Sleeping With The Fish

Around here we are big on fish. We love scuba diving. We love our saltwater aquarium. One of us loves to catch fish and we both love to eat them. Sleeping with them would be a whole different dynamic but not impossible--at least not in Dubai, the city where the biggest, the largest, the most unusual can be found. 

In addition to its indoor ski resort, huge aquarium in a mall and world's tallest building, you can now find a place to sleep in luxury surrounded by walls that look into a huge aquarium. The place is an Atlantis hotel built at the end of the Palm, a man made island that extends into the ocean and is in the shape of a palm tree. 

If you've ever been to Nassau in the Bahamas, you've seen the iconic Atlantis Hotel with the arch. The same design is used in Dubai. On a tour of Dubai we were driven out on to the island, went past the hotel but we couldn't get out and explore. I had no idea until I came across a story about it that the Atlantis had two suites, the Poseidon and the Neptune, that surround you with floor to ceiling walls that look into the Ambassador Lagoon that is filled with three million gallons of water containing more than 65,000 marine animals including sharks and sting rays. I'm guessing it would not be a good idea to tune into Shark Week on Discovery before you go.

The idea of an underwater suite really outdoes the infamous water bed in the James Bond movie that was filled with fish. Didn't someone die on that?

Well back to the luxury suite. As with many of the luxury hotel suites in Dubai the bathroom has 24k gold fixtures and comes with a butler. If you book a package deal you can swim with the sharks and stingrays. I've met up with sharks and stingrays diving but sleeping with them surrounding me. . .well, I don't know. I can think of lots of other places I'd rather spend $5,000 to $8,000 which is what the suite will cost you depending upon the season. 

My Top Ten Places For The City Lover

A large city is not the number one place on my favorites list of travel destinations but there are some cities that have been fun to explore because of their history or their beauty or their people or all three. Here is a list of the top ten favorite places I've visited.

Sydney, Australia. If you peruse my blog it won't take long to know that Australia is one of our favorite places to visit and if we must be in a big city, Sydney is a great place to be. It's a pretty city with it's harbor area being the jewel. Easy to get around and the iconic opera house and bridge are must sees. Lots of great restaurants with every kind of ethnic food imaginable and plenty of entertainment venues as well.

Paris, France. We've visited Paris several times and always find it the romantic city it is advertised to be. Lots of history, art, shopping, eating. Parks and places to stroll arm in arm. And it definitely lives up to its nickname, the city of lights.

London, England. London was the first place that we ever ventured to out of the country (Canada not included). It's where we got infected with the travel bug. We've been back several times and always find it a delight. Easy to navigate the "tube" and find yourself in a variety of neighborhoods from the formal areas surrounding the palace to the eclectic theater district around Piccadilly Circle and the exciting area across from the Parliament buildings and Big Ben. Fun, food and fabulous people watching.

Cape Town, South Africa. While we didn't get to explore a great deal of Capetown since we were on a cruise, we did get a good taste of it and it was enough to make us want to go back. It is set on the coast of South Africa with a spectacular backdrop of mountains, the most famous, the Tabletop Mountain that actually looks like it has a tablecloth covering it when the clouds sit on top of it and spill over.

New York, New York. Frank Sinatra sang of this city for good reason. It is quite a place. We've been there for the Macy Thanksgiving Parade and again for the tree lighting at Rockefeller Plaza and several times in between. It's fun to take in a Broadway show and stroll Times Square now that its been cleaned up. A tour of the harbor and a peek at the Statue of Liberty is a must and of course a trip to the 9/11 memorial. We need to go back and take in the museum that opened a little while ago. And don't forget to stop into a neighborhood deli and grab one of those great sandwiches!

Tokyo, Japan. We have been to Tokyo twice and now that our son and his family are living there we will return again. Tokyo is a little like London in that there are different areas to explore and each has something unique to offer. While I wouldn't want to eat anything but Japanese food there (there are so many varieties), there are lots of other ethnic restaurants available as well because it is such an international city. The history extends back so far that it boggles the mind but walking through the temples you get a sense of ancient tradition that has carried on through the years. Contrasted with the amazing technology of today that is exhibited as well, it is quite an interesting city to explore.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates. While this is probably a one time visit for me, it is still a fascinating city to see. It sits in the middle of desert and on the shore of the Persian Gulf. The biggest, largest, widest, tallest everything seems to be there. A ski resort inside a mall, the world's largest piece of plexiglas that forms one side of a huge aquarium in another mall, and of course the world's tallest building,Burg Kalifa. I'm guessing that the tea we went to at the tallest hotel, Burg al Arab, was probably the most expensive as well.

