Island Time..........

It's a great time of the year to be on AMI.  Less crowded, lower temperatures and the sunsets remain spectacular!
Yesterday afternoon I was out on the paddleboard.  One of my favorite places to paddle is up close to the mangroves behind the Key Royale Golf Course.  There are always plenty of fish and birds to spot.  Frequently I'll also see dolphins, rays and occasionally a manatee or two.  One of the tee boxes for the golf course is just behind the mangroves.  Yesterday's most entertaining action was on this tee.  As I was paddling along I noticed a couple teeing off.  The gentleman was on the tee with the "Weapon of Mass Destruction" aka a driver in his hand.  I looked away to make sure I wasn't going into the mangroves when I heard the familiar sound of the club striking the ball.  That sound was quickly followed by a sound that I am all to familiar with and that was the ball striking a tree.  The lady (I'm assuming wife) said "that was going to be a really good shot until it curved and hit the tree".  I guess I should have taken a closer look at them on the off chance that she turns up missing in the next few days.


Sunset sequence from earlier in the week:

Till death do us part.........

It's been great spending a few days in Texas.  We've had a chance to spend quite a bit of it with Ben and Allie (his sweet lab) as well as catching up with numerous friends.  We had a nice lunch with our good friends Rob and Pam yesterday.  Then they joined us in trying to escape the Toxic Escape at North Texas Jellystone Park (where Ben works).  We failed rather miserably!
It hasn't been all fun and games.  There has been quite a bit of work mixed in as well.  Since the invention of the cell phone we've been with AT&T.  We didn't have any real complaints other than it seemed ridiculously expensive.  However, we did figure out that there was another company (T-Mobile) which was a little less expensive and offered a better international plan.  We divorced AT&T and moved to T-Mobile.  If you've never done a service provider switch and you decide to make one, get ready.  It isn't quite as easy as flipping a switch.  We've spent enough time in the T-Mobile store over the last two days that I think we could be pretty competent members of their sales team.  Don't get me wrong, it wasn't that the T-Mobile folks didn't know what they were doing,. They were very nice and gave the impression that they knew what they were doing.  It's just a somewhat complicated process to switch and move everything over.  I think we're done and everything is up and running properly.  Hopefully we don't darken the doors of the T-Mobile store today or anytime in the near future.
As we were finishing up I told my new best friend Adrian (Sales Manager at the store) that unless they really screwed up that I planned on dying (hopefully no time soon) as a T-Mobile customer.  He smiled and assured us that we'd be pleased with their service................hopefully he was right!

Oh to be enlightened..........

Our 6 days in New York have passed by quickly.  I guess it would be fair to say they've gone by faster than a "New York Minute".  We've got some packing to do this morning.  Then we'll have a few hours to get in a little more roaming around before heading to the airport.  New York today, Texas tonight!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Minute
Christmas is really busting out around here.  Thursday night Macy's debuted their Christmas window decorations.  We were enjoying the Carole King play that evening but we did get a chance to see them yesterday morning.  As always they are very creative and festive. 
Something else that seems to be a tradition for us when we're in New York is eating at the Westway Diner.  This is just a simple diner located on 9th Avenue between 43rd and 44th street.  It was originally recommended to us by a bellman at a hotel a few years ago.  Good food at a reasonable price that is out of the tourist traps of Times Square.  One thing we had not realized before is that the diner has a pretty significant place in TV history.  Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David met there to discuss doing a TV show about nothing.  That show turned out to be Seinfeld which obviously had a pretty good run.
 http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/people/features/2430/
Every Friday from 4:00-8:00 the Museum of Modern Art has "Free Friday".  Not being ones to turn down a chance to further enlighten ourselves for free, we certainly weren't going to pass up this opportunity.  We've entertained and amused ourselves in "Modern Art" galleries all over the place.  Earlier in the week we were in the Metropolitan Art Museum surrounded by some of the classics by some of the heavy hitters such as Van Gough, Monet and Matisse.  While there were works by some of these and others in the Modern Art Museum (Van Gough's Starry Night, Picasso, Monet) it also contains works by lesser known artists.  I've always heard that "art is in the eye of the beholder" and I guess that's true.  I stared at some of those pieces for a while trying to find meaning and understanding.  I guess I'm just not enlightened enough because I usually switch my attention to watching those around me trying to find enlightenment......................they usually look like they are struggling as well!
https://www.moma.org/

Empire State Building getting in the Christmas Spirit

So nice to see it only from the outside!

