Wait, what’s going on in this picture?

A TRAVELLER couldn’t believe her eyes when she walked out of hotel room to see this. It’s the weirdest thing she’s seen after seven years in Dubai — and she’s seen a lot of crazy things.

“DID that really just happen?”

It’s an all too familiar phrase for anyone who has ever stepped inside the make-believe world that is Dubai. No other city in the world has the ability to shock and surprise you the way this bold and decidedly unbashful desert city can.

Home to the world’s most expensive pizza — an extortionate $200,000 — as well as a supercar police fleet, there’s a reason why those living in the United Arab Emirates coined the infamous phrase and hashtag #OnlyInDubai.

And on this sunny morning, one of those pinch-yourself moments unfolds right in front of me. Minutes within arriving at Jumeirah Beach for an open-air morning yoga session overlooking the Burj Al Arab and Arabian Gulf, I spot her out of the corner of my eye.

Wait, is this real? Picture: Jenny Hewett

She’s sauntering down the private beach of the sheik’s palace next door. Imposing, captivatingly beautiful, she cuts a striking figure on four legs. A very large white lion, one of the rarest feline breeds in the world.

The unlikely friends. Picture: Jenny Hewett

After seven years in the emirates, I’ve had my share of experiences and seen some strange sights. I’ve dined on a $2500 a-head brunch, complete with Russian Beluga caviar, flowing Dom Perignon and a butler to fetch my food from the buffet. I’ve skydived over Palm Jumeirah and driven a Jaguar through the desert to get there.

I’ve found myself, rather reluctantly, at a Bollywood-style strip show and spotted a neon-pink Bentley in my less than glamorous neighbourhood.

Open wide! Picture: Jenny Hewett

I’ve also seen exotic animals both in the wild and captivity, but nothing could have prepared me for this.

With extreme caution, I slowly approach the iron-bar fence separating us to take a closer look. It’s an easy jump for a lion of her size and speed and I don’t particularly want her to catch sight of me for breakfast.

The dog looks quite happy, considering its companion. Picture: Jenny Hewett

The two minders walking the feline anchor her chain to a large metal post in the ground. Fear is replaced with awe as I admire this piercing, wild animal basking in the sun, her ears twitch and she yawns widely, baring her teeth as if on cue.

The two men tell me she is one of 27 lions who live on the property of this massive seaside palace. They take her for a morning stroll at 6.30am every day.

Just playing around. Picture: Jenny Hewett

And there’s another animal -but this species is black and white, and of the canine kind. Without hesitation, the spotty dalmatian, toylike in comparison, bounds down the sand towards the lion, a much larger opponent.

I begin to squirm as I pre-empt the disaster that is about to unfold. But I soon realise the dog and lion are already well-acquainted, housemates even.

Soaking up the sun. Picture: Jenny Hewett

Unperturbed by the power and sheer presence of this wild animal, the dog playfully licks the lion’s face and jumps towards her, begging to play. It’s hard to forget, however, that the feline could kill with one swipe of her paw or flick of her neck. Even if she appears relatively tame.

Considered a status symbol, Dubai’s uber elite have long kept exotic animals as pets, though it’s controversial and widely condemned in both local and international media. Even so, it’s not unheard of to spot a lion or tiger in a souped-up G-Class Mercedes, the royal family’s luxury ride of choice, on the main drag.

Lions are a status symbol here. Picture: Jenny Hewett

In one scandalous incident, a Dubai nightclub was left with a public-relations nightmare after clubbers complained that a patron had brought a pet monkey into the loud, smoky venue. As with all destinations, Dubai has its share of less redeeming features, but that’s also part of its charm.

If it’s weird, wacky, outrageous or eye-opening, you’ll find it in this city.