it is very windy and sandy...hence the reason for the get-up

Abu Dhabi

Acutely aware of the fact that I wanted my feet to touch the same soil that my favorite artist of all time, Janet Jackson's feet had touched, my dear husband arranged (unbeknownst to me) a private tour of Yas Marina Formula 1 Race Track, in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Yas Marina Race Track

This fixation may not be shared by many and some may not even understand the desire to see a race track, but my girl made it sexy…as she does most anything. A side bar to note; I choose destinations for different reasons (sometimes different from most people). I chose India, because of the food (and the Taj Mahal), I chose Italy to see just how far The Leaning Tower really did lean and I chose Dubai to climb to the top of the tallest building in the world.

Similarly, I chose Abu Dhabi, to see the race track. I am happy to say that although I go to a place for one reason, I come away with so much more. That is the thrill of travel and that should be the thrill of life.

So while on the tour we did see the site where Janet did her Bazaar Arabia photo shoot. We also got to tour the full marina or berth. In the marina were docked the yachts of Sheikh Mohammed and his brother and Sheikh Khalifa. This beautiful dock was accented by the elegant and futurist Marina Hotel.

One of the Royal Yachts

Marina Hotel

The surprise was how kind everyone was. This was a stark difference from Europe, a very old region that has grown tired of tourist and their wide-eyed innocence. It seemed the Emirates welcomed the questions and awe-inspired wonder of their foreign guests. Our tour guide did not have a good grasp of English, but was patient and kind and tried to answer all our many questions with accuracy.

I knelt down and grabbed some rocks from the floor of the track as a genuine keepsake that I had been there. Though it may not matter to one other person in the world but me, that day was special and I thank Jerod for making it a day to remember.

I should mention that the Yas Marina circuit is far from the only tourist attraction on Yas Island. We visited malls and stores, there is even an Ikea . We also got to visit Ferrari World which was an event in its self. Within Ferrari World was the world’s first full scale indoor amusement park built around the theme of all things Ferrari. If you didn’t get your fill there, upon leaving you could stop by the huge Ferrari Store where there was more paraphernalia than you could shake a stick at (a very expensive stick).

Abu Dhabi was not as “fancy” or developed as Dubai. It was more industrious and mountainous. However, scattered throughout the hillside were mansions and villas of government officials and members of the royal family that could rival the mansions of Beverly Hills (only a whole lot more dusty).

We experienced a sand storm in Abu Dhabi that made visibility and photography poor. The storm did not, however, dampen our “come to Jesus moment” (you know the one I wait for with bated breath on every trip?). Well, we had it at the Grand Mosque of Sheikh Zayed, the father of the current Sheikh. Housed within its walls was the world's largest chandeliers, 3 of them, costing 8 million American each. On the floor was a rug that was woven by hand by 700 Emirate women (it took them 2 whole years). Stacked on nearly every wall and in corners and in the middle of the floor were ancient Qurans (Korans), hundreds of them. The Mosque closed at 11:30am for prayer and with good fortune we skirted in within minutes of the cutoff to hear the clergy praying in their native tongue. We didn't know what they were saying, but since we happened to be there on our Sabbath day, we prayed in our own Christian way, to Jesus, our Lord.

Grand Mosque of Sheikh Zayed

We made it through the gate by the skin of our teeth

8 Million dollar chandelier

The rug that took Two years to weave

The modest sign pointing the way to the Sheikh's tomb

Tucked in a far off obscure corner of the massive acreage was the quiet tomb of Sheikh Zayed. A simple mausoleum of white marble with a small tomb stone with Arabic words was all that marked the grave of the beloved emperor. We had learned from our tour guide that in death no one is celebrated, no one is more special than another. Yay, even the ruler was laid to rest modestly, just as one of his country men. Unlike the burial for great people in our country (Elvis Presley comes to mind), there was little pomp and circumstance for this "king" .

There were many other sights and sounds to share about Abu Dhabi, but much too much to be held in the scope of this piece. Suffice it to say, just like neighboring Dubai, Abu Dhabi is a must see.

Dubai

Sometimes the more you see the smaller things all become. The spectacular and the mundane meld together making it hard to be moved by either one. I keep being told that by people who want to extract the excitement from life. More than one person has said that once you’ve seen one place you have seen them all, emphasizing that there is nothing new under the sun. I will let those people keep their lackluster view of life; as for me, this time has not yet come.

When I step off the plane in any new place I hold my breath waiting to be swept away. I close my eyes and hope that this “next place” will be more brilliant than the last. Fortunately, I have yet to be disappointed. Dubai was the Oasis I had imagined and then some. Attempting to put it in finite words would be tragic. Dubai is one of those places you just have to experience to believe it. Therefore, I will not make any feeble attempts of my own to describe what it was like being there, I will just say if ever given a chance, take that moment to experience the luxury, the splendor, the inspiration for yourself…

With that said, I would be remised if I did not at least give a few notes of merit about Dubai.