Barcelona, Spain. Again a city with lots of history and one huge cathedral that has been years in the building and is not done yet. Bob always jokes that we're not going back until they finish the la Segrada Familia. The hop-on hop-off bus is a fun way to see the city but be sure to spend time walking the main street, Las Ramblas, and seeing the performers there and enjoying some tapas. Oh, and don't miss the churros with hot chocolate!

Venice, Italy. When we first arrived in Venice it was raining and it looked dirty and dull and I wondered why we were there. Then the sun came out and the buildings came alive. The architecture surrounding St. Mark's Square is amazing. History abounds and romance ignites with a gondola ride and or a stroll through the little piazzas that surround the main part of the city. Enjoy a cappuccino on the square but be sure to order enough that you don't get charged a cover fee if you are sitting in one of the little outdoor cafes that has musicians playing.


Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland? Yes. There will be lots of people discovering Cleveland as a destination in about 11 months as they descend on the area for the Republican National Convention. There is much to see if time allows. We have quite a history as well. Wonderful architectural examples of years past. A beautiful lake front by the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. Museums. A fantastic ballpark. Aquarium. Lots of restaurants with many ethnic choices and new modern cuisine. And a premium theater district, Playhouse Square, that is the second largest complex in the country.

So that's it for now. While I favor little towns and open country, there are some amazing things the big cities have to offer so to be a well rounded traveler put a little of both into your itinerary.

Wordless Wednesday

Dubai - Inside the Jumeirah Mosque

From our first tour guide we had learned that the Jumeirah Mosque allowed non-Muslims to visit between prayer times and on certain days there was also a guided tour led by members of the Sheikh Mohammed Center For Understanding who, in an effort to erase misconceptions between people, explain the Islam religion and the method of worship inside the mosque.

Sunday was one of the scheduled tour days and we had a free morning before boarding the Queen Mary 2 for Egypt. We arrived at the mosque and found a group assembling at the back in a shady courtyard. Just a few minutes before ten, our hostess arrived and sold the tickets for the tour—a very reasonable 10 aed each (about $2.50 usd). She handed out scarves to ladies who had not brought one to cover the head and some who were showing legs or a little too much ankle or were in pants a bit too tight were given abayas, the long black robes worn by Muslim women.

Once we were ticketed and assembled, we were led to the area where the men wash before going into the mosque. There is a ritual of washing one arm then the other, then feet, then the head, etc. and not necessarily in that order. I should have taken notes and not trusted memory.

If the women chose to come to the mosque for prayer there is a separate area for them to wash. Women are given the option to pray at home since they have household and child care responsibilities. If they do come to the mosque, there is a separate room for them and also a sort of play room for the children with some toddler toys scattered about.

Inside, the mosque was nicely finished with some decoration but not ornately done. Each mosque is different depending upon who builds it and how much money they have. After it is built however, in the United Arab Emirates, the mosque then becomes the property of the government who now regulates the topics the imam, the leader of the mosque, may talk about on Friday, their holy day. As our hostess explained, it keeps a radical imam from stirring up trouble by going off on his own agenda.

A few chairs were graciously arranged for those of us who could not sit easily on the floor. We gathered in the large open area and faced the same direction in which all those praying there would—toward Mecca, Saudi Arabia. (Just a side note: our window in the Grand Hyatt had an arrow imbedded in the frame of it at the bottom pointing to Mecca.)

At the front was a board with six times displayed on it. The first was the time of sun rise and the others referred to the other prayer times throughout the day. Muslims are required to pray five times a day. On the carpet were striped lines woven into the design of the carpet to evenly line up the praying men. They would come in and line up shoulder to shoulder with no space in between. This is to remind them that all are equal in the sight of God—rich man next to poor man, etc.

Another lady who assisted our hostess, showed us the ritual of prayer. She went through several postures all on her knees and the whole prayer time took about two minutes. Five times a day would mean a total of ten minutes of prayer—more than some Christians spend in prayer each day.

