UAE

" Strolling in Sharjah, a quiet Emirate just northeast of bustling Dubai we discovered the sunset over the harbor and an endless line of cargo ships docked at its side. Men in tattered cloths and turbans from India, Pakistan, and Iran loaded their ships and inspected their deliveries. I was caught red handed pointing my telescoping lens toward the bow of a rather large coal ship by its crew; who vigorously waved us both toward a rickety red ladder connecting the bobbing deck with the solid ground below. With a quick glance between us Miles and I scaled the rungs to the black soot deck. We were greeted by a dozen or so coal-soaked Indian sailors lining up for a photo shoot, striking poses, nearly falling over themselves to get in front of the camera. "