The art of bedmaking...

This (edit: unbridled creativity and pure genius) is what happens when Geoff is left in charge of making the bed...

Around town...

A few more pics of the beautiful sites around Dubai...

A look back...and forward

The cultural district of Al Seef has recently opened by the Dubai Creek.  It is intended to blend the UAE's culture and heritage with contemporary design.  Half of the district is designed to bring life to the ancestral Emirati way of life, with inspiration from traditional Emirati architecture. The other half represents modern Emirati culture, infusing the modern elements for which the country is now famous.

Still somewhat undiscovered, we arrived midday to find this beautiful area very quiet.  Not all the shops have commenced trading yet, and those that had welcomed only a few visitors.  We understand that the nighttime is when this place really picks up, and no doubt it will certainly get busier during the day once people realize this spot exists. 

With keen attention to the small details, Meraas has developed a gorgeous and welcoming ode to Dubai's history and its future and our hope is that as more people learn about this lovely spot, the area will truly come to life.

Sherlock comes to Dubai...

In anticipation of Sherlock Holmes' arrival to Dubai's Junction Theatre on Al Serkal Avenue, we binge-watched several old Sherlock films and tv shows.

So pumped up on Sherlock stories, the actual play could unfortunately never live up to the hype and expectations we had built.  The story was long and fairly confusing and the characters - understandably - lacked the nuance and intrigue as those we had seen on-screen.

We admire the effort of the show and its players and are delighted Dubai is embracing more independent theatre.  Perhaps the onus is actually on us going forward to better manage our expectations!

Storytime...

Cirque du Soleil's  "Toruk" was inspired by James Cameron's Avatar and depicts a world before the events in the film.  Taking place in Dubai's World Trade Centre, Toruk felt immediately different than other Cirque performances - with a very wide stage and just a few rows of seating.  This meant every ticket in the house seemed to be a good one and was fully engaged in the the action.

After running into some CBC friends and colleagues, we settled in to watch the  performance... 

The storyline was much more involved and engaging than previous shows and the visuals even more beautiful.  But we were struck by the lack of spectacular "tricks".  Besides an amazing demonstration using boomerangs, the rest of the show focused much more on costumes and puppetry than actual acrobats.

Although the story was engaging and very entertaining, Cirque would be well-served to blend this more developed storyline with their world-famous spectacular and show-stopping stunts!

Light Show

"Light Up 2018" launched on New Year's Eve, kicking off the UAE's new year with a Guinness World Record for the largest light and sound show projected onto a building.

A million people saw the show in person and millions more - ourselves included! - watched it that day online.

In response to the overwhelmingly positive response, the light show was extended and played once per night for the next couple of weeks.  And then, due to even more positive response, the show was extended until March!

Showcasing Arabic calligraphy, geometric designs and a portrait of the UAE's first president, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, it is impossible not to be totally in awe of the show.  An inspiring way to kick off the Year of Zayed!