The Reasons Why I Go Back!

The Dancing Fountain at the Mall of the Emirates! They start to “perform” at 6 p.m. and are a great and free delight!

I find that the wanderlust has hit again! I am wondering where next to go and why? For some reason, the United Arab Emirates come to mind again and I started to ask myself why! Why does the place keep being special to me? I think its the fact that she’s full of surprises! There’s always something new to see! It’s the fact that she is full of contradictions- extreme opulence and carefully concealed poverty- on the periphery! It’s the fact that in one location, with one trip to the “desert”, you can ski on ice, go on a safari, see belly dancers, ride a camel, drive on a Formula 1 race track, take boat rides, see the Atlantis, watch their attempt to beat the biggest and best! And applaud it! But most of all Dubai and Abu Dhabi (haven’t really seen the rest of the U.A.E) teach me about the creative power of man! How from nothing, with a dream and a plan; with determination and discipline, you can create something! I always leave there feeling inspired and almost invincible- like truly, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE  Okay! Enjoy the pictures. Since I cannot go back at the moment (where is the sad face smiley?), I decided to take a trip through my photo album and to take you on the trip with me! Enjoy.

The Burj Khalifa (by night or by day). It inspires me no end! Read my blog post on the Burj Khalifa if you haven’t already.

The Burj Khalifa in glorious day light.

The beautiful rooftop of the Yas Viceroy in Abu Dhabi

And the fact that right behind that rooftop, to the right, is the Formula 1 racetrack and the Abu Dhabi Marina! It is a breathtaking view to wake up to (because wake up you will! To the sound of Formula 1 drivers practicing their laps).

My future yacht berthed at the sea-view restaurant of the Yas Viceroy (Common! A girl can dream now!)

My reading spot at the Yas! Peaceful! Quiet! Overlooks the marina and of course my yacht. This is one of my major “act-as-if’s”! While waiting for my dreams to come true, I live the dreams.

The Divers Wall at the Dubai Mall (I hope! Not sure anymore if this is at the Dubai mall or the Mall of the Emirates)

The Ice-Rink and these lovely Omega clocks that dot the Dubai landscape at Malls and Roundabouts

The Dhow Rides! Good food! On water! At night with all the lovely lights! I couldn’t ask for more!

The Magician on the Dhow!

Inside the Dhow! The boats on which you have dinner while taking a cruise around the waterways in Dubai.

This massive aquarium, when you go in you are surrounded on both sides by the glass through which you see the fish and the water. I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN! It is called claustrophobia! Sorry!

The Dubai metro stations! Clean, beautiful, efficient! Made me wonder about Nigeria and the use of her oil money!

I could go on and on and will probably upload pictures of the desert safari when I find them. But suffice it to say that I feel better already! In sharing these pictures with you, I have traveled in my mind and back! Reminds me of something Ben Carson said in his book,  “Gifted Hands” about the power of books to transport us beyond our environments and current stations in life! I say Amen to that, in the half hour it took to thumb through my pictures, I went to the U.A.E and back! Smile! Have a good weekend folks! Remember to be awesome!