Redeemer Church of Dubai

This morning (Friday) we attended Redeemer Church of Dubai.  It was a fantastic experience in every way.  They hold services in the JW Marriott Hotel in an older part of downtown Dubai.  Their website indicates there are 450 members representing over 50 countries.  That in itself is amazing.  But then when you add worship music and sing together, it is awe-inspiring, encouraging, exciting, uplifting and in the end, it brings you to tears.

We sang All Hail the Power of Jesus Name with a bridge between verses...

 

     His name is Jesus

     Risen Lamb, for sinners slain

     His name is Jesus

     ALL creation sings the praise

     Of Jesus' name

That's when the tears started.  Then we sang two or three Keith and Kristyn Getty songs which I really love....and ended with Oh How Good It Is.

Oh how good it is, when the family of God

Dwells together in spirit in faith and unity.

Where the bonds of peace, of acceptance and love

Are the fruit of his presence here among us.

Oh how good it is on this journey we share

To rejoice with the happy

And weep with those who mourn.

For the weak find strength - The afflicted find grace

When we offer the blessing of belonging.

Oh how good it is to embrace His command

To prefer one another - Forgive  as He forgives.

When we live as one we all share in the love

Of the Son with the Father and the Spirit.

SO WITH ONE VOICE WE'LL SING TO THE LORD

AND WITH ONE HEART WE'LL LIVE OUT HIS WORD

TILL THE WHOLE EARTH SEES THE REDEEMER HAS COME

FOR HE DWELLS IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS PEOPLE

We sang the refrain several times...looking around at the many faces, the many colors, the many tongues...in the midst of a Muslim country/culture, it was overwhelming.  And the tears flowed.

On Our Own...

Andy and I slept in a bit this morning and spent some time reading, planning, and working on pictures. About 12:30 we took off on our own in a Ford Expedition on the busy highways and byways around Mirdif which is out by the airport.  Let's just say it took us a while to find the Arabian Center - where we wanted to have a fun and special lunch from South Africa.  It was in a mall (does that surprise you?).  

Becky recommended we eat at Nando's which specializes in South African food.  We ordered one of their best selections - "hanging wonder of the world" called Espetada Carnival.  It is flame grilled chicken with garlic, parsley, and feta skewered with peppers.  It comes with butternut squash and grilled corn and French fries.  Very good!

Then we drove over to the Mushrif National Park and drove around a bit.  Got up over 100 today and was quite humid, so we didn't feel much like walking around.  Looked like a great place for families with young children.

Found a box to send postcards to the grandkids just outside the mall.  Most all the signs are in Arabic and English.

Interesting Culture

I found out yesterday we will be here during Ramadan, beginning at sundown on Saturday, June 28.  That should be interesting.  I am sure we will learn a lot during that time.  Will be interesting to experience this important time of the year for so many around the world.

I did quite a bit of reading before we came about local customs and expectations.  I'm dressing as expected in this part of the world - covered from the neck to below the knee.  For me that means capris or mid length dresses, 3/4 length sleeves and sometimes a long lightweight jacket to cover the fanny in public when wearing pants.  Fortunately it is cool inside anywhere you go, even on the trains.  You never go out with wet hair and never show the bottom of your foot.  I may have offended some of the train the other day when I crossed my legs trying to take pictures out the window.  

Our friends told me it's okay to eat with the left hand in public, but if I went to a Muslim home I must eat with my right hand.  You eat with your right hand and use your left hand in the rest room...

Many of the women we see are in beautiful black abaya, an outer garment to cover their bodies in public. They have beaded and sequened ones in lovely lightweight fabrics.  Some wear the face-veiling portion but many do not.  I do wonder how they feel about the expectation that they wear them in public.  We saw many enjoying their time at the mall with friends and young children.  It is just about impossible to see the expressions of those with veils.  They are very often with husbands when wearing those.  Many of the men wear the crisp long white shaleia, usually with long sleeves.  It's actually quite striking.  

Last night we joined thousands of people at the Dubai Mall for the wonderful fountain show in the man made lake/pond.  From about 6 to 11 most nights they have a marvelous lighted (mostly white lights) dancing water show to one popular piece of music on the hour and half hour...all different styles from opera to popular tunes.  It was wonderful.  We moved from place to place among the crowds for each production...on the wall, on the bridge, on the third floor balcony at Friday's....all at the feet of the famous Burj Khalifa.  It...was....magical....

Mike was able to get us a table on the balcony of Fridays overlooking the lake, the skyline, the Burj.  We ate appetizers and then yummy desserts and watched 3 different shows.  Did I say?  it...was...magical....

Later we went thru the very high end mall too see the aquarium and to buy camel milk chocolate bars at the largest candy store in the world.  Unreal.  Got home about 12:30 and slept really well.

Which reminds me, I need to get to bed.  

Approaching the Dubai Mall where we appreciated Valet Parking

Inside one of the shopping areas around the lake...

All you Chicago folks....they even have Garrett Popcorn  in the Dubai Mall!  What a surprise!

Getting our bearings....

We have visited Turkey and Israel but have never lived in a Middle Eastern country.  So, much is new to us.  In Dubai, the "weekend" is Friday-Saturday.  We will attend church on Friday mornings.  So, on Sunday Andy and I went to the grocery store with Don and Becky.  It was quite an adventure.  I will need to take my camera with me the next time we go...the spices, figs, fruits and vegetable displays were all so colorful and pretty.  

