By a fluke of nature, Sonia is mildly more photogenic than I am so it's her pic here rather than mine! I assure you that the rope in the background is a part of the steering system and not some strange sea-based bondage device!! Anyway...

We took an hour long river boat cruise up and down Dubai Creek. Boarding close to the public libary , close to the Gold Souk (tacky!), it cost 40 Dirhams each (a smidgen more than £5) to enjoy a slow cruise up to the Maktoum Bridge and back again. The waterfront is lined with some impressive looking buildings but after a while their very modernity seems to merge into a collective whole, rather than anything spectacularly individual. (My excuse for a poor memory, I suppose). Much better to check out the vast array of dhows, soak in the sun, and enjoy the plash of water against the side of the vessel.

We were fortunate enough to enjoy the wooden boat to ourselves whilst some others were crowded with 15-20 people. No doubt we paid over the odds compared with the "local" price so I didn't feel too guilty stretching out over the deck as other boats had passengers huddled close to one another.