One of the Macy's windows

Modern Art....................

Modern Art 2.0

Modern Art 3.0.........it was called "Drawing Without Paper".  I think "Wire Hanging On A Wall" might be more appropriate!

Elton John's boots on display at the Modern Art Museum

NYC at sunrise today from our hotel room

  

Woody Allen, John Lennon and Us.....................

Three nights (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) and three Broadway plays.  We're just a few short blocks off Broadway so taking in a few plays while we were here was on the agenda.  We had already seen many of the long running shows such as Phantom of the Opera, Chicago, Miss Saigon, Cats and Les Miserables (very long).  We weren't going to blow the budget on tickets to Hamilton or Springsteen on Broadway so we opted for three popular musicals.  So here's my stab at being a Broadway Critic.
A Bronx Tale-This was billed as "West Side Story meets the Jersey Boys" which is very accurate.  It was the story of a young man (Calogero who was nicknamed C) growing up in an Italian neighborhood in the Bronx.  It had the requisite mafia type figure (Jimmy) who was the protector of the neighborhood.  Pretty much anything and everything that happened in the neighborhood went through him.  He took C under his wings and taught him the ropes as he grew up.  There was crime, forbidden love (C fell for a young African American girl), battles between good and evil.  Most everyone lived happily ever after although there were a few funerals and the love thing just didn't work out.  Maybe we were tired from all that we had done that day but it didn't reach out and grab either one of us.  The story was pretty predictable, the energy seemed low and we just didn't completely connect.  Very good but not great.............C+.
https://abronxtalethemusical.com/
The Book of Mormon- This musical has been out for several years now and won a number of Tony awards.  It's the story of two young Mormon boys and their two year mission assignment.  Their buddies get assignments like France, Japan and other desirable locations around the globe.  These two aren't so fortunate and get assigned to Uganda.  The good folks of Uganda are dealing with poverty, war, Aids and much more.  Initially they aren't buying what the missionaries are selling.  When they do start to listen the story gets lost in translation and lies.  It could be viewed as irreverent, explicit and it's very funny.  It was written by the guys who gave us "South Park" which should tell you all you need to know.  Great song and dance numbers and dialogue throughout the fast paced high energy show.........A-
http://bookofmormonbroadway.com/tickets
Beautiful-The Carole King Story- Obviously this is the story of Carole King, her life and music.  I've always been a fan of her music and knew that in addition to songs that she sung that she wrote many more for other artists.  What I didn't realize was just how many songs she had written (many of them with her first husband).  Among songs she wrote for others were "Take Good Care of My Baby", "The Locomotion", "One Fine Day", "Pleasant Valley Sunday", You've Got a Friend" and a whole bunch more.  Her signature album, Tapestry has sold over 25 million copies and remained on the charts for nearly six years.  It was a great inside look at one of the all time great singer/songwriters................A++
https://beautifulonbroadway.com/
Yesterday was a nice sunny day with temperatures a little warmer than they had been so of course we were out roaming around.  We headed north up 10th avenue towards 80th street where we planned to cut over and through Central Park to the Metropolitan Art Museum.  As we were walking along we were looking for a barbershop since I was in need of a haircut.  We ran across a place called the Amsterdam Barber Shop.  It wasn't busy so we ducked in for a quick cut.  The guy who cut my hair shared with me that the shop had been in that location for 103 years.  It was near the swanky apartments and condos along Central Park and had it's fair share of celebrity clients.  John Lennon lived a couple of blocks away and used to pop in for a trim.  Woody Allen still shows up there occasionally and yesterday it was me....................not a fancy place with a big price tag, just a pretty cool barbershop complete with a hot towel scalp massage at the end.  There was a female barber in there so Beth got in on the fun and got her haircut as well................her's looks great.....................mine, well not much to work with!

