The Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa

After coffee on the balcony, Paula prepared a delicious breakfast of cucumbers with mandarins to add to the lebneh (similar to sour cream), pita and blueberry jam, and mustard seed cheese. Next, Paula cooked dinner - sautéed meat and eggplant - for us, so we have dinner if we return starving from our outings today.

Now we’re off to the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa, the tallest skyscraper in the world. Once we arrived, we went right to the ticket kiosk for the Burj. There was a long line, and when we got to the ticket window, we discovered there were no more “cheaper” tickets to the 124th floor. So we bought tickets to the 148th floor which included tea/coffee/water and snacks. This ended up working out great because it was much less crowded and had an outside balcony which allowed for much better picture taking and also the temperature was cooler.

After we got tickets for 5:30 entrance, we went to get a snack in the Food Hall. It was a bit like US food halls but much glitzier with many more choices. Surprisingly, though, was the presence of Subway, KFC, Freddie’s Steakburgers - an Oklahoma staple  along with many international choices. Paula had a Freddie’s with onion rings which didn’t taste all that much like an OK Freddie’s....

Next we went to a bookstore where I looked for an Emerati cookbook. I’ve had some delicious meals here that I’d love to recreate at home. I didn’t find any that were worth the weight of packing it in my suitcase.

Soon it was time to head to the line to go to the Burj. I’m not a huge shopper, but I did find the mall beautiful, sparkling and filled with surprises like the aquarium on a lower floor (we didn’t get there this trip) and spectacular art.

Finally, we were in the first elevator which stopped at the 124th floor. Our ears did pop slightly, but the trip was fast and smooth. We transferred to a smaller elevator to go to the 148th floor which opened into a spacious room where waiters served coffee, tea and water along with platters of three kinds of sweets - pistachio filled dates, small cookies and what tasted like baklava but wasn’t. There were couches/chairs all around the middle and also facing the magnificent view where we could sit and nibble. Fellow visitors were very hospitable and readily shared their positions in front of the windows.

It was just starting to get dark which gave us the opportunity to take in the view in daylight and in darkness.

Looking up toward the top of the Burj.

Out on the balcony.

Out on the balcony looking up.

Coming down from the floor 148th floor.

Peering out on the balcony.