Both of our hostesses were from England and had converted to Islam because of the peace and morality they felt they saw in the religion. They stressed their sect was of a different bent than that of the type that births terrorism.

We were told of the five pillars of Islam: reciting the creed, prayer, fasting at Ramadan, charity (2.5% of income is expected to be given), and pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in your lifetime.
She showed us pictures of Mecca where there is a large black boxlike monument that marks the spot where according to some, there was a white stone from heaven showing Adam and Eve where to build an altar. Sin turned the stone black and it since has had quite a history and not always been inside the black box in Mecca. Our hostess told a slightly different version but it still had to do with Adam and Eve (again, I wished for paper and pen and notes).

It was quite a morning and I left with a little more understanding of Islam as our hostesses saw it.

After our morning mosque tour, we checked out of our hotel, left our bags with the concierge for a bit and went to the close-by Wafi Mall. This mall has an Egyptian theme and a light show in the evening which we did not have time to see. The inside was definitely the most upscale of all we had visited thus far. The stores looked more expensive. There were not a lot of shoppers but we found that most places did not get busy until afternoon.

One wing of the mall was a Middle Eastern Bazaar, the Khan Murjan, featuring products from Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, etc. It was fascinating and had we more time, we would have lingered.

We found a small food court with a large video arcade—actually two arcades that looked to have most anything a young person would desire including laser tag. We ate a light lunch of pizza and returned to retrieve our luggage and grab a taxi to the cruise dock.

Our mistake however was in not letting the hotel’s doorman tell our driver where we were off to. I think he would have known the correct term for the port and pier we needed. We pulled to the side of the road when our Pakistani driver realized we were not understanding each other. He phoned someone and we left again and thankfully a few minutes later saw that we were headed in the right direction.

Check-in at the tented terminal was easy and we boarded the Queen Mary 2 shortly after arriving. We cruise so often that it is almost like coming home when we board a cruise ship—of course this time we are corrected often. It is not a cruise ship. It is a cruise LINER.

Dubai's Elegant Tea

The Burg al Arab, the world’s tallest hotel, offers an elegant tea for an exorbitant price in the Sky—restaurant at the top. Having dinner, tea, or staying at the hotel is the only way to get into it. There is a guard at the gate who checks your reservation before you are allowed through. In a sense, the price we paid for the tea also included a chance to explore the hotel which was quite unusual.

It looked much more Middle Eastern in its themed design even though it was still quite modern. Colors and shapes and designs all gave that Bedouin feel. Somehow though I don’t believe the Bedouins would have had quite such fancy elevators in their tents. Everything was trimmed in gold and next to the large waterfall that fills the lobby of the hotel and extends several floors up, it is the first thing you notice.

Escalators are on both sides of the waterfall as well as aquariums. You have to travel up and down a couple of times just to take it all in. The waterfall has fountain waters that jump back and forth like those at Disney. And of course the aquariums are full of exotic fish.

Looking up as you ascend, you notice bright cerulean blue curved panels that resemble waves. When you arrive at the top of the escalator, you turn and look into the large “sail” that makes the building so distinctive from the outside.

We arrived a bit early for the tea and were encouraged to explore the hotel a bit and return to the restaurant area. There is a glass elevator that is express to the restaurant that offers a wonderful view of the ocean and beach area—the only view from the top unless you have reservations at the restaurant or a room.

When we returned to the tea, we were seated by a window then moved because someone else had reserved it. The waiter felt badly and returned to move us a little later to a window that looked directly down the beach. It was truly a better view than looking out on the ocean where there was little to see but water. If you have opportunity to do the tea, arrive a bit early, stay in the restaurant’s lobby and request the window that looks out on the beach toward the city.

The tea was very nice. Our first course was a small sampling of a hot carvery—a piece of lamb stuffed with something that may have been dates. Very tasty. A variety of sandwiches and sweets were served on a tiered tray that resembled the building’s sail shape. China was themed to resemble the design and color of the interior of the building and our tea came in individual china pots that offered plenty of beverage.

Of course the last course was what we like best—scones with cream and jam. We leisurely sipped and nibbled and took in the view and the activity of boats going and coming in the marina below us. It was a nice once-in-a-lifetime experience.

