Oh, there is a lot of catching up to do! One of the two traveling blondes has been doing quite a lot of traveling in the past month. (The second half of the traveling blonde team is going to Australia later this summer so check back to read more about that adventure!)
 
In late April, I had the amazing experience of traveling to Dubai for work. It's an incredible city. Basically it was nothing but a few roads in the desert as recently as the 1980s - and today it's a city full of skyscrapers. They have created a futuristic city in just a few decades with each new building trying to out-do the last. Dubai is home to the largest building the the world, the Burj Kalifa and the largest indoor ski slope, Ski Dubai. I go to visit both of them while I was there.

Burj Kalifa - the tallest building in the world

Chairman of TracyLocke on the slope of Ski Dubai

Two of the highlights of the trip included coffee overlooking the Arabian Gulf at the Burj al Arab, the hotel that built in the shape of an Arab dhow sail. Costs for a room are $1,900 a night and if you aren't staying there you have to pay $50 to even set foot in the lobby! (We were there as friends of friends). The second highlight was dinner at a French restaurant overlooking the fountains of the Burj Kalifa. Think Belagio-style fountains only three times bigger!

Burj Al Arab

Because I was there for work, most of my time in the country was spent in a conference room (where they still let you smoke in the buildings!), but it was a fabulous, though short, trip. I stayed an extra day to do some sightseeing around the old town and soak up some of "home".

View of Old Dubai from the Creek Tour

On the Dubai Creek.
The weather wasn't too hot in April and the breezes on the creek were nice and cool.

Creek Tour "Dhow"

The only thing I didn't get to do while I was there was eat a shwarma. (I did have hummus and halumi cheese every chance I got.) Hope I get a chance to go back!