Dubai Mall

The Dubai Mall is the largest mall in the world at 3.77 million sq ft. A couple big features of this mall are a five star hotel, an ice rink, the biggest candy store in the world (Candylicious), a replica of London's Regent Street, and one of the largest aquariums in the world. It has more than 1,200 stores and an indoor theme park called Sega Republic. In 2011, more than 54 million people visited Dubai Mall which is more than visited New York City.  More information: http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-of-the-dubail-mall-2012-9?op=1

Dubai Mall at night



Indoor theme park called Sega Republic

Arial shot of mall and fountain

Aquarium inside the mall

 

Biggest candy store in the world! yum.

 

 

Ice Rink inside the Dubai mall
 

Big Al Blog

Big Al's blog is amazing! He's very brave for being willing to keep posting his thoughts. I can't believe how few comments it has though. I think more people should be reading this! It gives insight into the situation in Syria so much more deeply than any emotion-lacking news story ever could. I don't think I'd be brave enough to stay in Homs like Big Al did. I don't even know if I'd be brave enough to go out and protest. Probably I'd join in the first ones, but once things started getting violent I would try and leave! That is such a terrifying situation to live in and I don't think I'd be able to handle it. If I could write to Big Al or another Syrian freedom fighter I would say how sorry I am that this world is so based on politics that it's the driving force behind our decisions instead of what's best for the Syrian people. I'd want to tell Big Al how amazing it is that he's willing to share his experiences and that I hope their situation gets resolved as soon as possible. Reading this blog has made me understand the Syrian situation more fully especially as to why the protests started in the first place. It has also made me take a second look at my life. I would remember what I was doing on certain dates that Al posted about and it made me really appreciate my situation.

Peace and Coexistance

At this moment, I don't think peace is possible. There is too much fire and fuel behind both sides for either one to give up. At this time, I think the only way the conflict would stop is if one side completely demolished the other. Hopefully that won't happen! Ideally they would find a way to coexist but I don't think that will happen anytime soon. I think the only way coexistance will be possible is in a few generations when both sides have exhausted power and resources. Even if that did happen, true peace between the two groups will be something that may never happen. Using America as an example, there is still a lot of animosity between that North and the South even though the Civil War happen back in the 1860s. When this much passion is put behind a conflict, an easy resovle is near to impossible. I hope that coexistance will happen but realistically I don't think it will happen anytime soon. I do think the international community should start encouraging peace and do this by stopping sending so much aid. I don't think the US should be sending a third of the aid budget just to Israel in military weapons. This only aids the conflict.