Happy 39th National Day! I hope you’re all having a fantastic day and enjoying all the festivities.

We don’t get an awful lot of free time in our family, what with me working weekends, but a couple of weeks ago my hubby had exams in Dubai and we all went up and after his exams had finished spent some time being tourists in the country where we live – I loved it – it was a blissful half day shaking off the stresses of life in the U.A.E and soaking some of the atmosphere of the country instead.

Shunning the glitz and glamour side of the city we spent most of the time down by Dubai creek, exploring the souks, riding the abras and eating good Middle Eastern food.

I swear I didn’t put them both in flat caps that day – they did that all by themselves (the little accessories divas that they are!!) but it does add to that kind of stepping back in time feel of the pictures!! The look like they could be in Oliver!The girls were delighted to find Indigo and Saffron on sale in the spice souk!!! They thought it hilarious that stall holders kept calling their names, and equally stall holders were intrigued to find out the girls’ names! Shoes, I can never resist shoes and pictures like this take me back to how I started off with travel photography.The girls made friends as we passed through the souk!

My favourite shoe shot of the day!

I think I should tout her out to Monsoon for shots like this!!Saffy exchanging her own head wear for something more local!!! Although to be honest I’ve never seen a local lady wearing a pink beaded headdress!! (Emirati friends, please confess if you really do have something like this in your wardrobe!!) Pre National Day preparations!Stopping at a juice stall…My happy girls!

A last look across the creek, and back in time… mosque minarets, windtowers and dhows….

Before a last trip back across on an abra….

I loved seeing Dubai thought the eyes of a tourist… hope you’re enjoying your day too, Kirsty x