Villanova Lectures & Sites, by Day
Day 1 - Dec 29, 2011
Jason: #TipsAndTricks - This may sound silly, but with the washing machine, the soap goes in the receptacle on the far left. With the dryer, there’s a water reservoir in the upper left corner that you have to empty before or after each load. There are no dryer vents and the reservoir collects the water from each load. Usually there’s a drain in the floor and you can pour the water there. Again, this may sound nonsensical, but some of our group spent hours drying clothes and wondering why they were still damp. Also, in my opinion, no matter what you do, the first day is going to be rough. Adjusting to the time change is going to be painful so just roll with it and know that the next day will be better.
Karthik: Long Day 1 - Started Dec 27th Afternoon EST and ended Dec 29th Evening Dubai Time.
Villanova to JFK
It was a rainy afternoon and all of us had to come to the Villanova Law School parking garage. I parked the car in the ground floor of the parking garage and headed to the bus. When I arrived, there were three who arrived before me. Later, we were given parking tags and told to park in the second floor. People were slowly trickling in. Some parked, some got dropped by family and some took the cab. There were few brave ones who elected to meet us directly in JFK. I personally didn't want to take the risk of driving myself alone in NJ turnpike and through NY. Terry sat next to me and I knew Terry from another class back in 2009 and we caught up with what was going on in our lives and work. Terry had been to China the previous summer and narrated his great experience there. I was all-ears and was hoping the Dubai experience would be the same. After 5 hours(yes, that is correct), we reached JFK. We picked our luggage and headed to check-in. Fortunately, the check-in was a breeze and so was the security. We then headed to one of the bars where many from the bus had gathered. Terry and I met with Bill and Brianna and later everyone else. Terry gave me company at another place where they served vegetarian pizza. I grabbed a slice and after that left for the gate. All of us slowly got introduced and were hoping to have a good long 8 hour flight to Jordan in "Jordanian Airlines"(I never heard of such an airline before this trip but it was pretty decent). I got my neck pillow(highly recommend it) and it worked great. I slept like a log(Mario can vouch for it as he was sitting behind me wondering who I was and getting all mad at me sleeping for so long). Lot of us slept during this long leg and I think it would be best to do so if you don't want to have a jet lag.
JFK to Dubai
After we reached Jordan, we had 4 hours to kill before our flight. There are some places to shop in the airport but we didn't buy anything. We roamed around in the airport and then settled in a cafe where there was free wi-fi. There are outlets to plug in but most of them didn't work as they are not powered until somebody turns on the switch for you. We were all on Skype(please make sure you download this before you go from the US. I think the version over there is different and can't do video). When it was time, we got in line for the security and it was crazy out there. After pushing and shoving, we got out. We waited for the bus to take us to the flight.
From Ammam, it was short trip to Dubai and nothing out of the ordinary.
Dubai Passport Control:
My experience in Dubai passport control is one of a kind as I was the only Indian in the class who needed to get a visa to enter UAE. This applies to many other nationalities and I would check with IMT(Mr.Krishna kumar) and Dr.Chaudhry. IMT did apply for my visa and I had an approved "pdf" of my visa(my fellow American friends had sent them to the UAE embassy in DC and got their passport stamped). Apparently after standing in line for one hour along with the others, I was told by passport control that I needed to stand in another line downstairs(close to 200-300 people in that queue) to get my retina scanned. I went back, stood separately for another hour to get the retina scan done and came back to get the stamp on my passport. Fortunately, I had wi-fi and was able to communicate with Dr.Chaudhry and Zelon. Zelon waited for me with my luggage(Thanks Zelon) while the others left in the bus. Dr. Chaudhry, Zelon, Lindsey(Her only luggage didn't arrive and she had to stay back to file a complaint. She received it two days later) and I left in a taxi to IMT. Buses can go only at 60 Kmph while taxis can go at 120 Kmph and so we arrived just in time when the buses were leaving. Dr. Abhilasha and crew were waiting for us at 4 AM and we got our room keys and headed to sleep. 5 hours and we need to assemble for brunch at Hall 9. The room was OK and below is a picture of what you get.
First Breakfast:
We all assembled to hear the IMT director speak to us before heading to some food. It was a brunch in Hall 9 where everyone assembled with IMT faculty. We all sat down in the floor (traditional arabic style) to eat food. The food was good and everyone chatted while eating. AT the end, there was a small photo session inside the room.
First Dinner:
We all left in the "Fancy" bus for the evening dinner in Dubai Creek. The place offered excellent Lebanese food. I was sitting next to Mario and he explained each dish and how they were made. Most of our team tried "sheesha" which is like a hukkah that came in multiple flavors. The place also offered excellent opportunity for some classic night shots and Terry and I were learning from Jason(our Professional SLR photographer) on the basics of SLR photography and how different lenses worked after the dinner. While we were waiting for the bus, there was some small shops and couple of them shopped. I was surprised to see some of the shops had people from my place(Tamilnadu, India). I spoke tamil and helped Lindsay purchase a painting(Hopefully, she got a good deal). We all left to get a good night sleep while eight or so members got on-the-way to party, I heard they partied till 3 and had a lot of fun. I wanted to sleep to make sure I didn't get jet-lagged and fortunately I never did.
Villanova to JFK
It was a rainy afternoon and all of us had to come to the Villanova Law School parking garage. I parked the car in the ground floor of the parking garage and headed to the bus. When I arrived, there were three who arrived before me. Later, we were given parking tags and told to park in the second floor. People were slowly trickling in. Some parked, some got dropped by family and some took the cab. There were few brave ones who elected to meet us directly in JFK. I personally didn't want to take the risk of driving myself alone in NJ turnpike and through NY. Terry sat next to me and I knew Terry from another class back in 2009 and we caught up with what was going on in our lives and work. Terry had been to China the previous summer and narrated his great experience there. I was all-ears and was hoping the Dubai experience would be the same. After 5 hours(yes, that is correct), we reached JFK. We picked our luggage and headed to check-in. Fortunately, the check-in was a breeze and so was the security. We then headed to one of the bars where many from the bus had gathered. Terry and I met with Bill and Brianna and later everyone else. Terry gave me company at another place where they served vegetarian pizza. I grabbed a slice and after that left for the gate. All of us slowly got introduced and were hoping to have a good long 8 hour flight to Jordan in "Jordanian Airlines"(I never heard of such an airline before this trip but it was pretty decent). I got my neck pillow(highly recommend it) and it worked great. I slept like a log(Mario can vouch for it as he was sitting behind me wondering who I was and getting all mad at me sleeping for so long). Lot of us slept during this long leg and I think it would be best to do so if you don't want to have a jet lag.
JFK to Dubai
After we reached Jordan, we had 4 hours to kill before our flight. There are some places to shop in the airport but we didn't buy anything. We roamed around in the airport and then settled in a cafe where there was free wi-fi. There are outlets to plug in but most of them didn't work as they are not powered until somebody turns on the switch for you. We were all on Skype(please make sure you download this before you go from the US. I think the version over there is different and can't do video). When it was time, we got in line for the security and it was crazy out there. After pushing and shoving, we got out. We waited for the bus to take us to the flight.
From Ammam, it was short trip to Dubai and nothing out of the ordinary.
Dubai Passport Control:
My experience in Dubai passport control is one of a kind as I was the only Indian in the class who needed to get a visa to enter UAE. This applies to many other nationalities and I would check with IMT(Mr.Krishna kumar) and Dr.Chaudhry. IMT did apply for my visa and I had an approved "pdf" of my visa(my fellow American friends had sent them to the UAE embassy in DC and got their passport stamped). Apparently after standing in line for one hour along with the others, I was told by passport control that I needed to stand in another line downstairs(close to 200-300 people in that queue) to get my retina scanned. I went back, stood separately for another hour to get the retina scan done and came back to get the stamp on my passport. Fortunately, I had wi-fi and was able to communicate with Dr.Chaudhry and Zelon. Zelon waited for me with my luggage(Thanks Zelon) while the others left in the bus. Dr. Chaudhry, Zelon, Lindsey(Her only luggage didn't arrive and she had to stay back to file a complaint. She received it two days later) and I left in a taxi to IMT. Buses can go only at 60 Kmph while taxis can go at 120 Kmph and so we arrived just in time when the buses were leaving. Dr. Abhilasha and crew were waiting for us at 4 AM and we got our room keys and headed to sleep. 5 hours and we need to assemble for brunch at Hall 9. The room was OK and below is a picture of what you get.
First Breakfast:
We all assembled to hear the IMT director speak to us before heading to some food. It was a brunch in Hall 9 where everyone assembled with IMT faculty. We all sat down in the floor (traditional arabic style) to eat food. The food was good and everyone chatted while eating. AT the end, there was a small photo session inside the room.
First Dinner:
We all left in the "Fancy" bus for the evening dinner in Dubai Creek. The place offered excellent Lebanese food. I was sitting next to Mario and he explained each dish and how they were made. Most of our team tried "sheesha" which is like a hukkah that came in multiple flavors. The place also offered excellent opportunity for some classic night shots and Terry and I were learning from Jason(our Professional SLR photographer) on the basics of SLR photography and how different lenses worked after the dinner. While we were waiting for the bus, there was some small shops and couple of them shopped. I was surprised to see some of the shops had people from my place(Tamilnadu, India). I spoke tamil and helped Lindsay purchase a painting(Hopefully, she got a good deal). We all left to get a good night sleep while eight or so members got on-the-way to party, I heard they partied till 3 and had a lot of fun. I wanted to sleep to make sure I didn't get jet-lagged and fortunately I never did.
Terry: Arrival - After arriving at IMT from the airport and receiving our dorms assignments at about 4am (local
time), we all decided to get about 5-6 hours of sleep before our first lecture at
11am. Everyone seemed to be pretty alert when we met for breakfast on a very sunny morning. The
temps seem to hover around a steady 70 degrees during the day, dipping down to around 60
degrees at night. After meeting under the IMT arch, we proceeded inside to have
our first meal in Dubai - traditional breakfast eaten in a traditional
fashion...on the floor! No one seemed to mind as our spirits were high on the
start of an exciting couple of weeks.
time), we all decided to get about 5-6 hours of sleep before our first lecture at
11am. Everyone seemed to be pretty alert when we met for breakfast on a very sunny morning. The
temps seem to hover around a steady 70 degrees during the day, dipping down to around 60
degrees at night. After meeting under the IMT arch, we proceeded inside to have
our first meal in Dubai - traditional breakfast eaten in a traditional
fashion...on the floor! No one seemed to mind as our spirits were high on the
start of an exciting couple of weeks.
Dhow dinner boats on Dubai Creek.
Jason: #dinner, #food: If you’re a photog then dinner your first night will probably be your first chance for some good photos. However, don’t try shooting through the bus windows because they’ll probably be tinted and your pictures will come out blurry.
Our first dinner was Arabic cuisine, the usual cut vegetables, hummus, baba ghanoush, nan bread, kabobs, and chicken. Shesha and coffee were served after dinner and, even if you don’t want to smoke, the smell is great. The view along Dubai Creek was beautiful at night too. Basically, it was a night to relax and absorb some of the ambiance of the new environment.