After our tea, we went out to the front entrance to get a taxi. No one had explained to us that the regular taxis were allowed to drop off there but not pick up. The limousine service holds the exclusive contract for this hotel and several other expensive hotels in the city. We had a very nice ride to the Dubai Mall in a beautiful Lexus that dropped us off exactly where we needed to be to see the dancing waters fountain at the mall. Later we got more cash from the ATM to get us back to our hotel.

We watched the fountains dance to Middle Eastern music. They were much larger than the ones in front of the Bellagio in Las Vegas but similar in their display and lighting. [See my Wordless Wednesday post 4/6—I’m posting from a ship and can’t take time to add links.]

Returning to the Grand Hyatt, we spent the evening quietly watching a little TV and relaxing. Still a little jet lagged, it was good to rest a bit. The next day we would board the Queen Mary 2 for our cruise through the Suez Canal and on to New York.

At The Top of Dubai

Our second morning in Dubai found us scurrying to the Dubai Mall, the world’s largest. Just past the entrance where our taxi dropped us off, we found ourselves viewing one of the largest indoor aquariums we had ever seen and teeming with marine life! On the wall was a plaque that read “Guinness World Record” and then a lot of writing in Arabic. At first we thought that it was for the largest aquarium but then a little further on, we discovered an English explanation that said the world record was for the largest piece of acrylic glass. The Dubai Mall was huge. Three or four stories and over 22,000 square meters in area. There are 1200 stores and shops most of which were a bit upscale from those we’d seen in the Mall of the Emirates. A large section was a Gold Souk featuring dozens of jewelry stores. The really fascinating section was on the first floor where there was an expo/competition of sorts going on with lots of small sales stalls set up where new entrepreneurs were showing their products. It was interesting to see ladies in their long black abayas and head scarves selling novelty tee shirts and flashing Mickey Mouse type ears. The malls in Dubai are set up in an interesting manner. There are sections devoted to fashion or electronics or home products, etc. It would certainly make shopping for something specific a lot easier. Also, the international mix of Dubai is evident in the products that are sold and the types of stores available to shoppers. In other parts of the country, as we were told, there is a less liberal attitude to some of these things. We strolled outside the mall to a huge man-made lake that was surrounded by the mall, a residential/hotel area, and the Burg Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. In the middle of the lake, was the Dubai Mall Fountain with dancing waters. The fountain only runs from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the evening. We would need to return if we wanted to see it. It was duly added to our agenda. After a quick bite of lunch, we headed to the entrance in the mall for At The Top where you begin your trip to the top of the Burg Khalifa. Bob had reserved tickets online for us several weeks before our trip. We were glad to have had the foresight. Tickets were sold out for this day and the next and perhaps even past that. Our tickets were ready at will call and after picking them up, we entered the lobby area and joined others in line as we were channeled through corridors with pictures and interesting facts about the design and construction of the building—200 stories, 12,000 construction workers, 57 elevators—elevators! That made my stomach jump a bit. We were told that we would rise to the 127th floor in about one minute. I was wondering how fast we would come down? There was no need to worry. The elevator ride was the smoothest I’d ever had--both ways. The only thing you noticed was your ears popping a little. And the view was spectacular. We were high enough in the building that there was a 360 view as you walked around. Part of it was outdoors. In one sense, it was difficult to imagine we were that high because many of the buildings and complexes like the Dubai Mall are so huge that you lose perspective. The view allows you to see how this city just suddenly rises from the desert. It also tickles the imagination as you notice how many more large foundations are at the ready for future structures. Dubai is still growing. Once we again reached ground level, my legs began to tell me how much we had walked—at least miles in the mall. We took a taxi back to our hotel and relaxed for a bit before our next adventure was to begin—elegant tea at the Burg al Arab.

Dubai - Skiing in the Desert?

