the beach - photos to come

Saturday …. Vacation day in Dubai…. Woke up early, decided to trust the guidebook that said as of 10am Friday and Saturday starting in October the Marina walk has artisans and kiosks… so off to the marina. They have created 7miles undulating of false coastline surround by a board walk and tall residential/commercial buildings. I was excited. Taxi to the “marina walk”, coffee to go in hand (still getting use to the 7-8$ cost per latte), and I am walking in the sun along the boardwalk. It is beautiful, a sunny 35 degrees, pretty boats to lookat… but I begin to notice something, I am all by myself… serious, I saw only 2 other people… during the whole walk and not a vendor kiosk to be seen. So half way down the walk I bailed crossed the bridge and walked over to an area called JBR. This is a massive 16 tower mixed retail residential complex covering 6 to 8 massive blocks. Along the main drag (that is adjunct to the beach and beach front hotels) is a super wide sidewalk with v. upmarket retail and casual restaurants. Despite my completely sweaty state I walked into Boutique One of the places to shop in Dubai (that is not a major brand name). here you get an amazing collection of brands …most of which I could not consider affording, but I decided to have a little fun and try on some things, providing they were under 1200dhs (400$). The staff was lovely, did not care that I was not dress or that I was a sweaty mess. I selected a few things and began to try. When I came out to find a belt, I met the head stylist, she was pulling a fall / winter wardrobe and photographing every item. The items she had pulled were all my sizes so she encouraged me to try some of the fun things! So this wardrobe the stylist pulled, was for the Sheik’s daughter!! She was bringing all the clothes to the place!!

Following the shopping … I wandered the rest of the walk….found the little kiosks that were supposed to be on the marina walk … then it was off to the beach… luckily I was prepared and had my swimsuit and sarong in my bag. The beach was packed … it was great!! Baby blue warm water, with minimal surf. I tried to relax and read my book, but the people watching was too good. The Lebanese men with their major confidence and Speedos …think young Italians … too funny to see the strutting… Anyway everyone was at the beach… umbrellas, radios, coolers. These people are prepared. I could only take a few hours of the sun and surf, then a quick change and I headed back in for a late lunch on one of the terraces. Ah… lovely day.