My first impression of Dubai is the cosmopolitan life of the city. All colors and styles of clothing wind through the streets. English is the linga Franca, but feel free to speak Arabic if you desire. You can use Hindu, Tagalog, even French at times.
I chose to stay in Al Fahedi, a restored old town area of Dubai. It is plausibly the feel of Dubai 50 years ago. Wind towers mark the corners of each building. The muezzin wake me each morning at 4:11 am. By day three I am out of bed and down by the mosque at 4:30 in time to hear the blend of the birds and muezzin each singing their song along the quiet waterfront of Dubai Creek. The light breeze cools.
Dubai is a city of architecture superlatives. Why not watch the light and water show on the East side of Burj Khalifa. There is nothing else like it. Then visit the malls, later gaze at the construction of the world's tallest Ferris wheel, or some other architectural super-superlative construction. Hop on the clean Metro transit.
The 13th Annual Middle East Update in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery meeting takes place during the cool part of the day - the air conditioned part. It takes place in the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Center. This was conveniently located on a Metro stop for easy access.
I manage to find a few cafes including The Sum of Us for the requisite smooth Ethiopian caffeine fix in the nearby area.
Drs. Mauzz Tarabichi, Ahmed Alamadi & Michael Benninger have put together an excellent conference, running 6 rooms simultaneously thoughout three days on the various sub-specialities in otolaryngology.
I split my time between the pediatric otolaryngology sessions and the head-and-neck sessions because each overlap with larynology. Airway management and papilloma were well covered in the pediatric sessions. Cincinnati was well represented and Alessandro de Alarcon's updates on airway stenosis were thought provoking given the experience accumulated in his department. While cancer was a headline in the head and neck sessions, they covered Laryngology as well. I had a very enjoyable repartee with Dennis Kraus, Michael Benninger, Carol Bradford & Mohammed Gomaa over the concept of "reflux laryngitis, GERD, LPR" (or whatever you want to call it) and the issue about whether it plays any role in hoarseness.
I also caught up with former fellows Ibrahim Issa and Redwan Kalash.
The Middle East Otolaryngolgy Conference was a meeting well worth attending.