Dubai is one of the emirates or states in UAE(United Arab Emirates), in the Middle East which is portrayed larger than life… ever increasing in popularity as tourist destination, shopper’s paradise and foodies dream. A master piece in its own right, practically showcasing every cultures and nations of the world in a nutshell. It’s a place which does not have any natural resource, but has everything thanks to the futuristic ruler. The cleanliness is eye catching and the Burg Khalif stands tall as if policing the whole emirate. Never ending tide of tourists & visitors and, the weeked trip to Dubai mall, the largest mall in the world would remind one of factory workers milling out after the evening siren. I first passed through Dubai way back in 1991 on my way to Abu Dhabi. From then to now Dubai has come a long way…But not until this millennium my visits are becoming more frequent and stay are longer. What fascinated me more about Dubai than all the concrete structure is the ever increasing bird population and some insects like butterflies and bugs. Early morning Birds chirping in Middle East is music to my ears, against witnessing the ever dwindling bird population in South India.

Raised in Western Ghats of India my fascination of Mother Nature is insatiable. I had three different experiences in 50 days and I want to share one of my most incredible experiences…

Paddy (rice) pollination is generally considered done by wind or self pollination. It always bothered me because my parents told me it’s done by bees. I always wanted to see the source of paddy pollination & I was not even sure if such small paddy flowers contained/hosted any nectar too. During the paddy flowering season there used to be a special kind of honey which is little darker and thick which was normally preserved for the home consumption. Unfortunately then unlike now I was more interested in eating than worrying about the source. Thanks to my granddaughter, during October – November 2013, I had the privilege of spending 50 straight days in Dubai. Every morning I spent more than an hour in the lawn with the new born acquiring free supply of vitamin D and getting rid of her jaundice. Now I will let my pictures tell you their own stories… taking these pictures were very, very tricky and I wish I was a better photographer and used professional camera… better luck next time…

The bees often used to make me laugh… the grass stalk is so small and the flower are so tiny-tiny it’s like comparing elephant with a mouse. The bees coiled/wound around the stalk and sucked the nectar from flower. What an ingenious feat!! Then while unwinding most of then lost the balance and fell on the ground… its so funny like albatross running before taking off… my dear old Mother Nature never ceases to surprise me.