Night # 44

The 4-day trip to UAE has been nothing but a great eye-opener. I felt like I have been a frog in the well, as some would call it affectionately, a mountain tortise.

Perhaps it is the lack of knowledge and awareness that I have expected little out of this trip. I have been told that shopping is good at Dubai, I just have no idea how good it would be. It dawned upon me that over here, that almost any dream is possible. You can even ski in the desert.

The development in UAE is very much driven by the tourism and the demands of the foreign investors. In some cities, it is not difficult to find liquor and pork products. They are readily available. Imagined my pleasant surprise when I found pork bacon for my breakfast in the hotel... and I wasn't even staying in Dubai.


There were more surprises at the hotel. I was putting up at this 5 star beach resort that is 1 and a half hour drive from Dubai.

They have this private beach only for the hotel guests and the beach was squeaky clean. I was suspecting that the beach was man made because the sand particles are consistent throughout the beach and they are so fine and soft. Until one day while I was hanging out at the beach that I saw what they did. The hotel staff swept the beach every couple of hours. They treated the beach like their swimming pool.


I wonder if any of our beach resorts do the same.


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Took the Hotel's bus into Shahjah and Dubai on two occasions... Had some "interesting" encounters.

Bus Driver Encounter # 1

Driver: Miss Yan, you went to Blue Souk alone?
Me: Yes (that's the Blue Souk on the right. I had initially thought it is the place where they sell all kinds of blue stuff... Yah right)
Driver: Where are you from?
Me: Singapore. (Of course out of courtesy I responded by asking him) Where are you from?
Driver: ********** (name of country will not be mentioned here)
Driver: I came to Dubai 6 years ago without a visa. I came by sea.
Me: Oh. And? (getting worried)
Driver: I was caught and was sent back to my country.
Driver: I paid the middle man thousands of Dhm in order to get my visa to come back here again.
Me: So you have been away from your country for a few years now?
Driver: Yes, but I love my country very much.
Me: But why did you leave your country then? (I have since regretted that question really)
Driver: Oh Miss Yan, I can't tell you why I left my country. It is a secret.
Me: It's ok. (Now I am really worried. What have I done? I have stupidly asked a question which I didn't want to know the answer)

After a really pregnant pause....

Driver: Miss Yan, I am going to tell you why I left my country.
Me: (Oh no, I really don't want to know) It's ok. You don't need to tell me.
Driver: It's ok, I will tell you. I killed a man in my country.
Me: (Did I hear it right? Did he say that he killed a man?) uh huh... (tried to look calm, I don't need a confession right now)
Driver: I fell in love with a girl, the other man was rich.
Me: Uh huh (Please spare me the details)
Driver: So coming to Dubai is like a shortcut. I want to earn enough to buy her.
Me: (continue to look vaguely interested) uh huh
Driver: In my religion, you have to buy the girl otherwise she will not be yours alone.
Me: (What in the world??) oh ok (How long is this going to take... Arghhh..)