The Retired Shows: And On to Dubai!

Friday, August 15, 2014

And On to Dubai!

August 7 we fly from Doha, Qatar to Dubai, United Arab Emeritas. The U17 World Championship games will be held in Dubai August 8 - 16. Go Team USA!

And during the day while the TEAM USA watches film, has a practice, eats lunch and relaxes the traveling women of the group set out to explore Dubai! We hired a driver and had a fantastic overview of Dubai that lasted about 6 hours! We made it back to the hotel in time to go to the evening practice.

The Dubai Creek
We crossed the "creek" on a six land floating bridge.

Dubai Museum
Exhibits are housed in this 1799 Al-Fahidi Fort which
traces Dubai's development from a modest desert settlement
to a global center of commerce, finance and tourism.

Jana!

The Al-Fahidi Fort

Dubai's most iconic hotel - the Burj al-Arab
We are NOT staying there!

Toes in the Persian Gulf

Gathering shells

Jumeirah Beach Park - a beautiful stretch of coast!

the Burj al-Arab

The world's tallest building is the
2,722 ft tall Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
Opened on January 4, 2010.

The Atlantis, crowning the massive Palm

The Palm was created using land reclamation

into small islands to form a palm tree.

Dubai Aquarium at the Dubai Mall
The world's largest shopping center!

Adult evening out in Dubai
the Burj Khalifa

the fountain show

A day at the Beach! Well we lasted about 1 1/2 hours in heat and sun. The average daytime temperature is 104 and night in the 90s.

Game time! Game 1 USA 83 - Greece 73

Congratulations in the team meal room after the game.

The women are off to the Karama Market the next day. A hotel driver took us and picked us up promptly in two hours. Fun day!

Purses galore! This one had a handle with
a ring for each finger.

Lori enjoying the camels in traditional Muslim dress.

Game 2: USA 99 - Angola 56

Jana putting up the flag in the arena

Players with staff/coaches wives.
This is Pauline's last game before heading back home.

Sunday, Aug 10 - No Game Today

Desert Safari!!

What a ride!! I can't even begin to describe the desert safari. The land rovers picked us up at the hotel. When we got to the sand dunes location we all got out because they needed to let some of the air out of the tires and then we were ready to go. We raced through the desert up and over the sand dunes skidding and sliding! Some of us faired better than others. We stopped about half way for a break in the middle of desert dunes for pictures and to collect our stomachs. Then off again!!

Three coaches and a camel

The dunes in the HOT sun.

My slanted view from inside the Land Rover!

See the tire tracks - we will be over there soon.

Three coaches' wives and the dunes.
Jana and Lori!

The desert camp for entertainment and BBQ meal

Time for a camel ride

Getting up was interesting!

The Craigs, the Showalters and the Goolsbys enjoyed the evening.

Game 3: USA 124 - Philippines 64

Lori and Jana with a shout out to their kids at home.
We didn't the tv time tonight like earlier.
Last game for these two!

Game 4 - USA 122-Japan 38

A BIT ABOUT DUBAI

Dubai is the most populous city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the second largest emirate by size after the capital, Abu Dhabi. Dubai is located on the southeast coast of the Persian Gulf and is one of the seven emirates that make up the country. Each emirates has its own king.

Dubai is one of the few cities in the world that has undergone such a rapid transformation - from a humble beginning as a pearl-diving centre - to one of the fastest growing cities on earth. Although Dubai's economy was historically built on the oil industry (discovered in the 1960s), its economy with the main revenues now coming from tourism, aviation, real estate and financial services. The city has become symbolic for its skyscrapers and high-rise buildings, in particular the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. Other development projects include man-made islands (the Palm), hotels, and some of the largest shopping malls in the world.

Home to just over 2 million people from more than 200 nationalities. Living in Dubai has a lot to offer. It is safe, politically stable, centrally located, has a good education system and healthcare facilities, modern infrastructure and much more. The sun shines almost every day, the shopping and leisure facilities are impressive, and the salaries are tax-free.

As of 2012 Dubai is the 22nd most expensive city in the world and the most expensive city in the Middle East. Dubai was rated as one of the best places to live in the Middle East.

EVENING TOUR

We departed the hotel in our bus for Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. We had a tour guide explain a bit about the tower and then we went up to floor 124 (out of 163) for the inside and outside observation decks. The Shake Shack was the restaurant of choice for the players at the Dubai Mall, the largest mall in the Middle East. The Burj Khalifa is beside the mall and we watched the fountain show with the Burj (tower) in the background.