Dubai

Atlantis Hotel

Dubai, the country that is planning its future. Instead of keeping all of their eggs in one basket and pretending that their oil will last forever, they are turning the country into one of the wonders of the world in hopes that the future will attract an industry of tourism. Much like Las Vegas, out of the desert they are building ultramodern hotels to accommodate thousands and thousands of tourists from around the world. The wealth of sheiks who are behind the frenzy of building is astonishing. Each building is an architectural marvel in its own right, with unique designs, including helicopter pads, lush pool areas, murals on walls and ceilings. The number of buildings under construction is remarkable. But more remarkable than the number of buildings, is what they have done to create more waterfront property. They have taken apart mountains and transported the land to create islands. The islands are set together in the shape of palm trees and a map of the globe. With the construction of the new cruise center underway, more and more tourists will be arriving in Dubai by ship.

Ten of us got two cabs for a tour of the city highlights, stopping at the oceanfront, the Burj Al Arab Hotel (the one that looks like a sail), the Jumeriah Beach Hotel, the Mall of the Emirates to see the ski slope, the Atlantis Hotel, and the soon-to-be tallest building in the world on completion of construction. That was the morning. The group wanted to go to the souk (market) for knock-off clothing, watches, handbags, etc., so we returned in the cab for lunch on the ship.

After lunch, we took the free shuttle to the Dubai Mall, where we wandered through the Gold Souk, and the rest of the brand new and enormous mall. Returning on the shuttle to the ship, we ended our tour of Dubai, a city with promise for the future, but somehow not quite real.