Our first dinner was Arabic cuisine, the usual cut vegetables, hummus, baba ghanoush, nan bread, kabobs, and chicken. Shesha and coffee were served after dinner and, even if you don’t want to smoke, the smell is great. The view along Dubai Creek was beautiful at night too. Basically, it was a night to relax and absorb some of the ambiance of the new environment.
Brianna: Professor Chaudhry and the FANCY bus met us at the airport for the 30 minutes ride to campus. The first day was a bit rough because we arrived at 4:00am and the welcome breakfast was at 11:00am. My best advice is to try to sleep as much as possible on the plane/bus because we dive right into the program the first day. Some people resorted to sleep aids and they looked much more rested upon arrival! Pure excitement should get you through the day though.
IMT, the host University, was very welcoming and did everything they could to make us comfortable. That being said, be aware that the beds are very hard, there is no heat (it gets chilly at night), and hot water was sometimes hard to come by. The rooms are simple, but large and well kept. Remember, you are traveling abroad so some things you just have to deal with. Another thing to note in planning is that campus is situated in the desert in the academic free zone and is, therefore, a 35-45 minute ride into the city.
Dinner the first night was a highlight of the beginning of the trip for me. It was very peaceful to sit out by the creek while we ate Arabic food, smoked Shee-sha, and got to know everyone. I highly recommend returning to this area of the creek later in your trip. If you wander up and down this section of Dubai you will find good restaurants and quite a few historical sites.
Terry: Following our Lebanese dinner on The Creek in Bur Dubai, a group of about 8 ventured out to explore the night life in Dubai. It's important to know that alcoholic beverages are not easy to come by in the UAE. In fact, the only locations to get a glass of wine, beer or mixed drink it typically at a 4-star hotel bar or restaurant. The group made its way to The Grand Hyatt and ended up in a pub-style bar called Carpenters. It wasn't very crowded, and although drinks can be pricey (i.e., thanks to the "sin" taxes), once the cover band came on stage the atmosphere picked up and a fun first night was in hand.
IMT, the host University, was very welcoming and did everything they could to make us comfortable. That being said, be aware that the beds are very hard, there is no heat (it gets chilly at night), and hot water was sometimes hard to come by. The rooms are simple, but large and well kept. Remember, you are traveling abroad so some things you just have to deal with. Another thing to note in planning is that campus is situated in the desert in the academic free zone and is, therefore, a 35-45 minute ride into the city.
Dinner the first night was a highlight of the beginning of the trip for me. It was very peaceful to sit out by the creek while we ate Arabic food, smoked Shee-sha, and got to know everyone. I highly recommend returning to this area of the creek later in your trip. If you wander up and down this section of Dubai you will find good restaurants and quite a few historical sites.
Terry: Following our Lebanese dinner on The Creek in Bur Dubai, a group of about 8 ventured out to explore the night life in Dubai. It's important to know that alcoholic beverages are not easy to come by in the UAE. In fact, the only locations to get a glass of wine, beer or mixed drink it typically at a 4-star hotel bar or restaurant. The group made its way to The Grand Hyatt and ended up in a pub-style bar called Carpenters. It wasn't very crowded, and although drinks can be pricey (i.e., thanks to the "sin" taxes), once the cover band came on stage the atmosphere picked up and a fun first night was in hand.
Day 2 - Dec 30, 2011
Jason: #bustour, #city: The bus tour was a chance to get a feel for the city and all the diversity it contains. Although, the BIG take-away of the tour was that Dubai likes malls. In a later lecture, one of the speakers said, “We like our malls.” Seriously though, what else can you do when it’s 110 - 120 F outside?
While on the tour, I also noticed large groups of men playing cricket in large dirt fields and families having picnics on small patches of grass near the road. We asked the tour guide and she said that it was the weekend. I quickly checked my watch, which told me it was Friday, then I realized I’d heard somewhere that Friday and Saturday are the weekend and that Sunday is a normal work day. Another odd aspect of the picnickers was that they weren’t in a park. They seemed to drop a blanket anywhere they liked along the side of the road. If you did that in the states, I imagine the police would stop to ask you what had gone wrong.#food, #dinner, #cruise, #boat - The Dhow Boat Dinner Cruise started a little late in the evening and taught most of us that we should bring a granola bar or banana in our bags. Aside from that, the dinner was nice and seeing the evening skyline from a boat’s perspective was a unique experience. After dinner we could stand on the stairs leading to the upper deck and watch the water, or go below deck to dance or, more likely, watch people dance. In contrast to the karaoke entertainment that came with dinner, the strobe lights and loud music created a surreal experience.
While on the tour, I also noticed large groups of men playing cricket in large dirt fields and families having picnics on small patches of grass near the road. We asked the tour guide and she said that it was the weekend. I quickly checked my watch, which told me it was Friday, then I realized I’d heard somewhere that Friday and Saturday are the weekend and that Sunday is a normal work day. Another odd aspect of the picnickers was that they weren’t in a park. They seemed to drop a blanket anywhere they liked along the side of the road. If you did that in the states, I imagine the police would stop to ask you what had gone wrong.#food, #dinner, #cruise, #boat - The Dhow Boat Dinner Cruise started a little late in the evening and taught most of us that we should bring a granola bar or banana in our bags. Aside from that, the dinner was nice and seeing the evening skyline from a boat’s perspective was a unique experience. After dinner we could stand on the stairs leading to the upper deck and watch the water, or go below deck to dance or, more likely, watch people dance. In contrast to the karaoke entertainment that came with dinner, the strobe lights and loud music created a surreal experience.
Karthik: We kicked our jet-lag and headed out in the fancy bus to see things around Dubai. The bus took us along all famous sights within Dubai. We saw was pristine roads, huge skyscrapers(Many were having a crane next to them and incomplete..Courtesy of the Dubai RE bubble), nice landscaping with lot of flowers(yes, I know it is a desert) and malls. Even though it was friday, it was the weekend and prayer day. People were having fun and roaming outside as the weather was not too bad. Going from philly, it was great for us as it was like spring came early. We stopped at some photo spots and took nice pictures as evident from some of them below at various places in Dubai. It gave me a perspective of what Dubai was really like. Dubai was better than the US with respect to its infrastructure while similar to India with respects to crowds in the souqs, local shops, activities and people. I didn't see the conservative middle eastern people but I saw a lot of tourist loving friendly people(Only 20% of Dubai are locals 80% are expats) who welcomed us with open arms.
At the end of the trip, we went to dinner at Dhow Cruise. I liked the cruise but not the food. I don't think there is any evening cruise without the food but if there is, I would highly recommend that. The cruise was slow and we all had fun talking to each other, snapping pictures and exchanging trivia about us. We also went to the basement dance floor but except for Dr.Abhilasha's son nobody else danced. It was "Hindi" pop music and I think that could have been the reason for why very few people from our group danced.
At the end of the trip, we went to dinner at Dhow Cruise. I liked the cruise but not the food. I don't think there is any evening cruise without the food but if there is, I would highly recommend that. The cruise was slow and we all had fun talking to each other, snapping pictures and exchanging trivia about us. We also went to the basement dance floor but except for Dr.Abhilasha's son nobody else danced. It was "Hindi" pop music and I think that could have been the reason for why very few people from our group danced.
Bur Dubai
Mark, Melissa, Daniel & Chris at The Creek, in Bur Dubai
Terry: During the bus tour, we also saw our first glimpses of the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world) and the Burj Al Arab (the waterfront hotel shaped like a sail). We stopped at Umm Seqeim Beach, which is just to the right of the Al Arab. We were told two things before getting off the bus: 1) don't take any pictures of the women on the beach, and 2) don't take any sand or you'll be searched and fined! The views of the Al Arab were great and were the inspiration for making afternoon tea reservations towards the end of the trip.
Brianna: As was mentioned above, on the bus tour we were introduced to several of the GIGANTIC malls in Dubai. We stopped at the Mall of the Emirate, home of the indoor ski slope to take a quick walk around. Many of the group members returned later in the trip to try out the ski slope. The mall itself was completely overwhelming and full of stores we have here, but worth the experience since people in Dubai seem to LOVE their malls. We also stopped at the Ibn Battuta Mall which has themed sections of the mall by country.
Brianna: The Dhow boats are a good reminder of the history of Dubai, a city that was originally centered around fishing and pearl diving. While there are many dhow cruises for tourists, you can still see these boats in use for moving cargo if you visit the harbor on one of your days off. Apparently, these boats are still made by hand today using the original techniques. These boats are a good reminder of how quickly the city has developed. For us, the dhow cruise was a good way to get out on the water and see the city lights from a different perspective. While the boat felt crowded after dinner, it was definitely an experience worth having.
Day 3 - Dec 31, 2011
Jason: #explore - Everyone else went to the Gold Souks in the city, but I stayed at IMT to mentally acclimate to the new environment and process some of the photos from the first few days. Eventually I got restless and went in search of Bravo, a corner grocery store that was supposed to be within walking distance. After asking for directions a few different times I found my way and bought some essentials like shampoo, coffee, and a few sodas. I highly recommend you try some of the local drinks too, just for fun. I really liked the peach Moussy, although i think I was in the minority. On the way back to the campus a sedan pulled up and asked me if I needed a ride. My American mental reaction was, “No way in hell, but thanks” so I respectfully declined. When I got back I mentioned it to Dr. Chaudhry and he said they were probably just being nice, which still seems strange. On the other hand, he’s probably right. One of the themes that seems to resonate here is that there’s little or no crime. We’ve heard more than once that you do not want to be arrested and, if you are, that it’s far less than pleasant. The other theme is if you break the law as an ex-pat, you’re out. They just deport you. Luckily I haven’t experienced that side of things, but everyone will tell you that it’s true. In a way, everyone is so afraid of getting in trouble that no one even remotely risks breaking the law.
Terry: A large group of students hopped on Fancy to head to the Souks in Old Dubai. We were dropped off in Deira, a neighborhood that is one of the original settlements in Dubai. After some exploring around the streets of Deira (and Karthik leveraging his native tongue to get directions), we stumbled upon the Gold Souk. After some initial window shopping, the group began to hover around one particular shop, whose merchants seemed to be friendly. Some of the girls, Alanna, Libby, Emilyia, Lindsay and Julia focused in on the sparkly slipper-type shoes. A few of the guys tried on and purchased very authentic looking dishdashas (mens shirt-dress) and gutras (head cloth) with agal (a black headrope used to hold the gutra in place)...see the photos below of Bryan, Karthik and Mario sporting this traditional Arabic look. Finally, mostly everyone walked away with some type of souvenir, such as silk scarves and hand-carved wooden camels.
Terry: A large group of students hopped on Fancy to head to the Souks in Old Dubai. We were dropped off in Deira, a neighborhood that is one of the original settlements in Dubai. After some exploring around the streets of Deira (and Karthik leveraging his native tongue to get directions), we stumbled upon the Gold Souk. After some initial window shopping, the group began to hover around one particular shop, whose merchants seemed to be friendly. Some of the girls, Alanna, Libby, Emilyia, Lindsay and Julia focused in on the sparkly slipper-type shoes. A few of the guys tried on and purchased very authentic looking dishdashas (mens shirt-dress) and gutras (head cloth) with agal (a black headrope used to hold the gutra in place)...see the photos below of Bryan, Karthik and Mario sporting this traditional Arabic look. Finally, mostly everyone walked away with some type of souvenir, such as silk scarves and hand-carved wooden camels.