Sporting our new haircuts outside the Amsterdam Barbershop

Fall Leaves in Central Park



Beth caught this picture of the sun reflecting off this building with clouds as a backdrop

I haven't put a picture of Sweet Baby James on here lately.  He got caught red handed with the cake frosting............the evidence is on his face!

 

New York Free (or almost free) Stuff

We've been enjoying roaming the streets of New York for a few days now.  It's always a fun place to visit with endless things to experience.  It's been a little chilly this week with the highs running in the 40's, but not too bad.  After all, it is getting to be that time of the year.  The seasons are changing and in some ways it's the "calm before the storm" around here.  The bleachers are being set up and a week from today the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will be kicking off the holiday season.  The Christmas Tree has been installed in Rockefeller Center.  It's currently covered in scaffolding (quite a site) as well as workers busy trimming it.  The Ice Skating Rinks in Central Park, Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center are open (nope, those days are over).  The Rockettes Christmas Spectacular has opened at Radio City.  We've seen it before so seeing it again prior to Thanksgiving just doesn't seem right.  We've been here several times between Thanksgiving and Christmas and it's a pretty special time of the year.  It's been fun watching the preparation.
We didn't get a chance to do much walking in India and Nepal.  Too many people. cows, pigs and other animals (and their poop) to dodge.  We've made up for lost time the last two days.  We've easily covered over 30 miles on foot, again showing why no one really wants to travel with us.  We've crisscrossed from the east side to the west side, up as far as around 98th Street on the upper side and as far south as you can go (Battery Park) on the lower side.  Heck, we even walked across the Brooklyn Bridge which spans the East River from Lower Manhattan to .............Brooklyn, of course.
It's a great walking city that offers so many opportunities and experiences for little or no money.  Here are some of my recommendations if you're ever in the neighborhood:
Central Park-It can be seen by Horse and Buggy, Pedicab, Rented Bikes or on foot.  However you choose to explore this massive park, dive right in and explore it.  We tend to stay south of the park but like walking whatever path we happen to want to take with no particular destination in mind, although we often end up walking around The Reservoir which occupies a good portion of the upper/middle section.  Don't forget to check out the apartments and condo's along the East and West side.  This is where the big bucks live.   There is also the Metropolitan Art Museum on the East Side and the American Museum of Natural History on the West Side.  We had been to the Art Museum before.  This time we spent several hours in the Natural History Museum absorbing knowledge until our brains were full.  Both are excellent, and while they have a suggested entry free of around $20 it is strictly a "donation" so you can pay what you want.  Seems like most folks pay around $5 per person.
http://www.centralparknyc.org/
https://www.metmuseum.org/
https://www.amnh.org/
The High Line- This is a section of an elevated train line on the west side between 34th Street and the Meatpacking District.  It was scheduled for demolition but thankfully was turned in to an elevated walk way that is around a mile and a half in length.  It offers great views of the skyline as well as the Hudson River without the hassle of traffic and red lights.
http://www.thehighline.org/visit
The Brooklyn Bridge-This was a new experience for us yesterday. There is a walkway across the bridge that allows pedestrians and bikers to cross between lower Manhattan and Brooklyn.  It's an easy walk and it looked like some of the neighborhood just across the bridge in Brooklyn would have been fun to explore.  Our legs were starting to wear out and we still had a long walk back to the hotel so we decided to save them for another day.
http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/walking-the-brooklyn-bridge/
Of course all of these areas are connected by sidewalks.  One of our favorite ways to get from upper to lower Manhattan is the west side along the river.  There's a great walkway with parks and green spaces.   There is also plenty of action on the water with boats, ships, ferries, and water taxis to keep you entertained along the way.
Staten Island Ferry-This ferry is free and runs from the Battery Park area in lower Manhattan to Staten Island.  It's a five mile/25 minute journey that runs every thirty minutes, 24 hours a day.  You get great views of the skyline as well as the Statue of Liberty.  When you get to Staten Island you can explore the parks and neighborhoods or simply get off the ferry, walk into the terminal and catch the same ferry back.  This was also a new experience for us.
http://www.siferry.com/
Cheap Eats- Surprisingly eating in NY can be pretty affordable.  The first rule of thumb in my opinion is to get out of the tourist areas, especially Times Square.  This trip we're staying in the Hells Kitchen area (west side around 48th street).  There are plenty of great restaurants that are affordable and every block seems to have a couple of "pizza by the slice" places.  Five bucks will get you two huge slices of pizza and a coke at most of these places.  Also no trip to New York would be complete without a little "street meat".  A hot dog or Italian sausage will set you back a couple of bucks and is probably good for your immune system as well!
https://www.eater.com/2015/7/10/8924449/halal-cart-street-food-meat-nyc-cheap-eats

