Night Exploration

Tonight, I went walking.  The area I live in is called Deira, and there are just so many amazing things, I can't even begin to describe them.

This is a statue that is next to the Reef Mall.  The water is desalinated, and is from the Gulf.  There is such a disconnect here between what is and what was.  Even if I wanted to I couldn't catch this type of fish here, and no one has ever been able to.

This is the clocktower, and if you are ever here in Dubai and want to get to the "old town," just tell the taxi driver to take you to the clocktower.  North of this are more malls, but west of here are the wonderful spice markets, rug merchants, and a significant portion of people who don't speak English.

Just north of the clocktower is this wonderful mosque.  It's not as fancy as some of the others here, but it is really beautiful.

 

This is the sign on the street side of the mosque.

This is what was at the Ladie's prayer entrance.  After I took this picture, a couple of women in burkas (also known as burqa) left, and I almost took a picture of them.  But, respecting the culture and the beliefs here, I decided I wouldn't.  But here's what they look like:

They are Darth Vader type masks, but for women who lack the Force.  (As an aside, I've heard 2 pro-burka speeches since I've been here:  The burka protects the modesty of the woman, and allows her to focus on the Prophet's word.  Or, the burka allows a young woman to dance at a club without the fear of being recognized, because no one other than her father and brothers have ever seen her face.  I'm pretty sure that the latter is more true.)  The less radical type of covering is the hijab (which can also mean "Modest Dress"), and is seen more often.  This is what it looks like:

While talking to women wearing hijabs, it is easy to estimate their reactions.  Those who are in the burkas are much more hidden, and obviously that's on purpose.  I've spoken to a couple of burka-bound women, who told me that they choose the covering.  I asked them if they did it because they were scared or fearful of something, and they said they weren't...they did it because it was the wish of their husband (or father).  Then I told them that it just looked "damn hot."  They laughed and said that I looked "damn hot" because I was sweating like a maniac.  They were right.  I was damn hot.  The people here are so wonderful.