Dubai - 15-January-2010

We spent the day yesterday living as tourists. Exploring Dubai with cameras around neck, walking, hopping on and off buses and dhow-like boats.

The bus route included stops at most of the famous malls in Dubai, which we have yet to visit for fear of never finding our car again, as well as souks and other famous landmarks and tourist destinations.

The day's journey led up to the grand event, a visit to the Burj Khalifa, formerly known as the Burj Dhabi, the tallest building in the world. The skyscraper stands at 828m (approximately 2700'). Apparently, reservations have been received for residential/office space and tenants will begin moving in within the next 2 months. BK has 160 floors, the fastest elevator (64 km/h or 40 mph), and lots of other biggest/fastest/first of its kind stats.

Jordan - December 2009

We just returned from a 10-day journey through Jordan, which started in Jerash, a settlement dating from the period 2500-700 BC, and ended in Wadi Rum, a beautiful desert with a thriving Bedouin culture. We made the journey on mtn bike, some 200 km. and, at times, relatively grueling ~ HELLO CALVES AND HAM STRING MUSCLES, plus SAG, which turned out to be a plush bus ride. The mtn bike ride was harder than I imagined, but completely satisfying upon completion of each milestone.

Our group was comprised of a comptabile lot, constituted primarily of folks from England and refined by folks from the countries of Ireland, Australia, Switzerland, and, of course, the great USA.

Jordan was a country full of surprises. Mountains, lush, fertile grounds, robust history, tasty food, and friendly inhabitants. We had a lovely time.

Check out additional pics at: http://s716.photobucket.com/albums/ww169/lagalag000/Jordan%20Dec-09/?albumview=slideshow