Brooklyn Bridge

The Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center being prepared

St Patrick's Cathedral

Central Park-Nice colors this time of year

Lower Manhattan from the Staten Island Ferry

From the Staten Island Ferry

 

Good Bye Dubai, Hello New York!

Dubai is now in the rearview mirror.  The fourteen hour flight wasn't too bad all things considered.  It helped that the flight left at 2:30 in the morning.  We stayed busy up until the time of departure and were both able to get a little sleep on the flight.
The last couple of days in Dubai were busy and were dedicated to seeing as much of it as possible.  We did a package deal through a company called Headout.  They seem to be a third party company that sells various tours/experiences in select cities.  We were pleased with them and have even purchased some tickets to three broadway plays through them (I'll let you know how it goes).
The package deal we purchased for Dubai included going up to the 124 & 125 Observation Decks of the Burj Khalifa (worlds tallest building).  The views were great and if you ever find yourself in Dubai it's something I'd recommend.  There was a city tour that included visiting a Spice and Gold Souk (market) in the older section of Dubai and a quick stop at a very nice beach.
If you've ever been to Hawaii you most likely ended up at a luau.  Dubai has it's own version of luau's, they're called Desert Safari's.  It starts with a "Sand Dune Bashing" experience.  You get strapped into a Toyota Land Cruiser for a wild ride through the sand dune desert near Dubai.  It was pretty fun getting slung around but not something that I necessarily need to do again.  After the ride we joined other thrill seekers for dinner and a show under the night sky.  The show included a fire performer as well as a couple of dancers.  One of the dancers was a belly dancer.  She had plenty of assets for her performance.  She also had the magical ability to make her hips and belly go left to right while her breasts went up and down............that's entertainment at it's finest.
Before heading to the airport Saturday night there was one final activity and it was a nice one.  It was a dinner cruise on a Dhow (old style traditional boat).  It was a relaxing evening floating down Dubai Creek taking in the sights and sounds of Old Dubai.
India, Nepal, a quick day trip into Oman and the UAE.  All quite different, all very interesting!

The Gold Souk-Old Dubai

Spice Souk-Great Colors and Smells

We're so excited about our Desert Safari

Our vehicle of terror for the Sand Dune Bashing

Dubai Beach

Along the Dubai Canal Walk near our hotel

The Dubai Canal walk.  Our hotel JW Marriott Marquis are the two towers on the left. 

Our River Cruise Dhow

The Top of the World!

