The 205th Episode : City in desert
[October, 2009 Dubai, UAE]
The centre of the city is urban with many skyscrapers like the big cities in the world, but it's still city in desert. There are many small sand grains at corners of streets, pavements, buildings... etc. Roads run straight in desert in a suburb, a side of which wild camels were eating grasses.
Our taxi was heading our hotel after dinner. Then a Japanese guy wanted to take a pee, due to much beer from the kettle maybe. The taxi driver said no bathroom in such a place. The guy in question once said to try to hold out up to the hotel, no idea of the distance and time. Standing pee was prohibited as a matter of course. The same as Japan. We were in Islamic world, of which rule is mush stricter. They say heavy sentences are beheadings and cutting off the wrist on even theft. Moreover it's a public execution. Will they cut that off if you pee standing up? In a public execution!
No, no, not the case of laughing. In the meantime, he was at his limit! Stop anywhere he screamed! The taxi driver was also embarrassed. Even to stop was prohibited. The sides of the road were desert spread with good visibility. But a little further some small buildings could be seen. The taxi stopped by those buildings a little later and the driver said "behind them". Few street lights was there and dark fortunately.
The Japanese returned to us with a refreshed look on his face, saying "it's sandy down there without flowing, just well soaks in."