Instead of resting from our first morning in Dubai, we opted to freshen up quickly and grab a taxi to the Mall of the Emirates. Taxis are relatively inexpensive in Dubai if you get the ones that are tan/red with a "taxi" sign on the top. You need to specify public taxi or you will get a very nice but much more expensive ride in a "limousine." The taxi drivers are a varied bunch, mostly Pakistani. Some talk. Others don't. Our ride to the mall was very quiet. As we had passed the Mall of the Emirates earlier in the day, we had noticed the enormous metal enclosure that resembled a large waterpark slide like you see attached to an indoor waterpark facility. While it looked big, from a distance we could not really tell how truly large it was. Inside the mall, we found that the shoppers were a bit like we would find in any mall back home--all sorts of dress from shorts to abayas and burqas, t-shirts to the traditional men's white kandura with a guthra covering the head. We were assuming that the majority of the less conservative dress belonged to the tourists. The taxi had dropped us off very close to where a large restaurant offering a variety of international food seat customers with a view of the ski slopes. It was amazing. As we ate lunch, we were able to enjoy the antics of a group of brand new skiers as they learned to stand and slide down the beginner's hill. Some were learning to snowboard as well. As we explored further, we found that there was all sorts of things to do inside Ski Dubai. We enjoyed it of course from the outside looking into the cold. After all, we'd left that white stuff at home when our plane took off. There were standard issue snow outfits for most of the people inside including long black coats for the ladies in traditional dress. Many were pulling little ones on sleds. The largest hill is 400 meters long and has a fall of 60 meters (skiers will know what that means). There are five hills in all and several ways to the top including a ski lift. Snow is made on a regular basis and temperatures are kept around the 30 degree F mark. It is designed and landscaped pleasantly. Just another of the amazing accomplishments seen in Dubai. We enjoyed exploring the mall and seeing stores familiar and new to us before we returned to our hotel to rest and dress for our evening dinner cruise aboard a dhow, a large wooden riverboat. Our tour company picked us up at 7:30 and drove to the Dubai Marina where we boarded a dhow decorated in colored lights. The lights of the city were a beautiful backdrop to what was supposed to be a "romantic cruise" on the creek. A larage party of locals were celebrating someone's birthday so it was a little less romantic but it gave us the opportunity to see others at play. Many in the group smoked hookahs, pipes that filter a tobacco mix called shisha. The water in the pipe is supposed to act as filter and cooler. The shisha is a flavored syrupy tobacco mix--honey or molasses based and flavored with apple, lemon, watermelon, or other flavor variations. I'm not sure that the entertainment was meant for all of us but just as we were finishing our buffet dinner, a belly dancer provided amusement mostly for the birthday table. It was quite an evening.

Dubai, A Sleek Multi-Cultured City

Arriving at Dubai after a good twelve hour flight on Emirates Airline, we were wide-eyed taking in the enormous palacial appearance of the airport. Huge silver and glittering columns supported a ceiling several stories above our heads. Moving through immigration was very smooth. Before entering the baggage claim area, carry ons were sent throught the x-ray machine. Unlike other countries we have visited, there was no paperwork. You either walked through a "Do not declare" area or an area of "Goods to declare. It was about 7:20 p.m. local time when we landed and by 8:15 we were in the Grand Hyatt Dubai looking out our 9th floor window to the lights of the city anticipating what it would be like in the morning. After a walk around the beautiful grounds of the Grand Hyatt and some refreshment by the outdoor pool, we retired, hoping to be able to sleep through the night and begin to adjust to the new time zone (8 hours ahead of our own). Friday morning found us again at the floor to ceiling window looking out over a city shrouded in early morning fog adding to the mystique. We hoped the sun would melt some of it away by the time we were done with breakfast. It improved throughout the day but the humidity in the air from the nearby ocean and the smog created by traffic kept it a bit misty-looking from a distance. Our tour operator arrived at 9 a.m. to pick us up for the city tour we had arranged. We were the first in the mini-bus and so we got to see some of the other hotels of Dubai and an area of lower rent apartments where many of the ex-patriots (non-nationals) live. Eighty percent of the 1.5 million people in the city are from other countries. A good deal from India and Pakistan which is where our driver and guide originated. By the time we had collected all of the passengers, we had quite an international mix--Algeria, Canada, Australia, Pakistan, India and of course, the USA. We began our tour where we picked up our last passengers at the Al Seef Marine Transport Station on the shore of the Dubai Creek which is large enough to call a river. The creek has been expanded and dredged to allow larger vessels and thereby encourage more trade in the port city. Our next stop was at the Gold Souk, several blocks of store after store filled with gold jewelry and precious gems. Being Friday, many of the stores were closed due to it being the holy day of the week, but the ones that were open offered everything from the daintiest to the most opulent adornment you might desire. The side streets contained small shops offering souvenirs, scarves, and traditional Arabic dress. While we did not get to see the large spice souk, there were several shops open directly across from where the bus was parked and we got to peruse the exotic spices of the East along with dates and figs and all sorts of nuts. Our driver took us along the road that paralells the water and stopped for a photo opportunity across from the Jumeirah Mosque, the only mosque among the many in Dubai open to non-muslims provided they wear proper attire. Tours can be arranged on certain days for a small fee. Mosque properly documented in photos, we continued on past the Jumeirah Beach Park and stopped on the beach near the world's tallest, and according to our guide, probably the most expensive hotel in the world, the Burj al Arab. He told us he had a complimentary one night stay worth around $2,000 USD and couldn't sleep surrounded by so much gold trim on the doors, the faucets, the floors, etc. The hotel is a landmark that resembles a large sail and easily identifies the city of Dubai. Just past the Burg al Arab, our driver turned right and we began what was a surprisingly long drive out onto the Palm Jumeirah. When it was first constructed, I remembered seeing reports of it on news and travel shows but I had no idea just how large it was. And this one is the smallest among the three that will be built. At the end of the island that is shaped like a palm tree, is Atlantis Dubai which looks exactly like the Atlantis in Nassau, Bahamas, and also has a large aquarium. As we neared the Dubai Mall, we could view the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa--a little over 2716 feet. It narrows considerably as you reach the top making it look like it points to the heavens. By the way shoppers, the Dubai Mall is said to be the world's largest as well based upon total area and has over 1200 shops. After dropping off several avid shoppers, we were driven back to our hotel to rest up for our "shopping" excursion at the Mall of the Emirates. It is said to be a little smaller with almost 600 shops but our main interest was in the indoor skiing facility. And maybe just one or two souvenirs?