It's kind of hard to believe but in just a little over 36 hours the overseas part of this adventure will be over.  From the zaniness of practically all things India, the serenity of Chitwan National Park in Nepal to the "over the top" of Dubai, it's been a blast.  When we leave Dubai we'll be heading to New York (14 hour flight) where we'll spend a week before heading to Texas to visit Ben for Thanksgiving.  I'm anxious to see how New York stacks up.  It's always seemed so hectic, busy and tall but it may seem like a more relaxed place and not quite so tall now.
Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with a population of close to three million.  Historically speaking the region where Dubai is located dates back to the seventh century but in reality it's pretty much a city that has sprung up in the last 20-30 years.  Oil was discovered in the area in the 60's which got the ball rolling, but the real growth started in the 90's.  It would be easy to compare Dubai to Las Vegas.  They both were built in the desert and they both are very over the top, but that's probably where the comparisons end.  Vegas is built around the gaming industry while Dubai is much more diverse.  There is a focus on tourism, trade and oil and with the money they have here everything they do is done in a big way.
http://www.condohotelsdubai.com/articles/dubai-incredible.html
We're staying at the world's tallest hotel.  This morning we were pretty much on top of the world when we went to the observation deck of the Burj Khaliaf, the worlds tallest building.  The tallest building is attached to the world's largest mall.  You can get there by taking the world's first driverless metro...........I think you get the picture.  Over here it's go big or go home.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_hotels
http://www.burjkhalifa.ae/en/index.aspx
In addition to checking out Dubai we also did a tour of Abu Dhabi yesterday.  Adu Dhabi is the second largest city in the UAE and also serves as the capital.  Unlike Dubai, there is construction taking place but it's actually at a much more normal pace.  Adu Dhabi was modern, clean and calm.  The palaces and government buildings were immaculate.  The Corniche (beachfront promenade) was spectacular but the most impressive site was the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.  The mosque will accommodate over 40,000 worshippers under it's 82 domes, over 1000 columns and massive chandeliers.  It was an amazing site to see both from the outside and inside. 
https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/see.and.do/attractions.and.landmarks/family.attractions/abu.dhabi.corniche.aspx
https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/see.and.do/attractions.and.landmarks/family.attractions/sheikh.zayed.grand.mosque.aspx
We've got a few more adventures before heading out.  Tonight is a desert safari which includes a dune bashing jeep ride, camel ride, sand dune surfing, dinner and belly dancing (trained professionals, not me) and more.  Tomorrow we do a little bit more of a tour of the city and a dinner cruise before heading to the airport for our 2:45 AM flight.  36+ hours is plenty of time for some more fun!

Outside the Zayed Grand Mosque

Main dome of the mosque taken through a gateway

Hallway around the outside of the mosque

Main Prayer Room-There were three huge 24 carrot gold chandeliers inside.

Part of the Royal Palace Complex

Ferrari World-  An amusement park with the worlds fastest roller coaster............no, we're too old!

From the 124th observation deck of the Burj Khalifa

Dubai at sunset

Oman! I can almost see Iran from here.

Yesterday was Beth's birthday.  We celebrated by checking off another country.  This time it was Oman which is a relatively small country located at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.  Our destination was the town of Dibba which was a little over two hours by bus from Dubai.  We actually didn't touch the ground in Oman for more than 200 yards total.  After the border crossing we hopped off the bus and walked a short distance to our awaiting boat.  When we returned later in the day we walked the short distance back to the bus and headed back to Dubai.  It wasn't too much "land time" but we did cross the border and set foot in the country.
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Dibba_(Musandam_Peninsula) 
Although we didn't enjoy much by land we did enjoy time in the Oman coastal waters in the Gulf of Oman.  Our Dhow (Arabian Boat) with about 30-40 passengers from all over the world sailed along the coast's pristine waters with treeless mountains serving as a backdrop.  On two separate occasions the boat anchored for about an hour each time to allow us to swim.  The water was nice and warm as well as crystal clear.  Although it wasn't as salty as the Dead Sea the salt content in the water must have been pretty high.  I could easily do something that I usually can't do, even in salt water, and that's float.
In addition to the sightseeing and swimming we had lunch on the boat.  The meal included beef curry, chicken, fish, rice, vegetables and fruit.  We also got to try fishing by hand line for a bit although the fish weren't biting too good.  In the time we fished there were only two small fish and one decent sized barracuda (around two feet) caught.
It was kind of strange knowing that from where we were swimming that Iran was less than 60 miles across the way.  Not wanting to be the "Ugly American" I didn't make any obscene gestures their way................................. although it was tempting.

