Know the Feeling..packing and unpacking!

The perfect blip that encapsulates what Dubai is all about.........Trade.

The creek has always featured in its long history from the time the first traders came over from the Bastak region of Iran and settled along the coast. Today shows how little it has changed..the sea going dhows are still an important part of Dubai's economy and daily they ply the waters of the Arabian Gulf bringing spices, saffron and carpets; returning laden with electronics, tyres and car parts! Travelling from here to faraway ports in China and Africa....or just sailing through the Gulf to Kuwait, Bahrain and Iran.

From the top of a multistorey car park you can watch for endless hours as they are loaded and unloaded. Observe unobserved as crews carry on their daily routine aboard their craft. Eating, sleeping, praying, loading.

All their wares are piled in neat columns on the quayside and loaded by teams of labourers who work on precision timing to ensure the cargo is stowed safely for the hazardous journey ahead.

If you're lucky you may even spot a dhow with a car on deck....and wonder why the owner negotiated the passage of his vehicle on such a precarious mode of transport......and what, if any, the terms and conditions of the insurance policy are!

Its a wonderful way to spend and afternoon......Dhow gazing!!!

Happy Blipping Everyone