We flew through Dubai on our way home from the US. There were four of us: Nilda, my Brazilian friend, Nalia, Elio, and me. None of us had ever been to Dubai or the Middle East, so we were eager to get to know a new place. Our layover there was from 7pm to 5am the following morning... Emirates Airlines, presumably due to all its oil wealth, is very generous about taking care of passengers during these long layovers, so we received free hotel, free transport, and a free dinner. Nilda needed a visa, so they also gave her a free one of those. After the 14 hour flight from Seattle, we were all ready to move around... and the kids were very curious about being in a new part of the world.
While Nilda was picking up her visa, the call to prayer came on the loudspeaker at the airport. Elio started a sing-a-long session, belting out along with the 'music' like it was Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. I quickly informed him this was NOT music, and PLEASE STOP. Next, it was on to the way people were dressed. Elio is 4, so he's not embarrassed about much of anything. He also really likes Lego Ninjago right now. After watching all the women gliding around the airport in their black hijab, with only their eyes showing, Elio asked very innocently, 'Hey Nalia, are those people in black with only their eyes showing Ninjas?'
Since were weren't tired that night due to he time difference between Seattle and Dubai (11hrs!), we decided to go on a night tour of the city... this worked out perfectly because it was still 39 deg C at 9pm... imagine what it wouldn've been like during the day? We saw the Burj Khalifa, tallest building in the world and went to one of the manmade islands, AND we got our last hit of McDonalds right next to a beach on the Persian Gulf.
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| With Grandma and Grandpa on the ferry leaving Bainbridge Island |
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| On the biggest Ferris wheel in the world |
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| Ferris Wheel |
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| In front of a mosque in Dubai |
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| Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world |
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