Cruising the Oman coast



Limestone Cave

What a Dhow looks like

Two hand lines and still no action

An old person diving off the boat

Surrounded by Women!

We rested up most of yesterday at the hotel.  Late in the day we did venture out a bit.  The hotel offers a free shuttle to the Dubai Mall and we're all about "free things".  The Dubai Mall isn't an ordinary mall.  Size wise it's the largest mall in the world (internal sq. foot area is 5.9 million).  As best as I can recall this was the first time we've stepped inside a mall in a couple of years.  So I guess it was appropriate to go big.  It had many stores and restaurants that you'd see in any decent size mall in the US.  But it also had a bunch of the "closed door" type of stores such as Tiffany, Cartier, Rolex, Armani and Coach to name a few.  I call them "closed door" because the doors are closed and you have to be let in.  I guess it keeps the riff raff like me out. Like I'd really want to go in there anyway! 
Two other unique things about it.  First of all right at the front door there was a secure parking area for some of the folks who shop in the closed door stores.  There was a Lamborghini, Ferrari, and a Bugatti parked in there.  They were being watched by a fairly large, mean looking human being keeping a close eye on them.  Too bad I didn't have the 2005 Honda Accord to whip in there with them.  Second, outside of the mall there is a water feature area that has a fountain show similar to the one at Bellagio in Las Vegas.  The show was only about five minutes long but was quite impressive, especially with the sunset and the Burg Khalifa (worlds tallest building) serving as a backdrop.
 https://thedubaimall.com
http://www.burjkhalifa.ae/en/index.aspx
We got to the mall about 5:30.  Roamed through for a short while until we found the fountain area.  Caught the first show of the evening at 6:00.  Roamed back towards the front and caught the 6:30 shuttle back to the hotel no poorer than we were when we entered.  We've never been much on shopping!  Who needs a bunch of stuff when there are adventures out there?
Rested and ready to take on Dubai we set out this morning for the Marina area.  One thing that is quickly obvious is that although Dubai has grown tremendously in recent history they just keep building.  It would be appropriate to put "entering a construction zone" sign as you enter the city.  At the present time Dubai has around 1 percent of all the construction cranes in the world.  The actual number according to what I read is just over 1000 and the second place city is Sydney with 220 cranes.  Maybe the hotel should issue hardhats to those venturing out?
The Marina area had a real "beach" feel to it.  Probably because there is a beach there (JBR Beach)  along with the marina.  The water was crystal clear and felt warm according to Beth who stuck her hand in it.  The beach wasn't very wide and was packed with what looked to be tourists.
Even though it was a little bit hot we enjoyed getting a decent, uninterrupted  walk in for the first time in a couple of weeks.  Around the Dubai Marina area there was water, shade and plenty of benches.  What more do you need to make for a great day?
Now about all those women......  We took the Metro to the marina area.  When we got on the train at the local station I quickly noticed that although the train was packed I was the only male in that particular section.  I also noticed that I was getting what would normally be an ego flattering number of women staring at me.  However their looks were more of distain than "who's the hot looking old guy".  Thankfully I realized this before the doors shut and we quickly hopped off to do a reassessment of the situation.  There are separate areas for women and men.  Riding in the wrong area can be a one hundred AED fine (around $30).  The irony of it is that there is a line on the floor that separates the designated areas.  So we rode the five or so miles to the marina area with Beth on one side of the line with the ladies and me on the other side with the gentlemen.

The Burj Khalifa from the Dubai Mall

Fountain show outside the Dubai Mall.  Note the constructions cranes on top of the buildings in the background. 

Waterfall inside the Dubai Mall.  It's four stories high and looked to be around 100 yards wide.

JBR Beach in the Dubai Marina Area-Note the construction cranes

Beth demonstrating what we do best.  A bench in the shade along the waterfront.  Note the construction cranes in the background.

Along the Marina Walk.  Note the construction cranes

Burg Al Arab Hotel in the background.  It's known as the World's Most Luxurious Hotel.  No construction cranes in site! 


https://www.jumeirah.com/en/hotels-resorts/dubai/burj-al-arab/