A trip to Al Ras

We decided to get a GPS. Of course it wasn't easy. We needed one that would work for on-road and off-road, plus work here and in the US. I found one model that would do everything but I could find only one store in Dubai that sells it. The store is in the Al Ras/Deira section of Dubai. Meaningless to my friends in the states, but people here would cringe and say you have to drive where?? Deira is the MUCH older section of Dubai. Hey, I love old things, but would still rather not drive in that section of town. Most of the streets are single lane where people park on both sides and then even double park so you can't move at all. Parking is pretty much non-existent. Also I'm sure that I've mentioned this before, but aren't street addresses here. I knew what street this store was on, but it's a long street with hundreds of hole in the wall dirty shops. Traffic of course is crazy too.

So I'm driving down the street trying my best of read the names of the shops, maneuver between people crossing the street pushing carts and carrying bundles on their heads, taxis waiting beside parked cars, etc. It's a little stressful. I was only honked at twice. Good thing that I brought my favorite Secret Super Plus deodorant with me from the US.

I finally find the shop. Now to find a place to park. I circled around for about 20 minutes and finally found a parking garage - or so it was called. It held about 6 cars per level. The ramp to go down was so narrow I was sure I would scrape the car. But I managed. And I squeeze my big ass American Dodge Durango into a tiny spot too.

Relieved to have found parking I headed for the surface to find the shop. The stairs in the garage brought me out the back of the building where I was greeted by an old man standing in a falling down building with a spray painted sign on the wall that said "no pissing here." Honest truth! The path away from the garage was littered with trash and I had the feeling that I wasn't supposed to be there. But I forged forward pretending that I looked confident and knew exactly what I was doing and where I was going.

I found the shop pretty easily. Thank goodness that I have good navigation skills. Of course there were only men in the shop, but I found what I needed, made the purchase and got out. I saw no other women on my journey. I found the parking garage again pretty easily and maneuvered my way out and home.

I would do it again if I needed something, but....

Again I wish that I had my camera, that no pissing sign was priceless!