After our abra ride we walked through the textile souk and went to the Dubai Museum in Al Fahidi Fort. Video of all that will come in the next post (wasn’t able to get it loaded today).
This is a three dimensional map of Dubai in the early days. I don’t think there was a label giving a specific date and even if there was I didn’t read it. Anyway, the dark brown area is the oldest part of the city and at the time depicted here, the only city. It is called Bur Dubai now, which means “mainland Dubai” to distinguish it from Deira, which came later and is across the Creek. Below is the same map, but I’ve added an arrow to show approximately where we live now. Once upon a time it was nothing but sand and brush. Now it is high rise apartments and hotels. 
Archive for May, 2009
The Good Ol’ Days
May 31, 2009Friday adventure
May 31, 2009
We took the bus down to Dubai Creek. Then we took an abra (boat taxi) across the Creek.
(Notice the baby strollers)
Video and additional photos will be posted on Sunday. Our home internet connection isn’t up to uploading videos.
Iconic Dubai
May 30, 2009
This picture was taken during twilight, so may not be a clear as it would be in sunlight. It is an iconic shot because in the background is the Burg Dubai, the world’s tallest building (red arrow). In front of that is the skeleton of a metro train station under construction (green arrow). In front of all that on the shore of Dubai Creek is a shipyard where wooden dhows are built (yellow arrow). Old and new, all in one view.
A note to the wise
May 29, 2009A note to the wise, don’t get hooked on chocolate shortbread cookies just before they become unavailable. We did this and now we are sad. Marks & Spencer, a British department store, has a small food section with a variety of cookies, chips (I think they call them crisps, not to be confused with fries which they call chips… wait, I’m confused), frozen foods, tea, preserves, etc. Anyway, the chocolate shortbread cookies have apparently been discontinued. Sigh. I am trying to drown my sorrows with blueberry and oat cookies, but it is just not the same. I may have to resort to baking my own chocolate shortbread cookies, but is it wise for an addict to be cooking things up at home?
Sights
May 28, 2009
Truck!
I was sitting on a bench in the mall, waiting for Daddybird and resting my sore feet. I felt so sorry for this manikin. Not only is she badly dressed, but she looks very uncomfortable. Poor thing!
Dates
May 26, 2009
The above picture was taken in mid April and shows the palm beginning to set on fruit (dates).
Here is a picture taken yesterday. By the time we return in August these should be ripe (if not sooner).
This is telling…
May 25, 2009I met someone new today, so she asked the usual questions – How long have you been here? When she asked “Where is your home?” I immediately answered “Deira!” Then it dawned on me she meant where do I come from. Oops. So, there it is. Deira is officially my home.
We have less than a month before we get on a plane to head back to the states. Ever since we left the States, we’ve looked forward to being back and seeing friends and family again, telling tales of our adventures and catching up on what you all have been up to, but it has snuck up on us. It just seems too soon to be time to leave again. You should all come here!
This trip is problematic. I’ve been collecting a summer reading list, knowing that, at the rate I read, there won’t be enough time to read all those titles. I also don’t want to have to carry that much weight around. If I take too many books from here, where will I put all the books I buy at Powell’s Bookstore? The life of a librarian is hard. So many books, so little time. Audio books are looking better all the time. Hmmm… I wonder where my old public library card is…
Not Oregon Grown
May 25, 2009
What did we have for dinner last night? Why “superbly fresh poultry, from around the globe.” Maybe those Arkansas chickens should stop trying to get into Oregon pretending to be Foster Farms chickens and travel the globe.
Inexplicable use of English
May 22, 2009We have a new favorite website – http://engrishfunny.com. A small warning — some of the content is not for children. It is a collection of pictures of signs and packaging with badly translated English. Very funny, especially since we see this stuff around us frequently.
Yesterday, I was in Abu Dhabi and saw a business sign “La Poupee.” We were driving by, so I didn’t see what kind of business it was, but even if it is French, it is a poor choice, I think.
Daddybird has a collection of pictures of nonsensical sayings on t-shirts. See a few of them below. I agree with Etlsac about the “slips of paper in a hat” theory related to the creation of the strange toys, but I also envision a sweatshop somewhere where the “designers” are given refrigerator poetry magnets and encouraged to arrange the words randomly to produce the slogan to be put on the t-shirts.
Roses grow wildland
Feeling plue indeed like the timre you didn’t do me
2 cool fo school
Saturday Evening Post — WORR — Unfortunately, the words at the bottom are illegible, but I am sure they didn’t make any sense.
Dream Dream — This beauty built by heart — Shining my personality — Destroy all of the culture — Bright Bright
Let’s play a fun game of Living – Non-living! Can peacocks sing? I’ve always wondered.
This is a personal favorite. Daddybird saw this and thought someone had slipped that penguin into the bear’s pants as a joke. No, the penguin was sewn to the bear. It is supposed to be a set. I’m sure there is a world of tasteless penguin in your pants jokes, but I will refrain.
Random remarks
May 22, 2009So, Linda is critiquing my use of the word “mute” (see comment on previous post). Mute refers to inability to or choice not to speak rather than choice not to write. So, what is the right word? “Illiterate” doesn’t work because it implies the inability to read as well as write, and clearly that doesn’t apply. “Dysgraphia” doesn’t work ’cause that refers to difficulty/inability in writing skills.
How about “voyeurs?” Looking on, silently. I better quit before I offend you all and you stop looking on.
Glad you have all enjoyed, or at least been astonished by, the most recent toy episode. I think that Mickey is from an alternate storyline where he accidentally got into some PCP for a “Just Say No” anti-drug campaign. Why hasn’t Disney seen the merit in the “Mickey goes berserk” concept?
A street atlas of Dubai was just published. This was a major undertaking because Dubai is a city under construction. So, this atlas includes the finished and the unfinished. It is amazingly detailed. They have marked where there are stop lights, supermarkets, banks, ATMs, gas stations, cinemas, libraries, pharmacies (only the major ones), and more. Pretty exciting to us. I’m going to suggest to the college that the new employees arriving in August be given a copy.
Living the Travel Channel 