On the way

After two long and relatively sleepless flights, I arrived in Dubai. My luggage didn't.

I met up with D, another new teacher at the University. Her luggage also was a no-show.

We were loathe to leave for Kabul the next day without our luggage so we arranged to stay another day in Dubai to 'sightsee. ' We hired a driver to give us a tour and then take us to the old souk (bazaar ).

Dubai is a city under construction, hotels and apartment houses -- few trees and fewer birds. I had to take two obligatory building pictures:


The 'sail' hotel - the only 7 star hotel in the world.

Impressive!

It is Ramadan, the month in which Muslims fast - nothing to eat or drink from sunup to sundown, not even water!

We arrived at the souk just after Iftar - the time when the fast is broken and Muslims pray and eat, thus many of the 'shops' were closed. But we walked around a bit and not much else.

Again, since it was Ramadan, the restaurants were all closed during the day. At night the only places to eat - and drink - are hotels. Ours was the Renaissance (a Marriott). We had a superb buffet, albeit expensive. In fact, the overall service we received could not have been better. They treated two complaining, tired and luggage-less Americans with great sensitivity and endless patience.

Enough here - on to Kabul.