OCT 8, 16 .. HELLO DUBAI .. LET'S TAKE A WALK

I enjoyed a very nice flight from Seattle Washington USA here to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) a week ago today, Saturday the 1st of October 2016.

Flying with Emirates in Business Class! What's not to enjoy!

I won't assume that all of you reading this Post are also following me on babakaps.net.  I am providing you with the below link to my other web site in case you are interested in looking over a number of nitty-gritty Dubai posts I have published on Dot.Net this past week.

babakaps.net

A few photos of my flight on Emirates.

So far, at age 80 years, I still enjoy the thrill of a long-haul, 14+ hour flight halfway around the world. 

I was born in Detroit. I have lived in, and love, Hong Kong. So it is fitting that my Dubai flight was sandwiched between those two cities!

I left Seattle on September the 30th and arrived into Dubai on October the 1st 2016. Talk about being Blinded By The Light! Sorry for the brilliance of the flash from my camera above.

There are a lot of special advantages flying Business Class.

One of them is the use of a very special lounge as you await your departure.

 I took advantage of being in the Business Class Lounge and, using my brand new LENOVO laptop, I published a Post on Dot.Net.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, in preparation for our departure for Dubai, please fasten your seat belts."

I am actually going to Dubai! How lucky can one man get!

We are in the air!

Time for Dinner!

 Time for Breakfast!

 We are in Dubai!

And there Sports Fans, is where our lives disappear to. One moment you're here. Next moment you're there.

"Mister Ali kind taxi driver, please take me to my hotel."

"Sir! That will be my pleasure."

 Wowie! What a wonderful welcome to Dubai!

My room ranks with the very best rooms that I have ever, in my entire life, had the pleasure to enjoy!

Dubai is divided into mini-communities.

My hotel AL FAREJ is in Al Murar, Community Number 117.

I will return later in this Post to the below photo showing Al Murar, my Community Number 117.

Now I am going to take you all for a walk with me. We are going to be walking only in Al Murar because I want you all to get a feeling for this basic, no-nonsense, Dubai community.

Yes we are going to see and to actually visit one very fancy, upscale, tourist hotel during our walk.  

But the feel of Al Murar is NOT that of a Dubai tourist area.

Here we go (No! Not for a walk-in-the-woods) for a walk in Al Murar.

Below is the street sign outside of my hotel Al Farej. This is almost a GPS marker point. All I have to do to get back here is to follow the grid numbering of local Al Murar Streets. You will see what I mean as we go along on our walk.

Notice the orange parking sign below. The 117A shows we are in Community Number 117, Al Murar.

In the below photo of a street sign, you can also see the reference to Community Number 117. You also can see how far we have come from our starting-point sign at streets 20 and 31b above.

They strive to keep their streets clean. 

Now as I promised you above, I am showing you the below photo again. I want you all to see the name of the road at the top, 104 Al Khaleej Road.

Just like in India, they have spelled the name of the same road differently but trust me, it is the same road. It is the Northern boundary of Al Murar.

Back again to our sign. On the left edge of Al Murar (it is almost impossible for you all to read it) is Al Musalla Road.

Below you have the real Al Musalla (Street) road. The Western boundary of Al Murar.

So when I stand (in the above photos) at this corner of Al Khaleej and Al Musalla I KNOW that I am at the Northwest corner of Al Murar.

"Captain who cares?" .. "I care because I like to know where I am!"

We have arrived at my promised upscale hotel that we are going to visit. The Hyatt Regency Dubai.

The orange parking sign confirms we are in Al Murar, Community Number 117.

Two views of the main lobby.

 A small bar facing North.

Turning around 180-Degrees and looking out the picture windows from this small bar you can see above and below the water that the Hyatt Regency Dubai faces to its North. 

Will you just look at the size of this multi-purpose Grand Ballroom! A crew was busy setting up for some gigantic dinner.

 One last look-back at my Al Murar Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Back we are on the streets of Al Murar.

Looking to the left in the far distance above you have 'My' Al Murar Banking facility.

Now we are going to walk home through Al Murar and back to my hotel.

This below sign told me I was lost. I was South of 20 Street and way West of 31b Street. Not to worry I just began to make my way back to my hotel. This amazing grid system is phenomenal.

 At least I was still in Al Murar, Community Number 117.

At the right edge of the above photo you can see my hotel Al Farej.

Above and below, right next to my hotel, are 'MY' two Super Markets.

Home at last.

By the time I got back to my hotel I was exhausted.

It was 91F ( 33C ) and I had walked a mile or more. The instant I got to my room I drank a half litre of water treated with rehydration salts and ate a hard boiled egg with some Greek Olives.

Then?

Then I bathed.

Then?

Then I lay down and slept-like-the-dead for 3-1/2 full hours.

Then?

Then I did this Post.

Now?

Now I am going to eat and lie down and rest.

A very tired  but satisfied Captain.

Epilogue. I have no doubt many, if not all of you, are wondering what the point of this Post was. Prior to coming to Dubai all I heard was how glitzy and how over powering Dubai was with all of its attractions. I set out here to show you what I will call a little slice of the Real Dubai.

Behind all of the glitz ( which I will find and which I sure will show you ) are people living real lives. Just plain basic working people. My kind of people. I am thrilled to be here in Dubai. The Hyatt Regency was wonderful in its way. 

What was the Hyatt Regency about? IF I get lost, now I can ask, "How can I get to the Hyatt Regency Dubai?" Then once at The HYATT I will know where I am and I will be able to get back home to my Al Farej Hotel. 

Never forget a good, competent, taxi driver did not know Al Murar Community Number 117. He sure would have known the Hyatt Regency Dubai wouldn't he!

Point made Captain!