-          Although Dubai is in all estimations a young industrial and economic establishment, its infrastructure is even younger, with nearly every building of significance being a decade or less in age. The boom of construction began in 2004.

-          Bill Gates and Donald Trump have found Dubai to be fertile from a commerce perspective and have multiple projects in the works there.

-          Ever on the cutting edge of greatness, Dubai currently boasts the world’s biggest mall, the world’s tallest building (for now at least. Saudi Arabia is vying for the title as well), and world’s fastest growing tourism and economic industry.

-          Oil is its leading commodity. If the oil ever ran dry, the Emirates would have precious metals and gems to fall back on.

-          Dubai is one of 7 Emirates (the people are also called Emirates). Sheikh Mohammed is vice president of the 7 Emirates or UAE as it is commonly known, but is the genius behind the success of Dubai. He is also the "ruler" of Dubai. He spares no expense and it is his enthusiasm for education, equality and decadence that keeps the other 6 Emirates thriving. Ironically, the President of UAE, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is the ruler of only the second most powerful Emirate, Abu Dhabi. Though he is slightly eclipsed in notoriety by Sheikh Mohammed, he does at least have the honor of having the world's tallest building named after him, The Burj Khalifa.  We were informed, however, that he does have the most oil.

There were many highlights to our trip to Dubai, but the most memorable has to be our trip to “the top”, our journey inside and all the way to the top of the Burj Khalifa.

 

Up next...my private tour of the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi

Emerald Oasis of Arabia: Dubai

 

Millions of Milkshakes 

Our spring destination has changed…we were originally going to take our next adventure in South America and gaze upon The Christ, but now we have decided upon a slightly more luxurious vacation to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This mystical metropolis is an emerald in the Middle East where there is decadent shopping, exquisite pampering, the world’s tallest building and a Formula 1 race track (where my favorite of all time, Janet Jackson, posed for Bazaar). The infamous Kim Kardashian even has a milk shake shop there.

Yes, we still long to see The Christ, but the Brilliance and Majesty of the towering statue has lasted this long…hopefully, it will remain until our travels take us there.

Stay tuned…countdown to Dubai…Spring 2013!

Look below to see Janet Jackson's Harper's Bazaar photo shoot in Abu Dhabi

Yas Marina (Formula 1 Race Track) 

 

Where in the world will our travels take us next?

Why the Christ?

Travel is a freeing experience…as I have often described it…a “come to Jesus moment”. To have the opportunity to see the world and further more to see how blessed we are to be American is a priceless realization. Having had the chance to see some of this vast world I have had more than a few “come to Jesus moments”. It happened at the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa and it happened at the entrance gate of the Taj Mahal. It happened as we stood above the clouds atop of a volcano in Hawaii. It even happened at the foot of the Piton Mountains on an island called St. Lucia. But now…right this very moment, I brace myself as I venture to point my mind to our next “moment”. This time, ironically enough, it will be an actual “come to Jesus” moment.

Our next adventure is planned to take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Our choice of Brazil was not an easy one, throwing around Thailand and Australia, Morocco and New Zealand as our next vacation destinations. Egypt still being elusive due to civil unrest, the pyramids are still a few moments away. This time we wanted to return to a place tropical, a place filled with sunshine and beaches, but we still wanted to continue to check off our goal of seeing the world’s wonders. After much deliberation Rio seemed to be the sensible compromise.

Surely, we never make our decisions solely based on price or hotel reviews or flight time or cultural intrigue. No, sometimes we choose based on other important criteria that have served to sway our choice, like songs (God Is Real by India Arie - St. Lucia) and food (Curry found in India). This time it was a movie. Rio. The movie about the two Blue Macaws that fell in love. Yes, that RIO. Jamie Foxx, George Lopez…brilliant, inspiring Rio. So will we see the famous blue birds? I doubt it, but our hope is that we will see one other famous feature in Rio…The Christ.

Who is “The Christ”? More importantly, why “The Christ”?

 

 

Getty's Images

 

Briefly, the real name, the one we may actual hear in Brazil is Cristo Redentor. We in America call it Christ the Redeemer. It is the largest Art Deco piece in the world and is the 5^th largest statue of Christ in the world. It is 130ft tall. Constructed between the years of 1922 and 1931 it sits on Corcovado Mountain majestically overlooking the city of Rio. The statue was subtly constructed in the shape of cross to portray an endearing message of Christianity to the world.

I do not believe in idol worship or bowing down to structures as representatives of God, but rather giving respect to God’s handy work. Like the miracle of the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo could not have laid on his back for endless hours daily and yearly without the awesome assistance of one greater than himself (whether he was aware of it or not). Similarly, those who may have created the awe inspiring wonders of the world for the love of their companion, praise to nature, honor of self or by force by an oppressor really were caring out the handy work of God himself. At least for me, when I see these awesome wonders I can’t help but think about Heaven and how much more awesome it must be there in the presence of the real Christ who has redeemed us by his mercy.

So what will it be like to visit Tujica Forest National Park where Christ the Redeemer lives? It will be a “come to Jesus” moment…another reminder of how small we are and how big he is.

