Part 2. Off to Abu Dhabi then Dubai…Photos and video of the world’s fastest roller coaster….

Wow! Wow! Wow!  Tom took this photo from the 124th floor observation deck of the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa with a total 163 stories. For more photos Tom took at the top,  see toward the end of today’s post.

Yesterday, we received a comment from an anonymous reader with a story about the dangerous Coronavirus spreading from the Middle East.  Last night, we saw the same story on CNN about this virus spreading to a French traveler who had visited Dubai, UAE, which proved to be fatal. 

With dozens of cases throughout the Middle East and, considering the places we’ve visited, I was concerned.  Tom, was less worried than I.

After taking my 4th dose of Z-Pak, I’d expected to turn the corner.  It had been 16 days since the illness began. What would happen if this continued until next Tuesday when we board the ship for the Mediterranean cruise and we wouldn’t be allowed on the ship, although we’re no longer contagious?  Oh, dear.

I had an idea in my desperation to improve; put a large pot of boiling water on the stove leaving it on all day at a slow boil.  Perhaps the moisture in the air would lessen the sinus infection. 

Second idea;  follow the guidelines espoused by Dr. Bruce Fife, of the benefits of Oil Pulling, using coconut oil twice a day as a mouthwash for a full 20 minutes, swishing and gargling and then spitting it out.  Coconut oil, which we have with us, is a powerful antibacterial. 

Starting these two modalities or merely coincidence, I started to improve late afternoon. I’m much better today.  Whether it was the Z-Pak finally kicking in, the coconut oil, the boiling water putting moisture in the air,  just “time,” or a placebo effect, I don’t care the reason.  It’s only the result that brings us much relief.  Tom, struggling with the sinus issue to lesser of a degree is also feeling better.

So now, we can rest one more day with a plan to begin tomorrow to sift through our stuff, one more time, to further lighten our load in order to avoid extra baggage fees when we fly away on Monday from Dubai to Barcelona.  It will be done!

Now to Part 2 of our day trip to see some sights in Abu Dhabi and Dubai…

After leaving the mosque on Monday, Umer was anxious to show us other favorite tourist attractions.  In my weakened conditioned, I reminded him that walking was difficult for me in the heat and if we’d be getting out of the car, it must be to air conditioning with places to sit.  This limited us to a degree.

Most intentionally crooked skyscraper in the world in Abu Dhabi, Capital Gate, built at a full 18 degree angle. Oh.

With this in mind, he drove to a popular destination, Abu Dhabi’s world famous seven star hotel, the Emirates Palace Hotel, an extraordinary architecturally interesting hotel filled with Arabic works of art, its own marina and heliport and the finest of amenities. Again, we were enthralled by its creative design, tasteful amenities, massive structure and opulence.

One of the entrances to the Emirates Palace Hotel.
Looking up, as we stood in the main foyer of the Emirates Palace Hotel.
The main foyer.
Happy to sit in the air conditioned comfort of the Emirates Palace Hotel.
Looks like a cash machine.  Nope!  Its a gold machine.  Put in a credit card and out pops a chunk of gold at your choosing.
This is a full view of the Emirates Palace Hotel depicted on an enormous wall.  Its actually a handmade tapestry!  The detail in person was breathtaking.
We stepped out on the veranda for a better view of the ocean front.
One of two open staircases at one end of the hotel, with its handmade carpeting and stained glass railings was worth a shot.
As we drove away from the Emirates Palace Hotel, took this photo of one of the fountains.
A small portion of the Abu Dhabi skyline as we drove away.
The attention to detail is at every turn.  Notice the shaping of these trees along the boulevard.
From every angle the views are amazing.
Umer drove us past the Sheikh’s new home currently under construction.  This photo is only a small portion of the massive estate.
World’s largest roller coaster is located in Ferrari World, the Formula Rossa. Here’s the link to watch the seven minute video.  No, we had no interest in riding this so we just breezed by.

By the time we returned to Dubai it was after 1:00 PM, anxious to get to the Burj Khalifa so Tom could ride to the observation deck on the 124th floor.

Tom taking photos at the 124the floor of Burj Khalifa.

More views…

This is the highest view from any structure on earth.

Breathtaking!  He loved seeing it firsthand.  Wish I could have joined him but these photos are quite gratifying.

Miles of views.
Tom took this photo of the portion of the Burj Khalifa remaining 39 floors all above the 124th floor observation tower.
The freeway system is evident in this and the photo below, indicative of Dubai’s efficient systems.
Unreal views.  Great job, Tom!
Although these look as if they are black and white photos, it was taken in color.  From the distance, everything appeared in monotones.
A peek of grass and water shows the colors seen from above.
A photo of a photo on New Year’s Eve as fireworks were being shot from various floors of the Burj Khalifa.  Now that would be fun to see in person!
Winding down our day, he drove out to Palm island to see the gorgeous properties.
Our final stop on Palm island, the renowned Atlantis, The Palm Hotel & Resort that doesn’t allow tourists to visit except dining or as a booked guest.

Finally, returning to our condo after a gratifying day, although cut short in part by my illness, we were so happy to have gone to see some of the highlights of this amazing country and two of its extraordinary cities, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the capitol city. 

Although we’ve seen but a small portion of what these great cities have to offer, we’re grateful for the experiences we’ve added to our repertoire of fine places to visit, as we continue on our worldwide journey.