Feed the Birds
Since I have picked up on this photo, I cannot get the Mary Poppin’s “Feed the Birds” song out of my head.
So, in order for you all to join me, here are the lyrics, please feel free to sing along.
“Early each day to the steps of Saint Paul’s
The little old bird woman comes
In her own special way to the people she call,
“Come, buy my bags full of crumbs;
Come feed the little birds,
Show them you care
And you’ll be glad if you do
Their young ones are hungry
Their nests are so bare
All it takes is tuppence from you
Feed the birds, tuppence a bag
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag
Feed the birds,” that’s what she cries
While overhead, her birds fill the skies
All around the cathedral the saints and apostles
Look down as she sells her wares
Although you can’t see it,
You know they are smiling
Each time someone shows that he cares
Though her words are simple and few
Listen, listen, she’s calling to you
“Feed the birds, tuppence a bag
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag”
The Creek at Sunset
The Souks are open Saturday-Thursdays between 7am-12 noon the 5pm-12 midnight, so to really enjoy your time around the water to the fullest extent, I would advise sunrise, or sunset. This means that you are privileged enough to watch the sky change, the water traffic vie for best positions, and also hear the call to prayer. It is an experience for the senses, and it comes at the cost of 1AED if you take a Water Taxi, or Abra from one side of the creek to the other.
I would highly recommend it.
Finding a Perch
This slitary bird finds a quiet spot in the Bastikiya rafters so to speak.
The Bastikiya is home to the Sheikh Mohammed Centre of Cultural Understanding who offer tours and information for those who wish to learn more about Islam and the UAE traditions and culture.
A touch of Contrast
This is my Dark photo for a traditionally unlucky day.
Without adding or removing anything from this photo, and simply editing the brightness, depth, and saturation of this image, you can turn a beautifully sunny day into an image that resembles a Freddy Kruger movie scene.
Closer to Cooler
A wind tower of the Bastikiya from below.
Tourist Traps
There is something special about walking in somewhere dressed like a tourist, acting like a tourist, and being treated like a tourist. But being forewarned, is, they say, being forearmed. And so I took my father and step-mother to the Bastikiya and Souks and soaked up some Old Dubai atmosphere, far away from glass, expensive cars, and honest dialogue!
This is an example of a Wind tower, the four sides catch the wind and funnel it down to the grateful occupant below. This design was a good substitute for Air Conditioning before electricity was widely available.
Another Guinness Book of Records
This is the largest acrylic pane in the world, as in, the thick plastic used to separate the aquarium from the pedestrian. This incredible feat is right in the heart of Dubai Mall. It leaked once, and a few shops closed for a day, but it was rapidly repaired and re-opened the next day. Another feat of engineering and,as often is the case in Dubai, ingenuity.
A Tour of Dubai
Our next stop on the whirlwind tour of Dubai was Dubai Mall, which is the margest shopping mall in the world.
It also boasts the World’s largest Sweet Shop at over 10,000 square feet, and visitors will be wowed by the Ice Rink, Aquarium, The Burj Khalifa outside, the Dubai Fountain which provides excellent entertainment in the evening where the water dances to various songs and this stunning waterfall inside the mall.
There will plenty more photos of his mall and there are so many beautiful and unique features to it, but for now, enjoy the divers.
Global Village
Outside India this rather lonely TukTuk sat bathed in light from the Neon India signs.
I think this must have ben the first time in my life i’ve seen just one of these on their own!
Tropical Delights
Not native to the UAE, these parakeets are definitely unpopular in the garden, so they hid in the trees and feasted on fruit while hiding from the Crows.