After venturing through the remainder of the Gold Souk, we went on a mission to find the Spice Souk. After a few lefts and rights down some narrow allys, we came across the Herb Souk and immediately took over a small shop, where the merchants were happily obliged to provide us with free samples of their products: dates, stone chocolate, spicy cashews, ginger and other various spices. Karthik, Libby, Alanna and myself all loaded up about one shopping bag of goods, but after some tough negotiating (mostly Alanna playing hardball with the owner!), we acheived a pretty nice discount, but when I offered to send the rest of the VU group to his store, he didn't hold back from telling "please don't...you guys want too much of a discount. Discount, discount, discount....I spend 45 minutes with you and you want nothing but discounts!). LOL VU 1....Dubai 0.
After the shopping and intense bargaining, most were hungary. We found a fast food cafe in Deira where we sampled the schwarma, falafel and coconut drinks before hopping back on Fancy to head back to IMT to get ready for NYE at The Atlantis.
After the shopping and intense bargaining, most were hungary. We found a fast food cafe in Deira where we sampled the schwarma, falafel and coconut drinks before hopping back on Fancy to head back to IMT to get ready for NYE at The Atlantis.
Karthik: Souq Day
It was a great day to head out for some bargain shopping at the souqs(atleast that's what I wanted). The souqs are the local markets and reminded me of all the shopping in India. Very very similar experience if you have been to India. If I were to do this again, I would recommend a trip to the 'Carrefour" first. This is the "Walmart" of Europe and they have few locations in DUbai. It will give you a baseline for the prices that are charged locally before venturing into the world of bargaining.
First we hit the gold souqs. After couple of shots of the group, we went inside the 300 gold shop souq. I was always intrigued to buy was the "Dishdasha" which is the a long white robe traditionally worn by men in the Middle East. few of us were interested to buy it and we went to a street vendor to buy it. He said he was from Afghanistan and he was selling the best ones in Dubai. The girls were buying pashmeena and the guys were buying camels and Dishdasha . Five of us bought in but I wore it after trying all afternoon. It was very comfortable. On hindsight, I think I should not have worn it but it was authentic except for my sneakers and backpack.
We then went window shopping all along the gold souq and at the end was the spice souq. We ganged up on one shop where we spent over 1 hour bargaining for various things. At the end, the guy was real mad at us bargaining very low and told us to literally "go away and not come back". I think Alanna did a great job bargaining and contributed greatly for us receiving those remarks(Did I say she was a lawyer :-)) ).
I would not have picked the place we had for lunch but there was nothing else in the souq. I ordered some food but it did not arrive in time. Had a few tender coconuts and headed back to where the bus was supposed to pick us up. It was time to head back, take some rest and get ready for NYE at The Atlantis.
NYE @Atlantis Night
It was a great NYE party at THE ATLANTIS. We boarded the Fancy bus and got dropped at the tip of the PALM. We watched the interior decorations, took lot of pictures, watched the indoor aquarium and then settled in the "Saffron" restaurant. I was amazed at the food decorations. Although there was limited veg items that I liked, the atmosphere was very entertaining. After a nice sit down dinner, we started to roll into the crowds and started dancing. I was with Kelly, Lindsay, Katy, Brianna and Mark dancing for the tunes and even doing the "dance train". Around 11:30, we were allowed into the beach to watch the fireworks. The fireworks went on for 10 minutes and each minute was a million dollars. We gathered for the bus at 2:30 and Zelon was in-charge and called for all of us to gather up.
It was a great day to head out for some bargain shopping at the souqs(atleast that's what I wanted). The souqs are the local markets and reminded me of all the shopping in India. Very very similar experience if you have been to India. If I were to do this again, I would recommend a trip to the 'Carrefour" first. This is the "Walmart" of Europe and they have few locations in DUbai. It will give you a baseline for the prices that are charged locally before venturing into the world of bargaining.
First we hit the gold souqs. After couple of shots of the group, we went inside the 300 gold shop souq. I was always intrigued to buy was the "Dishdasha" which is the a long white robe traditionally worn by men in the Middle East. few of us were interested to buy it and we went to a street vendor to buy it. He said he was from Afghanistan and he was selling the best ones in Dubai. The girls were buying pashmeena and the guys were buying camels and Dishdasha . Five of us bought in but I wore it after trying all afternoon. It was very comfortable. On hindsight, I think I should not have worn it but it was authentic except for my sneakers and backpack.
We then went window shopping all along the gold souq and at the end was the spice souq. We ganged up on one shop where we spent over 1 hour bargaining for various things. At the end, the guy was real mad at us bargaining very low and told us to literally "go away and not come back". I think Alanna did a great job bargaining and contributed greatly for us receiving those remarks(Did I say she was a lawyer :-)) ).
I would not have picked the place we had for lunch but there was nothing else in the souq. I ordered some food but it did not arrive in time. Had a few tender coconuts and headed back to where the bus was supposed to pick us up. It was time to head back, take some rest and get ready for NYE at The Atlantis.
NYE @Atlantis Night
It was a great NYE party at THE ATLANTIS. We boarded the Fancy bus and got dropped at the tip of the PALM. We watched the interior decorations, took lot of pictures, watched the indoor aquarium and then settled in the "Saffron" restaurant. I was amazed at the food decorations. Although there was limited veg items that I liked, the atmosphere was very entertaining. After a nice sit down dinner, we started to roll into the crowds and started dancing. I was with Kelly, Lindsay, Katy, Brianna and Mark dancing for the tunes and even doing the "dance train". Around 11:30, we were allowed into the beach to watch the fireworks. The fireworks went on for 10 minutes and each minute was a million dollars. We gathered for the bus at 2:30 and Zelon was in-charge and called for all of us to gather up.
Brianna: With most of the day off, I went off with another member of the group, Bill, to meet up with a family friend. Unfortunately we learned a lesson in traveling abroad. Apparently Etisilat, one of the local cell phone companies, was having text message issues that day and none of our messages went through. As a result, we never met up with our contact. Despite this setback we made the most of our time in the city. First we headed down to the Dubai Marina for breakfast at a French bistro near the water. The Marina area is a very European area, but a great area to find food and relax. After breakfast, a walk down to the beach and a ferrari sighting, we headed across the marina past all the yachts to the metro.
I highly recommend a metro ride to everyone visiting Dubai. The day we went it was pretty empty and the ride provided some excellent views of the city from above. After the bus tour the day before, the metro ride allowed us to see many of the things that were described on the bus that were difficult to see. In the process we managed to get fined for improper funds on our metro card and warned that if the authorities we were around we would have been in big trouble. OOPS! After the metro ride we attempted to walk to our next location and in the process saw a working class neighborhood in Dubai - something we didn't see at any other time on the trip. Eventually we gave up on walking - the city is not built for walking anywhere - and took a cab to the Jumeriah Mosque for some quick pictures. By this time we were ready to sit and relax so we headed to the Lime Tree Cafe for some lunch. Finally we went down to Jumeriah beach to enjoy the view for a while before heading back to IMT. There isn't a lot to be said about New Year's Eve at the Atlantis on the Palm. Basically it was awesome.
I highly recommend a metro ride to everyone visiting Dubai. The day we went it was pretty empty and the ride provided some excellent views of the city from above. After the bus tour the day before, the metro ride allowed us to see many of the things that were described on the bus that were difficult to see. In the process we managed to get fined for improper funds on our metro card and warned that if the authorities we were around we would have been in big trouble. OOPS! After the metro ride we attempted to walk to our next location and in the process saw a working class neighborhood in Dubai - something we didn't see at any other time on the trip. Eventually we gave up on walking - the city is not built for walking anywhere - and took a cab to the Jumeriah Mosque for some quick pictures. By this time we were ready to sit and relax so we headed to the Lime Tree Cafe for some lunch. Finally we went down to Jumeriah beach to enjoy the view for a while before heading back to IMT. There isn't a lot to be said about New Year's Eve at the Atlantis on the Palm. Basically it was awesome.
Day 4 - Jan 1, 2012
Jason: As you can imagine, we weren't moving too fast the next day and lunch was the first meal of the day for a lot of people. A group of us decided to take some taxis down to Jumeirah beach where we had lunch at the Ritz-Carlton. I had a Banana-Mango smoothie for 35d and enjoyed the ambiance.
After lunch we split and one group went to lay on the beach and the rest of us explored the shops on the boardwalk. The shops along the boardwalk are pretty much what you'll find at home, but with a few unknowns which round-out the international feel of the place. Overall though, the free-zones in Dubai are truly international and I didn't really feel out of place. Don't get the wrong idea though, it's not like New York or some other international city in the states. Dubai has a huge Indian and Middle East population, but almost everyone speaks enough English that communication isn't a problem and there are enough European vacationers that you don't feel alien.
My group wandered around for a few hours, I picked up a gift at Starbucks, and we eventually wound our way back to meet the rest of the group for dinner. Some of us grabbed dinner to go and others found a local restaurant. Getting a taxi was a little difficult because there were five of us and they only allow four in sedans. We finally gave in and split 3 and 2 to a car. The ride back was about 75d.
My group wandered around for a few hours, I picked up a gift at Starbucks, and we eventually wound our way back to meet the rest of the group for dinner. Some of us grabbed dinner to go and others found a local restaurant. Getting a taxi was a little difficult because there were five of us and they only allow four in sedans. We finally gave in and split 3 and 2 to a car. The ride back was about 75d.
Brianna: As Jason mentioned we were all moving quite slow this morning. Once I managed to get moving, two of us found a cab and made our way to the bur Dubai side of the creek. We started by eating some food at the Basta Art Cafe. It was a small cafe nestled into a courtyard in the Bastakia Quarters with big comfortable chairs and the most refreshing lime and mint juice I can imagine. When we finally made it out of the cafe we wandered through the historic area along the creek until we reached the Sheik Saeed Al-Maktoum House. This was the home to the ruling family until 1958 and, after falling into disrepair, was rebuilt into a museum. For 2Dh, I highly recommend checking out this museum. Admittedly it is not like our museums and at points it feels like a high school history project, but its a great opportunity to check out the architecture and see pictures from Dubai's pre-oil days. Finally, we wandered through the Old Dubai Souq (which we visited again later in the trip) and hoped in a cab to Lemongrass. If you find yourself in the Bur Dubai area looking for a great Thai restaurant for dinner, make sure you try Lemongrass!
Karthik:
We all woke up New year's day rejuvenated and ready to head out again. A group of us left to Jumeriah beach and had lunch at the Ritz. After that, we laid on the beach and waited till the evening. After sunset, we got mexican take-out and left back to the room for resting. I got a local SIM card from DU. It costed 49d and that lasted the entire trip for me.
