APR 20, 17 .. SKI SLOPES IN DUBAI AT SKI DUBAI ..

The ever-present 'committee-inside-my-head' is really hard-at-work and very busy.

The so called committee inside of my head is telling me that ..

NO ONE wants to see this Post about SKI DUBAI, etc et al.

Well committee, NO ONE has even had the opportunity NOT to see it. Go Figure. If you can get with me here, this Post also shows some of Dubai as well as the Mall of the Emirates.

"Captain we want to see the Grand Canyon." 

"You will indeed see The Grand Canyon I promise."

Last November 22, 2016, I published a Post about my first visits to SKI DUBAI. Yes! This Post will overlap that first post, but, this will be an all inclusive visit to SKI DUBAI.

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In my Post, dated April the 2nd, I showed the ski slopes in the Arizona SNOWBOWL 7-miles outside of Flagstaff Arizona.

Below are photos taken Saturday the 8th of April, at the Arizona SNOWBOWL. Skiing back then was still alive and well in Northern Arizona!

"Captain we didn't see any skiers." .. "Patti and I visited after hours (5pm) and got to see the grooming machine with NO skiers on the slopes and no traffic."

"Ah-h-h Captain? What about SKI DUBAI? Isn't this Post supposed to be about SKI DUBAI?"

And then it hit me. Thanks to the Arizona SNOWBOWL, suddenly the passion to, at long last, do a full Post of SKI DUBAI came upon me.

Back we now go to Dubai. Back we now go to the United Arab Emirates. Back we now go to SKI DUBAI.

When I was advised by Alaska Airlines last summer, that the only airline route they could give me from Seattle Washington to Hong Kong China, was via Dubai I was thrilled.

For some years, I had heard about the indoor ski slope in Dubai out in the desert. I said that if I ever had the chance to go to Dubai, I would put visiting the indoor ski slope as my very first and topmost priority.

As you all know, this wish came true for me. 

However, because of my little mishap last November 25th in the Dubai Airport, only now, five full months after my last visit to SKI DUBAI, I am now going to post the photos I snapped at SKI DUBAI during my three visits to the indoor ski venue during my eight week visit to Dubai.

Here we go loop-de-loop .. Here we go loop-de-li ..

To begin this journey, and it will be a real challenge to find and to organize my photos, I am going to show photos that I snapped of the exterior, of the outside, of SKI DUBAI.

Thanks to my friend Tom in Dubai, who said to me as we were driving past the Mall of the Emirates in Tom's automobile ..

"Cap, over there you can see the outside of SKI DUBAI."

Thanks to Tom, I knew what I was seeing. Over the next few weeks, I snapped the below exterior photos.

In the above photo, the exterior of SKI DUBAI is above the driver's side of the second automobile from the right. Below it looks like a giant whale about to break-the-surface of the ocean!

After you see the following closer-up photos showing the exterior of SKI DUBAI, you will more easily recognize it in the photos above.

In the above and below photos, you can see part of the parking area associated with the Mall of the Emirates.

SKI DUBAI is an absolutely incredible, gigantic structure.

SKI DUBAI is physically located within the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai, a city located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

All of my travel within the city of Dubai was on the incredible Dubai Bus and Rail Network.

During my eight weeks in Dubai, the Union Metro Station, was my 'home' station.

We have arrived at the magnificent Mall of the Emirates.

The primary way one enters SKI DUBAI is by walking through the enormous Mall of the Emirates. 

Local residents with automobiles can drive to the venue and park on the roof.

The below photo was taken in the parking deck.

Now we are going into the mall.

In a way, I am 'double-dipping' here, showing you photos of the Dubai Bus and Rail System and the Mall of the Emirates. Both are worth a Post of their own. Dubai leaves one speechless!

Words fail me as to how nice The Mall of the Emirates is.

A friendly face here in The Mall of the Emirates. 

T.G.I. FRiDAYS.

"A friendly face?" .. "Did I just write that above?"

"How about a few more friendly faces here in the Mall of the Emirates!

"Stop it Captain! We are suffering from sensory-overload here!"

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WHEW! After a long walk through the beautiful Mall of the Emirates, we have arrived at SKI DUBAI.

You can see in the next two photos below, it really and truly is located within the mall.

"Captain Oh Captain! We didn't think you were ever going to get here!" 

"One's very own mind can truly be quite a challenge."

To actually enter the venue, you need an entry pass.

As you can see below, there are several 'packages' available.

In you go, past the entrance, and here you are, greeted by..

I loved it. It tickled me pink!

Let's get-em as they walk into the venue here!

