A Fun Day in Dubai

Today we had a chance to get out and about a bit.  We stopped by ACE hardware to get some supplies for Andy to refinish a patio table and chairs and then went to IKEA for a few things, including a set of Advent Candles to celebrate the next 4 Fridays.  

 

The trees and shrubs really dress up the IKEA store...and the covers in the parking lot help with the sun beating down.

Then we made our way over the Business Bay Bridge to the Creek stop at the end of the Green Metro line near Al Jaddaf.  Just a block away on the water is a new ferry stop on the Dubai Water Canal.

They have developed a new canal that connects with the Creek so now downtown Dubai is technically an island.  The boat has only been running for a short while.  The city now has 10 of these very nice taxi/tour boats.

 

 

A couple of boats were in the water near the launch.  Can you imagine how much varnish is needed to keep them looking nice?!?

 

There were great views of the downtown along the way.

 

 

 

The ride took about 1 1/2 hours and made three stops along the way.

 

This was a new bridge and flyovers being built near downtown...not your ordinary utilitarian support system.

 

We are really close to the buildings in the canal as we are right downtown.  The sun was shining on the  Burj Khalifa ~ a building that draws you in it's so beautiful and interesting.

There are about 3 sets of identical buildings ~ but it was decided there would be no more.  From then, all buildings have to be different and quite unusual.

 

The cost of the boat ride was 40 dirham ~ about $11.

 

This round fairly skinny building was fascinating.

You can see it was a very pretty day!

We ended up at the Sheikh Zayed Road stop.  You could go one more stop down at the Dubai Canal stop right at the Persian Gulf.  From there you can take a water taxi to the Dubai Marina Mall or to Al Ghubaiba but we had taken that ride last year.  

 

One of workers on the boat insisted I needed my picture taken...