We all woke up New year's day rejuvenated and ready to head out again. A group of us left to Jumeriah beach and had lunch at the Ritz. After that, we laid on the beach and waited till the evening. After sunset, we got mexican take-out and left back to the room for resting. I got a local SIM card from DU. It costed 49d and that lasted the entire trip for me.
Day 5 - Jan 2, 2012
Jason: The Dubai Cable visit, see Site Visits section for take-away and pictures.
Brianna: In the afternoon we had a lecture on the growth of Islamic banking (see Seminars for more detail). I would definitely recommend researching the Islamic banking sector prior to visiting Dubai. There are a number of interesting articles out there, as well as a lot of misconceptions and it would have been good to know more detail going into this lecture to that we could ask questions that got deeper into this topic.
In the the afternoon we visited the e-University (see Site Visits for more detail) and had our first opportunity to speak directly to our peers and ask questions about their experiences with education in Dubai, as well as many other topics. It was also the first time that we heard directly from female Emiratis and many of us were surprised by how candid they were with us on a variety of subjects.
Brianna: In the afternoon we had a lecture on the growth of Islamic banking (see Seminars for more detail). I would definitely recommend researching the Islamic banking sector prior to visiting Dubai. There are a number of interesting articles out there, as well as a lot of misconceptions and it would have been good to know more detail going into this lecture to that we could ask questions that got deeper into this topic.
In the the afternoon we visited the e-University (see Site Visits for more detail) and had our first opportunity to speak directly to our peers and ask questions about their experiences with education in Dubai, as well as many other topics. It was also the first time that we heard directly from female Emiratis and many of us were surprised by how candid they were with us on a variety of subjects.
Karthik:
Had a couple of lectures and then we headed to DuCab. After the site visit, we went to E-University. We met with local students there. One thing that amazed me was learning that all universities have a men's side and a woman's side and they don't mix until graduate school. The university like any other building had prayer halls and towards the end when we were leaving the prayer call happened. I really respect their adherence to praying 5 times a day no matter where they are(later in one of the days, I observed people pulling over the highway at the nearest prayer hall to finish their prayer). They call it "ETI SALAT" - communication with god.
Day 6 - Jan 3, 2012
Jason: Day 6 was one of the best so far. It started out with breakfast at IMT and a two hour bus ride to Abu Dhabi University. One of the deans gave us an introduction and Dr. Vlad Drotov, a Russian ex-pat, presented his views on living in the U.A.E., teaching at the school, and some business concepts specific to the region. Afterward we were treated to sandwiches and soft drinks, and an impromptu Q & A session with three of the students. The Q & A sessions turned out to be the best way to get a local view of the U.A.E. and for us to ask questions about local customs. Interestingly, after the group session, the men were escorted on a tour of the school while the women stayed behind with the female students. Apparently, there are some things men aren’t meant to hear. Also, on our tour, we saw the “male library” and the co-gender common area of the library.
The Lebanese restaurant where we went for lunch had great food and consisted of more Arabic cuisine. Humus, baba ghanoush, bread, kabobs, and grilled chicken were the main portions of the meal. Oddly, the vegetarians were finding it hard to get an entree so make sure to specify fish or veggies up front. After the entrees we were served very strong coffee and there was no option for cream or sugar. Afterward you can flip your cup upside down on the saucer and read your fortune in the left-over grounds. I guess it’s similar to tea leaves.
Lunch was succeeded by a visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. In a nutshell, it was pretty amazing, but we had our first encounter with rule enforcement about adherence to Muslim culture. No pictures of women in front of the mosque if they’re not wearing an abaya. A security guard actually made someone from our group delete a picture from their camera. Aside from that, and the women having to wear abayas, the visit was great. Our tour guide, an engineering student, really knew the history of the mosque and could answer all our questions about Islam as well. Our tour wrapped-up as the sunset call to prayer was being given and the mosque took on a magical quality at night. The alternating colored lights made for some great photo opportunities.
After the mosque, we got the unique opportunity to have a site-tour of the Yaz hotel. Someone from our group had a cousin in the area and they were able to arrange the tour for us. The presidential suite, around 20,000 dhs per night, comes with its own chef and servants for entertaining. The evening dinner at the hotel buffet was great too. Overall, it was a long day - we didn’t get back to IMT until after midnight, but it was well worth it.
The Lebanese restaurant where we went for lunch had great food and consisted of more Arabic cuisine. Humus, baba ghanoush, bread, kabobs, and grilled chicken were the main portions of the meal. Oddly, the vegetarians were finding it hard to get an entree so make sure to specify fish or veggies up front. After the entrees we were served very strong coffee and there was no option for cream or sugar. Afterward you can flip your cup upside down on the saucer and read your fortune in the left-over grounds. I guess it’s similar to tea leaves.
Lunch was succeeded by a visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. In a nutshell, it was pretty amazing, but we had our first encounter with rule enforcement about adherence to Muslim culture. No pictures of women in front of the mosque if they’re not wearing an abaya. A security guard actually made someone from our group delete a picture from their camera. Aside from that, and the women having to wear abayas, the visit was great. Our tour guide, an engineering student, really knew the history of the mosque and could answer all our questions about Islam as well. Our tour wrapped-up as the sunset call to prayer was being given and the mosque took on a magical quality at night. The alternating colored lights made for some great photo opportunities.
After the mosque, we got the unique opportunity to have a site-tour of the Yaz hotel. Someone from our group had a cousin in the area and they were able to arrange the tour for us. The presidential suite, around 20,000 dhs per night, comes with its own chef and servants for entertaining. The evening dinner at the hotel buffet was great too. Overall, it was a long day - we didn’t get back to IMT until after midnight, but it was well worth it.
Brianna: The trip to Abu Dhabi was a good way to see a different part of the UAE. Unlike Dubai where the Sheik has put an emphasis on building big shiny new buildings, the Sheik of Abu Dhabi (and President of the UAE) has focused on making the emirate green. You know you have entered Abu Dhabi when the desert along the highway suddenly turns green. You might think you have entered a different climate entirely but really they have just irrigated everything and planted trees everywhere. The city also has a number of serene looking parks with areas for kids and family to spend time, something you don't see in Dubai.
The session at Abu Dhabi University was interesting. After hearing from a couple people from the university we had another opportunity to talk to students of the University about their perspectives on cultural differences between the U.S. and the Middle East. Once the men left the room, the female Emiratis were able to open up more about their views on politics, arranged marriage, respect for women in the UAE, and other cultural issues.
The Grand Mosque was an impressive sight with its incredible attention to detail, but in some ways it felt a little bit disney-like. For people who have travelled through Europe and other parts of the world, I think we are accustomed to visiting churches and other historical buildings that are hundreds of years old and steeped in history. In contract, this mosque is only a couple years old. Our guide for this tour was outgoing and funny which made the tour both fun and informative. We were there for both call to prayer and sunset which was an unforgettable experience.
The Yaz hotel tour was a really cool experience and we were lucky that Mario's cousin was able to set this up for us. The hotel is located on an island and built over a formula one race course. It has a yacht marina, 7 or so restaurants, and some incredibly well-equipped rooms - the presidential suite has a private pool on the balcony!
The session at Abu Dhabi University was interesting. After hearing from a couple people from the university we had another opportunity to talk to students of the University about their perspectives on cultural differences between the U.S. and the Middle East. Once the men left the room, the female Emiratis were able to open up more about their views on politics, arranged marriage, respect for women in the UAE, and other cultural issues.
The Grand Mosque was an impressive sight with its incredible attention to detail, but in some ways it felt a little bit disney-like. For people who have travelled through Europe and other parts of the world, I think we are accustomed to visiting churches and other historical buildings that are hundreds of years old and steeped in history. In contract, this mosque is only a couple years old. Our guide for this tour was outgoing and funny which made the tour both fun and informative. We were there for both call to prayer and sunset which was an unforgettable experience.
The Yaz hotel tour was a really cool experience and we were lucky that Mario's cousin was able to set this up for us. The hotel is located on an island and built over a formula one race course. It has a yacht marina, 7 or so restaurants, and some incredibly well-equipped rooms - the presidential suite has a private pool on the balcony!
Karthik: Trip to the Capital - Abu Dhabi
I have heard of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Saudi etc only in Indian movies. After few days in Dubai, I was excited to see the next place that I knew which was Abu Dhabi.
After breakfast, we headed in our bus to Abu Dhabi. IN UAE, buses can only drive at 60 Kmph while cars can do 120 Kmph. It took 2.5 hours to get there and Abu Dhabi University was our first stop. Met couple of students and they spoke excellent English (for that matter, everyone in Dubai spoke very fluent English). We went for a university tour and it was exam time and so most of them very studying. There was a starbucks inside the university for our convenience :-)). We left from there to "downtown" Abu Dhabi to a famous Lebanese restaurant. I think the name was "Little Flower" and the owner was Syrian I think. Whenever we went to Lebanese, I felt we wasted more food compared to what we consumed. After food, we headed to the Grand Mosque.
Grand Mosque:
The Grand Mosque was one of a kind experience for me.(I have not been to the "Taj Mahal" even though I am from India) The Grand Mosque is not a memorial but a live mosque where everyone comes to pray. As always, men and women don't pray together or see each other. Women have to wear Abayas(Head covered definitely and face covered if possible). It does have a memorial on the side of "Sheikh Zayad", who is considered the Father of the UAE. Our tour guide was "Abdullah" and he explained everything in great detail and good humor. There were lot of great angles for pictures. Jason and Josh were trying their HDR shots(I didn't know what a HDR shot was before this trip) while the others were taking what we knew/could. The tour lasted a solid 2 hours and I enjoyed every bit of it.
Yaz Hotel:
If I had a yacht or wanted to watch the F1 right from my room, I would definitely stay in the YAZ hotel. Yes, hoping it is only couple of years away. :-) Mario's cousin builds yachts and has some high profile connections in Abu Dhabi. He knew someone in the Yaz hotel and arranged this tour for us. We went to the four different suites in the hotel. The presidential suite was amazing and costed 12000$ per night(around $3000 per night). There was every cuisine possible and since it got very late we decided to have dinner right there. I sat with the Chaudhrys, Jason, Mario's cousin and Steve. I was very much amazed at all the life experiences of Mario's cousin and what he has achieved and how humble he was inspite of all them. Some of them stayed back for drinks and decided to take the shuttle back while the rest of us rode back in the 60 mph bus. It was painfully slow but fortunately we all slept and woke up only close to IMT.
I have heard of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Saudi etc only in Indian movies. After few days in Dubai, I was excited to see the next place that I knew which was Abu Dhabi.
After breakfast, we headed in our bus to Abu Dhabi. IN UAE, buses can only drive at 60 Kmph while cars can do 120 Kmph. It took 2.5 hours to get there and Abu Dhabi University was our first stop. Met couple of students and they spoke excellent English (for that matter, everyone in Dubai spoke very fluent English). We went for a university tour and it was exam time and so most of them very studying. There was a starbucks inside the university for our convenience :-)). We left from there to "downtown" Abu Dhabi to a famous Lebanese restaurant. I think the name was "Little Flower" and the owner was Syrian I think. Whenever we went to Lebanese, I felt we wasted more food compared to what we consumed. After food, we headed to the Grand Mosque.
