Dubai, winter retreat

En route to India, R. and I took a couple of days out in Dubai to catch up with friends, get in some quality time at the Turkish Hammam, and, well, I guess participate in the national sport - shopping for camels, of course.


Lunch at Karam Beirut in the Mall of the Emirates. Still great food. Still surly service.


And of course, it is perched at the base of Ski Dubai. That's right. Now, last time we were here, we ate here, saw the skiing, and moved on. Not this time.


We've been able to do a fair amount of skiing this season, though our last time out, in the Poconos, near Philadelphia was really pretty terrible. It's almost embarrassing to say that the conditions in Dubai were better than in the Poconos, but there you go.


Heading back to the airport after a night at the Raffles Dubai, a sort of Pharaonic Disneyland. Crazy place.