New Years 2017 – Day 5

We slept in a little today as we did not have any tour scheduled.  After eating, we took a taxi to the third and final section of the city, the old town area. 

Our taxi driver dropped us off at the wrong spot (probably not his fault, but my bad directions) but since it was noon, we proceeded onto the place we had picked out for lunch.  This was a famous place called Al Ustad Special Kabab.  The owner had come to Dubai 80 years ago from Iran when there were only 5,000 people in town and opened up this restraurant.  His speiality is chicken or mutton cooked over an open grill on skewers.  His “secret” is that he marinades the meat in a special yougart before cooking them.  We found out about this restraurant from the Andrew Zimmer food show.  We ordered a plate of chicken and a plate of mutton skewers and wow, were they really good.  We were the only tourists in the restraurant.

After eating, we headed for the river water front and accidently found the market that we had been looking for before lunch.  The market was fun and we didn’t buy anything. 

Then we had to cross the river to go to the markets on the other side.  At this point in the river, the only way to get across is by a boat they call a Dubai Abras.  These boats are small motorized very old wooden boats and they only cost the equivalent of 27 cents for the ride.  They call it the Dubai Creek, but it is more like a river than a creek.

Once on the other side, we went to the Textile Market, the Spice Market and the Gold Market.  These are huge areas and we spent the rest of the afternoon shopping.   They expect you to haggle and everything we bought we paid ½ of what they originally asked.  It was fun haggling.

When we took the boat back over the Dubai Creek, we hired to boat to take us on a 1 hour trip down and back on the river for only $29.  It was a fun trip on this old rickety boat driven by a young kid from Pakistan – what fun.

By the time we arrived back at the hotel, the lounge had food out so we ate for free there and did not go out anymore.  We just went back to our room and packed as we are to be picked up to go the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi tomorrow morning at 8:00pm and then board the Celebrity Constellation at 3:30pm.

Night from Dubai.  

Crossing the Dubai Creek

The Gold Market in Dubai

On a Abra boat ride on Dubai Creek

Lunch

Lunch

Lunch

The boat take us to the other side

On the boat

A new friend - Barb bought his scarves!!

In the Spice Market

Another Market

Are own boat ride

The motor on the boat

The boat driver

Our hotel, we are on the 21st floor.

Look at the "twisted" building to the left.