DUBAI – JORDAN 5/3 – 5/13/11

6 star Burj Al Arab in Dubai

Barefoot at Grand Mosque Oman

The Treasury at Petra, Jordan

Our first visit to Dubai and all I can say is: Wow!  This former Bedouin fishing village discovered oil in 1961, and the financial windfall that followed quickly transformed it into an ultra modern city.  The city is now home to over 2 million people but only 17% are natives.  Indians and Philippinos make up the bulk of the residents from other countries who come to Dubai to work as cheap labor for the 500 hotels, restaurants, residences etc.  Recognizing that the oil would eventually run dry – and it did – the government turned its attention to creating a worldwide financial/commercial hub and glamorous tourist destination. The construction of Palm Islands – manmade branches of land reaching into the sea and filled with high rise condos  -- has slowed down with the global financial state of recent years.  But on the drawing board if not already started are Airport City, a huge sports complex, the world’s biggest Disney World and much more.

Obelisk Tomb at Petra

We cruised the Arabian Gulf from Dubai to Muscat, the capital of Oman and then Salalah.  Oman has made great progress from a feudal state to an economically sound, modern country under the guidance of the Sultan who has been on the throne for 40 years.  Here Sunnis and Shites live peaceably together and worship in the same mosque.  Like Dubai, Oman will eventually run out of oil and is pursuing development as a tourist mecca.

Fossilized animal bones within Petra canyon walls

We were ready for some leisurely sea days but these were particularly active ones.  Twice a year Regent sponsors PTV (Public television) at Sea.  We had the pleasure of hearing political commentator Charlie Cook, journalist Jackie Lyden and Washington Post’s top photo journalist.  But the highlight for us was actor Michael York’s presentations and the great pleasure of having dinner with Michael and his wife Pat, a world renowned photographer.   We look forward to seeing them again the next time we are in Los Angeles. 

One of the main reasons we decided to take this world cruise was the stop in Jordan and opportunity to see Petra, considered the eighth wonder of the world.  Around 600 BC, Arabs settled here and carved a massive city out of rock and limestone.  A one mile walk through  a magnificent canyon with 240 foot high cliffs opens upon the Treasury, a massive building that was actually a mausoleum.  An open Roman style theater seats over 3,000 people.  Petra flourished as a center for spice trade and was once the home of as many as 30,000 people.