Dubai 2024

Dubai was never on my bucket list, but the CMT invited John to speak at their first conference in the Middle East and we welcomed the opportunity. Dubai featured so much interesting architecture; my favorite building was the Museum of the Future.

I photographed it from many angles.

The conference was on Thursday, and we arrived a few days in advance to sightsee, learn about Emirati culture, and adjust to the 12 hour time difference.

On Sunday we took a walking tour of the Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood, the city's oldest district which is across the river. The guide was great, familiarizing us with some history and the culture. It was a good introduction to Dubai and we enjoyed shopping the spice market.

We took a cooking class, and learned to make a classic Emirati breakfast; delicious!

The day John and Zoë were at the conference, I took a day trip to Abu Dhabi. The highlight was the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, built in the style of the Taj Mahal.

The workmanship was beautiful.

I also visited the presidential palace and took an elevator to the top of a tall building for the birds eye view of Abu Dhabi.

Nighttime Dubai was beautiful.

Dubai architecture was modern and grand--on a scale that I didn't try capture in images. I did take an artsy photo shot of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest structure.

Zoë had worked for WET, the firm that created the renowned fountain at the Dubai Mall. A former colleague took us to the site of the 2020 Dubai Expo where another WET installation was featured.

There was not any graffiti, but there was a lot of street art.

We didn't do a beach day but Zoë and I enjoyed a Hammam spa experience and the three of us explored the Palm Island area.

After the conference, we took an overnight safari to the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve.

In the evening we took a walk looking for scorpions. There was a lot of desert foliage due to the recent rains. The desert conservation area is teeming with life.

And the sunset was spectacular. What cannot be shared here is the silence of the desert night, and the cacophony of birdsong that hit like a sound wave at the first rays of the morning sunlight. It was a an amazing experience.