Peter told me a story about
when the first toilets came to Dubai.
The women said, “What are these?” then, “No, surely not – much too
pretty – perhaps for serving soup?” Dubai became rich less than 50 years ago
when its first oil was discovered. All
of its fantastical tower blocks and office blocks and hotels have been
constructed since then. Because there’s
an Arab influence to the architecture, skyscrapers are topped by turrets and
often trimmed with stars. They look like
somebody’s dream of a futuristic city – or a Dan Dare comic. I do like
them.
Beautiful and really
unexpected is Zayed University. Peter
works there and takes me on a morning visit.
It’s the most opulent university
I’ve ever visited. There are shining
corridors and well stocked libraries and lecture rooms. There’s a huge atrium where students can meet
and talk. And everything is impeccably
clean. Outside there are shaded tables
and chairs and lots of clear, clear water.
UK universities would eat their hearts out for a place like this. And giving a big jolt to my prejudices about
the Emirates – this university was constructed specifically for women – and
it’s free of charge to all UAE residents.
The students are all dressed in
burkhas but I saw all sorts of stuff peeping out under the black – pink pvc
high heels, bright red leggings, shockingly high stilettos. 
Male students are now
allowed into Zayed in the afternoons but not allowed to mix with the women –
they can’t come into the atrium or various other places.
After lunch we go down to
the track where they run the camel races.
One race is about to start but we don’t go to watch it – it’s too
dangerous. The spectators don’t just
spectate – they follow the race in their 4 x 4’s, driving with gusto round the
edge of the track, creating unscheduled
motor races. Betting is illegal in Dubai so the owners pay
entry fees and the camels race for prize money.
We watch the camels being
led out and take pictures of the jockeys and owners.
And then we went to see the
desert. It’s practically my first
desert. I did see the edge of a desert
in Tunisia years ago but that one was fairly flat, whereas this desert is a
proper desert with dunes and wandering camels and little scrubby trees. So I climb a steep dune and am almost
crawling up it at times. And I have my
picture taken.
Later that night we all go
out to eat. A little roadside restaurant
that serves Indian food, amongst other things. It also has a page offering Arab food (Fish
Fingers – fried) but that’s by the by.
There is a three layered juice drink (no alcohol in Dubai). Sue wants to know what it consists of. “Strawberry, mango and abuggerdoh,” says the
waiter. “Abuggerdoh – what is that?” we
want to know. “Abuggerdoh,” he repeats –
you know – abuggerdoh. Susan and Peter
persist. Whereas I am prepared to give
up after two tries, they teach languages and are quite used to getting their
students to pronounce things properly and elucidate. There then follows a very
long interrogation in an attempt to discover the exact properties of
abuggerdoh. Susan later says that she is
worried that it’s some kind of curd paste.
Suddenly somebody twigs – avocado – it’s avocado – strawberry, mango and
avocado. I order it and drink it. The strawberry is a bit sweet but the rest I like very much.
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