Grand Mosque:
The Grand Mosque was one of a kind experience for me.(I have not been to the "Taj Mahal" even though I am from India) The Grand Mosque is not a memorial but a live mosque where everyone comes to pray. As always, men and women don't pray together or see each other. Women have to wear Abayas(Head covered definitely and face covered if possible). It does have a memorial on the side of "Sheikh Zayad", who is considered the Father of the UAE. Our tour guide was "Abdullah" and he explained everything in great detail and good humor. There were lot of great angles for pictures. Jason and Josh were trying their HDR shots(I didn't know what a HDR shot was before this trip) while the others were taking what we knew/could. The tour lasted a solid 2 hours and I enjoyed every bit of it.
Yaz Hotel:
If I had a yacht or wanted to watch the F1 right from my room, I would definitely stay in the YAZ hotel. Yes, hoping it is only couple of years away. :-) Mario's cousin builds yachts and has some high profile connections in Abu Dhabi. He knew someone in the Yaz hotel and arranged this tour for us. We went to the four different suites in the hotel. The presidential suite was amazing and costed 12000$ per night(around $3000 per night). There was every cuisine possible and since it got very late we decided to have dinner right there. I sat with the Chaudhrys, Jason, Mario's cousin and Steve. I was very much amazed at all the life experiences of Mario's cousin and what he has achieved and how humble he was inspite of all them. Some of them stayed back for drinks and decided to take the shuttle back while the rest of us rode back in the 60 mph bus. It was painfully slow but fortunately we all slept and woke up only close to IMT.
Day 7 - Jan 4, 2012
Jason: (See the Site Visits section for more pictures.) The Dubai Chamber of Commerce visit consisted of a presentation and open Q & A session. The presentation was a great summary of Dubai’s history, dependence on oil, business environment, and future plans. The following discussion was beneficial too, but it reinforced my general feeling that we’re only being told half the story. I can’t help but be skeptical when the answer to every question has a happy ending. Now don’t get me wrong, there are many reasons why someone would want to open a business or work as an ex-pat in Dubai. However, nothing is entirely up-side.
The Asset Management lecture later that day was the first time that I feel like I was being told the whole story. Of course it was only one view point, but at least it wasn’t all butterflies and rainbows. None the less, it helped me build a more coherent view of the giant puzzle that is Dubai and the U.A.E.
The Asset Management lecture later that day was the first time that I feel like I was being told the whole story. Of course it was only one view point, but at least it wasn’t all butterflies and rainbows. None the less, it helped me build a more coherent view of the giant puzzle that is Dubai and the U.A.E.
Just prior to sunset we arrived for a cultural visit to the Burj Khalifa, formerly the Burj Dubai, and dinner at the Dubai mall. Again, “We love our malls.” All in all, aside from being another mall, the place was fun and filled with an Americanized food court for those of us that were craving comfort food. The Burj Khalifa was a different story. In addition to being a great photo opp, the Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world! You enter into a waiting area from the ground floor of the mall and get a brief introduction to the timeline and engineering principles. You then go through a few security checks, wind your way through some hallways and escalators that tell a more comprehensive history of the building. Finally you speed at up to 40 mph to the observation deck on the 124th floor. The view is as you would expect and there’s no need for me to elaborate. You’ll enjoy it!
Karthik:
Visited the Dubai chamber of commerce. It was a windy morning and we met with Omar and his assistants. It was great hearing from them on how business friendly Dubai was and how they have transformed the city in a span of few years to a global business powerhouse. After that we left to the Malls and the Burj Khalifaa. Interesting nugget in the naming of the Burj Khalifaa is that it was originally named Burj Dubai but was asked to rename to Burj Khalifaa as one of the terms of the dubai bailout deal from Abu Dhabi( Khalifaa is the ruler of Abu Dhabi). Our tour of the Burj was only at 8 and so we all went in different directions to shop, sightsee and do whatever we wanted to do. A lot of us tried to get on top of the Burj Khalifaa for some drinks but since we needed reservations or something we were not allowed to the top. Most of us left while a few stayed back and took their chances. After we headed out, Jason, Calvin and I were together in the evening and we went to get some coffee and later I got food at the pizza hut. Not sure where Calvin and Jason got theirs. Calvin wanted to get a camera but didn't at the end. The mall was very expensive and it was pretty much all the brands from the US and so we didn't buy much. I heard later than Dan had bought 2 t-shirts for $80 and that gives some perspective to the prices.
We all then went to the top of the Burj and took some classic night exposure shots from the top. I really enjoyed the view as it was very spectacular. At the entrance and the exit, there were gold ATMs similar to the penny image producers in the US. The gold coins had an image of the Burj and was priced at a nice premium to what the gold spot prices were. The bus was parked far away and we gathered and walked at around 10 PM. I went back as I was very tired after the whole day of walking around.
Visited the Dubai chamber of commerce. It was a windy morning and we met with Omar and his assistants. It was great hearing from them on how business friendly Dubai was and how they have transformed the city in a span of few years to a global business powerhouse. After that we left to the Malls and the Burj Khalifaa. Interesting nugget in the naming of the Burj Khalifaa is that it was originally named Burj Dubai but was asked to rename to Burj Khalifaa as one of the terms of the dubai bailout deal from Abu Dhabi( Khalifaa is the ruler of Abu Dhabi). Our tour of the Burj was only at 8 and so we all went in different directions to shop, sightsee and do whatever we wanted to do. A lot of us tried to get on top of the Burj Khalifaa for some drinks but since we needed reservations or something we were not allowed to the top. Most of us left while a few stayed back and took their chances. After we headed out, Jason, Calvin and I were together in the evening and we went to get some coffee and later I got food at the pizza hut. Not sure where Calvin and Jason got theirs. Calvin wanted to get a camera but didn't at the end. The mall was very expensive and it was pretty much all the brands from the US and so we didn't buy much. I heard later than Dan had bought 2 t-shirts for $80 and that gives some perspective to the prices.
We all then went to the top of the Burj and took some classic night exposure shots from the top. I really enjoyed the view as it was very spectacular. At the entrance and the exit, there were gold ATMs similar to the penny image producers in the US. The gold coins had an image of the Burj and was priced at a nice premium to what the gold spot prices were. The bus was parked far away and we gathered and walked at around 10 PM. I went back as I was very tired after the whole day of walking around.
Brianna: The Chamber of Commerce lecture was a good opportunity to hear more on the economic history of the UAE from pearl diving and trade to oil dependency to a more diversified economy. We also learned more about the attraction of doing business in Dubai, the structure of the free zones, the hospitality industry, the re-exporting business, and the ways that the chamber supports business in Dubai.
In the evening we headed to the Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa. The Dubai Mall is completely ridiculous. Inside the mall is an aquarium, an olympic sized ice skating rink, and just about every store you can imagine. If you get to the wall around dinner time, grab a seat on the deck of one of the restaurants overlooking the fountain. Not only will you have a nice view of the Burj Khalifa, but every half hour or so there is a water and light show that is pretty cool to see. And don't forget to check out the "Gold ATM" near the entrance to the Burj Khalifa in the mall.
Going to the top of the Burj Khalifa was experience from the time we hit the elevator. The elevator is so smooth that you can't tell you are moving except for your ears popping as you go. Once at the top you get a great view of the city lights and the water and light show below. It seemed like we were so high up that it wasn't real. Another thing to notice while you are up there is the city blocks that have buildings, but are completely dark. I knew going into the trip that the speed of building was faster than the demand for space, but seeing the dark, empty buildings throughout the city from the observation deck illustrated this issue well.
In the evening we headed to the Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa. The Dubai Mall is completely ridiculous. Inside the mall is an aquarium, an olympic sized ice skating rink, and just about every store you can imagine. If you get to the wall around dinner time, grab a seat on the deck of one of the restaurants overlooking the fountain. Not only will you have a nice view of the Burj Khalifa, but every half hour or so there is a water and light show that is pretty cool to see. And don't forget to check out the "Gold ATM" near the entrance to the Burj Khalifa in the mall.
Going to the top of the Burj Khalifa was experience from the time we hit the elevator. The elevator is so smooth that you can't tell you are moving except for your ears popping as you go. Once at the top you get a great view of the city lights and the water and light show below. It seemed like we were so high up that it wasn't real. Another thing to notice while you are up there is the city blocks that have buildings, but are completely dark. I knew going into the trip that the speed of building was faster than the demand for space, but seeing the dark, empty buildings throughout the city from the observation deck illustrated this issue well.
Terry: A large group of students also decided to take in the vistas of Dubai from another type of atmosphere from the top of the Burj Khalifa....that is from Atmosphere Lounge on the 122nd floor! Atmosphere Lounge, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is the highest restaurant in the word at 1,447ft. It opened in January, 2011 and has a decent menu, although expensive. FYI - we were there on Ladies Night, which meant all women received 2 or 3 free drinks (i.e., champagne). HOWEVER, guys are required to spend a minimum of 200 dirham (about $55), although bar service can be painfully slow and they don't really track the minimum, so it is possible to hang out for an hour or two and spend nothing at all.
Day 8 - Jan 5, 2012
Brianna: Following a lecture on Business Negotiation & the Gulf by Professor Eric Van Genderen (see lectures section for more detail), most of the group hopped on a bus to Oman for a short weekend getaway. While the drive was long and a significant amount of time was spent at the border eating Pizza Hut and waiting for our passports to be stamped, the drive was well worth the experience of seeing Oman. As you can see from the picture to the left (taken from the moving bus), the topography of Oman is completely different from the flat deserts of the UAE.
We arrived at our destination, Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, after dark so we didn't get to see it's true magnificence until morning. That night most of the group explored the multiple bars and lounges on the property, smoked some sheesha, and a few people even took a dip in the Gulf. At night, when the waves crashed the dinoflagellates made the waves light up - an experience some folks had to experience first hand. Apparently it was well worth it! The accommodations were an excellent retreat from the dorms, classes, and the bus for the weekend!
We arrived at our destination, Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, after dark so we didn't get to see it's true magnificence until morning. That night most of the group explored the multiple bars and lounges on the property, smoked some sheesha, and a few people even took a dip in the Gulf. At night, when the waves crashed the dinoflagellates made the waves light up - an experience some folks had to experience first hand. Apparently it was well worth it! The accommodations were an excellent retreat from the dorms, classes, and the bus for the weekend!
Jason: The Business Negotiation and the Gulf lecture was informative and similar to other cooperative negotiation techniques I’d read about in other books. The speaker, Dr. Genderen, was enthusiastic and added his personal experiences to the lecture to help demonstrate the concepts. As an added benefit, he also answered general questions about Dubai and the U.A.E. from a western perspective. If you’ve got a well travelled ex-pat who’s willing to answer questions, don’t hold back; you may not get another chance.After the lecture, a majority of the group boarded a bus headed for Oman and a few of us stayed back to explore a little more of the local scenery. I spent the rest of the day recuperating from the previous week.