Grocery stores are in many of the malls.  Seems like all the clothing stores, movie theaters, restaurants, and fast food places are all in Malls...because of the heat.  So, we went to the local mall, had a light lunch at the cafe in the grocery store, and then shopped.  Becky took me on a tour...showing me unusual things, telling me what brands to buy or avoid, introducing me to products we don't have in the US.  It was fun.  The store was large, colorful, and clean - with young women in many departments ready to help.

That evening we went out for a nice dinner in a wonderful restaurant.  Let me know if you plan a trip to Dubai...you must not miss this one.  Al-Fanar - where they serve authentic Emirate cuisine.  It is in Dubai Festival City - another mall.  Over 2,000,000 square feet of leased space...

Melony ordered all the food - things the locals eat in their homes.  When we first sat down we were served a bowl of warm chick peas.  That was followed by pancakes with syrup, a very thin, tasty bread, and a deep fried wrapped appetizer.  We shared 5 different dishes - mutton and chicken kabobs, and three types of fish (one was sword fish chopped fine and the other two were complete with head and tail).  We had white rice and date rice.  All were very tasty and well prepared.  We topped it off with coffee and tea plus three desserts - pumpkin, dates in a custard like form, and little fried balls.  It was a lively and fun dinner.

The restaurant had a walkway entrance along a creek depicting an old fishing village.  Very cool!  Melony is in her element - entertaining and sharing background and history as we walked.  She told me she would love to be a tour guide!

You have to walk through the mall to get to the restaurant, but just outside the restaurant is a hotel, a beautiful walkway along the water, and a wonderful marina.  Off in the distance across the water we could see a Ferris wheel and amusement park.  We went back through the mall and on the far end was IKEA.  The men headed home and the women stayed to shop.  Great fun - stayed til they closed at 11:00!

Outside the Al-Fanar Restaurant

One of the fish dishes...and the three dessert

One of several private dining rooms for small gatherings or business lunches....

An amazing journey!

It took a lot of planning and work over the past few months, but on Thursday, May 15 we left Milwaukee and flew through Atlanta to Dubai, one of the seven Emirates in the UAE on the Persian Gulf.  It was a 13+ hour flight direct from Atlanta.  I read Rain Dance by Joy DeKok and then watched 42 and The Book Thief, so the time passed pretty quickly for me.  The meals were decent, the many kids were well behaved, and I wasn't in a draft....life is good.

The Dubai Airport is large and modern.  It took a little while to get our luggage and the lines were long at customs, but we were greeted by smiling and welcoming friends waiting for us.  We are told that another airport is being built at the other end of the city in preparation for 2020 when a huge world expo will be hosted in Dubai. (Modern version of the old World's Fair.)

Fortunately it was bedtime by the time we got to their house and settled in.  Unfortunately, I didn't sleep too well.  Our friends were busy that first afternoon, so they dropped us off at the metro station and told us to take a long ride, get used to the train system, see some of the sights from the train, and find our way home.  Nice idea!

The trains are sleek and modern, fast and clean (no eating, drinking, or chewing gum in the train).  The city is large and sprawling...mainly along the coast line.  There is still a lot of construction going on in the city.  The people were friendly and helpful.  Nearly everyone seems to speak English.  Lots of people use the train...business people, students, shoppers, tourists.  The weather was in the 80s and quite pleasant...tho we already know it will be very hot soon.

The buildings are also sleek and modern with unusual curves, twists and turns, lots of shiny metals and windows - many quite unique.  We saw very few high rise apartment buildings, but that may have been misleading.  We passed one or two golf courses, too.

We got off near the end of the line at the Ibn Battuta Mall. The world's largest themed shopping mall.

(You will hear that a lot - largest, biggest, tallest.)  This mall celebrates the travels of the famous Arabic explorer, adventurer, historical hero, Ibn Battuta.  It was fun to see the elaborate designs, statues, tile ceilings, engravings, inside and out - Egyptian, Chinese, and Indian.  Amazing!

Many of the stores and and restaurants were From the US, everything from Claire's to Columbia to Victoria Secret; Wendy's to Baskin Robbins, to Krispy Kreme.  The mall rambled on and on.  

We made our way back across town and caught a cab back to the house.  A fun adventure with a little glimpse of what's to come - a snapshot of the lay of the land.

The first mall we visited...Ibn Battuta

Turkish

 Delights reminded me of the Chronicles of Narnia..

Nicest Starbucks I've ever seen!

Some of the buildings we saw from the train...

The Dubai Airport from the train....

It's Finished

I've been working on it for nearly five months...today it is done.  It was like reliving the 39 days we spent on the Camino.  I feel like I know more about what we did, what we saw, how it felt, and what it meant.  

I limited myself to 2 pages per day, so it is just a glimpse, just a peek...but it's enough.  My scrapbook is complete.

Useful Resources for the Camino

A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino de Santiago: The Way of St. James by John Brierly

Camino de Santiago: Practical Preparation and Background by Gerald Kelly

Seven Tips to Make the Most of the Camino de Santiago by Cheri Powell

The Journey: A Guide for the Modern Pilgrim by Maria Ruiz Scaperlanda &  Michael Scaperlanda

The Way is Made by Walking by Arthur Paul Boers

Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan