Final Comments

Well, it appears everyone made it home safely. I thoroughly enjoyed my extra two days in Dubai, wandering and exploring on my own and doing a little more shopping. I also rented a car and drove out to Hatta, in the mountains along the Oman border, and returned via Sharjah, a very strict Emirate just to the north of Dubai. The photos above are of a mosque in Hatta and the Central Souk in Sharjah.

For me probably the main highlight of the trip was seeing our group come home with a very different perspective on the people in the region. There were so many instances of hospitality and warm welcome that it certainly made an impression on all of us.

For Mother the most impressive aspect of Arab culture was respect - respect for the elderly, respect for women, respect for guests, respect for people in general. We have perhaps lost some of that in our culture, but in Arab culture it is still strongly emphasized.

Mother made another interesting evaluation of the Gulf Countries. "They are as modern as tomorrow and as ancient as Abraham!" Walking through the souks (markets) we felt as though we were back in Biblical times. On the other hand, what they have accomplished in recent years defies belief!

I had planned this trip as a one-time event, but after doing all the work and resource, and making so many great contacts, I'll probably have to do another one sometime in the future. Besides, I don't need much of an excuse to go back to the Persian Gulf region!

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