Karthik:
It was an uneventful day. Breakfast at IMT, classes and then lunch. We met with one of IMT's negotiation professors and I thought he was very candid about what to expect and what has to be done from a US prism. Everyone before him presented a rosy picture and perspective and I thought his lecture was the most candid. He detailed some real life negotiations tips that I wanted to leverage for my trip to Boston. Jason and I met with him after the lecture as we were not going to Oman and discussed some more.
OK, about the Oman trip. I would have loved to go to Oman but since I have to got a visit visa to Dubai, I was recommended to just stay back and not seek a multiple entry visa(more headache in terms of approval as well as very expensive - It costed me $179 for single entry and I was quotes $1000 for multiple entry). I was all along bummed about this as my sister lives in Muscat where the class was heading and I was hoping I could meet her and my nephew and niece. Anyways, nothing can be done and it is what it is. Got a lot of rest after the week's activity.
It was an uneventful day. Breakfast at IMT, classes and then lunch. We met with one of IMT's negotiation professors and I thought he was very candid about what to expect and what has to be done from a US prism. Everyone before him presented a rosy picture and perspective and I thought his lecture was the most candid. He detailed some real life negotiations tips that I wanted to leverage for my trip to Boston. Jason and I met with him after the lecture as we were not going to Oman and discussed some more.
OK, about the Oman trip. I would have loved to go to Oman but since I have to got a visit visa to Dubai, I was recommended to just stay back and not seek a multiple entry visa(more headache in terms of approval as well as very expensive - It costed me $179 for single entry and I was quotes $1000 for multiple entry). I was all along bummed about this as my sister lives in Muscat where the class was heading and I was hoping I could meet her and my nephew and niece. Anyways, nothing can be done and it is what it is. Got a lot of rest after the week's activity.
Day 9 - Jan 6, 2012
Brianna: Life is just so hard! Okay, so we really had it easy this day! While a handful of people went into the souks and explored Muscat (a city well worth some exploration), many of us chose to spend our free day relaxing at the resort. The hardest part of the day for me was choosing between relaxing by the pool, by the ocean, or on the lazy river that winds through the property. After a few hours of dedicated beach time spent reading and chatting with classmates, I went for a walk to explore the property from every possible angle. I took a climb to the top of a cliff and got this shot (see photo on left) of the resort. Truly breathtaking!
In the evening a group of us choose to head into town with Dr. Chaundry for dinner with several local Villanova alum. Villanova University School of Nursing has a partnership with the Ministry of Health in Oman which sends about 20 students every two years to finish their undergrad in nursing at VU. After graduating from VU, these students return to Oman to practice in their home country. Every VU alum we met in Oman, and we met quite a few, greeted us with impeccable English, a warm welcome, and a genuine excitement that we came to explore their country. It's fun to see big "Villanova Wildcat" window decals on cars with Omani license plates! Anyway, some of us piled into cars and headed to dinner at an Iranian restaurant in the city. On the way home from dinner we got a short driving tour of the town. Highlights include the Sultan's personal yacht (think loveboat), the Palace, and the traditional buildings.
In the evening a group of us choose to head into town with Dr. Chaundry for dinner with several local Villanova alum. Villanova University School of Nursing has a partnership with the Ministry of Health in Oman which sends about 20 students every two years to finish their undergrad in nursing at VU. After graduating from VU, these students return to Oman to practice in their home country. Every VU alum we met in Oman, and we met quite a few, greeted us with impeccable English, a warm welcome, and a genuine excitement that we came to explore their country. It's fun to see big "Villanova Wildcat" window decals on cars with Omani license plates! Anyway, some of us piled into cars and headed to dinner at an Iranian restaurant in the city. On the way home from dinner we got a short driving tour of the town. Highlights include the Sultan's personal yacht (think loveboat), the Palace, and the traditional buildings.
Unlike Dubai which has a strong focus on growth and modernity, Oman has worked hard to maintain its heritage and traditional culture. This is evident in its building codes which require all new buildings to maintain the integrity of the traditional style. In addition, unlike Dubai which is about 85% expat/15% nationals (depending who you ask), Oman is the opposite. Clearly a much more conservative country, we still found people to be welcoming despite getting more odd looks from people.
After dinner the group again met up at the outdoor deck of The Piano Bar at the resort for some lively decompressing from the hard day of relaxing.
After dinner the group again met up at the outdoor deck of The Piano Bar at the resort for some lively decompressing from the hard day of relaxing.
Terry: Some students visited the Souks in Muscat on Day 2, but some students who decided to spend the Day 2 at the resort ended up buying plane tickets back to Dubai instead of taking the journey via the bus. This allowed for an extra day in Oman, which Chris, Daniel and myself used to visit downtown Muscat and the Souks. We negotiated some good deals on Omani pure silver bangles, authentic Janbiyas (Arabic daggers), gutras, and Arabic spices.
Jason: Emiliya, Kelly, Karthik, and I had a quick breakfast at IMT and caught a taxi to the airport to rent a car. We had to haggle and pay extra for a GPS, but it’s a necessity if you’re not from the region. I’m not sure why getting a GPS was so hard, but we had to threaten to walk away to get the guy to agree. Crazy! Once in the car, we headed to Al Ain. We chose Al Ain because we wanted to see a different region of the country, climb the maintain road to the top of the plateau, and see the Green Mubazarrah.
Fairly soon after leaving the airport, we chanced on a camel farm. We climbed out of the car and I pointed to my car while smiling at one of the guys that worked there. He smiled and waved us in, and it turned out to be a highlight of the day. They were super friendly and even let us in to pet some of the camels. Although theirs english wasn’t that good and our Arabic was non-existent, we did manage to gather that they take care of the camels for a sheikh or something like that. After lots of photos and some hand sanitizer, we continued our trek.
Fairly soon after leaving the airport, we chanced on a camel farm. We climbed out of the car and I pointed to my car while smiling at one of the guys that worked there. He smiled and waved us in, and it turned out to be a highlight of the day. They were super friendly and even let us in to pet some of the camels. Although theirs english wasn’t that good and our Arabic was non-existent, we did manage to gather that they take care of the camels for a sheikh or something like that. After lots of photos and some hand sanitizer, we continued our trek.
The drive to Al Ain took about two hours and the GPS was always just a bit confused, although it pointed us in the right direction. We’re assuming the issue was due to the constant change and roadwork that’s always occurring. On the way up the mountain, though it’s really more of a hill, there are several pull-outs to stop and take pictures, so pay attention for those if you decide to go. The view from the top of Jebel Hafeet, at least for me, was a little less than expected. It’s somewhat of a tourist trap and the sky was very hazy. Maybe on a clear day I would have been more impressed. Nonetheless, we took the obligatory photos and drove a short distance back down the mountain to the Mercure Hotel where we had lunch. A short drive back down the mountain brought us to Green Mubazarrah, a natural hot springs that was developed into a community park. I remember thinking that this was the first time that I had seen something normal. The park was filled with hundreds of families barbecuing kabobs on little hibachi-type grills. Once you looked past the abayas and dishdashas, it was just like any park back home. The hot spring canal was a bit odd though. Somewhere farther back in the park the water bubbled out of the ground and the city built a small canal that directed the hot water through the park. There were little kids playing and splashing, and adults were rolling up their pant legs or pulling up their gowns to put their feet in. Also Kelly and I were the only two white people anywhere to be seen, but I honestly didn’t feel like I was out of place or that people were staring. There are probably enough tourists that visit from Europe that we weren’t seen as an oddity.
Finally, after splashing around a bit, we drove through city center, but there wasn’t much to it when compared to Dubai. However, we did stop at the local museum/fort and took a few pictures just to prove we were there. As we were leaving I talked to the security guard and he recommended we drive through the Al Ain Oasis, which is a slow 3 km drive through palm, mango, and banana trees. What he didn’t tell us is that the road is really narrow and that it’s a bit of a maze ending in a closed gate. At first we were worried that the gate was locked, but the driver in the car in front of us got out and tried to open it. Luckily it did. The last thing worth noting about Al Ain is that there seemed to be a mosque every quarter mile. They were EVERYWHERE. Maybe it’s the same in Dubai and it’s just less obvious because of all the tall buildings. Either way, the influence of Islam was very pronounced.
The drive back was uneventful and, after a short rest, Karthik, Emiliya, and I drove to the outlet mall for dinner and a little shopping. The outlet mall was much more like a U.S. mall and the food court was very multinational. In fact, I got the impression that this was were all the ex-pats shopped.
The drive back was uneventful and, after a short rest, Karthik, Emiliya, and I drove to the outlet mall for dinner and a little shopping. The outlet mall was much more like a U.S. mall and the food court was very multinational. In fact, I got the impression that this was were all the ex-pats shopped.
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Karthik:
Jason and I rented a car from the airport. I wanted to get the A8 but it was double our budget(1,000d per day) and so we settled for the Camry(446 d). Anyways can't go beyond 120 kmph as there are automatic ticket issuing traffic cameras everywhere.
Kelly, Emiliya, Jason and I headed to Al Ain, another emirate in the UAE(that does not need a visa..just kidding). We stopped all along at different spots...camel farm, camel race course, gas station, etc and slowly reached the mountain range by mid-afternoon.
We had a GPS that was great until we reached close to Al-Ain but then it went nuts with all the construction and changes that were happening. The mountain drive was great. Jason wanted to drive and so I was not able to pull my stunts there. We reached the top of the mountain range and it seemed so small(well, it is big when you are in the vast desert). We were not impressed by the mountains. After taking few pictures, we headed to a nive restaurant in the only place to stay up there.
Jason and I rented a car from the airport. I wanted to get the A8 but it was double our budget(1,000d per day) and so we settled for the Camry(446 d). Anyways can't go beyond 120 kmph as there are automatic ticket issuing traffic cameras everywhere.
Kelly, Emiliya, Jason and I headed to Al Ain, another emirate in the UAE(that does not need a visa..just kidding). We stopped all along at different spots...camel farm, camel race course, gas station, etc and slowly reached the mountain range by mid-afternoon.
We had a GPS that was great until we reached close to Al-Ain but then it went nuts with all the construction and changes that were happening. The mountain drive was great. Jason wanted to drive and so I was not able to pull my stunts there. We reached the top of the mountain range and it seemed so small(well, it is big when you are in the vast desert). We were not impressed by the mountains. After taking few pictures, we headed to a nive restaurant in the only place to stay up there.
Day 10 - Jan 7, 2012
Jason: I spent the morning thinking about the paper and generally relaxing. The rest of the group was on their way back from a weekend in Oman, but we still had the rental car and decided to do do something fun while we had the freedom. Karthik had heard from Amit, the guy who works at Bombay Chow Patty, that we should check out the Global Village, so we made plans to meet up with Kelly and Emiliya after 4:00 PM.
Having few expectations other than, "It's a lot of fun," we were really impressed. Karthik described it as "...like Epcot, but ten thousand times better." Luckily, the first country we entered was India. The colors were overwhelming, everywhere you looked there were great things to buy, and haggling is a must unless you want to overpay. I bought some woven bags and bangles for my daughters and haggled the vendor to half-price at both booths. Also, walking away won’t always get them to drop the price to what you want to pay, but sometimes it does.
