Postcard From The Future - #334

Dear Daily Photo,

I suspect that this message will be greeted with a dose of scepticism, however I assure you this photo record has been sent from me, Bluey - here today, August 2nd 2028. I'm now 55 years old and I still live in the city I used to call Dubai.

You'll be shocked to learn that Space City has been abandoned as a loss now, the desert blasted in 5 mad minutes and turned to glass. The dunes now look like ornamental crap the Gods would buy one another on a cheap holiday. The last remnants of the new Bedouins of Urb_Arabia are leaving.

Anyway - I need to be brief, I need you to remember these simple truths, axioms for life if you like...

1) Listen to the dolphins, they will thank you for all the fish, however a desert is not the place for them.

2) De La Soul were right. 3 is the magic number.

TTFN,

Space Cpt DX. Bluey

Mabrook Iraq! - #333

The actual Asian Cup Trophy.

A surprise tonight - I managed to gate crash the Iraqi national football team and the actual Asian Gulf trophy before they headed off to a party.

Why in Dubai? Well, Sheikh Maktoum invited them to Dubai so they can safely and properly have the opportunity celebrate their amazing victory in the Asian Cup!

BBC match report
BBC pictures

... and a bonus shot of one of the winning team's players.

Guest Relations - #332

All hotels and many businesses will have portraits of the rulers of the UAE prominently displayed as sign of respect.

The Telephone At The End Of The World - #331

Another phone box... a nice use of solar power too. The UAE needs to embrace solar energy, yet it is still not allowed for buildings that are connected to the national grid to have solar energy.

That's mad in a country with THIS much sun.

Lost Souls Swimming In A Fish Bowl - #330

Sometimes it feels like our experience fills the universe and sometimes it feels like you are a vibrating superstring blinking in and out of this universe whilst drifting in space. The descent from the dense to the gaseous, even if temporary and even somewhat expected, may cause emotional bends if you're not careful.

An Auspicious Awning - #329

A Farewell To Rolla - #328

I really enjoyed my brief visit to Rolla, hope you did too...

All It Takes Is A Good Hard Slap - #327

to make the bread work out fine.

Taken just off Rolla Square at the famous eatery Pak Ghazi...

War And Peace - #326

Rolla has some famous cannons, purpose unknown... save for some respite from the summer's heat bombs.

As a small bonus, perhaps this is Harsha's Fountain?

A Rolla Vista - #325

A vista of Rolla Square.

Note the rather interesting tree monument in the middle.

Nobel Prize For... - #324

One infamous location in Sharjah is Rolla Square. It's a pretty full on place and I loved it...

So there may be a couple more shots to come from Rolla Sq...

Again - an unusual thing for me to do, however I believe I have one regular Sharjah resident that visits my blog. An illustrious member the UAE's media and a rather erudite blogger. Please drop by his blog sometime Fake Plastic Souks

Sharjah Mosque - #323

You immediately notice how many mosques there are in Sharjah. Way more than in Dubai it feels and they are very grand affairs too.

Sharjah is a more strict Emirate than Dubai, with generally a more conservative athmosphere and no alcohol allowed at all, more modest clothing etc.

Let's Visit The Neighbours - #322

Dubai Daily Photo has gone on small fact finding mission... the next few days are from Sharjah.

Like Dubai, Sharjah is one of the seven Emirates of the UAE. Dubai and Sharjah cities virtually merge together yet have different laws and acceptable norms. Sharjah has more extremes than Dubai, yet also has a nice feel to the city.

So what better to start us off than a boat and some oil barrels...

Over the next few days I hope to show some of the people and buildings of Sharjah...

I See You Baby (Shakin' That Overpass) - #321

Royal Spain - #320

My Kind Of Thermofluid Dynamics a/k/a A Quick Refresher... - #319

Air temp 42 deg. Pool temp 25 deg.

My kind of thermofluid dynamics.

Prayer Times - #318

I am not a religious person at all. I did find this to be an interesting image. I also wanted to explain it a little...

One of the five pillars of Islam is Salah, or ritual prayer, which must be performed five times a day. (However, the Shi'a are permitted to run together the noon with the afternoon prayers, and the evening with the night prayers). Each salah is done facing towards the Kaaba in Mecca. Salah is intended to focus the mind on God, and is seen as a personal communication with him that expresses gratitude and worship. Salah is compulsory but flexibility in the specifics is allowed depending on circumstances. In many Muslim countries, reminders called Adhan (call to prayer) are broadcast publicly from local mosques at the appropriate times. (source = wikipedia)

Golf Sail - #317

This is the Dubai Creek Golf Club - a pretty recognisable landmark in Dubai. A little reminiscent of the Sydney Opera in a way. They sail effect is quite common in Dubai - is it elsewhere too?

Park Hyatt Marina - #316

The marina at the Park Hyatt and Dubai Creek Golf Club. A very nice hotel and, I'm told, one of the best golf clubs in Dubai.

Oh to have a little money... :)

Pandora's Box - #315

You don't want to open this box...

Side Alley Lonelyness - #314

A Warholian Rainbow - #313

The Starting Gate - #312

This race track / practice track is prime real estate slap bang central Dubai.

The Telecom Towers - #311

I wonder when there will be a World Wide Fund for outmoded amenities.

In the age of wi-fi, wap, 3G, iphone, pigeon, youtube, web 2.0, facebook, flikr, orkut and google... who cares for the precious phonebooth? Would you risk your life to throw yourself in front of a harpoon to save one of these fine beasts? I, for one, think we should...

A Culture Clash a/k/a What is THAT? - #310

The historic dubayy and the thrusting avant garde DXB in a face off.

Place your bets. (Offshore)

Modhesh - #309

Modhesh is the mascot for Dubai Summer Surprises. Some people love the impish little wormy character, where as the majority, it seems, hate him...

For the facebook savvy amongst you the facebook group Death To Modhesh has almost 500 members.

Bilal's Grocery - #308

Some things "need" to move to allow the bigger things more space. I hope Bilal got enough cash to start up somewhere else...

Deira Sauna Suit - #307

As if you don't sweat enough in Dubai... what is this madness?

Arch Redux - #306

I know I featured a similar effect recently... but I still kind of liked it.

Especially as this one is in something as ordinarily mundane as a carpark....

Only On A Friday - #305

Why the huge gathering of guys on a Friday in Bur Dubai next to the abra station?

PTR 250 - #304

I needed a primary colour blast. And PTR was my man for this job.