Day number one in tourist/traveler land. Been to THE MALL—well actually BOTH MALLS. Dubai, UAE (United Arab Emirates for those of you who aren’t knowledgeable about the the Mall-Lands of the World).

 My grandson and I are a little drunk. We’ve had beer and wine and talked economics and politics and should damn well be elected to run the world or at least a country or two.

TOURISTS…THEY ARE EVERYWHERE.

 Okay, so if you come to downtown or wherever town in Dubai the malls are the thing. I was expecting something quite special. Not being a usual mall person, except for Christmas with granddaughters and an occasional Cinnibon, still I was anticipating something more than Winrock or Coronado. And my expectations were met. The Dubai Malls are at least as good as the Mall of America. In fact, on our way out, we heard a disgruntled guy say in passing to his other person, ‘This IS just like the Mall of America, isn’t it?”

We walked over to the Mall of the Emirates (down-scale Mall of America—well even-scale, but with a Ski Slope versus Camp Snoopy). Gazed in initial awe and then amusement at the skiing place, I desperately wanted a Ski Dubai sweatshirt but decided to restrain myself until later in the day (when fortunately I had lost interest).

Took the subway to the Dubai Mall (up-scale Mall of America), went up to the 124th floor of the world’s tallest structure (in 2010), the Burj Khalif, came back to the mall, ate Lebanese, walked a hundred miles home.

THE VIEW FROM THE TOP

OF THE SHEIK NEXT DOOR

 WE HAVE DONE DUBAI.