Each country usually has one or two food vendors with regional fast food if you're interested in trying something different, and there's also a food court where we ate. The food court has mostly Indian and Arabic food, but you can also find a Hardee's, Crispy Creme, and KFC if you're desperate for something American.
Each country usually has one or two food vendors with regional fast food if you're interested in trying something different, and there's also a food court where we ate. The food court has mostly Indian and Arabic food, but you can also find a Hardee's, Crispy Creme, and KFC if you're desperate for something American.
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Brianna: Of the folks who went to Oman, a little more than half took the bus back (the rest flew back) and did a number of cultural visits along the drive. First we went to the grand mosque in Oman to look around. Some of the Omani Nova Alums accompanied us on this visit. This mosque was just gorgeous! It was fairly new like the one in Abu Dhabi, but I absolutely loved the intricacies and wood work in this mosque.
After the mosque we went to an old fort and a souq in Oman. The fort was interesting and one of the first really old things we saw on the trip. After a quick trip through the fort we wandered through the souqs where prices are lower than in Dubai and the atmosphere is more traditional.
Later in the evening we went to the home of a Villanova alum where we had a warm welcome of drinks, traditional desserts and fruit. It was interesting to see someone's home and talk with the group of alumni that came by the house. The family who lived in the home was very conservative and as a result the woman had to remain inside because there were men she didn't know outside. The more conservative traditions dictate that a woman can only be social with men if she is related to them. A group of us (females) went into the house to sit with her and her kids and get a tour of the house. The whole day was a great opportunity to socialize with Omani Nova alums and get a glimpse into the more traditional culture of Oman.
After the mosque we went to an old fort and a souq in Oman. The fort was interesting and one of the first really old things we saw on the trip. After a quick trip through the fort we wandered through the souqs where prices are lower than in Dubai and the atmosphere is more traditional.
Later in the evening we went to the home of a Villanova alum where we had a warm welcome of drinks, traditional desserts and fruit. It was interesting to see someone's home and talk with the group of alumni that came by the house. The family who lived in the home was very conservative and as a result the woman had to remain inside because there were men she didn't know outside. The more conservative traditions dictate that a woman can only be social with men if she is related to them. A group of us (females) went into the house to sit with her and her kids and get a tour of the house. The whole day was a great opportunity to socialize with Omani Nova alums and get a glimpse into the more traditional culture of Oman.
Day 11 - Jan 8, 2012
Jason: Today was supposed to start off with a trip to the Sharjah Museums, but that was cancelled because of the group's delays coming back from Oman. They didn't get back until after midnight so everyone was given the morning off. In the afternoon we visited Lamprell PLC, an offshore jackup rig refurbishing company. The offices were nice and afterward we got a bus tour of the ship yard. Getting to see the enormity of some of the structures that they work on was definitely worth the drive out to the facility. Also, the speakers were less ambiguous when answering our questions and that was refreshing. In short, they confirmed that foreign workers in Dubai are typically housed by the employer. At Lamprell, most employees work six days a week and usually more than eight hours per day. The laborers are kept in work camps, where they share a room with several other workers, and are bussed to and from the shipyard each day. There are common rooms for lounging and games when they have time, but it doesn't sound like they have much time to relax. At first this sounds a bit draconian; however, as I've noted in other posts, this is probably much better than where they came from. At least, that's the impression I was getting. Also, I talked to a few ex-pats throughout the trip and some confirmed their origins of extreme poverty.
Brianna: After a morning off to relax, we headed off to Lamprell for a site visit. You can read more about this visit on the site visits page, but for me this visit was very interesting. They spoke at length about the challenges they faced during their international merger and touched on the labor situation. The labor conditions are something that struck me repeatedly while we were on this trip. I still have a lot of questions about the true conditions that workers are subjected to and we repeatedly heard that the conditions are better than where they came from, but overall I don't think the conditions are any worse that in many of the countries where we get our goods in the U.S. I would recommend that you read some articles on labor issues prior to going to Dubai so that you might have a better grasp on the reality of the situation.
In the evening a small group of us headed to the Global Village to grab a bite. We had heard such great things from other group members so we wanted to check it out. Honestly, I don't know that I could recommend a visit to the Global Village. Within each of the countries there are lots of shops that are theoretically themed for that country, but much of the stuff was just junk. Overall the whole place felt like a bad carnival but maybe I just didn't see the same things that others enjoyed so much.
In the evening a small group of us headed to the Global Village to grab a bite. We had heard such great things from other group members so we wanted to check it out. Honestly, I don't know that I could recommend a visit to the Global Village. Within each of the countries there are lots of shops that are theoretically themed for that country, but much of the stuff was just junk. Overall the whole place felt like a bad carnival but maybe I just didn't see the same things that others enjoyed so much.
Day 12 - Jan 9, 2012
Jason: The Pharmaceutical lecturer scheduled for the morning postponed; instead we had a presentation on Supply Chain Management. For me, the supply chain presentation was really informative. The information helped me understand Dubai's revenue model and port business. Since no taxes are collected in the free zones, I began to understand where large chunks of the GDP originated. The lecture also helped explain the global import/export industry and how the major U.A.E. ports participated.
In the afternoon, we found spots in Land Cruisers and headed for the desert for a little "dune bashing." A brief stop at a camel farm to deflate the tires gave us the opportunity to get up close and personal with the local fauna. The baby camels were a lot of fun to watch too.
In the afternoon, we found spots in Land Cruisers and headed for the desert for a little "dune bashing." A brief stop at a camel farm to deflate the tires gave us the opportunity to get up close and personal with the local fauna. The baby camels were a lot of fun to watch too.
Tires properly deflated, we drove a short distance to the start of our (mis)adventure. After a short wait for the "leader" to give the thumbs up, we started off. At first it was pleasantly terrifying. We asked our driver, "Does anyone ever roll their truck?" He replied, "Overturn? Oh, ya, ya, ya. Everyone, at least twice! You have to have a Big Heart to drive in the desert." How true he was. Not more than five minutes after he said that, we plunged down a dune about to overturn, so he turned the wheels up the slope and came almost to a complete stop. I guess the guy following too close behind us didn't expect that and we got hit from behind. The jolt was hard, but everyone escaped injury aside from being a little sore the next day. Amazingly, they safari crew had the first truck repaired in a matter of minutes and all the trucks except one drove off into the desert to do their part in promoting chaos. Unfortunately, our tires came off - a rumored common problem with this sort of activity - and our truck took a while longer to reseat the tires and inflate them. Because of our delay, we missed the sunset stop that the rest of the caravan enjoyed atop some dune. From what I heard, it was peaceful and a great photo op.
Once our repairs were finished, we caught up with our group at a security gate. Yes, a gate in the middle of the desert with fence stretching off as far as the eye can see. Past the gate, dinner, drinks, and entertainment were only a twenty minute car ride away. However, and this will be my only WARNING about this - if you get car sick at all, in the least, DO NOT sit in the last row of seats in your truck. If you are prone to car sickness, then prepare to have a miserable experience regardless of your seat. 'Nuff said.
At the place...actually, it's funny, I don't have a name for the place we finally ended up. I'll just call it the camp. It was a large area with a sort of gazebo built in the middle and surrounded by draped stalls. About half the stalls were empty and the others were being used for food preparation, bathrooms, serving drinks, a liquor bar, or serving food. And one was used for henna tattoos, which was very popular with the woman in our group. I can remember at least four volunteers.
Before dinner, Mahkmoud the Dancing Robot came out and performed a circle dance for about 15 - 20 minutes. The guy never stopped spinning. I later heard that it originated from a religious dance, but I found out if that was true. Dinner was, what had become, standard arabic cuisine and the after dinner entertainment was a belly dancer. Right after the belly dancer finished we were somewhat abruptly led back to our trucks and driven back to campus. The drive back only used desert roads for a short way and then it was blessedly smooth paved roads.
At the place...actually, it's funny, I don't have a name for the place we finally ended up. I'll just call it the camp. It was a large area with a sort of gazebo built in the middle and surrounded by draped stalls. About half the stalls were empty and the others were being used for food preparation, bathrooms, serving drinks, a liquor bar, or serving food. And one was used for henna tattoos, which was very popular with the woman in our group. I can remember at least four volunteers.
Before dinner, Mahkmoud the Dancing Robot came out and performed a circle dance for about 15 - 20 minutes. The guy never stopped spinning. I later heard that it originated from a religious dance, but I found out if that was true. Dinner was, what had become, standard arabic cuisine and the after dinner entertainment was a belly dancer. Right after the belly dancer finished we were somewhat abruptly led back to our trucks and driven back to campus. The drive back only used desert roads for a short way and then it was blessedly smooth paved roads.
Brianna: The desert safari was a really good activity. Emiratis apparently love getting into the desert to enjoy the serenity and now I can understand why. If you get nauseous I would recommend taking some dramamine because the dune bashing is great fun, but also stomach turning. Around sunset we stopped driving through the dunes and climbed out of the cars to experience the sunset from the top of a dune. The color of the sun on the sand was just breathtaking and being out there during sunset was incredibly serene. After sunset we headed to the campsite for dinner, henna, entertainment and camel rides. The food was surprisingly good and they even managed to create a bar in the middle of the desert. If there is an activity you really want to do on this trip make sure you do it first because the time at the campsite is actually quite short. This was a great activity for the evening and probably one of my favorite events of the trip.
Day 13 - Jan 10, 2012
Jason: Today was really busy. It began with back to back lectures about Real Estate and Hospitality and finished with a site visit to the Westin Hotel and the belated lecture on Pharmaceuticals. After the Pharma lecture, everyone but me stayed in the city to have dinner. Most of the group stayed even later than that since it was "ladies night" and women get the first three drinks for free. Let's just say that there are many stories from that night that will never be blogged.
Anyway, the RE lecture was a good overview of the historical development of the industry in Dubai and it attempted to describe why there was such a boom/bust in the area. As you drive around you'll see too many buildings half-complete, sort of frozen in time, with giant cranes as seemingly permanent accoutrements. Some of this can be explained by the global economic crisis and the rest by nascent and untested mortgage and property laws. The Hospitality lecture was chocked full of cool stats: source markets, cruises, hotel supply and occupancy, and air travel. Even global trends and how Dubai ranks was included. (You can see the slides on the seminars tab if you're interested.) It's no surprise that Vegas topped the hotel occupancy chart.
The site visit at the Westin was a nice, but after the Yaz visit the Westin seemed like just another fancy hotel. The presenter was energetic and openly answered all the questions; although the presentation seemed a bit canned. Afterward we were led through a site tour of the hotel and then returned to our original spot for the lecture on Pharmaceuticals. Admittedly, it was very generous of the Westin to let us use one of their bars as an impromptu classroom.
When all the planned activities had wrapped up, Nermish and I took the bus back to campus; I wasn't feeling well and wanted to rest. The rest of the group stayed for dinner and so on.