The next photos below were snapped from within the Mall of the Emirates and not within SKI DUBAI. You do not have to actually enter the venue. You can look at it from the mall.

Don't you love it? Download the SKI DUBAI APP!

My very first views of SKI DUBAI were taken from within the Mall of the Emirates through an enormous window wall.

In the below photos, you can see the enormous window wall as I viewed it from within the venue looking back out into the Mall of the Emirates.

Can't children be so precious? The young lady in the lower right below was just fascinated by me. I am not so sure about a rather skeptical-looking mom in the lower left.

I will back track 'photo-wise' to when one actually enters the SKI DUBAI venue proper.

Below are photos of the actual entry gate.

Before you get to the above entry gate, you have a process to complete.

You have to show your admission pass and get signed in.

Then you have to 'suit up' before you 'show up' to go inside SKI DUBAI. 

IF, which I did, you elect one of the more costly plans, you gain access to a very nice 'changing room' where you can also store items you may have brought with you but don't want to take into SKI DUBAI with you.

"Good choice Cap. I approve of the executive plan!"  / Sign me as /  'Zilla

Notice, if you will, how calm, uncluttered and relaxing this changing area is.

I was given the below coat. It was special and quite different from the others.

99% of the visitors are dressed as you see below.

Your entry fees include the use of, you do not purchase it, all GARB (Tops / Bottoms, gloves, skis, socks, boots) that is required for you to enjoy SKI DUBAI. The inside temperature is about 27-degrees Fahrenheit.

It is truly difficult 'to fathom' the enormity of SKI DUBAI.

Some opt for head protection.

I too was dressed in the traditional garb when I returned to SKI DUBAI for my Ski Lessons.

Ski boots, I have learned at age 80-years, are really HEAVY and BULKY.

As I sit here writing this Post, these treasured gloves are outside in our truck. You do get-to-keep your gloves and socks.

What do I call them? The less-fortunate? They dress and undress in a large, open area.

When you are finished, you leave your clothing in the bins you see below.

Now, at last, we are inside of SKI DUBAI. There are many things to see and to do.

Everyone seems to love it.

As you can see, there are a LOT OF VISITORS.

Do you remember the below photo that I showed above?

In the center of the above line-up of activities do you see the one titled, 'Giant Ball'?

Today's Rhetorical Question: 

Why would anyone, of sound mind, get inside of a Giant Ball and roll down a hill and then be so dizzy that when they get out of the Giant Ball at the bottom of the hill they fall down!

In the below photo, in the far center background, do you see the GIANT BALLS almost up against the window wall?

Another view of them. More, many more, views to follow!

One has to hand-it-to SKI DUBAI. They are rather GIANT BALLS.

And then? To have to wait-in-line to do this!

View the riders getting their reward for their ride.

"Well kind Sir! Was it a lot of fun kind Sir?"

Without question! One of my biggest high-lights at SKI DUBAI was the Ski Lift.

In the below photo I am in my chair, photographing the visitors ahead of me.

Here we go up.

Tower 2 of 10 Towers.

Approaching Tower 5.

Towers 9 above and 10 below.

We have turned around at the very top and are now heading down.

What a ride this was for me! You can see below how the ski slope bends to the right.

Wow!

Down to the right below is the beginning of the chair lift.

And? That-is-that for the SKI DUBAI Chair Lift.

Another of my biggest high-lights was my ski lesson at the SKI DUBAI Ski School.

 Below is where we met our instructor. Away from the crowds.

No! You are not imagining you have seen the below photos before. I just wanted them to appear again here in the Ski School section.

I am now out in the snow!

Here we go with a little Ski School.

We got a free-ride up to the top of our Bunny Slope.

Then down our Bunny Slope we would go, practicing how to stop, using the Snow Plow technique.

Ski School was a lot of fun for me. The instructors were great. And for me, that-is-it for skiing. At my age 80-years, any more skiing is an opportunity for me to break or to injure something besides my left hip.

And? That is that for my Ski School lesson.

The time has come, the Walrus said, to wrap-SKI DUBAI-up. 

SKI DUBAI really and truly, I spoke with a number of skiers, offers a true skiing experience.

Below are a few shots, some of which you have already seen, of the SKI DUBAI ski area. 

I was told, from top to bottom, the ski-run is 400-meters.

The next day after my Ski School lessons I left Dubai.

Goodbye to you SKI DUBAI.

I sign off here as Cap and Patti because Patti sure is a big part of these Posts.

Just in case you are wondering, there are 217-photos in the above Post. I thought I was never going to finish it. This Post is far and away the most challenging Post I have published to date. 

 I promise, the next effort will be a Post of our visit to the Grand Canyon.