Our flight finally took off around 3:30 which was annoying but somewhat made up for because the plane was awesome. We had our own little movie screens in the back of the seat in front of us, but each one had a list of over 100 movies you could choose from, and start, pause and stop at will. We had seats together but mine was a middle seat and the Indian guy next to me was incredibly sniffly so I ended up moving to an open aisle seat across the way from Matt, rather than listening to him through the whole flight.
We landed in the evening in the Dubai airport - the baggage claim hall has cathedral ceilings and while pillars. We caught a cab to our hotel, a sheraton right on the creek with a giant Christmas tree in the foyer - Mom, you would love Dubai, there are giant Christmas trees everywhere! Our room has a fantastic view out over the creek which is nice - last night we ate falafel and hummus and really good chicken shwarma and chips and I drank fresh pomogranate juice. 
Today we actually got up at a decent hour and got moving - we walked down the creek to the spot where little wooden boats will ferry you across to the other side for 1 durham per person (about 30 cents). Guess what the little wooden boats are called?!?!? Abras! So all over the creek there are signs for Abra stations or cafes names something Abra something... very fun for me. We caught the boat across and walked through the Old Souk and textile market which was interesting but nothing to write home about. 
Then we went in search of some of the other souks I have been reading about in the guidebooks etc... turns out in Dubai, all of the souks are actually very upscale malls that happen to carry middle eastern stuff, as opposed to the regular malls that carry western stuff and are just called malls. Sort of like the Disney World version of a souk. It was a bit of a disappointment to realise there were no real markets to be had, but then we settled into the fun of the crazy huge buildings. We saw the Burj Dubai which is not finished yet but when it is will be the tallest building in the world, and then went to a mall called the Wafi Mall that is built in the shape of a pyramid and has an arabian souk (read fancy mall with arabian stuff, including Palestinian pottery) underneath, and even more exciting - a Marks and Spencers (no sandwiches though)!
We came back to the hotel in time for me to have my spa treatments which we were able to reschedule for today.... it was lovely, if a bit bizarre. Tonight we are headed out for another lebanese style dinner, and then maybe to the street that runs along the public beach to find a place to have a drink and ring in the new year...
Dubai is the anti-India for sure - clean, modern, and devoid of people. Everywhere we go, we wonder where everyone else is. It also reminds us a bit of Berlin, in the sense that you get the impression that rather than visiting a city, you are touring the construction site of a city that will be really impressive in about 15 years. The buildings are not necessarily aesthetically pleasing but breathtaking none the less for their size and modernity... Happy New Year to everyone and we'll see you soon!
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