Safa Park & The Dubai Flea Market

On the first Saturday of each month, Dubai has a flea market at Safa Park. It's further into Dubai, sort of near Dubai Mall. I took the metro to the Business Bay station and then caught a cab to the park. The park itself is 64 hectares (or 158 acres) of green grass, palm trees, almond trees, roses, fountains, a hedge maze and more. I haven't seen this much grass in one place since I left home.

This is one of the BBQ areas where it's permitted to have an open flame.

Over there in the distance is a toddler-sized play area.

I'm fairly certain these are the roses. They plant them in rows like this all over the park.

Palm trees are everywhere and provide excellent shade. I saw a number of laborers sleeping in the palm shadows today.

This is the Safa Maze.

Doesn't it look like something out of Alice in Wonderland?

Just past the maze I saw these guys playing soccer (football) with soccer balls on their heads. I believe they were promoting an event. Still, it was weird.
There were over 400 tables at the flea market. I didn't arrive until about 2pm, and they closed at 3, so lots of tables were packed up and gone by the time I made it over. However, people were happy to give me a deal since they were trying to get rid of everything.

It was your typical garage sale paraphernalia...old exercise videos...

...perfumes....

....racks and racks of clothes....

...piles of hats....

....and shoes galore.

Some people had everything neatly organized on their tables...but most people just threw everything on a blanket on the ground!

I ended up getting some simple toys for Colin, a few paring knives, an exercise ball, and some grilling utensils. I didn't spend more than 5 dirhams ($1.36) on anything, but most everything cost 1 dh (27 cents) or less.

I was REALLY happy to find the Pepsi stand with ice cold water. I'll definitely make the trip to Safa Park again, but this time I think I'll bring Joe and Colin with me :)

My birthday, Dubai style

I had an absolutely fantastic birthday this year! Joe bought the most delicious cake from a place called Gateaux in the Marina. Gateaux means cake in French. I learn something new every day! Despite what the candles may indicate, I did not turn 82 this year...I turned 28...but Joe thought it would be clever to switch the candles around since I was born in 1982. Did I mention that the cake was delicious?? It was a strawberries and cream cake, with fresh strawberries and fresh cream and white chocolate and boy, was it good!I got a birthday card all the way from Clarkston, Georgia...and Colin got a goody box from Great-Grandaddy and Great-Grandmother Owen! Thank you for thinking of us!

These are pretty flowers are from my parents:

The rest of the birthday loot - a pressurized wine cork, reference cards for homemade cleaners (more on that later), an iPad cover to pacify me until we can afford to get an actual iPad, and a gift certificate to the Virgin Megastore from Pete & Simone.

Pete & Simone came over to celebrate, eat dinner with us (lemon rosemary chicken with rice and fresh green beans a la Joe), then they listened out for Colin so Joe and I could have our first night out together since arriving in Dubai. What great friends they are!

Joe and I just before heading out:

We ended up at the Marina Yacht Club sports bar.

Then we headed outside to sit on the deck for awhile.

Afterwards we walked across the marina and down to the beach. Nothing like an evening stroll through the sand and surf with the one you love :)

Thanks to everyone that made my birthday so special!

The Metro is Open!

Colin and I have taken the metro three times since it opened on Friday! We've been to the Dubai Mall once (which is another story entirely) and to Ibn Battuta twice. I was finally able to capture the trip with my iPhone camera today. So, here's the JLT station which is across Sheikh Zayed Rd from our apartment building. To ride the metro, you need a nol card, which means "fare" in Arabic. We have a Gold card. The other options are Silver, Blue, or Red. Basically, the Gold card means that we have a special car in the train, and we ride "first class," if you will. It's really nothing special except there is less body odor and more room for Colin's stroller.

Before you ride, you should know that they will fine you 100 dhs ($27) for eating or drinking on the train. I saw them fine a lady for chewing gum the other day. There was lots of drama.

So, from our side of the street, you enter the metro station, go up the elevator, and across the bridge. There are 2 moving sidewalks which is pretty nice.

Here's the view out the (dirty) bridge window of Sheikh Zayed Road. And there's our apartment. It's about 2 buildings and one vacant lot away from the station. This sign makes me smile. It's an advertisement to advertise at the metro station. Whoosh!

When you ride the Red Line train, you will either go towards Jebel Ali (SW or away from Dubai) or Rashidiya (NE or into Dubai). If you're interested in the metro map, check it out here: http://dubaimetro.eu/dubai-metro-map. Colin and I ride the elevators instead of the escalators because of the stoller.

Colin loves the glass elevators!

There hasn't been anyone at the Ticket Office yet. You can get your card at an automated station, at the Information Desk, or even at places like Geant. These are the gates to the train.

You just tap your card and go. It even tells you the balance on your card. When you arrive, you go through the same gates and tap your card again since fares are based on how far you ride.

Here's the platform where you wait for the train.

And this is the Gold Card train. Nothing special except for leather seats, a fancy mirror separating you from the rest of the passengers, and they advertise a "360 degree view" since it's the last car.

I'd call that 180 degrees, but who's counting?

Colin's stroller fits in the handicapped section so we don't have to worry about people shuffling around us. He loves to ride on the train.

I snapped a quick picture of another car on our way out. Pretty similar, but usually way more crowded. We were at the end of the line, so everyone had exited the train.

When you get off the train at the Ibn Battuta Station, you walk through 2 bus lanes, 1 taxi lane, then you walk to the mall. I guess it's like parking in the back of the parking lot at the Mall of Georgia.

Here's the Ibn Battuta sign. I love that store, Max. It's actually really similar to TJ Maxx at home.

When you get closer to the mall, you get some shade from the palm trees and the breeze is cooler, thanks to the fountains.

This is looking back at the metro station from the front door of the mall. Doesn't seem so far away from this angle!Ibn Battuta features a hot air balloon ride called SkyDubai, not to be confused with Ski Dubai at Mall of the Emirates.Here's the balloon outside. We haven't ridden it yet.

Howard, your storage world was a huge disappointment for me. I was hoping for a Container Store-like atmosphere. Oh, well.

Colin and I shared a scoop of vanilla ice cream at Baskin Robbins.

Then we went to Geant for a few odds and ends. See, Bink, they do have Halloween in the UAE!

Not real sure about the trick or treating thing, but they're all about scary costumes here.