Anyway, the RE lecture was a good overview of the historical development of the industry in Dubai and it attempted to describe why there was such a boom/bust in the area. As you drive around you'll see too many buildings half-complete, sort of frozen in time, with giant cranes as seemingly permanent accoutrements. Some of this can be explained by the global economic crisis and the rest by nascent and untested mortgage and property laws. The Hospitality lecture was chocked full of cool stats: source markets, cruises, hotel supply and occupancy, and air travel. Even global trends and how Dubai ranks was included. (You can see the slides on the seminars tab if you're interested.) It's no surprise that Vegas topped the hotel occupancy chart.
The site visit at the Westin was a nice, but after the Yaz visit the Westin seemed like just another fancy hotel. The presenter was energetic and openly answered all the questions; although the presentation seemed a bit canned. Afterward we were led through a site tour of the hotel and then returned to our original spot for the lecture on Pharmaceuticals. Admittedly, it was very generous of the Westin to let us use one of their bars as an impromptu classroom.
When all the planned activities had wrapped up, Nermish and I took the bus back to campus; I wasn't feeling well and wanted to rest. The rest of the group stayed for dinner and so on.
Brianna: This was a really full, but interesting day. The morning real estate lecture consisted of a lot of history, including a detailed timeline of events of the real estate boom and bust in Dubai. The lecturer also gave us a clear understanding of what went wrong, the lessons that were learned, and what the key revival drivers are likely to be. After a quick break we headed directly into a session on the hospitality industry. Maybe because I have worked in this industry in the past, but I found this session to be very interesting. Dubai has built a significant portion of their economy around tourism and the numbers/percentages that were being thrown our way were impressive. The number also pointed to some weaknesses in the industry that will likely need to be address for long term success (like the lack of 1-3 star hotels), but overall this was a very informative lecture.
After lunch we headed over to the Westin for a short lecture and tour. There isn't a whole lot to say about this visit, but the lecturer was clearly very knowledgeable about his company and working in new markets. After the tour many of us sat for an optional pharma lecture. This was a good session, but I would have loved to do it all again when there was more time and we all had more energy to dedicate to it. After this fourth lecture most of us headed to dinner at the Italian restaurant on the property and then enjoyed ladies night at the many bars the property had to offer.
After lunch we headed over to the Westin for a short lecture and tour. There isn't a whole lot to say about this visit, but the lecturer was clearly very knowledgeable about his company and working in new markets. After the tour many of us sat for an optional pharma lecture. This was a good session, but I would have loved to do it all again when there was more time and we all had more energy to dedicate to it. After this fourth lecture most of us headed to dinner at the Italian restaurant on the property and then enjoyed ladies night at the many bars the property had to offer.
Day 14 - Jan 11, 2012
Jason: Just had an interesting encounter with the IMT staff, here's the scenario. There are little dust motes that gather in the corners of the room and I asked one of the maintenance guys for a broom. However, the maintenance guy doesn't speak english so he left and brought the security guy. After a few minutes of miscommunication I think he understood that I only wanted to do a quick sweep of my room and that there was no need to send housekeeping. Honestly though, there is no housekeeping for our dorm rooms. Anyway, he said that he was security and would have to wait until his manager arrived at 8:30. The nice thing is that they were very cordial and accommodating, but there was definitely a loss in translation. It definitely makes me appreciate having Karthik around.
Brianna: Day 14 was an pretty good day with two site visits, but by this part of the trip I was honestly ready to head back to the States and get back to my "normal". (You can read more about our site visits on the page dedicated to them.) In the evening Professor Chaudhry had planned a WONDERFUL farewell dinner at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel (it's shaped like a wave!) at the Beachcombers Restaurant. The dinner was on the patio of the restaurant with great food and incredible views of the light show on the outside of the Burj Al Arab. It was a nice opportunity for the entire group to be together one last time since all the planned activities were over. If you get the opportunity to visit this restaurant on your trip, make sure to bring your camera and get ready to have a great evening!
Day 15 - Jan 12, 2012
Jason: This was the second to last day of the trip and a free day; as you can imagine, none of us got up early. Slowly, most of us started roaming the hallways and getting ready for the Burj Al Arab. By noon we were in taxis and headed to the only, self-proclaimed, seven star hotel in the world. Needless to say, I can’t really argue. From the beginning, we were greeted with an amazing fountain display with escalators walled by gigantic fish tanks. The second floor of the lobby has another amazing fountain with an automated water show. A large Rolex wall clock reminds you that the gold you see everywhere probably isn’t fake and, as Charlie put it, “There’s probably a few hundred thousand dollars worth of watches in the front display case of that watch store.” The elevator ride up to the 27th floor is quick and the sky bar is amazing. Tea consisted of several courses of food, a dozen or more choices of tea, coffee, and dessert. It’s all you can eat and by the end, even without ordering seconds, we were all stuffed. The view is phenomenal and the event is well worth the 450 dhs price tag.
Afterward we went to Carrefour for dates and then we jumped on the Metro headed for the spice souks. Since I wanted to try and get some sunset shots, I jumped off near the World Trade Center and took some pictures while the other continued on. I meandered downtown for a while then headed to Rashidiya by metro and caught a taxi back to IMT. Some people started trickling in around 8:00 PM while others stayed out until dawn. I guess Dubai is what you want it to be.
Brianna: As one of our final days in Dubai, day 15 ended up being long and a lot of fun. A group of 5 of us got up and moving fairly early in the morning and headed into the city. Here are some of the things we did:
Madinat Jumeriah - This is a complex of hotels, souqs, restaurants and bars that has great views and is built in the traditional style. While the prices are a bit higher, the quality and selection in this indoor souq is also high. Also, it makes for a more relaxed shopping experience because people aren't harassing you to buy their goods (but they also might not be willing to haggle). I highly recommend a cup of coffee on the outdoor patio and a spin through the shops. There are also a number of nice restaurants that look pretty tasty.
Burj Al Arab - This was probably one of my top three favorite things we did on this trip. It's not inexpensive to visit the Burj al Arab for tea, but I think it was absolutely worth it. I would recommend getting a reservation for tea in the early afternoon so you can see all the sites and don't bother to eat lunch because tea includes quite a bit of food (and a glass of champagne). While you are there you can also see the contrast of the inside of the building to the outside. Something I read said that they "left all taste at the door" in designing the inside of the building, and while it is not very tasteful I can honestly say I have never seen anything like it.
Carrefor - A quick stop at the Carrefor was a great opportunity to get chocolate covered dates, spices, date honey and other things to take back to the states (and its cheaper than most other places).
Metro - This time the metro was much more crowded but I still recommend riding it. Ladies, there is a separate car you can sit in that is just for women and children. You don't have to use it, but it looked emptier so it might be more comfortable if the trains are pretty full.
Gold & Spice Souqs - The gold souq was interesting and you should definitely check it out, but honestly I didn't find it that exciting. While you are there you can also buy shoes and scarves and all sorts of other things too. The spice souqs were one of my favorite parts of Dubai. You MUST go!
Hotel restaurant/bar - After a long day a small group of us went to a hotel bar for a beer and then a restaurant to get a light bite. Remember, hotels are the only places to grab a drink and relax.
360 - It's unclear how we ended up at this bar after such a long day, but we did. Its actually a really cool spot out in the middle of the water in the shadow of the Burj al Arab. While I wouldn't recommend showing up with all your shopping bags, it was a good excuse to get bottle service and a lounge seat. Hey, the country is all about luxury and extravagance, why not join in!
Madinat Jumeriah - This is a complex of hotels, souqs, restaurants and bars that has great views and is built in the traditional style. While the prices are a bit higher, the quality and selection in this indoor souq is also high. Also, it makes for a more relaxed shopping experience because people aren't harassing you to buy their goods (but they also might not be willing to haggle). I highly recommend a cup of coffee on the outdoor patio and a spin through the shops. There are also a number of nice restaurants that look pretty tasty.
Burj Al Arab - This was probably one of my top three favorite things we did on this trip. It's not inexpensive to visit the Burj al Arab for tea, but I think it was absolutely worth it. I would recommend getting a reservation for tea in the early afternoon so you can see all the sites and don't bother to eat lunch because tea includes quite a bit of food (and a glass of champagne). While you are there you can also see the contrast of the inside of the building to the outside. Something I read said that they "left all taste at the door" in designing the inside of the building, and while it is not very tasteful I can honestly say I have never seen anything like it.
Carrefor - A quick stop at the Carrefor was a great opportunity to get chocolate covered dates, spices, date honey and other things to take back to the states (and its cheaper than most other places).
Metro - This time the metro was much more crowded but I still recommend riding it. Ladies, there is a separate car you can sit in that is just for women and children. You don't have to use it, but it looked emptier so it might be more comfortable if the trains are pretty full.
Gold & Spice Souqs - The gold souq was interesting and you should definitely check it out, but honestly I didn't find it that exciting. While you are there you can also buy shoes and scarves and all sorts of other things too. The spice souqs were one of my favorite parts of Dubai. You MUST go!
Hotel restaurant/bar - After a long day a small group of us went to a hotel bar for a beer and then a restaurant to get a light bite. Remember, hotels are the only places to grab a drink and relax.
360 - It's unclear how we ended up at this bar after such a long day, but we did. Its actually a really cool spot out in the middle of the water in the shadow of the Burj al Arab. While I wouldn't recommend showing up with all your shopping bags, it was a good excuse to get bottle service and a lounge seat. Hey, the country is all about luxury and extravagance, why not join in!
Day 16 - Jan 13, 2012
Jason: I spent today catching up on the blog, processing some photos, and doing laundry. Others headed to the Dubai museum and one or two other last-day stops.
Brianna: By this point I was ready to call it a trip after having such a great day the day before, but I dragged myself into the city for one last experience. We got to the Dubai museum when it opened at 2:30 but it was so crowded with German tourists trying to get in that we went to find something to eat. After a pretty terrible meal on the Creek (the view was nice) we went back to the museum and spent about 30 minutes exploring. It is nothing like the history museums you have visited in the U.S. or Europe, but it is probably worth a visit if you can get there early in your visit. It would be helpful in giving a perspective of how far Dubai has come in the past 30 years. After that we just grabbed a refreshing smoothy/coffee at a cafe and headed back to campus to pack and get some sleep.
Day 17 - Jan 14, 2012
Jason: Originally, I had typed this entry, "Not much to say here, we're all getting on a bus at 4:30 AM and heading to the airport for the trip home. From my perspective, this was a great trip." However, let me warn you that you're in for 29 hours of travel and potential travel hazards. Our flight in Jordan landed after our connecting flight had started boarding and we didn't have our boarding passes yet. Plus, the security lines were about an hour long, but we yelled "New York" and somehow the airport personnel knew the rush and let us cut to the front of the lines.
Brianna: Jason's mention on the security lines in Jordan reminded me of something we all experienced throughout our trip. People in the east (of all nationalities) seem to not understand or respect lines. I can't tell you how many times people in our group said "don't they get there is a queue?". I had read before we left that women could just walk to the front of a line and no one would question it, but that is an understatement. Anyone will just walk to the front of a line and think thats cool. I first experienced this while waiting in line in the ladies room in Jordan on the flight over, but by the time we travelled back through Jordan on the way home, I knew we could just push our way through and no one would stop us. While this became a joke within the group, it was more than mildly annoying.
Things to bring that you might otherwise forget:
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