Rome

Rome was everything we had hoped that it would be! Oh, how I wish I could tell it all…but alas I cannot. If I were to share all we experienced it could take all day.

In lieu of taking all day, let’s just hit the high notes:

The Vatican: The very first thing we learned on our scenic route to the Vatican is that the Stato della Città del Vaticano, as it is called in Italy, is actually the world’s smallest country (or independent state, depending on how you look at it). Maybe you knew that, but I sure didn’t. It is 110 acres with a population of about 800 and though it sits in Rome, it is not at all governed by Rome. How cool is that?

God and Adam; the highlight of the Sistine Chapel

Yes, we saw all the sites that tourists would want to see in Rome, the Vatican Museum, St. Peter’s Basilica (it is a work of art all by itself), the Vatican Library, the Apostolic Palace and St. Peter’s Square just to name a few, but the crème de la crème, the proverbial icing on the cake, the cherry on top was of course the Sistine Chapel. It was indeed as awe inspiring as all the stories I have heard told and retold over the years of my short life.

Again, I cannot put words together that would ever express our experience there, except to say that it was yet another life changing moment.

Adam and Eve being driven from the Garden of Eden

The entire view of the Sistine Chapel, painted exactly to scale no matter where the on looker stands in the room, wow!!

The artistic genius behind the Sistine Chapel may have often been at odds with The Pope through the nine years of its creation, he may not have always been filled with the most positive of thoughts, but whatever he was thinking when he painted the breathtaking master piece, the finished product was that of sheer brilliance, sheer perfection…I was overwhelmed.

Michelangelo, the creator of the Sistine Chapel and of many other works of art, painted the ceiling lying on his back, in dim light for hours a day. At one point paint had dropped into his eyes blinding him till he could no longer see. What was his response to this unfortunate turn of events? He closed his eyes and envisioned the pictures in his head and let his hands guide him. Just in case you missed it. He painted with his eyes closed. Can we say it all together…Genius!

We saw other master pieces by Michelangelo, like the Pieta. This is the sculpture of Mary chiseled with the face of his own mother, holding the lifeless body of Christ Jesus. It brought tears to my eyes.

Michelangelo's Pieta (Mary has the face of his mother who died when he was five years old. In her open palm is the word "Mother". 

The Colosseum (this is not a typo): It was originally called the Flavian Amphitheatre. This structure is considered to be the single most heralded piece of Roman architecture.  We had the opportunity to briefly see this structure, we did not go inside, but just from the outside view I could again understand how it became a tourist attraction, if not for its longevity alone. Its construction began in 72 AD and it is still standing today. It was used for public speaking and gladiator events. It was also where plays were performed. It is where we get our blue print for coliseum construction today.

The Colosseum

There is more to be said of amazing Rome, but maybe that will be a post for a different day…but for now…

Here is the synopsis: Rome was a fitting end to a wonderful trip. This European destination, Rome, Italy was so surreal to experience. It was interesting to walk the land that was mentioned in the Bible. It was also quite intriguing to experience the nation that was once the super power of the entire world.

Apostolic Palace

St. Peter's Square

The entrance to the Vatican

Our ticket into the Vatican

Everywhere we turned there was a picture of Pope John Paul II.

He was clearly their favorite.

You’ve heard the saying, “all roads lead to Rome”, or how about, “when in Rome do as the Romans do", or even “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. Well, we now know the reason for these phrases. Our guide told us that the phrase “all roads lead to Rome” came from the fact that the roads of this major metropolis were historically built in a wheel spoke formation, sort of like a wagon wheel. For commerce and trade and other interactions with the surrounding areas these roads made easy access into Rome. Even today, with all the modern additions to the city, this concept remains true. Whether coming from Venice or Naples or Capri, all roads lead to Rome.

In addition to that, Rome is a city that was built in “layers”. There are some roads and streets that run under modern day Roman streets. There are many “eras” of building and construction in Rome. Some of the most famous structures took hundreds of years to complete leading one to agree with the notion that Rome was not built in a day.

AND when in Rome it is advantageous to comply with the rules of conduct in common courtesy (or lack thereof) and rules of the road and so on. It is essential for survival. Our guide explained to us that motorcyclist are like “mosquitoes”, no one pays them any attention they just get swatted. Pedestrians, old and young, better fear for their lives if they must cross the road on the “zebra lines”. He said it is Russian Roulette for them on a daily basis. Also, it is wise to adopt the eating habits and laid back culture. You could attempt to do as the Americans do, but I don’t know that you will get very far.    

That concludes our story…for now. Of course we are planning our next adventure and this time we need your help. Stay tuned to help us decide where in the world we go next. Until then travel smart and travel safely!

Note: Photos of the Sistine Chapel are unfortunately not our own. Due to the rules of the State of the Vatican photographers are either not allowed to photograph at all or photograph with no flash rendering the photos dark and not worth of sharing. Therefore, I supplemented very nice Sistine Chapel photos courtesy of Wikipedia.