I am not sure where to start to
describe this trip. It wasn’t planned, it was bordering messy even, but aren’t
all the best endeavors a result of spontaneity and impulsiveness?
It all began with a silly FB
comment I made in February in which I told my friend who is residing in Dubai
that it simply isn’t fair for her to get the chance to see Julio Iglesias’s
concert without me, and since it was almost my birthday, my good friend decided
that my gift would be a ticket to attend the concert with her!
And thus hasty preparations were
on the way as I looked for the cheapest ticket possible and put the visa’s
acquiring in the hands of the travel agent while I busied myself with extra
work to go on the trip with a clear head and a clearer conscience.
I had been longing for a vacation
for quite a while, and saw this trip as my opportunity to finally do it, and so
I decided I better save my money to indulge in my shopping there, but as usual,
whilst the intentions were there, the goal remained unattainable in my case; I
mean what did you expect? Lebanon was on sale in February and I simply couldn’t
help squandering my earnings here and there. I did a more refined job saving in
March though and went to Dubai ready to shop!
Enough introductions already! Long
story short, I made it there after a long, and I mean long work shift and a car
breakdown. I slept throughout the entire plane trip, except for the little hassle
caused by the 50 something year old passenger sitting next to me as she kept
hovering over me to look at the nothing beneath us from the window.
Dubai at first glance wowed me. I
looked in awe at the skyscrapers towering above me, and saw the modernity of
the architecture all around me with wonder. All the buildings on both sides of
Cheikh Zayed’s highway made the skyscrapers’ district in Qatar look like a
small, far away oasis compared to the majesty of Dubai.
My 6 days and 5 nights spent as
my friends’ guest were packed with shopping and culinary experiences by day and
clubbing by night. My feet asked for mercy after pacing twice through the
classic Ibn Battouta mall and later ached while restlessly wandering inside the
luxurious Dubai mall. Souk el Bahar also proved to be an excellent place to
shop for souvenirs and trinkets.
Along with the shopping came the
sightseeing, the restaurants and the coffee breaks which were all marvelous and
worth the while; Burj Khalifa and Burj el Arab, the fountain show, and of
course, Jumeirah with its various outlets to name a few.
During the nights, I came to see
the other face of that beautiful city. Dubai offered me a wide range of choices
when it came to nightlife, and each club I tried had a unique feel and a
distinguished ambiance to it. 360, Barasti, the Belgium Beer Café, Trader Vic’s
and People all were up to the standards if not above them. The mix of
nationalities only increased the glamor of these places, and the obvious over
enjoyment painted on everybody’s face made these venues all the more appealing.
Julio’s concert was magical,
whimsical and touchy. I felt suspended in time as I listened to his legendary
voice serenading me with my childhood’s poetry. It was a concert to remember
with a pinch in the heart as my beloved idol poured all of his sentimentality
in song, tango and poignant anecdotes. I feel lucky for having been able to
witness such greatness in my lifetime.
The beach experience was also
fulfilling as I plunged my toes in the white clean sand and tanned under the
blazing sun between dips in the clear blue water. It was a very relaxing excursion
and one I will yearn for dearly, as such splendor is hard to find.
In between plans, I spent a good
part of my time there sitting peacefully on the yard bench with my coffee mug
and Davidoff cigarettes. It helped me gather my thoughts and gave me the opportunity
to enjoy a lot of quality time with my friend, to whom I wish to repeat my endless
thanks.
All in all, it was a trip that I
will look back to with longing for a long time. I shall always remember it with
fondness, and nostalgia of course, as it is a feeling I find hard to shake
regardless the topic.
Dubai, you will be missed…
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