When I woke up this morning, I had yet to really feel as if I was in another country. A few of us went down to get breakfast together in the hotel where they had a large assortment that felt overwhelming at first because I did not know what to begin with. After that we took time to enjoy the hot weather near the pool before walking over to the Mall of the Emirates. It is crazy to think that a day like today, with 86 degree weather, is considered their winter. It felt amazing to be sitting under the sun after having just flown in from New York winter weather. Overall, our morning was pretty relaxed before gathering into our vans that would bring us into the desert.
Our first adventure in the desert was dune bashing. Personally, I don't think I would've ever signed up for this had I planned a trip to Dubai on my own. The sound of driving up and down sand dunes wouldn't be something I would be excited for but I am glad I wasn't even really aware what it was when it was first mentioned. Not only was it thrilling, but the views of the desert outside the van windows were gorgeous. Once we got to our photo spot, we got to really soak in the views and a rare silence we don't experience in New York City. It was all so breathtaking.
Our next stop was the most anticipated one for me for the day; camel riding. I had been looking forward to this experience since I first read the itinerary and could not wait to photograph the moment. As we pulled up in our vans, the camels kneeled on the ground waiting for us to sit atop them. Once we were all paired up on a camel, they were instructed to get up and were brought around in a quick circle.
After our camel rides, we road over the a campsite where they greeted us with donut holes dipped in date syrup and Arabian coffee. I was excited to get my hands on some strong coffee and the donut holes that proved to be a sweet treat. Afterwords, we got to practice our bargaining skills for souvenirs - which we were told by our tour guide is a common practice - and get henna tattoos while we waited for the show and dinner. While waiting, our tour guide told us a little about herself, including that she had come to Dubai from Mexico around 12 years ago. She expressed how amazing she thinks Dubai is because you always get to met people from all around the world.
For the first show, a man performed a meditation dance. I had never seen anything like it before and it was impressive. We were then served a buffet dinner with many different types of local & delicious food. For the last bit of the night, a belly dancer performed and even invited a few of the Manhattan College students up on stage to dance with her.
Overall, this was an AMAZING start to our trip. In the morning, we got to ease into our surroundings and see how similar the culture is to our own back in the USA. Then we dove headfirst into a cultural excursion that was truly unforgettable. I am excited to learn more about the United Arab Emirates culture, both in a business perspective and a general lifestyle way.
Our first adventure in the desert was dune bashing. Personally, I don't think I would've ever signed up for this had I planned a trip to Dubai on my own. The sound of driving up and down sand dunes wouldn't be something I would be excited for but I am glad I wasn't even really aware what it was when it was first mentioned. Not only was it thrilling, but the views of the desert outside the van windows were gorgeous. Once we got to our photo spot, we got to really soak in the views and a rare silence we don't experience in New York City. It was all so breathtaking.
Our next stop was the most anticipated one for me for the day; camel riding. I had been looking forward to this experience since I first read the itinerary and could not wait to photograph the moment. As we pulled up in our vans, the camels kneeled on the ground waiting for us to sit atop them. Once we were all paired up on a camel, they were instructed to get up and were brought around in a quick circle.
After our camel rides, we road over the a campsite where they greeted us with donut holes dipped in date syrup and Arabian coffee. I was excited to get my hands on some strong coffee and the donut holes that proved to be a sweet treat. Afterwords, we got to practice our bargaining skills for souvenirs - which we were told by our tour guide is a common practice - and get henna tattoos while we waited for the show and dinner. While waiting, our tour guide told us a little about herself, including that she had come to Dubai from Mexico around 12 years ago. She expressed how amazing she thinks Dubai is because you always get to met people from all around the world.
For the first show, a man performed a meditation dance. I had never seen anything like it before and it was impressive. We were then served a buffet dinner with many different types of local & delicious food. For the last bit of the night, a belly dancer performed and even invited a few of the Manhattan College students up on stage to dance with her.
Overall, this was an AMAZING start to our trip. In the morning, we got to ease into our surroundings and see how similar the culture is to our own back in the USA. Then we dove headfirst into a cultural excursion that was truly unforgettable. I am excited to learn more about the United Arab Emirates culture, both in a business perspective and a general lifestyle way.
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