DONT BELIEVE THE HYPE

now that i have fled from the UAE i feel like i am allowed to use my freedom of speech. everything is censored by the same people who own/rule the emirate and a lot of your favorite web sites will not work from inside the country. there are a few major projects finished, for example SKI DUBAI located at the MALL OF THE EMIRATES, but everything else won't be completed until after 2009! so basically from what i could see DUBAI is just a mirage. the city is not even half built and it seemed the majority of the residents in DUBAI are actually migrant workers living in barracks. the future of DUBAI depends on the tourists...

THE FIRST VIEW OF DUBAI

i arrived in DUBAI super early, caught a cab and checked into my apartment. after freshening up, i passed out for a while. when i woke up i hit the town for the longest walk i have ever taken. i walked all the way down DUBAI CREEK and crossed AL MAKTOUM BRIDGE. then i walked back up DUBAI CREEK before going under it to DEIRA via the pedestrian tunnel. then i walked through the GOLD SOUK (you want copy watch sir?) and got some food before heading back home. i wasn't tired until the next day. during my journey i was mistaken for a GERMAN, an AUSTRALIAN, and i told one dude that i was from MONTREAL. the guy with the bike in the pedestrian tunnel asked were i was from and i just spoke broken FRENCH to him until he walked away. tomorrow i will be AMERICAN.

DUBAI

i've arrived...

HONG KONG RANDOMS

HOT POT

GIO invited me out to a local restaurant to eat HOT POT. it's a chinese style of dining where you have a pot of boiling liquid that you cook your own meat, vegtables, and noodles right on the table. everything is self serve so you have to be fast if you want to get the choice cuts. i really couldn't mess with much other than the ramen and green beans, but trust me that there is a wide variety to choose from.

GIO and MEIMI


HOT POTS


BUFFET LINE


DIG IN!


THE KITCHEN STAFF


NO RULES


REFILL


VEGGIES


PIG TESTICLES AND FISH SKIN (i think)


LEFTOVERS


THE HOMIES


THE SCENE