Lost in Translation

“I don't understand at best,

I cannot speak for all the rest.

In the morning rise a lifetime's passed me by

What would you say…” – Dave Matthews

When my parents came to visit us on the way home from their mission, My dad called Dubai the “Emerald City”  In a lot of ways, that is an appropriate name.  We thought there was a lot of wealth in Hawaii.  I used to get a kick out of being at a stoplight down near Diamondhead and noticing that a lot of the cars around me were BMWs, Mercedes, and Audis. 
Here, there are times when I look around and there are even more of those cars, plus several cars with names like Ferrari, Maserati, Range Rover, Lotus, Bentley, Rolls Royce, It is ridiculous.  It isn’t just the cars though, there are so many ways that this city is always putting on a show.  The Malls are a good example.  They don’t just have stores, but fountains, shows, events, and entertainment.  It is almost bewildering at times… there are practically entire amusement parks in a mall.  It is a bit like the wizard and his show in the Emerald City.  A spectacle of extravagance with lights and sounds, but often confusing as to what the purpose is.  When the curtain is pulled back, sometimes you can see a different side of things.
We’ve been lucky to be able to take advantage of some promotions so that we can actually afford to let the kids enjoy some of the magical noises, lights, and rides.  They have a blast, and we get to experience the wizard’s show in different ways.
I got a kick out of this sign.   The first two rules seem to make sense.  Some of the other ones…. not so much ;)

And here are a few photos of all the fun.