Today I had a plan. And the plan, in its entirety, was to drink coffee and go to the beach. Vacation rocks.
I was walking to the metro, feeling that 'buzz' of pure happiness that comes over me every once in a while when I'm in a place and suddenly the coolness of it all just hits me. So I'm walking along, listening to music, smiling to myself (literally), enjoying the sun and the warmth, picturing myself on the beach, buzzing along and then I get to the metro. And it's closed. Their Friday is our Saturday and I guess they figure no one is going out that early on the first morni
ng of the weekend, so they close the whole thing down on Friday mornings and don't open until 2. Doh!
ng of the weekend, so they close the whole thing down on Friday mornings and don't open until 2. Doh! Since this is such a new city, the metro is still being constructed and there is currently only one line open. Dubai is not a 
city designed to walk anywhere as everything is so far apart. So if you can't take the metro, you take a taxi. A taxi way down to the beach would have cost me about 100 dirhams so I decided I could wait. I sat and read my book, my buzz slightly diminished.
city designed to walk anywhere as everything is so far apart. So if you can't take the metro, you take a taxi. A taxi way down to the beach would have cost me about 100 dirhams so I decided I could wait. I sat and read my book, my buzz slightly diminished. But then I got to the beach and it came back in full force. I went to the area with the famous Palm Islands, the man-made islands they created as part of their city plan. I checked 
out the mammoth, over-the-top Atlantis Hotel and the Madinat Jumeirah, another luxury hotel that has a souk that looks old but is actually new (like pretty much everything else in Dubai). But the main event of the day was the Jumeirah Beach. Oh my.
out the mammoth, over-the-top Atlantis Hotel and the Madinat Jumeirah, another luxury hotel that has a souk that looks old but is actually new (like pretty much everything else in Dubai). But the main event of the day was the Jumeirah Beach. Oh my. Turns out I had landed on the stretch of the beach that is in the shadow of the Burj Al Arab, the world's only 7-st
ar hotel and the icon of Dubai (the one that looks like a sail). I frolicked, I swam, I took dorky pictures of myself, I sunbathed, I read, I swam some more. Oh, water is SO good for the soul. At least at this time of year; in the summer here, while the outside temp reaches 125 degrees Fahrenheit, the water temp is around 110F. I've been told if you get in then, it just makes you sweat even more. Either way, today it was lovely and perfect and the best possible way to have spent my afternoon.
ar hotel and the icon of Dubai (the one that looks like a sail). I frolicked, I swam, I took dorky pictures of myself, I sunbathed, I read, I swam some more. Oh, water is SO good for the soul. At least at this time of year; in the summer here, while the outside temp reaches 125 degrees Fahrenheit, the water temp is around 110F. I've been told if you get in then, it just makes you sweat even more. Either way, today it was lovely and perfect and the best possible way to have spent my afternoon. 
2 comments:
The beach sounds lovely. I just have one question: exactly how does one "frolick"? Mom
Katy, Great pictures and wonderful description of your travels. Your blog makes us feel like we are traveling with you. You missed you calling as a writer.
"Ru" and Patti
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