FollowingFaye: In Love!

I'm well-rested and ready to roll.

I'm also back on track with beginning this post at breakfast. Yes, the view continues to be nice. Not only the view of the city waking up, but the one in here as well. The contractors are still here. I'm guessing they're on a long term job.

More random thoughts:

Crime is virtually nonexistent because the punishment is swift and harsh. Although the treatment of the workforce is not very good, it must be better than home. They don't risk prison or deportation.

Women are very safe, but men get propositioned often according to a guy who is in my program and was here last year. That was fascinating to me because homosexuality is punishable by prison. According to my friend, it's not that the guys are gay necessarily, it's just that are so few women compared to the men in the workforce. Some of them have been here for years, and they are least likely to be reported if they deal with a guy. Very interesting.

Living with someone of the opposite sex is prohibited. If discovered, as an expat, you would be immediately deported. Locals know better, but if they indulged, they would go to jail.

Public display of affection is frowned upon. You rarely see it and when you do, it stands out. It's expats who didn't get the memo, I suppose.

I know. I know. All of that sounds like a lot of rules and regulations and maybe even pretty harsh, but when you consider all of the things to do, and the phenomenal opportunity to be here, the good far outweighs the bad. My philosophy = Their country. Their rules. Period. I can live with that.

That's why I think it is particularly offensive to see visitors violate the dress code. You should be respectful of the country and it's mores.

Side note - I have a favor to ask. A couple of days ago, I included two video clips, and have included two more today, but I'm new to this and I'm not sure they worked. Would you post a comment or forward an email letting me know if you could access them? My email address is fayesharpe@gmail.com. Thanks a bunch!

Side note 2 - Traffic lights blink before they change color.

Side note 3 - The mosques are stunning at night. They are lit up with green lights and you can see them from miles away.

Side note 4 - Today I rode in a ladies only cab. The driver was a female. First I've seen. She wasn't nearly as proficient as the men drivers though. That is, she wasn't aggressive enough. You can't be a timid driver here. You'll get run off the road.

Side note 5 - One more comment about the safari. All of the drivers were about 30 years old, and you could tell they were absolutely loving the daredevil driving. They could easily be stunt drivers in Hollywood, with all of the outrageous maneuvers they pulled off.

Ferrari Logo

And now . . . I have to confess. I fell in love today . . . with the Ferrari! What a car! What a car! What a car! Ferrari World is advertised as an amusement park, so you immediately think kids. What was striking was how few kids there were. Mostly, it was young guys and couples. This is a playground for the young at heart. Not necessarily young in age.

Candy Apple Red Ferrari

The building is spectacular. There was no way I could get a photo of it because it has such a sprawling design. I found one online and it's below.

Ferrari World - Aerial View

There is a huge structure next to the Ferrari Building, that I think is a real competition race track.

The first thing you notice when you walk in is how incredibly big the space is. There are some of the most beautiful cars on the planet on display like diamonds, under sophisticated lighting that is so dramatic. It's easy to imagine yourself driving one.

Me and the Ferrari

G Force Ride

I enjoyed going into a simulation auditorium where was buckle up in what looks like regular theater seats. There is a large screen and a movie begins by telling the story of the young Enzo Ferrari who, as a baby, wouldn't sleep until the mobile in his crib was going at top speed. Then you see him as a young child, tinkering with his bike to make it faster. Teenage years, same thing. This time it's cars instead of bikes. Then you see him as a young adult, dreaming of a beautiful, fast car. The next shot is a car designer on his first day at the Ferrari Headquarters. He comes with an armful of drafting sketches, but those are taken away. The old man, his guide, tells him that in order to make a great car, you have to feel it first. He, and we, are then taken for a ride. A very fast ride, winding ride. The seats start to move, the faster the driver goes, the farther back you're pushed in your seat. They totally move, leaning into every curve. You feel every shift of the gears. Everything that's happening on the screen, you feel in your seats. It was fast and crazy, but I loved it!

Ferrari Race Car

Then I rode in a toy Ferrari that was on an automatic track. Even the toy car was amazing. I'd settle for that one if it had pedals.

There was a high energy light show featuring some really talented young folks doing some incredible acrobatics, all related to the Ferrari. The stage was designed as a pit stop. They're featured in the videos below.

So, I've decided my two year plan in this country is this:

1) Meet an Emirati

2) Marry him

3) Buy a Ferrari

You know all of those rules and regulations I mentioned earlier, you could multiply them by 100 and they totally wouldn't matter one bit if they came with a Ferrari. I'd even wear a burka for a Ferrari!