Jan. 8 - What's doing in the Middle East

Clara, Enda, Rick & I are up early and off to Dubai. Bonus: the airline has arranged hotel rooms for us because we have such a long lay-over. After we drop our bags, we’re able to explore.

Dubai is absolutely fascinating. It’s a complete mash-up of Western and Arabic cultures. You see a woman in a burqa carrying a drink from McDonald’s and a man in the traditional traditional kandura and guthra listening to an iPod.


Arabs like Frappuccinos too.

Western stores like IKEA and Ace Hardware are here, and their signage also carries the Arabic interpretation of the logos. I’m loving all of the graphic treatments.

Big Mac attack.