Dubai as a layover (Part 2)

After a whirlwind tour of Dubai we were back at our hotel on the waterfront neighborhood called the Creekside. We were aware of a few things. We hadn’t eaten lunch. There was a Sees Candy store in the Dubai mall. Just about anything else on the planet was also available at the largest mall in the world.

Uber is a thing. We had used it once before in Hawaii. Today in Dubai it did not disappoint. A few taps on the iPhone and within two minutes we were picked up by a shiny Lexus. $11.19 later we were back across town being dropped off in the three lanes of traffic designated for doing so. Very much like a major international airport. Our driver told us that we would not be picked up at the same place, but one of several exits around the mall. Just use the app and get picked up. Cool when technology works.

With a goal in mind we approached the information booth just inside the three story tall atrium as we entered one of the twenty or so doors providing access. Where is the Sees Candy? About 100-meters down the center corridor, down one level, to the left, can’t miss it. We didn’t get started when we came face to face with sharks and more.

The two story tall aquarium holds over 300 sharks and thousands of other aquatic animals of over 140 species. The 10-million liter tank has a glass tunnel with pedestrians walking through it and a massive shark cage suspended inside that has tourists in wet suits as part of the show. As usual the “Do not cross” line is only a suggestion to some and they walk right up to the huge wall of glass.

Honestly you have to take a step back to appreciate the scope and beauty of this engineering and aquatic marvel. It would be easy to just stand and watch this for hours. But we are on a mission. The last Sees Candy store we went to was in Oklahoma City with my brother over two years ago.

No. We are not looking for the fourteen movie theaters. No. Not the ice skating rink either. Down and to the left. Yep. The classic black on white decorations of Sees Candy. With a vintage Harley Davidson in the front window? Well, this is Dubai after all. Everything is a bit overdone. But the chocolates are not a disappointment. They did not mess with success. Everything is as it should be and we put together a custom box of chocolate truffles and such planned to last for the rest of our trip. One or two are a treat at the end of a day.

With the most important task completed we move on to the next. Find food. There are restaurants and kiosks of every level of culinary art or indulgence one could imagine. Every country is represented and all look promising. Remembering a sight from earlier this morning my inner carnivore starts to crave a significant burger. Five Guys is an American chain that does just that in a simple and satisfying way. It breaks my typical rule for eating while traveling, but I am willing to make an exception.

Filled with fat, carbs, and salt we are ready to continue our wandering.

Back upstairs there is a store called Bear bricks Galore. They have hundreds of acrylic bears that have images from the Simpsons, Andy Warhol, Rembrandt and more. Signs all over the shop prohibit photography. I find it ironic that you are not allowed to capture an image that is itself a copy of an image produced by someone else. When I mention it to the staff they say that they have permission from The Beatles, The Simpsons, Graceland, and more to produce the copies. Art is funny sometimes.

Image from Google Maps

Down the way on the right is a window display of rhinestone emblazoned women’s shoes at an ungodly price. Inside there is a woman in a wheelchair covered from head to toe in a hijab. She is trying on these glamorous shoes that no one will ever see. It’s and interesting contrast in what is seen, what is shown, and what is hidden in a culture.

From there we went through what seemed to be a hall of treasures as both sides of the mall had jewelers displaying necklaces dripping with diamonds and shimmering jewels that would make a queen envious. Each of these establishments had at least one well dressed attendant that looked like a secret service agent ready to manage any potential threat. This being said, the crime rate in Dubai is extremely low.

And in case you are saying that you can find most of this stuff in any major mall there was one thing over the top even for Dubai. A Diplodocus Longus. If you said you’ve seen one of these in any mall I would love to hear where! This 92-foot long dinosaur came all the way from Wyoming to meet us here at the Dubai Mall.

By this point it was getting late in the afternoon. We had been told that the water show in the ponds in front of the Burj Khalif were something to behold. They began after dark and happened every half hour. We really wanted to see the show, but we were also dragging by now with the change in time and all the touring that we had done in one day in Dubai. By the end of the day my Apple Watch said we had taken 16,277 steps. Who am I to argue? We were just here on a layover on our way to a long safari in Kenya. We had a flight in the morning. I’m sure we will get back to Dubai. Maybe we can see the show then.