Dubai - A Little History

When you think of the Middle East, you think of oil but oil is only a small fraction of the prosperity of Dubai. Abu Dhabi the capitol of the United Arab Emirates is actually a larger oil producer. Dubai started out as a fishing village known for trading, fishing, and pearling.

In 1830, they were taken over by a branch of the Bani Yas tribe from the Liwa oasis led by the Maktoum family who still rule today. Dubai became a part of the United Arab Emirates when it formed in 1971. The UAE is a union of seven different sheikdoms that have now become one nation.

Dubai, the second largest emirate of the seven, is actually two towns divided by a creek--Deira on the northeast and Dubai on the southwest. By the turn of the 20th century, Dubai was a sufficiently prosporous port and attracted a lot of foreign settlers mostly from other areas of the Middle East and India.

International trade increased even as their pearling industry decreased due to competition from the Japanese cultured pearl market. Their skillful trading began to bring them much prosperity even before the beginning of oil production in the 1960s.

In 2003, Dubai was recognized as by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank as a financial hub.

Thanks to the foresight of its leaders, Dubai has now become a world reknowned tourist area with over 300 hotels and ever growing tourist attractions--the world's tallest hotel, an indoor ski area at a mall, a community built on a man-made penninsula, and of course its gold and spice markets.

A city certainly worth exploration.

Dubai, What to Wear?

What did we do before the internet? I have been kept busy searching out answers to my questions about Dubai. Today's quest was to decide what to pack to wear for those few days in the city. All sorts of rumors abound about Middle Eastern dress for women most of which do not apply in Dubai.

While I'm not traveling alone, according to Dubai.com, the United Arab Emirates is very safe for women travelers but it is still a bit unusual in this culture for lone women travelers and they suggest staying in a four or five star hotel to avoid unwanted attention especially if you are going to the beach. Actually, I didn't know there was anything less than 4 or 5 star hotels in Dubai. Certainly the prices of hotels would not indicate that.

Tight or revealing clothing is definitely not appropriate however (aside from those private hotel beaches). And if you should leave the city, you definitely want to be careful that your dress does not offend. The suggestion is for "loose trousers and a long sleeved cotton shirt." Good advice not only to keep from offending but also to keep from burning in the hot sun.

The other tip I read for women has nothing to do with dress but might be a good one to keep in mind for business-minded women. Some devout Muslims prefer not to shake hands with a woman. Wait until one is offered.

As for Bob. . .it's a little less stringent but I'm afraid his favorite vacation attire--shorts--will not be appropriate.

Time to check my vacation wardrobe. What to wear. . .What to wear. . .