The Sultan's Turret

We spent the day in Dubai, U.A.E.

The first thing that comes to mind is Shanghai X 10. Sorry Shanghai. The air was a balmy 70 degrees. The city was beautiful. Tonight we caught them cleaning the marble sidewalks with a Zamboni across the street from our hotel. Car tires squeak when making turns in the street. Everything smells like fresh Mock Orange Blossoms, Magnolia and Hyacinth. The water - in great abundance - is flung around this desert oasis like proof of opulence and is crystal clear - almost inviting you to drink deeply from every fountain.



While enjoying a late afternoon cup of traditional Lebanese coffee with cardamom and a mint infused lemonade, Paula and I discreetly watched a women in a full burkah try to drink a large, whipped-cream laden iced cappuccino. Another woman behind us listened thoughtfully between puffs on her bubbling hookah while a man intently leaned toward her and expounded on deeply philosophical riffs about the eventual downfall of the American real estate market due to failed morality while he simultaneously attempted to convince her that her company finances were safe with him.

Speaking of water, we watched a fountain that put the Bellagio to shame. 100 foot jets of water frolicked to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" across a half-mile-wide, man-made pond.

Supper was a vertigo-laden experience in the world's tallest building at the At.Mosphere Lounge on the 123rd floor of the Burj Khalifa - completed in 2010. Our server was a Chinese guy named Miker who hails from Shanghai! You can have a conversation with anyone here by just asking where they are from. Two women at the reception were from Kenya and Uganda. A woman who helped us find the elevator was from Paris. No one seems to be from Dubai.

Blah, blah, blah. I'll stop now. But no.

This ten-foot shark was behind a Guinness Book of World Records - world's largest single piece of plexiglass. And it was inside the Dubai Mall!

Let me tell you about Emirates...

We were encouraged to fly to India via Emirates Airlines from a good friend Gautam Cheveru who does the New York - Mumbai trip frequently. "The price is not much different, you have to fly via Dubai and they understand service", sez he. He was not kidding. I now know why U.S. airlines - and perhaps European airlines as well - are doomed to failure. Luxurious treatment. The stewardesses were uniformly dressed young, attractive women - as Aaron says, "with a hint of a veil". America is so damned politically correct that our stewards and stewardesses are primarily old cranks with a chip on their shoulder. And they charge you to go to the bathroom, for God's sake.

We flew economy class. We ate multiple meals all served with a menu - all halal - but with as many complimentary beverages as you could wish for. We opted for the French Chardonnay. Each seat had a large video with games, TV shows, hundreds of movies and in-flight, video views out the front of and underneath the jet. Best of all, there were LED stars all across the ceiling all night long... and at dawn, the cabin lights slowly came up with a pale orange glow.

The Mighty hunter of the East has truly caught the Sultan's turret in a noose of light!

Super Moon

Biggest moon in 20 years. And we get to see it over Manhattan. Lentil soup for supper in a little local bistro called the Ben Ash Delicatessen on the corner of 55th street and 7th Avenue. Then chocolate cake and gimlets in honor of Rosie.

Chatted briefly with Rosie who's watching the same moon over Hotlanta. "W.H.O. and C.D.C. - what more could you ask for?" sez I. "Google?" sez she.

Flying out of the country tomorrow morning. Good bye, America! We love you! Wish I could live forever.

On the Road Again

We made it to the Big Apple! Our hotel is across the street from Radio City Music Hall. I've been teasing friends and family unmercifully about my new idol, Charlie Sheen when - lo and behold - he shows up across the street in foot high letters! He's already sold out two nights here. As Meredith says (paraphrasing), "To hell with this PhD dissertation, I'm gonna go crazy and start telling everyone on national television."

India Reading List

I'm trying to narrow down my packing list for India. One item still remains elusive. What to bring to read? I will probably have NO time for reading but I don't want to be caught with nothing should my travel partners be ill or call it an early evening. A little research under my belt, here's my current list of possibilities. I want to narrow it down to only one since I can certainly replenish when I get there. Please feel free to criticize, critique, append or laud the list.

• Life of Pi - Yann Martel (I've already read it - and highly recommend it).
• White Tiger - Aravind Adiga Editorial Reviews
• India Calling - Anand Giridharadas Reviewed by The Wall Street Journal
• The Wreck - Rabindranath Tagore A little on the author, a Bengali poet
• Kim - Rudyard Kipling Jawaharlal Nehru described this as his favourite book.
• A Passage to India - E. M. Forster TIME 100 Best English-language Novels

“The messed up thing is, that when the pawns reach the opposite side of the field, they’ll turn into the same douchebags they fought against.”
- From http://kaching.tumblr.com/

Japanese Style

Lots of nice birthday greetings from everyone - too many to which to individually respond. Thank you all!

Paula gave me some round ice-cube makers and we gave them a trial run. See what you think above. This is the way J.T. And I drank our Scotch in Tokyo. With a little more practice, I may be able to make clear ice. Filter the water twice and boil it three times!!?? Are you kidding me?