Dubai- me back

Dubai wasn't exactly on my to do list, but when embarking on a writing sabbatical, still a little ego bruised from an almost relationship, I picked a place that had a few shallow things to make me feel better:
1-the worlds largest mall
2-a language I couldn't speak
3-no romance
4-no chance for drunken phone calls and confessions of love.

Dubai, on the way to my Cape Town travels, seemed to have all I needed. No grand gestures of love erected from marble, no chance for flirting at the bar, no distractions.

Unfortunately, I was so incredibly wrong about the concrete built on sand. It was not only beautiful, it was was inspiring and luckily way too expensive, or I may have stayed there longer than I planned.

First of all, the mall is not just a "mall" its the worlds largest shopping area with food and goods from all over the world. You could spend days getting lost in its various corners and hiding places. Artists and writers looking to hide from the crowds were uncovered, by me, trying their best to pretend not to be inspired. Pretending that they weren't overhearing lovers or painting strangers was very amusing, but I spot my own people. I found them instantly. They were not happy about my discovery, so I opted to protect their identities by not snapping a picture. I was feeling generous.

What i couldn't help but photograph of course, the Burj Khalifa. Talk about majestic. Opulence tends to breed contempt among my old new yorker hippie friends but the truth is you can't help but be in awe of this building. Not only is it incredible that it stands, but I find it fascinating that someone imagined it to life. I mean, I still have a hard time figuring out my food processor, but someone designed it and built it and made sure that it worked, that it stood, that it could support and shelter all of those people. Hey even, Tom Cruise found it impressive in Ghost Protocol. It's a must see. With beautiful  dancing fountains in the foreground, it's easy to see why so many people find love there. If i was looking to escape romance, I certainly went to the wrong place.

I tried to distract myself with more shopping- I mean, my Bloomingdale's card did work in Dubai and as I found out, buys me about half of the things it does in the states. I did manage to get a little piece of New York at the Dubai Bloomie's though as there is a Magnolia bakery, complete with my favorite German Chocolate flavor. Heaven in the dessert does not even begin to describe my elation.


 Since I couldn't escape romance or feelings of being one small piece in a larger puzzle, unable to control anything (thanks Burj ) I went for a stroll in the aquarium. The Dubai(ans) don't do anything halfway so of course they have the largest glass panel in the world, in the largest mall in the world, next to the largest building in the world that houses the largest indoor aquarium in the world. Mediocrity is not something to be tolerated.

So, i sucked it up. I made new friends, I spent some money. I even broke through a little writer's block and finished my first short film...which I just sold. All in all, i'd say it was a pretty successful trip.

I also did not drink and place inappropriate phone calls, so there is that.

On to South Africa!