After 6 days in Dubai you start to get the feeling that nothing is real or at least nothing is natural. We were even in confused discussions as to who had been to the real souks as there is a replica brand new modern Arabic style shopping mall souk with a creek and boats as well as an original 'old' souk (could go as far back in ancient history as the 1970's) which is less 'authentic looking' but it also has a creek and boats. The point being that they seem to be getting rid of anything pre 1990 and building a nice new shiny modern version of it just along the road like history has to be gotten rid of and replaced with a fake history 'cos tourists like it.
These flamingos, possibly to be replaced with plastic ones in the not too distant future, are just on the current edge of the ever expanding city and they're well worth getting lost on the motorway for just to realise that nature does exist somewhere on the edge of madness.
I was in Dubai in '78,paid off from a ship there.We had to get into town down an authehtic river,which is now probably a water-feature.There was an old market then and also a no-handed beggar.He'd been caught stealing twice ! No flamingos though.
Posted by: Tony Dunn | November 17, 2009 at 10:06 AM
They have extended the river into a 'marina'. Thanks for the info, it would probably scare you now!
Posted by: Mark McNulty | November 18, 2009 at 07:45 AM